HAPPY HOLIDAYS! 2017 No. 539 RAIL NEWS DIGEST Editor: Joe Kuczynski

Transcription

1 2017 No. 539 RAIL NEWS DIGEST Editor: Joe Kuczynski HAPPY HOLIDAYS! This being the season, on behalf of the board of directors and officers of the 20th Century RR Club, I would like to take this opportunity to wish each and every one a festive and Happy Holidays and a very Happy New Year too! What a year it has been! Our long time office manager, Carol Sutter, has retired, and we all wish her the best in retirement. She has served us well over the years. Our club has hired Chicago Association Management to manage the membership and trip ticketing functions that Carol had covered. We sincerely hope that the transition will be seamless and that you will have your membership renewals and trip interactions to be as positive as you have with Carol. More good news! The Fast Mail is back as a quarterly publication. Our members have enjoyed it and look forward to it for timely topics on railroad news from Chicagoland and the nation and for important information about our 20th Century RR Club trips and events. Of course, we are always looking forward to hearing from our members about trips you want to do or places you have visited and wish to share this in the Fast Mail. You can contribute photos of trips you have taken or write first person narrative of what interested you about train travel or trips you have taken. You need not be an expert writer; we can help edit and spell check your submission as needed. Our trip calendar for 2018 is beginning to take shape. On the inside page you will see some proposals for trips that have been talked about. Some of these are ideas only and still need to be finalized or decided on. One place we will be going to is to Holland MI on May 5-6 for the Tulip Festival. This will be a train and bus trip. We are also making early announcements of some partner trips with Vacation by Rails to Colorado and West Virginia and Maryland, and also introducing a new partner trip with Country Travel Discoveries to New England. You can sign up for any of these trips now. Also, make sure we have your correct e mail as there may be some instant trips on short notice to Pullman National Park, IRM, Metra out and back trips. We will announce this via e mail and on the web page. Come and join the fun! Finally, many of you may be wishing to make a charitable donation during this Holiday Season: you can consider increasing your membership status to a higher level such as President s Club ($250 or more), Century Club ($125-$249), or Contributing ($75-$124). We do appreciate your contribution and monetary support to enable us to continue to promote and develop excursions to interesting and rail friendly locations. Acting editor Joe Kuczynski Contact fastmail@20thcentury.org

2 2018 Proposed Trip Calendar May 5-6 Holland MI for Tulip Time - Amtrak to Kalamazoo, Bus to Holland, Overnight. Return on May 6 June 23 Galesburg Railroad Days - Offer optional coach to Quincy, bus to Hannibal. Private Varnish if available as separate trip July Either Monticello day trip Or Green Bay overnight Amtrak to MKE, bus to GB July Trip 18 V1 Vacation by Rail sponsored trip to Colorado August 11 or 18 Amtrak to Springfield State Fair day trip September Duluth Lake Shore Museum and train ride to Two Harbors. Amtrak to St Paul 3 nights, Bus to Duluth and/or Wisconsin train PV if available October Trip 18 V-2 Vacation by Rail sponsored trip to West Virginia/ Maryland October South Shore Line Day trip to South Bend and Bus to Elkhart IN Other possible trip: Aug days Country Travel sponsored trip to New England Rails and Resorts includes Maine Narrow Gauge, MT Washington Cog, Conway Scenic etc Other possible do it yourself trips to Pullman Historical Site and other spur of the moment locations. Still to come Private Vanish rail car trips. Tulips and Trains Join the 20th Century RR Club for a two day trip to Holland, Michigan on May 5-6 to view the magnificent floral displays of Tulips in Tulip Town USA. Our trip will include a coach seat on Amtrak from Union Station to Kalamazoo MI and a motor coach transfer to Holland MI for lunch and touring of the gardens and craft shops in Holland MI. Historic Trains of Maryland & West Virginia Travel with your friends! Overnight will be in the Grand Rapids area and on Sunday May 6 will be your chance to visit some sights in the Grand Rapids area before your train ride back to Chicago from Kalamazoo. Mark this date on your calendar. Final details will be available by February Trip 18-A Spectacular fall foliage of the Alleghany and Appalachian Mountains are the backdrop of this 8-day fall rail tour through the birthplace of American railroading. Highlights include five scenic rail excursions, including an extra-special journey through West Virginia s New River Gorge on the New River Train in premium class. Your tour starts in Baltimore with city touring and a visit to the B&O Railroad Museum. Then settle into Elkins, West Virginia for a three-night stay. You ll enjoy rides on a variety of trains that take you through the mountain