December - Orange Empire Railway Museum

December 2013 Vol. 120 No. 6
Upcoming Events in 2014
Steam Weekend—February 15-16
Gazette
Spring Swap Meet, OERM Annual
Meeting & Members’ Dinner—March 1
Iron Horse—Family Steam Punk
Carnival—March 15-16
Inside
Behind the Controller .............................2
Calendar .................................................2
Donations in November
How Does it Work?................................5
Cash contributions totaling $5,859 were made to the following funds in November 2013. Our sincere thanks to the following individuals and
businesses:






To:
General Fund – Anonymous, J E Denman, James Patterson,
Isaac Rodriguez
Unbudgeted Surplus Purchases (Fund A11) - Philip Giles
Library Construction (Fund B11) - Bob Davis
Perris Connection (Fund B22) - Bob Davis, Thomas Gorman
Restoring SDERy 508 (Fund C33) - David Pattinson
PE Blimps (Fund C36) - Bob Davis
Orange Empire Railway Museum
P.O. Box 548
Perris, CA 92572-0548
General Fund:
Endowments:
Directed Funds:
Date
Payment:






ATSF 98/108 (Fund C41) – Anonymous
National Scene (Fund C45) - Anonymous
Yellow Cars (Fund C49) - Gary Starre, Robert Szager
VC2 Repairs (Fund C51) - Anonymous
Unrestricted Endowment (Fund E1) - Zeke Hastings
Red Cars Endowment (Fund E4) - Lee Kagy
News Briefs............................................8
The Founders........................................10
FTA Formally Awards $75 Million for
Perris Valley Line
The Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) welcomed Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Deputy Administrator
Therese McMillan to Perris on Monday, December 9. The purpose of
her visit was to award $75 million in
federal grant funding for the Perris
Valley Line extension of Metrolink.
During a formal ceremony held
at the Perris Transit Center, Ms.
McMillan was joined by local Con-
I/we enclose our tax-deductible donation as indicated below.
Name
Supports General Museum Operations
Richards (for unrestricted needs)
Niedrich (for restoration and maintenance
PE Red Cars
Gagnon Steam Endowment
LATL 2601
SP 1006
PE Blimps (includes Pacific Electric 498)
“Build it Now” Archive Construction Fund
Perris Connection
Security
Other
Total
, 20___
Cash___ Check___ Charge: Master Card___ VISA___ Expiration Date___/___
Card Number _____ _____ _____ _____
2013 Thomas Event................................6
Metrolink Makes the
Perris Connection
Signed:
Member #
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
gressmen Mark Takano (D-Perris)
and Ken Calvert (R-Corona), who
both sought funding for the project.
A number of local officials also participated in the formal grant signing
ceremony.
“Public transit is becoming an
especially important part of our
transportation network in Riverside
County,” said RCTC Chair Karen
Spiegel, who is also the Mayor of
Corona. “By bringing Metrolink to
more of Riverside County,
we create a foundation to
make the rest of our public
transit and overall transportation even stronger.”
The $247 million project
will extend the current
Metrolink 91 Line by 24
miles and will include new
stops in Perris, South Perris/Menifee, March Air Reserve Base, and the Hunter
Business Park in Riverside.
RCTC bought the rail
right of way for the project in
1992 and will begin construction this month. The construction will include track
improvements, double tracking in some areas, the construction of new stations, and
Continued on page 4
A very short Metrolink train stops at the Perris Depot platform on Monday, December 9, 2013,
for the ceremony awarding $75 million in FTA money to the Perris Valley Line.
Whole
Number
676
When asked about special
memories from the early years of the
Museum, he responded that there
were just too many to single out a
In 1996, following the death of Museum founder Dick Burns (member
Museum
Board
Selects
few. “The great times shared with
#4) and the regrettable lack of information available for a decent obituary,
many of the early members in those
interviews were conducted with the
12 surviving
foundingand
members
of the
New
President
Chairman
great days would take a book to reOrange Empire Traction Company to get information on their personal backto today’s
members,” he said. As
After many
serving
as the
Joeevolved
Fuller as
the newlate
Museum
Presiground, views and involvement
in theyears
founding
of the
what has
today
an
afterthought,
Museum
dent and Chief Executive Officer. he did single out the
as the Orange Empire
Railway President,
Museum. and more resite-scouting
expeditions in Pat UnChairman
of the Board,
years of
management
Following up oncently
the obituary
of Jeffrey
MoreauTom
(memberJoe's
#9) many
published
derwood’s
1951
Ford in 1956 and
Jacobson
resigned
his
Chairmanship
experience
will
serve
the
Museum
in last month’s issue of the Gazette, the article below—based on that 1996 in1957,
as
being
especially
memorable.
at athe
December
Board ofofDirectors
The Board
terview—is offered as
further
remembrance
Jeff and his well.
contributions
to also selected Hank
Jeff cited
the moving of the first
meeting. Tom will continue serving
Winn as the Chief Operating
Offiour Museum.
piece
of
rolling
a member
the board.
cer. This is a new position for the stock from Travel
The 14 foundingas
members
andoftheir
current status are as follows:
TownHank
in Griffith
After serving more than the
Museum and will charge
with Park to the new
museum
site in Perris in 1958, as
planned year as museum Presimanaging the day to
day activities
1 Ray Ballash
earlymanagmilestone that stood out in
dent/CEO,
George
and supervising the one
division
2 Bill Bauer
(deceased,
AugustHuckaby
2010) rehis mind. The move originated on a
signed his positions at the December
ers.
3 Don Brown
dare from
Johnson; the
Board
of
Directors
meeting,
stating
JR
Lowe
was
selected
as Norman
the
4 Dick Burns
(deceased, 1995)
wonBoard
the bet by moving LARy
Chairman at the group
January
5 Ken Harrison that he had fulfilled his intended
Nr. 9014 within 24 hours.
changes
in management.
meeting to serve outflatcar
the remainder
6 Norman K. Johnson
(deceased,
June 28,George
2009) will
youthful
of the current term.Their
A new
Chair- enthusiasm allowed
7 Harvey Laner continue serving as a member of the
this year
“chore”
man is selected each
at theto be accomplished
8 Ron Longworth board.(deceased, March 3, 2005)
with
great
zeal.
The
Board
of
Directors
selected
March
Board
meeting
.
9 Jeff Moreau
(deceased November 2013)
Does
OERM
today live up to
10 Dean Park
Jeff’s original goals? As a volunteer
11 Herb Redlich
(deceased, 1985)
organization, yes. For the long haul
12 David Slipher
however, Jeff believed the Museum
13
Patrick Underwood
(deceased,
9, 2009)
Upcoming
Special Events
for July
2014
needs to be established on a more
14 Jim Walker
business-like basis in order to make
February 1 – Harvey Girls meet in Town Hall at
March 1 – OERM
Annual Meeting
the plant more physically attractive
being abandoned. Even at 15, Jeff
9:00 AM
to the general public. One might
had a vision that OET would endure
March
1
–
Member’s
Dinner
wonder
if the improvements in the
and prosper. He was aware of the
Founding Member #9
February 3 – The Hosts and Docents
meetmuseums
in
current century would meet with
trolley
at Seashore in
Jeffrey
OERM
Life are Maine,
Town
HallP.atMoreau,
10:00 AM.
If you
interested
and Branford
in
March
in Connecticut.
3 – HostsJeff’s
and updated
Docentsgoals.
Meet in Town
In
closing,
Jeff
noted that the
Member
#9,
was
15
years
old
in
He
knew
of
their
success
and
had
no
being a museum host and don’t feel you know
Hall at 10:00 AM
Museum
would
not
exist today if
1956
when
the
Orange
Empire
doubtwethat
enough about the museum, don’t worry
willa Southern California
not for the great leadership of Pat
Traction Company was formed. He
museum would succeed as well.
train
you. To become a host come to
the meetMarch 15 & 16 –Underwood
Iron Horse in
– Family
Steamthe early
days.
lived on Hawthorn Avenue in HollyJeff has maintained his membering
or
contact
Gary
Cochrane
at
714-425-4208
punk
Carnival
Celebrate
all
things
steampunk
“Certainly
a
traction/railroad
muwood. Like all of the other founding
ship continuously, and in fact, was
and
the
first
annual
Iron
Horse
event.
Enjoy
seum would have emerged eventumembers, he was a member of the
been a Life Member for many years.
ally, buta Pat’s
vision High
is what
February
15 & 16Division,
– It’s Steam
Victorian
TeamotiSouthern California
Elec-Weekend
He hadand
notthe
lived invendors,
Southern entertainment,
Calivated
us
in
the
very
beginning.”
tric Railroaders’
Association (SCfornia since 1969, when
VC2
will be the locomotive
for the weekend.
(thereheismoved
an extra charge for this activity), a fashERA),
and
had
been
a
member
since
to
San
Francisco,
where
he
went
to costume contest. This will be a fun
Come out to the museum for a fun filled day.
ion show and
1952. He first learned of SC-ERA
work for the San Francisco
Municievent for
the entire family.
from other local traction fans while
pal Railway. He later lived in the
March
1 – Spring
Swap
Meetfan
– ThisSacramento
is Southern
on a Pacific
Railroad
Society
area and worked as a
California’s
largest
outdoor
railroadiana
meet.
March 22 Re– Boy Scout Merit Badge program led
trip.
motorman for the Sacramento
Gates
AM.organizaExhibitors gional
set upTransit
beginsDistrict.by Scout Coordinator Steve Pesante (This sesHis open
goals at
for8:00
the new
tion7:00
wereAM.
the This
same event
as those
of the
He also maintained
at
is free
for members.
sionhisis long
full. inThere is space available for the July
other founders—to preserve some
terest in electric traction and its hissession)
examples
the various
types
tory.
March 1 of
– Harvey
Girlscarmeet
on the
lawnHein wrote and published a
that were then being scrapped as the
number of rail-oriented books over
Pinacate
Parkrailway
9:00 AM
local electric
systems were
the years.
The Founders
By Paul Muehlebach
Behind the Controller
Jeffrey Moreau
2 Gazette
11
Gazette
December 2013
Gazette
Back to the Future, or,
Déjà vu All Over Again
check on events and search for content for the Gazette.
Randy provided lots of tips and
By Paul Muehlebach
assistance through the transition to
Hello again. I have been asked
get me up to speed. He and I use
by Museum management to take on
different desktop publishing applicathe job of editor for the Gazette. I
tions and different computing platwas assistant editor and later managforms. I have attempted to dupliing editor under Paul Hammond
cate, or at least simulate very closely,
back in the 1990s, about 1992 to
the look and feel that Randy intro1998. We updated the look of the
duced two years ago. There’s no
paper and introduced the use of
need to make radical design changes
desktop publishing software, along
at this time.
with other PC based tools that
I will rely heavily on the departgreatly streamlined the production
ment heads and others who write
of
this
important
communication
regular
reports
on progress at our
At right is a photo from April 1962 showing an
impromptu
celebration
atop
LARy
525.
Pictured
are
early
members
Paul
Dieges,
vehicle. Paul and I retired to other
Museum. I will Jim
also try to create
Baker,
Roger
Fogt
and
Jim
Walker.
They
are
celebrating
with bottles
pursuits and a number of editors
some content
of my own. Back in
of
Pepsi-cola.
Thesince.
celebration may have been2006
over Ithewrote
first “live”
have
carried on
a five-part series of
operation in Perris, as suggested by the bug wire slung over the overThe most recent editor, Randy
articles covering the early years of
head line in the background. The scene was the old East Park Yard,
Ruiz,
has
done
an
excellent
job
over
Museum’s
existence at Travel
which is today’s Broadway. It looks northeast.the
In today’s
view you
the last
years
of Carhouse
modernizing
Town and later in Perris. I hope to
would
see two
the Ray
Ballash
in the background.
the
look
and
feel
of
the
paper
and
that
The photo below is from the 20th anniversarycontinue
celebration
in series.
March
continuing
the
modernization
procI
should
alsoMupoint out that I am
1976. It includes founders of the California Southern Railroad
ess. He
has the
however,
two strikesorganization
receiving
invaluable
seum
(CSRM),
other predecessor
of our
current help from our
OERM.
