the Dispatcher OKC Train Show 2015 Central Oklahoma Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society Oklahoma Railway Museum Ltd, NARCOA Affiliate Member Volume 51 Issue 1 January2016 Dec 5th and 6th Oklahoma Railway Museum's members volunteered to man the entry doors and museum booth. The event was as busy as ever. Photos below, Clockwise from Top Left- Riley Wickware with her train-set giveaway prize, Photo by Anne Chilton; Anne Chilton and Stan Hall man the entry table; Bob Nantois keeps the volunteers in line; Mary Holderbaum and Charles Price man the Oklahoma Railway Museum's booth.
Page 2 The Presidents Column It is almost Christmas. Thanks to all of you who worked on our Christmas trains. We sold out all trains for the first time ever! It was a lot of fun and all the children, young and old, seemed to have a good time. I am not running for re-election after six years as president of the museum. It is time for some fresh thoughts on many things. I will still be around and maybe working on a 50 ft. boxcar. This was the main project I wanted to do six years ago and it is not even started. Thanks to all for your help over the last six years. There are many that I should thank individually, but there are so many that I am afraid I would leave someone out because of my poor memory. In the last six years, many great things have been accomplished by all the members. Work on the expansion should get underway next year and we should have more finalized plans by the end of next year. Join us for the Annual Meeting, Saturday January 9, 2016. We will recap 2015 with a slide show. There will be time to visit and hash over last year as well as plan for 2016 Stan Hall Photographs and stories by Eric Dilbeck unless credited otherwise Oklahoma Railway Museum 405-424-8222 the Dispatcher Oklahoma Railway Museum, Ltd. Board of Directors Stan Hall, President Eric Dilbeck Vice President and Program Chair Drake Rice, Secretary Charles Price, Treasurer Greg Robertson, NRHS Director Bob Cossairt, Director of Buildings & Static Displays Bob Hussey, Director of Track Maintenance Terry Birchett, Director of Mechanical Operations Harry Currie, Director at Large Greg Hall, Director of Museum Activities Bob Cook, Director of Museum Displays Ed Birch Jr., Train Show Chair Anne Murrary Chilton, Membership Chair Eric Dilbeck, Interim Dispatcher Editor 2016 Board of Director Elections The following Board of Director positions are coming up for election in January, 2016. The Oklahoma Railway Museum By-laws require elections for the positions listed below in 2016. The term is two years for all positions. Board Position President Treasurer Director Buildings-Static Displays Director of Mechanical Operations Director at Large Director of Museum Activities Nominees Eric Dilbeck Charles Price Bob Cossairt Terry Birchett Harry Currie Greg Hall Nominees Qualifications: ORM member for six (6) months prior to Friday, November 13, 2015. Nominations for these positions are closed. Elections will be held during the annual membership meeting on January 9, 2016 at Furr s Fresh Buffet in Moore. Arrive at 6:00 P.M. to eat. Meeting starts at 7:00 P.M.
the Dispatcher Museum Update by Drake Rice Oklahoma Railway Museum has ended a very successful year. The final Train Operations ended with a passenger count of 24,687, which was just a few less than last year. The Christmas Trains were a huge success with over 2,300 riders. The success would not have been possible without the help of all our faithful volunteers. Thank you to all who assisted from making hot chocolate, to serving refreshments, cleaning up, ticket sales, model train operations, museum store, car host, track inspection, flaggers, and crew. It was truly a positive activity to end the year. Now we look forward to another successful year of restoration work, operations, and expansion of our facilities. Planning work is underway for improvements to the birthday caboose at the platform, the Frisco Caboose from the Fairgrounds, the Steam Engine from the Fairgrounds, a couple of baggage carts, finishing the Tank Car restoration, and possibly the MKT Inspection Car. And we are sure there will be other items that come up that will need to be addressed. The skills volunteers are bringing to the museum is growing and making work possible that we could only think about in the past. Thanks to each of you for giving your time and talents. As always, we can use more volunteers as we jointly grow and expand our museum for the public. We look forward to seeing you at the Annual Museum Members meeting at Furr's Fresh buffet in Moore on January 9th. Don't forget to pick up your 2016 Museum Calendar, thanks to the efforts of our current Board Vice President Eric Dilbeck Page 3 Your ORM Board of Directors look forward to another good year of growth for the museum, an increase in attendance and passenger count for the museum rail operations. And above all, your continued support through donations of time, materials, and money to help make ORM a greater railroad museum for the citizens and visitors to enjoy. Drake A special thanks to Anne in the office as she has helped promote the museum, been available to help book group visits, improve our automatic ticket sales over our website and kept our website up to date with the many museum activities, been available to receive shipments of repair and purchased items, and provided many hours of volunteer service above her weekly schedule work during the Day Out With Thomas Event. And a special thanks to Bob Hussey and his company who always makes sure we have good track for Museum operations and ensures safety for our crews and passengers. Bob has also worked closely with the FRA inspectors over the last couple of years and they are now using our museum trackage for hands on training that FRA does for their employees at the FAA Training Center in Oklahoma City. In addition, he has worked with a railroad track spraying company that uses our tracks to train new spray truck operators. This has also provided many benefits to the museum over the last couple of years. Click on the picture above to ride the last train in to Oakwood Depot for 2015.