wilderness for tranquil, scenic views. Then it s on to Monongahela National Forest and White Sulphur Springs for a visit to the luxurious and historic Greenbrier Resort. Enjoy the local Hinton Railroad Days before you board Amtrak s Cardinal back to Chicago. Highlights include: Western Maryland Scenic Railroad Cass Scenic Railroad featuring the most powerful Steam Train, Shays Cheat Mountain Salamander with its diesel locomotive Durbin Rocket, powered by Old #3 Locomotive New River Gorge Fall Foliage Train Excursion Fort McHenry National Monument U.S Naval Academy Tour including dinner in the Naval Academy Club National Radio Astronomy Observatory The Greenbrier Resort Bunker Tour Hinton, WV Railroad Festival Vacations By Rail can arrange Amtrak transportation to Baltimore for you at the time of reservation. Trip 18-V2 Departure Date October Colorado Rail Adventure Quite possibly the most classic train tour is this in-depth exploration of the Colorado Rockies aboard both standard and narrow gauge railways to summits of more than 14,000 feet. Teddy Roosevelt described a train journey through Colorado as the trip that bankrupts the English language. Find out for yourself! Beginning and ending in Denver, this extraordinary tour makes a great circle of the Rockies and includes six remarkable train rides that fully justify President Roosevelt s enthusiasm. Highlights Include: Georgetown Loop Railroad Pikes Peak Cog Railway Durango & Silverton Narrow Gauge Railway Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad Rio Grande Scenic Railroad Royal Gorge Route Railway in the first class Vista Dome, and much more! Package includes a pre-tour hotel night in Denver. Vacations By Rail can arrange Amtrak transportation to/from Denver aboard the legendary California Zephyr at the time of reservation. Trip 18-V1 Departure Date July The Fast Mail

3 This year the 20th Century RR Club is pleased to feature a new partner and a trip to New England! Trip 18-TD NEW ENGLAND RAIL & RESORTS, presented by Country Travel DISCOVERIES of Elm Grove, Wisconsin dates: August This thrilling rail adventure travels incredibly scenic routes up the Atlantic coast and through forests and mountains of northern New England. In summer, you ll find stunning views and local color everywhere as you ride six different trains through Massachusetts, New Hampshire, and Maine from an ocean side narrow-gauge train route and charming trolley ride to the world s first mountain-climbing cog rail that takes you more than a mile high. You ll also head into the White Mountain National Forest with an experienced moose-spotter, sail out onto the Atlantic with a working lobster boat captain, and enjoy classic mountain and waterfront resorts. Featured Train rides: Amtrak s modern Downeaster, from suburban Boston to Wells, Maine. A trolley ride at Seashore Trolley Museum, the world s oldest and largest museum of mass transit vehicles. Cruise along the coast at the Maine Narrow Gauge RR, which preserves a unique coastal stretch of two foot gauge track. Roundtrip ride on the historic Mt. Washington Cog Railroad, the world s first mountain climbing cog train. The Winnipesaukee Scenic Railroad Travel through spectacular Crawford Notch on the Conway Scenic Railroad Price: $1897 per person based on double occupancy, $338 additional for single occupancy. Twentieth Century Railroad Club Members receive an early discount of $ per traveler for booking by April 1, The price does not include air fare or train fare to and from Boston. For more information contact the Twentieth Century RR Club at Or info@20thcentury.org APRHF Rail Rangers on the South Shore Line by Robert Tabern For over the past two years, volunteer interpretive guides with the American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation s Rail Rangers program have been providing onboard educational programs for passengers on private rail excursions across the Upper Midwest. The Rail Rangers partner with private railcar owners and excursion organizers, such as Zephyr Route Tours and the 20th Century Railroad Club, to provide free narration and route guide handouts and books. Now, the APRHF Rail Rangers are branching out their educational efforts to also include public railroad lines as well. Two to three Saturdays per month through the fall and winter months, Rail Rangers Guides will be aboard select departures of the South Shore Line from Chicago to South Bend. We are really excited to bring our onboard educational programs to passengers on the South Shore Line, explains APRHF Vice President Robert Tabern. In just 90 miles, you see a lot of different scenery from the skyscrapers of Downtown Chicago to the farm fields of Central Indiana mixed in there is of course the historic steel mills areas of Northwest Indiana and the beautiful scenery of the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. APRHF Secretary Kandace Tabern adds, What makes the South Shore a great rail line to present onboard educational programs on is the fact you travel through or near four units of the National Park Service in a short distance. In