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Pennsylvania Railroad
Technical and Historical Society

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2023 Annual Meeting

(our 55th)

Wednesday, May 17, 2023 - Sunday, May 21, 2023

Dublin, Ohio


Hosted by Lines West Buckeye Region

Lines West Buckeye Region welcomes you to the PRRT&HS 55th Annual Meeting. The event hotel site, Embassy Suites, is located in Dublin, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus, featuring in-house dining plus many other amenities. It is within one mile of Dublin’s Historic District and Bridge Park, just a short walk from shopping and restaurants and less than 15 minutes from the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium. We have put together programs featuring presentations ranging from ore docks on the Great Lakes to odd ball locomotives of the PRR as well as operations "out west". Come and Enjoy Dublin - where Irish is an Attitude!


Countdown to Dublin
Countdown
Countdown to Dublin

If you are a member of the society and have not logged into your on-line account (free), you should first log in to gain access to the on-line registration, or you can download the registration form at the bottom of this page and register by mail. If your membership has expired you must first renew on-line before you can register on-line, or you can mail in the annual meeting registration form since it includes space for membership renewal.


If you are not a member of the society but want to attend our annual meeting, you must first join the society, and then log into this web site in order to register on-line.


You must be a member (primary or family member) of the society to join the Age of Steam roundhouse tour.


Note that payment of member dues and Annual Meeting registration by credit card can only be done on-line. If paying by check you will need to mail-in your forms to the address on the form.





Activities Schedule


Click on date below to expand it to see what is happening on that date.


Each swim lane in a day's schedule represents one of our rooms and is color-coded to the coloring of the rooms on the Hotel Floor Plan, so that you can easily determine the location of the room for your desired activity.


Schedules are subject to change, so check back on a regular basis.

Activity Descriptions


Click on an activity below to expand it to see more about it.

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WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 2023
WEDNESDAY, MAY 17, 2023

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THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2023
THURSDAY, MAY 18, 2023
 
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FRIDAY, MAY 19, 2023
FRIDAY, MAY 19, 2023

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SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2023
SATURDAY, MAY 20, 2023

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SUNDAY, MAY 21, 2023
SUNDAY, MAY 21, 2023
The hotel serves breakfast from 6:30 am to 9:30 am.  It is complementary to hotel guests.

The only activity today is tours of model railroad layouts.  Check the list of model railroads either on the website or on the list you picked up at the registration desk for which layouts will be open and for what hours.  Only the printed lists (available at registration) have the addresses of the layouts on them, so be sure to pick up a list at the registration table if you plan on visiting a model railroad layout.

Remember, we are guests in these people's homes, so please exercise appropriate consideration and abide by any requests they may make of you.  Also, be courteous when you park your car, so as to not obstruct traffic on the street or block neighbors' driveways.  And have fun!

Thank you for joining us this year, it was great to see you!  Have a safe trip home.


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Hotel Floor Plan
Hotel Floor Plan


Click here to see bigger schedules suitable for display on mobile devices.


Hotel Information

Embassy Suites
5100 Upper Metro Place
Dublin, Ohio 43017
614-790-9000

The period of time during which you may have received our discounted room rate has expired.  You may still call the above phone number to reserve a room, but you will now be paying the standard room rate.



Additional hotel information can be found here.



Food & Drink


Hungry yet?  Thirsty for more information?  Click here to find out about food and drink options while at the annual meeting.

AGE OF STEAM TOUR
PRESENTATIONS
MODEL ROOM
BANQUET
VENDORS
SPOUSES
THINGS TO DO
MEETING & ELECTION
LAYOUT OP SESSIONS AND TOURS

Age of Steam Roundhouse Tour


Thursday, May 18, 2023


The tour is limited to 108 passengers and includes transportation, roundhouse admission and buffet lunch.

