Potomac Chapter, National Railway Historical Society, Inc.
Cafeteria, Montgomery County Executive Office Building
The meeting was the chapter's traditional Holiday Social. The gathering started at 7:30 p.m. The attendance was 20.
During the social, Bill Holdsworth presided over a brief business meeting. He polled the attendees about the frequency of in-person meetings in 2024. A majority expressed support for increasing the number of in-person meetings from four to five.
After the business meeting, members competed in a Pub Quiz. Two members connected via Zoom to compete in the quiz.
The chapter met using Zoom video conferencing software. Participation peaked at 26 Zoom logins. Secretary Bill Holdsworth called the meeting to order about 8:10 p.m.
Bill reminded members that the holiday social is scheduled for Monday, December 18. We will be returning to the Executive Office Building cafeteria. Bill will run a pub quiz and offer the opportunity to participate via Zoom. Jay reported that he has acquired a painting that will be available via a silent auction during the social.
President Gordy Bjoraker and Bill presented the proposed slate of candidates for the chapter offices in 2024.
Members passed a motion to elect the proposed slate by acclamation.
Participants discussed rail news.
The business meeting ended about 8:24 p.m.
Ira Silverman's program featured The Canadian, the streamliner which began operations in 1955 under Canadian Pacific and continues in operation today under VIA.
The chapter met using Zoom video conferencing software. Participation peaked at 26 Zoom logins. Secretary Bill Holdsworth called the meeting to order about 8:07 p.m.
President Gordy Bjoraker gave an update on chapter business.
Bill announced that the December meeting will be the holiday social. It will be Monday, December 18. We will be returning to the Executive Office Building cafeteria. Bill had trouble reserving a venue on the normal third Tuesday. The November meeting will be held via Zoom.
Jay Creswell gave a brief treasurer's report, soliciting ideas for the chapter's small grants program.
Doug Scott reported that the 2024 NRHS Convention is scheduled for August in Harrisburg.
The business meeting ended about 8:24 p.m.
Alex Koehler's program focused focused on the specially painted locomotives of Amtrak, CSX, and Norfolk Southern which honor the railroads that merged to form the current Class 1 systems.
The meeting was be held in the Council Office Building Lecture Hall. No official business was conducted. Gordy Bjoraker's slide program featured Norfolk Southern Steam Excursions in the 1980s.
The chapter met using Zoom video conferencing software. Participation peaked at 26 Zoom logins. Secretary Bill Holdsworth called the meeting to order about 8:05 p.m.
President Gordy Bjoraker gave an update on chapter business.
Bill announced that the September meeting will be held in the Council Office Building Lecture Hall, but it will be available via Zoom. Gordy will give a slide presentation on Norfolk Southern steam excursions in the 1980s.
Jay Creswell gave a brief treasurer's report.
Members discussed the upcoming NRHS convention in Florida. Val Hoskie updated the group on the national newsletter.
The business meeting ended about 8:30 p.m.
Historian Susan Soderberg's program focused on Viaducts, Trestles and Bridges: Magnificent Structures of the Metropolitan Branch of the B&O Railroad. This year marks the 150th anniversary of the Met.
The chapter met using Zoom video conferencing software. Participation peaked at 31 Zoom logins. President Gordy Bjoraker called the meeting to order about 8:10 p.m.
The joint picnic with the Baltimore Chapter will be held on August 5 at the Baltimore Streetcar Museum.
Bill announced that August meeting will be held via Zoom. Historian Susan Soderberg will talk about the Viaducts, Trestles and Bridges on the Metropolitan Branch. The September meeting will be held in the Council Office Building Lecture Hall, but it will be available via Zoom. Gordy will give a slide presentation on Norfolk Southern steam excursions in the 1980s.
Doug Scott briefed members on planning for the national convention in Florida.
The business meeting ended about 8:25 p.m.
Tom Nemeth 's progam looked at freight operations on the New York, Susquehanna & Western Railway in the 1960s and 1970s – before the well-known stack trains of the 1980s.
Lecture Hall, Montgomery County Council Office Building
Vice President John Sery called the meeting to order at 8:05 p.m. In-person attendance was 17. Zoom participation peaked at 17 during the program.
