Council Bluffs, IA: Union Pacific Railway Museum

http://www.uprrmuseum.org/

The Union Pacific Railroad Museum houses one of the oldest corporate collections in the nation. It includes artifacts, photographs, and documents that trace the development of the transcontinental railroad and the American West.

Our mission is to educate the public about the past, present and future of America's largest railroad and the railroad industry. To accomplish this mission the museum will collect, research, and preserve a large collection of photographs, archives and artifacts relating to the railroad industry and the Union Pacific Railroad.
Hours Location
Open Tues. - Sat.
10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Closed Sun. - Mon. 200 Pearl Street
Council Bluffs, Iowa
GPS coordinates: N41.25821 degrees, W95.85124 degrees

Council Bluff, IA: Trains to be on display through New Year’s Eve

From Daily Nonpareil: Council Bluff, IA: Trains to be on display through New Year’s Eve

Saturday marks the beginning of the annual holiday model train display at the Union Pacific Railroad Museum, 200 Pearl St. The display will feature an “O” gauge layout by the Nebraska-Iowa Railroaders Omaha Modular Trains group.

The trains will be available for viewing this Saturday, and then Tuesday through Friday and Dec. 27-31. The Union Pacific Railroad Museum is open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Tuesday through Saturday. On Dec. 31, the museum will also be open from 6 to 9 p.m., which will be the last chance to see the model trains.

Admission is free. The museum is closed Sunday and Monday. For more information, go online to uprrmuseum.org or call (712) 329-8307.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year

Regular blog postings begin on DECEMBER 26, Monday.

Customs House Museum’s “Snowflake Special” Christmas model trains to run through December

From Clarksville Online (Tennessee): Customs House Museum’s “Snowflake Special” Christmas model trains to run through December
Clarksville, TN- The Customs House Museum and Cultural Center’s collection of Christmas trains, known as the “Snowflake Special”, will run every Sunday from 1:00pm–4:00pm, except Christmas.

They will make special runs on December 20th, 21st, 22nd, 27th, 28th, and 29th from 10:00am–1:00pm.

The trains wind their way through a winter wonderland village which comes to alive at the push of a button.

Located in the heart of historic downtown Clarksville, Tennessee, the Customs House Museum and Cultural Center is the State’s second largest general museum. With over 35,000 square feet of the region’s best hands-on activities and special events…people of all ages agree – the Customs House Museum is well worth the stop!

The Customs House Museum is located at 200 South Second Street. For more information, call 931.648.5780 or visit their website at www.customshousemuseum.org

Models raise interest in train museum

From Rocky Mount Telegram: Models raise interest in train museum
Model train sets are being displayed at the Golden East Crossing mall by a group of volunteers who are trying to develop a permanent railroad museum.

The display, which is in a glass enclosure along the corridor leading up to Ross, includes three train set displays that were donated by Rocky Mount residents.

The goal of the display is to whet residents’ appetites for a new permanent model train museum and solicit funds and support for it.

Displayed on the exhibit glass is a brochure urging residents to donate money, time or train artifacts to a nonprofit organization that has been formed to develop the new Rocky Mount Railroad Museum.

Joyce Dantzler, the president of the citizen’s committee that has been formed to develop the museum, said she has fond memories of the railroad industry in Rocky Mount as her father worked for it.

“He started with Atlantic Coastline. Then it became Seaboard Coastline,” she said. “When he retired, he was a fireman for Amtrak.

Dantzler said the museum will seek to inform.

“We are trying to educate the community about the history of the railroad here in Rocky Mount, how beneficial it was,” Dantzler said. “We also hope to direct people who are interested into jobs working for the railroad, maybe to CSX.”

A museum brochure states that the plans call for a gift shop for railroad products, individual display spaces for model trains, memorabilia and artifacts, a learning lab for classroom instruction, kiosks with information about careers in the railroad industry, a conference room for meetings and celebrations and an interactive children’s learning lab with various train collections.

“We hope to have an area in which people can have celebrations,” Dantzler said. “Maybe children on their birthdays could go to railroad museum, like Chuck E. Cheese’s. These are all goals and objectives we have. They are down the line.”

The volunteers were eyeing space for the new museum in the Bel Air Artisans Center in downtown Rocky Mount, but they decided against that due to the cost of renovating the space.

