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Discussion relating to the Penn Central, up until its 1976 inclusion in Conrail. Visit the Penn Central Railroad Historical Society for more information.

Moderator: JJMDiMunno

 #292619  by John W.
 
Anyone here going to the Penn Central Railroad Historical Society convention in Baltimore this week? I'll be there and sure it will be a great time, as always.

 #293295  by Dieter
 
People heralding the Penn Central?

A SCARY THOUGHT to me!

What kind of a turnout do they get?

Dieter/
 #294040  by John W.
 
We usually get about 35 to 45 members at each convention but that is a fairly large percentage of the total membership. You should have been with us in Cleveland last year or Altoona the year before that. We have a great time celebrating the Penn Central and all predecessor roads.

 #294105  by Noel Weaver
 
Penn Central is a sad and dark period of the history of railroading in the
northeast but nevertheless it is part of history and needs to be documented.
Good Luck.
Noel Weaver

 #477590  by 3rdrail
 
Being a big New Haven fan, I agree that the Penn Central was not exactly railroading's finest hour. However, personal grudges understood and not included, the PC was unique. I'm not being sarcastic when I say that it was a Class 1 suicidally operated like a bankrupt industrial company's steam road hauling coal for home heating in the late 20th Century. I fully understand what it represents to the age of railroading, as well as to those who were traumatized by it. But where else on an American Class 1 are you going to find conditions like a Mongolian State Railroad in the Himalayas ? So, I guess my point is that it actually does wind up with a lot of character for the historian and modeler looking at it some 40 years later. I grew up with it and because it was part of my growing up, I remember it fondly. I would attend a PC Convention and plan to do so next year.:wink:

http://naphotos.nerail.org/showpic/?200 ... s&BOOL=ALL

(Thanks to Bill Mccaffrey for the pic.)

 #491803  by Otto Vondrak
 
From: http://www.pcrrhs.org/

The PCRRHS holds an annual meeting and convention somewhere in the Penn Central's former service territory. Each convention features slide shows, tours, model displays, clincs, a flea market, and other events, not to mention an opportunity to see old friends and make new ones in the Society.
2008 Convention

The 2008 convention will be held September 18-20 at the Radisson Lackawanna Station Hotel in Scranton, Pennsylvania. More details to come in the following months.

-otto-

 #491851  by 3rdrail
 
That hotel is gorgeous, and has a great RR history. Of all the hotels that I have stayed in in my life (and I've stayed at many), it's one of my two best.

 #491887  by Otto Vondrak
 
I wonder why the Penn Central group chose Scranton, a city that never had Penn Central service? Scranton is great and all (Steamtown, Electric City Trolley, and more), but why abandon the PC theme?

-otto-

 #492229  by 3rdrail
 
I wasn't aware of the fact that the PC never went through Scranton, but for what it's worth, the area is a great jumping off point for all types of rail buff activity. Everything from Steamtown to the mine tram ride inside the No. 9 Mine in Lansford is nearby. (Don't miss the mine !!) This is a photo of a recent trip that we took with our trusty go-anywhere Land Rover outside the front entrance to the Radisson EL Hotel. (My son is the observer/navigator.)




http://i203.photobucket.com/albums/aa26 ... thrExp.jpg

 #495300  by Otto Vondrak
 
That still doesn't explain why the PENN CENTRAL group wouldn't go to a city served by the PC? I agree that Scranton is a fun railfan town... but it doesn't do much to reinforce the Penn Central heritage the group is trying to promote.

 #495339  by 3rdrail
 
Yeah, but is the distance that far from former PC territory ? We don't know if they got a good deal on the hotel, etc., which is a genuine RR historical site, albeit not PC, and as stated, the area is rife with RR activity.

 #495346  by 3rdrail
 
I'll send an email over to the PCRRHS asking them why. If/when I get a response, I'll let you know.

 #495386  by 3rdrail
 
paul joyce wrote:
A question has come up on Railroad.net as to why the yearly meet has been located in Scranton this year, a site that wasn't served by the PCRR. Would you care to comment ? Thanks.

It's real simple: we have a member who lives in Scranton who is ready, willing, and eager to host the convention. I wish we could just pick a city each year and have the convention magically "happen" (if that were the case we would have done a Pittsburgh convention by now, IMO), but what usually ends up happening is that someone steps forward to host a convention where they live, and that's where we go that year. We've found it's much easier to organize a convention when the chairperson is a local resident.

Besides, the PC got close to Scranton....they made it to Wilkes-Barre. Also, there's a couple of former PC locomotives on the Delaware-Lackawanna that we'll likely be able to visit, so it's not like we're going to be completely isolated from things of the Penn Central.

Jerry

--
Jerry Jordak
Webmaster & Trustee
PCRRHS