The EAST COAST CHAMPION



ANNUAL DINNER MEETING

The annual Dinner meeting will be November 14 2005 at the Fabulous Dinner 1120 Clearlake Road, Cocoa. The price for dinner will be $10.00 collected at the door. Entrée choices will be Fried Chicken, CatFish, or Country Fried Steak if you plan to attend please let Hal Greenlee know your entrée choice by November 5.

PRESIDENT’S MEMO TO STOCKHOLDERS

I think it was Benjamin Franklin said, “Eternal Vigilance is the price of Liberty". After reading the attached article it appears that we are willing to give up ours in order to be 'safe'. A fellow engineer, Doug Ridell, was taking photos at Union Station for a book on Amtrak when he was apprehended and detained until they could ascertain that the PR dept had forgotten to tell the cops that he had applied for & received a permit. Scary Stuff, eh.

Regards to all,

Walter E. Smith - President F.E.C. Chapter/NRHS

MINUTES OF THE SEPTEMBER 2005 MEETING

Chapter President Water Smith called the meeting to order at 7:15 PM on September 12, 2005. Mark Roth, who has been a guest at the last several meetings, has joined our chapter. 18 chapter members were in attendance.

Treasurer’s Report –Bob Selle gave the treasurers report. There has been no activity during the last month. Ron Halverstadt moved to approve with a second b Jerry Sheehan.

Approval of Minutes –The President called for additions, corrections or comments to the July minutes as published in the “Champion”. None were offered. Don Pierson moved to approve the minutes. Ron Halverstadt again seconded the motion. The motion passed.

Old Business - There was no old business.

New Business –

Bob Selle asked if the annual dinner meeting would be at the Fabulous Fifties Dinner. Walt said that the dinner last year was very good and that he enjoyed the decoration at the Fabulous Fifties Dinner. Walt indicated that he would contact Hal Greenlee (absent at this time) and ask Hal if he could set up this year’s dinner at the Fabulous Fifties.

The writer suggested that Bill Volkmer might make a good dinner speaker and asked Walt contact Mr. Volkmer. The writer reminded the membership that we had reimbursed speakers for their travel expenses on other occasions. It appears that the treasury can afford to do this again.

(At this time Hal Greenlee arrived) Walt asked Hal to speak to the Fabulous Fifties owner and determine if he would again host our annual dinner and at what price. Hal responded that he would and would try to get a proposed menu.

Reports & Announcements: -

Bob Selle reported that Chapter member Robert Groseclose passed away 7-31-2005 at the age of 73 years of heart failure.

Also Jim Gillian was stricken with a heart attack while returning from an outing to Tampa. Jim is recovering from 6-way heart bypass surgery.

Dave Klein reported that Tom Ciambrone a well know local modeler and dealer passed away early in September at the age of 71 also of heart problems.

Hal Greenlee will speak at next months meeting on this year’s NRHS convention excursions. (And possibly the UP steam excursion from Denver?)

RAILS ON THE WEB

For this month try . This site has about 35 photos, diagrams, and text that were contained in bulletins, from Roberts and Schaefer Co. of Chicago. The towers were engineered and constructed circa 1908 –1912

STACK TALK

Stack Talk -Steam News by Neil Moran

September 2005

Hope you all had a good summer and visited your favorite railway museums and possibly even ventured out to Portland Ore. to attend the NRHS Convention. Lots of steam news to report to you since my last column in June.

South Africa

News out of South Africa is both good and bad. First the good news. A possible circular steam trip out of Johannesburg to Lydenburg is scheduled for August 26th, 2005. As of this writing (8/10/05) there are only 15 seats remaining. The locomotives possibly will be two 4-8-4’s to do the honors. The journey starts out in Johannesburg with subsequent stops at Tzaneen, Hoedspruit, Neispruit, and into beautiful Kruger National Park for a brief stop. They then continue to Waterval Onder where they overnight. The next day the steam safari continues to Water Boven and then Orhigstad Pass at Lydenburg. The return adventure to Johannesburg makes the same overnight at Waterval Onder plus all the same stops. Imagine traveling over 1,000 km powered by two giant steam locomotives in today’s world. It boggles the mind!

Then there is the Clarence Classical Music Festival. This will take place October 7th 9th at Clarence in the beautiful Drakensburg Mountains. This special will be pulled by unknown (at present) steam locomotives. It is a round trip out of Bethlehem and the first ever African Train Safari to participate in the wonderful event. Steam and Mozart, could you ask for anything more?