Plus, the volunteers would prefer a building that is owned by the museum, said Gene Pridgen, vice president of the citizen’s committee trying to get the museum off the ground.

“The fact that (the space in the artisans center) would never be ours (was a concern),” he said. “It would be rented, and someone might come along later and say, “We don’t want you here any more.’ After spending all that money, we would have to get out. So we would rather start on our own and own something small and build into it.”

This is the second time that mall management has allowed the museum advocates to use space to promote the new museum concept.

“We are moving along slowly, taking baby steps if you will,” Pridgen said.

Over the summer, the volunteers set up a couple of tables to promote the train museum.

“We gave out pamphlets to see if there was any interest in (the museum),” Pridgen said. “To our amazement, there was. We approached the mall about putting (train displays) up over the holidays. They agreed to do it.”

Architect Bill Dove donated one of his model train sets for the mall exhibit.

Dove said he hopes that the new museum inspires young people to get into model train building.

“It may get kids back interested in building something with their own hands,” he said. “Kids are spending too much time playing on the Internet and not doing anything for themselves. As they get older, they’ll need some method for relaxation, and model building was one of mine.”

Big talk about small trains

From Augusta Gazette: Big talk about small trains
Augusta, Kan. — It took a split vote from the city council, but the Wichita Model Railroad Club received a 5-year lease to continue using the old fire barn for their club headquarters.

The last lease signed by the group was 10 years ago. City manager Bill Keefer worked with the group to identify and solve some issues with the utility usage and recommended a 5-year lease with a rent cost of $800 per year – up from the previous $700 per year level.

The city pays the utilities on the building and, during the winter, heating costs were running high because of an inaccurate thermostat. To address that problem, the club installed a new digital thermostat and additional insulation to increase efficiency.

City Councilor Sue Jones wasn’t sold on the idea of giving the group a 5-year lease.
She pointed out that the group is the “Wichita” Model Railroad Club and not the “Augusta” Model Railroad Club. She also asked how the club using a city building was a community asset.

“My point is that it is city property,” Jones said. “I just want to be sure there are benefits to the community.”

Gordon McPhail, who represented the club at the meeting, told the council that the group has worked with the Boy Scouts to help them earn badges and offers tours to groups – such as groups of senior citizens.

“We want to meet our responsibilities and obligations,” McPhail said.

Matt Malone also expressed concerns about a 5-year lease because of the potential to have utility costs fluctuate during the term of the lease.

“A five year lease allows us to plan and do major renovations,” said McPhail. “Our costs on materials have skyrocketed so being able to plan expenses helps.”

City Attorney David All advised the council that the lease as presented did include a termination clause that the council could utilize for any reason.

Councilor Ron Reavis made a motion to approve the 5-year lease and Matt Childers seconded the motion.

The measure passed 4-2 with Jones and Malone voting against the motion. Mike Huddleston and Mike Wallace were absent.

Amtrak to trade hole punches for iPhones

Washington Post, Capitol Express: Amtrak to trade hole punches for iPhones
There’s long been a certain quaintness to riding the train — the conductor using a hole punch to mark your ticket, the dining car attendant writing your order on a long, thin card — but Amtrak is changing all that.

The train operator next summer plans to roll out nationwide an e-ticketing program that provides conductors with a scanner-equipped iPhone to register rider tickets, in paper form or on laptops, tablets and phones. The initiative allows customers to print tickets from home or access them on mobile devices, rather than requiring them to use station kiosks or ticket windows.

The program has been in the works for about five years, but has taken major steps this year with two pilot efforts. In February, Amtrak started using e-ticketing on Auto Train, a train that travels between Lorton and Florida, and allows passengers to bring their cars aboard.

Last month, Amtrak launched a pilot of the e-ticketing model on the Downeaster, a line that runs between Portland, Maine, and Boston.

For Amtrak, the e-ticketing effort is expected to improve efficiency and safety. Today, conductors are responsible for keeping track of collected tickets, which are later sent to a facility in Texas to be scanned and documented. Additionally, conductors aren’t able to send real-time updates to its reservation system to indicate exactly who is on the train, valuable information in the case of an emergency or accident.

The new model links conductors with Amtrak’s reservation system, allowing them to see how many passengers are expected to get on at each stop and notifying them if a passenger with special needs or a business-class passenger is preparing to board. When they scan a ticket, conductors immediately have a real-time log of who and how many people are on the train and at what station they’re slated to disembark.