Cost $100 per person

Click on the picture below to learn more.
Aerial view of Age of Steam Roundhouse


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DAN AND DAVE ADAIR: THE CLEVELAND AND MARIETTA (C&M)) BRANCH OF THE PRR
DAN AND DAVE ADAIR: THE CLEVELAND AND MARIETTA (C&M)) BRANCH OF THE PRR
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TED ANDREWS: SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS ON THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD AT WARSAW INDIANA -1965
TED ANDREWS: SUMMARY OF OPERATIONS ON THE PENNSYLVANIA RAILROAD AT WARSAW INDIANA -1965
A review of train operations on the Pennsylvania's Fort Wayne line in Warsaw, Indiana, will be presented. KS Tower operator sheets CT-355a for the complete year of 1965 were entered into a spreadsheet and the findings of passenger, freight operations, and motive power assignments will be discussed.
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BILL BRUBACH: YOU MUST BE 21 OR OVER
BILL BRUBACH: YOU MUST BE 21 OR OVER
No, this is not some risque movie, but it does involve some strange individuals. PRR locomotives, that is. After the 1895 standardization of locomotive classes by Altoona, a letter designated wheel arrangement, and numbers designated the orderly progression of improvements or variations. That is from 1 to 20. Sub-classes 21 and over were for the few, the strange, the odd, and in my estimation, some of the most interesting "non-standard" motive power of the "Standard Railroad of The world." For reasons we will discuss, the largest number of these oddballs ended up on the "P Co.", making them an integral part of history for us "LINES WESTERNERS". And yes, we will cover non-standard sub-classes below 21 also. Normal is boring.
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MIKE CROSBY Title: TRACKING THE T1s
MIKE CROSBY Title: TRACKING THE T1s
Mike Crosby reports on his project to chart the movements of the PRR Class TIs. This includes research resources, division assignments, types and sizes of trains, operations, and performance.
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JOE DEFRANCESCO: UPDATE ON 1361 CLASS K4 REBUILDING IN ALTOONA
JOE DEFRANCESCO: UPDATE ON 1361 CLASS K4 REBUILDING IN ALTOONA
K4 1361 stood on display on the Horseshoe Curve for decades until removed in the mid-1980s and made operable again. Plagued by a checkered rebuild in later years, it is currently receiving a proper restoration today by the Railroaders Memorial Museum in Altoona. This will be an update of the progress so far.
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PETE FORBES: PRR CHICAGO FREIGHT TRAFFIC IN 1947
PETE FORBES: PRR CHICAGO FREIGHT TRAFFIC IN 1947
In 1947, the PRR made a study of its freight business in the Chicago Switching District. The study had 3 objectives. First, select an alternate route to move Fort Wayne traffic onto the Panhandle. Second, determine what efficiencies could be gained by consolidating shifting crews in the Chicago Terminal Division. Third, what steps could be taken to capture a larger slice of the eastbound interchange traffic from the Western railroads. This talk will go over how the study was done and what conclusions were reached.
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TED GOODMAN: THE AOS ROUNDHOUSE FROM THE GROUND UP
TED GOODMAN: THE AOS ROUNDHOUSE FROM THE GROUND UP
NOTE: This program will be given once on Wednesday evening. It is primarily for those taking the tour Of the Age of Steam Roundhouse on Thursday.

Not many architects in this day and age can say they designed a modern-day replica of a steam era roundhouse. Ted Goodman can. He was the architect for the Age Of Steam roundhouse in Sugarcreek. For those of you going on the AOS tour, this is a must presentation.
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SCOTT LINDSEY: RICHMOND, INDIANA-IT'S DEVELOPMENT AND DECLINE
SCOTT LINDSEY: RICHMOND, INDIANA-IT'S DEVELOPMENT AND DECLINE
A historical overview of the Richmond terminal's role in PRR operations in the region, along with the six PRR routes that fed traffic through its facilities. Includes a summary of train movements through the city during a typical day in the early 1960s.
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BILL NEALE: UPGRADING AND REFRESHING A PRR LAYOUT (.„.or What I did during the COVID shutdown)
BILL NEALE: UPGRADING AND REFRESHING A PRR LAYOUT (.„.or What I did during the COVID shutdown)
Simple upgrades can make a big impact on the appearance and operation of your layout. This presentation details the improvements I have made to my PRR panhandle layout over the past couple of years or so. Most of these improvements can be applied to any layout, and can really improve your enjoyment of the hobby. This clinic includes: layout lighting, fascia and backdrop painting, control system improvements, re-wiring the layout, and the addition of a fully operational PRR signal system, including interlocking plants. I also touch on additional 'focal point" details and operational improvements.
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DAVE OROSZI: A PHOTO TOUR OF THE PRR FROM COLUMBUS TO BRADFORD
DAVE OROSZI: A PHOTO TOUR OF THE PRR FROM COLUMBUS TO BRADFORD
The PRR mainline west out of Columbus was known as the Bradford Line. At Bradford the line split with one side going to Logansport and the other to Richmond. Dave Oroszi is a well-known Ohio railroad historian and his extensive photo collection of the line includes depots, towers, and lots of steam and diesel trains.
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CHIP SYME: THE CLEVELAND ORE DOCK WITH HULETTS FROM BEGINNING TO END
CHIP SYME: THE CLEVELAND ORE DOCK WITH HULETTS FROM BEGINNING TO END
Retired PC-CR-NS 40- year engineer, Chip Syme, will take you on a pictorial tour of the C&P ore docks in Cleveland.
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T1 TRUST
T1 TRUST
T1 Trust will offer an update on the progress of the T1 project.


Model Room


Metro Room



PRRT&HS is so fortunate to have so many excellent modellers who like to bring examples of their work to our annual meetings for our enjoyment.  (Plus, if they win, they get bragging rights for the next year.)  The room is open all day Friday and Saturday morning, so come on down and feast your eyes on the wonderful expressions of our railroad in miniature.