Unfortunately, all the news out of Africa is not that good. Last year the Alfred County Railway (ACR) was placed in final liquidation by Spoornet. Hope lingered until the final breath was exhausted. Numerous efforts by ACR to rebuild the roadbed, lay new rail, even on a temporary basis, was rejected by Spoormet officials. Spoormet’s press release simply stated "the railway could not properly maintain their right of way”. This two foot narrow gauge was also known as the “Banana Express” which was very popular with the tourist trade. They used n/g Beyer Garratts (2-6-2 + 2-6-2’s) between Port Shepstone and Izotsha. Until almost the very end the railroad used these locomotives for the regular operation and the tourist trade that averaged over 22,000 people a year. Sad indeed!

The six twentieth class Beyer Garratts 4-8-2 + 2-8-4’s that were pulling short haul commuter trains between Bulawayo and Kahami and between Bulawayo and Luveve have now been taken out of service due to diesel engines now replacing the Beyer Garratts. These locomotives will be stored indefinitely in the Bulawayo sheds until the next crisis.

China

Steam news from China is not much better. It has officially been declared that steam will vanish on the line between Daban and Chabuca by the end of October, or at the very latest November 2005. The present plan is to keep five QJ’s (2-10-2) for tourism. They plan on using these tourist trains well into the winter months as diesel replacements are having problems especially between Daban and Over Jing Peng Pass. As of now the line between Daban and Chabuga will have steam into next year. Unfortunately the line over to Baiqi is all but done using the QJ’s. All locomotives here will be scrapped or moved to Daban. But ending on a happy note the Benxi Steel Works will use daily steam power to the end of this year. Next, Tiefa has seen their first two diesels (curses), but Mikados will continue to operate both freight and passenger service well into 2007. Don’t delay!

Canada

Moving to western Canada where I spent several days chasing the CP Hudson 2816 from Vancouver over to Field B.C. This was not the greatest chase of all time. The weather did not cooperate three out of the five days. The first day out of Vancouver was dark and overcast until we got to Chilliwack, about thirty miles east of Vancouver. No. 2816 roared through there at 60 mph pulling a nine-car train. We continued to follow the train and got photographs at Hope, Spuzzum and into the Frazier Canyon which leads to Spences Bridge and then into Kamioops where the train over-nighted. Day two saw her leaving Kamloops due to heavy traffic on its way to Golden. We did well this day with the train running and beautiful sunshine. Photos were taken at Duck Range, Pritchard, Salmon Arms, and Sicamose. Shots were taken west of Revelstoke coming out of snow sheds and tunnels and coming across the Thompson River bridge before entering Revelstoke. After servicing the train then climbed the 1% grades at Greeely, Ross Peak before entering the Cannaght Tunnel at the summit of Glacier National Park. Murphy’s law struck the next day. At Golden, we were informed the train could not pass Ft. Steele on the Kootenay Division due to a bridge problem below Cranbrook. That meant that we could not go over Crowsnest Pass one of the most scenic location of this division. After taking some pictures of the 2816 standing alone in brilliant sunshine, we saw her back down to her consist for the third day’s trip down to Ft. Steele. On this division the track speed is only 40mph. We did well on Hwy.95 which parallels the track for about thirty miles. Nice photos at McMurdo, Harrogate, Brisco and Edgewater. There the road and tracks split and you don’t see the train again until Invermere. The train was turned later that afternoon on the wye at Ft. Steele. The next and last day the train departed towards Golden and surprisingly was going to continue on to Canmore east of Baniff. This meant a very long day for everyone. What turned out to be a sunny day in the morning leaving Ft. Steele deteriorated into an overcast day. We duplicated the spots we had photographed on the initial trip. The train arrived in Golden around 5 PM. We lost an hour of precious daylight while they serviced the train and brought food on board. When the #2816 finally pulled out of Golden about 6:30 PM , it was pretty dark but still managed to get some shots going through the canyon alongside the Bow River. As we approached Field it was after 8pm where the train was again serviced along with a crew change. That completely did us in. We missed the following locations, Kicking Horse Pass, Spiral Tunnels, Morantz Curve, and Banff etc. The #2816’s performance was magnificent, holding up over the 1,000 mile trip. It was as if she had recently come out of the Montreal shops a month prior to this trip.

