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| Flying Yankee Restoration Group, Inc. Newsletter |
| 1935 A CHALLENGE WELL MET - 2011 A CHALLENGE WE'LL MEET | January 2011 |
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| | 2010 - A YEAR OF GROWTH AND CHANGES. 2011- EVEN BETTER WITH ALL OUR WORK. | |
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RECAP IN PICTURES OF 2009-2010 PROGRESS OF RESTORATION
  
In 2009, with the assistance of NH Electric Cooperative and Phil Bell, power was brought to the Flying Yankee. This allowed Steve Taylor to hook up the electric panel in "B" car, provide heat in "B" car, as well as lighting in "A" and "B" cars. Pillsbury Sign of Hopkinton, MA will be redoing the "herald" sign boards. The State of New Hampshire administered Federal Grant Money for the weatherproofing. Above pictures are of the electrical panel in "B" car, Bob Rolando & Mike Gooden (part of Ben Clark's crew at the Plymouth & Lincoln RR - Hobo RR) installing windows, the roof is now completely sealed due to the efforts of the P&L RR, and the doors to the "B" car (after much work by Bob Rolando) are installed. Bob Morrell appears on one of 4 screens donated by Operation Life Saver to be used for education, trucks are restored and in storage, waiting for the installation of the air brakes and other "under" car work to be done. The last picture it what you can expect to see in June (date to be announced) at the Hobo RR in Lincoln, NH when the cover reveals this 1935 icon of labor and ingenuity. Look around you at the "new" models for high speed train travel - look again at the Flying Yankee. The prototype for today, not only for style but speed. The Flying Yankee could travel at 110 MPH then and will again.
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LOUIS ELMER ELLISON - ENGINEER ON FLYING YANKEE Last week the Flying Yankee was very fortunate to hear from Stan Ellison whose Grandfather was the original engineer of the Flying Yankee. The gentleman on the right is the engineer, Mr. Louis Elmer Ellison in 1912. He became an engineer July 3, 1910 and worked for B&M all of his life. Stan is going to sen d more information and writings from his Grandfather so that we can do a biography about him, the Flying Yankee, and his days with the B&M. Stan also included a Rooster from 6/1/1942 listing the current Engineers, Firemen, and Hostlers as well as a news article on the retirement of the Flying Yankee which none of had previously seen. The headline read Flying Yankee retires after traveling 2,737,375 miles. As you know, the Flying Yankee was retired and went to Edaville (Carver, MA) in 1957. Louis Ellison passed away in October 1957. |
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THE SILVER HILL B OYS AND THE SECRET RAILROAD CLUB - by Joe Karas
"Silver Hill Station was erected in 1915. Partially destroyed by fire, the depot was demolished in 1973....the present structure, with new stairs, was completed in 2010. Silver Hill continues to be a regular stop for passenger trains.""
"...the decision was made to keep their club a secret. They named their club The S.R.R.C. - The Secret Railroad Club. The reason for establishing a secret railroad club is itself a well kept secret. At least for right now."
"The sound  of an approaching freight train was like a lion roaring. Crawling closer and closer to their 'Place' the F-Unit engines roared louder and louder. Peak volume descended into the clanking and clacking of individual cars passing right in front of their 'Place'."
"Yuuuuuuhhh!" Pete seemed to disappear. Joe, Dick and Bob hurried over to the back of the mound..."
"...Here the boys made what would prove to be one of the most fascinating discoveries in S.R.R.C. history.
"What did the boys discover? A storage area used by the railroad? Part of an old estate? Maybe this is where a farm family stored vegetables? Whatever it was, it was inside that special hill overlooking the tracks. The little hill or mound, with an outcropping of rock. This is where the S.R.R.C. enjoyed hours and hours watching trains, reading, and discussing many aspects of railroading. It was their secret club grounds...."
