Lets Talk Trains

We recently asked a St. Louis Fire Department Captain to come to the Route 66 Railfan Center in Pacific, Missouri and give us some insight in how they prepare and deal with problems along the rails. Fire Captain Ali Shahriary. Ali is also very interested in trains. Ali got started in model trains at a young age. He now models N-Scale. Ali is a Captain of a Engine Company in Northwest St. Louis City.  The Fire Chief of St. Louis has expressed his concerns about the railroads not fully cooperating with the department about tar sand shipments, but, they have  been great training firefighters about hazardous loads.

On this episode of the American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation's The Let's Talk Trains Show, Kansas City Nathan is on the road, at the Spring Creak Model Trains Show, which took place in Deshler, Neb., over the 4th of July holiday. We will be talking to different clubs, as well as a few guys who do "Proto Freelance Model Railroading" and what it actually is...  Also, we have the President of the APRHF, Bob Cox, the Rail Rangers Executive Director & Chicago Coordinator, Robert Tabern, and Assistant Chicago Coordinator, Kandace Tabern---who will be talking about the newest APRHF project: Rail Rangers.

On this episode of the American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation's "The Let's Talk Trains Show," we visit with the editor of the White River Production's Passenger Train Journal, Mike Schafer. Mike is a well known railroad photographer, travelled all over the U.S. and Canada. Mike has written books about railroads and the people that work with railroad.  Mike starts off with a recap of his railroad passion, We discuss different Amtrak/Via passenger routes. Mike describes how an issue comes together.  Join us for this prerecorded program.

The Amazing Chris Guenzler returns to talk about the 2015 NRHS Rutland Convention Trip. Learn about everything he did before, during and after that event. Chris will tell you about Tourist Trains he rode, Trolley Museums he visited,  finishing up the Amtrak system again, getting to La Plata and the trip home all by rail. Many surpises were had and will be shared with you on this unique show. The Amazing Chris Guenzler returns to give you this special 90 minute show. Join us for the fun!

This week, on a very special edition of the American Passenger Rail Heritage Foundation's The Let's Talk Trains Show, a lot of railfans will be traveling towards Roanoke, Va. as Norfolk & Western No. 611 steams back to her birthplace. During the show, KC Nathan will be on the train--with 611 leading the way--as Skip Waters will be at the controls to make sure that we don't have any major issues. Be sure to check in either late Sunday, or Monday, as KC Nathan will have a recap show, including additional interviews from the event.

Your host is Skip Waters, organizer of the 10th Annual "24 Hours @ Saginaw" 2015, a 24 hour railwatching event sponsored by the North Texas Chapter, NRHS.  Joining us will be local guests attending "24 Hours @ Saginaw" as we share the fun and exciting activities happening at the Saginaw Chamber of Commerce depot in Saginaw, Texas.  Lots to hear and talk about.  Join us and our regular callers at 10:00 AM Pacific, 12:00 Noon Central Time. The call in telephone number is 646-716-7106

On this week's program, we will take a look at how our nation's railroad's are viewed by the media, legislators and the unions. With the recent tragic crash outside Philadelphia, PA and reports that followed, we will talk with some people that deal with those areas, and how they interpret what is happening and what should be happening. 

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.