HPRR News

New Amtrak History Web Site

2012-11-22T16:03:00.000-08:00

Amtrak recently launched a new Web site, History.Amtrak.com, dedicated to providing a view into its extensive archive and is a place to share in its rich history. The site features a collection of historic photographs, ads, route guides, timetable covers and other resources from employees that celebrates Amtrak's more than 40 years as the nation's intercity passenger rail provider.

The site also offers a guides tour through Amtrak's history by decade and how it became America's Railroad. A frequently updated blog provides year-by-year highlights, a look at recently uploaded items and a recap of the Amtrak 40th Anniversary Exhibit Train's cross-country journey in 2011 and 2012.

The digital and physical archives have been compiled and organized with the assistance of the Special Collections Research Center at George Washington University.

--Modified from Charles Varnes, Wheel Clicks, Pacific Railroad Society.

New Officers Elected at Tonight's Business Meeting

2012-07-11T23:53:00.000-07:00

The major item of business at the Annual Business Meeting was the election of officers for the 2012-2014 term.

Newly elected officers are:

William Chappell, General Superintendent

David Flynn, Assistant Superintendent<

James Keena, Paymaster

Dawson Weber, Chief Clerk

Gary Ashcraft, Member At Large

These men constitute the Board of Directors of our Society. As such, they are empowered by our Bylaws and Standing Rules to conduct business on behalf of the Society between regularly scheduled, quarterly business meetings.

Congratulations to them all!

DCC power restored to Vista

2012-04-09T02:03:00.002-07:00

DCC is operational again in Vista and West End yards. The power supplies were replaced with linear amplifiers. As a result, power is restored. Doering, Del Mar, and Roundhouse are next. The work is straight forward enough (each requires three wires to be installed) but finding time to do the work is the hold up.

New digital signal installed at Bayshore

2012-04-04T00:03:00.000-07:00

Dave Flynn, Electrical Department Head, has installed a new BLMA 2-head signal on the main just east of the Bayshore Station. The signal is held in place with a custom designed base that utilizes magnets. The magnet base is designed so that there is only one way to install the signal base. Best of all the magnet, while strong, will still give way if someone bumps the signal tower while cleaning track.

In order to drive the white, red, and green LEDs the 8 wire leads had to be reprogrammed to work with our digital signal system. After an extensive debugging the software glitch was found and the signal works as expected.

The BLMA signal is top-drawer with see-through mesh platforms, scale ladders and the like. Come on down and see the signal in operation.

The modeler's art

2012-03-31T00:41:00.000-07:00

These boxcars are new additions to the web site and were created by artist Dawson Weber. They are, to be sure, heavily weathered. An example of the artist’s work.

2012-03-29T17:22:00.000-07:00

Santa Fe 3751 to pull excursions for San Bernardino Railroad Days

SAN BERNARDINO, Calif. – Santa Fe 4-8-4 No. 3751 will pull excursion trains between Los Angeles and San Bernardino in conjunction with a visit to San Bernardino Railroad Days next month. The 1927 Baldwin 4-8-4 was displayed next to the Santa Fe San Bernardino depot for decades following its 1953 retirement.

On April 21, the steam special will depart Los Angeles at 10 a.m. for San Bernardino over Metrolink's San Gabriel Subdivision. The train will return April 22, departing San Bernardino at 3 p.m.

Source: Trains Magazine, Newswire

DCC power upgraded at Vista Yard

2012-01-12T00:55:00.000-08:00

The Electrical Department reports that Vista and West End DCC is operational. The old power packs have been replaced with new linear amplifiers; power is restored. Doering, Del Mar, and Roundhouse are next.

High Standards Mean Good Operation

2012-01-10T20:34:00.000-08:00

The recently concluded Open House provided an object lesson of the need for insisting on adhering to high standards for locomotives and rolling stock that run on HPRR rails. Of the 3 days of operation, there ware only 2 instances of cars derailing or not coupling. All other rolling stock and locomotives on the numerous trains operated during Open House preformed flawlessly. In those two instances the cars were pulled and moved to the Wheel Cleaning Room to be repaired after Open House was completed.

Kudos to all members who brought standards-compliant equipment to run during Open House.

2012 Awards Banquet

2012-01-05T22:47:00.000-08:00

Quarterly Business Meeting

2011-12-15T01:24:00.000-08:00

The next regularly scheduled Quarterly Business Meeting is set for Wednesday, January 11, 2012. The meeting will be held in the Club Rooms at 854 E. Broadway, San Gabriel, CA 91776. The meeting begins at 8:00 PM.

If you are unable to attend the meeting download, complete, and return a proxy form. You can download a proxy form HERE.

2011 Open House Video

2011-11-19T22:03:00.000-08:00

Video from the successful and recently complete 2011 Open House has been posted. You can watch it here.

UP 844 at Devore

2011-11-19T21:59:00.000-08:00

Earlier this month we reported that UP 844 would be in the southland on a tour of statehood celebrations for Arizona and New Mexico. Member Ray Olesen was up early filming this iconic locomotive at Devore on its way to Yermo. Here's his video shot on a hand-held iPod Touch.

Another Open House for the Record Books

2011-11-09T22:59:00.000-08:00

The recently completed 2011 Open House was a rousing success despite heavy rain on the last day. Enthusiastic crowds were waiting when we opened and were steady throughout the day up until closing. Many attendees commented on the layout and, as is usual, mentioned how they liked being "up close and personal" with the trains and scenery.

Bryan Hunnell, General Superintendent, at the close of Open House said, "I was pleased to see the enthusiastic visitors that kept us busy all weekend. I also appreciated the members that helped keep the Open House traditions going." Thank you to all of you who manned the 16 stations (from cab operators to Highland/Greeley brakemen), sold refreshments, sold raffle tickets and made donations.

