Simi Valley Swap Meet

Bargains and Beauty

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Twice each year, The Santa Susana Railroad Historical Society (SSRHS) holds an open house at its magnificent layout (no traction…magnificent none the less) along with a swap meet. The layout is housed in the beautifully restored and maintained former Santa Susanna Southern Pacific Railroad station (shown below),

while the swap meet is held in the adjacent City Park just west of the depot.

The best part of this meet is the beautiful park atmosphere along with the passing Union Pacific and Amtrak trains, which interrupt the shopping frenzy about once each hour.

As usual, there are plenty traction items available as shown in the next photos:

So, if you are a Southern Californian or visiting at that particular time, mark September 18^th on your calendar. That will be the next Simi Valley Meet!

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Edward William Torpey

by George Huckaby

Traction modeling lost a true aficionado on Tuesday, May 25^th. Ed Torpey lost his lifetime battle with diabetes. I first met Ed in the old Metropolitan Philadelphia Railway Association in 1962. I had just started my first job at Sears, Roebuck & Co and had to get a Friday night off to attend a meeting. This friendship was to last over 42 years.

Three years later, I was in the USAF but never lost contact with Ed. He made sure that I got a Fairfield New Orleans streetcar. This turned out to be my first brass HO scale streetcar. This car is still operational and since has been joined by four others. Ed also made sure that I received my Huntington Models Philadelphia Snow Sweeper. He even had it painted for me and the headlight and brushes were directionally wired. This car is still in my collection and over the years has been joined by 410 others.  Later I would try to return the favors by supplying 1999 Bowser drives or painting a car or two for him. But it never seemed to be enough.

Ed was well known for his Port-A-Pike II. This was a small HO scale model trolley layout that was operated by an actual trolley controller.  The Times reported on this layout in our initial issue in June 1998. He would take it to East Penn Traction Club Meets and Great American Train shows where it was a hit. Ed had a basement full of HO scale trolley models, some of which were one-of-a-kind. Ed had a heart bigger than he was. When he learned that my wife was not from Philadelphia, he sent her a videotape of the Mummer's parade. No matter what his present state was, he always had something to show my wife and me  when we came

 (cont'd in column 2)

Philadelphia PCC-II Cars to begin service on Route 15

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It has been reported to the Trolleyville Times that the PCC II cars may start operating on Route 15, Girard Avenue on June 13, 2004, replacing the buses that have run the line since 1992. Due to the fact that there are currently nine cars currently on site, the PCC-II cars may be supplemented with Kawasaki LRVs and/or buses. As we reported in an earlier edition, Brookville Mining & Equipment received a contract to overhaul, rebuild and modernize 18 to 24 PCC cars originally delivered in 1947 and 1948 and ran in the city until 1992. Beginning on February 2002, cars 2750, 2770, 2738, 2777, 2798, 2741, 2197, 2747, 2726, 2182, 2730, 2758, 2196, 2746, 2753, 2158, 2790, 2783 were sent to Brookville for rebuilding. Deliveries started on September 3, 2003 with 2320; 2321 (ex 2738) on 12/21/03; 2322 (ex 2770) on 1/29/04; 2323 (ex 2777) on 3/11/04; 2324 (ex 2798) on 3/26/04; 2325 (ex 2741) on 4/13/04; 2326 (ex 2197) on 4/28/04; and 2327 (ex 2747) on 5/14/04. Car 2328 (2726) just arrived on 5/28/04. Route 15 will be a new assignment for most of these cars as all of the 2701 series cars began their lives and spent most of their days on Route 23, Germantown Avenue. More on these cars in the July issue.

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Streetcars Return to Canal Street After 40 years!

Streetcar service returned to New Orlean's Canal Street on April 18^th, replacing the buses that have run the line since 1964. Shown below are the new 2000 series air-conditioned cars along with both St. Charles cars and the Riverfront Cars. Thanks to Mike Harrington for the photos:

More photos of this new line are available at Dave's Electric Railroad's web site, http//206.103.49.193

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Southern California Traction Club Celebrates Nine Years!

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The Southern California Traction Club, founded in 1995, celebrated its ninth year of operation at their annual spring cookout barbecue with current and former members.

l to r; Dave Garcia, Pete DeBeers, Joe Shink, Fred Gurzeler, Jan Podganski, Mike DeGhetto, George Huckaby, Bill Kift & George Jones.

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(cont'd from Column 1)

Ed with his beloved 1940 air-PCC in 1963.

to Philadelphia. On another visit, when Ed found out that my wife loved old buildings, he made sure that she and I toured historic old Philadelphia.

One year, he had a surprise for me during a trip to Philadelphia. He would not tell me what it was but I just had to see this. It turned out to be the Trolley diner in Germantown Avenue.

Ed is survived by his wife of 24 years, Peggy; two sons, one daughter, a sister and 10 grandchildren.

The next East Penn meet in May 2005 will not be the same without Ed! . It was Ed that kept insisting that I come to an East Penn meet, when the club started to have traction meets. I finally relented and came in 1987 and except for 1991, have attended every one since. Yes! Traction modeling did lose a great supporter, but I lost my best friend!