Park (#10),
Bill
against Left
himtoinright
that are
he Dick
livesBurns
in the(#4), Dean
Museum’s
Corporate
Secretary,
Wilkes
(CSRM), Bay
Bill Garner
(CSRM),reNorman
Johnson
(#6),
Jack
San Francisco
Area—rather
Sharilin Peters. Besides being the
Whitmeyer (CSRM), Ron Longworth (#8), Patrick Underwood (#13)
mote from the Museum—and he
person who recruited me, she has
and Ray Ballash (#1). David Slipher (#12) and Bill Bauer (#2) were
has a fulltime day job. Randy has
provided great help in making the
found it increasingly difficult to baltransition from Randy. She has asance his paying job with the responsisted at every step along the way
sibility of getting the Gazette out on a
and will provide a second set of eyes
regular basis. And so he has asked to
going forward seeking out those
step down. I applaud what he has
pesky spelling and grammar errors.
done for the Gazette. Perhaps some
She deserves an assistant editor title!
day in the future, when Randy reWe all work together to preserve
tires, he will be able to step back
historic artifacts of the railway ininto the editor’s role as I am now
dustry. Our Museum is 58 years old
doing.
now and has a long and storied hisI retired three years ago and so
tory of its own. I welcome any contheoretically I have more time to
tributions, written and photographic,
devote to side projects. The trouble
detailing the history of our collection
with that theory is what most retired
and organization, chronicling propeople complain of: I don’t know
gress on the many restoration and
how I ever got anything done when
building projects that are constantly
I worked because I’m so busy now.
moving forward. You can contact
Nevertheless, I hope to carry on the
me via email at
good work of my recent [email protected]. I look
sors. I also live in Long Beach; not
forward to this new adventure.
too far for a day trip out to Perris to
In March 1996 when the Museum celebrated its 40th anniversary, ten of the
twelve then surviving founding members
posed
for thisnewsletter
group photo
A monthly
publishedatbythe
the dinner
Orange
held Empire
in the Railway
Perris Museum
High School
gym.
as a benefit forThe
its
framed certificatessupporters
they are holding
granted them Life Membership, which
many of them
already& had.
Left to right
Editing
Layout:
standing are: Dean Park (#10), David
Muehlebach
Slipher (#12), Paul
Norman
Johnson (#6), Don
Brown (#3), Bill Bauer (#2) and Ray BalSubmissions
for publication
are welcome
lash (#1).
Kneeling
in the front
row are
and
are
due
by
the
first
of
the
month.
Please
Jim Walker (#14), Patrick Underwood
email ideas, suggestions, or articles to Paul
(#13),
Harvey atLaner
(#7) and Jeffrey
Muehlebach
[email protected].
Moreau
(#9).
Not
present
Ken pixels
HarDigital images should be atwere
least 2400
rison (#5)
andand
Ron
(#8).exDein width
300Longworth
dpi. The opinions
pressed
herein
arewere
not necessarily
those(#4)
of
ceased
by that
time
Dick Burns
the Officers,
the(#11).
Board of Directors, or the
and Herb
Redlich
Editorial Staff of the
Orange Empire Railway Museum.
Orange Empire
Railway Museum
Board of Directors:
Byron Brainard
Paul Krot
Joe Fuller
J. R. Lowe
George Huckaby
Brian Norden
Tom Jacobson
Phil Palmieri
Paul Peters
Directors Meet monthly (except Dec.) on the 3rd
Saturday at 4:00 PM at OERM’s Town Hall.
All members are welcome.
Marketing & Special Events Manager:
Donna Zannin
just out of the photo to the
left of Dick Burns. Jim Walker
was also present that day, but
not included in the photo.
Location: 2201 S. “A” Street
Perris, CA 92570
Telephone: (951) 943-3020
Fax: (951) 943-2676
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.OERM.org
Orange
OrangeEmpire
EmpireRailway
RailwayMuseum
Museum
112
When asked about special
memories from the early years of the
Museum, he responded that there
were just too many to single out a
In 1996, following the death of Museum founder Dick Burns (member
Museum
Board
Selects
few. “The great times shared with
#4) and the regrettable lack of information available for a decent obituary,
many of the early members in those
interviews were conducted with the
12 surviving
foundingand
members
of the
New
President
Chairman
great days would take a book to reOrange Empire Traction Company to get information on their personal backto today’s
members,” he said. As
After many
serving
as the
Joeevolved
Fuller as
the newlate
Museum
Presiground, views and involvement
in theyears
founding
of the
what has
today
an
afterthought,
Museum
dent and Chief Executive Officer. he did single out the
as the Orange Empire
Railway President,
Museum. and more resite-scouting
expeditions in Pat UnChairman
of the Board,
years of
management
Following up oncently
the obituary
of Jeffrey
MoreauTom
(memberJoe's
#9) many
published
derwood’s
1951
Ford in 1956 and
Jacobson
resigned
his
Chairmanship
experience
will
serve
the
Museum
in last month’s issue of the Gazette, the article below—based on that 1996 in1957,
as
being
especially
memorable.
at athe
December
Board ofofDirectors
The Board
terview—is offered as
further
remembrance
Jeff and his well.
contributions
to also selected Hank
Jeff cited
the moving of the first
meeting. Tom will continue serving
Winn as the Chief Operating
Offiour Museum.
piece
of
rolling
a member
the board.
cer. This is a new position for the stock from Travel
The 14 foundingas
members
andoftheir
current status are as follows:
TownHank
in Griffith
After serving more than the
Museum and will charge
with Park to the new
museum
site in Perris in 1958, as
planned year as museum Presimanaging the day to
day activities
1 Ray Ballash
earlymanagmilestone that stood out in
dent/CEO,
George
and supervising the one
division
2 Bill Bauer
(deceased,
AugustHuckaby
2010) rehis mind. The move originated on a
signed his positions at the December
ers.
3 Don Brown
dare from
Johnson; the
Board
of
Directors
meeting,
stating
JR
Lowe
was
selected
as Norman
the
4 Dick Burns
(deceased, 1995)
wonBoard
the bet by moving LARy
Chairman at the group
January
5 Ken Harrison that he had fulfilled his intended
Nr. 9014 within 24 hours.
changes
in management.
meeting to serve outflatcar
the remainder
6 Norman K. Johnson
(deceased,
June 28,George
2009) will
youthful
of the current term.Their
A new
Chair- enthusiasm allowed
7 Harvey Laner continue serving as a member of the
this year
“chore”
man is selected each
at theto be accomplished
8 Ron Longworth board.(deceased, March 3, 2005)
with
great
zeal.
The
Board
of
Directors
selected
March
Board
meeting
.
9 Jeff Moreau
(deceased November 2013)
Does
OERM
today live up to
10 Dean Park
Jeff’s original goals? As a volunteer
11 Herb Redlich
(deceased, 1985)
organization, yes. For the long haul
12 David Slipher
however, Jeff believed the Museum
13
Patrick Underwood
(deceased,
9, 2009)
Upcoming
Special Events
for July
2014
needs to be established on a more
14 Jim Walker
business-like basis in order to make
February 1 – Harvey Girls meet in Town Hall at
March 1 – OERM
Annual Meeting
the plant more physically attractive
being abandoned. Even at 15, Jeff
9:00 AM
to the general public. One might
had a vision that OET would endure
March
1
–
Member’s
Dinner
wonder
if the improvements in the
and prosper. He was aware of the
Founding Member #9
February 3 – The Hosts and Docents
meetmuseums
in
current century would meet with
trolley
at Seashore in
Jeffrey
OERM
Life are Maine,
Town
HallP.atMoreau,
10:00 AM.
If you
interested
and Branford
in
March
in Connecticut.
3 – HostsJeff’s
and updated
Docentsgoals.
Meet in Town
In
closing,
Jeff
noted that the
Member
#9,
was
15
years
old
in
He
knew
of
their
success
and
had
no
being a museum host and don’t feel you know
Hall at 10:00 AM
Museum
would
not
exist today if
1956
when
the
Orange
Empire
doubtwethat
enough about the museum, don’t worry
willa Southern California
not for the great leadership of Pat
Traction Company was formed. He
museum would succeed as well.
train
you. To become a host come to
the meetMarch 15 & 16 –Underwood
Iron Horse in
– Family
Steamthe early
days.
lived on Hawthorn Avenue in HollyJeff has maintained his membering
or
contact
Gary
Cochrane
at
714-425-4208
punk
Carnival
Celebrate
all
things
steampunk
“Certainly
a
traction/railroad
muwood. Like all of the other founding
ship continuously, and in fact, was
and
the
first
annual
Iron
Horse
event.
Enjoy
seum would have emerged eventumembers, he was a member of the
been a Life Member for many years.
ally, buta Pat’s
vision High
is what
February
15 & 16Division,
– It’s Steam
Victorian
TeamotiSouthern California
Elec-Weekend
He hadand
notthe
lived invendors,
Southern entertainment,
Calivated
us
in
the
very
beginning.”
tric Railroaders’
Association (SCfornia since 1969, when
VC2
will be the locomotive
for the weekend.
(thereheismoved
an extra charge for this activity), a fashERA),
and
had
been
a
member
since
to
San
Francisco,
where
he
went
to costume contest. This will be a fun
Come out to the museum for a fun filled day.
ion show and
1952. He first learned of SC-ERA
work for the San Francisco
Municievent for
the entire family.
from other local traction fans while
pal Railway. He later lived in the
March
1 – Spring
Swap
Meetfan
– ThisSacramento
is Southern
on a Pacific
Railroad
Society
area and worked as a
California’s
largest
outdoor
railroadiana
meet.
March 22 Re– Boy Scout Merit Badge program led
trip.
motorman for the Sacramento
Gates
AM.organizaExhibitors gional
set upTransit
beginsDistrict.by Scout Coordinator Steve Pesante (This sesHis open
goals at
for8:00
the new
tion7:00
wereAM.
the This
same event
as those
of the
He also maintained
at
is free
for members.
sionhisis long
full. inThere is space available for the July
other founders—to preserve some
terest in electric traction and its hissession)
examples
the various
types
tory.
March 1 of
– Harvey
Girlscarmeet
on the
lawnHein wrote and published a
that were then being scrapped as the
number of rail-oriented books over
Pinacate
Parkrailway
9:00 AM
local electric
systems were
the years.
The Founders
By Paul Muehlebach
Behind the Controller
Jeffrey Moreau
310 Gazette
Gazette
December 2013
Gazette
Back to the Future, or,
Déjà vu All Over Again
check on events and search for content for the Gazette.
Randy provided lots of tips and
By Paul Muehlebach
assistance through the transition to
Hello again. I have been asked
get me up to speed. He and I use
by Museum management to take on
different desktop publishing applicathe job of editor for the Gazette. I
tions and different computing platwas assistant editor and later managforms. I have attempted to dupliing editor under Paul Hammond
cate, or at least simulate very closely,
back in the 1990s, about 1992 to
the look and feel that Randy intro1998. We updated the look of the
duced two years ago. There’s no
paper and introduced the use of
need to make radical design changes
desktop publishing software, along
at this time.
with other PC based tools that
I will rely heavily on the departgreatly streamlined the production
ment heads and others who write
of
this
important
communication
regular
reports
on progress at our
At right is a photo from April 1962 showing an
impromptu
celebration
atop
LARy
525.
Pictured
are
early
members
Paul
Dieges,
vehicle. Paul and I retired to other
Museum. I will Jim
also try to create
Baker,
Roger
Fogt
and
Jim
Walker.
They
are
celebrating
with bottles
pursuits and a number of editors
some content
of my own. Back in
of
Pepsi-cola.
Thesince.
celebration may have been2006
over Ithewrote
first “live”
have
carried on
a five-part series of
operation in Perris, as suggested by the bug wire slung over the overThe most recent editor, Randy
articles covering the early years of
head line in the background. The scene was the old East Park Yard,
Ruiz,
has
done
an
excellent
job
over
Museum’s
existence at Travel
which is today’s Broadway. It looks northeast.the
In today’s
view you
the last
years
of Carhouse
modernizing
Town and later in Perris. I hope to
would
see two
the Ray
Ballash
in the background.
the
look
and
feel
of
the
paper
and
that
The photo below is from the 20th anniversarycontinue
celebration
in series.
March
continuing
the
modernization
procI
should
alsoMupoint out that I am
1976. It includes founders of the California Southern Railroad
ess. He
has the
however,
two strikesorganization
receiving
invaluable
seum
(CSRM),
other predecessor
of our
current help from our
OERM.
Park (#10),
Bill
against Left
himtoinright
that are
he Dick
livesBurns
in the(#4), Dean
Museum’s
Corporate
Secretary,
Wilkes
(CSRM), Bay
Bill Garner
(CSRM),reNorman
Johnson
(#6),
Jack
San Francisco
Area—rather
Sharilin Peters. Besides being the
Whitmeyer (CSRM), Ron Longworth (#8), Patrick Underwood (#13)
mote from the Museum—and he
person who recruited me, she has
and Ray Ballash (#1). David Slipher (#12) and Bill Bauer (#2) were
has a fulltime day job. Randy has
provided great help in making the
found it increasingly difficult to baltransition from Randy. She has asance his paying job with the responsisted at every step along the way
sibility of getting the Gazette out on a
and will provide a second set of eyes
regular basis. And so he has asked to
going forward seeking out those
step down. I applaud what he has
pesky spelling and grammar errors.
done for the Gazette. Perhaps some
She deserves an assistant editor title!
day in the future, when Randy reWe all work together to preserve
tires, he will be able to step back
historic artifacts of the railway ininto the editor’s role as I am now
dustry. Our Museum is 58 years old
doing.
now and has a long and storied hisI retired three years ago and so
tory of its own. I welcome any contheoretically I have more time to
tributions, written and photographic,
devote to side projects. The trouble
detailing the history of our collection
with that theory is what most retired
and organization, chronicling propeople complain of: I don’t know
gress on the many restoration and
how I ever got anything done when
building projects that are constantly
I worked because I’m so busy now.
moving forward. You can contact
Nevertheless, I hope to carry on the
me via email at
good work of my recent [email protected]. I look
sors. I also live in Long Beach; not
forward to this new adventure.
too far for a day trip out to Perris to
In March 1996 when the Museum celebrated its 40th anniversary, ten of the
twelve then surviving founding members
posed
for thisnewsletter
group photo
A monthly
publishedatbythe
the dinner
Orange
held Empire
in the Railway
Perris Museum
High School
gym.
as a benefit forThe
its
framed certificatessupporters
they are holding
granted them Life Membership, which
many of them
already& had.
