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Portrait of Success

ariek@me.com — 2011-08-06T18:57:45-07:00

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We have a winner!

ariek@me.com — 2011-07-20T20:50:57-07:00

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.

...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.

In Memorian

ariek@me.com — 2011-07-15T21:38:01-07:00

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.

...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.

Notice of Quarterly Business Meeting

ariek@me.com — 2011-07-01T09:33:04-07:00

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

ariek@me.com — 2011-06-29T18:12:35-07:00

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.

Steve Smith Goes to School

ariek@me.com — 2011-06-09T21:59:25-07:00

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.... 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

ariek@me.com — 2011-05-18T22:24:09-07:00

Ronny Merkel is the latest member of the Highland Park Society of Model Railroad Engineers, Inc. ...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.”

Keaton Walker Back to Active Member Status

ariek@me.com — 2011-04-25T20:07:18-07:00

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.

Layout Era Being Restaged

ariek@me.com — 2011-03-25T23:56:00-07:00

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.

Club Agrees to Move to DCC Installation

ariek@me.com — 2011-04-13T23:37:00-07:00

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. ...

Members, Lindsay Smith, James Keena, and Arie Korporaal have donated controllers and power boosters to get the projected started.

HPRR to be On Layout Tour Schedule

ariek@me.com — 2011-02-02T16:27:16-08:00

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. ...While the HPRR layout is a HO, the tour is also being held in conjunction with the 2011 Annual Sn3 Symposium.

Awards Banquet Photos Posted

ariek@me.com — 2011-01-16T16:19:07-08:00

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

ariek@me.com — 2011-01-06T00:21:36-08:00

The 2011 Awards Banquet is scheduled for Saturday, January 15, 2011, 6 PM happy hour, 7 PM dinner. ... The banquet will be held at The Barkley Restaurant and Bar in South Pasadena. ...This year dinners are available for a recession-friendly price of $25 each and meals can be ordered from the menu.

Awards Banquet Announced

ariek@me.com — 2010-12-06T14:54:32-08:00

The Annual Awards Banquet date has been set: Saturday, January 15, 2011. ... 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 …

Open House a Success

ariek@me.com — 2010-11-10T14:37:58-08:00

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.

Great Train Expo

ariek@me.com — 2010-11-29T14:24:19-08:00

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).

Lindsay Smith Joins HPRR

ariek@me.com — 2010-12-01T13:48:31-08:00

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.

Preparations are Complete for Open House

ariek@me.com — 2010-11-01T22:19:45-07:00

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.

...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.

Standard Checks Complete

ariek@me.com — 2010-10-23T21:47:14-07:00

The Standards Department has completed its checks of rolling stock and motive power that were brought for inspection prior to the deadline. ... 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.

Web Site Under Revision

ariek@me.com — 2010-10-19T11:50:48-07:00

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.

Standards Check Underway

ariek@me.com — 2010-10-17T23:54:40-07:00

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. ... Rolling stock in Vista Yard, Highland/Greeley, Coach Yard, Diesel Shops, and Roundhouse are next on the docket.

...The few that have not are rejected for the usual problems: ability to roll freely on a 2 percent grade, coupler height, and low car weight.

Brooks Donates Work Train

ariek@me.com — 2010-10-13T23:13:07-07:00

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.

Proxy Form for Quarterly Business Meeting

ariek@me.com — 2010-10-01T21:30:24-07:00

Download this form and submit it to the Chief Clerk if you are not going to attend the business meeting. You can download a Proxy Form here.

Notice of Quarterly Business Meeting

ariek@me.com — 2010-10-01T21:35:00-07:00

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.

Annual Business Meeting

ariek@me.com — 2010-07-14T23:22:52-07:00

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.

Steam on the Highland Pacific Railroad

ariek@me.com — 2010-05-14T22:05:12-07:00

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.

Operations on the Highland Pacific Railroad

ariek@me.com — 2010-06-30T20:13:34-07:00

When all cars in the train were properly spotted, the operator was responsible for picking up all empties and returning to the main 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.

Arcadia Tower Now Operational

ariek@me.com — 2010-01-27T20:41:46-08:00

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. ... To make it operational 11 new wires were installed and one wire was moved–all for compatibility with the layout’s computer-controlled network. ...The Arcadia Tower panel layout drawing has been completed is ready for review and all computer parts are in stock and ready for assembly.

The Internet is back!

ariek@me.com — 2010-04-28T20:20:25-07:00

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.

