pittsburghgardentrains.com

Established 1994

Our next meeting is scheduled for Sunday, May 21, 3PM to 5 PM. Please note this is a time change from what is on the calendar. This is because we also have this weekend Saturday, May 20, 10AM to 4PM, and Sunday, May 21, noon to 4PM for National Pike & Steam show at the Monongahela River Rail and Transportation Museum in Brownville.  Our hosts for May's meeting are Dan Cinowait and Lori Rehtorik, 442 Conniston Ave., Pittsburgh, Pa 15210. They are supplying chicken, potato salad, and baked beans. Lori is asking members to fill out the balance of the menu with snacks, vegetables, desserts. Dan wants to know what everyone wants for drinks. Please let Dan and Lori know by Tuesday, May 16, what you can help with and how many are coming to the meeting. (412)381-4230 lorraine.rehtorik@verizon.net

For our May meeting we’ll be working on getting ready for the “Anything on Wheels Weekend” June 3-4 at the Pennsylvania Trolley Museum. We will be working out details and signing up volunteers to work the show. We have enough to set up at the Trolley Museum, but only three members volunteered for Saturday's running of the trains, and only five members for the tear down. Please check your schedule and see if you can help. We really need more help on Sunday with the tear down.

May will be a very busy month for the PGRS. In addition to having our regular meeting, we will be running the trains at the Monongahela River, Rail, and Transportation Museum Saturday, May 13, 10AM to 4PM for Fayette County Trains Day, and Saturday, May 20, 10AM to 4PM and Sunday May 21, noon to 4PM for the National Pike & Steam show. The club will be selling raffle tickets for a train both weekends, with the drawing at the closing of the show May 21.  A big thank you to Dan Cinowalt for donating the train for the raffle.

If you not been out to the museum or it has been a while, come out and see the club's display. John Weimer will teach you how to run the trains. The museum will start opening the first Saturday of June and each month after, will be open from 10Am to 2PM. We’ll need volunteers to help run the trains and answer questions. If you can’t make it, please call John to work out a time if you are interested in learning how to run the trains. (John 724-832-9541)

Thank you, Bruce and Reggie Watkins, for hosting our April meeting. The baked ham was delicious. Thank you to all our members for the food you brought, that helped make our meal a real banquet.

We had a small business meeting after our meal.  (Please see the minutes & photos) Please welcome new members Bill & Bonnie Lewis and take the time to introduce yourself and welcome them to the club.

I’m happy to report that the PGRS display at TCA train show April 1st was a big success. John had packed so much in the little space that it kept people very interested. Thank you again Bruce for making all the arrangements for the club. (Please see photos) Also check out “Wanted/for Sale." Bruce has information on a large collection of trains and train related items of many gauges for sale.     

The day after our meeting I got this information on the “Greenbrier Express.” The regularly scheduled Greenbrier Express trains will also depart Cass at 10 a.m. and will feature one of the Cass Scenic Railroad’s geared steam locomotives. Lunch will be served in Durbin. The 30-mile round trip will take approximately five hours. Ticket prices range from $59 for children ages 4-11 to $79 for adults; with senior and military discounts; prices increase by $10 beginning Sept. 13. For more information visit the Greenbrier Express page of the Durbin & Greenbrier Valley website or call 304-636-9477 weekdays between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. This is an overnight trip that the PGRS is looking to do this year. 

The other trip we are talking about is a day trip to the “East Broad Top Railroad.” It is the oldest narrow-gauge railroad in the United States and the only original narrow-gauge railroad east of the Rocky Mountains. Days of operation are May 5th – October 30th Friday- Sunday, Memorial Day to Labor Day. Wednesday - Sunday ticket prices range from $14 for children ages 2-12 and $20 for adults; also available is a tour of historic machine shops and trolley rides. For more information (814)447-3285 or info@eastbroadtop.com 

We have had requests from members about the availability of getting shirts with the club logo on them. Tina has been working with level one graphics. They had done work for us back in 2015, placing our PGRS logo on members clothing. Tina and I will be collecting clothing items up till the Annual Family picnic, July 22nd. The cost of the embroidery is $10 per item. Please make sure you have your name with the item. If you have any questions call Tina or me and we’ll try to answer them.

Please check out the dining car for this month's recipe for “Swiss Chicken Cutlets."

We have made two changes and one up date on our calendar, May's meeting will now be from 3PM to 5PM and the Christmas party will be from 1PM to 3PM. Clark has confirmed the date for the Annual Family Picnic July 22nd