FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF RAILFANS ONLY
- Southern Illinois Train Club Model Railroad and Railroadiana Show – Saturday August 29, 10am-9pm. Sunday August 30, 12 noon to 5:30pm. Free Admission – Illinois Centre Mall, Interstate I-57 and Ill Rt. 13, Marion, IL.
- Madisonville Headquarted and Energized Railroad Buffs (MH&E RRB) – Thursday, September 3, Madisonville Airport – Ricky Bivins, host, 7 pm. All are welcome!
- Great Midwest Train Show – September 13, 2009, DuPage County Fairgrounds, 2015 W. Manchester Road, Wheaton, IL 60187
- Crofton Picnic and Train Watching – West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS – Saturday, October 3.
- 42nd Annual Model Train Show – Presented by Cincinnati Division 7-N.M.R.A., Saturday October 24th, 2009 12:00 P.M.-7:00 P.M., Sunday October 25th, 2009 11:00 A.M.-5:00 P.M. Lakota West High School at 8940 Union Centre Blvd. in West Chester, OH. 45069 – Free Parking! – Model trains in all scales – Operation Layouts and displays – Retail sales – Hourly Door Prizes! – FREE-Engine checkup and How To” classes-Admission – Adults $6.00 – Children under 12 FREE – Scouts in Uniform FREE – Table rentals and layout space-Roy Hord at 513-777-5337 or rhord@fuse.net.
After an absence of 12 years, Roanoke Chapter, National Railway Historical Society announces the return of an Amtrak excursion train to Roanoke! On the weekend of November 7 and 8, riders will have the chance to ride the rails in our area once again.
In cooperation with Amtrak and Norfolk Southern, we will operate two round-trip excursions. On Saturday, November 7, 2009, bright and early at 8:00 am, our excursion train will depart the former N&W passenger station bound for Bluefield, West Virginia, climbing Christiansburg Mountain, rolling along the New River Valley before climbing the grade into Bluefield. After a layover of several hours to experience the local sights, sounds and food, passengers will board the train to return to Roanoke.
On Sunday, November 8, 2009, the same train will again head out, this time bound for Shenandoah, Virginia running through the beautiful Shenandoah Valley. While laying over in Shenandoah, passenger can choose their meal, or see the local area before a return to Roanoke that afternoon.
Want to be a part of this historic event? We expect to have full information available in a few weeks, send a stamped, self-addressed business sized envelope to: Amtrak Excursions, Roanoke Chapter NRHS, P.O. Box 13222, Roanoke, VA 24032. Postal Service not quick enough? We’ll email out a PDF to all those on our mailing list just as soon as it is finalized for the printer, just send an email with “Amtrak Excursion” in the subject line and we’ll send the PDF.
Editor’s Note: Website for Roanoke Chapter:
http://www.nrhs.com/chapters/roanoke.htm
The Alpha and Omega! Matt Gentry took these shots of the Daylight 4449 and Hiawatha Observation on his trip to Michigan with his dad. They took over 800 photographs.
From our President Rich Hane
Those of you that made it to the July meeting were treated to some great treats by Steve Miller and a great program from Tim Moore on the history of the Pennsylvania Railroad. The photography was very good.
Jumping, perhaps into the future, I have been pleased to see that a number of railroads around the country are giving the new diesel genset engine a chance to prove if it has a place with some railroads. Bunge North America has purchased 4 of these and they will be used at their operations in Iowa, Illinois, and Indiana. Neptune Bulk Terminals will be using a pair of these in British Columbia, and the Terminal Railroad Association of St. Louis had a demonstrator on the property earlier this year. The Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority bought two in March and was even nice enough to put one in an engine house until the New England Railroad Club had a chance to look it over at their monthly meeting at the end of March. Others have been sold around the country but I have not seen a complete list. I know that the San Diego yards had some in operation.
These are made by National Railway Equipment and utilize an interesting concept for saving fuel. Basically, they use either one, two, or three smaller diesel prime movers each equipped with its own generator in each engine. These individual prime movers can be cut in as needed depending on the load on the engine. The engine has a sophisticated control system that maximizes fuel efficiency by running the engine at 700 horsepower, 1400 horsepower, or 2100 horsepower depending on the load, thus using only as many prime movers as necessary. And even Lionel has shown interest by announcing that they will offer a new scale sized and detailed model for O Gauge modelers. It sounds to me like National Railway Equipment has an interesting product that may fit in with a lot of railroads and save a bunch of oil.