Other news from Canada is not so good. The ex Reading engine #2100 that was sold to a group in Tacoma, WA last summer did not make it out of the yard. This engine was to depart June 17 for Tacoma but ran into several delays. Track repairs out of Essex were not completed in time to join the main line of C.N. Then C.N doubled the cost of the move from $23,000 to $45,000 which was unexpected. Next, even if the engine had arrived in Chicago, BN/SF was not going to accept the locomotive for unknown reasons. Presently, the #2100 still sits in Essex, and the latest word is that C.N. will move it some time in August. This is truly like watching a soap opera. This operation should be entitled “As the Stomach Churns”.

United States

The past NRHS Convention in Portland, Oregon proved successful as over 1,000 people attended. The highlight of the Convention was the doubled-headed trip out of Portland to Wishrum powered by the SP&S #700 and SP #4449. On the northbound segment, both engines set a torrid pace, much to the chagrin of the chasers. Many only got three photo spots due to the high speed of the train and the congestion on the highway. The return trip with the #4449 in the lead, set a fast pace back to Portland. Again chasers were frustrated with only three locations. Certainly not a good day for the pacers.

The Grand Canyon Railroad is having a three-day Rail Fan weekend starting on August 31st to Sept.2nd. During this three-day steam bash, there will be trips with passenger trains, mixed trains, and freights. These excursions will be powered by ex CBQ&C #4960 and #18 ex LS&I. The event will also see Grand Canyon’s historic diesels; four FP Alco’s will be making excursions to Williams. Also on the schedule are shop tours, night photo session and a visit to their museum. Here is a great opportunity to see two steam engines in action pulling historic equipment plus a chance to visit the famous El Tovar Hotel built by the Santa Fe Railroad in the early 20th century and the spectacular Grand Canyon itself.

News from the Georgetown Loop railroad is just as inspiring. When the last group folded in 2004, taking its rolling stock including Shay Locomotives #8, #12, and #14 it was feared that the operation would cease for at least this year. But the Colorado Historical Society and Railstar Corp. managed to pull a rabbit out of the hat earlier this year. On May 28th they introduced former Kahului Railroad Co. #12, a 2-6-2 Prairie type, along with a 44-ton diesel ex Colorado Fuel & Iron #21. This unique double header pulled a consist of four converted freight cars. The #12 was built by the Baldwin Locomotive Works in 1929. In the 1950’s it was the last steam engine still used by the Kahului RR hauling sugar cane, pineapples, and other freight in Hawaii. It made its last run on May 24, 1966, then brought to the mainland in 1967. Silverwood Theme Park in Athol, Idaho eventually purchased the engine used it for a short time. The Colorado Historical Society restored the locomotive to working condition within the past year. At Georgetown, the steam schedule will run through October 2, 2005.

A little further east, Union Pacific ran its annual Denver Post Cheyenne Frontier Days excursion with newly refurbished 4-8-4 #8444 and Challenger #3985. On Thursday July 21st there was a dead head move out of Cheyenne to Denver. All went well on that move. The next day, Friday the train was displayed at the Union Station in Denver along with some servicing to the locomotives. On Saturday July 23rd at 7 am both engines and its consist of historic cars departed Denver. Things went well for the first leg of the trip. But as the train neared Greeley, the #3985 developed bearing problems. Eventually they stopped to take off the Challenger and put it in a siding. They continued for a short time when they stopped the train again, this time adding three diesels for the final leg of the journey to Cheyenne. When the train arrived in Cheyenne, the diesels were taken off and the train then turned on the wye. A decision was then made to put a Centennial diesel behind the #8444 for the return to Denver. Departure was at 5 PM with arrival back at Denver around 9 PM with no problems. On Sunday July 24th the Union Pacific Historical Society boarded the train in Denver behind the #8444 for a special excursion to the Terry Bison Ranch just north of the Colorado/Wyoming state line for a barbecue picnic. After the barbecue and before the train left, a large crowd had gathered on an overhead bridge to witness the startup. Apparently the local police must have been notified that there were a lot of people on the bridge. Soon after, squad cars came quickly, telling the railfans to clear the bridge or face being arrested. According to some sources, the crowd did not disperse fast enough. Some people were given tickets on the spot. What a nice way to endear people to the police. When the #8444 moved into Cheyenne that evening, she was quickly serviced for another move to North Platte the following day. After an overnight servicing she went on to Omaha where it laid over until August 1st. Then departed Omaha on August 2nd via North Platte and arrived in Cheyenne August 3rd.