For customers, the new system means they can exchange tickets more easily if, for instance, they want to take an earlier train. Rather than have to return a printed ticket, they can simply make the adjustment online.

Amtrak developed the user interface for the mobile software through a contract with Agilex, a Chantilly-based information technology contractor.

“One of the critical design points was building an application that could work connected or disconnected,” said Ira Entis, president of advanced technologies at Agilex. Amtrak is “one of the few modes of transportation ... where you give them your ticket after you’re on board. ... Then we have to sort things out, but that sorting out is often in a tunnel or in the middle of the country,” where wireless signals are iffy.

Matthew F. Hardison, chief of sales distribution and customer service at Amtrak, said the new mobile device creates the opportunity to build other applications. Thus far, Amtrak already has developed one that allows conductors to electronically report problems on trains, such as broken restrooms or seats, rather than fill out and submit paper forms.

Deborah Stone, senior director of sales and reservation systems, said the train operator expects to begin using the application next year.

The ticketing initiative comes as Amtrak modernizes other processes as well. It also has rolled out WiFi access for a larger group of passengers this year and is equipping cafe and dining cars with tablets that allow employees to enter and track food and drink purchases.

Gainsborough, UK, 27th December: Mini trains

From Guardian: Mini trains
Gainsborough’s famous Model Railway will be opening its doors to the public again this month.

Their ‘O’ gauge model railway, representing the East Coast Mainline from Kings Cross to Leeds has over 160 locomotives including such well known engines as Flying Scotsman and Mallard.

GMRS will be open on Sunday 11th and Tuesday 27th December from 1.30pm - 6pm. Admission is £4 for adults £4, £3 for children and seniors and £10 for a and Family of four. The GMRS is situated in Florence Terrace, near the south end of Tesco Car-park.

Freight trains a clear winner over trucks in CO2 emission stakes

From Science A GOGo: Freight trains a clear winner over trucks in CO2 emission stakes
A University of Wisconsin-Madison analysis of the emissions generated from shipping freight via truck or by train shows that shipping by train delivers a big reduction in CO2 emissions.

Researcher Erica Bickford said much of the environmental benefit boils down to simple efficiency. For each ton of freight they carry, trucks go about 150 miles on a gallon of diesel whereas trains can move the same load more than 400 miles per gallon.

"There's a 31 percent decrease in carbon dioxide produced by freight shipping in the region, and that's straight from emissions," says Bickford. "It's 21 million metric tons of CO2, the equivalent of what's produced by about 4 million cars." The findings are based on a model of freight traffic in 10 Midwestern states from Kansas to Ohio. She presented her findings last week at the fall meeting of the American Geophysical Union in San Francisco.

While cutting CO2emissions by one-third is a desirable goal, Bickford acknowledges that, like trucks, diesel rail traffic also creates black carbon soot and the lung irritant nitrogen dioxide (NO2). More rail traffic would mean more pollutants near the tracks, but better air quality near roads frequented by trucks. This is ultimately a positive, she argues. "Black carbon and NO2 are harmful to everyone's health. But because more people live near roads than railroad tracks, more people would benefit from the shifts in these pollutants."

According to Bickford's model, 16 percent less black carbon soot would linger near roads with heavy shipping traffic, while the increase around rail corridors could be as high as 20 percent. Nitrogen dioxide would plummet by as much as 30 percent near roads, but rise by as much as 20 percent near railroad tracks.

The effects of greater rail use would be particularly noticeable in the middle of the country, she contends. "We're sort of a freight crossroads in the Midwest. International shipping comes into the country on the coasts and then passes through our backyard on the way to its destination."

Bickford concludes by noting that there are a number of non-pollution benefits - reduced traffic congestion, wear on roads and demand for diesel fuel - that railed freight would also deliver. "Truck freight travels on publically-funded roads, rail traffic on privately-built tracks," she says. "But these benefits could be an impetus for public investment in rail infrastructure."

Westchester Model Railroad Club's cars roll at nature center

From lohud.com (New York's Lower Hudson Valley): Westchester Model Railroad Club's cars roll at nature center

GREENBURGH — As two model Amtrak trains barreled down the electric track, William Winston, 4, and Chad Smith, 5, started counting the string of cars before the silver trains vanished into a mountain tunnel.

