Volume VIII, Number 4 Winter 2010 New Railroad Operations Committee Formed By Gordon Bachlund, SCSRA President, and Harold Benash, SCRPA President The boards of directors of the Southern California Railway Plaza Association and the Southern California Scenic Railway Association have signed a Memoran- dum of Understanding that melds the general mem- bership of the SCSRA into the SCRPA’s general mem- bership. It also creates a new SCRPA committee, the Railroad Operations Committee (ROC). The SCSRA will be the nucleus of the Rail Opera- tions Committee. Its activities will include conserving the cabooses, providing equipment maintenance and restoration, and operating the Southern California Railroad Experience (SCRX) demonstration railway when it becomes a reality. The creation of the ROC is the next logical step in the long-planned merger of the SCRPA and SCSRA, and this guarantees a home for our historic cabooses as part of the SCRX. The SCSRA’s two cabooses, the former AT&SF 999110 and former The SCSRA will retain ownership of the cabooses SP 4049, will be the focus for the newly formed ROC’s activities in and retain its tax-exempt corporate status until full the coming year. Photo by Elliott Alper. merger of the SCSRA into the SCRPA, so that it can continue to raise funds for the cabooses and other ROC The ROC will welcome all SCRPA members into projects. the Committee. A kick-off meeting will be held on Sat- urday, January 15, at the cabooses, located on the pri- vate car tracks at the Fullerton Transportation Center. Jan. 12, 2011, Dinner M eeting In addition, the ROC will elect a chairman who will guide the work of the Committee, schedule regular monthly work meetings and report to the SCRPA Join us at China Buffet Board of Directors. in Fullerton and learn The ROC has funds on hand to support contracted about the Union paint and refurbishment of the exterior of the SP 4049 Pacific Railroad in a and cover the expenses of smaller tasks, which can be presentation by guest carried out by ROC committee members. And we will speaker Lupe Valdez do additional fund-raising for ATSF 999110 as justified (pictured at left), by our progress on SP 4049. UP’s director of pub- The Committee will also support the joint H&MC/ lic affairs for the ROC annual awards dinner, and the Ridenour Award Los Angeles Basin. will be presented to an outstanding ROC member each year. Please mark your calendars now and plan on at- tending the first meeting of the ROC at 9 a.m. Satur- See the flier and RSVP day, January 15, 2011. form inside this We will remind you at the January 12 General Hot Rail! Meeting. SCRPA OFFICERS RE-ELECT ED FOR 2011 Southern California Railway Plaza Assn. Our Vision Is Membership campaign is under way Promotion of educational programs, activities, and ven- ues for people of all ages, dedicated to the preservation By Donna Johnson, Community & Media of the rail heritage of Southern California. Relations Chairman At the November annual elections, three members Our Mission Is of the Board of Directors whose terms were set to ex- Education of the public, providing an historical insight in- pire in January 2011 were re-elected for new three-year to the numerous contributions that railroads have made terms: George Barlow, Fred Canfield and George Enge- to the development and growth of Southern California lage IV. from the 19th century forward. Current officers – President Harold Benash, Vice Our Goals Are President Dennis White and Secretary/Treasurer Bar- • Successful development of the Southern California bara Eldredge – were all confirmed to continue in their Railroad Experience positions. • Production of the annual Railroad Days and The board also created a second Vice President po- Children‘s Rail Safety Poster Contest community sition and named longtime director Richard L. Hop- ping to serve in that role. events In other action in November, the board accepted • Sponsorship of historical research and modeling of with regret the resignation of director Elbert “Al” significant sites and structures, publication of the Hot Swerdfeger. Following the recent resignation of long- Rail! newsletter, and presentation of quarterly time director Stan Swanson, that leaves two board po- dinners and speakers on topics of member interest sitions open for nominations. Meanwhile, Membership Chairman George Barlow The SCRX Vision Is is conducting the annual membership campaign for To be the premier destination for presenting the spirit of 2011, with renewals due January 1. The response has Southern California through its railroad heritage. been very positive. The SCRX Mission Is And, of course, we’re always looking for new mem- bers to join our association, contributing an added To provide, through our ideas, exhibitions, and pro- measure of