Getting back to the Challenger, when taken off at Greeley it limped back to Cheyenne under its own power. A Northwest Tour has it leaving Cheyenne on August 24 west to Roseville Nevada for an overnight stay. Then on to Portland Oregon where it will be on display between September.10th~16th. Her return is by way of Boise, Idaho and back home on September 29th.

One word of caution to all railfans: Union Pacific does NOT allow the general public on their property, or in the shop grounds area in Cheyenne unless prior permission has been obtained for a guided tour of their facilities. Do NOT arbitrarily “show up” as you may encounter a special agent who has an unfriendly reputation. The railroad shop personnel do not handle tours. That must be prescheduled.

We end this month’s column on a happy note. On October 15th-16th the Blue Water Chapter of Michigan is running a steam special with Pere Marquette # 1225. It will depart Kawkawlin (just north of Bay City) over the historic former Michigan Central line to Mackinaw City, now operated by the Lake State Railway Company. A photo run is planned in route near Grayling. Lunch can be had at several restaurants in the area. The train will include, several air-conditioned coaches, beverage and snack cars, and an exclusive first class service in a lounge car. Departure is slated for 8 am with a stop at Standish at 9:30 am and arrive at Grayling at 1 PM. Leaving Grayling at 4 PM stopping at Standish at 6:30 PM and arrive back at Kawkawlin at 8 PM. You all remember the #1225 from last year’s computer animated motion picture "The Polar Express” which starred Tom Hanks.

It is now time to thank the people who contributed to this month’s column. John Batman (Assistant Editor of South African Railroad Magazine), John Biehn (Dayton Railroad Society), John Bnggs (Jersey Central NRHS Chapter), Ed Emery (Toronto Canada) and your most humble servant in steam.

October 2005

It is October and time to think of all the October fests you can attend around our section of the country.

Germany

Think about this, too. In the Province of Pfalz in Neustadt an Der Weinstasse in Germany they are having a “Plandamf’ of major proportions. At least nine pacific locomotives, along with two Mikados will be running in regular service between Pfalz, Manheim, and Karlsruhe for four days October 1-3. Then on October 4 a special train for paying passengers will run an excursion between the locations mentioned above with a 2-6-2 providing the power. Mixed in with all this, will be freight trains pulled by Mikados and possibly 2-10-0’s. These steam trains are taking the place of the regular diesel operations. In essence steam once more becomes King for Four Days. Throughout these cities numerous street fairs, wine tasting and marching bands will be taking place along with plenty of other activities. It is impossible to chase these trains, as the engines will be at track speed of 60 mph or more. Remember the steam trains will be on a regular timetable schedule mixed in with the regular service. Generally speaking the procedure is to go to one location, set up and wait for the parade to pass by then move on to various locations along the track if you plan to photograph at a station, you can have the luxury of sitting at its restaurant, eating all kinds of wurst, sausage, German potato salad, sauerkraut, (boy, am I getting hungry), and huge steins of local brew. All this while the steam trains are rolling by! An inducement to come on September 30 is two fold. During the day you can visit the engine facility and watch the steam engines come from various locations in Germany. That night the railroad is conducting a special night photo opportunity at the engine facility. Huge floodlights will be lighting the area, a throw back to another era. At the end of the festival the engines will line up for a grand finale photo session before departing for their respective homes. This is a steam bash not to be missed while having the time of your life. Just think wurst and steam and then Auf Wiedersehen!

Africa

Now let’s go to Mozambique on the east coast of Africa. Here the news is not good. One of the most rarest and most famous steam locomotives in the world may never run again. This is all due to the Government ‘s indifference and carelessness. The Chemins de Fer Mozanibique or CFM, the railways of the former Portuguese colony, once had a fleet of 4-4-4 Atlantic type locomotives that were built by the Hensehel Company in Germany during the 1920’s. These engines were used mostly on branch lines pulling antique teakwood coaches. The crews took great pride in keeping these engines spotless even to polishing the brass fittings. The Atlantics had their driving wheels painted a bright red. The track was three foot six inch, the regular gauge of South Africa. When the CFM phased out steam in the 60’s and 70’s , one of each class was saved. One of these was #813, which soon became a favorite with the railfans. Dusty Durant, a famous photographer of steam, photographed it on a trestle with the Indian Ocean in the background. Unfortunately during a civil war that occurred during the 1980’s and 90’s in Mozambique the collection soon fell into disrepair. When the war ended, railfans thought this famous engine might be restored for special excursions. Sadly, major problems developed. A big factory needed steam power when its own boiler failed. Some thoughtless official in the Mozambique government ordered the #813 disassembled and her boiler separated from the running gear and cab. While the engine was on loan to this factory the boiler was neglected. Presently the wheel, cab, and tender are in one place, while the boiler is in another. Then too several parts had been stolen and sold for scrap. Railfans all over the world were furious by this blunder. Now a campaign has been launched to save and reassemble this wonder looking locomotive. This Atlantic type is so well known due to many photographs in the railway books of Africa.

