Norfolk Southern Pictures

Back in the summer of 07, and before you ask thats 2007 I'm not that old, the United States PGA Open was held here in Oakmont. I posted a blog entry at that time about the passenger train that Norfolk Southern had "parked" in Oakmont for the company executives and their guests.

I said that I would post some pictures on the blog but realized today that I had never done that. I think I did upload them to the files section of our discussion group on Yahoo but neglected to put them here.

So for your enjoyment here is a link to some of those photos now on line as a Google photo album.

Click here for photos.

Electronics Lab & trains

I normally don't cross post between my blogs but this one seem applicable for some of you rail fans out there. I know some of you are avid model railroaders and thus into "home brewing" some or all of the various bits of electronics needed to bring your layout alive.

I ran across this site while surfing this weekend and immediately posted about it on my amateur radio blog. If you like to play with sensors, lighting, motors, automation and microprocessor control you will find a lot of interest in this site. I know one of the reasons that I got involved with model train layouts was because I wanted to experiment with my own computer control the trains. Now days you can pretty much buy anything in the way of train control you want off the shelf at a price of course. Those that want to do animation on their layouts though often find themselves in the do it yourself mode. So give this site a look and see if it inspires any ideas for your layout.

Electronics Lab

Interurbans - A great idea that had to fail

Among my other hobbies reading is one near the top of the list for devouring my time. I am not a "shopper" and don't like going out just to browse if you know what I mean. Book stores on the other hand are an entirely different matter. They are one of the few retail establishments where I can spend a great amount of time at the drop of a hat. Just ask my wife Linda where she parks me when she wants to spend an afternoon at the mall.

So when Half Priced Books opened a new store in Monroeville Linda took full advantage of the fact that it was right next to a Michaels a craft store and said we should "go visit" the book store. While there I found a rack of used magazines one of which caught my attention because it had a train picture on the front cover.

The magazine is American Heritage Inventions & Technology which I had never heard of but bought every back issue I could find on the shelves that day. I came home determined to subscribe as soon as I got to a computer. I was disappointed to find that I was the proverbial "day late and a dollar short" as the magazine had ceased publication. The really great news was they still publish on line and have archives of all the past print editions. What a treasure house of information. I have included a link to their website in this article.

From the issues that I had in hand I found this article that I think will be of interest to rail fans everywhere.

THE WRONG TRACK

At the dawn of the century, electric interurban trains looked like a sure-fire transportation revolution. But they were doomed from the start.

by George W. Hilton

In retrospect it’s obvious that the first decade of this century was a time of great innovation in transportation—the beginning of our revolutionary shift to the automobile. But, like so many revolutions, that one was not evident at the outset. The big news in the early 1900s was the nearly complete conversion of urban transportation from horses to electric streetcars. With Henry Ford’s Model T not even on the market yet, the electrification of intercity transport looked like the logical next big change.

To read the complete article follow THIS LINK to the web site. Enjoy!

Win a Trip to Washington, DC!

All expenses paid trip to Washington for winners of GoRail essay contest.

We are looking for a few lucky individuals to join us in Washington, DC, for Railroad Day on Capitol Hill on March 13 to tell Congress why it is crucial that we expand freight rail infrastructure and protect railroads from harmful reregulation. GoRail will cover your expenses while you participate in democracy first-hand. GoRail members will receive a briefing from GoRail staff after arriving in Washington. We will set up meetings for you and railroad officials with your congressional representatives. You will join hundreds of railroad officials at a dinner and reception after spending a day on Capitol Hill.

Simply tell us why railroads are important to you and your community. Maybe you’ve worked for a railroad, maybe railroads are the life blood of your community, or maybe you are in a unique position that enables you to relay our message to Members of Congress - that railroads are the cleanest, safest, and most efficient mode for moving freight. We simply want to hear your story. Last year, we brought four GoRail members to Capitol Hill. Here is what they had to say about the GoRail DC trip:

I just wanted to thank you and all the staff for the opportunity to visit, learn and voice my opinion, on the Hill, about railroading in this great country of ours. The "hands on" education I received by being a volunteer for Railroad Day on Capitol Hill, was unforgettable and an eye opening experience. I come away with new knowledge that our goals need constant communication reminders to our Representatives and Senators, as well as the local leaders in my area. I am making it my goal to assist doing just that. -- Burnie Vaugn, 30 year Rail Veteran

It was an amazing feeling when, at the first meeting, I was asked who I was, what I did for a living, and what I thought about the legislation we were there to support. In talking with the different representatives, I found that they were genuinely interested in what I did for the railroad, and it wasn't long before I realized that I was just as interested in what they did! I left Capitol Hill with my eyes wide open, my mind racing with ideas, and a new found respect for all of our nation’s law makers and railroaders alike. I truly had a day I will never forget… -- Will Jones, CSX Signal Maintenance Employee

To submit your essay, click here or email lstevenson@go21.org with your rail story. All entries must be received by February 13.