Lets Talk Trains

Just like "24 Hours @ Saginaw" we are attending "12 Hours @ Temple" for NATIONAL TRAIN DAY!  A 12 hour extravaganza railwatching event to be held in Temple, Texas on the Temple Railroad and Heritage Museum grounds.  It's also the Amtrak Station.  There is a lot planned when attending this event, Let's Talk Trains plans to share as much as we can for the short 2 hours we are there.  Listen in or better yet, come join us for some real rail fun!  And don't forget to call in and tell us what you are doing on NATIONAL TRAIN DAY 2015!  Your host for this event is Skip Waters.

This week, on the American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation's "The Let's Talk Trains Show," Kansas City Nathan travels two-hours east to the Missouri State Fairgrounds, in Sedalia, Missouri, for the Trails End event (www.thetrailsend.org). The event celebrates the men who drove cattle from Texas to the closest railhead towards Chicago. The fairgrounds are built right along the former M-K-T route, which is now the KATY Trail State Park. One of the major events going on at the fairgrounds is the Trails End Model Train Show & Collectible Show, which is being ran by members of the APRHF.  Be sure to join us!

A few weeks ago, the APRHF's Let's Talk Trains podcast put out a call for people passionate about trains and what they mean for the world to join our team. This week, ShuttletrainTED introduces us to one of our new hosts. Her name is Hayley Enoch. She is from the big state of Texas. Hayley has shown that passion especially the steam era. She has a very well read blog called Friends of the Flange, that attracted over 32,000 page views over the last three years. That blog is how we found her. Her followers continued to ask us to learn more about her and have her join us. As a result of that lobbying, we are excited to have Hayley onboard. She will be doing some every interesting and topical shows in the upcoming months, including covering the first public excursion of 611, since it's rebuild in Spencer, North Carolina.

This week on the American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation's The Let's Talk Trains Show, Kansas City Nathan and co-host APRHF President Bob Cox, will be discussing the world of railroading communications via signaling. Joining us this week, as our Featured Guest, will be Lindsey Fowlers, who worked for the ICG in the Signal Department in Illionis & parts of Missouri.  Join us, as we talk about the history of signaling, why different versions of signalling throughout the country, and so on.

This edition of the American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation's Let's Talk Trains Podcast we talk to a Railroader that has retired and is now one of the biggest railfans in Chicago, John Green of Greenrail1 productions on YouTube has worked for the American Association of Railroads (twice), the Union Pacific, Wisconsin Central and retired from Canadian National as a Senior Manager. John will talk about his experiences in the wide variety of positions he has held. After moving on down the line, John will entertain us with a few of his railfan stories. The Mid-Missouri Railfan Facebook group invited the APRHF's Let''s Talk Trains to it's first ever meet-up in Morrison, Missouri along the Union Pacifc's Jefferson City Sub. A double tracksubdivision in East Central Missouri. Coal trains, Intermodal, Grain Trains pass by. We will meet a few and find out what they like best about railfanning. Join us for a very topical program.   Join Us

This week, in advance of our visit to the Show-Me Central NMRA Covention in June, we visit with Brad Slone who describes what makes the Convention so interesting, and how the model railroading hobby is growing in the midwest.  During the second hour of the program, we visit with a railfan who's passion for railroads and it's place in United States history, decided to become a railroader. Scott Nauert is continuing the time honored tradition that railroaders of days gone by, have lived by for so many years.Scott has documeted several branch lines abandonments  Mr. Nauert is currently an engineer with a short line serving a Mississipi River Port. He still finds time to railfan and take some great pictures. railroader that encourages future railroaders. 

This week, on the American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation's The Let's Talk Trains Show, we welcome a man who has worked railroad industry for many years--working several years for a freight railroad and another 25-years as an Amtrak Conductor. Kansas City Nathan will welcome Wes Archibald to the show, to discuss the good, the bad, the happy, the sad, the beautiful, and the ugly of railroad life. We will open up the phone lines to discuss the different aspects of working for the railroad---figuring out truth from fiction. Wes & KC Nathan will talk about some of the folks that have been in the forefront of national news, from greatness to tragedy. During the show, we will remember our friend---our "Official Caller" Ken Ruben, who passed away the morning of Thursday, March 12th.  Join us, this Saturday, March 14th at 12-noon Central/10am Pacific. Call in during the live show (@ 646-716-7106), join us in the chatroom, on Facebook and Twitter.