China

China still has a few stories to talk about even though steam is “dwindling down to a precious few”. As of a few months ago Daban has only 29 QJ’s and now 24 diesels. The newly constructed line south of Sanggendalai will open in 2006 and should have QJ’s running that have been borrowed from Daban although no confirmation yet. There is talk now that this line could open as early as this winter. The government has extended the working contracts for the stationary steam crews in Jing Peng and Linxi until 2006 in case some steam locomotives are still operating. Jitong is still looking around to find the best deal on diesels. Eight new diesels will arrive in Daban this month. Nonetheless these DF 4 diesels will not be enough to eliminate steam completely. Daban hopes to get some extra steam engines from Baiqi this month. The operation between Chabuga and Daban has five to ten steam trains running on a daily schedule. This means that all operating QJ’s are in heavy use. Sadly now only three to five 2-10-2’s are being serviced on a daily basis in Daban. Oh! How the mighty have fallen.

Canada

We now journey to Canada and start with some good news. Tom Payne has finally said good-bye to a big time headache, former Reading engine #2100. Over the Labor Day weekend two huge cranes arrived from Toronto into St. Thomas to lift the 4-8-4 up and into two special designed flatcars with depressed flooring. It was truly a sight to behold, the locomotive and tender being lifted onto the flatcars. The combined weight of the locomotive and tender was over 860,000 lbs. Originally it was to be moved by CNR under its own power to Vancouver but that was changed by management. Now CPR will move the engine and tender on the flatcars included in a freight train to Vancouver. This will save time, as there will be no stopping for lubrication. Once the #2100 gets to Vancouver it will be off loaded and eventually spliced into a freight train headed down to Tacoma, Washington, its final destination. A society (name unknown to me at present) hopes to operate the locomotive this fall but more likely will start excursions next Spring. Surprisingly, Tom Payne still owns the locomotive and may have to limit the trips because the price of oil.

As for the perennial Hudson #2816 she is still made news with special excursions to help celebrate centennials in the provinces of Alberta and Saskatchewan. Trips were made in August to Banif, Red Deer, and Edmonton and last month out of Calgary to Red Deer, Crossfield, Brooks, Medicine Hat, Swift Current, and Regina. The last excursion for her was to Red Deer and return on September 12. The Hudson logged close to 25,000 miles this year, all without a major breakdown. This is a fine tribute to the crew and maintenance people. The only fly in the ointment is a persistent rumor that Mr. Rob Ritchie will step down as the head of steam operations for the CPR. He has been the heart and soul behind the restoration of this engine and its steam excursions. If he steps down it will be a major loss.

Bullet Nose Betty #6060 has operated a few excursions out of Stettler, Alberta this year. Continued maintenance on her front guiding wheels curtails the number of trips. Her next scheduled trip will be the Santa Claus Special during the Christmas holidays. Surprisingly, the scheduled doubleheader with the #2816 and the #6060 was cancelled due to insufficient ticket sales. Hard to believe?

United States

Let’s head into our country and see what is steaming. First of all Union Pacific had announced a mammoth public relations trip with their #3985. It started in August and ran through September 30 this year. It was dubbed the Steve Lee Special. Behind the #3985 were two tenders, two water cars, two tool cars, boiler dorm car, baggage and souvenir cars, two coaches, dining car, dome car, and inspection business car. It left Cheyenne August 24 and stopped at Laramie, Rawlins, and Rock Springs where it tied up for the night. On August 25 it left Rock Springs to Ogden where it was on display until August 28. On August 29 it departed Ogden for Elko for servicing that night. On August 30 it ran from Elko to Portola and stayed for servicing for two nights. September 2, the Challenger traveled to Roseville for display for two nights. September 5 it left for Dunsmuir for an overnight stay. September 6 it reached Klamouth Falls and the following day it left for Eugene where it was on display for two days. When the Challenger arrived at Portland’s historic Union Station on September 9 the engine was moved to Albina, a suburb of Portland. It was on display until September 21 for the huge crowds that attended on a daily basis. On September 22 she left Albina for Hinkle and was serviced that night. September 23 saw her leaving Hinkle and heading to Boise for a two-day layover. September 26 she had a quick run to Pocatello for servicing and display until the 27th. The following day Pocatello to Rock Springs and on September 29, the final leg of the trip Rock Springs back to Cheyenne. A monumental 2,836 mile adventure in 37 days. Certainly a tribute to Steve Lee and his crew.

