The Pennyrail Online Edition

Ron Stubblefield – I first met Ron Stubblefield in Paducah, Kentucky, during my senior year at Murray State University. Ron had recently joined the Paducah Model Railroad Club and his HO-scale module had a lot of circus-related models: a carousel, a Ferris wheel, and even a Z-scale park train. In the coming months, Ron and I became good friends, culminating in Ron assisting me in getting my first job at Siemens in Ron’s hometown of Marion (KY). 1993 began with Ron and I traveling every Thursday night to Don Clayton’s house in Madisonville and the monthly NRHS meetings. Without Ron, I would not have had a chance to start my career the way I did, and I would not have met many other dear friends – the fellow members of the Western Kentucky Chapter of NRHS. I am forever indebted to Ron and his wife Kay.

Those weekly trips were more (than) just a ride to see trains. They were a small journey on the  Ron-sized path of life. Sure, we saw the P&L Railway take over the Tradewater Railway through Marion, had CSX serenade us during dinner at Burger King in Madisonville, and chased multiple trains in that little Jeep across southern Illinois and Southeast Missouri – including the 1996 Olympic Torch train on Union Pacific. But Ron demonstrated what it was to be a real man – a kind of big brother (and I say that respectfully in terms of his physical size and the size of his heart). I would also not have been able to railfan many local hotspots had I not met Ron – those memories of racing down gravel roads and doing power slides in rural southeast Missouri in pursuit of UP and SP are and will continue to be cherished in the coming years. Ron also taught me a lot about railfan photography and was an incredible teacher of geology. Many of his photos graced multiple issues of our newsletters. And Ron’s knowledge of minerals and his involvement with the Clements Mineral Museum gave me a different view of “those rocks”.

In closing, I will miss my brother Ron. He was a good friend, a great mentor, and the best Christian brother a man could have. But I know, as my pastor Steve Viars would say: “this man knew that he knew that he knew he was on his way to Heaven.” I am sure Ron is enjoying railfanning in Heaven.

Run Eight Ron!!!

Chris (Dees)

Murrel Hogue was a fellow NRHS member, mileage collector, traveling companion with several Madisonville chapter members, and former Amtrak agent at Texarkana, TX. Many of his fellow mileage collectors would purchase Amtrak tickets through the Texarkana agency in order to support and keep the depot open.

Murrel’s many friends in railroading have discussed options for some permanent recognition of Murrel’s years of service and enthusiastic support for rail passenger service.

A bronze plaque is being prepared designating the Texarkana waiting room as the “Murrel Edward Hogue, Jr. Memorial Waiting Room.”  A ceremony is planned to fomalize this designation, with a tentative date of August 28, 2010 in Texarkana.  Once this date is finalized, additional details will be announced. It is hopeful that many of Murrel’s friends might be able to attend.

Contributions toward the cost of this memorial plaque may be sent to:
Griff Hubbard
1270 Brandywine Drive
Longview, TX  75601

With Best Regards,
Chris Dees

Everyone knows that a day of railfanning can build up a hearty appetite. I remember riding with Rex Easterly, Ron Stubblefield, and Keith Kittinger down to Chattanooga several years ago for a chapter trip to TVRM. Somehow along the way we picked up a dozen Dunkin donuts, a large Pizza Hut Super Supreme Pan Pizza, and a family box of Hardee’s fried chicken.  It’s good to know that the legacy of railfanning and good food continues to this day. With both RJ Corman and Buffalo & Pittsburgh crews pulling heavy freights in the Clearfield, PA area, Denny’s Beer Barrel Pub is a great place to hang out after a day of railfanning in the Allegheny Mountain region of northwest Pennsylvania. The 100-pounder costs only $380, but is free of charge if you can finish by yourself in 6 hours. As of yet, many of tried, and all have failed. However, their Wall of Fame includes one lady that woofed down the 3-pound version in only 20 minutes!!!  – Chris Dees

Submitted by Chris Dees

Do Not Hump – Norfolk Southern announced Wednesday, July 15, 2009, that they will close part of the operations at its Sheffield rail yard, a move that involves cutting 84 jobs. Robin Chapman, a spokesman for Norfolk Southern in Atlanta, said about 130 people work at the yard.

