NOTE: The Lite Version is our electronic version which is available for free from this web site.  It has limited content but gives you a taste of what is offered in our Full Version.

The Full Version is our printed newsletter which is mailed to you.  It contains everything in the Lite Version along with many other reprinted pages from other NRHS newsletters, railroad publications, and flyers that contain photographs, drawings, and maps.  The full version is just another benefit of joining our chapter. 

THE TRANSFER TABLE
The Wilmington Chapter NRHS Official Newsletter
Internet Edition

VOLUME 34   NUMBER 03 JULY 2011

Back To Wilmington Chapter Web Site

NO MEETING IN JULY 2011

The monthly meeting of the Wilmington Chapter of the NRHS has been cancelled for July 2011.


! ! VOLUNTEERS NEEDED ! !

How about contributing a little time and effort to help out your Chapter and the NRHS? With all of your local knowledge, you could contribute to a positive experience for our out-of-town visitors! You could help with the many behind-the-scenes preparations that are necessary and/or the up-front activities of greeting and hosting.

We need Chapter Members to step up and help out with preparations before and to provide assistance during the National Director's meeting that we be hosting October 27-30, 2011 Please contact Dave Warner to sign up to help out at: 302-762-2389 or david.warner@comcast.net

We need people for:
Thursday 3-6 PM Greeting / Registration
Thursday 6-10 PM Greeting / Registration
Friday 10 AM-2 PM Greeting / Registration
Friday 2-6 PM Greeting / Registration
Friday 2-5 PM meeting assist
Friday 6-10 PM Greeting / Registration
Friday 12-7 PM bus hosts
Friday 7-11 PM meeting assist
Saturday 7-11 AM Greeting / Registration
Saturday 7 AM-3 PM bus hosts
Saturday 11 AM-4 PM Greeting / Registration
Saturday 3-5 PM meeting assist
Sunday 8 AM-1 PM meeting assist


JUNE 16, 2011 MEETING NOTES

President Mike Burkhart called the meeting to order at 7 PM - but in the Naamans Room (because the Darley Room is under construction). The minutes were read by Secretary Dan Frederick and approved as corrected. The Treasurer's Report was approved as read by Treasurer Dave Warner. There was no National Director's report. Dave Warner asked members to contact him to sign up as volunteers for various parts of the Director's Meeting. Dave also mentioned that the Chapter has no purchased a computer projector so that we can add the possibility of seeing millions of additional images to future presentations. Robert O'Connor reported that a TV crew has been filming at the Wilmington & Western. The W&W is hoping that the PBS TV coverage will boost ridership as it has done for other tourist lines in the past. Dan Frederick reported that the Railway Station Convention in Oklahoma City and on the Heartland Flyer (OK City to Ft Worth).

After a short break to set up the projector, the evening's program was by William Stees entitled "Wilmington to Wilmington via PRR." As promised, we started in Wilmington and also journeyed up the Port Road from Perryville, saw the Flying Scotsman and E44s in Newark, a fireless cooker in Holtwood, and even got inside the power station at Safe Harbor. We saw the rare Electromotive 1975 in Enola and even Metroliners at Leyman Place. There was also Paoli, Bryn Mahr, Berwyn, and even "Zoo" interlocking. We saw E33s and E44s, and even a "pouch" (AMTRAK P30CH) and a Baldwin-Lima-Westinghouse in the 1950s. Plus we saw all manner of paint schemes on GG-1s including PRR, PC, CR, AMTRAK, Savings Bonds and the Bicentennial unit. And finally, we were back at Wilmington Station (without high platforms!). What a show!


 From The Editor

Warm weather is here (maybe even hot). So get up, get out, take photos, make up a program to show at a Chapter meeting or write an article for The Transfer Table!


NEWS BITS

    - $146 million in accident avoidance savings

                        - 1.9 million tons in CO2 reduction

                        -  $575 million in congestion savings

                        - $92 million in highway maintenance savings

                        - 169 million gallons in fuel savings

In 2008, NS permanently protected some of the most ecologically significant land in the world when it granted a conservation easement on 12,488 acres of its Brosnan Forest timber and wildlife preserve northwest of Charleston, S.C. The easement, one of the largest in the Southeast and the largest ever by a corporation in South Carolina, protects the dwindling longleaf pine ecosystem and endangered bird species, preserves forever the rural character of the area, and conserves the Four Holes Swamp ecosystem and Edisto River watershed. As another key element in its woodlands conservation initiatives, NS is supporting research by The Longleaf Alliance, which seeks to restore the tree's forest ecosystem. The longleaf pine once dominated the landscape of the South and to some extent even its culture, occupying 90 million acres in nine southeastern states. Over-exploitation has reduced that footprint to 3.5 million acres - a loss comparable to that experienced in tropical rain forests, redwoods, or America's wetlands. NS also supports the American Chestnut Foundation in its efforts to reintroduce that tree species to native forests. Before being decimated by blight, the American Chestnut was an integral part of the lumber economies of many eastern U.S. communities, and it was a key source of food for wildlife. [NS press release]