Chicago, the line goes right through I&M Canal National Heritage Corridor and Pullman National Monument. Not only does the South Shore Line go through Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore it also makes three stops in the park. The train also goes within a few miles of the recently designated Kankakee River National Water Trail. It s a great rail line for railfans to enjoy too, being one of the last interurbans left and the street running segments through Michigan City. The best part of the Rail Rangers new program is that passenger may listen to the narration and participate in programs at no additional cost than the basic South Shore Line fare. For around $30 or less, one can ride round-trip from Chicago to experience a program and learn about the landscape. Programs are presented year-round in one Rail Ranger Guides South Shore designated car of the train; seating is available on a first come, first serve basis. For a complete list of upcoming dates, check out www. railrangers.org or Right now, the APRHF Rail Rangers and the Northern Indiana Commuter Transportation District (owners of the South Shore Line) have agreed to a six-month test period for onboard programs. If enough positive feedback is received by passengers, this could become a permanent feature on select weekends on the South Shore. The Rail Rangers are also currently forming a waiting list for those who might be interested in becoming a guide. Those who have a background in public speaking and an interest in history, national parks, and education are encouraged to apply. Send your resume via to vp@aprhf.org. APRHF Rail Rangers is an outreach affiliate of the American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation, which owns a railfan lookout cabin/deck and the Exhibition of Amtrak History in La Plata, MO. The Fast Mail

4 Amtrak CEO says passenger railroad faces three threats By Bob Johnston November 3, 2017 Trains Magazine CHICAGO Amtrak s Co-CEO Richard Anderson says the passenger railroad company faces three risk points in its future. Anderson was speaking in one of his first public appearances Thursday before the National Association of Railroad Passengers 50th anniversary meeting in Chicago. Specifically, the Amtrak leader says the railroad faces several threats: That either a future President or Congress will cut funding; the fact that U.S. passenger railroading remains underfunded; and the reality of extensive delays on host railroads. Anderson says that Amtrak s ever-improving cost recovery and complementary legislative support to allocate about $1.4 billion in fiscal 2018 has helped deflect criticism from political forces that seek to dismantle the system. Greater operating efficiencies are helping to reduce what he terms the capital deficit. He also spoke about delays and that the 1971 creation of Amtrak was a deal that was cut to relieve railroads of common carrier obligations in exchange for preference over freight trains. The CEO says about 75 percent of delays to longdistance and state-supported trains are from the freight railroad side and quoted a Class I railroad executive saying that Amtrak trains were an annoyance. In 1971 they cut a deal. And I have a rule in life: always keep your deals, Anderson says. That s the policy decision our Congress and President made long ago and have kept in place. Anderson s own journey on the Capitol Limited from Washington, D.C., arrived into Chicago 1 hour and 25 minutes late over Norfolk Southern rails after departing Cleveland, only16 minutes behind schedule. He says the three challenges must be overcome, because the Amtrak network, plays a critical role in the national urban infrastructure, and I hope our long-term policy makers figure that out, as they re doing now in the states. Asked about a possible challenge from Hyperloop technology, Anderson reminded the audience that the tunnels Amtrak uses in Baltimore debuted when Ulysses S. Grant was president. You have a $30-billion infrastructure backlog on the Northeast Corridor, he says. And the Hyperloop people want a big government grant to get that done. But we need to fix the assets we have that millions of Americans rely on everyday we should get in the right priority and fix those first. Metra History: Curious Station Names (October 2, 2017) - Metra can take you to Mars, no special spacesuit necessary. OK. So it s probably not the Mars you imagined. The terrain isn t rocky or red and the trip seemed surprisingly short. Turns out, you re still on earth, in Chicago s Galewood neighborhood. Metra s Mars Station on the Milwaukee District West Line wasn t named by a planet enthusiast, or after the Roman god of war. The station takes its name from the Mars, Inc. plant located adjacent to the station. Flourishing from the success of its Milky Way candy bar, in 1929 the company opened the full-production plant employing nearly 200 associates on Oak Park Avenue. A more centralized location and railroad access caused business to boom, according to company history. The station is not alone in its unusual designation. While most need little