Year: 2013
Editorial Comments by Bill Thomas
I’m not sure exactly when I told Chuck Hinrichs I would try my hand at producing and editing our chapter’s fine newsletter, The PennyRail. I was following a long line of astute volunteer railroad walking encyclopedias like Chuck and our missed-friend Dennis Carnal. Talk about tough acts to follow – needless to say I felt inadequate for the job. But with encouragement from both and many chapter members I set out to simply maintain the integrity and level of quality we’d all come to expect.
With my recent shift in career paths from professional minister to realtor, I need to reorganize my civic work load in order to assure financial stability for my family. So, beginning this January, 2014, our own Ricky Bivins will take the bull by the horns and begin the task of assembling and producing our newsletter. I hope you will join me in welcoming him to the post and encourage him by contributing publishing material on a regular basis. No information or stories are too small or insignificant for publication. Remember, this is a local chapter, not the Chicago Board of Trade. Personal stories and local photographs are necessary. Keep those cameras and smart phones handy. You never know when a once-in-a-lifetime shot will come along.
I want to say “thanks” to the chapter for your support and many contributions to the PennyRail over the last several years as I attempted to bring you a publication of which you are proud. I’m looking forward to being a contributor in the future!
| Title | A Rocky Mountain Winter |
| Producer | Highball Productions |
| Format | Wide Screen DVD |
| Playing Time | 1 Hr 55 Min |
| Purchased From | Railfan Depot |
| Date Purchased | 1/4/2010 |
| Price Paid | $34.15 |
“A Rocky Mountain Winter” is a joy to watch. It combines some great railroad action with spectacular scenery from the Canadian Rockies. The videography is excellent and the format is wide screen.
It’s early February 2008 and we are on the Canadian Pacific Railroad west of Calgary, Alberta, and are headed west through some of the most magnificent mountain scenery on this planet. We see the bright red CP locomotives in three different paint schemes providing the power for unit coal trains, unit grain trains, unit potash trains, mixed manifest freights, doube stacks and auto racks.
Our route takes us alongside the Bow River through the beautiful Bow Valley as we head west. The free-flowing Bow River runs beside the tracks and massive snow-capped sunlit peaks provide a breath-taking backdrop.
We eventually reach Morant’s Curve which is one of the most photographed railroad locations in North America. It was named for Nicolas Morant, a Canadian Pacific photographer who used pictures from this area in promotional materials. It is such a beautiful location that one might choose to sit there all day and stare.
My only serious complaint about this video is the total absence of maps. Not only are maps not used but we get no overview in the narration as to the route we are going to be following. The narration simply moves from one point to the next.
This is a serious shortcoming but the gorgeous scenery and good railroad action along with the high quality of the video and the wide screen format make this video well worth the price. It is two hours of pure joy. I definitely recommend this one.
A spell-binding account of a runaway train in 1977 at Rogers Pass can be found by following this link. http://www.carknocker.com/runaway3.htm Rogers Pass is located on this same route that we follow in this DVD.
By Thomas Bryan
“Q648-We got less than 2 hours to work and 300 hundred gallons. T149-Just get some corn from the field, stuff it in the tank and maybe it’ll turn to ethanol.” -Two crews chatting at Henderson, Q648 would leave Henderson with less than an hour to work.
Northbound Train- “The wheels on the train go round and round, round and round, round and round, the wheels on the train go round and round all through the town.” -Entertaining themselves sitting in the siding at Robards.
by Ricky Bivins, Chapter President
Hello once again fellow NRHS members and welcome to cool weather. First I would like to say “Thanks” for the many offers of condolence as to the passing of my Mother. She will be missed by many people.
As you recall the October meeting brought about the first round of Officer Nominations. The only change being I will not seek re-election as President. At this point, Tom Johnson has agreed to ”consider” accepting the nomination for President. He will give us an answer at the next meeting.
Other than then the nominations for officers and Wallace Henderson’s report on the Status of National, we had very little business last month. Several people voiced their enjoyment of the train trip in early October as well as the annual picnic. Steve Miller could not get the video equipment to function and plans to show his video this month along with our friend Gary Ostlund. Gary plans to show his slide of Japanese Bullitt trains dated 1969. I am sure this will be a delightful program.
Also discussed were the plans for our Christmas Dinner. A food list has been sent to the newsletter recipients. That list is shaping up to be a feast. Please review the list as contact me if you would like to bring a dish. Tom Johnson has expressed an interest in having the dinner at the Depot as opposed to my house. He will bring this up at the next meeting for further discussion.
Outside of that, very little was left to discuss. So, members, once again the program for November looks to be very interesting so make plans to attend and bring a guest.
go out to Ricky Bivins and his family upon the passing of his mother Rose Marie Bivins, on October 31. Any donations may be made to the Richland Missionary Baptist Church Building fund.
This is the food list members are bringing to the Christmas dinner at Ricky Bivin’s house on December 13, 2013. If anyone wants to bring anything not on the list please let Ricky know as soon as possible.
