Operating Session

The high humidity and high heat made the club rooms a welcome relief on operating night. The crew made a gallant effort to run trains but were stymied by the humidity. Frequent breaks for maiine cab operators was the order of the day.

Nonetheless, the group followed Timetable No. 7 and Train List of July 2015 to operate trains over the high iron of the mighty Hghland Pacific Railroad. About 70 percent of the trains made their final destination during the intense operating session.

The more members operate following the timetable and train list, the better we have become. While there are still challenges in timetable operations, it is becoming, well, fun.

Operating Session Focuses on Maintenance and Staging

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Jerry Duncan's Super Chief approaches the entrance to Del Mar Passenger terminal while the UP City of San Francisco waits for clearance to depart.

An operating session on Wednesday night, August 26th, was used to restage complete trains, motive power, and rolling stock for the next timetable operating session.

Bill Chappell, Arie Korporaal, and Brian Hunnell worked the floor and mainline cabs. Dave Flynn, Pat Keegan, and Ron Merkel worked on various electrical projects.

Bill moved trains out of Underhill and Highland to Vista Yard and Arie moved trains into Del Mar Passenger Terminal and restaged passenger equipment as well. The operating session exposed a couple of items that need to be added to the maintenance list. A switchoint is broen in Doering Yard and the floor panel for Highland/Greely is inoperable.

While operation is fun, and the major purpose for the club, ongoing maintenance is a necessity. Come on down and help out.

Timetable Operation a Success

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An NP reefer has been unloaded and waits for pickup at Deka Siding. 

What a night! For about 2 ⅓ hours the men of the Highland Pacific Railroad, Route of the Highlander, followed Timetable No. 3 to run mainline trains and local freight. Train Master James Keena spent several days and many hours getting the layout set to match the timetable. Kudos to James for organizing the layout in preparation for Timetable and Car Card operation.

Operations using a real-time clock began at 7 PM and concluded about 9:20 PM. The crew moved passengers, freight, and mail over the high iron. Other crews worked the yards and ran the locals. Trains ran on time (mostly) and we progressed through the Dispatchers Train Line-Up Schedule apace.

We had guests that visited the layout last week when we were setting up the layout for the Timetable session but there were no operations. They wanted to see the impressive Highland Pacific Railroad in operation so the returned for a second visit; this time when we were in full-dress operating.

Operators for this session were:

• James Keena, Trainmaster and Dispatcher
• Lindsay Smith, Mainline Engineer
• Bill Chappell, Mainline Engineer
• Gary Glaze, Mainline Engineer
• Dave Dodds, Mainline Engineer
• Bryan Hunnell, Vista Yard Operator
• Ron Merkel, Del Mar Passenger Terminal Operator
• Ron Wardwell, West End Yard Operator
• Pat Keegan, Blue Island Local
• Arie Korporaal, Doering Local
• Dave Flynn

Early standards checking of rolling stock, passenger equipment, and locomotives paid off handsomely. There were no equipment failures nor "bad orders" at any time during the session.

Come on down and operat your model railroad like the pros. Our next Timetable and Car Card operating session is scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, 2015. The fun begins at 7 PM. Be there or be square.

Crew Call for Timetable Operation

The next Time Table and Car Card operating session on the Highland Pacific Railroad is scheduled for 7 PM, Wednesday, July 29, 2015. Passenger and Freight Operation will between 7:00 and 8:00 P.M. and continue until about 9:30 to 10:00 P.M.

Crews are needed for the following positions:

• Dispatcher
• 5 Mainline Engineers
• Brakemen/Conductors
• Vista Freight Yard
• West End Freight Yard
• Greeley/Highland Freight Yard
• Underhill Yard/Castlegate
• Doering/Arcadia Tower
• Blue Island Operator
• Pinehurst/Casper Tower
• Bayshore Dock Operator
• Passenger Terminal
• Round House/Diesel Shop
• 3 Local Freight Crews

NEC/DCC as well as conventional DC will be used for this Timetable Operations session. Attached is the Dispatcher Train Line-up Schedule for this session.

Great Train Show This Weekend

All Aboard for the Great Train Show!
Saturday & Sunday July 18-19, 2015
Pomona at Fairplex
10 am - 4pm
Click on the link above for additional information.

Kids 11 & Under are Free! Tickets at the Door are $9. You can save $2 off admission if you click here.

Annual Business Meeting July 8th

The regularly scheduled Annual Business Meeting of the Highland Park Society of Model Railroad Engineers, Inc., will be held on Wednesday, July 8, 2015, in the club rooms, 854 Broadway, San Gabriel, at 8:00 PM.

If you are unable to attend please submit a proxy form so a quorum can be met to conduct business at the meeting. 

Timetable Operations Underway

Panoramic view of the Highland Pacific Railroad layout

Posted live during the operating session …

A small but dedicated crew of operators has been called to work by the crew caller and dispatcher Bryan Hunnell.

Train 804, an eastbound freight, left Vista Yard and hit the mainline another an hour behind schedule. Engineer Bryan Hunnell made up some time on the schedule by while switching at Bayshore Docks.

In the meantime Cab Operator Pat Keegan fired up the 805, a westbound freight on track 363, an began the long journey to the western terminus of the Highland Pacific Railroad. Picking up some cars at Bayshore Docks slowed his arrival at Vista Yard.

Train 806 Engineer Arie Korporaal made up time on the schedule running the First 806 out of Vista eastbound as a through freight. Even so, this priority freight with Western Pacific on the point arrived at its Greely Yard destination just under an hour late.

Lindsay Smith worked as Eastside Brakeman with Ron Wardwell serving as the critical Vista Yard Operator. Bill Chappell got the session underway by staging trains around the layout.

The next operating session governed by timetable is scheduled for July 29, 2015. Be there or be square.

Timetable Operating Session Scheduled for April 29th

Night has fallen on the Highland Pacific Railroad

James Keena, Paymaster and Head of Operations, has announced a full-scale timetable operations night on Wednesday, April 29th.

“Arrival and departure times on the timetable are closer than they appear.” So said Pat Fluhrer after one of the club's timetable operating sessions. Club members will have the opportunity to run the Highland Pacific Railroad like the model first-class railroad that it is. There are plenty of operating stations for every member in attendance. The railroad will need a dispatcher, locomotive engineers, yard operators, Blue Island local operator, and brakemen.

The group is getting better at using the car card system around which our timetable operations are organized. All in all, running trains based on principles of real railroads will make the session more than “Christmas tree” running.

Our next Timetable Operations session is scheduled for Wednesday, April 29, 2015. Come on down and join in the fun.

Wardwell Gets Kudos for Work as a Volunteer

Ron Wardwell, long-time active member of the Highland Park Society of Model Railroad Engineers, has been recognized for his shining work as a volunteer. Ron's volunteerism was recently recognized by the City of Hope in Duarte.

You can hear Ron's own description of the important work he does. Watch:

Happy Birthday to you …

Today the Highland Pacific Railroad is 67 years old.

April 1, 1948 is the official founding date of the Highland Park Society of Model Railroad Engineers, Inc. Thanks to the farsighted men who got together and formed the club, still going strong 67 years later.

Here's a special shout out to George Boggs who is one of the founding members of the Society. He is the only surviving member of the original group of founders. Thanks George!