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2001
– It Was A Very Good Year
We
celebrated the 10th anniversary of the founding of our
chapter of the NRHS in 2001 with the dedication of the roundhouse and
the grand opening of the museum to visitors.
During
the year, we had 1874 visitors - 1271 paid visitors and 603 children and
guests. This includes
nearly 1000 visitors at our grand opening.
If you add visitors who came in when we were not officially open,
our total attendance was probably around 2000.
So much
has been accomplished it is easy to overlook something, but here are
some of them:
*
Roundhouse doors installed and partially painted.
*
Pit six in Roundhouse restored with track.
*
Paver blocks sold and installed.
*
Operator’s Shanty restored.
*
Track extended from
Hartford Main Switch down to Chaplin
Station.
*
Crossings built over
tracks.
*
Underground conduit for
electrical & communications system
completed.
*
Electricity installed
in Section House.
*
Turntable lowered into
turntable pit.
*
Bearing for turntable
donated to Museum.
*
25-Ton Locomotive
painted.
*
Displays set up in
Chaplin Station and Freight House.
*
Surplus ties and rail
plates sold.
*
Ramp from Section House
to tracks constructed.
We owe so much to so many, it
is impossible to name them all. Perhaps
the greatest debt of gratitude is due to the many members
who have made the museum possible with their hard work in so many areas.
We also owe thanks to the 1205th Transportation
Railway Operating Battalion for assisting us with the track work and to
the members, community, and
rail fans in general, who have donated money, equipment, supplies and
artifacts to the museum. Since our primary purpose is to educate the public through
our educational displays, we also owe thanks to the many visitors who
paid admissions fees, bought souvenirs, made donations, and told their
friends about the museum.
A
BIG THANK YOU
TO
ALL OF YOU
What’s
Planned for 2002?
This
year we hope to:
*
Complete ballasting of
track already in place.
*
Extend track to the
East gate, back to Freight House, and over to the turntable and
Roundhouse.
*
Complete installation
of turntable.
*
Bring rolling stock
from Bridge Street to the Museum grounds.
*
Construct platforms for
the Chaplin Station & Freight House.
*
Complete restoration of
the Freight House.
*
Begin restoration of
various rolling stock.
*
Bring equipment and
rolling stock from outlying areas to Museum.
*
Set up more displays
for visitors.
*
Welcome our 1,000,000th
visitor (more or less).
What
can you do to help?
*
Pay your dues promptly.
*
Send in a donation if
you are able.
*
Sign up to serve on a
Committee or Department. Call
Mark Granville at 860-456-3956.
*
Serve as a tour guide.
Call Howard Raphaelson at 860-429-1340 or Art Schnabel at
860-666-2386.
*
Help with track work or
restoration projects. Just
show up at the Museum on Saturday morning.
Help with any of the many
projects to be done. We
have members who can help you find something to do!
What’s
Happening?
On
December 12th, Mark Granville and Art Schnabel presented a
slide program about the Museum to the Mansfield Numismatic Society.
Bob
LaMay has three pictures in the 2002 Mystic Valley Railway Society
calendar. He also has six
pictures in the December Waybill.
The
Willimantic Chronicle Album had an article on December 22nd
about Bob LaMay and his suggested paint scheme for the new Genesis
locomotives that has been adopted by Conn-DOT for their locomotives.
Museum
in the News
Willimantic
Chronicle – November 26, 2001: Photos of crane lowering turntable
into pit.
Trains
Magazine – November 2001: Photo of roundhouse.
Railpace
Magazine – Dec 2001: Painting the Roundhouse doors, photo by Jim
Shaugnessy; photo of P & W Indian Summer Excursion.
The
Waybill–Mystic Valley Railway Society – December 2001: Photo of
visitors riding on the handcar; photo of two diesels on new tracks.
Bridge
Line (D & H) Historical Society Bulletin – December 2001:
Comments about members visit to Museum; Comments about Vermont
Excursion.
Railfan
and Railroad Magazine – February 2002: photo of 1205th
TROB laying track.