Left to right
Editing
Layout:
standing are: Dean Park (#10), David
Muehlebach
Slipher (#12), Paul
Norman
Johnson (#6), Don
Brown (#3), Bill Bauer (#2) and Ray BalSubmissions
for publication
are welcome
lash (#1).
Kneeling
in the front
row are
and
are
due
by
the
first
of
the
month.
Please
Jim Walker (#14), Patrick Underwood
email ideas, suggestions, or articles to Paul
(#13),
Harvey atLaner
(#7) and Jeffrey
Muehlebach
[email protected].
Moreau
(#9).
Not
present
Ken pixels
HarDigital images should be atwere
least 2400
rison (#5)
andand
Ron
(#8).exDein width
300Longworth
dpi. The opinions
pressed
herein
arewere
not necessarily
those(#4)
of
ceased
by that
time
Dick Burns
the Officers,
the(#11).
Board of Directors, or the
and Herb
Redlich
Editorial Staff of the
Orange Empire Railway Museum.
Orange Empire
Railway Museum
Board of Directors:
Byron Brainard
Paul Krot
Joe Fuller
J. R. Lowe
George Huckaby
Brian Norden
Tom Jacobson
Phil Palmieri
Paul Peters
Directors Meet monthly (except Dec.) on the 3rd
Saturday at 4:00 PM at OERM’s Town Hall.
All members are welcome.
Marketing & Special Events Manager:
Donna Zannin
just out of the photo to the
left of Dick Burns. Jim Walker
was also present that day, but
not included in the photo.
Location: 2201 S. “A” Street
Perris, CA 92570
Telephone: (951) 943-3020
Fax: (951) 943-2676
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.OERM.org
Orange
OrangeEmpire
EmpireRailway
RailwayMuseum
Museum
103
Metrolink –continued from page 1
News
Briefs
improved signaling
and safety sys-
tems.
“Rail serviceTrack
has always
been a
December
Report
priority
in
my
community
and
is inBy Paul Krot
grained in our history and it’s going
MiddletonpartSiding
reto beThe
an important
of ourtie
future
placement
project
was completed
at
too,” said Perris
Mayor
Daryl Busch.
the
close of December.
Special
“Transportation
can be the lifeblood
plates
were installed
fiveour
locations
and foundation
to in
fuel
econunder
omy.” wrap-around joints and spiked
up by
Krot
and Line
Phil service
Palmieri.
ThePaul
Perris
Valley
is
The
area to
wasopen
policed
by Greg and
Wasz
expected
in mid-2015
is
and
cleared
the more
remaining
expected
to of
carry
than wood
4,000
debris
left per
by day.
failed ties. The repassengers
worked
track Empire
was ballasted
usingMuour
Orange
Railway
SP
S4 switcher at#1474
and
seumALCo
was represented
the event
UP
ballast car Chairman
by Bill Leukhardt,
by then-Board
Tom JaPhil
Paul Harr,andPhilip
cobsonPalmieri,
and by Marketing
SpeGiles,
and Manager
Hank Winn
assisted
cial Events
Donna
Zanin.by
Jeff
Williams
andonRichard
For more
information
the PerrisBerk.
Valley Phil
Line
then ran
Kershaw Ballast Reguproject,
pleasethe
see http://perrisvalleyline.info/.
lator around from the Ruffulo CarAbove
Metrolink train
house toThe
Middleton
and arrives
plowedat the
the
Perris
Depot.
4th
St.
in
foreground.
fresh ballast in order to evenly disAt
Right
A 3/4
of open
the train
nextcreto
tribute
it in
theview
many
cribs
the
Perris
Transportation
Center.
Direct
ated by replacing ties. This prepares
access
fromfor
thesurfacing
train to the
platform
the track
and
lining.is
not currently possible. The center is now
Paul Krot and Phil applied letused as only a bus terminal. Some day…
tering to the recently repainted Mark
Below The smiling politicians who took
III Tamper. It now presents a facthe train to Perris for the ceremony.
tory fresh appearance representative
of Southern Pacific surfacing and
lining equipment. Paul also lettered
and stenciled the Fairmont Tie Scarifier using photos as reference to replace the original Santa Fe lettering
and completed lettering the Kershaw
Tie Handler. Work remaining on the
tie scarifier includes installation of a
beacon and horn and getting the machine over the pit to address the air
system which is in disrepair.
Danny Giles, Mike Donnelly,
Polly Griffith, Tom Baker, Jim
Baker, and David Ley continue their
program of sorting hardware in the
track material area and excellent visible progress is being made. Although work has slowed due to the
holidays, this project is ongoing and
they always need help; they usually
work during the week. Mike Donnelly has also been making good
progress cleaning up weeds, brush,
and other debris that get exposed as
these piles of material are straightened and sorted. Volunteers are always welcome to come out and help
in the various areas where we are
working; please wear long pants and
sturdy shoes.
The Florence Harvey House
By Nancy Dallner,
Harvey Girls Historical Society
Within a few weeks of opening,
the Topeka Harvey House was doing a capacity business. The Santa Fe
officials realized Harvey’s experiment had been a success. An agreement was reached and settled with a
hand shake.
In 1877 a rundown hotel on the
line at Florence was bought. The
population in Florence was only
about 100 people. They were folks
who had never seen the likes of a
Harvey House.
Fred Harvey, with the help of
his wife and sister, purchased new
mattresses, cooking equipment and
heavy walnut furniture. Fine silver,
table linens and glassware were purchased, as well. A chef was hired
away from a famous location in Chicago with a salary of $5,000 a year.
This made the chef the wealthiest
man in Florence.
The chef paid top prices to the
local residents for prairie chickens,
quail, fresh butter, fruits and vegetables. This greatly helped the people
of Florence.
The Harvey House food and the
hotel accommodations became famous. People flocked to the Santa
Fe because it was the only railroad
to provide passengers with decent
meals. The Harvey Houses were not
expected to make large profits in
and of themselves and some of the
Houses even lost money. But Fred
Harvey refused to cut the quality of
the food or the service.
A view of the Perris Transportation Center adjacent to the Perris Depot (out of
view to the right) on December 9, 2013,
when Metrolink came to town. The pit in
the foreground is where the Museum’s
Perris Connection track will terminate,
making for easy cross-platform connections. The trench was dug the day before
by Alan Cornwell (see November Gazette, page 9) for the stem wall supporting the edge of the loading platform.
94 Gazette
December 2013
reduce our water bill without reHow Does it Work?
stricting the amount of plants and
Plant & Facilities Report
By Hank Winn
Much of the normal Plant &
Facilities
activity consists of relaCOMPROMISE OR STEP JOINT
tively routine maintenance and minor The
repairs,
but during
compromise
or stepthe
jointholiday
is used
when
it
is
necessary
to
connect
railsare
of didifseason much of our efforts
ferent
height
or
weight.
Bars
of
this
type
verted to preparation for Pumpkin
have been made in the field for temporary
Train,
A Day Out With Thomas and
connection during construction, however
the
Santa
Train.
If they
you are
perceive
a
for permanent
locations
factory or
drop-off
of
activity
while
reading
shop manufactured. All joint bars must be
of tight
fit andnothing
this is particularly
this
report,
could beimportant
further
in
compromise
connections.
from the truth. We are far busier
A splice made to fit rails of dissimilar
during
this season than the rest of
height is made to either raise one rail or
the
generators
be preloweryear;
the other
in ordermust
to match
head
pared,
hardbars
wiring
forrequire
vendors
and
heights. The
may also
side relief
to
accommodate
rails
with
different
head
outdoor lights must be installed,
width thus
the railsand
to
chairs
and slightly
tables offsetting
set up, fences
match gage line. Compromise bars come in
gates
repaired, signage installed, restsets that consist of right hand and left hand
rooms
the of
lifteach
pump
stabars that prepared,
fit on both sides
rail pair.
tion The
inspected,
bars mustthe
haveirrigation
additional system
support,
usually under
the damage
smaller oftothe
two rails.
turned
off and
vegetation
Support
is
arranged
by
either
having
a heavy
prepared for, track and signals
inplate under the smaller rail or having a
spected
and
a
host
of
other
activities
stepped plate that spans and parallels the
including
Visitor Exentire joint. supporting
Joints of the the
“continuous”
type
perience
to theof best
of
sometimes Department
support the bottom
the rails
within
the
bars.
our ability. Please extend your
The to
use of
joints has
dethanks
all compromise
the volunteers
who
clined with the use of continuous welded
make
these events possible for the
rail. The connection of different rail sizes in
support
ofisthe
Museum. with a weld of
this service
accomplished
DanorWheeler
Riosrailhave
the rails
the use of and
a longArt
tapered
that
is trimmed
at a point
matches the
adbeen
making
greatthatprogress
with
joining
rail.
The
use
of
a
special
tapered
rail
their ongoing effort to both rehabilialso allows for rails of the same weight that
tate
peripheral
of profile
landmay existing
vary in height
due to areas
wear or
scape
that have been
grinding vegetation
to be connected.
somewhat ignored over a period of
time and continue the fine maintenance of the central area of the Museum. More of the hedgerow of
The top photo
shows
"shop" has
madebeen
bar
vegetation
along
A aStreet
manufactured at the ATSF track material
thinned,
allowing for improved visiplant in Newton KS. The bar is currently
bility
of
the
Museum
by the
traveling
installed on one
of the tracks
leading
into
public.
This
allows atusthe
toMuseum.
present an
the Ruffulo
Carhouse
open, bright, welcoming vista to atThe second
& thirdattention.
photos show bars of
tract
the public's
the "continuous"
design
(inside
andof
out).
Some of the older
areas
the
Museum
have
plants
with
spikes
and
The bottom diagram is from an ATSF
thorns
such
as cactus.
These
engineering
document
showing
howplants
to
will
be removed
determine
right hand or
and controlled
left hand no-for
menclature
for the
compromise
joint bars.
the
safety of
public while
we repair the irrigation to these areas.
These areas will be primarily planted
with drought-tolerant vegetation to
trees that we have.
The first thing the visitors see
when entering the property is the
appearance of the landscaping. This
is critical to generating a positive
first impression and laying the foundation for a return visit. Please support Dan and Art and help with our
landscaping; just one day a month
makes a tremendous difference. We
can always use the donation of both
plants and landscaping tools. Shovels are needed in particular.
Ron Ruffulo and Rob Zanin
have been busy preparing for our
special event season by installing the
necessary electrical circuits and lighting. Ron has been making a special
push to keep up with minor repairs
as things break during this year's
event season. Much of the preparation for this year's events involves
the installation of temporary electrical circuits so this has been a very
busy season so far.
Amazingly, Ron has still found
time to keep up with the sorting and
storing of donated electrical material
that is brought to the Museum.
Please remember that Ron can use
more supplies—donations are welcome. Warren Buchanan has replaced two burned out ballast transformers in the yard lights adjacent to
the Ruffulo Carhouse. These lights
not only help with security but also
provide a valuable safety factor
when conducting night switching
operations.
John Cole, Thom Hindman,
Ron Ruffulo and Hank Winn recently serviced the lift pump station
for our sewer system. This is a very
important component of the preparations for special event season.
Planning is underway by Paul Dieges
for the installation of a new utility
vault lid for the pump station; this
will greatly enhance our ease of access and allow for the more expeditious removal and servicing of the
pumps. The top of the vault will be
exposed by use of our back hoe, followed by removal-By
of aPhil
section
of the
Palmieri
vault roof by concrete sawing. The
new vault lid section will be offloaded directly from the delivery
truck and placed on the vault, followed by re-installation of the control wiring for the pumps. One feature of the new system will be the
installation of a weir screen around
the pumps to prevent improper
items and trash flushed down the
toilets from clogging the pumps.
Zeke Hastings, our Special Projects Manager, has kept himself busy
by designing a new configuration for
our drainage system in the vicinity of
the Wood Shop. Work should begin
shortly. Ditch and drainage maintenance is an easy thing to overlook
until it is too late. This will go a long
way to prevent blockages that can
result from a system of pipes that
are of minimal size and hidden from
view.
