January 2008 News.Pub
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WCRA NEWS JANUARY 2008 Happy Holidays TRAIN AWARD for 2860 WCRA News, Page 2 GENERAL MEETING NOTICE The December General Meeting of the WCRA will be held on Tuesday, December 18th at 1930 hours at the Rainbow Creek Station in Burnaby. Please note the early date due to Christmas. Entertainment will be Bill Johnston’s photo story of his trip across Russia by train. ON THE COVER A lovely fall scene is set at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum as Pittsburgh PCC Car 1711 (built by St. Louis, 1949) poses at the north loop of the museum’s two mile trolley line. The Pennsylvania Trolley Museum was the host for the ARM 2007 Annual Conference. Full story starts on page 26. (Don Evans photo) DECEMBER / JANUARY CALENDAR • West Coast Railway Heritage Park open daily 1000 through 1600k • Friday, December 7 through Sunday, December 16th—Christmas Mini Rail at 374 Pavilion, Roundhouse Community Centre, Vancouver, 1000—2000 M-F, 1000—1630 S/S • Saturday, December 15—Breakfast with Santa at the Heritage Park, 0800 and 1100, call 604-898-9336 for reservations • Monday, December 17 through Tuesday, January 1—Christmas Train at Canada Place, 1100—2000 each day. Closed December 25th, early close at 1400 Dec. 24, 31 and Jan. 1 • December 19-23 and 26-30—Christmas Lights in the Park, 5:30PM to 8:30PM nightly, West Coast Railway Heritage Park • Saturday, January 12—Newsletter deadline for items to be included in the February 2008 WCRA News • Tuesday, January 15—Tours Committee meeting, call Bernie at 604-325- • Tuesday, January 29 —WCRA General Meeting, 1930 hours, Rainbow Creek Station in Burnaby, BC The West Coast Railway Association is an historical group dedicated to the preservation of British Columbia railway history. Membership is open to all people with an interest in railways past and present. We are a non-profit British Columbia society, registered as a Canadian charity. Individual membership in the WCRA is $50.00 per year, family membership is $60.00. E Members (electronic newsletter, $15 savings) are $35 individual and $45 family. (Outside Canada, please remit US $) Other categories are: - Junior Member (age 16 and under ) $ 25 - Sustaining Member $100 (tax receipt) plus membership type regular fee - Life Member (one time fee) $700 individual life / $1,200 family life All memberships include the monthly newsletter, Heritage Park admission, mini rail rides and discounts on food and merchandise. The Association holds a monthly meeting on the last Tuesday of the month at 1930 hours in Burnaby at Rainbow Creek Station in Confederation Park. Apply through www.wcra.org or mail to WCRA, PO Box 2790 Stn. Term., Vancouver, B.C., V6B 3X2. WCRA News, Page 3 EDITORIAL SEASONS GREETINGS TO YOU ALL It’s that time of the year again, as thoughts and activities turn towards the special time that the Christmas season brings for us all. This is a time for faith, for family, and for reflection back as well as looking ahead. This past year has seemed like a whirlwind, with more than its share of both challenges and successes. Certainly for this writer, it has been a year that will never be forgotten. We have struggled with almost a year of delay in getting the Roundhouse project going above the ground, and a lengthy time trying to get our CN Super Continental trainset moved west. With a lot of hard work, hopefully we are near to getting both of these back on track. On the other side, however, was the April 15th trip to White Rock with the Royal Hudson. It took a tremendous amount of effort to pull this off, but the work was well worth it as the Royal Lady performed for 800 passengers, 5,000 lineside spectators and over 10,000 participants at White Rock. When we took on the project we knew that the work would be huge, and we knew that the future operations of this great locomotive would be difficult. Many said it would never happen, but here we are, and she has also steamed on three other occasions at our own facility. Now, as we go to press, we have received word that TRAIN (Tourist Railway Association) has awarded WCRA its 2007 Locomotive Preservation Award for our work on 2860. We should all take pride in both what we accomplished as well as the recognition achieved. To all our members, we wish you a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. May 2008 be a great year for all of us, and all of our friends and supporters. Don ASSOCIATION NEWS FROM THE NOVEMBER GENERAL MEETING The November General Meeting was our Annual Dinner and Awards Night, held at Cheers Restaurant in North Vancouver and attended by 88 members, guests and friends of the WCRA. As such, it follows a very different format than a usual monthly meeting. Six Directors were in attendance, and Colin Smith, Board Chair gave words of welcome. The