News
Greg Ruben, of the Los Angeles Times, visited about a month ago and shot some video while he was here. That video is now live on the LA Times' Instagram and TikTok accounts. Greg’s video seems to have generated some additional visitors to the club.
As Greg says, “It’s wild what you’ll find behind closed doors in a city as vast as LA.” We agree.
Click to download a proxy form.
Ladies and Gentlemen of the Highland Pacific:
This is a friendly reminder for our upcoming Quarterly Business Meeting which will be held on Wednesday, January 11, 2023 at 7:30 PM. Please note that we have set the start time to 7:30pm as the earlier time was a success.
The meeting will be held at the clubhouse located at 854 E. Broadway, San Gabriel CA. 91776, If you can not attend please submit your proxy, which is attached to this email.
Thank you and see you there!
NOTE: If you are unable to attend the meeting, click on the image above to download a proxy form. Save and print out a copy, sign and return to the Chief Clerk at the club’s address.
Thanksgiving Eve saw a trio of new Southern Pacific SD-39 locomotives make an appearance for a test run on the Highland Pacific layout. These locomotives were Athearn production samples yet to be released to the public. Active member Jack Ross did the research and rounded up photographs of the locos “in the wild.”
These beautifully done and highly detailed DCC locomotives are “as close to real as it gets.” That incudes locomotive #5296 with the red Southern Pacific lettering on the side. That’s not a mistake. Jack points out the SP used reflective lettering for the name on the locomotives. When these stick-on-letters peeled off it left behind a red residue (presumably from the lettering adhesive). You can see the same effect on the lead locomotive #5316 where the lettering has only partially peeled off. That’s a touch of realism.
Jack says the locomotives are in production now and will be released in time for the holidays. Thanks Jack for the early look at some nice locomotives.
Heavy power at the ready
The 74th Annual Open House of the Highland Park Society of Model Railroad Engineers, Inc was, according to General Superintendent Marc Thrasher, “an unqualified success.” Visitors were able to see a variety of freight and passenger equipment riding the high iron of the Highland Pacific.
The layout, a dual system with both DC and DCC options, performed as expected with no major glitches noted. Today was the first full-blown test in full public view despite a number of operating sessions held for members only. The layout, and the crew, put on a show of which to be proud. Will it be exceeded by tomorrow’s open house?
This first open-to-the-public since COVID-19 changed plans two years in a row was welcomed by visitors and members alike. It was aptly stated by Chief Clerk Stacy Ross who said “It’s good to be back. There’s nothing like throbbing diesels to give you goosebumps.”
The Open House runs one more day, Sunday, November 6th, from 11 am to 5 pm. Join us; admission is free!
We are getting closer to the date. This year we will again have a swap meet in conjunction with the meet. Swap meet setup will start at 7:30 am. Free to sellers and buyers (Buyers must provide their own tables). We ask that buyers contact us to let us know you are coming.
To enter the meet inside, there is a charge of $20.00, it is only $15.00 if you bring a model to display.
What: LA Area Prototype Modelers meet 2022
When: Saturday, Oct 1, 2022, 9 AM to 4 PM
Where: Encounter Christian Church, 10012 Ramona St, Bellflower CA 90706
$20 at the door, $15 with a model to display
Contact jeff Smith at jeff@laapm.org
Visit us on Facebook for our most up-to-date information:
Los Angeles Area Prototype Modelers (LAAPM) | Facebook
We would like to thank the NMRA-PSR-LA Division for assistance with and sponsorship of this event.
— Copy via Jeff Smith, Railmaster Hobbies.
Western Pacific on the Highland Pacific Railroad. Dave Dodds, Modeler
The Highland Park Society of Model Railroad Engineers, Inc., operators of the mighty Highland Pacific Railroad, will be hosting their 74th Annual Open House on the following dates:
Wednesday, November 2, 2022 from 7:00 to 10:00 P.M.
Saturday, November 5, 2022 from 11 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
Sunday, November 6, 2017 from 11 A.M. to 5:00 P.M.
The Open House will feature passenger, freight, commuter, and work trains in action over the large model railroad. You’ll be able to walk among the trains and see them up close Large passenger terminal, arrival and departure yards, manifest freight trains, local peddler freights, unit trains, and scheduled cross-country passenger trains.
Bruce Turner’s Amtrak Pacific Surfliner stops at Del Mar, a replica of Union Pacific station in Salt Lake City.
The sleek Pacific Surfliner made a rare stop at the Del Mar station. The Surfliner was on a shakedown run over the tracks of the mighty Highland Pacific Railroad. Engineer Bruce Turner says the SC-44 Charger locomotive ran better than expected. Bruce wondered aloud if it was him or the locomotive. In Bruce’s words, “This DCC Bachmann locomotive has all the bells and whistles.”
That’s an understatement. That sound-equipped loco blew that whistle at every grade crossing on its run west to the Del Mar. You wouldn’t think there were that many grade crossings between Highland and Del Mar.
Come on down and see Bruce’s Amtrak Pacific Surfliner in action.
A new Board of Directors was elected at the Annual Business Meeting on July 13, 2022.
The 2022-2024 Board Members are:
Superintendent: Marc Thrasher
Contact: general_superintendent@highlandpacificrr.com
Assistant Superintendent: Chris Rippy
Contact: assistant_superintendent@highlandpacificrr.com
Chief Clerk: Stacy Ross
chief_clerk@highlandpacificrr.com
Paymaster: Arie Korporaal (with Paymaster-In-Training Bruce Turner)
Contact: paymaster@highlandpacificrr.com
Member at Large: Jack Ross
Contact: member_at_large@highlandpacificrr.com
The new board takes office on August 1st. Board members serve a term of 2 years.
Other business items included updates from Department Heads. Of note: Standards and Operations announced that standards checks for the 74th Annual November Open House will begin in August. Members can make an appointment now to have their trains checked for running on the layout during the November Open House. Trains not approved by the Standards Department cannot operate on the layout during Open House.
Speaking of which … Open House is scheduled for Wednesday, November 2, 7 to 10 p.m.; Saturday, November 5, Noon to 5 p.m.; Sunday, November 6, Noon –5 p.m. Mark your calendars and arrange your schedule now to help show off your railroad to our visitors.
The next regularly scheduled Annual Business Meeting is set for Wednesday, July 13, 2022 at 7:00 PM in the Club Rooms, 854 E. Broadway, San Gabriel, CA 91776.
Members will have received a copy (via email or US Mail) of the July meeting agenda, minutes of the April 2022 Quarterly Business Meeting (a link to a copy of the minutes is here), and a Meeting Agenda. Also incldued was a copy of a Proxy Form. Please return the signed Proxy Form to Stacy Ross, Chief Clerk, if you are unable to attend the meeting.
NOTE: The new time for the meeting start is 7:PM (not the usual 8 PM start). Be there or be square.
Memberships available. Call (626) 285-1031