"There were 12," said William. "I like the speed it goes."

Chad arrived at a more dramatic conclusion: "I want to stay here," he said.

The Winstons, of New Rochelle, and the Smiths, of Redding, Conn., were among the hundreds of people who showed up to watch the display of model trains by the Westchester Model Railroad Club at the Greenburgh Nature Center on Saturday.

The 180-square-foot spread featured, among other things, a wooden walking bridge, a barnyard scene, a village center, a farmhouse and a factory building.

The display runs 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. through Dec. 18.

Sal Mancino, one of 10 members of the club, said the models had been handmade by them over many years.

"It's a collaborative effort," said Mancino, a former computer programmer. "I do all the electrical work."

A replica of the Greenburgh Nature Center building was constructed by Dr. Paul Greenburg, an 84-year-old former podiatrist.

"It took me a couple of months to build," said Greenburg, who said he had a 450-square-foot display at his home in Hartsdale.

"This hobby is good for recreation, socialization and corollary education," said Greenburg. "As a small kid, I was crazy about trains."

For 4-year-old Ben Kalish, "trains are a passion," said his father, Jonas.

"He loves trains," said Jonas Kalish, of Ossining. "To see them going round and round is the biggest thrill he can get."

Tony Siano, a retired engineer, said he joined the club last year but had been "in the hobby for 35 years."

The question he was asked most frequently by the kids on Saturday, he said, was, "Can you make the trains go faster?"

Well, can he?

He turned a knob, and the trains picked up speed.

"Now a lot of the passengers have vertigo," said Siano. "And they are going to complain to their senators. 'Dear Senator ...' "

This Saturday and Sunday, Milwaukee: Model trains pulling into Discovery World station

From Tap Milwaukee: Model trains pulling into Discovery World station
If you're lucky, they were a magical part of your past.

Model trains brought life to the perfect Christmas tree setting. Now you can revisit those home railroading days or discover model railroading for the first time at "Trains! Trains! Trains!," a Discovery World at Pier Wisconsin show on Saturday and Sunday at 500 N. Harbor Drive.

Visitors can see more than 1,300 square feet of model railroad setups; Lionel, American Flyer, S gauge and more will be on display. Builders will be available to answer questions.

The digital theater also will screen railroad films during the event.

Show hours are from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Admission is $16.95 for adults; $12.95 for children. For details, visit www.discoveryworld.org or call (414) 765-9966.

Time Keeps On Slipping Into the Future

Sorry for the dearth of posts recently...I've been working on a project, wanted to devote all my time to it, and kept telling myself...it'll be done today so I can get back to blogging here tomorrow.

The next day it was... okay, it's definitely going to get done today....

Well, today it is done... so back to posting here on a daily basis tomorrow. (With the first post appearing tomorrow afternoon while I'm watching football!)

Thanks for your patience.

Model train show brings out childhood memories

From Princeton Eagle: Model train show brings out childhood memories

Retiree Bruno Gad arrived at the very start of last weekend’s two-day Rum River Model Railroad Club show in the Great Northern Room of the Mille Lacs County Historical Society’s Depot Center in Princeton.

Gad, a native of Chicago, smiled as he looked over some of the nine tables with model train layouts, many of the tables with multiple tracks and trains. There was also a table with a model car race track and some tables with antique toys.

This was one of the many annual Christmas holiday train shows that the Rum River Model Railroad Club has put on here, and when the show opened last Friday morning at 10 a.m., the Great Northern Room quickly filled with spectators.

Children age 12 and under got in free and there wasn’t a tally of their number. But 92 adults attended the first day and 90 the second.

You wouldn’t have had to use much imagination to guess what many of the attendees might have been thinking as they gazed intently at the model trains moving busily around on their metal tracks, making a thin buzzing sound. The layouts were generally extravagant, with a display of model landscapes and fixtures. There was varied terrain and houses, commercial buildings and even simulated working pieces of equipment. A little lumber mill, for example, was on the tabletop display owned by Lonnie Hannan of Askov.

Full-size railroad tracks are still in Askov and freight traffic frequently passes through there. The tracks once carried Great Northern passenger trains, the mountain goat logo proudly on the side as they passed through, heading north and south. People would ride it from a depot in either Askov or Sandstone frequently to the Twin Cities or could take the Empire Builder to Duluth. If they had wanted, they could ride the Great Northern all the way to Seattle.

