Come Run Your Train on the Highland Pacific HO Scale Model Railroad

Attention Model Railroaders and Train Enthusiasts:

The Highland Pacific Model Railroad Club in San Gabriel will be holding a TRAIN RUNNING SESSION OPEN TO THE PUBLIC.

Santa Fe F3 17 waits with the Super Chief
Modeler: John Deka

Members of the community are welcome to bring an HO Scale (DC or DCC we can run both on our layout) train to the club and run it on our famous layout, featuring over 4,000 feet of track.

Don’t have a train? Run Ours! We will have trains for you to run, freight or passenger. In addition we will have engineer helpers and conductors to make your journey on the Highland Pacific a memorable experience.

Where? Highland Pacific Railroad, 854 Broadway, San Gabriel, CA 91776

When? Sunday, September 30th, Noon to 4 PM.

RSVP Let us know you are coming, and we will reserve a cab (5 total) for you! We also have plenty of Yard and Local spaces for people. Let us know your preference.

Also let us know if you will be bringing your own train or using our rolling stock.

Bring your camera for great pictures and spectacular train operation through cities, towns and mountains!

To RSVP or for more Information send an email to Steve Smith Sr. at everwaysbomb@aol.com

Steve Smith
Assistant Superintendent
Highland Pacific Society of Model Railroad Engineers

New Aisle Lighting Going In

A work crew, led by Chris Rippy and assisted by Ron Merkel and Jack Ross, has been installing lighting around the bottom of the layout to make navigation easier when lights are off. Why would the lights be off? When "night running" is in order while following Higlhland Pacific Railroad Timetable 10. 

These new lights are the same LED lights and fixtures designed by Dave Flynn several weeks ago. See earlier News article about the making of the aisle lights.

3D Printing Plus LED Lights Equal Low-Cost Light Fixtures

3D printing has amazing uses from creating artificial organs, prosthetics, architectural models, toys, guitars, parts for motor vehicles and rocket engines, and even chocolate bars. On the HPRR 3D printing has been used to "print" housings for layout control panels and now, floor lighting fixtures. 

At the Highland Pacific Railroad 3D printing was used to make LED holders to be installed for floor lighting. These little gems originated with a broken LED tube. Rather than throw them out Dave Flynn decided to recycle the LEDs in the club's floor lighting project. 

The LEDs were removed from the broken fixture and a single LED was used to design a fixture to house the LEDs. The fixture was then "printed" on Dave's 3D-printer.The addition of a couple of wires, 2 screws for mounting, a resistor, and voilà, floor lighting fixtures for the layout room for about $0.40 in parts. This will be especially useful for those times we operate the Highland Pacific Railroad in "night running" mode. 

July 4th Special Operating Session

Steve Smith, Sr. organized a day-long,  special operating on Wednesday, July 4th. Since it was a holiday Steve surmised that many members would have the day off. He was right. We had more members in attendance, more than we’ve had at some Open Houses. 

UP waits for clearance at Bayshore Station. 

Congratulations to our new Board of Directors

A new Board of Directors was elected at the Annual Business Meeting on July 11, 2018. The board takes office on August 1st.

The Board members are:

• Superintendent: Gerry Willis

• Assistant Superintendent: Steve Smith Sr.

• Treasurer: James Keena

• Chief Clerk: William Lindsay Smith

• Member at Large: Ray Olesen

Board members will serve a term of 2 years.

Sound-equipped locomotives rule the day on the Highland Pacific

This week's video entry from railroad videographer Ray D. Olesen who works in both HO and
1-to-1 scale, features 4 sound-equipped locomotives, 2 steam and 2 diesel lashups, Head over to Videos to see Ray's latest work. 

Southern Pacific Gravel Train on the Highland Pacific

Ray D. Olesen, unofficial videographer of the Highland Pacific Railroad, is back. If you like big locomotives and long trains head over to the Videos section to see Jack Ross's SP gravel train.

Do Not Use While Train is Standing in the Station

Flushed with pride, Gerry and Chris show off their handiwork. Except Gerry whose hands are, disturbingly, still in his pocket.

Thanks to Gerry Willis  and Chris Rippey the club’s Comfort Station has been upgraded with an ADA compliant toilet. The old toilet, part of the original house built pre-1948, while still working, has been relegated to the ash heap of old porcelain toilets. 

NMRA National Convention in San Diego

The national model railroad convention will be held in San Diego this year. it’s just a couple of hours down the freeway so make your plans now. September 13-16, 2018. 

2018 SpringRail

The 2018 version of SpringRail will held just down the road from Highland Pacific Railroad headquarters, is at the College Avenue Church of the Nazarene, 8221 College Avenue at Second Ave., Whittier, the City of Trees (Directions: 2018 SpringRail). Our own James Keena is conference chair for this ;popular gathering of model railroad intelligentsia.. 

Registration begins at 7 AM and is $20 for NMRA members, $25 non-members. The Swap Meet begins at the same time where members buy no longer wanted model railroad gear.

Morning donuts and coffee included free although donations are accepted (cash, not used model railroad equipment). A pizza lunch is free if you enter a model into the model contest; otherwise the lunch cost is $7.

The flyer below provides additional details.