Phillipsburg Railroad Historians, Inc.
PO Box 5104, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865
DECEMBER 2003 NEWSLETTER VOLUME XIII NUMBER 12
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Entertainment this month features:
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The Directors of the Phillipsburg Railroad Historians would like to extend their wishes to the membership and their families for a wonderful and joyous Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year. I don't know just how glamorous Santa's job is on a cold and dark night, floating in and out of everyone's chimney. How he keeps red and white so clean is a mystery to me. When I clean the oil burner out, my hands, arms and face are full of soot. We leave cookies and milk out for Santa. What I do know is too many homemade cookies give me heartburn, and what the milk does to me, I won't go there. Where does he go?... To an Interstate rest area. I have earned a living in the outdoors; folks, its no picnic when the wind chill is zero. And that's in the daytime. No, I wouldn't take Santa's job for all the tea in China. Remember, Santa is over 50. HoHoHo.
The December PRRH membership meeting will be held on Wednesday night December 17 at 7:30pm at the Alpha United Presbyterian Church. Please remember this meeting is a week earlier than is customary due to the Christmas holiday. The refreshments are given courtesy of all of you who have supported our coffee can donation throughout the year. We will be giving Reverend Jim a monetary donation as a token gesture of our gratitude for offering us a clean and comfortable place to conduct our meetings. Paul Carpenito will give a slide presentation on some trains from the past and a short study of PRRH members in action at the museum grounds.
Phillipsburg Town Council, by majority vote, has given the Phillipsburg Railroad Historians a twenty-year lease to continue conducting operations at the museum grounds. As a symbol of our steadfast support of bringing tourism to Phillipsburg, our offer of a long-term lease will make it clear to our supporters that we are here for the long term. Additionally, we were asked to extend our lease by the Warren County Municipal And Charitable Conservancy Trust Fund Committee, as a condition for their consideration in determining our eligibility for the stabilization grant now pending. In related news, our lease on the Chambers St. firehouse has been renewed for an additional two years. PRRH retains storage space at that location and has made one of its rooms available to Friends for archival storage.
We congratulate Harry Wyant on his re-election as mayor of Phillipsburg. Mayor Wyant has unveiled a four-year plan to attract railroad related tourism to Phillipsburg. This plan is in addition to the pending New Jersey Transportation Heritage Center, and could serve as a forerunner to the State site, or stand alone on it's own merits. PRRH is one of the major participants, and the Centerville And Southwestern would serve as a functional people mover between our present museum and the Delaware River Park, with a station stop at the CRR of NJ passenger station/ Visitors Center, and possibly a spur leading up to South Main St. across from Joe's Steak Shop. Much work needs to be done to begin negotiations with New Jersey Transit, the landowner of the property adjacent to where we presently operate. We will be working closely with the mayor's office to support all the facets of the plan which include
The October and November membership meetings nominations has resulted in all positions filled by a single nominee with no challenger. The only position left open with no nominee is the office of secretary. The president will be looking to appoint the position of secretary to a willing participant. The installation of officers will be held at our December meeting.
OFFICERS FOR 2004
President............Paul Carpenito
Vice-President..James Mack
Secretary............vacant
Treasurer............Margaret Carpenito
Directors............John Boner......Les Rockafellow......Bill Pensyl
OCTOBER 2003 WORK HOURS REPORT by JOHN WARD
In October, the days noticeably shortened, as they grew sporadically cooler, members recorded 80 1/2 onsite work hours associated with opening for the grant inspection tour (10-4), and Pumpkin Fest (10-25), along with museum renovation (including the moving of shelves and cabinets), tie work and painting.
Offsite administrative and bookwork and attendance at related activities registered 34 additional hours, yielding a monthly total of 114 1/2 hours worked. Our current yearly balance, as of 10/31/03, was 1902 1/4 hours.
We will be planning some further work on our engine house in the spring. The floor will be prepared for the pouring of stone as a first step toward a permanent floor. A major work party weekend will be scheduled sometime in late March. We will need the cooperation of all active work party participants as much work will need to be done over this weekend. We will keep you posted as to the date. Also, if weather cooperates during this winter, we may plan Saturday work parties to continue switch work or interior improvements, and securing of the museum roof pending a complete re-roofing of the building. A hands-up poll taken at November's meeting indicated a significant interest in doing Saturday sessions.
I am pleased to report to the membership that the angels of Christmas have visited PRRH this year. Member Herb Fischer has given PRRH a check donation for $1000.00 for financial assistance in club business relative to our growing needs. I am further thrilled to report to you that two individual anonymous angels have given us very large donations to assist us with the museum renovation. Director Bill Pensyl has given the treasurer a twenty-dollar donation to pay the lease on the Centerville & Southwestern RR for the next twenty years. Next year will prove to be an exciting and promising year for our building as we begin its renewal. At press time, we do not yet know whether the Warren County Conservancy has approved our grant request, but the funds available at our disposal will help towards its rebuilding, although not yet known to what extent.
Please remember Earle Brotzman sponsoring a TOYS for TOTS campaign with his circus model layout. Earle is at the Bethlehem Industrial Park off route 512 at 57 South Commerce Way. Dates to visit are December 11 to 14 and 18th through 21st. Hours are 4 to 10pm. Earle's efforts are to be commended and your support of his work is greatly needed. Please take some time out and visit him.
Our Santa Train will be coming up this weekend, Sunday December 14 from 1 to 4pm. Candy will be given out to the children and hot chocolate will be available to all. Bring your kids, their kids, and the neighborhood kids, and come be a kid yourself, but do dress warm, because you need to experience the holiday fever that we are bringing forth for the third consecutive year.
Please consider getting your 2004 dues paid as the new year is coming very soon and your club survives on your dues and donations.
It has truly been a blessing to me to have established friendships with so many of you. This organization continues with a fire, strong and bright. May the spirit of Christmas renew in all of you the hopes and promises of many tomorrows.
I hope to see and speak to many of you soon.
~ Paul M. Carpenito ~
PHILLIPSBURG RAILROAD HISTORIANS CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Sunday December 14 ------ SANTA TRAIN... 1 TO 4PM.
Wednesday December 17 --- Membership Meeting at 7:30PM.
PC/sdw
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