A quick stop at the Georgetown Loop Railroad. By the time you read this the Railroad should have received former Colorado and Southern 2-8-2 Consol #9 to help with its runs throughout the heavy fall season. This operation experiences heavy passenger load at this time of the year. People flock in from surrounding states, cities and towns to ride the train and to admire the spectacular fall foliage. The Consol will be able to power a five-car train without the help of their newly acquired diesel. This unit was used to assist the ex Kahului RR 2-6-2 #12 up the heavy grades.

Moving east into Minnesota, former Soo Line Pacific #2719 was to be moved to Montana a few months ago. What will happen is that she will relocate at the Lake Superior RR Museum in Duluth. Thanks in large part to the Locomotive and Tower Preservation Fund in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. There is a chance she could be running this fall on the North Shore Scenic Railroad between Duluth and Two Harbors, Minn. The engine was built in 1923 and the Soo RR used her primarily across their mid-west system. The Pacific was the last steam engine to operate on the Soo when she pulled a round trip excursion from Minneapolis to Ladysmith, Wisconsin in July 1959. The railroad then donated #2719 to the city of Eau Claire where it was placed on display in Carson Park until 1998 when restoration was started.

We now move into the Keystone State and our first stop is the East Broad Top R.R.. They have announced a two-day Fall Foliage weekend on October 8 and 9. Hopefully by the time this happens the EBT #15 will be completely restored. Some of her parts were shipped to the Strasburg R.R machine shop several months ago. They should be returned in time for this event. Mikado #14 has been doing all the work this year and needs a complete overhaul. The plan is to have both locomotives provide the power with double headers pulling passenger, mixed and freight trains for the first day’s activities. On Sunday, each locomotive should independently pull a consist of freight, mixed and passenger trains. The final trip of the day could see both Mikados pulling all the available rolling stock with plenty of whistles and smoke. This in deed could be the last railfan weekend for some time to come, as things have not been going well for this narrow gauge pike. The weekend will also feature a tour of the historic shops and roundhouse. A visit to the Shade Gap Trolley Museum featuring old time trolley rides is a must for all.

Steamtown in Scranton, Pa. is also getting into the fall foliage scene. It has been a rather quiet summer at Steamtown with only one locomotive running on up to Moscow with its CN #3254 providing the muscle at times. However, this fall things will come to life. There will be trips to Tobyhanna leaving on October 1, 9, 10, 15, 23, and 29. These excursions will depart Scranton at 11 a.m. and returning around 4p.m. The trips to Moscow are as follows Oct. 2, 8,16, 22, and 30. and departure is a t 1 p.m. arriving back in Scranton around 4 p.m. All year Stcamtown’s repair shop has been working on CP #237 1. Work also continues on the Boston and Maine Pacific restoration.

One last bit of news from the Keystone state. During the last weekend in September, the New Hope & Ivyland RR conducted a railfan weekend using the Baldwin 2-8-0 #40 along with two vintage diesels. The crew brought out old and modern freight cars, and were scheduled to run a pure freight train, then a mixed train. Lots of photo runbys were included. The NH&I also allowed cab rides on every train. No. 40 ran the entire length of the line to Ivyland. As a special treat, a Saturday night photo session was held. The Consol, built in 1925, is a product of the Baldwin Co. and ran most of her glory days on the Lancaster and Chester RR. Also on property is the former National de Mexico #15 13 a 4-8-4 built by Alco in 1946. However, restoration on this Niagara type moves very slowly.

Special thanks for the information that made this column possible to Steve Barry (Railfan & Railroad Magazine), John Biehn (Dayton RR Society), Mike Eagleson (Glen Ridge NJ), Ed Emery ( Toronto Canada), John Reilly (NRHS-NY), Bruce Russell (RRE-NY), and your most humble servant in steam.

