There's a lot to report on the Helmstetter Farm front. First off, John Helmstetter has decided to build a two-story barn on the site of the barn destroyed by fire on July 9. He was going to build a simple pole barn to shelter his livestock, but the outpouring of support, especially from the railfan community, has been overwhelming and he can (almost) afford to build a better looking barn on his farm. So far, the John Helmstetter Farm Fund has raised $24,000!

Now about that "almost afford" part. John is stretching his resources a bit to put up the new barn, and could still use a little help. To put John over the top, the John Helmstetter Farm Fund committee is running a third photo charter on the Western Maryland Scenic, this one scheduled for October 26. This charter will differ significantly from the other two (October 19 and November 9, both of which are nearly sold out) in that WMSR 734 will operate in an eastbound direction in the morning (affording some unique views, especially on the downhill side of Helmstetter's Curve) and the 734 will be used in freight pusher service for part of the day. These are photo opportunities that are not often offered.

If you have already bought a ticket or made a donation, we thank you. Please consider joining us on October 26 for a unique day on the railroad. John Helmstetter will be riding all three trips, and we encourage you to come out and meet him and enjoy a day of camaraderie with your fellow photographers.

Details for all the trips (as well as the Limited Edition Prints and video being offered) can be found at http://www.helmstetterfarm.org . John Helmstetter is grateful beyond words for everything the railfan community has done for him. Let's finish the job of making Helmstetter's Curve one of the best places to photograph steam in the country.

Thanks.

The John Helmstetter Farm Fund Committee
Steve Barry, Carl Franz and Bill Larduskey

From CBS News 1-1-2010

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/01/ ... tag=exclsv

Alternate link, just in case:

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2010/01/ ... 5669.shtml

There's an embedded video at this webpage, if you have high-speed internet or patience......

http://www.cbsnews.com/video/watch/?id= ... photovideo