The rest of the local rail yard will remain open, company officials said. Chapman said 57 layoffs are train and engine positions, and 27 are mechanical employees. “The humping operations will be going to Chattanooga or Birmingham,” he said. “There will be some switching operations going to Decatur.”

Chapman said the nation’s economic climate forced the move. “The reason we’re idling humping operations is because of the traffic conditions,” he said. “In this economy, traffic is way down and we can’t support humping operations at Sheffield.” The rail yard is just east of the overpass on Wilson Dam Road, but is referred to as the Sheffield yard by company officials.

Those being laid off will be sent home immediately when the announcement is made Wednesday, but receive pay for 60 days, under a labor agreement, Chapman said. Chapman said employees work on a seniority basis, so those affected by layoffs can displace employees with less seniority in other cities within the railroad’s seniority district, which includes company operations in Alabama and Tennessee.

“The jobs could come back, theoretically, if we resumed humping operations at Sheffield,” Chapman said. “But whether specific employees could come back, that depends where they go and what they do from this point. The ones laid off are on furlough status and would be recalled by seniority.” He said trains will continue to travel through the area and local trains that serve area industries will continue to do so. “Traffic stays the same, it’s just they wouldn’t be humped in Sheffield.”

This is the information that is now available on the regular trips over the Madison Railroad for their Bicentennial event.  I have not heard back about request for a special mileage trip.

Final Plans as of 5/1 Tickets Go On Sale At 9 am, June 1, Heritage Center, 615 W. First Street, Madison.

Here’s the information you need to get your tickets for the Bicentennial Express Train Ride that is sponsored by the Jefferson County Historical Society, Madison Railroad, and the Madison Bicentennial. Tickets are $20 each; there is a limit of 10 per person.  350 Tickets

Cash or checks, NO Credit Cards, NO Debit Cards. Children if small enough to ride in your lap, FREE, BUT IF they take a seat it is $20.

Train leaves the Venture Out Business Center RR MP 41?)  on Wilson Avenue, goes to Middle Fork Bridge (RR MP 35.25).  (about 6 miles one way, 12 total)

NO restrooms on board, only at loading site (Venture Business Center). Saturday Oct 17, Departures 10 am, 1pm 3:30 pm. Sunday Oct 18, Departures 12 Noon, 2:30pm. Ph 812.265.2335

City of New Orleans to Orlando?

Forwarded from the Memphis Railfans Yahoo Group. Posted by: “Tom Parker” tscottparker@gmail.com ts_parker Date: Thu Apr 30, 2009 1:12 pm ((PDT))

I received the following from Amtrak today:
NATIONAL RAILROAD PASSENGER CORPORATION 1001 Loyola Avenue, New Orleans, LA 70113

As you may be aware, the Passenger Rail Investment and Improvement Act of2008 (PRIIA, Public Law 110-432) requires Amtrak to deliver to Congress a plan for restoring rail passenger service between New Orleans, Louisiana, and Sanford, Florida:

Division B, Section 226: Within 9 months after the date of enactment of this Act, Amtrak shall transmit to the Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure of the House of Representatives and the Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation of the Senate a plan for restoring passenger rail service between New Orleans, Louisiana, and Sanford, Florida. The plan shall include a projected time line for restoring such service, the costs associated with restoring such service, and any proposals for legislation necessary to support such restoration of service. In developing the plan, Amtrak shall consult with representatives from the States of Louisiana, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida, railroad carriers whose tracks may be used for such service, rail passengers, rail labor, and other entities as appropriate.

Accordingly, Amtrak assembled a team to meet this objective. The group examined multiple service and schedule scenarios and has narrowed the list to three that were the most operationally feasible. These include the former Sunset Limited as it operated prior to Hurricane Katrina; operating the City of New Orleans through from Chicago, via New Orleans, on a daily basis to Orlando; and a stand-alone service operating daily on an overnight schedule between New Orleans and Orlando with connections in New Orleans and Jacksonville.

