~~~ Iceberg Wedge Salad ~~~
choice of
Chicken Piccata with Lemon Caper Sauce
or
Miso Glazed Filet of Atlantic Salmon
~~~ Roasted Fingerling Potatoes ~~~
~~~ Roasted Seasonal Vegetables ~~~
~~~ Triple Chocolate Layer Cake ~~~
Breakfast and Lunch was served in the Prefunction Hallway in front of the clinic and vendor rooms.
Breakfast from 7:00am to 9;00am and Lunch from 11:30 to 1:00pm, Thursday, Friday and Saturday.
The Banquet speaker was William (Bill) Neale, MMR (Master Model Railroader #480)
Bill is a researcher, historian, and dedicated model railroader with an almost singular focus on the Pennsylvania Railroad west of Pittsburgh. He has been published in Rail Model Journal, Model Railroader, Model Railroad Planning, Great Model Railroads, and The Keystone, the quarterly journal of the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical and Historical Society. He has also written articles for the regional and national NMRA publications and is a regular contributor to several web-based groups.
Bill earned his MMR in 2012 and has served the NMRA at both the regional and national levels. He is currently on the National NMRA Board of Directors as the Midwest regional director.
The PRR Panhandle Division is Bill's moderately sized but world famous HO layout. He constructed the railroad using historical documents and photographs, creating an accurate representation of the PRR Panhandle Division as it existed in September 1939. During this period, over 100 trains rolled across the Ohio River at Weirton Junction - all steam powered. Bill’s approach has been to recreate the historical perspective and look and feel of the era being modeled. Reflecting this attention to detail, the layout was featured in the 2010 Great Model Railroads magazine.
Bill's perspective on the hobby: When you share what you know, no matter how little, many good things happen. First, you may help someone that is struggling with the same problems you have already solved. Second, every time you share your knowledge of almost any subject, you'll get new information in return. Always be open to learning more. And third and most importantly, you might make a new friend.
Bill's topic was the first 50 miles of the Pennsylvania Railroad Panhandle Division. He will include information about the railroad but will wander into local history and other interesting stories related to the history of the area. Western Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and the adjacent Ohio area have wonderful history and he will relate some of the more interesting facts, legends, and lore about the area, as well as talk about modeling the PRR in steam days.