Gad, who will be 72 in March, now lives in the Santiago area west of Princeton, but grew up on the west side of Chicago. His home there was at 2635 West 17th Street, just two blocks away from railroad tracks, he noted. He was able to command his own little railroad at age 9 when he received a model train set. He accumulated two model locomotives and 14 different model train cars.

But when he was with neighborhood friends out to play, the full-size railroad tracks were their “playground,” he recalled.

As Gad talked, Del Fuller of Ogilvie, a retired hospital x-ray technician, tinkered with his model train layout that had both HO and ON 30-gauge train sets. Fuller, who has been a model railroader for about three decades, was given a tin plate O 27-gauge model train when he was about 10 or so. “I enjoy it,” Fuller said of model railroading. He explained that it brings back childhood memories of watching full-size trains.

One of the attendees at the show on Friday was Jim Braun, of rural Princeton, there with his wife Carolyn. As they gazed at Hannan’s train layout, Braun pulled out his own model train story. One day when he was 16 or 17 and itching for some cash, he sold his prized model train set with locomotive and 50 train cars for $50. The man who bought it, later sold it for $2,500, Braun said. Trying to rationalize it all, Braun said that he probably needed the $50 badly at the time so he could buy gas to go out on dates.

Teenager, Brian Smith, one of the younger model railroaders at the show, has amassed an enviable model train collection, now owning approximately 45 model locomotives and nearly four times as many model train cars.

Smith is what nearby model railroader Fuller is hoping to see more of. The Rum River Model Railroad Club has about 14 members, according to its president, Melvin Lindquist, of rural Princeton. But Smith is looking at more than just numbers of members. “I would like to encourage young people to get involved in model railroading,” Fuller said. Not many girls, relative to the number of boys, want to get involved in this hobby, but there are some who do, Fuller said.

Lindquist, as he sat fiddling with a train set owned by friend Penny Quast, president of the Mille Lacs County Historical Society, said he was pleased with the large number of model train displays there that day. “It’s probably the biggest display to date for the club,” he said.

“It absolutely went well,” Quast said later.

Alderson, West Virginia: 4 Dec: Free model train show set for Sunday at city hall in Alderson

From The Register Herald: Free model train show set for Sunday at city hall in Alderson

As a part of Alderson Main Street’s Christmas Homes Tour events, a free model train show will be held at the Council Room of Alderson’s City Hall Sunday from 1 to 5 p.m. on Sunday, December 4, 2011.

Organized by Lee and Tammy Skaggs, the show has become an Alderson tradition.

For the youngest train fans, there will be a “Thomas the Tank Engine” display featuring a small, battery-powered Thomas engine pulling two Christmas cars around a Christmas tree.

For the children of all ages, there will be Santa’s Holiday Express train in “G” scale.

This train is fully animated with elves working on the rail cars and Santa Claus acting as engineer. With all its lights and action, it is sure to delight everyone.

In “HO” scale, the father and son team of Rick and Zachary Burns will be showing their train making its way through a winter wonderland layout.

Dick Pranulis will demonstrate his artistry in a display of his train collection.

In “O” scale, Lee Skaggs will feature his train in a layout which he calls “Christmas in the Country.”

“He has just added a new red barn as a focal point of the layout. Kevin Napier, assisted by sons Brett and Seth, will also show their O scale train. Ten year old Brett said, “Dad, I am so excited that we are a part of this show!”

Reverend Lanny Howe will show his LGB (Lehman Gross Bahn) train. LGB trains are responsible for introducing "G" scale to model railroading. The scale ratio used by LGB is 1:22.5

In addition to the model trains in the Alderson show, Jill Highlander will have her collection of photography featuring trains for viewing and sale. Railroad-themed Christmas decorations and light refreshments will round out the show.

Other activities that afternoon include choral music on the hour, a $5 soup, sandwich and dessert lunch, and a bazaar at Johnson Memorial United Methodist Church; and the tour of Alderson homes decked out in Christmas splendor for which $10 tickets are available at the Historic 1896 C&O Depot.

These events are sponsored by Alderson Main Street and the funds from the Christmas Homes Tour are used for Main Street Projects.