explaining, a handful of Metra s 241 stations have names that are not tethered to a street or municipality. About four miles away in the Hermosa neighborhood, Metra s Healy Station also has an unlikely namesake. The station, located on the Milwaukee District North Line, is named after the Lyon & Healy Harps, Inc., a world-renowned harp manufacturer founded in Chicago in 1864 by George W. Lyon and Patrick J. Healy. Now headquartered on Ogden Avenue, the company was located near the station at 4014 W. Fullerton Ave. until On the Union Pacific North and Northwest lines, riders might wonder why the stop located at Ashland and Armitage avenues is known as Clybourn, when Clybourn Avenue sits a few blocks away from the station. It didn t always. Early Chicago maps show Clybourn ended its northwest diagonal run from Division Street at the point where it meets Racine. It then turned directly west, crossing the river and ending at what is now Damen. When in later years the northwest diagonal of Clybourn was extended (eventually to Belmont), the east-west section that crossed the river was renamed Clybourn Place. That section was later given its current name, Cortland Street, after the street that it almost lines up with at Damen. Moving southwest to the BNSF Line, the Highlands Station has a puzzling name. We asked the Hinsdale Historical Society when the question came up in 2009, and the best theory they found is that an early Hinsdale resident, John Reed, named his home Highlands and the name soon caught on for the neighborhood and the train station The Fast Mail

5 New Joliet Train Station Train station exterior nearly done; opening slated for early 2018 By BOB OKON the Herald News JOLIET The exterior of the new train station is nearly done, but it won t open until early Interior work still needs to be done. But the biggest task lying ahead is the installation of a new Metra Heritage Corridor boarding platform, said Lisa Dorothy, the city s project manager for the job. Early next year is the goal, Dorothy said of the likely opening day for the latest additions to Joliet s new transit center. The train station is the most visible part of the project yet. Commuters and passers-by have had a better idea of what the station will look like with the walls erected and the metal roof on top. That is actual limestone on the exterior, Dorothy said. However, unlike Union Station, the city s former train station on the other side of the tracks from the new one, the walls on the new station are not built of solid limestone. The new station is supported by precast concrete with the limestone added to give the new facility some aesthetic symmetry with Union Station, a limestone building erected in It s a facade, but it s a facade made from real materials, Dorothy said. This building is completely enveloped in limestone, and there s a strip of granite on the bottom. The last job left on the exterior is the final installation of windows, she said. Commuters who use the station will have access to a tunnel that will take them to a new Heritage Corridor boarding platform that will be in the middle of the tracks. The boarding platform has yet to be installed and will be a somewhat delicate operation, Dorothy said, since it will have to be done with some efficiency in the middle of a working railroad. The new platform will be eight inches higher than the tracks. Heritage Corridor passengers now are boarding from temporary platforms that are the same height as the tracks. Heritage Corridor passengers should not be affected by the platform installation, Dorothy said. Because we re doing construction in a live zone, we actually get slowed down by maintaining public access, she said. The Metra Rock Island boarding platform and waiting areas, already in place, was the first phase of the new transit center to be completed. The train station and Heritage Corridor platforms are not the last phases of the project. But they are the last phases for which there is funding. A bus station with a turnaround area also is in the plans. But the city and state do not have the $7.5 million needed to build the bus facility. That part of the $51 million project has been put on hold until the funding can be found. Fare Hike Fare hike, service trim needed for 2018 Metra is proposing a combination of fare increases and cuts in expenses including service cuts next year to cover a projected deficit of about $45 million in its 2018 operating budget. This deficit is the result of a cut in subsidies from Springfield (about $13 million), disappointing regional sales tax collections (about $2 million) and normal growth in operating costs (about $30 million). We pay about half of our operating costs with your fares, and the other half with our share of proceeds from a transportation sales tax in the six-county Chicago region and a contribution from the state. The RTA had originally expected that public subsidy to total $430 million next year about $11 million more than But the RTA has recently amended that forecast to $404 million about $15 million less than That s a $26 million difference. Another