January Order Board

A BIG THANK –YOU FROM THE CREW DISPATCHER

Even before your editor sent out his usual requests for The Order Board info he received a call from Crew Dispatcher Barb Walcott thanking all who volunteered through the year 2009. Our ability to run the Naugatuck Railroad on a volunteer staff basis has certainly carried us through the many years that have passed since 1995!

And we’d also like to thank all those extra staffers who came in to staff the station, parking lot, TSY displays, who kept the ticketing system functioning, set up the advertising, who decorated the train, who kept the train and comfort coach clean, and last but not least the shop crew that kept 529 and the coaches rolling along, bringing us good will and good revenue!

NORTHERN LIGHTS EXPRESS REVIEW

RMNE President Ralph Harris also sends his thank you out to all who supported and staffed our revamped Christmas offerings. Preliminary reports for the Christmas operations were very encouraging, especially since the Northern Lights Express part of it was only put together since last October.

MEMBERSHIP DEPARTMENT REPORT

Pam and Kent Larson have announced that they have completed the 2009 RMNE membership revisions, dropping around 100 members for non-payment of dues. The dropped members (who have not yet paid for 2009) will receive one final newsletter mailing, with the label marked with a red dot. Most of the dropped members were inactive and had joined the RMNE as part of the Engineer for an Hour program. 2010 dues billings are being sent out in January. We have kept the same rates. How about helping your museum with a membership upgrade?

MOTOR VEHICLE DEPARTMENT

Bob Harrington reports that Gene Pfeiffer has pretty much completed the rebuilding of the IHC diesel engine off-site, at no expense to the RMNE. It was reinstalled in the front-end loader on Jan. 2. The MVD has done an exemplary job of snow removal throughout our December operations, saving the substantial costs of hiring in a snow removal contractor. All other MVD equipment is either serviceable or stored serviceable.

AMHERST RAILWAY SOCIETY RAILROAD HOBBY SHOW

The big Railroad Hobby Show in West Springfield, MA, only weeks away! Kevin Meehan sends his regrets that he won’t be able to participate this year, so we will have some big shoes to fill. The schedule will be similar to past years – set up after 1:00pm Friday, January 29, with the actual show running on Saturday, January 30 from 9:00am-5:00pm, Sunday, January 31, from 10:00am-5:00pm. Staffers should report 1 hour prior to show opening to get decent parking and prepare exhibit. This year we will be in a different location – about 4 “blocks” due north of where we’ve been, closest to Door 1. Our new block neighbors will be Sylvan Models of Ontario, makers of high-end vehicle and rolling stock kits.

LOCOMOTIVE DEPARTMENT

Not much news to report – but I believe NH 529 successfully concluded the season. NAUG 2203 is back in the shop getting some additional work. CDOT 2002 has been returned to Chase Yard and replaced at TSY with the B&M 1732. The 1732’s engine remains at the south end of the shop, pretty much totally stripped down.

CAR DEPARTMENT

January 9 and 16 will be Christmas decoration takedown days for the train, inside and out, at the TSY. The Items will be placed in storage containers and marked for the car or location that they were used. Once this is done, the containers will be sorted in a secure location and work can resume on coach 5805. The task list remains on the exterior east side of the car.

THOMASTON STATION

Ralph Harris has been working on the removal of decorations from the station, which will also be stored in marked containers at a secure location. Careful storage certainly pays off with relatively trouble free set up the following season!

THOMASTON SHOP

The permanent heat is on and now being enjoyed by those working in the shop. The first weekend of 2010 saw a lot of rearrangement taking place in the shop, with various cabinets, bins, desks being relocated into the building, other items removed for storage or disposal. The air compressor will be relocated to the south end at a later date.

That’s all the news that fits for now. Thanks to all those who helped with this issue including Barb Walcott, Bob Harrington, Ralph Harris, Pam & Kent Larson, Celeste Echlin, Sam Walker, Howard Pincus, David Manning and Sue Sample.

—Bill Sample, Editor