NEWSLETTER NORTH TEXAS ZEPHYR N ORTH T EXAS C HAP TER , N ATIONAL R AILWAY H ISTORICAL S OC I E TY W W W . NTXNRHS . O R G A P R I L 2007, V O L U M E 1 2 , I S S U E 2 NEXT MEETING : TUESDAY , A PRIL 3 , 2 0 0 7 GREET - 7 P M . MEET - 7 : 3 0 P M . P R O G R A M : P A T C OUGHLIN , HISTORIAN , K A T Y RAILROAD HISTORICAL SOCIETY A T : D ALLAS S OKOL C ENTER ( WALNUT HILL LN . EAST OF GREENVILLE ) V ALLI H OSKI , NORTH TEXAS NEWS DISPATCHER ALL CONTENT RIGHTS RETAINED BY ORIGINAL AUTHOR . EVERY ATTEMPT HAS BEEN MADE TO LIMIT CONTENT USE TO THAT ALLOWED BY COPYRI G H T L A W . CHAPTER MEETING............................................................. 1 CHAPTER PRESIDENT’S CORNER ....................................8 APRIL 3 MEETING – PAT COUGHLIN , KATY HISTORICAL SOCIETY ......... 1 RON ’S RUMBLINGS AND RAMBLINGS ................................................8 CHAPTER EVENTS & SPECIAL NEWS............................. 1 CHAPTER NEWS.....................................................................8 RAIL UNDER SAGINAW ’S STARS , MAY 25-26, 2007 ........................... 1 10 YEARS AGO WITH THE NORTH TEXAS CHAPTER – SPRING 1997 ......8 LIFE AFTER SAGINAW – LONE STAR RAIL FAIR , MAY 27, 2007 .......... 1 CHAPTER MEETING MINUTES , MARCH 6, 2007 ..................................9 DUES REMINDER – TWICE IS BETTER THAN NONE !............................ 2 CONVENTION CORRAL – LONE STAR RAILS 2008.......9 THE TRAIL TO LONE STAR RAILS - JUNE 16-22, ‘08 ........................... 2 NEWS FLASH – RUMOR OF THE MONTH ! ......................................... 2 CONVENTION COMMITTEE REPORT .................................................9 NORTH TEXAS RAIL PHOTO OF THE MONTH............. 2 CHAPTER DIRECTORY ........................................................9 NORTH TEXAS RAIL NEWS................................................ 2 NORTH TEXAS CHAPTER OFFICERS .................................................9 NORTH TEXAS CALENDAR ...........................................................10 DART & DALLAS WON ’T DO LOVE TUNNEL TOGETHER ...................... 2 NORTH TEXAS CHAPTER HISTORY ................................................10 ONTROL RANSFER ILLS ILED ARCH TSRR C T B F M 8, 2007 ................... 2 FWWR LEADS WITH NEW PRESIDENT ............................................ 3 TRE FIRST WITH END -TO -END BROADBAND WIRELESS ...................... 3 Chapter Meeting DART HONORED FOR CONTRIBUTION TO BUSINESS GROWTH ............ 3 TSRR SEEKS ROOTS IN HERITAGE ................................................ 3 April 3 Meeting – Pat Coughlin, KATY NEW TRANSPORTATION COORDINATOR REPRESENTS FORT WORTH ..... 3 Historical Society TEXAS & REGIONAL RAIL NEWS..................................... 4 Where : Sokol Dallas Center , 7448 Greenville Ave, Dallas, SP 1744’ S NEW HOME AT ALAMOSA , LA VETA PASS ......................... 4 TX, map: http://www.sokoldallas.com/id13.html UP HERITAGE FLEET MAKES SAFETY VISIT IN ODESSA ...................... 4 Driving ? From Central Expressway, east on Walnut Hill, east HEARTLAND FLYER CELEBRATES CENTENNIAL OK STYLE ................... 4 TRAVEL BY RAIL , ARKANSAS STYLE ................................................ 4 past Greenville. Turn south at the driveway just past Salt UP STEAM TRIP MIGHT BE OK’ D ................................................... 4 Water Willy’s Restaurant, drive down hill, bldg’s on left. BEEP BEEP ! THOMAS THE TANK ENGINE 2007 TOUR ......................... 4 DART ? Red Line to Walnut Hill Station, exit the platform’s TEXAS & PACIFIC EXHIBIT ON THROUGH MARCH ............................... 4 north end. Board #501, 506 or 582 bus in the bus lane (not TEXARKANA SEEKS HIGH SPEED RAIL GROWTH ................................ 5 across the street). East on Walnut Hill. Get off at last stop WEATHERFORD GIVES NOD TO REGIONAL RAIL ................................ 5 before Greenville (2nd stop after the station), walk east across NM COMMUTER TRAIN TO BUILD ON GLORIE (TA ) ROAD ..................... 5 SP 745 DOES NEW ORLEANS /B ATON ROUGE RAILS .......................... 5 Greenville, turn right (south) at driveway past restaurant, walk AUSTIN ’S SP 786 IN CAPABLE , TENDER HANDS ................................ 5 down to hall. Bus routes turn right on G’ville; don't go that far. GENERAL RAIL NEWS......................................................... 6 Chapter Events & Special News SOUTHERN BELLE BEAUTY BESTOWED ON KCSM ............................ 6 END OF THE LINE FOR BOSTON T PIONEERS ................................... 6 Rail Under Saginaw’s Stars, May 25-26, 2007 NINE RAIL STATIONS PART OF AMERICA ’S FAVORITE ARCHITECTURE .... 6 Help the chapter beat last year’s record of up to 100 railfans SUNSET ROUTE DOUBLE -TRACK HALFWAY DONE ............................. 