Zeke has also been active collecting our recyclables, dealing with
all the trash containers, repairing our
fencing and fueling our vehicles. The
vehicle fueling is a time consuming,
hard job, that he does without complaint, involving numerous vehicles
spread out over the breadth of our
property with little information as to
how much fuel is needed where.
John Cole and Thom Hindman
have undertaken a program involving the evaluation and repair of
some of the roofs on various structures at the Museum. Their first project, the roof of Town Hall, is nearing completion. This will be followed by the roof of our Crestmore
Substation with other projects still in
the investigation phase. John and
Thom are part of our trash and
bathroom team for special events
and are another example of how
many of our members perform multiple roles at the museum.
Orange Empire Railway Museum
94
Metrolink –continued from page 1
News
Briefs
improved signaling
and safety sys-
tems.
“Rail serviceTrack
has always
been a
December
Report
priority
in
my
community
and
is inBy Paul Krot
grained in our history and it’s going
MiddletonpartSiding
reto beThe
an important
of ourtie
future
placement
project
was completed
at
too,”
said Perris
Mayor
Daryl Busch.
the close of December.
Special
“Transportation
can be the lifeblood
platesfoundation
were installed
fiveour
locations
and
to in
fuel
econunder wrap-around joints and spiked
omy.”
up by
Krot
and Line
Phil service
Palmieri.
ThePaul
Perris
Valley
is
The area to
wasopen
policed
by Greg and
Wasz
expected
in mid-2015
is
and cleared
the more
remaining
expected
to of
carry
than wood
4,000
debris left per
by day.
failed ties. The repassengers
worked
track Empire
was ballasted
usingMuour
Orange
Railway
SP ALCo
S4 switcher at#1474
and
seum
was represented
the event
UP then-Board
ballast car Chairman
by Bill Leukhardt,
by
Tom JaPhil
Paul Harr,andPhilip
cobsonPalmieri,
and by Marketing
SpeGiles,
and Manager
Hank Winn
assisted
cial
Events
Donna
Zanin.by
Jeff
Williams
andonRichard
For more
information
the PerrisBerk.
Valley Phil
Line
then ran
Kershaw Ballast Reguproject,
pleasethe
see http://perrisvalleyline.info/.
lator around from the Ruffulo CarAbove
Metrolink train
house toThe
Middleton
and arrives
plowedat the
the
Perris
Depot.
4th
St.
in
foreground.
fresh ballast in order to evenly disAt
Right
A 3/4
of open
the train
nextcreto
tribute
it in
theview
many
cribs
the
Perris
Transportation
Center.
Direct
ated by replacing ties. This prepares
access
fromfor
thesurfacing
train to the
platform
the track
and
lining.is
not currently possible. The center is now
Paul Krot and Phil applied letused as only a bus terminal. Some day…
tering to the recently repainted Mark
Below The smiling politicians who took
III Tamper. It now presents a facthe train to Perris for the ceremony.
tory fresh appearance representative
of Southern Pacific surfacing and
lining equipment. Paul also lettered
and stenciled the Fairmont Tie Scarifier using photos as reference to replace the original Santa Fe lettering
and completed lettering the Kershaw
Tie Handler. Work remaining on the
tie scarifier includes installation of a
beacon and horn and getting the machine over the pit to address the air
system which is in disrepair.
Danny Giles, Mike Donnelly,
Polly Griffith, Tom Baker, Jim
Baker, and David Ley continue their
program of sorting hardware in the
track material area and excellent visible progress is being made. Although work has slowed due to the
holidays, this project is ongoing and
they always need help; they usually
work during the week. Mike Donnelly has also been making good
progress cleaning up weeds, brush,
and other debris that get exposed as
these piles of material are straightened and sorted. Volunteers are always welcome to come out and help
in the various areas where we are
working; please wear long pants and
sturdy shoes.
The Florence Harvey House
By Nancy Dallner,
Harvey Girls Historical Society
Within a few weeks of opening,
the Topeka Harvey House was doing a capacity business. The Santa Fe
officials realized Harvey’s experiment had been a success. An agreement was reached and settled with a
hand shake.
In 1877 a rundown hotel on the
line at Florence was bought. The
population in Florence was only
about 100 people. They were folks
who had never seen the likes of a
Harvey House.
Fred Harvey, with the help of
his wife and sister, purchased new
mattresses, cooking equipment and
heavy walnut furniture. Fine silver,
table linens and glassware were purchased, as well. A chef was hired
away from a famous location in Chicago with a salary of $5,000 a year.
This made the chef the wealthiest
man in Florence.
The chef paid top prices to the
local residents for prairie chickens,
quail, fresh butter, fruits and vegetables. This greatly helped the people
of Florence.
The Harvey House food and the
hotel accommodations became famous. People flocked to the Santa
Fe because it was the only railroad
to provide passengers with decent
meals. The Harvey Houses were not
expected to make large profits in
and of themselves and some of the
Houses even lost money. But Fred
Harvey refused to cut the quality of
the food or the service.
A view of the Perris Transportation Center adjacent to the Perris Depot (out of
view to the right) on December 9, 2013,
when Metrolink came to town. The pit in
the foreground is where the Museum’s
Perris Connection track will terminate,
making for easy cross-platform connections. The trench was dug the day before
by Alan Cornwell (see November Gazette, page 9) for the stem wall supporting the edge of the loading platform.
58 Gazette
December 2013
reduce our water bill without reHow Does it Work?
stricting the amount of plants and
Plant & Facilities Report
By Hank Winn
Much of the normal Plant &
Facilities
activity consists of relaCOMPROMISE OR STEP JOINT
tively routine maintenance and minor The
repairs,
but during
compromise
or stepthe
jointholiday
is used
when
it
is
necessary
to
connect
railsare
of didifseason much of our efforts
ferent
height
or
weight.
Bars
of
this
type
verted to preparation for Pumpkin
have been made in the field for temporary
Train,
A Day Out With Thomas and
connection during construction, however
the
Santa
Train.
If they
you are
perceive
a
for permanent
locations
factory or
drop-off
of
activity
while
reading
shop manufactured. All joint bars must be
of tight
fit andnothing
this is particularly
this
report,
could beimportant
further
in
compromise
connections.
from the truth. We are far busier
A splice made to fit rails of dissimilar
during
this season than the rest of
height is made to either raise one rail or
the
generators
be preloweryear;
the other
in ordermust
to match
head
pared,
hardbars
wiring
forrequire
vendors
and
heights. The
may also
side relief
to
accommodate
rails
with
different
head
outdoor lights must be installed,
width thus
the railsand
to
chairs
and slightly
tables offsetting
set up, fences
match gage line. Compromise bars come in
gates
repaired, signage installed, restsets that consist of right hand and left hand
rooms
the of
lifteach
pump
stabars that prepared,
fit on both sides
rail pair.
tion The
inspected,
bars mustthe
haveirrigation
additional system
support,
usually under
the damage
smaller oftothe
two rails.
turned
off and
vegetation
Support
is
arranged
by
either
having
a heavy
prepared for, track and signals
inplate under the smaller rail or having a
spected
and
a
host
of
other
activities
stepped plate that spans and parallels the
including
Visitor Exentire joint. supporting
Joints of the the
“continuous”
type
perience
to theof best
of
sometimes Department
support the bottom
the rails
within
the
bars.
our ability. Please extend your
The to
use of
joints has
dethanks
all compromise
the volunteers
who
clined with the use of continuous welded
make
these events possible for the
rail. The connection of different rail sizes in
support
ofisthe
Museum. with a weld of
this service
accomplished
DanorWheeler
Riosrailhave
the rails
the use of and
a longArt
tapered
that
is trimmed
at a point
matches the
adbeen
making
greatthatprogress
with
joining
rail.
The
use
of
a
special
tapered
rail
their ongoing effort to both rehabilialso allows for rails of the same weight that
tate
peripheral
of profile
landmay existing
vary in height
due to areas
wear or
scape
that have been
grinding vegetation
to be connected.
somewhat ignored over a period of
time and continue the fine maintenance of the central area of the Museum. More of the hedgerow of
The top photo
shows
"shop" has
madebeen
bar
vegetation
along
A aStreet
manufactured at the ATSF track material
thinned,
allowing for improved visiplant in Newton KS. The bar is currently
bility
of
the
Museum
by the
traveling
installed on one
of the tracks
leading
into
public.
This
allows atusthe
toMuseum.
present an
the Ruffulo
Carhouse
open, bright, welcoming vista to atThe second
& thirdattention.
photos show bars of
tract
the public's
the "continuous"
design
(inside
andof
out).
Some of the older
areas
the
Museum
have
plants
with
spikes
and
The bottom diagram is from an ATSF
thorns
such
as cactus.
These
engineering
document
showing
howplants
to
will
be removed
determine
right hand or
and controlled
left hand no-for
menclature
for the
compromise
joint bars.
the
safety of
public while
we repair the irrigation to these areas.
These areas will be primarily planted
with drought-tolerant vegetation to
trees that we have.
The first thing the visitors see
when entering the property is the
appearance of the landscaping. This
is critical to generating a positive
first impression and laying the foundation for a return visit. Please support Dan and Art and help with our
landscaping; just one day a month
makes a tremendous difference. We
can always use the donation of both
plants and landscaping tools. Shovels are needed in particular.
Ron Ruffulo and Rob Zanin
have been busy preparing for our
special event season by installing the
necessary electrical circuits and lighting. Ron has been making a special
push to keep up with minor repairs
as things break during this year's
event season. Much of the preparation for this year's events involves
the installation of temporary electrical circuits so this has been a very
busy season so far.
Amazingly, Ron has still found
time to keep up with the sorting and
storing of donated electrical material
that is brought to the Museum.
Please remember that Ron can use
more supplies—donations are welcome. Warren Buchanan has replaced two burned out ballast transformers in the yard lights adjacent to
the Ruffulo Carhouse. These lights
not only help with security but also
provide a valuable safety factor
when conducting night switching
operations.
John Cole, Thom Hindman,
Ron Ruffulo and Hank Winn recently serviced the lift pump station
for our sewer system. This is a very
important component of the preparations for special event season.
Planning is underway by Paul Dieges
for the installation of a new utility
vault lid for the pump station; this
will greatly enhance our ease of access and allow for the more expeditious removal and servicing of the
pumps. The top of the vault will be
exposed by use of our back hoe, followed by removal-By
of aPhil
section
of the
Palmieri
vault roof by concrete sawing. The
new vault lid section will be offloaded directly from the delivery
truck and placed on the vault, followed by re-installation of the control wiring for the pumps. One feature of the new system will be the
installation of a weir screen around
the pumps to prevent improper
items and trash flushed down the
toilets from clogging the pumps.
Zeke Hastings, our Special Projects Manager, has kept himself busy
by designing a new configuration for
our drainage system in the vicinity of
the Wood Shop. Work should begin
shortly. Ditch and drainage maintenance is an easy thing to overlook
until it is too late. This will go a long
way to prevent blockages that can
result from a system of pipes that
are of minimal size and hidden from
view.
Zeke has also been active collecting our recyclables, dealing with
all the trash containers, repairing our
fencing and fueling our vehicles. The
vehicle fueling is a time consuming,
hard job, that he does without complaint, involving numerous vehicles
spread out over the breadth of our
property with little information as to
how much fuel is needed where.
John Cole and Thom Hindman
have undertaken a program involving the evaluation and repair of
some of the roofs on various structures at the Museum. Their first project, the roof of Town Hall, is nearing completion. This will be followed by the roof of our Crestmore
Substation with other projects still in
the investigation phase. John and
Thom are part of our trash and
bathroom team for special events
and are another example of how
many of our members perform multiple roles at the museum.
Orange Empire Railway Museum
58
2013 Thomas Event
By Donna Zanin
I would like to thank all of the volunteers that helped make this year’s
Day Out With Thomas event a success. Without the help of this dedicated group of people the event
would not be the success that it has
been for so many years.
This year we had great weather for
the five days. Our guests enjoyed a
ride on the Thomas train, a visit with
Sir Topham Hatt and the entertainment of Jules’ Music 4 kids. Some of
the other activities included bounce
houses, a petting zoo and model railroad displays.
At right, one of the many model railroad
layouts set up in the Smith Carhouse next
to historic examples of the real thing.
Below middle left, the Thomas train
makes its way past Holstrom Park and
one of several bounce houses set up for
the enjoyment of the many children in
attendance. In this view it’s actually possible to believe that Thomas is pulling
(pushing?) the train.
Below middle right, one of our happy
young visitors gets her picture taken with
Sir Topham Hatt.
At bottom, crowds await their turn to
board the Thomas train at the Main Line
Platform.
Thomas will be back in 2014. The
dates for the event will be November 8, 9, 11, 15 & 16.
Top, Families have their picture taken in
front of the Thomas train at the Main Line
Platform.
At right kids play a game that involves
plastic balls and hula hoops to the music
of Jules Music 4 Kids in Holstrom Park.
Below, Pacific Electric 717 boards passengers at the corner of Alpine and Broadway for a trip around the Loop.
