OfficialPublication of the Pacific NorthwestChapter, National Railway Historical Socidy September 1996 Amtrak's Seattle-Denver Pioneer Will End Service On November 10 The Pioneer-Greeley, Colo.; West While the loss of servicewill hurt, by Jim Loomis Cheyenne-Borie, Laramie, Rawlins, Amtrak is compensating by increasing Rock Springs, Green River and the frequencies of certain trains that Evanston, Wyo.; Ogden, Utah; had been less-than-daily service. The According to a press release ob­ Pocatello, Shoshone, Boise and Nampa, Empire Builder,Portland's remaining tained from Amtrak this month, Train Idaho; Ontario, Baker City, LaGrande, direct connection to Chicago, will re­ #'s 25 & 26, the Pioneer, will end its Pendleton, Hinkle-Hermiston, The turn to daily service between Portland! Seattle-Portland-Denver run on No­ Dalles, and HoodRiver, Ore. (Amtrak Seattle and MinneapoliS/St. Paul. Also vember 10, 1996. The train, cut back states that The Dalles and HoodRiver returning to daily service are the Cali­ to three-times-a-week in the previous would be servedby the Empire Builder fornia Zephyr, the Crescent and the budget cutbacks,has lost ridership, and at Wishram andBingen-W hite Salmon, City of New Orleans. The Three Riv­ can not recover its costs. It joins the Wash.) ers (New York-Philadelphia­ Los Angeles-ChicagoDesert Wind, the The Desert Wind-Milford, Utah; Pittsburgh)will beextended to Chicago, St Louis-San Antonio segment of the Caliente and Las Vegas, Nev. (Las Ve­ daily, viathe route of the former Broad­ Texas Eagle, and the Boston-Albany gas might be served by a short-distance way Limited. section of the LakeShore Limitedinto train in the future.) The PacificNorthwest Chapter of the fading history of rail passenger ser­ The Lake Shore Limited­ the National RailwayHistorical Soci­ vice. Pittsfield, Worcester and Framingham, ety, as a non-profitcorporation, can not Amtrak was forced to make these Mass. (To be replaced by bus.) directly supportof anyspecific rail pas- . choices due to accelerated funding re­ The Texas Eagle-Poplar Bluff, senger service. Members must encour­ duction by Congress. Amtrak asked for Mo.; Walnut Ridge, Newport, Little age support on their own. The bestway $250 million just to maintain the Rock, Malvern, Arkadelphia and to do this is two-fold: First, write your present level of service, but Congress Tex arkana, Ark.rrex.; Longview, Dal­ members of Congressand your state's and PresidentClinton areallowing only las, Fort Worth, Cleburne, governorto support railpassenger ser­ $200 million. This is a far cryfrom the McGregor(Waco), Te mple, Taylor, vice, and second, utiike the service. $750 million to over $1 billion Amtrak Austin and San Marcos, Tex. Part of tile reason service is declining required each year in the past, and Phoenix and Tempe, Ariz. lost di­ is that while peopleare writing, far less credit must begiven to Amtrak for im­ rect Amtrak service this year. South­ are actually using the service! It is your proving service overall, while reduc­ ernPacific received pemlissionto aban­ tax money paying for the service. ing dependency on federal subsidies. don the Wellton (east ofYuma)-Phoe­ The National Association of Rail­ The railroad is lookingahead to no fed­ nix line, and Amtrak would have had road Passengers also encourages your eralsubsidy by the year 2002(5 years!). to provide maintenance expense(about support. A copy of their standard form 42 cities will lose all Amtrak ser­ $2 million a year) to keep the line for for writing is on page 6. vice as of November 10. Here is a list­ direct Phoenix service, as well as be­ ing of tile cities no longer in Amtrak's ing the only userof theline. An Amtrak The author wishes to express his immediate future, preceded by the Thruway bus now serves Phoenix via appreciation to Amtrak for providing eliminated train: Coolidge. the information used in this article. The Trainmaster September 1996 The TRAINMASTER is the official newsletter of the Pa- cific Northwest Chapter of the Na- ClL\PTERTI'IE T:\BLE �o. 408 tional Railway Historical Society, published monthly for the benefitof REGULAR RUNS its members. Articles which appear BOARD OF DIRECTORS MEETING Thursday, September 12 & Thursday, in The Trainmaster do not express . October 10, 7:00P.M., at Room208, Union Station. Enter through the mainentrance, turn right two times, past the magazine stand, first door on left at hallway to Wilfs. the official National Railway His- torical Society position on any sub- MONTHLY MEMBERSHIP MEETING Friday, September 20 & Friday, Octo­ jectunless specifically notedas such. ber 18, 7:30 P.M., at st. David's Episcopal Church, 2800 S.E. Harrison. The business meeting will start promptly at 7:30, with the newsreel and program following a short Material from may The Trainmaster break. Refreshmentswill be available; please bring some money to feed the "kitty," so be reprinted in other publications it can continue to feed us! provided credit is