It's not too early to circle your calendar: Saturday, November 13 train night at Boyce, VA - NS MP H46.1

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

Hello, all:

You are invited to a "train evening" at Boyce,
Virginia, on Saturday, September 13 starting around
5:30 PM.  You may arrive earlier, though, in case
you'd like to spend the day in the vicinity.


VENUE

The former N&W station in Boyce is at milepost H46.1. 
It was built in 1913 with local private funding.  The
presentations will be shown in the main waiting room
that is 24 feet square, with a 24 feet high ceiling.


DIRECTIONS FROM THE NORTH, WEST, AND SOUTH:
 
Visitors from Front Royal, Winchester, or Berryville
will come to Boyce via US Highway 340.  At the blinker
light, please turn east and go 300 yards to the
railroad crossing on East Main Street, Virginia route
723.


DIRECTIONS FROM THE EAST:

If you are coming from the east, follow Interstate 66
to exit 23, which is US Highway 17 north at Delaplane.
 Proceed 7.5 miles on Highway 17 through the scenic
Crooked Run valley to the intersection of US Highway
50 adjacent to Paris, Virginia.  Make a left onto US
Highway 50, John Mosby Highway, and make the climb and
descent over Ashby Gap.  After crossing the Shenandoah
River and going about a mile, Virginia Route 723 turns
off on the right.  The road is marked for Millwood and
Boyce.  It's about three miles to Millwood, then two
more miles past that community to Boyce.  Make a left
into the parking lot adjacent to the NS Railway
crossing.


LODGING:

The Best Western Lee-Jackson Motel is 15 minutes away
and at Exit 312 along Interstate 312.  That is the US
Highway 50 East exit, with a plethora of other motels
and eateries in sight.  Most rooms range from $45 to
$60 per night with some specials occasionally
available.  Reservations probably aren't needed if you
check in prior to dark.

In the event you want to camp out on a cold --but
probably not freezing-- November night, there are
several options.  If you have a camper, it can be
parked behind the station and an extension cord can be
provided for an electric hook-up.  If you have a tent,
it can be erected south of the station in a grassy
area adjacent to the station platform.  Finally, if
you only have a sleeping bag and cushion, you may
sleep on the main waiting room floor.  For all, there
is an inside one-stall toilet and sink  accessible if
I know you are staying over.


PARKING:

Once at the station, please park between East Main
Street and the building.  I recommend that you leave
your vehicle a little away from the track and not up
against the north side of the station.   This is just
in case someone desires to take pictures of trains
passing the station.


PRESENTATIONS AND THEME:

Please let me know if you will be attending and if you
have material to present.  Peter Furnee has a
multimedia presentation that he plans to show as a
featured event.  It is about the Chicago Union
Station.  In keeping with that theme my preference is
that when possible, presenters sprinkle their slide
shows with occasional scenes of interesting railroad
structures, or trains passing towers and stations. 
The video programs will begin at dusk since the main
waiting room windows cannot be covered to make the
room dark during daylight hours. 


EQUIPMENT:

I will have a digital projector and laptop.  I also
have a screen, television, VHS VCR, and a 35 mm Kodak
carosel slide projector that takes either regular or
large capacity tray.  Just in case the bulb burns out,
I ask that someone who has a known-to-be-operable
slide projector bring their's along just in case.  You
won't need to get it out of your car unless there is a
crisis.


ATCS:

There is also ATCS monitoring of the north end of the
Hagerstown District.  Peter Furnee plans to attend and
can explain how it works during your visit, since he
hopes to find others who can set up monitoring points
with an Internet DSL connection so the data can be
accessed by others over the web.  Instead of just
looking at northbound signal 460, train movements
along the line are visible on a computer monitor track
chart, much like a dispatcher's display.  Technical
support by Peter and George Paine have made this
possible.


COMMUNICATIONS:

Here are phone numbers of importance:  Prior to
Saturday, please call my weekday office phone at (202)
268-2121.  The phone number at the station is (540)
837-9090, which you can provide to others as an
emergency point of contact.  My cell phone if all else
fails: (202) 320-3050.  


CHAIRS:

Chairs are available on a first-come, first-served
basis.  Just in case there are more attendees than
chairs or if you require special seating, please bring
something suitable with you.


FOOD:

As before, there will be complimentary hot dogs and
burgers on a grill starting at 6 PM.  If you'd like to
bring your own or want to share side-dishes as
pot-luck, please plan accordingly.  There is a
refrigerator with a sampling of soft drinks and a
microwave oven if needed.  No "Rule G" infractions are
allowed while on Norfolk Southern leased land. Smoking
is okay outside the building.


ACCESS:

Entry to the large waiting room is by ramp, the
equivalent of two steps up from ground level.  The
toilet is not handicapped equipped but can be used
with assistance.  It is off the small waiting room
which is about a 40-feet walk on the same level and
should be wide enough for wheelchair passage.


QUESTIONS?  ANYTHING I FORGOT?

Please contact me off line at f_scheer at yahoo.com
instead of replying on-list.  I will provide you
answers within 24 hours since I check email daily but
not hourly.  If it is useful information for others,
I'll include the information in a follow-up reminder
about a week ahead.

Hoping to see YOU!