Shall we take a look at some prior years' models to whet our appetite?  Also click on the button to find out more information about the Model Room.

Learn more





Banquet and Awards


The penultimate event of our time together is the Saturday evening banquet.  Join us for a sumptuous feast and happy conversation with good friends.  And then listen to our guest speaker.  Afterwards, stick around for the presentation of awards and the announcement of the winners of our raffle prizes.

The meal choices this year are:
  • Grilled Salmon with Citrus Butter
  • Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Bourbon Bacon Apple Butter
  • Cauliflower Steak with Caramelized Fennel and Artichoke Hearts (vegetarian selection)
You can make your selection when you register on our website or on your registration form, which you can download from here if you don't already have one.

Our guest speaker will be Albert Churella, PhD, whose talk, entitled, "Go West , Young [Railroad] Man" (with apologies to Horace Greeley), will focus on the developments that occurred on Lines West, in both the 19th and the 20th centuries, that affected the PRR as a whole -- everything from the route structure and the financing of the Fort Wayne and the Pan Handle to the role of Lines West in motive-power development, to the influence of executives such as McCrea, Atterbury, and Symes.

Dr. Churella earned his B.A. in economics from Haverford College and his M.A. and Ph.D. from The Ohio State University. His research focuses on transportation history and transportation policy, with particular emphasis on the relationship between the railroads and the regulatory state. His publications include From Steam to Diesel: Managerial Customs and Organizational Capabilities in the Twentieth-Century American Locomotive Industry (Princeton University Press, 1998) and The Pennsylvania Railroad: Volume 1, Building an Empire, 1846–1917 (University of Pennsylvania Press, 2013), as well as articles in the Business History Review, Enterprise & Society, and other publications. Dr. Churella is currently working on the second and final volume of the complete history of the Pennsylvania Railroad, which between 1881 and 1901 was the world's largest private corporation.

Vendor Room


Ballroom


Looking for that rare car kit or locomotive?  How about a rule book or employee timetable?  A nice piece of art?  A lantern or station sign?
Hundreds of things like these will be available in the Vendor Room.  Check the Main Program Outline to the left for location and times.


Vendors


We will have 100 tables available.  Set up on Thursday and Friday morning.  Tear down is on Saturday afternoon.  Check the Main Program Outline to the left for times.

Purchase  your tables at  the registration page (replace with actual link) on our website, or use the registration form.  You can also write any special requests on there as well.

more vendor info

Alternate Tour




For those who would like to enjoy an activity that is not railroad oriented, we will be offering an alternate tour to the Columbus Museum of Art. This excursion will leave the hotel at 10:00 am on Thursday, May 18th, and travel to downtown Columbus to drop you off at the museum. You will casually tour the exhibits at your own pace before boarding our tour bus at 4:00 pm to return to the hotel. Dining IS NOT included with this tour, but the Schokko Café is open for onsite dining. Click the following link to see the cafe menu. Please note that seating in the cafe is limited and they ask us to stagger our lunch times.

https://www.columbusmuseum.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/Schokko-Menu.pdf

The museum is presenting two special exhibits, and admission to these are included in your tour price.  Click here to learn more about the special exhibits.

Dublin is a suburb of Columbus, which, as the capitol of Ohio and its largest city, has plenty of things for you to do there.  Here are some nearby attractions that you or your spouse might enjoy visiting:

Annual Business Meeting and Election

Annual Business Meeting

The society's annual business meeting will be held on Saturday morning, May 20, 2023, at 9:00 am in the Riverside Room at the Embassy Suites, 5100 Upper Metro Place, Dublin, Ohio 43017.

Annual Business Meeting Proxy


If you cannot attend the annual business meeting, please complete a proxy.  Details can be found at the bottom of this page.

Annual Election

On the agenda this year is the re-election of one director and the election of two new directors.  The biographies of the three candidates are provided below:

Tim Garner – Director since 2020


Tim Garner born in Washington, DC, has been a fan of the PRR since the early 1960s. He has been a member of the PRRT&HS for 31 years and is one of the founders of the New England Chapter of which he has been the Secretary for the past 15 years. He has contributed several paintings and articles to The Keystone of which he served as news editor for a time. He is the founding editor of The East Wind, the chapters quarterly emagazine now in its 16th year. Tim has been the Art Director for The Keystone Modeler since 2009 and has featured some of his excellent modeling work. He has spoken at the PRRT&HS Annual Meetings and has served as its registrar twice and likes to volunteer at the Lewistown Archives. He was a summer train attendant for Amtrak in 1978 and worked the Broadway Limited-Washington section three times. Tim lives with his family in Marlborough, Massachusetts.

