The Annual Awards Banquet date has been set: Saturday, January 15, 2011. The banquet location is under study by the committee and will be announced shortly. It has been difficult to find a suitable location for the banquet that lets us balance room size, type of food, liquor sales, and cost. Most places are charging $30 and more for banquet dinners and some members have expressed their concern over escalating prices.

Stay tuned …

Tags: awards

Lindsay Smith, long-time model railroader and active member of other local railroad groups, submitted an application to become a member of the Highland Park Society of Model Railroad Engineers, Inc. Until recently, Lindsay had been a member of the now defunct Pomona Valley Model Railroad Club and has come to HPRR as have other PVMRC modelers. Some may know Lindsay Smith for his work as a director of the Pacific Railroad Society and was responsible for the growth and expansion of the PRS’s museum in San Dimas.

Come on down and welcome our newest member.

Tags: Members

The Great Train Expo is coming up in Del Mar from 10 AM to 4 PM, Saturday, December 4 and Sunday, December 5. Information can be found on our HPRR Web site: http://highlandpacificrr.com; go to the Calendar page.

Here’s a link to the Great Train Expo Web site: http://greattrainexpo.com

The annual two-day model railroad gathering will feature elaborate, operating train setups by groups such as North County Model Railroad Society, the Orange County Module RR club, the Southern California European Train Enthusiasts, the Southern California Z Scale RR Group, the Del Oro Pacific club, California South Coast Modular On30 Group, the Canfield Farm Circus and the Antelope Valley N' Scalers. Among the styles of train models operating and available for sale will be HO scale, N scale, Z scale and G gauge models, as well as Lionel (O scale) and American Flyer (S gauge).

We must be approaching our 100th Open House. For many years the Highland Park Society of Model Railroad Engineers, Inc. held two open house events every year. One was held during the traditional Model Railroad Month in November and the second was held in the spring, usually in April. More recently, as major construction on the layout has ceased, the cub has shifted to a single open house event the first weekend in November.

The Open House recently concluded continued in the HPSMRE tradition of excellence … visitors happy with the ability to “get down among the trains” and view the detailed models up close, nearly flawless operation of all rolling stock and motive power, and operational variations with the Casper Tower operator playing an important role in dispatching trains over the layout, and virtually non-existent equipment failures, mechanical or electrical.

Thanks to all members who manned stations and kept the layout humming during the three day marathon event.

Tags: Open House

Preparations are complete for the 2010 Open House. The layout looks good, trains are at the ready, maintenance tasks are finished, and general cleanup has left the clubrooms in great shape. The raffle prizes are tempting, some significant items waiting for the lucky ticket to be pulled.

Open House gets underway at 7 PM on Wednesday, November 3rd. The following two weekend days are expected to draw significant crowds: Saturday, November 6, Noon to 5 PM and Sunday, November 7, Noon to 5 PM.

The Standards Department has completed its checks of rolling stock and motive power that were brought for inspection prior to the deadline. In addition, checks of rolling stock already on the layout were completed as well. Everything has been check for proper car weight, coupler swing, centering and height, ability to roll on a 2% grade unassisted, and clean wheels. Passenger equipment in Del Mar and the Coach Yard, operating essentially as unit trains for open house, were spot checked. and did not receive the full standards checks.

All equipment is on the ready track and waiting for the highball on Wednesday, November 3 at 5 PM.

Tags: Standards

The Society’s Web site, unveiled last year, is under going revision. New code is being added to speed up picture transitions, changed header graphics, improved navigation, and a refreshed graphical theme. The biggest change is on the Home page where every visitors lands when visiting the Web site. Watch for more improvements.

Tags: web site

The Standards Department has been checking rolling stock and locomotives on the layout prior to the 2010 Open House which gets underway in 3 weeks. So far rolling stock in West End Yard, Bayshore Docks, and Bayshore siding has been checked. Rolling stock in Vista Yard, Highland/Greeley, Coach Yard, Diesel Shops, and Roundhouse are next on the docket.

Tags: Standards

At the Quarterly Business Meeting, Senior Member Jerry Brooks donated his gem of a custom-built work train. The train, based on Highland Pacific Railroad painting and lettering standards, features 11 cars found in prototype work trains. Cars and locomotives are undergoing maintenance now and will be featured at this year’s Open House.

Tags: Meeting

A Quarterly Business Meeting of the Highland Park Society of Model Railroad Engineers will be held on 13 Oct 2010 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.

Tags: Meeting

Tags: Meeting

At tonight’s Annual Business Meeting the current slate of officers were elected to a 3rd consecutive, 2-year term of office. All officers were reelected with the exception of Member at Large. Steve Smith was elected to a two-year term to fill the office vacated by Jerry Duncan. The 2010-2011 officers are:

• General Superintendent, Bryan Hunnell
• Assistant Superintendent, Arie Korporaal
• Paymaster, James Keena
• Chief Clerk, Bill Chappell
• Member At Large, Steve Smith

Congratulations to each of the officers.

Tags: Meeting

Members of the Highland Park Society of Model Railroad Engineers spent the evening operating their model of a Class 1 railroad. Operators were given switch lists and destinations for trains. Crews were responsible for putting a train together, requesting power from the Diesel Shops, adding the proper rear-end car, and operating the train over the mainline to its destination. Once at its destination, the operator was responsible for spotting each car at the appropriate industry. When all cars in the train were properly spotted, the operator was responsible for picking up all empties and returning to the main yard.

