News

Greenberg Tain Show

SMRC will to participate in this show due to low inventory of salable items. Future shows will be treated on a case-by-case basis.

2025 Holiday Open Houses

Shannondell Model Railroad Club held Open Houses as follows:

Visitors for November 28 = 42
Visitors for November 29 = 88
Visitors for December 13 = 301
Visitors for December 20 = 57
Visitors for December 21 = 38
Visitors for December 27 = 58
Visitors for December 28 = 50
Total. = 634

Private showings may be scheduled. Call 7286, 5224, 2168, 6447 or 9217

Officers for 2026

Officers for 2025 are as follows:

   Bill Hardy President
   Leon Butler Vice President
   Jim Rush Secretary
   Bruce Wintersteen Treasurer

Members At Large of the Executive Committee
Rich Keckley
Rod Randow
Gerry Williams

Ex Officio Members
Betty Smiley
Bob Watson

Layout Changes

Several changes have been made to the Shannondell Model Railroad layout during 2025. Click Layout Changes in 2025 for details.

Several scenarios for Layout Operations have been developed. You can find them here.

2025 November Meeting Minutes

Minutes of 2025 November 20 Meeting - Ashcroft Movie Theater

Call to Order: The 2025 November meeting of the Shannondell Model Railroad Club was called to order at 2:00 p.m. by President Bill Hardy, in the Ashcroft Movie Theater. He welcomed twelve Members, and Friends, to the meeting. Bill then presented the agenda, as follows:

Secretary’s Report
- October Minutes Approval
Treasurer’s Report
- 2025 October Financials
Old Business
- Videos, Visitors
New Business
- Officer Elections
- Holiday Open Houses
- Oaks, PA Train Show Jan 10-11, 2026
- 2026 Projects Kickoff Discussion
- NMRA Visitor’s Video
- Next Meeting

Secretary's Report: Secretary Jim Rush asked if there were any comments, additions, or corrections to the 2025 October Minutes previously distributed in print and on the SMRC Web site. No changes were noted. It was moved and seconded that the Minutes be approved as presented, as they were by voice vote of the Members present.

Web site: Jim Rush reported that only routine updates of the Club’s Web site https://www.shannondellmodelrailroad.org have been performed since the last meeting.

Treasurer's Report: Treasurer Bruce Wintersteen reported for the month of 2025 October. The 2025 October Report showed income of $200.60 from donations, billboard ads and dues. Expenses for 2025 October totaled $408.77, for a variety of items (see Treasurer’s Report for October, attached). The account balance as of 2025 October 31 was $4,329.05, down $208.27 from the September balance. Membership stands at 59 Members and 34 Friends. The Treasurer’s October Report was approved by voice vote of the Members present. A copy of the 2025 October Report accompanies these Minutes.

• 2025 Budgets: Bruce concluded by presenting the following updated budget for Recurring and Maintenance Items. Expenditures to date (101% of budget) are slightly in excess of the budgeted amount, but should not be much greater by the end of 2025.

The budget for Major Task Items was next presented, as shown below. Expenditures to date amount to about 71.5% of the annual budget as revised at the October meeting. The two PRR RS-3 locomotives have not yet been received and doubt grows that they may not be. Bruce indicated that total expenditures for the year would be close to budget.

Old Business

• Videos: For 2025 November: Colorado’s Scenic Railroads was shown. Attendance was Ashcroft 42 and Bradford 32. The following chart shows attendance by month beginning 2024.

• Visitors to the Layout: For 2025 October, the numbers are: 48 walk-ins and 0 by appointment. For November to date, there have been 17 walk-ins and 0 by appointment.

• NMRA Convention Visitors: for October 17, 31 visitors and for October 18, 14 visitors.

