Phillipsburg Railroad Historians, Inc.
PO Box 5104, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865
www.prrh.org

SEPTEMBER 2004 NEWSLETTER VOLUME XIV NUMBER 9

      Your Directors at PRRH extend a warm welcome to you as we move headlong into the approaching fall months. Our thoughts will turn to ghosts, goblins, ghordes, and gastrointestinal gigs from eating too much candy that you were supposed to leave in a dish by the door for the trick or treaters instead of force feeding your own gut. There is little willpower in this house when it comes to chocolate with nuts and gooey filling.

      The September meeting of PRRH will be held on Wednesday night September 22 at 7:30pm at the Alpha United Presbyterian Church. Donuts and food will be provided by Lou Badolato and Bob and Evelyn Bennington. After the business portion of the meeting, Paul Carpenito will show slides of eastern railroading from the Seventies.

      This newsletter comes to you on the heels of a wonderful and productive Open House day that we experienced this past Sunday with brilliant comfortable conditions, a multitude of Norfolk Southern trains, and an afternoon of family-bearing visitors. We operated without a glitch and the day provided our volunteers a way of showing off the work we have been doing. Our volunteer staff included Rich Frantz, Frank Sattler, Bob and Rob Hooper, Bill Tooika, Tony Hall, Derek Long, John and Anne Boner, Bob and Evelyn Bennington, Pete Blaess, Bob Marinelli, Glenn Terminelli, Patrick and Shaun Graham, Becky, Matt and Steve Winter, Paul and Meg Carpenito, Jim Mack, Lou Badolato, and Charlie Bowlby. Anne Boner set up a table filled with colorful stitchery that she has been creating with her hands, and then donated the FULL proceeds to our group. It always sets me back to see what diligence and cooperation goes into these people and their work as volunteers, and that also pertains to the North Jersey Electric and Lehigh Valley Chapter NRHS for their cheerful and faithful support of our Open House celebrations. I feel especially privileged to be a part of our progressive organization. I wish to take this opportunity to thank the following persons who keep up our large grounds in park-like condition: Rick Glosser, Rich Frantz, Ed Beers, and Charlie Bowlby.

      We also enjoyed a nice and peaceful, except for the constant NS trains; picnic in the park several weeks ago. Members, families, and friends got together and broke bread for the first annual picnic in memory of deceased Director Ed Meyers. Although the weather was forecast to be a scorcher, we somehow kept cool under the shade trees and pavilion as we enjoyed a day of relaxation. My thanks go out to Pete Terp who spent the day cooking, and to my wife Meg who devoted herself for a week to making sure we had everything we needed to make it a success and chairing the games of skill that gave away prizes.

JULY 2004 VOLUNTEER REPORT by John Ward
      The mid-summer month of July was another big work hour month with 296 on-site hours expended. The largest participatory day was our July 11th Open House with 25 people working. A good deaf of track work was done this month. Interior work was done on the museum along with keeping it open on weekends. Other July chores included cutting and spraying of grass and weeds, cleaning up prior to the Open House, and overall planning and repair of the railing on the back platform. Forty off-site hours were also put in on administrative and paperwork, bringing our total July work hours to 336. Our seven month accumulation for 2004 is now 1547 work hours.

      In the personnel column, member Pete Blaess has volunteered to assist Steve and Sharon Winter in making media contacts so that PRRH can be properly credited for the volunteer work we have put in. After some ten years of sweat labor, it becomes somewhat disheartening to put in so much time to the cause, only to face a wave of ignorance from the public who do not understand that there are three distinct groups in Town promoting rail preservation. We are attempting to get a handle on receiving appropriate accreditation, so incorrect media reporting can finally come to an end. Pete is also working on spiffing up our image on paper with a nice color circular and future newsletter improvements.

NEWS SHORTS

•     PRRH has received a snowplow pilot from a former Alco switcher in trade for a previously donated forklift that we had deemed unusable.


•     The Tuesday work session crew continues its switch work construction. They are planning a Saturday work session on September 18. If you can possibly help out your help would be appreciated.


•     Negotiations continue with New Jersey Transit for a future right of way extension for the Centerville & Southwestern.


•     Your Directors have finally received an estimate for the museum rehabilitation. It will be discussed in anticipation of an end result that we can all be proud of.


•     PRRH welcomes Ray Viohl as a new member. Ray is from Coopersburg, PA and has been attending our meetings frequently.


•     You will note that 2005 membership renewals are included with your newsletter this month. Please send your $25.00 dues and the form as soon as you can. The new form helps Vice President Jim Mack update his records.


•     Don't forget to attend the LV Chapter Dieruff train show on September 26. PRRH will have a display table at this fine show. Support both groups and take a ride over.


•     We will have our museum and ticket office open on Saturday October 24 from 1 to 4pm for Phillipsburg's Pumpkin Fest. We will operate the train during those hours.

PHILLIPSBURG RAILROAD HISTORIANS CALENDAR OF EVENTS.
Wednesday September 22 ................ Membership meeting at 7:30pm.
Sunday September 26......................... Lehigh Valley Chapter NRHS Dieruff Train Show.
Sunday October 24 .............................. Pumpkin Fest 1 to 4pm.

I hope to see some of you soon. WE have much to look forward to.

~ Paul Carpenito ~

PC/sdw

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