The youngest engineer to ever operate an Amtrak train over Donner Pass visits the American Passenger Heritage Foundation's Let's Talk Trains program. Jonathan Dockins and his mom Dee Dee, stop by to talk about their adventure and how it all came to be, They will lead us through the trip of a lifetime. We will also find out what has happened since coming back home to the Jackson, Missouri area. Join us by calling in and asking questions to Engineer Dockins at 646-716-7106. 

This time on the APRHF's Let's Talk Trains Show we will take a look at Model Train Shows.  We will ask you, the listeners, what makes a great train show? What makes a bad one? Does having a swap meet at the show, make the show feet cheap? Why are there not more manufacturers's coming to the shows Should model train shows be produced by for-profit companies instead of the local clubs or historical associations? Should there be more regional cooperation between organizations? Should we just have swap meets and then do a show with just model trains? Should we let attendees operate displays?  Call in at 646-716-7106 and give your views.

This week, on the American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation's The Let's Talk Trains Show, we will be talking about railroad preservation. George Li will be joining us to talk about preserving the Northern Pacific Railroad's Cheney, Wash. depot, with the "Save Our Station - Cheney Depot" project that is getting local and national attention. Later, we will have Michael Shymanski, President of the Historic Pullman Foundation, join us to tell us about the great honor to have the President of the United States present to establish the Pullman Historic District as part of the National Park System. Be sure to join us!!!

The APRHF's Let's Talk Trains turns it's focus from Illinois to Indiana this week. Indiana Rail Road President/CEO Thomas Hoback recently announced his upcoming retirement. We will visit with him to get his story along with his railroad's story. We will find out how the Indiana Railroad came to be and what it has become. Join us live or in the archives. Join in the conversation at 646-716-7106 or in the chatroom.

This week, on the APRHF's Let's Talk Trains Show, we welcome the Executive Director of Missouri Operation Lifesaver, Rick Mooney. With all the press about Bravo Network's "Work Out" star, Greg Plitt---who was killed while trespassing on the right-of-way, shooting a commercial for an energy drink---and the recent influx of trespassing injuries and deaths in the media, such as when professional photographers take unsuspecting clients to get Senior Photos or modeling photo shoots. This brings to mind what WE all can do to educate the public on how dangerous the tracks are. We will discuss ways that we---as railfans/model railroaders/rail-buffs---can help spread the word on railroad safety and ways to help end these tragic events, for all those who are involved. To lighten up the mood, during the Second Half of the show, APRHF President Bob Cox and Kansas City Nathan discuss modeling Amtrak passenger trains throughout the years. Bob & KC Nathan will talk about the different ways to model the American passenger rail service, from it's very beginnings to the present day. Since Bob is the station caretaker at the LaPlata, Mo. Amtrak Station, who else would be better than to talk about this!?! Be sure to join us, on Facebook, Twitter, and as always the chatroom on LetsTalkTrains.com.

Terry Respondek describes how he built his Shortline Railroads from one engine. Terry also details why he decided to become a railroad executive. Call in and ask him questions. The call in number is 646-716-7106.

This episode of The APRHF Let's Talk Trains, features railroader Dale Jenkins. Mr. Jenkins stops by fills us in on the various positions he has held with several railroads. He has been called out of retirement to serve the railroads again. Mr. Jenkins has held such titles as leverman, operator, Sunday ticket agent, train order agent, corn field agent, Special Agent, On Board Services Director, General Superintendent. He also has time to co-found the Illinois Traction Society,Volunteer and Board member of the Monticello Railway Museum. He is also the author of the Illinois Terminal Railroad history It will be an interesting episode, be sure and join us in the chatroom, on Facebook, or on Twitter. 

This is the Amazing Chris Guenzler final LTT Show that he will host. What railfan trips are you planning in 2015? Call in this week and let everyone know where your headed, what are you planning on doing while your there? Will you be riding, photographing or just watching?  Do you plan to go to Steamtown?  Strasburg? Sandpatch?  Horseshoe Curve?  Cajon Pass?  Winterail?  Summerail? the 2015 NRHS Convention?  How about the 2015 La Plata Railfan event? Any others?  Do you work with a railroad museum?  Do you ride tourist trains?  Be sure and call in to 646-716-7106, or post your plans to our Facebook or Twitter pages. The Amazing Chris Guenzler will be hosting this week's episode, so call in and let Chris know what your itinerary is.