fare increase is not ideal. But the fact is, our 1980s funding model is not working in today s economy. We rely on public subsidies to cover half of our operating costs and most of our capital investment, and those subsidies are not coming in or not keeping up while our costs and capital needs continue to grow. We can t cut our way out of this problem. And we can t solve it with higher fares alone the need is simply too big. However, given our options, we believe they must play a part. Amtrak Returns to Roanoke From NARP HOTLINE #1040 The first Amtrak train to leave Roanoke, VA, in 38 years carried more than 240 passengers, as the train made it s way north to Boston on October 31. The daily train marks the fourth expansion of Amtrak service in Virginia since 2009, following new or additional service to Lynchburg, Richmond, and Norfolk. The extension to Roanoke marks a milestone in the growth of Amtrak and passenger rail in Virginia, Amtrak Co-CEO Wick Moorman said in a press release. Rail service is a vital alternative in Virginia s overall transportation solution. We look forward to continuing our partnership with DRPT and other cities to further expand rail service in the Commonwealth. Of the 240 passengers onboard the train, many had been waiting for the train service for years. David Kingsley, who was the first passenger to the station said, I ve been waiting for this day since I ve been on four trips behind the 611 Steam Locomotive, but I ve been waiting for restored passenger service like this for a long time. On weekdays, the train will leave the Roanoke platform at 6:19 a.m. and return at 9:55 p.m. every day. On weekends, train service will leave Roanoke at 8:40 a.m. with various arrivals back into town. Railroad Glossary Hostler: An employee which operates locomotives only around enginehouses. Highball: The signal to operate the train at full speed. First used prior to common lighted, colored, signals when old-time ball signals were raised high to show a clear signal. The Fast Mail

6 Interesting in Chicago The Garfield-Clarendon Model Railroad Club The Garfield-Clarendon Model Railroad Club known as the Garfield Central, the massive miniature world features an entire railway eco-system ranging from passenger travel to coal transport. The little landscape features all manner of detailed features ranging from water towers to blasted rock mountainsides to general stores, all built to such detail that they could all but be the real thing. Our layout accurately simulates complications of running a real railroad in a fun environment. Typical Operating Sessions Operating sessions typically occur the last Friday of the month at 7pm. A session usually lasts two hours and is always open to the public. Each session is different but follows prototypical scenarios found on real railroads. We re located in the Clarendon Park Community Center in the Uptown neighborhood of Chicago N. Clarendon Ave. Chicago, IL Grades The ruling grade of the GC lies between Williamsport and Summit, between which the mainline climbs from its lowest elevation to its highest, over a distance of about 40 feet. This stiff grade necessitates heavy motive power on the head end, and helpers on this stretch are a rare but occasional sight. It takes over 25 minutes at scale speed to make a complete loop around the layout. Our track plan provides all the components to simulate a real railroad. Track Construction The minimum mainline curve radius is 42, with all mainline turnouts being #8 or larger. Rail sizes are code 83 on the main, code 70 on yard trackage and sidings, and code 100 on east and west loops. Train control is done by DCC (Digital Command Control) and mostly all switches are powered. There are approximately 1,500 feet of hand-laid trackage on the GC. All turnouts are built in place to permit the flowing track work which you see. Current track-laying practice begins with spline sub-roadbed supporting Homosote-brand board. Club-cut, white pine ballast board is then added to the structure. Northern pine ties, ripped with a radial arm saw, top out the base. After ballasting with a variety of materials ranging from beach sand to commercial ballast, the rail is handspiked, and turnouts are built to fit. Interchange Track This is a place where members can swap or offer for private sale railroad items that may be of interest to other members. Please contact the fastmail@20thcentury.org if you are interested New News New Midwest trains will be modern, single-level Siemens design From Midwest High Speed Rail Organization November 09, 2017 Great news: Caltrans announced that the order for new passenger coaches for California and Midwest corridor trains will now be filled by Siemens. The joint order by Caltrans and Illinois Department of Transportation is for 137 cars, 88 of which are for the Midwest. The coaches are expected to be similar to the cars Siemens is delivering to Brightline. The press release touts spacious, modern interiors that focus on passenger comfort and convenience, such as Wi-Fi, spacious seats with convenient power outlets, large windows with great views for all passengers, bike racks, overhead luggage storage, work tables, state-of-the-art restrooms with touchless controls and full ADA accessibility throughout the cars. There are a number of technical and operational details about the Brightline cars that may change for this new order. The Brightline cars are designed to meet a high-level platform, but the Midwest and California cars will need stairs and an accessible lift to serve low platforms The Fast Mail

