There are some important activities coming up in the next two months.

On May 9th we will have an open house at the museum.  This will be similar to our annual Planes, Trains, and Automobiles open house in the past, but will be a bit toned down due to a more extensive event in June.  Everyone is welcome to come to the museum on May 9th to see the museum, watch trains run, see the progress we've made to the HO-scale layout, the recreation of the Garden Railway, and the repairs and renovations to the White Train. Think of this day as a prelude to --->

On June 6th, the museum will participate in the Route 66 Centennial celebration along with many groups and businesses in Amarillo.  We will be open to the public from 10AM to 4PM.  There is no admission fee, but donations are welcome. We will again have trains running on the HO-scale layout and hopefully on the G-scale Garden Railway.  We've recently revived the electrical system in the White Train guard-escort car, and it is a lot more enjoyable to tour.  There will be various railroad artifacts on display. We will have a raffle for a beautiful HO-scale trainset. This is a $500 trainset, and tickets will be sold for $1 a piece.  You do not have to be present to win.  We will also have our beautiful custom cars for sale, free magazines, and an assortment of other model railroad cars and locomotives for sale that have come from donations.  If there are changes to the schedule, we will put notices here. To see all the activities going on by date during the Route 66 celebration visit Festival – Amarillo Route 66

The whole week is going to be a "kickin' time!"

In other news, we've completed the project with Rapido Trains Inc.to produce variations on their new Haliburton pneumatic "hopper" cars.  Delivery is expected this autumn and of course we will have them listed in our company store and e-Bay. Another custom car is in the planning stages with Tangent models who produced out beautiful BN/Ft. Worth & Denver covered hoppers a few years back.

The HO-scale layout is progressing well.  The most notable change is the new scenery that has been added.  Adding scenery always makes the layout take on a depth of texture and realism that is fun to see.

If you haven't been to the museum in a while, come and see the progress we've made completely redoing the garden railway. Just a year ago it was pretty dilapidated and barely able to run.  Now we have a garden railway about three times the size of the old one, beautifully framed in a sturdy wall of cut-to-size telephone poles, a pergola (courtesy of Ms. Carol Abraham), benches, lights and a concrete slab.  The layout isn't running yet, but the group of members who took on this project are working hard to get trains running by the Route 66 celebration.  If anyone wants to help out, I am sure the crew would welcome more hands.

Last year we renovated the electrical system in the White Train guard-escort car TSSX G-34 and people touring the interior will finally get to see the car as it looked when in service. As we work toward a meaningful interpretive display of the White Train, this car will be the centerpiece.

Many years ago, we received a Santa Fe baggage cart that was in disrepair.  This has been restored to its original appearance and compliments our donated Santa Fe baggage scale and Rock Island baggage cart.

There are many other items at the museum to come and see, so plan to visit on May 9th or June 6th.

On a sad note, we've bid farewell to member Shawn Siebold.  He is heading back to South Dakota after a stint as a contract employee for Xcel Energy.  Shawn is a mover and shaker.   In his short time in Amarillo, he suggested and carried out a number of projects with gusto.  He had numerous insights that helped us revamp the way we sell our merchandise, and almost singlehandedly got the Rapido pneumatic hoppers produced.  We'll miss you, Shawn.  

That's it for now.  Have a great Spring!