I do hope to see your smiling faces at the next meeting at 7pm at The Center in beautiful downtown Madisonville on Monday, August 24th and don’t forget that I would appreciate anyone who would like to volunteer to fill out the year as Vice-President and/or to run as VP this fall.
Caught a southbound manifest at Mortons Gap and a dogs breakfast lash-up at Atkinson Yard. No shots of the two trains that passed the depot during the meeting. (photos by Chuck Hinrichs
A train headed up by BNSF engine 5041 headed North through Madisonville’s West Yards and on Tuesday afternoon July 28, 2009 with 28 flat cars, each with two tanks. Car Trace on the P&L website lists the train as LCL328 leaving Paducah at 13:20 on the same date, but not much else. At West Yards it took a siding in order to pass the LGE Coal Drag that was waiting to depart also to the North. The overhead location was at the overpass on Grapevine Road in Madisonville looking North as the train heads away from Madisonville. (Photos by Jim Pearson)
2478 is not an SD40-2 it is an SD50-2. This unit and many others are ex Conrial SD50s that have been derated to 3000 hp and re-numbered in the 2400 series. Chuck Hinrichs
FOR THE GOVERNMENT OF RAILFANS ONLY
- SummeRail at C.U.T. – Saturday, August 8, 2009 1:00 pm to 10:00 pm and Railroad Show and Sale in the Rotunda – 10:00 am to 5:00 pm Cincinnati Union Terminal, 1301 Western Avenue Cincinnati, Ohio. http://cincinnatirrclub.org/summerail.htm.
- Crofton Picnic and Train Watching – West Kentucky Chapter of the NRHS – Saturday, October 3.
50-year-old train ride from Jasper to French Lick
Updated: Apr 07, 2008 1:34 PM CDT
Reporter: Jared Austin, Web Producer: Mike Mardis
It’s been over 50 years since passengers have ridden the train from Jasper to French Lick. This year you may be able to buy a ticket to make that trip.
The city of Jasper is putting the finishing touches on the first of three new train cars. “It will be a fully functional car you get on board you will think you are almost home,” Raymie Eckerle, JAsper Street Commissioner, said.
The train car is lined with quarter saw oak, historic light fixtures, and an old style tin ceiling.
“One of the cleanest economic boost we can have for our community is tourism,” Jasper Mayor William Schmitt said, “it is a good clean industry and in order to get people into your community you have got to have something to offer them.”
The train ride from the Jasper depot to the French Lick casinos will take just over an hour. That’s twice as long as in a car. So why would passengers choose a train ride instead.
“So many people say ‘I have never really ridden on a train,’ and this will give them the opportunity to take a scenic train ride from Jasper, Indiana to French Lick where you will travel through the longest tunnel in the state of Indiana,” Schmitt said.
“I have driven to French Lick many times myself in cars,” Eckerle said, “and this is going to be one the fantastic opportunities for people to see the country side in a nice easy setting.”
The rail line is complete from Huntingburg to Jasper, but still needs repairs. City officials hope to have all three cars and the tracks ready before the end of the year. – submitted by Steve Miller
By Steve Barry, Railfan & Railroad
The hobby industry lost a true giant yesterday with the passing of Hal Carstens. Hal joined the staff of Railroad Model Craftsman in 1952, became editor in 1954 and president of the company in 1962.
Hal served as president of various organizations, including Hobbies Industries of America, the Model Railroad Industry Association, Friends of the New Jersey Railroad & Transportation Museum and the Train Collectors Association. He also served in various capacities with the Photographic Society of America, Hobby Industry Association and the Wagner College Board of Trustees.
It was his leadership of Carstens Publications where he will be missed the most. The business has always been more of a family, and Hal was our patriarch. I wouldn’t be able to thank him enough for the opportunities he has given me in the publishing business.
To say we’re going to miss Hal is obvious. But while we’ll miss him as our leader and boss, and miss him as one of the hobby industry’s premier promoters, we’ll miss him most as a friend. -submitted by Chuck Hinrichs
This KCS unit leads CSX Q514 through Princeton and St. James, IN, June 29, 2009. Lee Gordon shot these photos which were then submitted by Bill Grady, Louisville. Nice teamwork guys.