7 We are now offering student memberships (17 years old or under) includes 4 issues of The Fast Mail at $10 per year. Call for details. If there is a mark on your mailing label, it means that your membership has expired. Please renew; otherwise this will be your last issue of The Fast Mail. Attention Members: A color version of The Fast Mail is ed to all members who have a current address on file. If you are not receiving the color version and would like to, please send an to: thefastmail@20thcentury.org to be added to the ing list. Like us on Facebook 20th Century Railroad Club Chicagoland Public Transit Phone RTA Travel Information (5:00a 1:00a) at Metra: CTA: SouthShore Line (NICTD): phone Amtrak 800-USA-RAIL ( ) or Kenosha Streetcar Line Exit 342 off I-94; go east 7 miles on Wis. 158, south on 8th Ave. Lv 54th St & 8th Ave. every 15 minutes For details, phone HONOR ROLL Presidents Club ($250 or more) Larry & Marge Theriault Robert Porter Peter Rocknich Century Club ($75-$124) Ronald Stoch, Ray Powroznik, Camille Einoder, Michael Grosko, Joanna & George Sessa Contributing ($50 to $99) James Planey, Jack Ecker, Albert Carello, James Walsh, New members David & Wanda Scoble, Ralph & Rosalie Kendall, Bill & Mady Koelling, John Kraeger, William & Janice Leise, Robert Lenz, Norma & Sandra Trapp Thank you! Arrivals & Departures For the latest information on railroad club programs, visit: 1st Friday of the month (Except Jul)- Omnibus Society of America meeting, 7:30-10:00 PM, at Swedish Covenant Hospital (2751 W. Winona Ave. Anderson Pavilion). Admission: $4.00 for non-members. 1st Friday of the Month (Except Jul & Aug) Blackhawk Chapter-NRHS meeting, 7:30-10:00 PM, at Gladys Fox Museum (S/W corner, 9th/Washington in Lockport, IL) Admission: Free. 2nd Friday of the Month Chicago Chapter-NRHS meeting, 8:00-10:00 PM, at Lincoln Center (935 Maple Ave. in Downers Grove). Admission: Free. 3rd Friday of the Month (Except Jul & Aug) Railroad & Shortlines Club of Chicago meeting, 7:30-9:30 PM, at Chicago Union Station (500 W Jackson Blvd Room 107A) Admission: Free. rscc.dhke.com 4th Friday of the month Central Electric Railfans Association meeting, 7:00-9:00 PM, at University Center (525 S. State St 2nd Floor); Admission: Non-member $5.00. www. cera-chicago.org Quarterly (Jan, Apr, Jun, Sep) Saturday on or after the 20th of the months listed. Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society 2:00-5:00 PM at Pullman Visitor Center in Pullman, IL (11141 S. Cottage Grove Ave) Admission: Free. REMINDER: Reminder The next issue of Fast Mail will be in March 2018 The Fast Mail

8 Twentieth Century Railroad Club 400 E Randolph St. Suite 3725 Chicago IL Phone century.org P A I D MULTICOPY THE FAST MAIL is the official newsletter of the 20th Century RR Club and is published in December, March, June, September for its members. Family membership dues are $40 per year. For an application contact the club at or info@20thcentury.org WE INVITE YOU TO CONTRIBUE NEWS ITEMS, ARTICLES, AND PHOTOS. Please e mail them to thefastmail@20thcentury.org or mail to above address. Acting Editor: Joe Kuczynski Chairman of the Board David Zucker ( 19) President: Ed Golitko ( 18) Vice President: open Treasurer: Mike Garvey ( 19) Secretary: Paul Stoffells ( 19) Directors: Fred Olk ( 18) Greg Thosen ( 18) Joe Kuczynski ( 19) 3 open Directors If you are interested in serving on the Board of Directors or any other position; please contact the 20th Century Board at info@20thcentury.org December/ January February March NO MEETING DECEMBER 2017 or JANUARY 2018 Dave Daruszka In the heyday of rail passenger transportation Chicago was home to 6 major railroad terminals. This program covers the history, architecture and engineering behind these great structures, and the railroads that built and used them. Presenter Dave Daruszka is a retired locomotive engineer and rail history aficionado who studies and blogs about Chicago s railroad past and present. William M. Shapotkin West from Geneva. a look at past and present C&NW/ Metra service beyond Geneva, covering suburban service to Aurora, St Charles and Elburn/DeKalb and Sycamore. Member Meeting Member Meeting Member Meeting Our meetings are now held at Chicago Union Station (500 W. Jackson). Inside the Great Hall, you will find Amtrak s Legacy Lounge in the Southwest corner. Upon entering, to your left is the Founders Room, which will be the location of our meetings. The Founders room is in the location that once housed the barbershop. Start time is 7:00 pm. Parking is available at various lots including Amtrak s garage. See you there The Fast Mail