by Chapter President, Rich Hane

Those of you who were at the last meeting were treated to an excellent slide program by Fred Ripley on Pennsylvania RR operations.  It was interesting to see and hear his discussion on how the several yards operated and how they tied in to the overall scope of the railroad and its customers.

In April of this year, Charles Bertram “Bert” Pennypacker passed away at the age of 85 of an aneurysm.  He was a very well known photographer and author who covered many aspects of mid-century railroading in this country.  He was the author of over 200 articles and 8 books, primarily on Northeastern railroad subjects.  His easy style of writing and the way he would draw you into his subject were liked by all. He had a real knack for explaining complex subjects in a way that was easy to understand. Pennypacker’s large body of carefully researched and substantial work stands as a lasting contribution to our understanding of railroad history. His wife of 56 years, Theresa, survives him.

I hope to see all of your smiling faces at the next meeting at the Center in beautiful downtown Madisonville at 7pm on Monday, September 28th, 2009.