Quarterly Business Meeting

The next regularly scheduled Quarterly Business Meeting is set for Wednesday, January 11, 2012. The meeting will be held in the Club Rooms at 854 E. Broadway, San Gabriel, CA 91776. The meeting begins at 8:00 PM.

If you are unable to attend the meeting download, complete, and return a proxy form. You can download a proxy form HERE.

2011 Open House Video

Video from the successful and recently complete 2011 Open House has been posted. You can watch it here.

UP 844 at Devore

Earlier this month we reported that UP 844 would be in the southland on a tour of statehood celebrations for Arizona and New Mexico. Member Ray Olesen was up early filming this iconic locomotive at Devore on its way to Yermo. Here's his video shot on a hand-held iPod Touch.

Another Open House for the Record Books

The recently completed 2011 Open House was a rousing success despite heavy rain on the last day. Enthusiastic crowds were waiting when we opened and were steady throughout the day up until closing. Many attendees commented on the layout and, as is usual, mentioned how they liked being "up close and personal" with the trains and scenery. 

Bryan Hunnell, General Superintendent, at the close of Open House said, "I was pleased to see the enthusiastic visitors that kept us busy all weekend. I also appreciated the members that  helped keep the Open House traditions going." Thank you to all of you who manned the 16 stations (from cab operators to Highland/Greeley brakemen), sold refreshments, sold raffle tickets and made donations.  

All in all, the Open House was a success and furthered the positive image of one of the better know model railroad layouts in the greater Los Angeles area.

2011 Open House Continues Today

Huge layout takes over an hour to run from the western terminus to the east and back. Photo by Jet Burns.

The 2011 Open House continues at the Highland Park Society of Model Railroad Engineers, Inc. The final day features mainline and branch line trains running on the Highland Pacific Railroad. Come down and see the camera train as it covers the layout from west to east and back. 

Layout open today from noon to 5 PM.

Operations on the HPRR

Trains in Highland wait for the signal to begin their westbound journey. The 4 F-units will bring a full ore drag to Bayshore Docks for transshipment.

HPRR Camera Train

You can watch the layout as if you were riding in the cab. Here the camera train waits for clearance to leave the yard on its journey around the layout.

2011 Open House Has Begun

The 2011 Open House is under way. Guests and members are operating trains over Highland Pacific Railroad trackage with a mix of modern freights, passenger trains including Santa Fe's Super Chief and Great Northern's Western Star, along with period freights and work trains.

A large crowd of visitors is expected Saturday, November 5 and Sunday, November 6.  You are always welcome to join us.

UP 844 on Display

UP's famous Northern locomotive 844 will be in Southern California as part of a tour celebrating the statehood anniversaries of Arizona and New Mexico. 844 pulled such widely known trains as the Overland Limited, Los Angeles Limited, Portland Rose and Challenger.

The locomotive will be on display Friday, November 18 in Bloomington at 10359 Alder Avenue. Viewing hours are 9 AM to 5 PM. The locomotive and attendant cars will depart Saturday, November 19 at 8 AM headed to Yermo, California where it will arrive at 10:30 AM.

Open House Flyers Ready for Distribution

Additional flyers detailing the information for the 2011 Open House are available. Members are urged to take a supply of the flyers to distribute to local hobby shops.

Shakedown Operations

Shakedown operations set for October 26, 2011, 7 PM

2011 Open House

2011 OPEN HOUSE
Wed., Nov. 2, 7-10 PM
Sat., Nov. 5, 12-5 PM
Sun., Nov. 6, 12-5 PM

Two Members Voted to Active Membership

Two probationary members were voted into full Active Membership at tonight's quarterly membership. Dawson Weber and Lindsay Smith, having fulfilled the requirements of probationary membership, were both unanimously approved for Active Membership.

James Keena Wins Again!

James Keena, our Chief Clerk, entered several of his models at the recent Rails to the Rim convention of the Pacific Southwest Region of the NMRA held in Flagstaff recently.

James won a First Place in the Locomotives category for his excellent model of a Baldwin VO 1000 with trolley poles in Pacific Electric livery. This same model was entered in the NMRA national convention in Sacramento last July.

Model of a Baldwin VO 1000 with trolley poles takes first place in the Locomotives category.

He also took a First Place in the Freight Cars category for his Pittsburgh & Lake Erie gondola. You may have seen this model running on the rails of the Highland Pacific Railroad.

The Non-Revenue rolling stock category entry of a Highland Pacific Railroad tank car for fire service also produced a First Place award.

This convention combined with the NMRA national convention James brought in 9 awards. He is, indeed, a winner!

We have a winner!

James Keena, Paymaster for the club, as won several awards at the recently completed National Model Railroad Association annual convention held in Sacramento the first week in July. While the convention attendees have only seen these models for a short time in the contest room, you can seem them up close and personal as these are working models that James runs oner the rails of the Highland Pacific Railroad.

Our own Mr. Keena took a First Place in Kit Passenger Cars for his 60-ft SP Harriman Baggage Car (above) kitbashed from a Model Die Casting kit. Note the unusual double-wide and single doors.

Another First Place was awarded for his Union Pacific Class CA-1 Side Door Caboose #25817 (above) fashioned from an old Revell models kit.

James received a Second Place award for his kitbashed Frisco “door and a half” Automobile Box Car (above).

Another Second Place award was garnered for his tongue-in-cheek rendition of a popular series of post cards from the 1940s with two mammoth oranges on a flat car. This award was in the “Thumbs” category, a long running series of cartoons depicting humorous models and model railroading situations.

If you’ve operated via timetable on a Saturday, you’ve used this award-winning effort from James Keena. James received an Honorable Mention award in the Railroad Passes category for his rendition of a railroad timetable that is based on our own Highland Pacific Railroad operations.

His Baldwin VO 1000 diesel electric locomotive switcher in Pacific Electric livery complete with dual trolley poles (click on the link to see a black and white action photo of the locomotive), and a Gorre & Daphetid Box Car were also entered in the model contest.

Way to go James! You’re a winner and an inspiration to the rest of us to dust of our modeling tools and get cracking.