UNTIL OUR TRACKS CROSS AGAIN

NEWS AND INFO

It appears that somebody was not watching when TRAINS magazine, the CHICAGO TRIBUNE and Paula Zahn ran their articles on how Morton Grove and Metra PD violated a coupe of railfans rights in Morton Grove, IL earlier this year. If the account shown here is true and Mr. Bourgeois pursues legal action against Amtrak for this outrage, then maybe the test case we all been waiting for will be heard over photographer’s rights. Let’s pray everything he says is correct and that the legal ball begins rolling.

(Steve Barry is Managing Editor of Railroad and Railfan magazine. The story will appear in the next issue of the magazine). If this is all true, there could be very serious consequences for Amtrak and the Amtrak Police Department. He posted this to another discussion board, and it is being reposted here) August 23, 2005

My biggest fear, in recounting what happened to me August 19, 2005 in New Orleans, is that people will have a very difficult time believing me. I am sure some folks will be sure I am embellishing the facts, exaggerating, or outright lying. None of this is the case. Everything I state here happened as I say it. I am a 60-year-old, recently retired pharmaceutical rep, with three grown sons. I have a particular fondness for trains, and riding on Amtrak.

Friday morning, August 19, I departed Houston on the Sunset Limited, bound for Pensacola, Florida for a short vacation. The train had a layover of several hours in New Orleans, so I thought I would kill some time taking photographs of the terminal and Amtrak facilities. I had taken a lot of photographs along the way, and I have started a photographic album intended to document the Sunset Limited all the way across Louisiana. There is no way to know how much longer Amtrak will run this train.

It is important to know that there are no signs on the platform forbidding passengers from walking down the platform into the area beyond where the lead engine would be, and no signs that prohibit passengers from taking photographs. There are "No Trespassing" signs on the gate to the Amtrak maintenance facility, on Earhart, but they are not visible on the platform. Two female Amtrak employees drove by and asked me what I was doing. I said I was taking photographs, and that rail photography was a hobby of mine. They admonished me to "watch out for the Amtrak police." I did not take that warning seriously, because I was not doing anything wrong. I joked that maybe "they would beat me up, so I could file a multi-million dollar lawsuit." That, being an idea so ridiculous, anyone would know it was meant in a humorous vein. I walked a little further down where I encountered a young guy, who was also an Amtrak employee. He inquired as to why I was photographing the switcher, and I explained to him that I was just a railfan, and I wanted photos of the Amtrak equipment. I asked if I could walk further down the platform to take a couple more photographs. He said he preferred I wait until he could get someone to accompany me down there. I said "fine", and I waited. By then the two female employees had returned and we were all standing around talking and waiting for whoever was supposed to come to see about my request. After a while an Amtrak policeman arrived. I figured he would say I could, or I could not go further down the platform. When he got out of his car, I could see he was already in a highly excited and agitated state. He was not in the mood to dialogue. He explained I was trespassing on private property (remember, no signs), and was not supposed to be taking photos. I was not about to argue with him, or be the least bit confrontational, knowing the reputation of New Orleans police, but this was an AMTRAK policeman, and I was an AMTRAK passenger. I merely inquired if this was not public property, since Amtrak is a publicly supported entity. At that he told me to turn around, and he handcuffed me. I naturally protested that I had done nothing wrong. But he was determined to handle things the way he had, I believe, decided to handle them before he ever showed up. He took me up to his office, and contacted someone, who I assume was his superior. He gave the person an embellished, and almost completely false account of what happened. For instance, he stated I had said, "This is public property, and I can be here if I want to be." I begged the policeman not to take me off the train, but he continued to repeat that I was "going to jail." I really got upset at this point and insisted he let me talk to someone in the Amtrak office. After asking him over and over to let me speak with someone, he finally put an agent on the phone. I told agent at the terminal I had done nothing wrong, and to please come get me out of this mess. The agent said he could not override the policeman, and generally conveyed the attitude that he did not give a damn what my predicament was. The >policeman ran my ID, and, of course, it came back that I had never been arrested, and that I had no criminal record. He was unfazed by that information, and instructed the agent to remove my bag from the sleeper room I had occupied. In the stress of the moment I forgot about my large hanging bag that was in the lower level rack. It made it to Orlando, and I will get it back this week. As we were driving out of the terminal area, on the way to the Orleans Parish Prison, he pointed out the "No Trespassing" sign on the chain link gate, which is not visible to any passenger on the platform of the terminal. Upon arrival at the jail, I was processed in, and at that point the Amtrak officer committed a gross violation of procedure, by keeping my wallet, camera, and a pocketknife that the jailer had taken out of my pocket. This was to have major ramifications, later, when I finally had the opportunity to bail myself out of the facility. He had also erased certain photographs in my digital camera, while up in his office, a violation of my civil liberties. While waiting for him to show up I had photographed two A-10's that were flying over. He wanted to know why I had photographed the A-10's. I responded, "Because I'm a pilot." I do hold a private pilot's license, but my response seemed to stun him slightly, and he moved on. The Orleans Parish Prison is one of the worst jails in the country. The jailers there treat all inmates with contempt, disdain, and do everything they can to make you feel there is no light at the end of tunnel. My charge, incidentally, was criminal trespass. You cannot bond out until you are "processed." For hours I watched other inmates come and go, while my name was never called. Earlier, in an odd difference in procedure, the watch captain said, "O.K. Bourgeois, go to that window." I thought I had it made, but when I got there, the first thing they wanted was a photo I.D. Too bad, it was in my bag at the Amtrak police office. So, I had to be put through a nationwide fingerprint search, which added more time to my stay. I went in the jail at 6:30 p.m. on Friday, slept (what little I could) on the concrete jail floor, instead of the Viewliner bed I had on the Sunset Limited, and at four o'clock Saturday afternoon I was still in jail. I could have been out at 11 a.m. of the same day, but with no money, or debit card (remember, they were taken from me) I could not bond out. So, along with about 60 other inmates, I was put in the orange suit and moved to the big prison, with the big cellblock, just like you see in the movies. By the grace of God I had done one thing right. I had managed to get a phone book and write down the number of my cousin, who lives in New Orleans. All phone calls out had to be collect, and you had to have the number. I can remember exactly two phone numbers in my head, one being my brother who lives in Lake Charles.

