Author: Jim Pearson
by Wallace Henderson
In November of 1992, our RVP Wes Ross and the Kentucky Central Chapter hosted the NRHS fall board meeting in Lexington. Dr. Ross asked the Kentucky chapters to send representatives to the weekend meeting and several of our members attended. Back then the Kentucky Central Chapter had a tourist train powered by a 2-6-2 locomotive which had come from Arkansas’ Reader Railroad and which they ran on the TTI (Trans-Kentucky Transportation) line out of Paris, KY., the former L&N Maysville branch.
The activity for the meeting was a Saturday morning trip on this train from Paris to Ewing, where we had a bar-b-que lunch in the local fire hall. It was a frigid day! But before lunch, we were treated to a photo run. This was on November 7, 1992.
by Ricky Bivins, Chapter President
Hello Friends, here we are in the Month of November, 2012 nearing the end of what seems to have been a whirlwind year of activity. As we look back over the year we see several highlights. Our monthly programs have been of considerable interest, meeting content has be very good, club activity has been better and each month we relish the fact that we can gather, share in the camaraderie of trains and eat!
Our trip to Mayfield and Paducah is still in limbo (to quote Wally Watts) due to a number of factors. Foremost being that, our contact person at Progress Rail is not a Chapter member, yet he has tried diligently to keep us informed. His contact at Progress Rail has left the company or moved to a new location as the case may be. Now we have to reestablish contact with Progress Rail which may take time. So, do not give up, this will be a great trip when it does come about. Additionally, we have a standing invitation to the NRHS Chapter in Paducah and to tour their museum. Thomas Bryan has information on the Evansville IN museum which would be a nice trip. To this end I again say: “Someone step up to the plate and make the arrangements”. Several will get on board if told the particulars.
As noted in the Minutes of the last Meeting, our meeting time stays at 7:00 PM. As simple as this idea was (to change meeting time) I was pleased at how the Chapter handled the discussion and selection process. We were focused and performed, so to speak. I would like to see more business handled this way at our meetings. I feel we would grow as a result.
November brings us to elections. At this point following the October meeting, no one has challenged the current officers. However, I will open the floor again for nominations for officers. Speak up, be heard, nominate someone if you would like. And remember, one can even nominate themselves.
Kudos goes out again to Tom, Wally and Bill for updating the membership roster. Speak up for a copy if you do not have one.
Matt Gentry is working on our calling card file; I gave him the “basics” of what I felt we need to say. Matt will have a report soon I am sure.
Bill and Angela Thomas have graciously volunteered to host our Christmas Dinner at their home in Madisonville. The date is December 21, 2012 at 6:00 PM. Details will be forth coming Monday November 26, 2012 during the Chapter Meeting. Please make plans to attend both and feel free to bring a guest. Their address is 1025 Lakewood Drive, Madisonville.
Bill and Angela Thomas have graciously volunteered to host our Christmas Dinner at their home in Madisonville. The date is December 21, 2012 at 6:00 PM. Details will be forth coming Monday November 26, 2012 during the Chapter Meeting. Please make plans to attend both and feel free to bring a guest. Their address is 1025 Lakewood Drive, Madisonville.
LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) — Authorities planned to keep an evacuation and shelter-in-place order in effect through Thursday morning as crews continued their efforts to put out a fire in a derailed train tank car near West Point, Ky.
| Title | Silver Zone Pass |
| Producer | Railway Productions |
| Format | DVD Wide Screen |
| Playing Time | 1 Hr 10 Min |
| Purchased From | RailFanDepot.com |
| Date Purchased | 10/10/12 |
| Price Paid | $24.95 |
This is the latest addition to my collection of RR DVDs and it is a very, very good video.
“Silver Zone Pass” gives us an excellent look at the northern Nevada portion of the old Western Pacific right of way from Salt Lake City to San Francisco. Construction on the WP route from Salt Lake City to San Francisco began in 1906 and was completed in 1910. This is now, of course, Union Pacific trackage, since their purchase of the WP in 1983. One special treat in the video is the appearnce at about the 47 minute mark of UP 1983, an SD70 ACe painted in the WP heritage scheme. This loco is used in regular service by the UP on the old WP trackage.
The image quality is superb and the wide screen format really enhances our ability to appreciate the beauty of the Nevada desert and mountains. For some reason this old WP line in Nevada has been ignored by the video producers; I don’t remember seeing any other videos on this subject in all of the browsing I have done. In many scenes there is desert in the foreground and snow capped peaks in the background. This line is traversed at night by both the westbound and eastbound California Zephyrs so that the spectacular scenery of the Sierras can be seen by the passengers in the daylight hours but it is a shame that this scenery cannot also be taken in by those on board. Yours truly rode this stretch of track as an 11 year old kid in 1960 when I accompanied my sister on one of her round trips from Chicago to San Francisco (Oakland) as a Zephyrette. I was sound asleep as we rode along these rails.
The journey begins at Burmester, just west of Salt Lake City, and we head west into Nevada until we are just east of Winnemucca. There is a 42 mile stretch of track across the Salt Flats that is perfectly straight. We then encounter the Arnold Loop which was constructed in 1914 to reduce the grade up to Silver Zone Pass to 1%. The summit of Silver Zone Pass is at 5875 feet in elevation. West of Silver Zone Pass we see the 5675 foot long Hogan Tunnel, Palisade Canyon, and the Humboldt River, and the Carlin Tunnels.
This is a DVD that I will watch again and again. I highly recommend it. Nice job, Railway Productions!
For Sale: Missouri Pacific diesels blue and silver paint scheme. 3 engines are brand new, box never opened, Proto 2000 Series, $50 each. 1. GP7 Missouri Pacific cab #4121; 2. GP7 Missouri Pacific cab #4255 w/steam generator, air tanks on the roof; 3. BL2 Missouri Pacific cab # 4104. Contact Rich Hane (270) 836-6169.
Sale Pending: Various garden RR equipment, rolling stock, track, and structures. Will be ready to sell after inventory is complete. Contact Bob McCracken (270) 584-3340.
The little pit bull puppy I posted about in the September Pennyrail has a new home! I had her picture posted in RescueMe.org , which is a website for people who have animals needing new homes. Some folks from Gravel Switch, KY, saw her picture and contacted me. They were looking for a dog to keep in the house and wanted it to become part of the family. Just what I prayed for! Maggie has a wonderful new home now. (on the former L&N Lebanon Branch!) -ed.
In 1992 Nickel Plate 2-8-4 #765 pulled special round trips from Paducah to Central City on September 19th and 20th. Members of the chapter were some of the car hosts on both days. I rode the train on Saturday, the 19th, and chased it on the 20th. This photo was taken from the US62 overpass east of Paducah that morning of the 20th. – Click image to view larger version