Boy Scouts of America has its own locomotive

ariek@me.com — 2010-03-31T19:18:02-07:00

A very special birthday deserves a very special gift. and the Union Pacific Railroad is commemorating the 100th birthday of the Boy Scouts of America with a special Boy Scouts locomotive. In its 150-year history, Union Pacific has created only ten such commemorative locomotives. ... It features a logo designed by scouts who entered a contest.

Mini-Open House

ariek@me.com — 2010-03-02T20:55:25-08:00

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:

...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. ...

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.

HPRR is Winner of BLI N&W 2-6-6-2 Steam Locomotive

ariek@me.com — 2010-03-30T20:25:48-07:00

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. ... 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 die-cast Y6b steam locomotive is the Club’s to keep for testing and providing feedback on the new features.

New Throttle at Bayshore

ariek@me.com — 2010-03-10T12:51:26-08:00

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 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.

Awards Banquet Images Posted

ariek@me.com — 2010-02-15T11:52:00-08:00

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.

Banquet Awards Announced

ariek@me.com — 2010-01-20T11:38:27-08:00

General Superintendent hosted the presentation of awards and recognition at the 2010 Annual Awards Banquet held January 16, 2010. ...30 Years: Cliff Bender and Ray Olesen ...Photos of the award winners can be seen in the 2010 Awards Banquet web site page.

2010 Annual Awards Banquet

ariek@me.com — 2009-12-15T11:08:00-08:00

The Annual Awards Banquet is scheduled for Saturday, January 16, 2010, 6 PM happy hour, 7 PM dinner. ... The banquet will be held at Pinos Place, a new dining and banquet facility in Temple City. ...This year dinners are available for a recession-friendly price of $22 each (an astounding $8 less than last year).

Photos from Open House posted

ariek@me.com — 2009-11-08T20:39:54-08:00

New photos taken during Open House on Wednesday and Saturday have been uploaded. Pictures were taken by Steve Smith and Pam Korporaal. Check them out: http://highlandpacificrr.com/Media/page25/page25.html

Camera Train Featured at Open House

ariek@me.com — 2009-11-08T23:11:45-08:00

A steady stream of visitors were appreciative of the ability to see model trains in action “up close and personal.” ... A number of positive comments were received on the camera train that provided a live engineer’s view over Highland Pacific Railroad trackage. ... The unique view was amazingly similar to commercial videos of cab rides on prototype railroads.

New Videos Added

ariek@me.com — 2009-12-04T13:04:18-08:00

A new category for digital videos has been added to the Media section of the Web site. this section features videos of the Highland Pacific Railroad that are hosted elsewhere on the web such as YouTube, Vimeo, and other video hosting sites.

Classic Images Photo Section Added

ariek@me.com — 2009-12-05T00:59:05-08:00

A new photo section has been added to highlight photos from years past. The photos taken around the layout show the layout in various stages of construction or different types of rolling stock and motive power.

BULLETIN: Gold Line East End Extension Fantrip, Monday 11/9 at Noon

ariek@me.com — 2009-11-06T12:12:33-08:00

Late breaking information: the Electric Railway Historical Association has made arrangements with the Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension Project for a "windshield tour" of the Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension Project on Monday, November 9 at 12:00 noon for 60 guests. ...Please note that the windshield tour will consist of a ride on the system from Union Station, Metro Gold Line Eastside Extension Platform #2 to the Atlantic Station and back. ...Per Metro, "Please note that it is a requirement for every tour attendee to review and sign the attached Visitor’s Release and Hold Harmless Agreement waiver prior to the tour.

New layout photos added

ariek@me.com — 2009-11-06T02:18:29-08:00

Photos taken during the opening day of the 2009 Open House have been posted in the Media section of the web site.

New web site is "professional"

ariek@me.com — 2009-10-27T14:47:33-07:00

--George Boggs, Founding Member of HPSMRE, Inc.

"Your club's new website looks great—really professional."
...--Ron Lindt, Poway Station Model Railroad Club

Become a docent at the Santa Anita Depot

ariek@me.com — 2009-10-25T12:08:00-07:00

The training covers all aspects of the volunteer activities at the Arboretum, but there is no requirement to volunteer in any particular area; the only requirement is to do a minimum number of volunteer hours each year if one decides after the training to be a volunteer. For railroad buffs the depot is an interesting place to be a docent because it is a fascinating piece of Santa Fe and San Gabriel Valley history. ...Club members can visit the depot when it is open (generally Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday; enter through the main Arboretum entrance and unless it is a "free Tuesday" (3rd Tuesday of the month) there is a fee for entrance).

