Next week, I get to take my annual “big” train vacation. My friend Howard Shepherd and I will be leaving Columbia, SC on the Silver Star/Meteor on Tuesday the 26th (that’s next Tuesday). Wednesday will be a commuter ride in Philly (the Lansdale/Doylestown line, with a possible visit to the Mercer Museum if time allows), then dinner with my dad in Red Arrow land. Thursday morning we head west on the Three Rivers to Chicago, with a stop in Pittsburgh to ride one of the light rail lines (any suggestions?). Friday, Saturday, and Sunday Howard will be showing me around his home haunts in Milwaukee as well as visiting with his family. I’ve requested visits to Mid Continent, East Troy, and the Milwaukee Zoo (for the Sandley train, not the animals, of course). We’ll be coming home on the Capitol Limited then the Star/Meteor on Monday and Tuesday.

If anybody here should happen to see us, please say hi! HowardÂ’s tall and thin and has a penchant for plaid shirts. IÂ’ve always got a striped engineerÂ’s hat on and am the T-shirt and jeans type.

mconrad@msmgmt.com

In Pittsburgh the longest run is the Library Line, but you might want to transfer on your way back to the South Hills line at Washington Jct foe a "side trip," if you want to see the shops and carhouse. But you will almost be in time to see the reopening of the Overbrook Line between South Hills Jct and Castle Shannon on June 5, after a long and expensive rebuild,

> Next week, I get to take my annual “big”
> train vacation. My friend Howard Shepherd
> and I will be leaving Columbia, SC on the
> Silver Star/Meteor on Tuesday the 26th
> (thatÂ’s next Tuesday). Wednesday will be a
> commuter ride in Philly (the
> Lansdale/Doylestown line, with a possible
> visit to the Mercer Museum if time allows),
> then dinner with my dad in Red Arrow land.
> Thursday morning we head west on the Three
> Rivers to Chicago, with a stop in Pittsburgh
> to ride one of the light rail lines (any
> suggestions?). Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
> Howard will be showing me around his home
> haunts in Milwaukee as well as visiting with
> his family. IÂ’ve requested visits to Mid
> Continent, East Troy, and the Milwaukee Zoo
> (for the Sandley train, not the animals, of
> course). WeÂ’ll be coming home on the Capitol
> Limited then the Star/Meteor on Monday and
> Tuesday.

> If anybody here should happen to see us,
> please say hi! HowardÂ’s tall and thin and
> has a penchant for plaid shirts. IÂ’ve always
> got a striped engineerÂ’s hat on and am the
> T-shirt and jeans type.


frankree@verizon.net

> Next week, I get to take my annual “big”
> train vacation. My friend Howard Shepherd
> and I will be leaving Columbia, SC on the
> Silver Star/Meteor on Tuesday the 26th
> (thatÂ’s next Tuesday). Wednesday will be a
> commuter ride in Philly (the
> Lansdale/Doylestown line, with a possible
> visit to the Mercer Museum if time allows),
> then dinner with my dad in Red Arrow land.
> Thursday morning we head west on the Three
> Rivers to Chicago, with a stop in Pittsburgh
> to ride one of the light rail lines (any
> suggestions?). Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
> Howard will be showing me around his home
> haunts in Milwaukee as well as visiting with
> his family. IÂ’ve requested visits to Mid
> Continent, East Troy, and the Milwaukee Zoo
> (for the Sandley train, not the animals, of
> course). WeÂ’ll be coming home on the Capitol
> Limited then the Star/Meteor on Monday and
> Tuesday.

> If anybody here should happen to see us,
> please say hi! HowardÂ’s tall and thin and
> has a penchant for plaid shirts. IÂ’ve always
> got a striped engineerÂ’s hat on and am the
> T-shirt and jeans type.
Just a note if you make it to Mid-Continent around the 27th the Copper Range #29 should be arriving by truck. Some one should get some pictures of the delivery. I hope to have many pictures, unfortunately I don't have a digital camera and my attempts to scan and email didn't work out. Maybe I will mail the copies to be posted by our hosts? I will be in MI helping to ready the engines to move. John.



springfield@tds.net

> In Pittsburgh the longest run is the Library
> Line, but you might want to transfer on your
> way back to the South Hills line at
> Washington Jct foe a "side trip,"
> if you want to see the shops and carhouse.
> But you will almost be in time to see the
> reopening of the Overbrook Line between
> South Hills Jct and Castle Shannon on June
> 5, after a long and expensive rebuild,

If you are in Pittsburgh on the right kind of day (weekday) and time (AM or PM rush) be sure to ride the short #49 Allentown line, with its 9% grades and spectacular views of downtown as it goes over, not through, Mt. Washington, then rejoins the mainline at South Hills Junction. But it only runs 6 or 7 roundtrips per day. Timetables are available in the downtown subway stations, but the folder with the #49 schedule features the equivalent bus line and is easy to miss. BTW the ceremonial first trip on the "new" Overbrook line is Tuesday, June 1.

Pete Schmidt


pjslks@ix.netcom.com

Matt;

I don't know if you are interested in big stationary steam engines or not; but the compressor house at the former Solvay Coke Plant at 311 E. Greenwich Ave., Milwaukee is fixing to come down at any time; you might want to pass by and see it if you get a chance.

-James

> Next week, I get to take my annual “big”
> train vacation. My friend Howard Shepherd
> and I will be leaving Columbia, SC on the
> Silver Star/Meteor on Tuesday the 26th
> (thatÂ’s next Tuesday). Wednesday will be a
> commuter ride in Philly (the
> Lansdale/Doylestown line, with a possible
> visit to the Mercer Museum if time allows),
> then dinner with my dad in Red Arrow land.
> Thursday morning we head west on the Three
> Rivers to Chicago, with a stop in Pittsburgh
> to ride one of the light rail lines (any
> suggestions?). Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
> Howard will be showing me around his home
> haunts in Milwaukee as well as visiting with
> his family. IÂ’ve requested visits to Mid
> Continent, East Troy, and the Milwaukee Zoo
> (for the Sandley train, not the animals, of
> course). WeÂ’ll be coming home on the Capitol
> Limited then the Star/Meteor on Monday and
> Tuesday.

> If anybody here should happen to see us,
> please say hi! HowardÂ’s tall and thin and
> has a penchant for plaid shirts. IÂ’ve always
> got a striped engineerÂ’s hat on and am the
> T-shirt and jeans type.


Solvay Coke Plant, Milwaukee, WI, USA
james@survivingworldsteam.com

>
>Friday, Saturday, and Sunday
> Howard will be showing me around his home
> haunts in Milwaukee as well as visiting with
> his family. IÂ’ve requested visits to Mid
> Continent, East Troy, and the Milwaukee Zoo
> (for the Sandley train, not the animals, of
> course). WeÂ’ll be coming home on the Capitol
> Limited then the Star/Meteor on Monday and
> Tuesday.
Too bad it's so short you can't stop a few miles north of the Amtrak station in the Dells to see the original Sandley works and have a ride at the Riverside and Great Northern. Have a great trip!
Ted Anderson, member of R&GN (but seldom get a chance to stop there)

> If anybody here should happen to see us,
> please say hi! HowardÂ’s tall and thin and
> has a penchant for plaid shirts. IÂ’ve always
> got a striped engineerÂ’s hat on and am the
> T-shirt and jeans type.


tedander@core.com