June 2004 Newsletter

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Phillipsburg Railroad Historians, Inc.
PO Box 5104, Phillipsburg, NJ 08865
www.prrh.org

JUNE 2004 NEWSLETTER VOLUME XIV NUMBER 6

Entertainment this month features:
To be announced

Happy summer to all our readers, and I certainty hope you get in all the activities and trips you've dreamed about while you were watching the snow fly past your window. Now that I can leave the window open while I compose this work, I can listen to Mr. And Mrs. Duck out back as they waddle up to the feeder for some more corn. We need try to grasp summer's handiwork though it passes so quickly.

MARCH & APRIL VOLUNTEER REPORT by John Ward.
March was the first big work month for PRRH this year, highlighted by the work in the engine house to handle the stone delivery and laying. Work parties also pursued maintenance, repair and cleaning of equipment and grounds, including the museum. Three members represented us at the Mother Seton show. Total on-site hours totaled 268, plus 32 hours for administration and paperwork, yielding a total of 300 March hours worked, and a yearly sum of 382 hours.
Work on-site through the month of April included staffing the museum gift shop, mowing, work on the C&S locomotive and track, preparing for the May 2 Open House, laying ties and working on the semaphore, flanger, caboose and fencing, for a total of 151 hours, plus 32 off-site hours administration work, giving us 183 April hours and 565 hours year-to-date results.

As you can see from these statistics, our ability to put volunteers to task is very admirable, and I am often quick to point out to visitors that this group is very alive and well. I am particularly impressed by the light-hearted attitude our people possess as they handle work that I would not consider easy, This is the essence and core of a successful organization, all working toward the good of the cause.

Tuesday volunteer work continues to make strides as we have progressed in spiking down track, and hard efforts have begun in building a roof atop our historic L&HR flanger to protect it from the weather. The existing roof had provided nearly no shelter and a tarp was all we had to keep the water out. This piece of equipment is truly fascinating inside as it tells of the history of long harsh hours of labor railroaders put forth years ago in their battles against the elements. Some coal still remains in the big round stove inside the car. ANTHRACITE members have traveled to Phillipsburg to erase the graffiti vandalism done to the X-29 boxcar. The lower portion of the car has been painted over to correct this.

The Town of Phillipsburg has completed the coal pocket wall repair, and we will enhance that excellent effort with the addition of higher wall structure and fencing with the monies donated us for that purpose. PRRH would like to thank Mayor Wyant and the Town Municipal Department for their excellent work in installing the wall and back filling.

CENTERVIILLE & SOUTHWESTERN NEWS..........
Work has started on the two freight cars that were painted several years ago by Bob Marinelli. Having searched for an expert sign painter, Pete Terp put us in touch with a gentleman who has done similar work at The Land of Make Believe. A C&S boxcar is being done in CNJ markings and a reefer will be lettered for the DL&W. We hope eventually to do two more cars to represent PRR and L&HR. With cars presently in service for LV and Becker Dairy, we will have represented all the heritage railroads that ran through Phillipsburg. With a large amount of cars in their original Centerville & Southwestern colors, we will give the visitor much to photograph.

I know many of you and our patrons have asked about a C&S video presentation that they could take home. At many of our display trips to shows, we have been continually asked about a product of this nature. I'm pleased to inform you we are one step closer to this becoming reality. Supporter Dan Espy, a professional producer and videographer, has traveled to Phillipsburg numerous times, and sought out the old Becker grounds at Roseland. With help from Bob Bennington, our senior C&S engineer, Dan has come up with a great professional-quality show that he is putting the finishing touches to. The late Henry Becker had begun to catalog his original footage, and at the time of his death, had succeeded in getting the tapes, much of them fragile, into a video format. His wife, Pauline, has been so kind as to share this incredible treasure for all of Becker's fans. Through Bob's help, Dan has been able to take this material and improve it through work at his professional studio. Dan is now ready to show YOU what he has put together. I am thrilled to inform you that our JULY meeting entertainment will be the premiere showing of his efforts at capturing the spirit of Henry Becker's Centerville & Southwestern. After our reception of this showing, Dan will complete the final touches to this epic, literally years in the making.

There has been a very generous outpouring of donations this past month as members and friends have seen fit to help the club. Pat Graham has given us an arc-welder for the collection, and Pete Terp has donated tools from his brother Dan's collection. Rich Frantz handed me $100.00 to help pay for the trucking of stone to our engine house. Member Jacqueline Mock has donated $500.00 in loving memory of her husband Walter, a PRRH member and formerly a member of the Railroad Enthusiasts (RRE). I am grateful to all of you who have blessed this group with your financial and enthusiastic support. I wish also to thank all of you who man the museum on Sundays, and especially to Vice-President Jim Mack who is always there when I need him to be.

PLEASE REMEMBER our next two Open Houses, June 20 for Phillipsburg Rail fan Day and our Summer Open House on July 11. Your support and patronage are essential to our continued success. Visitors coming for the Susquehanna steam trips are seeing our posters in Town and wandering over to see what we have to offer as an added attraction to their day, consequently the gift shop exposure has improved.

PRRH welcomes Anne Boner, wife of Director John Boner, to the membership ranks. Ann is already a familiar figure to our events as well as assisting in our efforts at growing ivy along the wall. She has helped at Open Houses and gone along on Field Trips.

PRRH membership meeting will be held on Wednesday night, June 23 at 7:30pm at the Alpha United Presbyterian Church. Refreshments are through the courtesy of John Boner and Frank Sattler. After the business portion of the meeting, quality entertainment will follow.

Here's hoping all of you and your families are well. Please plan on bringing them along with you to our summer of events. We all plan on having a great time.

~ Paul M. Carpenito ~

PHILLIPSBURG RAILROAD HISTORIANS CALENDAR OF EVENTS
Sunday June 20 ------------------------- OPEN HOUSE at the museum 10am to 4pm.
Wednesday June 23 ------------------- Membership meeting 7:30pm.
Sunday July 11 --------------------------- OPEN HOUSE at the museum 10am to 4pm.
Friday July 23 ---------------------------- Olde Towne Fest with C&S train operation. 6pm to 9pm.
Sunday August 29 ---------------------- PRRH picnic at Hugh Moore Canal Park.

PC/sdw