Railfanning Wilmington, Delaware

Part II

We started off giving you a quick overview of railroads in the Wilmington area and locations worth seeing. Before we get into some details about each spot, I'm going to give you a few internet links I've found so you can do some of your own research. These websites cover more than the Wilmington area and will allow you to plan to see more around the area if you have the time.

Internet Links

Railroad Locations

There are three locations that are within a few blocks of the conference hotel. This would be the Wilmington Amtrak Station, the ex-B&O station, and the Jackson and Sharp Passenger car shop. The Amtrak Station is located at 100 South French Street. The Ex-B&O station is located at Water and South Market Street (2 blocks west of the Amtrak station). Later we will cover the Jackson and Sharp Passenger car shop.

The Wilmington Amtrak Station has received quite a bit of coverage in the last few months as its renovation was just completed and it was renamed the Joseph R. Biden Jr. Railroad Station. I will not go into much detail, as you can find its coverage in recent Railfan and Railroad Magazine, Railpace Magazine, or NRHS News. It was built in 1908 by the Pennsylvania Railroad. Inside the station is a permanent history display by the non-profit Friends of the Furness Railroad District that should be seen.

The Wilmington Amtrak Station is a good location to watch Amtrak and Septa trains. It is located in an east/west alignment and photographs are good for the morning or afternoon. If you are asked to leave the location, two other good locations to watch the trains are two parking decks next to the tracks. One is at South King Street (one block west of Amtrak station) and the other is at South West Street (five blocks west of Amtrak Station. Both are adjacent to the tracks.

The Baltimore and Ohio station was built in 1887. It is privately owned and ING now occupies the building. It has been beautifully restored though it is missing its awnings and platform area. There are no longer tracks at the station as these were removed when the area was renovated though the elevated Amtrak Northeast Corridor is only a stones throw away.


SCHEDULE NOTES

Notices, announcements, schedules, etc. are provided here as a service to the members. The Chapter has no affiliation with any commercial operation, museum, or tourist line.

January 15, 2011 - October 31, 2011 Philadelphia & Reading Railroad & the Civil War
Reading Railroad Heritage Museum, 500 S. Third St. in Hamburg, PA. New temporary exhibit Any Saturday (10-4PM) and Sunday (Noon-4PM) for the regular admission charge of $5 adults and $4 Seniors

Saturday, April 16 thru Saturday, December 31, 2011 Railroad Communications & Signaling @ RR Museum of PA. From solitary signals to centralized traffic control centers, learn about the history of railroad technical operations and try to run a simulated railroad. Photographs, artifacts and video from the Museum's collections will round out the story of rail communication.

April 15, 2011-May 30, 2015 Civil War 150th Anniversary: The War Came By Train@ B&O RR Museum in Baltimore. Monday - Saturday (10:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.), Sunday (11:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.) Between April 19, 1861 (The Baltimore Riot of 1861) and April 21, 1865 (Lincoln's funeral train leaving Baltimore for Illinois), the B&O stood witness and participant in the greatest conflict the U.S. has ever faced and changed the course of American history. The War Came By Train serves as the B&O Railroad Museum's primary attraction for the five year commemoration of the War's sesquicentennial. The National Landmark Roundhouse will exhibit the largest assemblage of Civil War railroad equipment in the world featuring locomotives and rail cars that served during the war, significant military and personal artifacts that will change annually to portray each year of the war (some artifacts never before on public display), and a narrated train ride to the original site of Camp Carroll, the largest Union encampment in Baltimore.

June - September Williams Grove Railroad Complete Train Schedule for 2011

Saturday June 4th: Steam Locomotive Engineer Training noon until 5 PM

Sunday June 5th: Run the steam train for passengers 9 AM until??

Saturday June 18th: Steam Locomotive Engineer Training noon until 5 PM

Sunday June 19th: Run the steam train for passengers 9 AM until??

Saturday July 2nd. Steam Locomotive Engineer Training noon until 5 PM

Sunday July 3rd. Run the steam train for passengers 9 AM until??