Rick and Kathy Bivins will provide Turkey and Dressing and dinner rolls
Matt Gentry will treat us with a Boston Butt
Wally Watts will bring soda
Wallace Henderson will bring cup cakes
Donny and Betty Knight will bring baked beans and pie
Tom Johnson will bring green pea salad
Birk Fisher will bring plates and utensils
Bill Thomas will bring apple pie
Steve and Marilyn Miller will bring green bean casserole
Chuck and Shirley Hinrichs will bring cranberries
Rich and Karen Hanes will bring a sweet potato casserole
Jim Pearson will bring corn and greenbeans
We did it!
We knew we needed to stand strongly together to urge Indiana Gov. Mike Pence to save the Hoosier State Amtrak Line, which connects Indianapolis to Chicago and towns and cities in between.
Last night, we learned that Gov. Pence and the Indiana Department of Transportation had reached an eleventh hour agreement to fund the Hoosier State Line
If you live in Indiana, can you send a message to Gov. Pence thanking him for doing the right thing and saving the Hoosier State?
This victory demonstrates that a strong, people-powered campaign can make a big impact.
Thousands of you mobilized to save the Hoosier State, the lifeblood of so many communities and families in Indiana and Illinois. You came to the rallies, spoke up at public hearings and sent thousands of messages to Gov. Pence and other elected leaders.
Quite simply, we could not have won this without you. Let’s let Gov. Pence know he made the right choice by listening to our voices. Click here to send him a note. (This link only works if you live in Indiana.)
This victory is about more than just one Amtrak line. It’s about the future economic viability of our entire region–of millions of Midwestern families.
Thank you for all that you do.
Sincerely,
Rick Harnish
Executive Director
Midwest High Speed Rail Association
4765 N. Lincoln Ave.
Chicago, IL 60625
Join Us at MidwestHSR.org/Join
– submitted by Bill Corum
| Title | Over Sherman Hill Union Pacific’s Laramie Sub |
| Producer | 7idea Productions |
| Format | Wide Screen DVD |
| Playing Time | 1 hr 45 min |
| Purchased From | TrainVideoDepot.com |
| Date Purchased | 09/13/13 |
| Price Paid | $27.95 |
This video meets the lofty standard set by 7idea Productions for high quality wide screen image and professional presentation of the subject matter. Unfortunately, though, the subject matter in ths case is a little on the boring side as we travel the Laramie Sub of the Union Pacific Railroad.
Something that was not boring was our stop at the town of Buford, Wyoming, zip code 82052. It consists of a convenience store, gas pumps, and a pre-manufactured home on ten acres of ground at 8000 feet elevation. The population of Buford is ONE! It is the smallest town in the United States and is the nearest town to the highest point on the first transcontinental railroad, Sherman Hill Summit.
Sherman Hill Summit is at 8015 feet elevation. Despite this high elevation, the topography is almost flat with the only visible snow capped mountains being seen in the distance. Trains climb a steady 1.5% grade as they travel east to west from Cheyenne to Sherman Summit before dropping down the west side to Laramie.
One point of interest is the Ames Monument, a pyramid of rocks that stands sixty feet tall at Sherman Summit. It was built in 1882 to commemorate the contributions of Oakes and Oliver Ames toward the construction of the railroad.
The Hermosa Tunnel is another point of interest but it is not particularly impressive.
The narrator tells us that during his stay in the area while shooting this video in June of 2013 one train that traveled over this sub had 241 cars and was over two miles long at 14,458 feet! That train passed through at night and was not captured in the video.
There is not too much about this video that generates excitement but there is historical significance to this location as the highest point on the first transcontinental railroad, so I give it a C+.
Ricky Bivins, Chapter President
Greetings Chapter Members, the pleasant month of October is in full swing and much is going on around us. Those in attendance last month were treated to Thomas and Jim Bryan’s (mom and sis too) annual fish fry. Needless to say, no one left hungry. Thomas was also the program presenter and I, as did others, greatly enjoyed the video “Trouble on the SP”. I had little to zero knowledge of the events covered in the film which was from as much as 60 years ago. Not only did I find the trains of interest but also the cars and buildings. Not to mention people. But of great interest to me were the many shots of vintage earth moving equipment. Bravo Thomas, a great choice.
As of this writing our Members have attended two Chapter functions. The annual Picnic at Crofton was a big success. I counted 24 members and guest present and no fewer than 13 trains including an empty rail train, at least four (or was it six) union Pacific locomotives, two meets and countless Amish Tractors. Not to mention a very large group of motorcycles! Those in attendance were treated to Wally’s Steam Engines; along with Wally at the steam table was Chuck Henrichs grandson, Hunter. The two of them kept the fires hot and the whistles blowing throughout the day. Matt Gentry had a few of his HO locomotives and cars on display, while Steve Miller kept us in the know with his Mobile Command Station. Truly a great time was had in the midst of great weather.
Several Members were on hand October 12th for the Chapter Fall Foliage train ride which departed Nashville TN and traveled east. I did not attend as I felt it more important to stay near my ailing mother. I will ask for a full report meeting night.
The Monday October 21 meeting night will of course begin our Officer Election process. I will call for nominations for officers three times each. Then in November I will again call for nominations for each office and then hold the election for each. Remember: one can nominate themselves! If any member wishes to hold an office, speak up!!!! You will be given the opportunity to be elected.
Steve Miller is signed up for both the October program and refreshments. Wallace Henderson should have a report for us as well.
Those planning to attend are reminded to bring a guest….the more the merrier.
