We will display stationary live-steam engines, railroad videos, and a portable large-scale garden railroad with Thomas the Tank Engine!
Author: Jim Pearson
Hello fellow Western Kentucky Chapter, NRHS Members.
Here we are in the merry month of May. May, for our Chapter of course means we will be meeting in Hopkinsville KY. Our Hop’town friends and members annually host’s the Chapter’s monthly business meeting and always has a great meeting planned. This year is no different.
We will be gathering at the Former Hopkinsville KY Louisville & Nashville Railroad Passenger station in downtown Hopkinsville along Route 68/80. Take exit #9, turn to the West and proceed to the traffic Islands, then make a right. The meeting place is just ahead about two blocks. The station will be on the left at the railroad crossing. Our program will be split into two parts. Everyone needs to be in attendance at the hour of 7:00 PM. We will promptly proceed across the street and track to the former L&N RR Freight House for a tour of the facility. So as to make the best use of day light we must be “on the advertised” of 7:00 PM. Then we will return to the Passenger Station for a short business meeting, refreshment and the second half of the program. This is sure to be a not to be missed event.
If you missed last month’s meeting, well, you missed a fine program from Tom Johnson on Illinois Central steam as well as the 1992 Steam trip over the ICRR KY. Division behind NKP #765. Several members were on hand and/or on the train that memorable day in September. Many of the Steam era scenes of ICRR action were readily recognized by members. After all, the Illinois Central is or was, a “Home Road”. Tom also brought the refreshments last month!
Bill Thomas wishes to revive the “for sale” portion of the newsletter. I feel this is a good idea. Check with Bill as he has the “rules” for posting any items you wish to sell or search out to purchase. Our program organizer, Thomas Bryan has come to me with “a plan” for trips etc. I have instructed Thomas to set dates, make plans and move forward. We cannot accommodate everyone when making plans so get with Thomas and put your “two cents worth” in on trip planning. Our proposed trip to Paducah and/or Mayfield hinges on the completion of the 68/80 bridge in Trigg County.
And that leads me to this! The first Friday Night Live is next month! We have made a commitment to the City of Madisonville to attend. We have plans for: Wally to set up his steam engines; to have a TV/DVD playing some sort of train video and to have a Gauge One train running on Bill Thomas’ trailer. Bill is stepping up (AGAIN) to the plate here people and putting forth a large effort. We need volunteers to help build, set up, run trains and converse with attendee’s at the three events. I humbly ask our members to “suck it up” and help out. No one has said “don’t do this” when the events were discussed at meeting time, so everyone should be a part of at least one of the events.
I will close with this: Have you presented a program or brought refreshments to a meeting? Would you?
Rick Bivins
Bill Heaton caught this “modern” diesel in Paducah, KY. Still hard to believe SP is history.
By Tommy Johnson
| Title | Workin’ on the Railroad |
| Producer | Pentrex |
| Format | Full Screen |
| Playing Time | 1 hr 35 min |
| Purchased From | TrainVideoDepot.com |
| Date Purchased | 6/13/2011 |
| Price Paid | $24.95 |
This DVD was interesting, informative, and entertaining; it was well worth the purchase price. The action takes place between 1995 and 1998.
We watch Norfolk Southern’s “Timber and Surface Gang 1” as they use tie cranes, spike pullers, spike loaders, anchor spreaders, tie pulling machines, tie insertion machines, tie plate machines, spike driving machines, anchor machines, ballast regulators, and a tamper machine. It is a fascinating process to watch.
We get so see an undercutting machine in operation a little later in the DVD. This machine pulls the ballast out from under the rails and uses a vibrating machine to separate and remove the dirt and debris. The good ballast is redistirbuted and the dirt is piled alongside the tracks.
Things get even more interesting when we see the P-811 concrete tie laying machine in operation. This machine, the flat cars hauling new concrete ties, and the flat cars used for collecting and hauling the old wooden ties that have been removed make up a work train.
The DVD gives us a break from maintenance of way action and takes us to the NS car re-body shop in Roanoke, VA, where gondola cars are stripped down to the center beam and the trucks and are given completely new bodies.
We also visit the NS Pochahantas Division Dispatch Center in Bluefield, WV. The Chief Dispatcher is a guy by the name of Tommy Johnson. With a name like that, you know he just has to be one very cool dude, right?
This DVD will make a great addition to your collection. I think it will be one that you will watch several times over the years.
PEMBROKE (KY) — The driver of a tractor-trailer hauling farm equipment thought he had enough time to get across the train tracks to avoid being hit by the (CSX) train Thursday evening, but the trailer was struck In the rear, spinning the cab of the truck around and causing damage at the railroad crossing on Main Street in Pembroke. Excerpt by David Snow, Eagle Post.
These Kansas City Southern SD units were photographed at CSX’s Atkinson Yard, May 7, 2012, by Chapter member Bill Heaton.