Toys and Trains Show, Saturday and Sunday July 16th and 17th Run the steam train for passengers 9 AM until??

Saturday July 30th. Steam Locomotive Engineer Training noon until 5 PM

Sunday July 31st. Run the steam train for passengers 9 AM until??

Saturday August 13th. Steam Locomotive Engineer Training noon until 5 PM

Sunday August 14th. Run the steam train for passengers 9 AM until??

Fall Show August 28th through September 5th.

Sunday August 28th. Run the steam train for passengers 9 AM until??

Wednesday August 31st. Engineer Training noon until 3:30PM then passengers until??

Thursday September 1st. Engineer Training noon until 2:30PM then passengers until??

Friday September 2nd. Engineer Training noon until 2PM then passengers until??

Saturday September 3rd. Run the steam train for passengers 10 AM until??

Sunday September 4th. Run the steam train for passengers 10 AM until??

Monday September 5th. Run the steam train for passengers 10 AM until??

We reserve the right to substitute a diesel for the steam locomotive on passenger trains.

June - December Open Houses @ Stewartstown Railroad

Sunday, June 19, 2011, 1-5 p.m.: Open house at the station in Stewartstown.

Sunday, June 26, 2011, 1:30-5 p.m.: Stewartstown Railroad display at the Old Line Museum on Main Street in Delta, PA

(in conjunction with the Old Line Museum's annual "Ma & Pa" exhibit).

Sunday, July 10, 2011, 1-5 p.m.: Open house at the station in Stewartstown.

Sunday, July 31, 2011, 1-5 p.m.: Open house at the station in Stewartstown.

Sunday, August 21, 2011, 1-5 p.m.: Open house at the station in Stewartstown.

Sunday, September 18, 2011, 1-5 p.m.: Open house at the station in Stewartstown.

Sunday, October 23, 2011, 1-5 p.m.: Open house at the station in Stewartstown.

Sunday, December 11, 2011, 1-5 p.m.: Christmas at the station in Stewartstown.

Sunday, December 18, 2011, 1-5 p.m.: Christmas at the station in Stewartstown.

AMTRAK's 40th ANNIVERSARY EXHIBIT TRAIN Schedule

JULY

9 - 10 - Springfield Amtrak Station

16 - 17 - New Haven Union Station

23 - 24 - New London Union Station

30 - 31 - Providence Amtrak Station

AUGUST

6 - 7 Boston South Station, Boston

13 - 14 Depot Avenue, Freeport, Maine

20 - 21 Main Street Landing, Burlington, Vt.

27 - 28 Albany Amtrak Station, Rensselaer, N.Y.

SEPTEMBER

3 - 4 Steamtown National Historic Site*, Scranton, Pa.

10 - 11 Gateway Station, St. Louis

17 - 18 TBD

24 - 25 Galesburg Amtrak Station, Galesburg, Ill.

OCTOBER

1 - 2 Chicago Union Station, Chicago

8 - 9 Jackson Amtrak Station, Jackson, Mich.

15 - 16 TBD

22 - 23 King Street Station, Seattle

29 - 30 Portland Amtrak Station, Portland, Ore.

July 16-17, 2011 Toy & Model Train Flea Market, Williams Grove, PA Sat. 9-4, Sun 9-1, Rt. 15 to Rt. 74N, Rt. 74N 1.2 miles to Williams Grove Rd. (at Shillito's Oil), 0.8 miles to Williams Grove Steam Engine Show Grounds, entrance on left. info see http://wghsea.org

July 21-24, 2011 Train Festival 2011 America's Largest Celebration of Railroading Comes to Rock Island, IL link: http://www.trainfestival2011.com/

August 7, 2011 Train Meet - Ramada Inn Essington, PA
8:00 AM until 1 PM at Ramada Inn on Rt 291 (I-95 Exit 9) Essington, PA

September 2-3, 2011 Railfest 2011 Celebrate the 25th Anniversary of Steamtown, the 40th anniversary of Amtrak, & the 125th anniversary of Scranton's electric trolley system. Locomotive Shop Demonstrations = Removing wheels from axles using Steamtown's newly restored 300-ton wheel press, Replacing tire on locomotive drive wheel using 'ring of fire', Wheel lathe demonstrations to resurface & profile railroad wheels, vertical boring mill demonstration. Visiting Equipment = Amtrak 40th Anniversary Train, Canadian Pacific, CSX , Norfolk Southern, NYS&W. Excursions & Train Rides = Caboose rides, Live Steamers, Trolley Rides, Scranton Limited Short Train Ride , Moscow Excursions Special Exhibits & Programs = Track demonstration, Big Boy Cab tours, Big Band Music, Special Ranger Guided tours

September 11-12, 2011 The Great Lehigh Valley Train Meet
Sat. 10 am - 4 pm, Z, N, On3, HO, Brass & all train related items, Sun. 10 am - 3 pm, S, O-27, O, Standard & G including repair parts, Both days Railroadiania, pictures, die-cast, scenery, etc. Merchants Square Mall, 1901 South 12th Street, Allentown PA 18103

Saturday, September 24, 2011 Members Day @ RR Museum of PA
Museum members enjoy special members-only presentations and other great railroad and Museum-related activities.