76 Gazette
December 2013
Orange Empire Railway Museum
76
2013 Thomas Event
By Donna Zanin
I would like to thank all of the volunteers that helped make this year’s
Day Out With Thomas event a success. Without the help of this dedicated group of people the event
would not be the success that it has
been for so many years.
This year we had great weather for
the five days. Our guests enjoyed a
ride on the Thomas train, a visit with
Sir Topham Hatt and the entertainment of Jules’ Music 4 kids. Some of
the other activities included bounce
houses, a petting zoo and model railroad displays.
At right, one of the many model railroad
layouts set up in the Smith Carhouse next
to historic examples of the real thing.
Below middle left, the Thomas train
makes its way past Holstrom Park and
one of several bounce houses set up for
the enjoyment of the many children in
attendance. In this view it’s actually possible to believe that Thomas is pulling
(pushing?) the train.
Below middle right, one of our happy
young visitors gets her picture taken with
Sir Topham Hatt.
At bottom, crowds await their turn to
board the Thomas train at the Main Line
Platform.
Thomas will be back in 2014. The
dates for the event will be November 8, 9, 11, 15 & 16.
Top, Families have their picture taken in
front of the Thomas train at the Main Line
Platform.
At right kids play a game that involves
plastic balls and hula hoops to the music
of Jules Music 4 Kids in Holstrom Park.
Below, Pacific Electric 717 boards passengers at the corner of Alpine and Broadway for a trip around the Loop.
76 Gazette
December 2013
Orange Empire Railway Museum
76
Metrolink –continued from page 1
News
Briefs
improved signaling
and safety sys-
tems.
“Rail serviceTrack
has always
been a
December
Report
priority
in
my
community
and
is inBy Paul Krot
grained in our history and it’s going
MiddletonpartSiding
reto beThe
an important
of ourtie
future
placement
project
was completed
at
too,”
said Perris
Mayor
Daryl Busch.
the close of December.
Special
“Transportation
can be the lifeblood
platesfoundation
were installed
fiveour
locations
and
to in
fuel
econunder wrap-around joints and spiked
omy.”
up by
Krot
and Line
Phil service
Palmieri.
ThePaul
Perris
Valley
is
The area to
wasopen
policed
by Greg and
Wasz
expected
in mid-2015
is
and cleared
the more
remaining
expected
to of
carry
than wood
4,000
debris left per
by day.
failed ties. The repassengers
worked
track Empire
was ballasted
usingMuour
Orange
Railway
SP ALCo
S4 switcher at#1474
and
seum
was represented
the event
UP then-Board
ballast car Chairman
by Bill Leukhardt,
by
Tom JaPhil
Paul Harr,andPhilip
cobsonPalmieri,
and by Marketing
SpeGiles,
and Manager
Hank Winn
assisted
cial
Events
Donna
Zanin.by
Jeff
Williams
andonRichard
For more
information
the PerrisBerk.
Valley Phil
Line
then ran
Kershaw Ballast Reguproject,
pleasethe
see http://perrisvalleyline.info/.
lator around from the Ruffulo CarAbove
Metrolink train
house toThe
Middleton
and arrives
plowedat the
the
Perris
Depot.
4th
St.
in
foreground.
fresh ballast in order to evenly disAt
Right
A 3/4
of open
the train
nextcreto
tribute
it in
theview
many
cribs
the
Perris
Transportation
Center.
Direct
ated by replacing ties. This prepares
access
fromfor
thesurfacing
train to the
platform
the track
and
lining.is
not currently possible. The center is now
Paul Krot and Phil applied letused as only a bus terminal. Some day…
tering to the recently repainted Mark
Below The smiling politicians who took
III Tamper. It now presents a facthe train to Perris for the ceremony.
tory fresh appearance representative
of Southern Pacific surfacing and
lining equipment. Paul also lettered
and stenciled the Fairmont Tie Scarifier using photos as reference to replace the original Santa Fe lettering
and completed lettering the Kershaw
Tie Handler. Work remaining on the
tie scarifier includes installation of a
beacon and horn and getting the machine over the pit to address the air
system which is in disrepair.
Danny Giles, Mike Donnelly,
Polly Griffith, Tom Baker, Jim
Baker, and David Ley continue their
program of sorting hardware in the
track material area and excellent visible progress is being made. Although work has slowed due to the
holidays, this project is ongoing and
they always need help; they usually
work during the week. Mike Donnelly has also been making good
progress cleaning up weeds, brush,
and other debris that get exposed as
these piles of material are straightened and sorted. Volunteers are always welcome to come out and help
in the various areas where we are
working; please wear long pants and
sturdy shoes.
The Florence Harvey House
By Nancy Dallner,
Harvey Girls Historical Society
Within a few weeks of opening,
the Topeka Harvey House was doing a capacity business. The Santa Fe
officials realized Harvey’s experiment had been a success. An agreement was reached and settled with a
hand shake.
In 1877 a rundown hotel on the
line at Florence was bought. The
population in Florence was only
about 100 people. They were folks
who had never seen the likes of a
Harvey House.
Fred Harvey, with the help of
his wife and sister, purchased new
mattresses, cooking equipment and
heavy walnut furniture. Fine silver,
table linens and glassware were purchased, as well. A chef was hired
away from a famous location in Chicago with a salary of $5,000 a year.
This made the chef the wealthiest
man in Florence.
The chef paid top prices to the
local residents for prairie chickens,
quail, fresh butter, fruits and vegetables. This greatly helped the people
of Florence.
The Harvey House food and the
hotel accommodations became famous. People flocked to the Santa
Fe because it was the only railroad
to provide passengers with decent
meals. The Harvey Houses were not
expected to make large profits in
and of themselves and some of the
Houses even lost money. But Fred
Harvey refused to cut the quality of
the food or the service.
A view of the Perris Transportation Center adjacent to the Perris Depot (out of
view to the right) on December 9, 2013,
when Metrolink came to town. The pit in
the foreground is where the Museum’s
Perris Connection track will terminate,
making for easy cross-platform connections. The trench was dug the day before
by Alan Cornwell (see November Gazette, page 9) for the stem wall supporting the edge of the loading platform.
58 Gazette
December 2013
reduce our water bill without reHow Does it Work?
stricting the amount of plants and
Plant & Facilities Report
By Hank Winn
Much of the normal Plant &
Facilities
activity consists of relaCOMPROMISE OR STEP JOINT
tively routine maintenance and minor The
repairs,
but during
compromise
or stepthe
jointholiday
is used
when
it
is
necessary
to
connect
railsare
of didifseason much of our efforts
ferent
height
or
weight.
Bars
of
this
type
verted to preparation for Pumpkin
have been made in the field for temporary
Train,
A Day Out With Thomas and
connection during construction, however
the
Santa
Train.
If they
you are
perceive
a
for permanent
locations
factory or
drop-off
of
activity
while
reading
shop manufactured. All joint bars must be
of tight
fit andnothing
this is particularly
this
report,
could beimportant
further
in
compromise
connections.
from the truth. We are far busier
A splice made to fit rails of dissimilar
during
this season than the rest of
height is made to either raise one rail or
the
generators
be preloweryear;
the other
in ordermust
to match
head
pared,
hardbars
wiring
forrequire
vendors
and
heights. The
may also
side relief
to
accommodate
rails
with
different
head
outdoor lights must be installed,
width thus
the railsand
to
chairs
and slightly
tables offsetting
set up, fences
match gage line. Compromise bars come in
gates
repaired, signage installed, restsets that consist of right hand and left hand
rooms
the of
lifteach
pump
stabars that prepared,
fit on both sides
rail pair.
tion The
inspected,
bars mustthe
haveirrigation
additional system
support,
usually under
the damage
smaller oftothe
two rails.
turned
off and
vegetation
Support
is
arranged
by
either
having
a heavy
prepared for, track and signals
inplate under the smaller rail or having a
spected
and
a
host
of
other
activities
stepped plate that spans and parallels the
including
Visitor Exentire joint. supporting
Joints of the the
“continuous”
type
perience
to theof best
of
sometimes Department
support the bottom
the rails
within
the
bars.
our ability. Please extend your
The to
use of
joints has
dethanks
all compromise
the volunteers
who
clined with the use of continuous welded
make
these events possible for the
rail. The connection of different rail sizes in
support
ofisthe
Museum. with a weld of
this service
accomplished
DanorWheeler
Riosrailhave
the rails
the use of and
a longArt
tapered
that
is trimmed
at a point
matches the
adbeen
making
greatthatprogress
with
joining
rail.
The
use
of
a
special
tapered
rail
their ongoing effort to both rehabilialso allows for rails of the same weight that
tate
peripheral
of profile
landmay existing
vary in height
due to areas
wear or
scape
that have been
grinding vegetation
to be connected.
somewhat ignored over a period of
time and continue the fine maintenance of the central area of the Museum. More of the hedgerow of
The top photo
shows
"shop" has
madebeen
bar
vegetation
along
A aStreet
manufactured at the ATSF track material
thinned,
allowing for improved visiplant in Newton KS. The bar is currently
bility
of
the
Museum
by the
traveling
installed on one
of the tracks
leading
into
public.
This
allows atusthe
toMuseum.
present an
the Ruffulo
Carhouse
open, bright, welcoming vista to atThe second
& thirdattention.
photos show bars of
tract
the public's
the "continuous"
design
(inside
andof
out).
Some of the older
areas
the
Museum
have
plants
with
spikes
and
The bottom diagram is from an ATSF
thorns
such
as cactus.
These
engineering
document
showing
howplants
to
will
be removed
determine
right hand or
and controlled
left hand no-for
menclature
for the
compromise
joint bars.
the
safety of
public while
we repair the irrigation to these areas.
These areas will be primarily planted
with drought-tolerant vegetation to
trees that we have.
The first thing the visitors see
when entering the property is the
appearance of the landscaping. This
is critical to generating a positive
first impression and laying the foundation for a return visit. Please support Dan and Art and help with our
landscaping; just one day a month
makes a tremendous difference. We
can always use the donation of both
plants and landscaping tools. Shovels are needed in particular.
Ron Ruffulo and Rob Zanin
have been busy preparing for our
special event season by installing the
necessary electrical circuits and lighting. Ron has been making a special
push to keep up with minor repairs
as things break during this year's
event season. Much of the preparation for this year's events involves
the installation of temporary electrical circuits so this has been a very
busy season so far.
Amazingly, Ron has still found
time to keep up with the sorting and
storing of donated electrical material
that is brought to the Museum.
Please remember that Ron can use
more supplies—donations are welcome. Warren Buchanan has replaced two burned out ballast transformers in the yard lights adjacent to
the Ruffulo Carhouse. These lights
not only help with security but also
provide a valuable safety factor
when conducting night switching
operations.
John Cole, Thom Hindman,
Ron Ruffulo and Hank Winn recently serviced the lift pump station
for our sewer system. This is a very
important component of the preparations for special event season.
Planning is underway by Paul Dieges
for the installation of a new utility
vault lid for the pump station; this
will greatly enhance our ease of access and allow for the more expeditious removal and servicing of the
pumps. The top of the vault will be
exposed by use of our back hoe, followed by removal-By
of aPhil
section
of the
Palmieri
vault roof by concrete sawing. The
new vault lid section will be offloaded directly from the delivery
truck and placed on the vault, followed by re-installation of the control wiring for the pumps. One feature of the new system will be the
installation of a weir screen around
the pumps to prevent improper
items and trash flushed down the
toilets from clogging the pumps.
Zeke Hastings, our Special Projects Manager, has kept himself busy
by designing a new configuration for
our drainage system in the vicinity of
the Wood Shop. Work should begin
shortly. Ditch and drainage maintenance is an easy thing to overlook
until it is too late. This will go a long
way to prevent blockages that can
result from a system of pipes that
are of minimal size and hidden from
view.
Zeke has also been active collecting our recyclables, dealing with
all the trash containers, repairing our
fencing and fueling our vehicles. The
vehicle fueling is a time consuming,
hard job, that he does without complaint, involving numerous vehicles
spread out over the breadth of our
property with little information as to
how much fuel is needed where.
John Cole and Thom Hindman
have undertaken a program involving the evaluation and repair of
some of the roofs on various structures at the Museum. Their first project, the roof of Town Hall, is nearing completion. This will be followed by the roof of our Crestmore
Substation with other projects still in
the investigation phase. John and
Thom are part of our trash and
bathroom team for special events
and are another example of how
many of our members perform multiple roles at the museum.
Orange Empire Railway Museum
58
Metrolink –continued from page 1
News
Briefs
improved signaling
and safety sys-
tems.
“Rail serviceTrack
has always
been a
December
Report
priority
in
my
community
and
is inBy Paul Krot
grained in our history and it’s going
MiddletonpartSiding
reto beThe
an important
of ourtie
future
placement
project
was completed
at
too,” said Perris
Mayor
Daryl Busch.
the
close of December.
Special
“Transportation
can be the lifeblood
plates
were installed
fiveour
locations
and foundation
to in
fuel
econunder
omy.” wrap-around joints and spiked
up by
Krot
and Line
Phil service
Palmieri.