6 Saginaw, Texas on May AMTRAK FUNDING INCREASE PROPOSED BY SENATE COMMITTEE ......... 7 during another 24 hours of railFUN , EXECUTIVE OPPOSITION TO AMTRAK BI-PARTISAN REAUTHORIZATION .. 7 25-26, 2007. To present a program, contact Skip. SEPTA SERVICE ELEVATED 100 YEARS AND MORE .......................... 7 BELFAST & MOOSEHEAD LAKE TRUE TO CHAMBERLAIN ’S CHARTER ..... 7 Life After Saginaw – Lone Star Rail Fair, AMTRAK SUPERLINER IS A LOVELY 28 YEARS YOUNG ........................ 7 May 27, 2007 CANADIAN PACIFIC 126 YEARS STRONG .......................................... 8 PULLMAN PORTERS HONORED BY SMITHSONIAN , RAILROADS ............. 8 27th Annual Lone Star Rail Fair - Railroad Collectible and Model Train Show & Sale . 10am to 5pm in the Amon Send news for next issue to: [email protected] , by April 15, 2007 Page 1 NORTH TEXAS ZEPHYR NEWSLETTER N ORTH T EXAS C HAPTER , N ATIONAL R AILWAY H ISTORICAL S O C IET Y W W W . NTXNRHS . O R G A P R I L 2007, V O L U M E 1 2 , I S S U E 2 G. Carter Exhibit Hall, Will Rogers Mem’l Center, Ft. Worth. The Trail To Lone Star Rails - June 16-22, ‘08 Contact R. Terry Adams, (817) 732-2117, [email protected] Website(s): http://www.gserr.com The NRHS has announced the 2008 national convention sponsored by the North Texas Chapter! Source: 3/1/2007, Railroadiana Collectors Association . Original http://www.nrhs.com/nrhsconv/ To further celebrate the news, article at http://www.railroadcollectors.org/pgCalendar.php our 2008 convention has its own Internet home and date! Dues Reminder – Twice Is Better Than None! http://www.lonestarrails2008.com/ National has sent reminders to members who have not paid News Flash – Rumor Of The Month! their 2007 dues. The National notices might cross in the Texas Eagle (Amtrak) to reroute over Cotton Belt in Texas, mail with those who have sent payment. \If you have due to UP maintenance work. Source: 3/21/07, Skip Waters. paid/renewed, but still receive a National notice, please contact the Chapter Treasurer to verify your status. Thanks. Steve. North Texas Rail Photo Of The Month This month’s historical photo favorite shows a venerable RDC on the Trinity Railway Express, all dressed up for spring in South Irving. Photo(s) courtesy of Dallas Area Rapid Transit ’s Image Library at http://www.trinityrailwayexpress.org/images/TRESouthIrving.JPG Please share your photo fun! Provide photo description, location, date, your name. North Texas rail photos preferred, but all are welcome . North Texas Rail News cause DART to be in breach of contract with the FTA, jeopardizing DART's $700 million in federal funds for the $1.4 DART & Dallas Won’t Do Love Tunnel Together billion Green Line. In 2004, the FTA said the project would not be recommended if it included the tunnel, concluding it did not Construction of the DART Rail Green Line - which will extend generate enough benefits (ridership and travel-time savings) to 27.7 miles from Pleasant Grove in southeast Dallas to Carrollton justify the increased project cost. Source: 3/12/2007, DART News - will stay on schedule, and the City of Dallas will drop its push Release. Original article at http://www.dart.org/news/news.asp?ID=742 for a direct tunnel connection from the rail line into Dallas Love Field. The city and DART seek alternative transit access from TSRR Control Transfer Bills Filed March 8, 2007 DART's rail into the terminal area, including a people mover Beth Foley, The Palestine Herald, [email protected] system and traffic improvements to the nearby neighborhood. The developments occurred after city officials contacted a Local state legislators filed bills on behalf of the Texas State Federal Transit Administration (FTA) official Thursday (March 8) Railroad Thursday [March 8, 2007] aimed at providing the means to make a case for a direct tunnel connection and learned that of transferring control of the historic railroad. Rep. Byron Cook, any changes to the current route or station configuration would R-Corsicana, filed House Bill 3113 “relating to the transfer of the Texas State Railroad to, and the creation of, the Texas State Send news for next issue to: [email protected] , by April 15, 2007 Page 2 NORTH TEXAS ZEPHYR NEWSLETTER N ORTH T EXAS C HAPTER , N ATIONAL R AILWAY H ISTORICAL S O C IET Y W W W . NTXNRHS . O R G A P R I L 2007, V O L U M E 1 2 , I S S U E 2 Railroad Authority”, which would “grant authority to issue bonds of its total vendor activity. As DART moves forward with its rail or other similar obligations or to create public debt.” Later the expansion, the agency will continue to work closely with the same day, Sen. Robert Nichols, R-Jacksonville, filed SB 1659, chamber to assure Hispanic participation. Source: 3/5/2007, the companion bill to Cook’s. The legislation,