given as to the WEEKLYNO-HOST LUNCHEONevery Saturday, 12:00Noon, at the Semaphore address source. Please contributions, Restaurant at S.E. 17th & S.E. Holgate Blvd. Our group is in the back. Come on downl correspondence, and exchange cop- ies of newsletters to: ROLLING STOCK WORK SESSIONS are planned to prepare cars for leases. Contact Richard Gray (657-8250), or Peter Rodabaugh (771"-8545) for an update. Attn. TM Editor PNWC-NRHS LIBRARY/ARCHIVES WORK SESSION: Thursday, September 12 & Thurs­ day, October 10, 1:00 P.M. to 4:00 P.M. at Room 1 & IA, Union Station. Help is Room 1, Union Station needed to get things organized and catalogued. Contact Bob Weaver (654-4274) for Portland, OR 97209-3715 more information. VOICE: (503) 226-6747 CHAPTER LIBRARY OPEN HOURS Saturday, September 21 & 29, & Satur­ FAX: (503) 230-0572 day, October 19 & 26, 1:00 to 4:00P.M. at Room I, Union Station. Call Jim Loomis INTERNET: http:// (253-3926) for appointments, if this is a difficult day and/or time for you. www.easystreet.com/pnwc/ EXTRA BOARD PNWC-NRHS SPAGHETTIFEED: Friday, September20, 1996 at st. David's Epis­ Editor: . copal Church, 2800 S.E. Harrison, Portland, OR. Dinner will start at 6:00. P.M., fol­ lowed by a program and chapter meeting. Contact Darel Mack at (503) 654-5017 for James Loomis more details. 12440 S.E. Stephens GREAT NORTHWEST RAIL ADVENTURE: Saturday & Sunday, Octo�r 19 & Portland, OR 97233-1336 20, 1996. Call Room 1 (503) 226-6747 for brochure and order form, if you haven't receivedone by this time. Circulation: Chuck Storz, (503) 289-4529 MEMBERSHIP in the PNWC- NRHS is available as follows: Regular.... $30/yr. Joint ......... S35/yr. SEPTEMBER 20 MEETING PROGRAM For more information, contact the Programbegins after businessmeeting Membership Chairperson at the above address. Operation Lifesaver To be presented by: DEADLINES Everett Cutter The deadline for each issue of OCTOBER 18 MEETING PROGRAM The Trainmaster is the 20th of the previous month. Submis- (Surprise, surprise???) sions m be made on fl�py To be presented by: disk, in Wor �erfect, M Word or AS II fonnats. Richard Parks TheEditor reservesthe ritht to edit or hold material at hfs/her NOTICE: Programs are needed for futuremeetings. Anyone who is willing to discretion. present a program (slides, film, etc.) at a Chapter meeting, please contact the President. September 1996 2 The Trairunaster PNWC·NRHS the bearings will stand the move to W&P not open. BOARD MEETING trackage. A longdiscussion followedon the Programs: Bob Terkelsen reportedthat he August 8,1996 status of our equipment collection:what we will be doing a slide show this month, 0p­ SU�RY ofNONUTES own, what condition the equipment is in, eration Lifesaver will follow the Spaghetti and what we ought to consider for the fu­ feed, and October is still open. Call to Order: President Bob Terkelsen ture.A numberof ideas were discussed:the Old Business: Ralph Johnson is stillwork­ called the meeting to order at 7:10 P.M. general feelingis thatwe have more equip­ ing on getting the movie screen at the Present: Terkelsen, Ackennan, Hickok, mentthan we cantake care of, and we ought church repaired. There is still interest in Rodabaugh, Johnson, Schuler, Mack, to be realistic about this. MSC Mack/Ack­ having business cards for the chapter. In­ Weiler, Ordway, Larson & White. erman that the committee present to the fonnation on the artworle used for the chap­ Reading of Minutes: The minutes of the board at the December meeting an inven­ ter letterhead needsto go to Ralph Johnson 711111996 board meeting and 711911996 tory of equipmentthat we own, including a for further action. With all of the changes membership meeting were approved with list of items that might be considered sur­ at national, it has been suggested that we some minor corrections offered. plus. George Hickok reported that the ac­ make sure our membership records match Treasurer's Report: Maxine Rodabaugh tion of the board at the last board meeting with their records. MaxineRodabaugh will reported the accoWlt balances. The fInal regarding the COTS on the Red River was follow-up on this. Ordway brougbt up the payment has been recei ved from POTB for in error: the terms and conditions of the matter of the bond debt. Copies of the pro­ car lease. The annual tax return has been lease do not specifY that the lessee is re­ spectus were provided to all present. After completed and filed. Thereare no Wlusuai sponsible for the COTS, and as a result, some discussion, MS Ordway/Mack that expenses to report at this time. we are responsible for at least a part of the Rolling Stock and Finance committees President's Report: President Terkelsen cost. MSC LarsonlMack that the secre­ identifyassets that could be sold to pay off reported that the nominating conunitteewill tary be directed to send a letter offering a the debt, with the plan to be ready for ap­ be appointed at this month's membership settlement on the bill for the COTS.