ThePaul
Perris
Valley
is
The
area to
wasopen
policed
by Greg and
Wasz
expected
in mid-2015
is
and
cleared
the more
remaining
expected
to of
carry
than wood
4,000
debris
left per
by day.
failed ties. The repassengers
worked
track Empire
was ballasted
usingMuour
Orange
Railway
SP
S4 switcher at#1474
and
seumALCo
was represented
the event
UP
ballast car Chairman
by Bill Leukhardt,
by then-Board
Tom JaPhil
Paul Harr,andPhilip
cobsonPalmieri,
and by Marketing
SpeGiles,
and Manager
Hank Winn
assisted
cial Events
Donna
Zanin.by
Jeff
Williams
andonRichard
For more
information
the PerrisBerk.
Valley Phil
Line
then ran
Kershaw Ballast Reguproject,
pleasethe
see http://perrisvalleyline.info/.
lator around from the Ruffulo CarAbove
Metrolink train
house toThe
Middleton
and arrives
plowedat the
the
Perris
Depot.
4th
St.
in
foreground.
fresh ballast in order to evenly disAt
Right
A 3/4
of open
the train
nextcreto
tribute
it in
theview
many
cribs
the
Perris
Transportation
Center.
Direct
ated by replacing ties. This prepares
access
fromfor
thesurfacing
train to the
platform
the track
and
lining.is
not currently possible. The center is now
Paul Krot and Phil applied letused as only a bus terminal. Some day…
tering to the recently repainted Mark
Below The smiling politicians who took
III Tamper. It now presents a facthe train to Perris for the ceremony.
tory fresh appearance representative
of Southern Pacific surfacing and
lining equipment. Paul also lettered
and stenciled the Fairmont Tie Scarifier using photos as reference to replace the original Santa Fe lettering
and completed lettering the Kershaw
Tie Handler. Work remaining on the
tie scarifier includes installation of a
beacon and horn and getting the machine over the pit to address the air
system which is in disrepair.
Danny Giles, Mike Donnelly,
Polly Griffith, Tom Baker, Jim
Baker, and David Ley continue their
program of sorting hardware in the
track material area and excellent visible progress is being made. Although work has slowed due to the
holidays, this project is ongoing and
they always need help; they usually
work during the week. Mike Donnelly has also been making good
progress cleaning up weeds, brush,
and other debris that get exposed as
these piles of material are straightened and sorted. Volunteers are always welcome to come out and help
in the various areas where we are
working; please wear long pants and
sturdy shoes.
The Florence Harvey House
By Nancy Dallner,
Harvey Girls Historical Society
Within a few weeks of opening,
the Topeka Harvey House was doing a capacity business. The Santa Fe
officials realized Harvey’s experiment had been a success. An agreement was reached and settled with a
hand shake.
In 1877 a rundown hotel on the
line at Florence was bought. The
population in Florence was only
about 100 people. They were folks
who had never seen the likes of a
Harvey House.
Fred Harvey, with the help of
his wife and sister, purchased new
mattresses, cooking equipment and
heavy walnut furniture. Fine silver,
table linens and glassware were purchased, as well. A chef was hired
away from a famous location in Chicago with a salary of $5,000 a year.
This made the chef the wealthiest
man in Florence.
The chef paid top prices to the
local residents for prairie chickens,
quail, fresh butter, fruits and vegetables. This greatly helped the people
of Florence.
The Harvey House food and the
hotel accommodations became famous. People flocked to the Santa
Fe because it was the only railroad
to provide passengers with decent
meals. The Harvey Houses were not
expected to make large profits in
and of themselves and some of the
Houses even lost money. But Fred
Harvey refused to cut the quality of
the food or the service.
A view of the Perris Transportation Center adjacent to the Perris Depot (out of
view to the right) on December 9, 2013,
when Metrolink came to town. The pit in
the foreground is where the Museum’s
Perris Connection track will terminate,
making for easy cross-platform connections. The trench was dug the day before
by Alan Cornwell (see November Gazette, page 9) for the stem wall supporting the edge of the loading platform.
94 Gazette
December 2013
reduce our water bill without reHow Does it Work?
stricting the amount of plants and
Plant & Facilities Report
By Hank Winn
Much of the normal Plant &
Facilities
activity consists of relaCOMPROMISE OR STEP JOINT
tively routine maintenance and minor The
repairs,
but during
compromise
or stepthe
jointholiday
is used
when
it
is
necessary
to
connect
railsare
of didifseason much of our efforts
ferent
height
or
weight.
Bars
of
this
type
verted to preparation for Pumpkin
have been made in the field for temporary
Train,
A Day Out With Thomas and
connection during construction, however
the
Santa
Train.
If they
you are
perceive
a
for permanent
locations
factory or
drop-off
of
activity
while
reading
shop manufactured. All joint bars must be
of tight
fit andnothing
this is particularly
this
report,
could beimportant
further
in
compromise
connections.
from the truth. We are far busier
A splice made to fit rails of dissimilar
during
this season than the rest of
height is made to either raise one rail or
the
generators
be preloweryear;
the other
in ordermust
to match
head
pared,
hardbars
wiring
forrequire
vendors
and
heights. The
may also
side relief
to
accommodate
rails
with
different
head
outdoor lights must be installed,
width thus
the railsand
to
chairs
and slightly
tables offsetting
set up, fences
match gage line. Compromise bars come in
gates
repaired, signage installed, restsets that consist of right hand and left hand
rooms
the of
lifteach
pump
stabars that prepared,
fit on both sides
rail pair.
tion The
inspected,
bars mustthe
haveirrigation
additional system
support,
usually under
the damage
smaller oftothe
two rails.
turned
off and
vegetation
Support
is
arranged
by
either
having
a heavy
prepared for, track and signals
inplate under the smaller rail or having a
spected
and
a
host
of
other
activities
stepped plate that spans and parallels the
including
Visitor Exentire joint. supporting
Joints of the the
“continuous”
type
perience
to theof best
of
sometimes Department
support the bottom
the rails
within
the
bars.
our ability. Please extend your
The to
use of
joints has
dethanks
all compromise
the volunteers
who
clined with the use of continuous welded
make
these events possible for the
rail. The connection of different rail sizes in
support
ofisthe
Museum. with a weld of
this service
accomplished
DanorWheeler
Riosrailhave
the rails
the use of and
a longArt
tapered
that
is trimmed
at a point
matches the
adbeen
making
greatthatprogress
with
joining
rail.
The
use
of
a
special
tapered
rail
their ongoing effort to both rehabilialso allows for rails of the same weight that
tate
peripheral
of profile
landmay existing
vary in height
due to areas
wear or
scape
that have been
grinding vegetation
to be connected.
somewhat ignored over a period of
time and continue the fine maintenance of the central area of the Museum. More of the hedgerow of
The top photo
shows
"shop" has
madebeen
bar
vegetation
along
A aStreet
manufactured at the ATSF track material
thinned,
allowing for improved visiplant in Newton KS. The bar is currently
bility
of
the
Museum
by the
traveling
installed on one
of the tracks
leading
into
public.
This
allows atusthe
toMuseum.
present an
the Ruffulo
Carhouse
open, bright, welcoming vista to atThe second
& thirdattention.
photos show bars of
tract
the public's
the "continuous"
design
(inside
andof
out).
Some of the older
areas
the
Museum
have
plants
with
spikes
and
The bottom diagram is from an ATSF
thorns
such
as cactus.
These
engineering
document
showing
howplants
to
will
be removed
determine
right hand or
and controlled
left hand no-for
menclature
for the
compromise
joint bars.
the
safety of
public while
we repair the irrigation to these areas.
These areas will be primarily planted
with drought-tolerant vegetation to
trees that we have.
The first thing the visitors see
when entering the property is the
appearance of the landscaping. This
is critical to generating a positive
first impression and laying the foundation for a return visit. Please support Dan and Art and help with our
landscaping; just one day a month
makes a tremendous difference. We
can always use the donation of both
plants and landscaping tools. Shovels are needed in particular.
Ron Ruffulo and Rob Zanin
have been busy preparing for our
special event season by installing the
necessary electrical circuits and lighting. Ron has been making a special
push to keep up with minor repairs
as things break during this year's
event season. Much of the preparation for this year's events involves
the installation of temporary electrical circuits so this has been a very
busy season so far.
Amazingly, Ron has still found
time to keep up with the sorting and
storing of donated electrical material
that is brought to the Museum.
Please remember that Ron can use
more supplies—donations are welcome. Warren Buchanan has replaced two burned out ballast transformers in the yard lights adjacent to
the Ruffulo Carhouse. These lights
not only help with security but also
provide a valuable safety factor
when conducting night switching
operations.
John Cole, Thom Hindman,
Ron Ruffulo and Hank Winn recently serviced the lift pump station
for our sewer system. This is a very
important component of the preparations for special event season.
Planning is underway by Paul Dieges
for the installation of a new utility
vault lid for the pump station; this
will greatly enhance our ease of access and allow for the more expeditious removal and servicing of the
pumps. The top of the vault will be
exposed by use of our back hoe, followed by removal-By
of aPhil
section
of the
Palmieri
vault roof by concrete sawing. The
new vault lid section will be offloaded directly from the delivery
truck and placed on the vault, followed by re-installation of the control wiring for the pumps. One feature of the new system will be the
installation of a weir screen around
the pumps to prevent improper
items and trash flushed down the
toilets from clogging the pumps.
Zeke Hastings, our Special Projects Manager, has kept himself busy
by designing a new configuration for
our drainage system in the vicinity of
the Wood Shop. Work should begin
shortly. Ditch and drainage maintenance is an easy thing to overlook
until it is too late. This will go a long
way to prevent blockages that can
result from a system of pipes that
are of minimal size and hidden from
view.
Zeke has also been active collecting our recyclables, dealing with
all the trash containers, repairing our
fencing and fueling our vehicles. The
vehicle fueling is a time consuming,
hard job, that he does without complaint, involving numerous vehicles
spread out over the breadth of our
property with little information as to
how much fuel is needed where.
John Cole and Thom Hindman
have undertaken a program involving the evaluation and repair of
some of the roofs on various structures at the Museum. Their first project, the roof of Town Hall, is nearing completion. This will be followed by the roof of our Crestmore
Substation with other projects still in
the investigation phase. John and
Thom are part of our trash and
bathroom team for special events
and are another example of how
many of our members perform multiple roles at the museum.
Orange Empire Railway Museum
94
When asked about special
memories from the early years of the
Museum, he responded that there
were just too many to single out a
In 1996, following the death of Museum founder Dick Burns (member
Museum
Board
Selects
few. “The great times shared with
#4) and the regrettable lack of information available for a decent obituary,
many of the early members in those
interviews were conducted with the
12 surviving
foundingand
members
of the
New
President
Chairman
great days would take a book to reOrange Empire Traction Company to get information on their personal backto today’s
members,” he said. As
After many
serving
as the
Joeevolved
Fuller as
the newlate
Museum
Presiground, views and involvement
in theyears
founding
of the
what has
today
an
afterthought,
Museum
dent and Chief Executive Officer. he did single out the
as the Orange Empire
Railway President,
Museum. and more resite-scouting
expeditions in Pat UnChairman
of the Board,
years of
management
Following up oncently
the obituary
of Jeffrey
MoreauTom
(memberJoe's
#9) many
published
derwood’s
1951
Ford in 1956 and
Jacobson
resigned
his
Chairmanship
experience
will
serve
the
Museum
in last month’s issue of the Gazette, the article below—based on that 1996 in1957,
as
being
especially
memorable.
at athe
December
Board ofofDirectors
The Board
terview—is offered as
further
remembrance
Jeff and his well.
contributions
to also selected Hank
Jeff cited
the moving of the first
meeting. Tom will continue serving
Winn as the Chief Operating
Offiour Museum.
piece
of
rolling
a member
the board.
cer. This is a new position for the stock from Travel
The 14 foundingas
members
andoftheir
current status are as follows:
TownHank
in Griffith
After serving more than the
Museum and will charge
with Park to the new
museum
site in Perris in 1958, as
planned year as museum Presimanaging the day to
day activities
1 Ray Ballash
earlymanagmilestone that stood out in
dent/CEO,
George
and supervising the one
division
2 Bill Bauer
(deceased,
AugustHuckaby
2010) rehis mind. The move originated on a
signed his positions at the December
ers.
3 Don Brown
dare from
Johnson; the
Board
of
Directors
meeting,
stating
JR
Lowe
was
selected
as Norman
the
4 Dick Burns
(deceased, 1995)
wonBoard
the bet by moving LARy
Chairman at the group
January
5 Ken Harrison that he had fulfilled his intended
Nr. 9014 within 24 hours.
changes
in management.
meeting to serve outflatcar
the remainder
6 Norman K. Johnson
(deceased,
June 28,George
2009) will
youthful
of the current term.Their
A new
Chair- enthusiasm allowed
7 Harvey Laner continue serving as a member of the
this year
“chore”
man is selected each
at theto be accomplished
8 Ron Longworth board.(deceased, March 3, 2005)
with
great
zeal.