enthusiasm, energy and support toward re- grams, engaging educational and entertaining experienc- alizing our dream of a railroad museum right here in es to Southern California residents and visitors. Orange County. Please tell your friends about us and The SCRX Goals Are ask them for their support by becoming a member of To fulfill the Vision and Mission by developing and pre- SCRPA. senting programs that capture the spirit of Southern Cal- Let us know your suggestions for new membership ifornia through its railroad heritage and by partnering candidates and/or board nominations. You may leave with governmental and private entities to create an ex- a message on our office phone, (714) 278-0648, or send periential destination. an email to [email protected] H ISTORY & M OD ELIN G the fourth Tuesday of each month (except June and De- cember) at St. Paul’s Lutheran Church (corner of Las COM M IT T EE W IN T ER REPORT Palmas and Harbor Boulevard), Fullerton. Please contact Dennis White (714-871-4341) or By Dennis White, H&MC Secretary and Editor Harold Benash (714-525-6266) for directions or any Fall is a time for renewed activity amongst the com- questions regarding H&MC. mittee members. Construction of the La Habra module continues, TWENTIETH CENTURY OFFERS with all major buildings completed, track laid and wir- ing in process. Next step will be scenery and installa- A SCREW B ALL RID E FOR tion of the scale structures. This module should be a re- M OV IE N IG H T al show-stopper. Speaking of shows, H&MC has recently participat- By Gordon Bachlund, Movie Nights Chair ed at Orange Empire Railroad Museum’s Thomas the Tank Days and three railroad/trade shows, with an- The Saturday, January 22, 2011 screening in our other show scheduled for late January 2011. members’ free retrospective film series will feature Besides digging for historical facts, looking for arti- Twentieth Century, a screwball comedy starring John facts and building dioramas and models, the folks of Barrymore, Carole Lombard and Edgar Kennedy. the History & Modeling Committee are active “worker Our quarterly Movie Night will begin at 6 p.m. at bees” for SCRPA. We are involved in all the events and the Fullerton Museum Center, 301 N. Pomona Ave., functions of the parent organization. If you would like with a wine-tasting on the patio, under the tutelage of to get involved, the H&MC is a great place to start. Dennis White and sponsored by Jack Barich. Won’t you join us? The program will open with “Now or Never,” a 25- We need the participation of members who share minute Harold Lloyd comedy directed by Hal Roach our dreams. Whatever your railroad interest, there is a that is considered one of his most delightful shorts. place for you in H&MC. Meetings are held at 7 p.m., Much of the (NR) silent film’s charm comes from 2 VOL. VIII NO. 4 - WINTER 2010 Lloyd’s rapport with child ac- attached to the wheels. tress Anna May Bilson who In a few places, locomo- plays Dolly, a lonely little girl in tives can be fully electric, the charge of Harold’s baby-sit- getting their power from ting girlfriend, Mary (played by overhead wires called Mildred Davis, the actress who catenary. would soon become Mrs. • Passenger locomotives Harold Lloyd). – About the same size as As a special treat to set the a freight locomotive or a atmosphere, our Greg Smith little smaller, they are will provide a live keyboard ac- mechanically and electri- companiment. cally similar. But they The comedy continues as are geared higher for Twentieth Century takes off with faster performance and a convoluted plot running 91 generate Head End minutes in a 1934 black/white, Power (better known as sound production by Columbia. HEP), providing electric- (NR). ity to light the passenger We watch as temperamental cars and provide for New York theater impresario heating and air condi- Oscar Jaffe (Barrymore) changes tioning. the name of his newest discov- ery, a former lingerie model, to • Switch Engines – Smaller Lily Garland (Lombard) and be- than freight and passen- gins rehearsing his latest play. ger locomotives, they are Oscar drives Lily hard in re- used to make and break hearsal, bullying her and even train consists at the rail- stabbing her with a pin to in- road yards, place railcars duce her to scream properly. onto sidings so they can His harsh tactics pay off, how- be loaded or unloaded. ever, and Lily is a smash. Their And they are the usual tempestuous partnership con- power for branch-line tinues until Lily, driven to dis- operations, such as the traction by Oscar’s egotism and Union Pacific freight that jealous possessiveness, wants to end their relationship. operates in Brea, La Habra and through Sunny But she collapses in tears after a fight in which he fakes Hills to Con Agra in Fullerton.