Chapter member Keith Kittinger celebrated his 34th year with CSX and its associated railroad predecessors (L&N, Family Lines, and Seaboard System) on April 10, 2012. Bill Grady was in town for the festivities and got this shot of Keith with a service truck. – Photo by Bill Grady
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This is a very good DVD. As would be expected with a 7idea Productions video, the videography is excellent. The picture quality is extremely good and the camera work was done very professionally. Starting from Portland, Oregon, we take a trip up the Oregon side of the Columbia River on the Union Pacific’s Portland Sub in this video. We are treated to spectacular views of the Columbia River Gorge as we follow the UP route alongside the river, our tour ending at Hinkle, OR, where the Blue Mountain Sub begins. The video was shot between June of 2011 and February of 2012. Along the way we see the Bonneville Dam, Multnomah Falls, The Dalles Dam, and the John Day Dam. Multnomah Falls is the second highest year-round water fall in the U.S. We also see some wind farms with their huge wind generators turning. This is a DVD that you will come back and watch again and again. |
| Title | Columbia River Gorge Part 1: Union Pacific’s Portland Sub |
| Producer | 7idea Productions |
| Format | Wide Screen |
| Playing Time | 1 Hr 58 Min |
| Purchased From | TrainVideoDepot.com |
| Date Purchased | 03/15/12 |
| Price Paid | $27.95 |
As you might have heard already UP 844 developed flat spots on her drivers this week while traveling through Texas. The big engine was taken to the Georgetown RR shop in Georgetown, TX, for repairs. While at the shop facility, UP boxcar UPP 9336 (which carries the stairs so people can look in the cab, plus other support equipment) somehow collided with a gondola, causing extensive damage to 9336. The incident occurred Friday. A photo of the damaged car is below. Details of the incident are sketchy but apparently 844 was NOT involved in this incident, just the support car. Makes you wonder what impact this might have on UP’s steam program. Back in the summer of 1994 the passenger cars for NS’s excursion consist were in a low speed collision in a freight yard, and a few months later the program was cancelled. – Photo by Cliff Downey
In the Spring of 1961, PRR hotshot NF-6 (“Non-Feed”), a livestock schedule from Chicago to Harsimus Cove, NJ, passes under the signal bridge at MP 127.7, just west of Orrville, OH on the Pittsburgh-Chicago main line. With cuts and consolidations in the railroad’s still massive passenger network, the PRR has taken advantage of surplus passenger power to assign E-units to the train on this day, suiting the high-speed nature of the schedule. In the distance, a westbound loaded coal train (“mineral train” in PRR terms) heads for the Lake Erie docks at Sandusky, OH. Submitted by Fred Ripley – photos on his Pennsylvania Layout.
Here’s a nice shot of RJ Corman’s Z544 with the boxcars up front. When I was at Southern Seminary (near this spot) those signals in the background were the old target type. (Editor) – Photo by Bill Thomas
Here is W850 with the 7312. It had 9 tank cars of refrigerant gas. Plus one auto rack. To be a dedicated train of that type of gas, someone’s air conditioner must have been out! This shot was made alongside Frankfort Avenue, Louisville, Ky. In the bottom photo is the same location with CSX S226. – Photos by Bill Grady
Bill Grady caught the R.J. Corman “UK Trophy Train” at Midway and Duckers, Kentucky on April 13, 2012, displaying the prized award following the Wildcats’ NCAA Championship win over Kansas University. – Photos by Bill Grady
Hello Railfan friends. Here we are at the April meeting. If you missed the March meeting, a great time was had by those in attendance. The business portion was short, the refreshments were good and the program was GREAT. Our guest program presenter, Gary Ostlund or GOO as he is known on the internet, had some absolutely fabulous photos of Milwaukee Road electrics that he took while residing in the Pacific North West. While not a long program, Gary showed us images of the locomotives and general area as he explained each scene in detail. I was totally absorbed by it. If you missed it, well shame on you!
There is not a lot to discuss this month; the officer will meet again prior to meeting night to iron out any details of the meeting. I will be purchasing the banner for our table at the upcoming Friday Night Live events which will be held in Down Town Madisonville. Bill Thomas plans to have an Out Door style layout built on his trailer to deliver at the event to go along with a TV/DVD playing train videos. These activities should make for a good time. Now, one point to make here. We need to have members present on the three nights. Our planned activities will be taxing for a couple of us to manage. Wally will have his steam engines going as well. So Members, please take time out for at least one of the event nights.
Bill needs material for the newsletter. He needs things such as photos, stories, historical notes and research etc. I am convinced our Chapter has an abundance of knowledge and history right on tap; one only has to let us know about. Remember, what seems to be a mundane story to you may be very interesting to the rest of us.
Looking ahead, we will have a very special program/tour of the Hopkinsville L&N RR Freight Depot for our May meeting. Make plans to attend.
Tom Johnson has refreshments and program this month. Tom plans to give us a choice of Illinois Central Steam Finale or Illinois Railway Museum DVD’s. Either will be very entertaining I am sure.
SO…Members, come on out Monday April 23rd at 7:00 PM and join in the fun and camaraderie. After all, this is “Your” Chapter.
This Low-Boy 8-axle flat also caught the eye of Bill Heaton’s camera at Paducah. Reminds us much of the old Lionel flat with transformer load. – Photo by Bill Heaton