Amtrak intends to submit a report to Congress based on these three scenarios and the costs associated with them on or before the July 16,2009, deadline. I hope this information is helpful in your evaluation of the possibilities for restoring service east of New Orleans.

Sincerely,

Thomas L. Stennis III Director,

Government Affairs-South

The Royal Deeside Railway

A few years ago, my cousin Martha Dees (known to the family as Marty) researched the family tree back some 14 generations to our 12th great-grandfather who left the ancestral home in Scotland to come to the new world. The region just southwest of Aberbeen, is known as Deeside and is along the River Dee – hence the basis for our last name. The area is rich in history, is the site of the Royal Bayoral Castle, and includes an interesting and very active historical railway group – the Royal Deeside Railway.

The story of the Royal Deeside Railway dates back to 1845, when the prospectus for the Deeside Railway was issued. This was to be a single-line railway from Aberdeen to the town of Banchory, following the north side of the Dee river throughout. The scheme was so well received that it was decided to extend the line from Banchory through Kincardine O’Neill to Aboyne, just over 29 miles from Aberdeen.

Authorized on 16 July 1846, the Deeside Railway was delayed by the construction of the Aberdeen Railway from Forfar, and the scheme was re-authorized on 28 May 1852, although the Aboyne extension was postponed to a later date. The Deeside Railway opened to traffic on 8th September 1853. Eventually the line was extended to Aboyne in 1857 and reached Ballater on 17 October 1866.

Amalgamated with the Great North of Scotland Railway by 1876, the Deeside Railway was one of the region’s most scenic railway lines and for many years was travelled by members of the Royal Family en route to Balmoral Castle. Indeed, Queen Victoria’s desire for privacy at Balmoral Castle was the reason why the Deeside Railway never continued as planned to Braemar at the top of the Dee Valley.

Although the Deeside Railway was one of the most scenic and picturesque lines in the Aberdeenshire area, the line was mentioned in the Beeching Report of 1963 as a loss-making railway, closing to passengers on 28th February 1966. Goods traffic to the Culter Paper Mills kept the line open for freight until 30 December 1966, when Class B1 Steam Locomotive No. 61180 became the last steam train to run on the Deeside Railway. Arnott Young Ltd. were given the task of dismantling the line and by 1972 the tracks of the Deeside Railway had been lifted.

From 1972 the route of the railway slowly began to be reclaimed by nature, although the former trackbed, station buildings and bridges remained clearly visible to the public. Over time portions of the route were converted for other uses, the trackbed between Holburn Street & Culter being surfaced as a popular cycle & walking route. Other changes were more dramatic, such as the removal of the Holburn Street Bridge in 1981, the demolition of the station site at Banchory for construction of housing, and the complete dismantling of the Blarnacrag (or Beltie) Viaduct between Torphins & Lumphanan. However the majority of the route is still easily visible some 40 years after the railway was closed.

The Royal Deeside Railway Preservation Society was formed in 1996 by local railway enthusiasts, initially concentrating its efforts at the Aberdeen end of the line, where part of the former Aberdeen Ferryhill Engine Shed was considered for use as a workshop & museum, along with heritage railway services on the section of former Deeside Railway trackbed adjacent to the shed site. Discussions on the acquisition of the shed site are continuing with Network Rail & Aberdeen City Council.

the Royal Deeside Railway

In August 2000 the society submitted plans to the local council for a reinstated railway operation between Banchory and Milton of Crathes, on the former Deeside Railway Line. Recent European Legislation required an “Environmental Impact Assessment” to be carried out, which was submitted in 2002. Approval for the majority of the scheme was received on 10th June 2003, work starting at the Milton end shortly thereafter.

The Society now has a number of items of rolling stock under restoration, including the unique “Battery Railcar” which ran on the line in the 1950s, and a historic collection of vintage Victorian coaches which are under restoration for use on the line. Regular summer execursions were started in 2008 and already the railway is beginning to come back to life.

Website address: http://www.deeside-railway.co.uk/index.php