We have a winner!
James Keena, Paymaster for the club, as won several awards at the recently completed National Model Railroad Association annual convention held in Sacramento the first week in July. While the convention attendees have only seen these models for a short time in the contest room, you can seem them up close and personal as these are working models that James runs oner the rails of the Highland Pacific Railroad.
Our own Mr. Keena took a First Place in Kit Passenger Cars for his 60-ft SP Harriman Baggage Car (above) kitbashed from a Model Die Casting kit. Note the unusual double-wide and single doors.
Another First Place was awarded for his Union Pacific Class CA-1 Side Door Caboose #25817 (above) fashioned from an old Revell models kit.
James received a Second Place award for his kitbashed Frisco “door and a half” Automobile Box Car (above).
Another Second Place award was garnered for his tongue-in-cheek rendition of a popular series of post cards from the 1940s with two mammoth oranges on a flat car. This award was in the “Thumbs” category, a long running series of cartoons depicting humorous models and model railroading situations.
If you’ve operated via timetable on a Saturday, you’ve used this award-winning effort from James Keena. James received an Honorable Mention award in the Railroad Passes category for his rendition of a railroad timetable that is based on our own Highland Pacific Railroad operations.
His Baldwin VO 1000 diesel electric locomotive switcher in Pacific Electric livery complete with dual trolley poles (click on the link to see a black and white action photo of the locomotive), and a Gorre & Daphetid Box Car were also entered in the model contest.
Way to go James! You’re a winner and an inspiration to the rest of us to dust of our modeling tools and get cracking.
In Memorian
July 15, 2011 • 09:38 PM Filed in: Member
Hear that lonesome whistle blow …
John S. Bruno, long-time member of the Highland Park Society of Model Railroad Engineers, Inc., has made his last station stop. John died on July 7, 2011 at the age of 88, and was interred July 14th with full military honors at the Riverside National Cemetery.
Following high school, John served in the Marine Corps, First Marine Division in Guadalcanal. After the war he was a supervisor for a conveyor belt firm and then joined the Society in 1974. John was an active participant in the Society and was the chief architect and headed the building crew to expand the clubhouse front room and workshop area. John also served as Head of the Construction Department, Assistant Superintendent, and General Superintendent. John Bruno was one of only two Honorary Members of the Society.
We’ll miss you, John.Notice of Quarterly Business Meeting
July 01, 2011 • 09:33 AM Filed in: HPRR
A Quarterly Business Meeting of the Highland Park Society of Model Railroad Engineers will be held on 13 July 2011 at 8:00 PM at the clubhouse in San Gabriel. Many important items are scheduled to be discussed, so you are encouraged to attend and participate in any and all business brought before the membership. If you will be unable to attend, please complete a proxy form and return it to the Chief Clerk prior to the meeting.
You can download a Proxy Form here.
Conductor Smith
June 29, 2011 • 06:12 PM Filed in: Member
It’s official! Steve Smith, Member of the Board of Directors, has taken the exam and passed with flying colors. He is now a Certified Conductor.
Conductor Smith will continue on with his schooling next month and will attend an 16-week course for certification as a locomotive engineer. Congratulations Steve!
Steve Smith Goes to School
June 09, 2011 • 09:59 PM Filed in: Member
Steve Smith, Member at Large on the Board of Directors, is going back to school. He attends the Modoc Railroad Academy which offers the nations only new locomotive engineer training program school.Located near Sacramento, he’s been there about a month and has another month to go. He promises to warn us when he gets his hand on a real throttle. Steve will send a couple of pictures to post on the web site when he isn't studying all the rules for locomotive operation.
New Member Ronny Merkel
May 18, 2011 • 10:24 PM Filed in: Member
Ronny Merkel is the latest member of the Highland Park Society of Model Railroad Engineers, Inc. Mr. Merkel is a Traffic Signal Electrician and programmer. He expects to be modeling the Southern Pacific in HO gauge.
Ronny’s other hobbies include Ham radio, PC gaming, modeling, and reading. When asked why he joined the club, he said, “Hobbies are not as much fun if done alone. In a club it will be more fun and I will learn more from others.”
Welcome to the HPSMRE Ronny!
Keaton Walker Back to Active Member Status
April 25, 2011 • 08:07 PM Filed in: Member
Keaton Walker, has indicated his interest in becoming an active member of the Society. Keaton had taken a “leave of absence” and moved to sustaining member status shortly after he retired. Keaton will head up the Narrow Gauge department and is looking for crew members to help move the project along.
Welcome back Keaton!
Club Agrees to Move to DCC Installation
April 13, 2011 • 11:37 PM Filed in: Layout
At the Quarterly Business Meeting held tonight, Steve Smith, Board Member at Large, described a plan to phase in Digital Command Control (DCC) into 5 floor towers and existing control panels. The feasibility has been studied under operating conditions without problems the past couple of years. Dave Flynn, Electrical Department Head, also discussed safeguards, design considerations, and operating requirements to allow DCC to work alongside of the layout’s existing DC system.The club has chosen North Coast Engineering equipment as the preferred throttles, boosters, and power packs.
Members, Lindsay Smith, James Keena, and Arie Korporaal have donated controllers and power boosters to get the projected started. Contact Steve Smith or Dave Flynn for further information.
Layout Era Being Restaged
March 25, 2011 • 11:56 PM
All rolling stock and motive power is being staged for a more modern area than has been the case for the past several operating sessions. General Superintendent Bryan Hunnell, with the help of other members, has been replacing pre-60s rolling stock with more modern boxcars, hoppers, stack/container trains, and other equipment. The newer, more modern era equipment gives the visual sense that layout is based on a more modern era. This will run for several months at least says the general superintendent.
HPRR to be On Layout Tour Schedule
February 02, 2011 • 04:27 PM Filed in: Layout
President Bryan Hunnell announced today that the Highland Pacific Railroad layout will be on the Southern California Model Railroad layout tour. Bryan stated, “We are proud to be one of the featured club layouts on this tour. We welcome our visitors and promise to have the layout fully operational.”
While the HPRR layout is a HO, the tour is also being held in conjunction with the 2011 Annual Sn3 Symposium. The club will be in full operation from 10 AM to 6 PM.
Awards Banquet Photos Posted
January 16, 2011 • 04:19 PM Filed in: Awards
Digital images from the 2011 Awards Banquet have been posted. You can see pictures of attendees as well as award winners in each of several categories. Service awards, achievement awards and special recognition, and the Man of the Year can be viewed on 2011 Awards Banquet page.
2011 Annual Awards Banquet
January 06, 2011 • 12:21 AM
Saturday • January 15, 2011
The Barkley Restaurant & Bar
1400 Huntington Drive, South Pasadena, CA 91030 * (626) 799-0758
The 2011 Awards Banquet is scheduled for Saturday, January 15, 2011, 6 PM happy hour, 7 PM dinner. Mark your calendar and plan to be there. The banquet will be held at The Barkley Restaurant and Bar in South Pasadena. This represents a return to the Barkley for HPSMRE after more than 15 years absence.
New, lower price
This year dinners are available for a recession-friendly price of $25 each and meals can be ordered from the menu.
Space is limited
Space is limited; only paid reservations hold a spot. Send your reservations to: Jim Keena, Paymaster. Last day for PAID reservations: January 12, 2011.