The Operations Chief was John Deka, who was the traffic manager for Chevron in El Segundo for nearly 30 years. Train crews included Bryan Hunnell assisting with the building of specific trains from rolling stock needed for specific destinations. Pat Keegan operated the Bayshore and Blue Island industrial area local delivering loads to Lefton Wright Signal Company, the coal dock, and box cars. When cars were spotted the empties were returned to the main storage yard. Arie Korporaal took a load of box cars and refers to Del Mar passenger terminal and the Highland Pacific commissary and brought corresponding empties from Railway Express and the warehouse back to Vista Yard. Bill Chappell served as dispatcher at the digital Overview Tower and operated his train from Highland/Greeley on the east end of the layout heading westbound while picking up empties along the way. Everett Evans delivered the goods at various locations with his custom built, painted and decaled string of hopper cars. Finally, Ron Wardwell gave the group his sage advice.

Bryan Hunnell (l) surveys the caboose tracks to select a crummy for the outbound train from Vista. Pat Keegan (r) is the Vista Yard operator responsible for keeping inbound and outbound trains moving through the very busy Vista and West End Yards.

Tags: Operation

Broadway Limited Imports, recently selected the Highland Park Society of Model Railroad Engineers, Inc. to receive one of its new Paragon2 N&W 2-6-6-2 steam locomotives. In addition to providing feedback and suggestions after running the loco over HPRR rail, the club was chosen because of its web presence.

The die-cast Y6b steam locomotive is the Club’s to keep. You can see the locomotive on its maiden run over HPRR trackage. The video is posted in the Media section under videos. Look for Steam on the Highland Pacific.

James L. Keena, Paymaster

After a two-year, budget-saving absence, an Internet connection is back in the club rooms. Three members, Dave Flynn, Bill Chappell, and Arie Korporaal, donated funds to pay for a one-year DSL connection. Research on railroad topics can now be conducted while the club is open. It can, of course, be used for playing Eve.

Tags: Internet

Broadway Limited Imports, has chosen the Highland Pacific Railroad as a winner in the free Paragon2 N&W 2-6-6-2 Steam Locomotive giveaway. The club will also receive a one year subscription to Model Railroad News. BLI would like the club to put the locomotive through its paces on the Highland Pacific and report back to them with feedback and suggestions. The locomotive features synchronized puffing smoke, load-dependent variable chuff sounds, quillable whistle (DCC), optional whistles, and cab/radio chatter. The die-cast Y6b steam locomotive is the Club’s to keep for testing and providing feedback on the new features.  Look for this new iron workhorse pulling its weight in freight on the Highland Pacific Railroad.

James L. Keena, Paymaster

A two-man electrical crew (Pat Keegan and Dave Flynn) replaced the existing throttle during tonight’s work session at Bayshore. The new throttle is a walk-around throttle compatible with the new style operating panel. The older radio-controlled throttle was no longer reliable and presented operating problems. The new throttle is of the new design and is compatible with the new drawer mounted panel going in as Arcadia Tower. The Arcadia Tower panel layout drawing has been completed is ready for review and all computer parts are in stock and ready for assembly.

Saturday, March 20th is the 19th Layout Tour organized by the Model Railroads of Southern California group hosted on Yahoo.  The Highland Pacific Railroad will be one of 10 layouts open in the San Gabriel Valley area. We need you to help put on a show for our visitors. CONTACT BRYAN HUNNELL TO LET HIM KNOW IF YOU WILL BE ABLE TO ATTEND AND OPERATE OUR LAYOUT.

Here is a lengthy email from the group describing the self-guided tour of the layouts:

Hello, Model Railroader -

Below is basic information about the tour.  This information is sufficient for you to take the tour.  Additional downloadable information, including two maps for every layout and an area hobby shop list, is available in the Files Section of the group in a folder titled "Layout Tour No. 19". Go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Model_Railroads_Of_Southern_California/

You must log-on to the group to access the Files Section.  Please do not ask me to send you these files as my time is too limited to respond to individual requests.  I volunteer my time for this work and I need to keep matters simple for me.

Be sure to check the Files Section and the group website the day before the tour to see if any changes to the schedule or layout lineup have occurred.

Persons taking this tour assume all risks and liability for their personal safety. Although I am the Moderator of this group, I am not responsible for personal loss or injury to those taking this tour.

If you cannot make this tour, more tours are being planned.   If you wish to open your home layout for an upcoming tour, please contact me.

Photos of the HPRR members receiving recognition at the 2010 Annual Awards Banquet have been posted on the 2010 Awards Banquet media page. Awards include nine service awardees, two superintendent’s awards, two achievement awards, and the man of the year. Check them out.

The wiring for Arcadia Tower, one of five floor towers envisioned as part of the original layout design, was installed 45 years ago under the layout. Tonight, for the first time, that wiring carried current. Arcadia Tower is operational. To make it operational 11 new wires were installed and one wire was moved–all for compatibility with the layout’s computer-controlled network. Thanks to Dave Flynn and Pat Keegan for their work.Arcadia Tower will be a new drawer mounted panel being installed near Angel’s Flight. The Arcadia Tower panel layout drawing has been completed is ready for review and all computer parts are in stock and ready for assembly.

General Superintendent hosted the presentation of awards and recognition at the 2010 Annual Awards Banquet held January 16, 2010.