The
Board
of
Directors
selected
March
Board
meeting
.
9 Jeff Moreau
(deceased November 2013)
Does
OERM
today live up to
10 Dean Park
Jeff’s original goals? As a volunteer
11 Herb Redlich
(deceased, 1985)
organization, yes. For the long haul
12 David Slipher
however, Jeff believed the Museum
13
Patrick Underwood
(deceased,
9, 2009)
Upcoming
Special Events
for July
2014
needs to be established on a more
14 Jim Walker
business-like basis in order to make
February 1 – Harvey Girls meet in Town Hall at
March 1 – OERM
Annual Meeting
the plant more physically attractive
being abandoned. Even at 15, Jeff
9:00 AM
to the general public. One might
had a vision that OET would endure
March
1
–
Member’s
Dinner
wonder
if the improvements in the
and prosper. He was aware of the
Founding Member #9
February 3 – The Hosts and Docents
meetmuseums
in
current century would meet with
trolley
at Seashore in
Jeffrey
OERM
Life are Maine,
Town
HallP.atMoreau,
10:00 AM.
If you
interested
and Branford
in
March
in Connecticut.
3 – HostsJeff’s
and updated
Docentsgoals.
Meet in Town
In
closing,
Jeff
noted that the
Member
#9,
was
15
years
old
in
He
knew
of
their
success
and
had
no
being a museum host and don’t feel you know
Hall at 10:00 AM
Museum
would
not
exist today if
1956
when
the
Orange
Empire
doubtwethat
enough about the museum, don’t worry
willa Southern California
not for the great leadership of Pat
Traction Company was formed. He
museum would succeed as well.
train
you. To become a host come to
the meetMarch 15 & 16 –Underwood
Iron Horse in
– Family
Steamthe early
days.
lived on Hawthorn Avenue in HollyJeff has maintained his membering
or
contact
Gary
Cochrane
at
714-425-4208
punk
Carnival
Celebrate
all
things
steampunk
“Certainly
a
traction/railroad
muwood. Like all of the other founding
ship continuously, and in fact, was
and
the
first
annual
Iron
Horse
event.
Enjoy
seum would have emerged eventumembers, he was a member of the
been a Life Member for many years.
ally, buta Pat’s
vision High
is what
February
15 & 16Division,
– It’s Steam
Victorian
TeamotiSouthern California
Elec-Weekend
He hadand
notthe
lived invendors,
Southern entertainment,
Calivated
us
in
the
very
beginning.”
tric Railroaders’
Association (SCfornia since 1969, when
VC2
will be the locomotive
for the weekend.
(thereheismoved
an extra charge for this activity), a fashERA),
and
had
been
a
member
since
to
San
Francisco,
where
he
went
to costume contest. This will be a fun
Come out to the museum for a fun filled day.
ion show and
1952. He first learned of SC-ERA
work for the San Francisco
Municievent for
the entire family.
from other local traction fans while
pal Railway. He later lived in the
March
1 – Spring
Swap
Meetfan
– ThisSacramento
is Southern
on a Pacific
Railroad
Society
area and worked as a
California’s
largest
outdoor
railroadiana
meet.
March 22 Re– Boy Scout Merit Badge program led
trip.
motorman for the Sacramento
Gates
AM.organizaExhibitors gional
set upTransit
beginsDistrict.by Scout Coordinator Steve Pesante (This sesHis open
goals at
for8:00
the new
tion7:00
wereAM.
the This
same event
as those
of the
He also maintained
at
is free
for members.
sionhisis long
full. inThere is space available for the July
other founders—to preserve some
terest in electric traction and its hissession)
examples
the various
types
tory.
March 1 of
– Harvey
Girlscarmeet
on the
lawnHein wrote and published a
that were then being scrapped as the
number of rail-oriented books over
Pinacate
Parkrailway
9:00 AM
local electric
systems were
the years.
The Founders
By Paul Muehlebach
Behind the Controller
Jeffrey Moreau
310 Gazette
Gazette
December 2013
Gazette
Back to the Future, or,
Déjà vu All Over Again
check on events and search for content for the Gazette.
Randy provided lots of tips and
By Paul Muehlebach
assistance through the transition to
Hello again. I have been asked
get me up to speed. He and I use
by Museum management to take on
different desktop publishing applicathe job of editor for the Gazette. I
tions and different computing platwas assistant editor and later managforms. I have attempted to dupliing editor under Paul Hammond
cate, or at least simulate very closely,
back in the 1990s, about 1992 to
the look and feel that Randy intro1998. We updated the look of the
duced two years ago. There’s no
paper and introduced the use of
need to make radical design changes
desktop publishing software, along
at this time.
with other PC based tools that
I will rely heavily on the departgreatly streamlined the production
ment heads and others who write
of
this
important
communication
regular
reports
on progress at our
At right is a photo from April 1962 showing an
impromptu
celebration
atop
LARy
525.
Pictured
are
early
members
Paul
Dieges,
vehicle. Paul and I retired to other
Museum. I will Jim
also try to create
Baker,
Roger
Fogt
and
Jim
Walker.
They
are
celebrating
with bottles
pursuits and a number of editors
some content
of my own. Back in
of
Pepsi-cola.
Thesince.
celebration may have been2006
over Ithewrote
first “live”
have
carried on
a five-part series of
operation in Perris, as suggested by the bug wire slung over the overThe most recent editor, Randy
articles covering the early years of
head line in the background. The scene was the old East Park Yard,
Ruiz,
has
done
an
excellent
job
over
Museum’s
existence at Travel
which is today’s Broadway. It looks northeast.the
In today’s
view you
the last
years
of Carhouse
modernizing
Town and later in Perris. I hope to
would
see two
the Ray
Ballash
in the background.
the
look
and
feel
of
the
paper
and
that
The photo below is from the 20th anniversarycontinue
celebration
in series.
March
continuing
the
modernization
procI
should
alsoMupoint out that I am
1976. It includes founders of the California Southern Railroad
ess. He
has the
however,
two strikesorganization
receiving
invaluable
seum
(CSRM),
other predecessor
of our
current help from our
OERM.
Park (#10),
Bill
against Left
himtoinright
that are
he Dick
livesBurns
in the(#4), Dean
Museum’s
Corporate
Secretary,
Wilkes
(CSRM), Bay
Bill Garner
(CSRM),reNorman
Johnson
(#6),
Jack
San Francisco
Area—rather
Sharilin Peters. Besides being the
Whitmeyer (CSRM), Ron Longworth (#8), Patrick Underwood (#13)
mote from the Museum—and he
person who recruited me, she has
and Ray Ballash (#1). David Slipher (#12) and Bill Bauer (#2) were
has a fulltime day job. Randy has
provided great help in making the
found it increasingly difficult to baltransition from Randy. She has asance his paying job with the responsisted at every step along the way
sibility of getting the Gazette out on a
and will provide a second set of eyes
regular basis. And so he has asked to
going forward seeking out those
step down. I applaud what he has
pesky spelling and grammar errors.
done for the Gazette. Perhaps some
She deserves an assistant editor title!
day in the future, when Randy reWe all work together to preserve
tires, he will be able to step back
historic artifacts of the railway ininto the editor’s role as I am now
dustry. Our Museum is 58 years old
doing.
now and has a long and storied hisI retired three years ago and so
tory of its own. I welcome any contheoretically I have more time to
tributions, written and photographic,
devote to side projects. The trouble
detailing the history of our collection
with that theory is what most retired
and organization, chronicling propeople complain of: I don’t know
gress on the many restoration and
how I ever got anything done when
building projects that are constantly
I worked because I’m so busy now.
moving forward. You can contact
Nevertheless, I hope to carry on the
me via email at
good work of my recent [email protected]. I look
sors. I also live in Long Beach; not
forward to this new adventure.
too far for a day trip out to Perris to
In March 1996 when the Museum celebrated its 40th anniversary, ten of the
twelve then surviving founding members
posed
for thisnewsletter
group photo
A monthly
publishedatbythe
the dinner
Orange
held Empire
in the Railway
Perris Museum
High School
gym.
as a benefit forThe
its
framed certificatessupporters
they are holding
granted them Life Membership, which
many of them
already& had.
Left to right
Editing
Layout:
standing are: Dean Park (#10), David
Muehlebach
Slipher (#12), Paul
Norman
Johnson (#6), Don
Brown (#3), Bill Bauer (#2) and Ray BalSubmissions
for publication
are welcome
lash (#1).
Kneeling
in the front
row are
and
are
due
by
the
first
of
the
month.
Please
Jim Walker (#14), Patrick Underwood
email ideas, suggestions, or articles to Paul
(#13),
Harvey atLaner
(#7) and Jeffrey
Muehlebach
[email protected].
Moreau
(#9).
Not
present
Ken pixels
HarDigital images should be atwere
least 2400
rison (#5)
andand
Ron
(#8).exDein width
300Longworth
dpi. The opinions
pressed
herein
arewere
not necessarily
those(#4)
of
ceased
by that
time
Dick Burns
the Officers,
the(#11).
Board of Directors, or the
and Herb
Redlich
Editorial Staff of the
Orange Empire Railway Museum.
Orange Empire
Railway Museum
Board of Directors:
Byron Brainard
Paul Krot
Joe Fuller
J. R. Lowe
George Huckaby
Brian Norden
Tom Jacobson
Phil Palmieri
Paul Peters
Directors Meet monthly (except Dec.) on the 3rd
Saturday at 4:00 PM at OERM’s Town Hall.
All members are welcome.
Marketing & Special Events Manager:
Donna Zannin
just out of the photo to the
left of Dick Burns. Jim Walker
was also present that day, but
not included in the photo.
Location: 2201 S. “A” Street
Perris, CA 92570
Telephone: (951) 943-3020
Fax: (951) 943-2676
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.OERM.org
Orange
OrangeEmpire
EmpireRailway
RailwayMuseum
Museum
103
When asked about special
memories from the early years of the
Museum, he responded that there
were just too many to single out a
In 1996, following the death of Museum founder Dick Burns (member
Museum
Board
Selects
few. “The great times shared with
#4) and the regrettable lack of information available for a decent obituary,
many of the early members in those
interviews were conducted with the
12 surviving
foundingand
members
of the
New
President
Chairman
great days would take a book to reOrange Empire Traction Company to get information on their personal backto today’s
members,” he said. As
After many
serving
as the
Joeevolved
Fuller as
the newlate
Museum
Presiground, views and involvement
in theyears
founding
of the
what has
today
an
afterthought,
Museum
dent and Chief Executive Officer. he did single out the
as the Orange Empire
Railway President,
Museum. and more resite-scouting
expeditions in Pat UnChairman
of the Board,
years of
management
Following up oncently
the obituary
of Jeffrey
MoreauTom
(memberJoe's
#9) many
published
derwood’s
1951
Ford in 1956 and
Jacobson
resigned
his
Chairmanship
experience
will
serve
the
Museum
in last month’s issue of the Gazette, the article below—based on that 1996 in1957,
as
being
especially
memorable.
at athe
December
Board ofofDirectors
The Board
terview—is offered as
further
remembrance
Jeff and his well.
contributions
to also selected Hank
Jeff cited
the moving of the first
meeting. Tom will continue serving
Winn as the Chief Operating
Offiour Museum.
piece
of
rolling
a member
the board.
cer. This is a new position for the stock from Travel
The 14 foundingas
members
andoftheir
current status are as follows:
TownHank
in Griffith
After serving more than the
Museum and will charge
with Park to the new
museum
site in Perris in 1958, as
planned year as museum Presimanaging the day to
day activities
1 Ray Ballash
earlymanagmilestone that stood out in
dent/CEO,
George
and supervising the one
division
2 Bill Bauer
(deceased,
AugustHuckaby
2010) rehis mind. The move originated on a
signed his positions at the December
ers.
3 Don Brown
dare from
Johnson; the
Board
of
Directors
meeting,
stating
JR
Lowe
was
selected
as Norman
the
4 Dick Burns
(deceased, 1995)
wonBoard
the bet by moving LARy
Chairman at the group
January
5 Ken Harrison that he had fulfilled his intended
Nr. 9014 within 24 hours.
changes
in management.
meeting to serve outflatcar
the remainder
6 Norman K. Johnson
(deceased,
June 28,George
2009) will
youthful
of the current term.Their
A new
Chair- enthusiasm allowed
7 Harvey Laner continue serving as a member of the
this year
“chore”
man is selected each
at theto be accomplished
8 Ron Longworth board.(deceased, March 3, 2005)
with
great
zeal.
The
Board
of
Directors
selected
March
Board
meeting
.