William (Bill) Neale - 2023 Nominee


Bill is a researcher, historian, and dedicated model railroader with an almost singular focus on the Pennsylvania Railroad west of Pittsburgh. He has been published in Rail Model Journal, Model Railroader, Model Railroad Planning and Great Model Railroads. He has also written articles for the regional NMRA, national NMRA and PRR historical Society publications, and is a regular contributor to several web-based groups.

Bill enjoys giving clinics at NMRA conventions and RPM meets every year. Bill has also served at both the regional and national levels of the NMRA, and currently serves on the National NMRA Board of Directors as the Midwest regional director. (Bill’s NMRA Director term expires in July)

He has constructed a moderate sized HO railroad working from historical documents and photographs, creating a fairly accurate representation of the PRR Panhandle Division as it was in September of 1939. This was when over 100 trains rolled across the Ohio River at Weirton Junction, and all were steam powered! The model railroad was featured in the 2010 Great Model Railroads magazine. Bill’s perspective on the hobby: When you share what you know, no matter how little, many good things happen. First, you may help someone who is struggling with the same problems you have already solved. Second, every time you share your knowledge of almost any subject, you’ll get new information in return. Always be open to learning more. And third and most importantly, you might make a new friend.

James (Jim) E. Trunzo - 2023 Nominee


Jim's interest in serving as a director is to participate in the long-term management of the Society with a goal to enhance member experience. He has been a PRRT&HS member since 1999 and has served as the Donations Administrator since 2013 and also the Membership Coordinator since 2022. In 2013, Jim founded the Pacific Northwest Chapter of the PRRT&HS and serves as its President.

He is a retired Metallurgical Engineer with executive management experience, and also with extensive Director experience in profit and non-profit organizations. He is a graduate of the Course “Boards that make a difference – A new design for Leadership in Nonprofit and Public Organizations”.

He is an Air Force veteran and in addition to his interests in all things PRR, is a model railroader, a restorer of tube radios and antique cars.

Proxy


It is important not only for you, but also for the society, that you submit a proxy vote if you will NOT be attending the business meeting itself. Not only can you vote on the directors up for election, it will also help us reach the quorum requirement for the Annual Business Meeting, which is necessary to satisfy state requirements.

Any active member who will NOT be attending the annual business meeting and would like to vote on the director candidates may do so by completing the Proxy. You can do this electronically on-line by clicking the On-Line Proxy button below, or you can mail-in the proxy form that can be downloaded below. Please note that if you received a registration packet in the mail, you will find a proxy form enclosed within it.

Filled out proxy forms should be mailed to this address:

PRRT&HS
P.O. Box 640515
Pittsburgh, PA 15264-0515


Submit ONLY an online proxy OR a mailed-in proxy form.

IF YOU WILL BE ATTENDING THE ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING, DO NOT SUBMIT A PROXY VOTE OF EITHER TYPE.


Layout Op Sessions and Tours



Some of our members will be graciously opening up their layouts for those who are interested in either viewing or operating their layouts.  Click here to see some descriptions and pictures of these layouts.

There are two ways to visit these layouts, depending upon how their owners have presented them.

  1. The layout is open for viewing only.  These layouts may be visited on Sunday at your leisure during the stated hours.
  2. You may join in an operating session by registering at the registration desk in the Ballroom Lobby.  These will take place on Friday night.  There are a limited number of slots available, so come prepared and sign up early.

Car pooling is requested, especially for the operating sessions, so that we don't fill up the street with all of our cars.

Each layout's description specifies which type of visit the owner has opened his layout up for.  You may find the descriptions here .







Important Information

(The fine print)

There are some things that are important for you to know, so please take a moment to read through the next few lines.

  • To attend any of the functions, events or meals at the Annual Meeting, one must be a member of the PRRT&HS. Members of a member's family can easily become a Family Member at no cost, which qualifies them. This must be done before they can register for the Annual Meeting. You can do this yourself by visiting your Profile in your online account, clicking on the Add family member link and filling in the appropriate information.
  • One may not buy a ticket for the Age of Steam Tour unless they are a registered and paid attendee of the Annual Meeting. The previous note applies here as well. If you want to take this tour, you would be well-advised to take care of getting any guest you plan to bring along entered as one of your Family Members sooner rather than later as the number of tickets available is small and the tour is likely to sell out quickly.
  • If you plan to take the Age of Steam Roundhouse tour, we must inform you that it is a working roundhouse and, therefore, they require that you wear closed-toe shoes and sign a liability waiver form.
  • You may view our cancellation policy for our Annual Meeting registration here.



If you have any questions or need help, send an email to annualmeeting@prrths.net.


download registration form

Pennsylvania Railroad Technical and Historical Society
A 501(c)(3) Pennsylvania Non-Profit Corporation
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