Members of the
Highland Park Society of Model Railroad Engineers
In order of seniority
George Boggs
John Deka
Arie Korporaal
Bill Chappell
Everett Evans
Ray Olesen
Cliff Bender
James Keena
Dave Flynn
Charles P. White
Jerry Brooks
David Sanchez
Lee Stewart
Ron Wardwell
Mark Garrett
Bryan Hunnell
Pat Keegan
Pat Fluhrer
Ray Grossman
Jerry Duncan
Tom Morrow
Keaton Walker
Gary Ashcraft
Javier Gomez
Dawson Weber
Lindsay Smith
Ronny Merkel
Tom Geer
Steve Smith
Melvin Wise
George Boggs, Honorary Member
George is the only surviving charter member of the Highland Park Society of Model Railroad Engineers, stopped by the clubhouse for a visit. He was one of the small group of founders that built the Society's first layout on the second floor above a hobby shop in Highland Park. When the hobby shop owner decided to sell the business and the Society was forced to move, George was the one who led the search for a suitable location and ended up negotiating the purchase of the present club rooms in San Gabriel. The club was incorporated and established as a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization.
George was the first recipient of the club's prestigious Man of the Year in 1968.
By a vote of the members he was also officially recognized as one of only three Honorary Members.
John Deka, Senior Member
Retired now, John spent more than a few years of his life as transportation manager for Chevron Oil in El Segundo, CA. John, one of the original layout planners, is currently reworking our old "Castlegate" area to add more industrial spurs and operating possibilities.
"My favorite was the old Santa Fe... you know before the yellow warbonnets. The old black ones that billow smoke. I like operations... not running trains, but operating trains."
Man of the Year 1971
Offices held: Operations Department Head (current)
Member since November 1967
Arie Korporaal, Assistant Superintendent
Arie is our keeper of Standards for the Club and the current webmaster. Here he is running a mainline train from Cab 3.
"My favorite railroad is the Santa Fe during the transition period."
Offices held: Paymaster, Chief Clerk, Assistant Superintendent (current), Department Head Standards (current)
Email: hprr [at] mac.com
Bill Chappell, Active Member
Bill is pointing to the complicated computerized track circuits inside one of our electrical panels. Bill is our Track Department Head and supports the electrical department as well.
"My favorite railroad is the Pacific Electric. I model Millwaukee Road and Union Pacific too."
Offices held: Chief Clerk (current)
Man of the Year 1976, 1979, 1992
Member since July 1964
E-Mail: wchappy735 [at] aol.com
Everett Evans, Senior Member
Everett heads our Signal Department. You can often find him walking around the layout with a signal bridge in hand trying to find the perfect place on the layout for it.
"I have two favorite railroads. For mainline I like SP from 1965 to present day. The second is short lines and industrial cars. Once, it took me two weeks going though Texas just looking for short lines and SP."
Man of the Year 1986, 2001, 2008
Member since July 1978
Ray Olesen, Active Member
Ray is one of our Amtrak modelers, and another one of those members that take their work into their hobby, or is it their hobby into their work? You might see Ray on one of your Amtrak trips if you get your tickets at Los Angeles Union Station.
Member since July 1979
E-Mail: bb716 [at] lafn.org
Cliff Bender, Active Member
Member since October 1979
Email: cbender99 [at] sbcglobal.net
James Keena, Paymaster
We call Jim the "Mayor of Del Mar City", because he is the department head for our Del Mar City landscape, a major focal point on the layout. It is humorous to us, that Jim's in real life works for the transportation department at City Hall at one of our neighboring towns.
Jim says, "I like to model transition era diesels of the Union Pacific. In modeling, I like to finely detail rolling stock and passenger cars. I enjoy the club's sense of friendship, and camaraderie.."
Offices held: Paymaster (current)
Member since January 1985
E-Mail: jkeena [at] whittierch.org
Dave Flynn, Active Member
Dave, Electrical Department head, is planting a tree in the swamp. You can usually find Dave working in the shop or working on a computer program for one of the custom built computer-controlled panels located around the layout. Dave says, "I like to model rolling stock. I like Southern Pacific and Rio Grande SD40T-2 and the all time favorite SD45T-2. Only SP has them and the best way to tell the two apart is that there are three fan hartches on the back of the SD45T-2. I like working on the signal system and structure lighting."
Office held: General Superitendent, Electrical Department Head (current)
Email: dflynn [at] ofordvue.com
Charles P. White, Active Member
During Railfair '99 ... here, four historic steam engines refueled. My interests are adding more industry and spurs in order to make the club more "operable." I model Union Pacific, UP merger roads, Amtrak, and our club's Highland Pacific line.
Offices held: General Superintendent, Assistant Supreintendent, Scenery Department Head (current)
Man of the Year 1987
Member 1982-1992; June 1999 to present
Email: highlandpacific [at] yahoo.com
Owner of Metrolink Photo Archive
Jerry Brooks, Senior Member
Jerry is laying new roadbed and building up our side boards for an unfinished area called "Rockdale East". A new mountain and industry will be placed in this area. Jerry is our master builder and recently completed a large book shelf for the main club room.