9 Jeff Moreau
(deceased November 2013)
Does
OERM
today live up to
10 Dean Park
Jeff’s original goals? As a volunteer
11 Herb Redlich
(deceased, 1985)
organization, yes. For the long haul
12 David Slipher
however, Jeff believed the Museum
13
Patrick Underwood
(deceased,
9, 2009)
Upcoming
Special Events
for July
2014
needs to be established on a more
14 Jim Walker
business-like basis in order to make
February 1 – Harvey Girls meet in Town Hall at
March 1 – OERM
Annual Meeting
the plant more physically attractive
being abandoned. Even at 15, Jeff
9:00 AM
to the general public. One might
had a vision that OET would endure
March
1
–
Member’s
Dinner
wonder
if the improvements in the
and prosper. He was aware of the
Founding Member #9
February 3 – The Hosts and Docents
meetmuseums
in
current century would meet with
trolley
at Seashore in
Jeffrey
OERM
Life are Maine,
Town
HallP.atMoreau,
10:00 AM.
If you
interested
and Branford
in
March
in Connecticut.
3 – HostsJeff’s
and updated
Docentsgoals.
Meet in Town
In
closing,
Jeff
noted that the
Member
#9,
was
15
years
old
in
He
knew
of
their
success
and
had
no
being a museum host and don’t feel you know
Hall at 10:00 AM
Museum
would
not
exist today if
1956
when
the
Orange
Empire
doubtwethat
enough about the museum, don’t worry
willa Southern California
not for the great leadership of Pat
Traction Company was formed. He
museum would succeed as well.
train
you. To become a host come to
the meetMarch 15 & 16 –Underwood
Iron Horse in
– Family
Steamthe early
days.
lived on Hawthorn Avenue in HollyJeff has maintained his membering
or
contact
Gary
Cochrane
at
714-425-4208
punk
Carnival
Celebrate
all
things
steampunk
“Certainly
a
traction/railroad
muwood. Like all of the other founding
ship continuously, and in fact, was
and
the
first
annual
Iron
Horse
event.
Enjoy
seum would have emerged eventumembers, he was a member of the
been a Life Member for many years.
ally, buta Pat’s
vision High
is what
February
15 & 16Division,
– It’s Steam
Victorian
TeamotiSouthern California
Elec-Weekend
He hadand
notthe
lived invendors,
Southern entertainment,
Calivated
us
in
the
very
beginning.”
tric Railroaders’
Association (SCfornia since 1969, when
VC2
will be the locomotive
for the weekend.
(thereheismoved
an extra charge for this activity), a fashERA),
and
had
been
a
member
since
to
San
Francisco,
where
he
went
to costume contest. This will be a fun
Come out to the museum for a fun filled day.
ion show and
1952. He first learned of SC-ERA
work for the San Francisco
Municievent for
the entire family.
from other local traction fans while
pal Railway. He later lived in the
March
1 – Spring
Swap
Meetfan
– ThisSacramento
is Southern
on a Pacific
Railroad
Society
area and worked as a
California’s
largest
outdoor
railroadiana
meet.
March 22 Re– Boy Scout Merit Badge program led
trip.
motorman for the Sacramento
Gates
AM.organizaExhibitors gional
set upTransit
beginsDistrict.by Scout Coordinator Steve Pesante (This sesHis open
goals at
for8:00
the new
tion7:00
wereAM.
the This
same event
as those
of the
He also maintained
at
is free
for members.
sionhisis long
full. inThere is space available for the July
other founders—to preserve some
terest in electric traction and its hissession)
examples
the various
types
tory.
March 1 of
– Harvey
Girlscarmeet
on the
lawnHein wrote and published a
that were then being scrapped as the
number of rail-oriented books over
Pinacate
Parkrailway
9:00 AM
local electric
systems were
the years.
The Founders
By Paul Muehlebach
Behind the Controller
Jeffrey Moreau
2 Gazette
11
Gazette
December 2013
Gazette
Back to the Future, or,
Déjà vu All Over Again
check on events and search for content for the Gazette.
Randy provided lots of tips and
By Paul Muehlebach
assistance through the transition to
Hello again. I have been asked
get me up to speed. He and I use
by Museum management to take on
different desktop publishing applicathe job of editor for the Gazette. I
tions and different computing platwas assistant editor and later managforms. I have attempted to dupliing editor under Paul Hammond
cate, or at least simulate very closely,
back in the 1990s, about 1992 to
the look and feel that Randy intro1998. We updated the look of the
duced two years ago. There’s no
paper and introduced the use of
need to make radical design changes
desktop publishing software, along
at this time.
with other PC based tools that
I will rely heavily on the departgreatly streamlined the production
ment heads and others who write
of
this
important
communication
regular
reports
on progress at our
At right is a photo from April 1962 showing an
impromptu
celebration
atop
LARy
525.
Pictured
are
early
members
Paul
Dieges,
vehicle. Paul and I retired to other
Museum. I will Jim
also try to create
Baker,
Roger
Fogt
and
Jim
Walker.
They
are
celebrating
with bottles
pursuits and a number of editors
some content
of my own. Back in
of
Pepsi-cola.
Thesince.
celebration may have been2006
over Ithewrote
first “live”
have
carried on
a five-part series of
operation in Perris, as suggested by the bug wire slung over the overThe most recent editor, Randy
articles covering the early years of
head line in the background. The scene was the old East Park Yard,
Ruiz,
has
done
an
excellent
job
over
Museum’s
existence at Travel
which is today’s Broadway. It looks northeast.the
In today’s
view you
the last
years
of Carhouse
modernizing
Town and later in Perris. I hope to
would
see two
the Ray
Ballash
in the background.
the
look
and
feel
of
the
paper
and
that
The photo below is from the 20th anniversarycontinue
celebration
in series.
March
continuing
the
modernization
procI
should
alsoMupoint out that I am
1976. It includes founders of the California Southern Railroad
ess. He
has the
however,
two strikesorganization
receiving
invaluable
seum
(CSRM),
other predecessor
of our
current help from our
OERM.
Park (#10),
Bill
against Left
himtoinright
that are
he Dick
livesBurns
in the(#4), Dean
Museum’s
Corporate
Secretary,
Wilkes
(CSRM), Bay
Bill Garner
(CSRM),reNorman
Johnson
(#6),
Jack
San Francisco
Area—rather
Sharilin Peters. Besides being the
Whitmeyer (CSRM), Ron Longworth (#8), Patrick Underwood (#13)
mote from the Museum—and he
person who recruited me, she has
and Ray Ballash (#1). David Slipher (#12) and Bill Bauer (#2) were
has a fulltime day job. Randy has
provided great help in making the
found it increasingly difficult to baltransition from Randy. She has asance his paying job with the responsisted at every step along the way
sibility of getting the Gazette out on a
and will provide a second set of eyes
regular basis. And so he has asked to
going forward seeking out those
step down. I applaud what he has
pesky spelling and grammar errors.
done for the Gazette. Perhaps some
She deserves an assistant editor title!
day in the future, when Randy reWe all work together to preserve
tires, he will be able to step back
historic artifacts of the railway ininto the editor’s role as I am now
dustry. Our Museum is 58 years old
doing.
now and has a long and storied hisI retired three years ago and so
tory of its own. I welcome any contheoretically I have more time to
tributions, written and photographic,
devote to side projects. The trouble
detailing the history of our collection
with that theory is what most retired
and organization, chronicling propeople complain of: I don’t know
gress on the many restoration and
how I ever got anything done when
building projects that are constantly
I worked because I’m so busy now.
moving forward. You can contact
Nevertheless, I hope to carry on the
me via email at
good work of my recent [email protected]. I look
sors. I also live in Long Beach; not
forward to this new adventure.
too far for a day trip out to Perris to
In March 1996 when the Museum celebrated its 40th anniversary, ten of the
twelve then surviving founding members
posed
for thisnewsletter
group photo
A monthly
publishedatbythe
the dinner
Orange
held Empire
in the Railway
Perris Museum
High School
gym.
as a benefit forThe
its
framed certificatessupporters
they are holding
granted them Life Membership, which
many of them
already& had.
Left to right
Editing
Layout:
standing are: Dean Park (#10), David
Muehlebach
Slipher (#12), Paul
Norman
Johnson (#6), Don
Brown (#3), Bill Bauer (#2) and Ray BalSubmissions
for publication
are welcome
lash (#1).
Kneeling
in the front
row are
and
are
due
by
the
first
of
the
month.
Please
Jim Walker (#14), Patrick Underwood
email ideas, suggestions, or articles to Paul
(#13),
Harvey atLaner
(#7) and Jeffrey
Muehlebach
[email protected].
Moreau
(#9).
Not
present
Ken pixels
HarDigital images should be atwere
least 2400
rison (#5)
andand
Ron
(#8).exDein width
300Longworth
dpi. The opinions
pressed
herein
arewere
not necessarily
those(#4)
of
ceased
by that
time
Dick Burns
the Officers,
the(#11).
Board of Directors, or the
and Herb
Redlich
Editorial Staff of the
Orange Empire Railway Museum.
Orange Empire
Railway Museum
Board of Directors:
Byron Brainard
Paul Krot
Joe Fuller
J. R. Lowe
George Huckaby
Brian Norden
Tom Jacobson
Phil Palmieri
Paul Peters
Directors Meet monthly (except Dec.) on the 3rd
Saturday at 4:00 PM at OERM’s Town Hall.
All members are welcome.
Marketing & Special Events Manager:
Donna Zannin
just out of the photo to the
left of Dick Burns. Jim Walker
was also present that day, but
not included in the photo.
Location: 2201 S. “A” Street
Perris, CA 92570
Telephone: (951) 943-3020
Fax: (951) 943-2676
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.OERM.org
Orange
OrangeEmpire
EmpireRailway
RailwayMuseum
Museum
112
December 2013 Vol. 120 No. 6
Upcoming Events in 2014
Steam Weekend—February 15-16
Gazette
Spring Swap Meet, OERM Annual
Meeting & Members’ Dinner—March 1
Iron Horse—Family Steam Punk
Carnival—March 15-16
Inside
Behind the Controller .............................2
Calendar .................................................2
Donations in November
How Does it Work?................................5
Cash contributions totaling $5,859 were made to the following funds in November 2013. Our sincere thanks to the following individuals and
businesses:






To:
General Fund – Anonymous, J E Denman, James Patterson,
Isaac Rodriguez
Unbudgeted Surplus Purchases (Fund A11) - Philip Giles
Library Construction (Fund B11) - Bob Davis
Perris Connection (Fund B22) - Bob Davis, Thomas Gorman
Restoring SDERy 508 (Fund C33) - David Pattinson
PE Blimps (Fund C36) - Bob Davis
Orange Empire Railway Museum
P.O. Box 548
Perris, CA 92572-0548
General Fund:
Endowments:
Directed Funds:
Date
Payment:






ATSF 98/108 (Fund C41) – Anonymous
National Scene (Fund C45) - Anonymous
Yellow Cars (Fund C49) - Gary Starre, Robert Szager
VC2 Repairs (Fund C51) - Anonymous
Unrestricted Endowment (Fund E1) - Zeke Hastings
Red Cars Endowment (Fund E4) - Lee Kagy
News Briefs............................................8
The Founders........................................10
FTA Formally Awards $75 Million for
Perris Valley Line
The Riverside County Transportation Commission (RCTC) welcomed Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Deputy Administrator
Therese McMillan to Perris on Monday, December 9. The purpose of
her visit was to award $75 million in
federal grant funding for the Perris
Valley Line extension of Metrolink.
During a formal ceremony held
at the Perris Transit Center, Ms.
McMillan was joined by local Con-
I/we enclose our tax-deductible donation as indicated below.
Name
Supports General Museum Operations
Richards (for unrestricted needs)
Niedrich (for restoration and maintenance
PE Red Cars
Gagnon Steam Endowment
LATL 2601
SP 1006
PE Blimps (includes Pacific Electric 498)
“Build it Now” Archive Construction Fund
Perris Connection
Security
Other
Total
, 20___
Cash___ Check___ Charge: Master Card___ VISA___ Expiration Date___/___
Card Number _____ _____ _____ _____
2013 Thomas Event................................6
Metrolink Makes the
Perris Connection
Signed:
Member #
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
$
gressmen Mark Takano (D-Perris)
and Ken Calvert (R-Corona), who
both sought funding for the project.
A number of local officials also participated in the formal grant signing
ceremony.
“Public transit is becoming an
especially important part of our
transportation network in Riverside
County,” said RCTC Chair Karen
Spiegel, who is also the Mayor of
Corona. “By bringing Metrolink to
more of Riverside County,
we create a foundation to
make the rest of our public
transit and overall transportation even stronger.”
The $247 million project
will extend the current
Metrolink 91 Line by 24
miles and will include new
stops in Perris, South Perris/Menifee, March Air Reserve Base, and the Hunter
Business Park in Riverside.
RCTC bought the rail
right of way for the project in
1992 and will begin construction this month. The construction will include track
improvements, double tracking in some areas, the construction of new stations, and
Continued on page 4
A very short Metrolink train stops at the Perris Depot platform on Monday, December 9, 2013,
for the ceremony awarding $75 million in FTA money to the Perris Valley Line.
Whole
Number
676