awards were then presented as follows, Don Evans acted as Master of Ceremonies. Award recipients received a framed art print by Paul Ohanessian that depicted Royal Hudson #2860 out on the mainline, a fitting image for the 2007 year. (Photos, Jeremy Davy) WCRA News, Page 4 CORPORATE SUPPORT AWARD Winner – BNSF Railway Co-Presenter: Colin Smith Without a doubt, 2007’s most memorable day for the WCRA occurred on April 15th, when Royal Hudson #2860 made its first mainline trip following its restoration to service at our Squamish facility. Celebrating the 50th birthday of the City of White Rock, the trip received wide coverage and a huge reception – from the 800 passengers who rode to the 5,000 along the tracks to the 10,000 awaiting our arrival at the waterfront community. Without BNSF Railway’s sponsorship of the event this trip wouldn’t have happened. Gus Melonas, Regional Director Corporate Relations for BNSF attended and accepted the award (photo) Past winners: All Pro Services Ltd., Continental Power Services, Duro Construction Ltd., Mountain Retreat Hotel & Suites, Canadian National, Canada Post Corporation, Rocky Mountaineer Railtours, Tim Horton’s Squamish, Howe Sound Inn & Brewing Co., BC Tel Education, Dairyworld Foods, BC Rail, Amix Salvage, Canada Place Corporation MEDIA AWARD Winner – Cable 10’s “My Squamish” Co-Presenter: Sherry Elchuk Throughout 2007 (and in earlier years as well), our Media Award winner has consistently and creatively covered the activities at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park. The television media has been enjoyed by all in the community and has sent lots of people our way to enjoy what we present and offer. In 2007, the coverage was more intense than ever, as events such as Wild at Art, the steam up of the Royal Hudson and other activities brought out the crowds – and the media. Cable 10’s My Squamish was always there, with Bianca Peters and Dean Richards doing their things. The award was accepted by Bianca’s mother, Eva Hall. Past Winners: Vivian Moreau, The Province (Damian Inwood), Soul Image Communications, Art Jones & Co., BC-CTV, Squamish Chief, Global TV News, Seniors Scene, www.wcra. org, Squamish Chief, Bill Hughes, Squamish Chief, Mountain FM, Eleanor Godley WCRA News, Page 5 Bianca Peters—who wasn’t able to be at the event, writes….”On behalf of all of us, a big thank you the West Coast Rail Association for presenting My Squamish with this year’s media award last night. It means a great deal to us to be recognized and appreciated by you and your membership for our coverage of the Park. We will find a place of honour in our studio for the painting you presented to us and look forward to continuing our warm relationship into the future. In addition, a big thanks to you and the organization for valuing, preserving, restoring and displaying the rich history of the rails. What you do for our community and our railway heritage is priceless. BEST CONTRIBUTION TO THE NEWSLETTER Winner – Bill Johnston Co-Presenter: Keith Anderson This was a tough one this year, as we have had many good contributions as always. But one feature article kept coming up in conversations and thoughts, that being of a trip across Russia by train by none other than our Tours guy – Bill Johnston. The article and photos made for a great read – thanks Bill, hope you enjoy the award. Past Winners: Craig McDowall, Grant Ferguson, Dave Emmington, Jim McPherson, Richard & Margaret Harvey, Paul Ohanessian, Allan B. Peden, Bill Yeats, Win Oliver, Art Hamilton, Randy Rand, Bill Yeats, Ryan Cruickshank, Patrick Hind VOLUNTEER AWARD Winner – Jeremy Davy and Donna Simon Co-Presenter: Howie Biehl Our volunteer award this year goes to a couple, a couple that seem to be there for WCRA almost non-stop. They do a wide variety of things for us, at many times together, to see that many of our core activities are kept going for all of us to enjoy. Although they now make their home on Vancouver Island, they are regulars here as well and oversee the operation of West Coast Mini Rail, distribute WCRA News every month, have taken on the annual Western Rails show, and even handled the members’ picnic this year at the Heritage Park in August. Our volunteer award this year goes to Jeremy Davy and Donna Simon with our WCRA News WCRA News, Page 6 hearty appreciation for all that they do. Past Winners: Chris Forget, Irena Erdos, Kevin Smith, Joe Kerr, Ken Mason, Glen Wideman, Percy Fairhurst, Nick Monkhouse, Dusty Rhodes, Devon Generous, Paul & Mary Roy (twice), Bill & Dorothy Lahr, Marcie Phillips MOST SIGNIFICANT CONTRIBUTION TO RAIL PRESERVATION Winner: The Troop Sleeper Gang Co-Presenter: Denise Rittberg A new exhibit opened last year, the Pacific Great Eastern Troop Sleeper #710, with a tribute to the people of the PGE and BC Rail, but that was not the end of this effort.