I was finally able to get in touch with my sister-in-law, and she made numerous phone calls for me; most importantly to my friends in Pensacola, who by now, were frantic. Not to mention my youngest son, who lives here in Houston, who was sent into a tailspin. My cousin, who had been gone when I first called, was home now, and around 6 p.m., she came down and paid my bond. In the manner of doing things at the Orleans Parish Prison, I walked out of the jail at 12:30 a.m. Sunday morning. I recovered my belongings the next day at the terminal. My vacation I had looked forward to was destroyed. My friends and family had been traumatized, as only you can be when you cannot account for the whereabouts of someone. The lasting psychological effect of this is hard to predict. I have been quite depressed since I came home. The over whelming fact is, I COMITTED NO CRIME. You cannot arrest someone for trespassing, when there is not even a sign saying "no trespassing," and you cannot arrest someone for taking photographs. The entire amount of time that the officer spent with me on the platform could not have been over one minute. What motivated him to arrest me, when he could have easily said, "You cannot be here-go back to the train," I cannot say. What really bothers me is he obviously felt he could get away with this gross example of false arrest, and deprivation of civil liberties. That points to something rotten in the system, itself. Combine that with the total disregard of my welfare by the Amtrak agent, and there is ample room for an investigation, and action to be taken. The officer should be terminated, for sure, and following him out the door should be the agent. The officer's superior who allowed him to perpetrate this outrage, should also have to answer. There is no stone I will leave unturned to get justice for this. As I sat in jail my most consistent thought, after "I have to get out of here," was "I have to make this count for something." This should never happen to anyone, again.

James Craig Bourgeois

The Erie Lackawanna Mailing List.

From

Florida East Coast Chapter, NRHS

P.O. Box 2034

Cocoa, Fl 32923

Central Brevard Library & Reference Center

308 Next Meeting: Monday Oct 10, 7:00 PM

Forrest Avenue, Cocoa, Fl 321 633-1792

Program: Hal Greenlee, NRHS Nat. Convention Excursions.

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The EAST COAST CHAMPION

_______________________________________________________________________October 2005

CHAPTER OFFICIERS

FLORIDA EAST COAST CHAPTER, NRHS

President Walter Smith (321) 757-3349

Vice-President Hal Greenlee (321) 636-3393

Treasurer Bob Selle (321) 632-0944

Recording Secretary Harlan Hannah (321) 636-7986

Historian Jerry Sheehan (321) 452-8649

Newsletter Editor (Interim) Harlan Hannah (321) 636 7986

National Director Tom Hammond (321) 267-8339

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