Page 4 the Dispatcher Dental Depot Christmas Party On December 12th, the Oklahoma Railway Museum hosted Dental Depots Christmas Party. Food was provided by several Food Trucks. Two trains were used to carry the 365 attendees.
the Dispatcher Page 5 Christmas Train 2015 Above, Rook Jackson serves Cookies. Below, Steve Kamm and Tom Harrison pour Hot Chocolate. Above, Smiley O'Riley from Dental Depot distributed free toothbrush kits. Below, Santa poses with some excited riders. photos by Jay Chilton Terry Street reads the Polar Express to the riders of the train. photo by Jay Chilton Continued on page 7
Page 6 the Dispatcher Looking Back on 2015 Santa Fe 643 gets delivered from the Fairgrounds on Jan 2nd to start the year OKRX 2034 goes in the shop for brakes and new paint Our conductor is a little cold with a late snow in March E. Fudd opens the season with the Easter Bunny OKRX 2034 turns into MKT 48 MKT 48 fresh out of the paint shop 60 years of dirt gets power washed off of Santa Fe 643 A much needed new roof on the barn Greg Hall and Eric Dilbeck painting CONX 5259 Thomas is here! Bob Cossarit and Charles Price work on new siding for the birthday caboose Dental Deport charter train
the Dispatcher Page 7 Christmas Train 2015 Continued for page 5 During our Christmas Train, Thompson's Root Beer, the concession provider, sponsored a raffle for two bicycles. The boy's bike winner Joe Buckley and his father, Benjamin, are pictured to the left. The girls bike was won by Barbara Cannon pictured to the right, for one of her 9 grandchildren. Annual membership meeting January 9, 2015 at Furr s Fresh Buffet in Moore Arrive at 6:00 P.M. to eat Meeting starts at 7:00 PM Visit the Oklahoma Railway Museum on YouTube at: youtube.com/c/oklahomarailwaymuseumorg Lands End and ORM logo You can now order apparel with an embroidered ORM logo from Lands End at the website below. Once you select the item you want, you will then be able to select the logo and where you want it placed. We will send out emails when Lands End runs a special. Anything on sale in the regular catalog will be on sale on this site as well. ces.landsend.com/oklahoma_railway_museum
Oklahoma Railway Museum, Ltd. 3400 NE Grand Boulevard Oklahoma City, OK 73111-4417 RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED Page 8 the Dispatcher TIMETABLE Any changes to the following information or articles for the Dispatcher, should be directed to the Editor, Eric Dilbeck, at eric@oklahomarailwaymuseum.org. For information on upcoming programs, contact Anne at: annem@oklahomarailwaymuseum.org) Oklahoma Railway Museum (ORM) Open Thursday, Friday and Saturdays from 9:00 A:M: until 5:00 P:M. except on major holidays ORM Train Rides - First and third Saturdays April through August at 9:15 A.M, 11:15 A.M, 1:15 P.M. and 3:15 P.M. ORM Board Meetings Last Thursday each month at ORM, Oklahoma City 7 pm. Oklahoma N Rail For information, call Rick Inselman, 405/412 1552. Central Oklahoma Garden Railroad Society [COGRS] Contact information: Steve Lemcke (405) 703-0209 e-mail steve.lemcke@att.net or Marshall Douglas (405) 290-8989 or Steve Kamm (405) 685-3755 e-mail skamm@college.occc.edu Passenger Rail Oklahoma - A grassroots advocacy organization. Meets every Saturday and Sunday morning an hour prior to the arrival of the Heartland Flyer in Norman. The depot opens at 7:50 am. Contact Evan Stair at sfrr@aol.com, www.passengerrailok.org, 405/366 8957, or 517 Claremont, Norman, OK 73069 5020. Depot volunteer opportunities are available. Oklahoma S.W. Division NMRA 2nd Saturday each month, 1 pm, Goldman Room, Kirkpatrick Center, Jim Heidon, President Yukon s Best Railroad Museum Thursday/Saturday/Sunday and by appointment. Located 1 block north of Main and UP tracks in Yukon. Call John Knuppel, 405-354 5079, for times and information. OUT OF TOWN Waynoka Station/Waynoka Historical Society 202 South Cleveland, Waynoka Call Sandie Olson, 580/824 1886. Notice: They need help with their model railroad layout. If you could help some call Sandie.