Those attending in person expressed a desire to move towards monthly in-person membership meetings. The consensus was that the Board of Directors should discuss the issue and come back with a recommendation.
Members discussed rail news, including the excursion celebrating the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Metropolitan Branch from Point of Rocks to Washington, D.C.
The business meeting ended about 8:33 p.m.
For the program Jim Kleeman showed images of the Erie-Lackawanna and New York Central railroads from the Rodney Peterson collection. Most of the images dated from Rodney's time as project engineer in Akron, Ohio trom 1963 to 1970.
The chapter met using Zoom video conferencing software. Participation peaked at 21 Zoom logins. Secretary Bill Holdsworth called the meeting to order about 8:15 p.m.
Bill announced that the June meeting will be held in the Council Office Building Lecture Hall, but it will be available via Zoom. Jim Kleeman will be showing some of Rodney Peterson's images from the 1960s.
Vice President John Sery reported that the efforts to schedule a MARC excursion train May 29 were successful. The train will help celebrate the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Metropolitan Branch from Point of Rocks to Washington, D.C. Cost for the trip were higher than expected. The Potomac Chapter board recommended that the membership approve a donation to support the project.
Membership approved a $5,000 donation to Montgomery Preservation in support of their efforts to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the opening of the B&O Metropolitan Branch with an excursion train between Silver Spring and Brunswick May 29.
The business meeting ended about 8:30 p.m.
Mike Yuhas's program showed images from 50 years of railroad photography, starting with boyhood shot on Long Island and ranging across the country. He also showed a video featuring rail and boat traffic along the upper Mississippi River.
The chapter met using Zoom video conferencing software. Participation peaked at 31 Zoom logins. Secretary Bill Holdsworth called the meeting to order about 8:04 p.m.
Bill announced that the May meeting will be Zoom only. The June meeting will be held in the Council Office Building Lecture Hall, but it will be available via Zoom.
President Gordy Bjoraker discussed a recent excursion in the Buffalo (NY) area.
Treasurer Jay Creswell gave a brief report on chapter finances.
Vice President John Sery described the attempts to schedule a MARC excursion train May 29 to celebrate the 150th anniversary of the opening of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Metropolitan Branch from Point of Rocks to Washington, D.C. The cost of insurance may prevent the excursion from running.
The business meeting ended about 8:20 p.m.
Ira Silverman's program highlighted images from the 10 years prior to the creation of Amtrak, as well as images from the early years of that organization.
Lecture Hall, Montgomery County Council Office Building
Secretary Bill Holdsworth called the meeting to order at 8:05 p.m. Attendance was 14. Zoom participation peaked at nine during the program.
Jay Creswell gave a treasurer's report.
Bill announced that the April and May meetings will be held via Zoom.
Members discussed rail news. The business meeting ended about 8:15.
R.G. (Bob) Edmonson, a retired journalist/photographer, presented a three-part digital video program:
The chapter met using Zoom video conferencing software. Participation peaked at 28 Zoom logins. Secretary Bill Holdsworth called the meeting to order about 8:05 p.m.
Bill announced that the March meeting would be hybrid. The Rockville location will be finalized soon. The April and May meetings will be Zoom only.
Participants discussed rail news, including the recent derailment in East Palestine, Ohio.
For the program, Alex Koehler showed two videos featuring NKP #765 excursions in central Pennsylvania during 2012 and 2013. The meeting ended at 10 p.m.
The chapter met using Zoom video conferencing software. Participation peaked at 31 Zoom logins. Secretary Bill Holdsworth called the meeting to order about 8:05 p.m.
Bill presented the proposed slate of candidates for the chapter offices in 2023.
Members passed a motion to elect the proposed slate by acclamation. The election had been postponed from the fall.
Bill reported on the December 20 Holiday Social and Pub Quiz.
Gordy thanked those who agreed to serve as directors.
Jay gave a brief treasurer’s reports, summarizing the chapter’s financial position at the end of the year.
For the program Jim Kleeman showed a series of images from his 30 years of observing the Montana Rail Link, which will soon be absorbed by BNSF. The meeting ended about 9:45 p.m.