Construction Department Head, Chief Clerk
Man of the Year 1991, 1996, 2004 Member since January 1991
David Sanchez, Active Member
Here Dave is checking the bolts on SP 4449 at Railfair '99. Dave has served the club in a variety of capacities form elected officer to Opne House Chief. Dave arranged for television coverage of a recent open house. It brought people out in droves and still holds the record for attendance.
Dave says, "Our layout is inviting and it is easy to get in close to see up close. Most of all I enjoy all my fellow members that are always happy to see me. There is nothing like the great group of guys that belong to the HPSMRE."
Offices held: General Superintendent, Assistant Superintendent, Open House Chief
Member since October 1992
Email: an658 [at] lafn.org
Lee Stewart, Senior Member
Lee gets the award for the longest commute to the club since he lives outside of Reno, Nevada. We see him regularly and enjoy the company. You might see him at a club Open House.
Lee was a member of the club early on before moving away and returning as an active member.
Member since October 1995
Ron Wardwell, Active Member
Here's Ron switching cars at Greeley Yard in the City of Highland. If you want to fight about BNSF or UP, Ron is the guy. We all know he is just "green" with envy of UP.
Ron says, "I like the old Burlington Northern in the cascade green paint scheme and Chicago and Northwestern ... and anything that runs of tracks. I like to see people at the club have a good time."
Member since October 1995
Offices held: Fire Safety Officer (current)
Email: rwardw9731 [at] aol.com
Mark Garrett, Active Member
Here he is doing some scenery work laying down grass and glue. If you meet Mark outside of the club, chances you are getting a traffic ticket. Mark is our resident California Highway Patrol Officer. At the club he watches for HO scale hobos and helps us enforce our rail speed A major UP fan, Marks models the modern era.
Mark says, "I enjoy the club because I can learn from the guys that really know the hobby. I wish I could spend more time here, but duty calls."
Member since April 1998
Email: tententime [at] aol.com
Bryan Hunnell, General Superintendent
Bryan is working on the CTC board just before completion. He heads a project to replace and upgrade all video cameras and LCD panels on each mainline cab.
Bryan states, "I like to pick up projects that someone else has started, then gave up on. There is a challenge there to find out what they were thinking and how they went about the project. It is good to finish up the unfinished business."
Offices held: General Superintendent (current); Assistant Superintendent
Member since April 1998
Email: bhunnell [at] ca.rr.com
Pat Keegan, Active Member
Pat joined the club and took to membership like a duck to water. Currently he has been busy in the Signaling Department running wires under the layout, but he has helped out almost everyone in other departments. Here he is under the layout as is often the case. We're not sure he even goes home at night.
Pat says, "My favorite railroad is ... do I have to have one I grew up with SP and hopping those trains so I guess that is what I like."
Man of the Year 2000, 2008
Member since November 1998
Email: pjkeegan [at] verizon.net
Pat Fluhrer, Active Member
While Pat has demonstrated his expertise in the electrical and track departments, few know he is also an accomplished restorer of rolling stock ... rolling stock and passenger cars of the 12-inch to 1-foot scale that is. He now serves as co-Department Head for Standards and Operations.
"I model the Union Pacific from steam to big, modern diesels. And when I'm not modeling I spend my time on eBay wheelin' and dealin' for high-end, contemporary models."
Offices held: Board Member at Large
Man of the Year 2003
Member since October 2002
Email:
Ray Grossman, Active Member
For the past several months Ray was on military leave from the club attending to duties in Iraq. Now he's back modeling his own mythical RGCW railroad.
Ray says, "There weren't many railroads out there in the Iraqi desert but I sure did enjoy watching those camel spiders."
Member since October 2002
Email: rgcw5 [at] hotmail.com
Jerry Duncan, Active Member
Tom Morrow, Active Member
Keaton Walker, Active Member
Gary Ashcraft, Active Membrer
Javier Gomez, Active Member
Dawson Weber, Active Member
Dawson joined in November 2010. He is working in a variety of departments to learn the ins and outs of the layout. Dawson is a Research Assistant at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Los Angeles.
"I am interested in the history of all the various railroad that came together to form Conrail. I haven't specialized yet as I am enjoying all aspects of the hobby. It's no fun to make it if you don't get to run it too.
Member since November 2010
Lindsay Smith, Active Member
Lindsay is currently the Vice President of the Pacific Railroad Society where he has also served as a Director and as the PRS Museum chair.
Lindsay was a mover and shaker in the old Pomona Valley Model Railroad Club and has come to the club to continue his interest in model railroading.
Ronny Merkel, Probationary Member, is the latest member of the Highland Park Society of Model Railroad Engineers, Inc. Mr. Merkel is a Traffic Signal Electrician and programmer. He expects to be modeling the Southern Pacific in HO gauge.
Ronny’s other hobbies include Ham radio, PC gaming, modeling, and reading. When asked why he joined the club, he said, “Hobbies are not as much fun if done alone. In a club it will be more fun and I will learn more from others.”
Welcome to the HPSMRE Ronny!
Tom Geer, Sustaining Member
Steve Smith, Sustaining Member
Steve is currently a locomotive engineer working out of Mechanicsville, New York for the PamAm Railway.
Melvin Wise, Inactive Member