Sunday, September 25, 2011 FAREWELL TO THE FAITHFUL SILVERLINERS excursion on SEPTASponsored by Philadelphia Chapter, NRHS. Special train leaves Suburban Station, 16th St. & JFK Blvd. in center city Philadelphia at 10 AM, picking up passengers at 30th Street Station at 10:05 AM. Fare: $50.00 per person. Both former PRR and Reading lines will be covered with numerous photo stops and lunch stop scheduled. Train will return to Suburban Station and 30th Street about 5 PM. Event will mark the upcoming retirement of SEPTA's 1963 Budd Silverliner II's and 1967 St. Louis Silverliner III's (among America's oldest commuter cars still in regular service). Order tickets from: Philadelphia Chapter, NRHS, P.O. Box 7302, Philadelphia, PA 19101-7302, enclosing SSAE. For further information, visit website www.phillynrhs.com, email ayrestower@comcast.net or telephone (215) 947-5769. [The routing of the trip has not been completely finalized because of a major track work project around "Arsenal" interlocking in Philadelphia, but we do have some good photo locations already picked out. Train service from Wilmington, Airport, and Elwyn will be disrupted by the above-mentioned track work project, it is believed at this date that Wilmington/Marcus Hook service will operate into 30th Street Station (lower level) and terminate there......this project covers some four weekends.]

October 13-15, 2011 Train Collectors Association, Fall York Train Meet, York, Pa. Thursday-Saturday, Info: http://www.tcamembers.org/newsandevents/york.htm

October 27-30, 2011 Wilmington Chapter will host the NRHS's Fall National Director's Meeting

October 29-30, 2011 Great Scale Model Train Show, Timonium Fairgrounds, Timonium, MDState Fairgrounds Sat. 9-4, Sun. 10-4, Admission $9, under 15 free, family $18, tickets good for both days.

November 6, 2011 Train Meet - Ramada Inn Essington, PA 8:00 AM until 1 PM at Ramada Inn on Rt 291 (I-95 Exit 9) Essington, PA


CHAPTER EVENTS

Thursday July 21, 2011 NO Chapter Meeting ANNULLED = NO MEETING in July

Thursday Aug. 18, 2011 7 PM Chapter Meeting program by Phil Snyder

Thursday Sept. 15, 2011 7 PM Chapter Meeting program by Dave Warner

Thursday Oct. 20, 2011 7 PM Chapter Meeting (short) program by Dan Frederick

October 27-30, 2011 Wilmington Chapter will host NRHS's Fall National Director's Meeting

Thursday Nov. 17, 2011 7 PM Chapter Meeting program by Frank Ferguson

Sunday Dec. 4, 2011 5 PM Holiday Dinner in lieu of normal monthly meeting

Thursday Jan. 19, 2012 7 PM Chapter Meeting program by Dave Watterson

The Wilmington Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society (NRHS) meets at 7:00 PM on the third Thursday of each month [except August & December] in the Darley Room at the Claymont Community Center on Green Street in Claymont, Delaware. Visitors are always welcome. Admission to regular meetings is free. Check out our Website (thanks to Russ Fox) at:


The Transfer Table is published six to ten times per year as the newsletter of the Wilmington Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society. Items in this publication do not represent the official position of either Officers or Members of the Wilmington Chapter or the Editor of this publication.

Permission to reprint articles and news items appearing herein is granted to NRHS Chapters and other newsletters provided appropriate credit is given.

Contributions are always welcome and should be sent to the editor at SD40GMA@aol.com or send to: P.O. Box 1136, Hockessin, DE 19707-5136.
Deadline for entries is the 25th of the month.

Chapter Officers
President: Mike Burkhart
Vice President:  Dave Watterson
Treasurer: Dave Warner
Secretary: Dan Frederick
National Director & Trip Director: Steve Barry
Editor: Greg Ajamian
Web Master: Russ Fox

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