Trains Magazine – February 2002:
Vermont Railway diesel in Brattleboro leading Transit Alliance/CERM Fall
excursion.
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Calendar
of Upcoming Events
Jan
6 - Business
Meeting
20
- Membership Meeting
Feb
2 - Amherst
Railway Society Train Show
3
- Amherst Railway Society Train Show
10
- Business Meeting
17
- Membership Meeting
February
Business Meeting Feb 10th
Because of the Amherst
Railway Society Train Show on February 3rd, the monthly
business meeting has been moved to February 10t
Museum
Visitors
During
December, we had a total of 101 visitors - 11 paid admissions and 90
guests from our train show.
December
Entertainment
After
our December meeting, we viewed two videos.
Bob
Hassett brought a that included views of our rolling stock in Vermont,
the Danbury Railway Museum, the turntable installation, and assorted
equipment in Rhode Island.
Jeff
Alson is a professional videographer who has volunteered to tape museum
activities and events and produce a professional video that can be used
by the Museum for publicity and fund raising purposes.
The initial version of his video, which was used at our train
show, covered the Grand Opening and other activities.
He had a few extra copies available to the members for $8, which
included a donation to the museum of $5.
Roundhouse
Pavers
Thanks
to several public service ads in the Chronicle, provided by Kevin
Crosby, we sold 35 paver bricks in December.
Other paver sales in December brought our total to 45.
Thanks Kevin.
What’s
New at the Museum
Track
work: The track area near the old crossing behind the roundhouse
is being leveled so a permanent crossing can be installed.
Buildings:
Concrete has been poured for the platform piers at the Chaplin Station
and the Groton Freight House.
Framing
has been installed in the Roundhouse window openings.
More
sand has been brought into the Roundhouse in preparation for laying
additional floor pavers.
Roadways:
The roadway in the village area has been filled and leveled.
The big
hole in the roadway to the left of the Roundhouse has been filled in and
graded.
Work
has begun on the permanent crossing in back of the Roundhouse.
44-Tonner: A loose battery connection
has caused damage to the batteries.
Bob Hassett is checking it out to determine what needs to be done
to fix it.
Recent
Donations
Flagpole
and Flag: Burt
Turcotte recently saw a flag set at BJ’s Warehouse and donated
it to the museum.
Fill: The
Town of Windham brought 10 loads of gravel/sand fill to the museum on
Dec 19th
Committees
and Departments
The
committees and departments listed in the previous two issues of the
Ghost Train Journal form the lifeblood of our organization and the
Museum. Please consider
signing up for one or more if you haven’t already done so.
We particularly need
additional people for membership services, museum operations and
activities, train show, archives and library, entertainment, maintenance
of way, mechanical, newsletter, property management and security, and
sales. Call Mark Granville
at 860-456-3956
Security
Report
We have
been rather fortunate this year with a minimum of security problems.
Recently, however, we had two incidents.
Near gate 3, someone tunneled under the fence and near gate 4,
someone cut the fence from top to bottom.
As far as can be determined, nothing was stolen and nothing was
damaged. When you are at
the museum, if you notice anything unusual, please notify Jerry Griffin
at 860-228-9703 or any of the officers.
Welcome
to the Chapter!
We
welcome the following new members who were voted into the chapter at the
December 16th meeting:
Leighton
Haeseler, Canterbury, CT
Charles
Fairbrother, Canterbury, CT
Treasurer’s
Summary – November
By Jeff
Laverty
Income
for November totaled $4,336.80 and came primarily from souvenir and food
sales, train show admissions, table sales, and caboose storage fees.
Expenses
amounted to $1,442.26 and consisted primarily of train show expenses and
supplies for restoration and other projects.
As of
November 30, cash on hand totaled $15,854.08.
A payment of $11,500 was made
towards our roundhouse bank loan, as voted at the November membership
meeting, leaving a balance of $2,500.
Although we still owe a total of $39,000 for the member loan
certificates, we have made substantial progress in reducing our loan
balance and eliminating interest payments.
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