Members have completed the installation of the electric conduit into a trench from the west end of the site to a location near the fence across from the round house.  This 500' trench has 4 conduits and is encased in concrete.  This will allow CL&P to run the electric service into our site from RT 66, along with expansion room for telephone or other utilities.  The next step in this project is to have the electrician install the switching gear and then CL&P will run the service.

Members have also been working on securing the fence gates.  It was found that some creative people have lifted and twisted some of the gates to gain entry into the site.  We are securing the gates so they can't be lifted.  Security is going to be an ongoing battle.  We encourage members to take a drive around the site whenever you are in the area.  If you find any gates open or notice any vandalism please report this to Jerry Griffin at 228-9703.

Three out of the four wheels on the turntable bridge have been loosened.  This is another one of the pesky projects on our punch list.  Hopefully with a little more oil and elbow grease we should have this chore done.

Also progress has been made in digging out the remaining roundhouse pits.  With a total of six pits, three are complete with one in progress
and it is almost halfway done.  Not much in the way of artifacts have been found but we sure have found a lot of old brick from the original
outside walls!

This past weekend we have completed installing the stakes for the location of the Chaplin Station and the Groton Freight House.  Hopefully we will be able to start digging for foundations very soon.

SNET continues to donate funds to the chapter for all members and non-members that are a part of the Community Connections Program.
Another $68.58 was donated last quarter.  Please get involved in this program.  It costs you nothing but the chapter gets a large reward.  If
you are already a SNET All Distance customer make sure all your phone lines (both voice and modem lines) are on this program.  Call SNET at 1-800-635-7638 or via the web at www.snet.com/community  for additional information or to sign up.

No general membership meeting for July and August.  The next general membership meeting will be in September.  Remember the business meeting still will be held on July 11 and August  1st.

Several members have made comments that it is too difficult to remember our web site address.  For easy access to our site point your browser to www.nrhs.com  you will find all the NRHS chapters and their locations along with chapter web sites.

The sales department has notified members at the last meeting that we have a new supply of hats and shirts available to anyone who wishes to purchase them.  Please contact Jeff Laverty 429-7961 for purchase and pricing information.

Continue to send your email account names to me if you would like to be included on our e-mail mailing list.  We intend to use this list to notify members of work days and events that are happening at the museum site that we are unable to get to you in a timely manner in the newsletter.  Send to jeffrey.ricard@snet.net.  Again just to remind you that a crew is working at the site on Mondays between 9:00am and noon.  For those members that are unable to make our weekend work days this is a alternative.  Contact Burt Turcotte at 429-7045 or Dick Sobielo at 228-3976 for information.

We still have used railroad ties for sale at the museum site.  Great for landscaping projects.  They can be picked up for $2.00 each on Saturday mornings.

Mark your calendars (hopefully you will be marking your 1999 Connecticut Eastern Railroad Museum Calendar) for September 12th.  That is the day for the next chapter train show.  We have signed a contract with Windham High School for the use of the building and the dealer notices have also been mailed.  The flier has been printed and was given to members at the last meeting.  Please pick up copies at the business meeting and distribute to your local hobby shop and local businesses.

:)  A Reminder that there will not be a General Membership meeting during July and August.  The business meeting will still be held on the first Sunday of the month.

The St Louis Chapter's newsletter, The Gateway Railletter reports the following: "New York City says you cannot shoot rabbits from the rear of
the Third Avenue Streetcar - when the car is in motion.  Maryland law makes it illegal to knock a train off the tracks.  It is against the law in North Dakota for an engineer to take his train home at night unless they carry a full crew.  It is a Texas law that when two trains meet at a railroad crossing, each shall come to a complete stop, and neither shall proceed until the other has gone."  Figure that one out!