All in all, the Open House was a success and furthered the positive image of one of the better know model railroad layouts in the greater Los Angeles area.

2011 Open House Continues Today

2011-11-06T01:42:00.000-07:00

Huge layout takes over an hour to run from the western terminus to the east and back. Photo by Jet Burns.

The 2011 Open House continues at the Highland Park Society of Model Railroad Engineers, Inc. The final day features mainline and branch line trains running on the Highland Pacific Railroad. Come down and see the camera train as it covers the layout from west to east and back.

Layout open today from noon to 5 PM.

Operations on the HPRR

2011-11-03T01:32:00.000-07:00

Trains in Highland wait for the signal to begin their westbound journey. The 4 F-units will bring a full ore drag to Bayshore Docks for transshipment.

HPRR Camera Train

2011-11-02T20:39:00.000-07:00

You can watch the layout as if you were riding in the cab. Here the camera train waits for clearance to leave the yard on its journey around the layout.

2011 Open House Has Begun

2011-11-02T19:20:00.001-07:00

The 2011 Open House is under way. Guests and members are operating trains over Highland Pacific Railroad trackage with a mix of modern freights, passenger trains including Santa Fe's Super Chief and Great Northern's Western Star, along with period freights and work trains.

A large crowd of visitors is expected Saturday, November 5 and Sunday, November 6. You are always welcome to join us.

UP 844 on Display

2011-11-02T18:59:00.000-07:00

UP's famous Northern locomotive 844 will be in Southern California as part of a tour celebrating the statehood anniversaries of Arizona and New Mexico. 844 pulled such widely known trains as the Overland Limited, Los Angeles Limited, Portland Rose and Challenger.

The locomotive will be on display Friday, November 18 in Bloomington at 10359 Alder Avenue. Viewing hours are 9 AM to 5 PM. The locomotive and attendant cars will depart Saturday, November 19 at 8 AM headed to Yermo, California where it will arrive at 10:30 AM.

Open House Flyers Ready for Distribution

2011-10-17T14:51:00.000-07:00

Additional flyers detailing the information for the 2011 Open House are available. Members are urged to take a supply of the flyers to distribute to local hobby shops.

Shakedown Operations

2011-10-13T00:57:00.001-07:00

Shakedown operations set for October 26, 2011, 7 PM

2011 Open House

2011-10-13T00:51:00.001-07:00

2011 OPEN HOUSE
Wed., Nov. 2, 7-10 PM
Sat., Nov. 5, 12-5 PM
Sun., Nov. 6, 12-5 PM

Two Members Voted to Active Membership

2011-10-12T21:48:00.000-07:00

Two probationary members were voted into full Active Membership at tonight's quarterly membership. Dawson Weber and Lindsay Smith, having fulfilled the requirements of probationary membership, were both unanimously approved for Active Membership.

James Keena Wins Again!

2011-09-28T20:45:00.000-07:00

James Keena, our Chief Clerk, entered several of his models at the recent Rails to the Rim convention of the Pacific Southwest Region of the NMRA held in Flagstaff recently.

James won a First Place in the Locomotives category for his excellent model of a Baldwin VO 1000 with trolley poles in Pacific Electric livery. This same model was entered in the NMRA national convention in Sacramento last July.

Model of a Baldwin VO 1000 with trolley poles takes first place in the Locomotives category.

He also took a First Place in the Freight Cars category for his Pittsburgh & Lake Erie gondola. You may have seen this model running on the rails of the Highland Pacific Railroad.

The Non-Revenue rolling stock category entry of a Highland Pacific Railroad tank car for fire service also produced a First Place award.

This convention combined with the NMRA national convention James brought in 9 awards. He is, indeed, a winner!

We have a winner!

2011-07-20T20:50:00.000-07:00

James Keena, Paymaster for the club, as won several awards at the recently completed National Model Railroad Association annual convention held in Sacramento the first week in July. While the convention attendees have only seen these models for a short time in the contest room, you can seem them up close and personal as these are working models that James runs oner the rails of the Highland Pacific Railroad.

Our own Mr. Keena took a First Place in Kit Passenger Cars for his 60-ft SP Harriman Baggage Car (above) kitbashed from a Model Die Casting kit. Note the unusual double-wide and single doors.

Another First Place was awarded for his Union Pacific Class CA-1 Side Door Caboose #25817 (above) fashioned from an old Revell models kit.

James received a Second Place award for his kitbashed Frisco “door and a half” Automobile Box Car (above).

Another Second Place award was garnered for his tongue-in-cheek rendition of a popular series of post cards from the 1940s with two mammoth oranges on a flat car. This award was in the “Thumbs” category, a long running series of cartoons depicting humorous models and model railroading situations.

If you’ve operated via timetable on a Saturday, you’ve used this award-winning effort from James Keena. James received an Honorable Mention award in the Railroad Passes category for his rendition of a railroad timetable that is based on our own Highland Pacific Railroad operations.

His Baldwin VO 1000 diesel electric locomotive switcher in Pacific Electric livery complete with dual trolley poles (click on the link to see a black and white action photo of the locomotive), and a Gorre & Daphetid Box Car were also entered in the model contest.

Way to go James! You’re a winner and an inspiration to the rest of us to dust of our modeling tools and get cracking.

New web site undergoing beta testing

2009-10-13T23:33:00.000-07:00

Selected members of the cub were seeded with beta copies of the new HPRR web site. The revised web is based on more "modern" Web 2.0 features. Preliminary results indicate all sections are working as expected. No broken links have been found, internal page links are working, and the carousel-style members page is working as well.

Additional testing will continue to surface any bugs, omissions, or errors. At the same time the picture gallery will be expanded as will the digital video section.

Stay tuned.