New photo montage added

ariek@me.com — 2009-10-23T13:29:18-07:00

A new photo montage of images taken on around the layout and club rooms has been added to the video section. The static photos are displayed in a self-running digital video.

New web site goes live

ariek@me.com — 2009-10-23T02:48:32-07:00

Early this morning the new version of the Highland Park Society of Model Railroad Engineers, Inc. web site was posted to the server of the club's Internet Service Provider. A few pages have been disabled as details and some minor hand-coding of HTML code remains. The details will allow publishing photos directly to the web site without extensive work preparing images for publication.

Railroad Heritage Web Portal

ariek@me.com — 2009-10-21T00:42:24-07:00

The Center for Railroad Photography & Art preserves North America's Railroad Heritage through publications, conferences, an awards program, and now by digitizing, describing and archiving railroad images online, using a descriptive system (Dublin Core) devised by librarians for photographs and art. The goal of this collection is to build a repository that is national in scope and representative of the history and culture of railroading in the context of American history, railroad technology, and art. The portal shows significant images of railroading in America and helps viewers learn about the creation of these images.

HPRR Donates Layout

ariek@me.com — 2005-10-22T15:01:47-07:00

HPSMRE, Inc. donates layout to the San Gabriel Valley Boys and Girls Club As part of the World’s Greatest Hobby Convention held in Los Angeles, the club built a complete layout. ... When the layout was completed the club donated the layout to the San Gabriel Valley Boys and Girls Club.

Revised web site under development

ariek@me.com — 2008-12-09T23:32:01-08:00

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Awards Banquet photos posted

ariek@me.com — 2009-01-07T19:57:46-08:00

Photos of the 2005 and 2006 Annual Awards Banquets have been posted to the Photos section of the web site.

2008 Man of the Year Award

ariek@me.com — 2009-01-17T22:15:53-08:00

2008 Man of the Year Bryan Hunnell, General Superintendent (holding trophy), presents Pat Keegan (l.) and Everett Evans (r.) with club's Co-Man-of-the-Year award. The award was selected by the Board of Directors.

2007 Man of the Year Award

ariek@me.com — 2009-01-18T00:15:14-08:00

Jarry Duncan (l.), Member at Large, presents General Superintendent with the club's 2007 Man of the Year Award. This is the first time Bryan has received this prestigious award.

Digital videos of layout added

ariek@me.com — 2009-01-21T20:22:24-08:00

Selected, mostly short for quick streaming on the web, video clips have been uploaded. More videos are in the editing room and will be uploaded periodically.

2009 Awards Banquet photos posted

ariek@me.com — 2009-01-22T02:57:27-08:00

Photos from the 2009 Awards Banquet have been posted in the Photos section. Included are service awards, achievement awards recipients, and the two Man of the Year recipients.

Merchandise page updated

ariek@me.com — 2009-01-24T01:17:22-08:00

New items and some old favorites have been posted to the revised merchandise page. Merchandise can be paide using PayPal, a secure e-commerce payment system. All items are in stock and ship with 2 days of order receipt.

Train GIFS now active

ariek@me.com — 2009-04-30T00:59:59-07:00

It has been several years since the Highland Pacific Railroad web site has had animated train GIFs (small digital renditions of train engines and rolling stock). Charley White pioneered the use of train GIFs as far back as 1999 in the early days of HPRR’s web presence. Now Train GIFs are back on the HPRR ...

Construction nears completion on new web site

ariek@me.com — 2009-10-05T01:05:20-07:00

Work continues on the project to update the web site of the Highland Park Society of Model Railroad Engineers, Inc. The current web site, designed and implemented by Charles White, will continue to be the "face of the club" until the revised site is devloped and tested. Stay tuned.

Blog site undergoing revision

ariek@me.com — 2009-10-06T02:01:13-07:00

The experimental HPRR blog site is under development. It isn't clear whether or not it will become an integrated feature on the club's website.

New web site undergoing beta testing

ariek@me.com — 2009-10-13T23:33:42-07:00

Selected members of the cub were seeded with beta copies of the new HPRR web site. ... No broken links have been found, internal page links are working, and the carousel-style members page is working as well. ...At the same time the picture gallery will be expanded as will the digital video section.