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 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

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.

By all measures our just completed Open House was successful. A steady stream of visitors were appreciative of the ability to see model trains in action “up close and personal.” What contributed to the success was the camera train. A number of positive comments were received on the camera train that provided a live engineer’s view over Highland Pacific Railroad trackage. A modified passenger car housed the camera while a locomotive pushed the camera car around the layout. The unique view was amazingly similar to commercial videos of cab rides on prototype railroads.

Tags: video