• New Monthly Videos: The following videos will be presented:
2025 December - The Railway Children (1 hour 49 minutes)
2026 January - World's Fastest Train - The Race for Speed
2026 February - World’s Most Extreme Railway - Qinghai to Tibet
2026 Onward – To be determined

New Business

• Election of Officers for 2026: Vice President Leon Butler presented a slate of officers for the 2026 year (previously presented at the October meeting) and asked Members to propose additional candidates. No additional candidates were proposed. The slate Leon presented is as follows:

            Officers
President                    Bill Hardy
Vice President            Leon Butler
Secretary                    Jim Rush
Treasurer                    Bruce Wintersteen
            Members At Large of the Executive Committee
                                 Rich Keckley
                                 Rod Randow
                                 Gerry Williams

It was moved and seconded that the slate presented be elected for 2026. The motion passed with one objection. Thus, the officers for 2026 are those shown above. In addition, Betty Smiley and Bob Watson will continue as Ex Officio Members of the Executive Committee in accordance with Club Bylaws.

• 2025 Holiday Open Houses: The schedule is shown below. Call for volunteers was issued November 18 with responses due by November 21.
            Friday – Saturday November 28-29 1:30 – 3:30pm
            Saturday - December 13 (Family Day) 10am – 4pm
            Saturday – Sunday December 20-21 1:30 – 3:30pm
            Saturday – Sunday December 27-28 1:30 – 3:30pm

• Oaks Train Show: Bruce Wintersteen discussed the Greenberg's Great Train & Toy Show, scheduled for 2026 January 10-11 at the Greater Philadelphia Expo Center in Oaks, PA. Tables rent for $90.00 each. SMRC has a relatively small collection of cars, buildings and other items for sale. One question not fully resolved was whether to sell our Amtrak equipment, since it does not fit the time-frame of the SMRC Layout. No decision was forthcoming, so the Executive Committee will make the final decision soon. Volunteers will be needed to work half-day shifts at the show, assuming we decide to participate.

• 2026 Projects Kickoff Discussion: The following ideas have been put forward for projects to be undertaken in 2026. Further discussion and research will be undertaken in 2025 December and 2026 January.
• Develop a streetcar system on existing roadways
• Purchase a BLI PRR B6sb 0-6-0 locomotive to serve as the Shannondell Station shifter (est. $400).
• Rail service to the upper level of Shannondell Station
• Continue replacement of Code 100 track with Code 83
• Inspection, cleaning, and repair campaign of all rolling stock and possible development of a wheel cleaning system.
• Development of scenarios for practical operations at the lumber yard, meat packing plant, coal mine and others. Use of operating conveyors and or fork lifts could be included.

Next Meeting: The next meeting of the membership will take place on 2025 December 18 at 2:00 p.m. outside the Train Room. The video 2025 In Review will be shown, and refreshments will be served. Invitations to all members and friends (and significant others) will be sent in December.

Adjournment: There being no further business, the Meeting was adjourned at 2:30 p.m.

Following the meeting, a video, made by Igor (Need4Life) when he visited the Train Room during the NMRA Open House, was shown. The link to the video is: https://youtu.be/NpjhG9LLKvU (14:33).

Respectively submitted, Jim Rush, Secretary

Next Membership Meeting: Thursday, 2025 December 18 at 2:00 p.m. in the lobby outside the Train Room.

2025 December Meeting Minutes

Minutes of 2025 December 18 Meeting - Train Room Lobby

Call to Order: The 2025 December meeting of the Shannondell Model Railroad Club was called to order at 2:00 p.m. by President Bill Hardy. Attendance was 14 Members and Friends. The purpose of the December meeting is to give members the opportunity to see the Layout in its "final" form for the current year. The main features were a video detailing the Layout Changes for 2025 along with cookies and punch (served in the Lower Level Lobby). Following the video, viewing of the Layout and friendly conversation about railroads, Bill Hardy pronounced the meeting adjourned at 2:45pm.

Subsequent to the meeting, certain data was made available, as presented below.

Video attendance for 2024 and 2025 is shown in the chart below.

Treasurer, Bruce Wintersteen has submitted his report for November as follows:

Treasurer Wintersteen also presented the status of the Recurring and Maintenance Items Budget:

along with the Budget for Major Task Items.

Next Membership Meeting: Thursday, 2026 January 15 at 3:00pm in the Ashcroft Movie Theater, immediately following the Video for January.