Oklahoma Railway Museum, Ltd. 3400 NE Grand Boulevard Oklahoma City, Oklahoma 73111 Museum Information Contact us-thursday and Friday. We have someone to answer your questions 405-424-8222. Our museum is open every Thursday, Friday, & Saturday 9:00am to 5:00pm. Admission to the museum is free. The Museum is an outdoor museum and MAY BE CLOSED for inclement weather or when the temperature is below 40 F. Find us From I-35 North take the NE 36th St. exit, at the stoplight on NE 36th turn left and go west about 1/2 mile. At the stoplight for Grand Blvd turn left for about two blocks, we are on the left at NE 34th St. Regular Trains Are available every 1st and 3rd Saturday of each month from April to August. Tickets are $12.00, children 12 and under $5.00, and children under 3 ride FREE. The train ride is approximately 40 minutes long. Trains leave the Museum's Oakwood Depot at 9:15am, 11:15am, 1:15pm, and 3:15pm Day Out with Thomas September 23, 24, 25 & Sept. 30, October 1, 2 Take a 25 minute ride with Thomas the Tank EngineTM. meet Sir Topham Hatt, enjoy storytelling, live music, build with Mega Bloks and much, much more. Advance purchase is recommended. Ticket sales are final. Events are rain or shine. Tickets go on sale in April at thomasandfriends.com Halloween Train October 29, 2016 Adults in costume $2 off Tickets: $12.00, Children 12 and under $5.00, and children under 3 ride FREE. Trains leave the Museum's Oakwood Depot at 9:15am, 11:15am, 1:15pm, and 3:15pm Christmas Train December 17 and 18, 2016 Ride with Santa, sing Christmas carols, hear the Polar Express and have Hot Chocolate and Cookies. Tickets go on sale November 1st, Tickets: $15.00, children under 3 ride FREE. Trains leave the Museum's Oakwood Depot at 9:00am,10:30 am,(17th only) 12:00pm, 1:30pm and 3:00pm. Birthday Parties We offer you two unique venues to host a birthday party. You supply the cake, presents and the guests while we supply tables and chairs. Also included are paper engineer hats and a rail safety activity book. We have a 1921 wooden caboose which can accommodate up to 25 people and a 1921 Party coach which can accommodate up to 60 people Time and date must be held with a 50% deposit. The balance is due day of the party. Birthday Party package options and membership information next page
Birthday Party package options Package One Includes one hour and forty five minutes for the party and a Train Ride lasting approximate 40 minutes for 20 guests on our historic passenger cars. Additional train tickets can be purchased for $5.00 each. The train rides are available on the schedule for regular trains above. The costs are: Birthday Caboose: $250.00 (includes $50.00 refundable security deposit) Party Coach: $300.00 (includes $50.00 refundable security deposit) Package Two Is one hour and forty five minutes for the party without a train ride. This package is available throughout the year on most non-operating Saturdays. The costs are: Birthday Caboose: $150.00 (includes $50.00 refundable security deposit) Party Coach: $200.00 (includes $50.00 refundable security deposit) Bookings and date/time availability are available on our website, oklahomarailwaymuseum.org. Theycan also be made throught our party coordinator Chuck Shinn. He can be reached by phone at 405-850-0597, or by email chuck@oklahomarailwaymusem.org Memberships Benefits include: Two free train rides on regular run days (Does not apply to Day Out with Thomas, Halloween and Christmas trains Emailed copy of the ORM newsletter The Dispatcher Member Picnic and train ride Memberships are available at the following rates: Regular Membership - $36 per year (spouse included) Senior Member - age 65 and up - $30 per year (spouse included) Student Member - Full-Time Student - $30 per year [these are prorated if you join during the year] Lifetime Member - $500. If you wish to join the National Railway Historical Society, dues are an additional $50.00 per year. This organization s due are not prorated. Note: Events, dates, times and charges subject to change without notice.