The above are excerpts from the book which is available at: www.silverhillboys.com or SRRC c/o Robin Boyd, 51 Whitehall Road, Hooksett, NH 03106. $19.95 includes shipping one book. Payable to: SRRC. A portion of the proceeds are donated to the Flying Yankee Restoration Group, Inc.
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MEET COLBY LEAVITT OF GORHAM, ME. HERE HE IS WAITING FOR THE TRAIN AT THE NEW AMTRAK STATION IN SACO, ME WHILE VISITING HIS GRANDFATHER (FOSTER LEAVITT) OF BUXTON, ME. COLBY IS JUST LIKE THE BOYS IN THE BOOK AND LOVES TRAINS.
OK! I read and loved the book. Where is the train? 
Mom helped me find it but it is under this tent. Guess
I'll just have to drive it out of here. READY?
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TED MACDONALD - A MISS PLACED CANADIAN
In 1956 my father was remarried and come back to Grand Manan Island to take me to where he had moved to. I was 14 at the time. Dad had a job installing signal equipment for the General Railway Signal Co. He had become an electrical tech during the war and this qualified him to work on the signal equipment. Dad also worked for the C.N.R. as a fireman on the steam locos. At any rate, I found myself in a strange city in a different country, going into grade i. We had all taken our green cards out to become citizens and I was making friends and was asked by someone I knew to deliver some papers for the summer. Sounded good to me and the money was good. The papers were "Th e Christian Science Monitor" and came in from Boston, I think on the train, which was a budd car lettered for the Canadian Pacific. I remember that old station. It was a great old building and I am told that it was torn down. What a tragedy. They did the same thing here in Moncton N.B. Here they had an old station that was nearly a hundred years old and was spectacular. And on the grounds they had green houses that they used to supply the passenger trains with flowers. At that time they had glass bowls filled with roses for the tables in the dining cars. They also had steam engines for the head and end power. Those were the days!! They replaced the old station with a box like structure of one story. We elected a new federal politician here some time ago and she was able to persuade the railway to replace that box like structure with a whole new building that has some classic lines and even looks the part of a railway station. I do not have any pictures, but I am sure if you if you were to contact CN or the City of Moncton, somebody would have pictures.
I have the railroad in my blood as all my relatives and family worked for CN. Moncton during the forties and fifties was a railway town. The eastern main shops were here and was a major employer. At one time the main shops had 4 to 5 thousand people working. Also the railway offices were here and employed over a thousand people. Along with the shipping downtown that handeled the express, and telegraph. Sadly, most of this has gone and the railway built a hump yard outside of town and these last few years has torn out the hump and now flat switches all the freight that comes through.
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JANUARY 29 - JANUARY 30, 2011
EASTERN STATES EXPOSITION
AMHERST RAILWAY SOCIETY
RAILROAD HOBBY SHOW WEST SPRINGFIELD, MA  ONE OF LARGEST SHOWS ON THE EAST COAST FEATURING A LITTLE OF EVERY THING FOR THE RAIL ROAD ENTHUSIAST. THIS IS ONE SHOW NOT TO BE MISSED. GREAT FAMILY EVENT. |
   SOMETHING DIFFERENT - SOMETHING FUN - SOMEWHERE ELSE Pictures and history provided by: Ron Hann, Christchurch, New Zealand CTT is the diesel Tilt Train on the Brisbane-Cairns route, apparently as a replacement for the old "SUNLANDER"
CTT - New paint job.
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flyingyankee@usa.net
flyingyankee.com
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Thank you for your participation and support of the Flying Yankee and this newsletter. We welcome your comments, suggestions, ideas, and stories. Please contact us at any time at our web site (flyingyankee@usa.net), at our web site (flyingyankee.com). You may also call anytime at: 603 661 3317 (this is a blackberry and open 24/7 - 365) or fax us at: 603 330 0290. The restoration of the Flying Yankee is moving along at a much faster rate than in the past and with this news letter, web page, and facebook, we will endeavor to keep all up to date. Facebook is "Flyingyankee Mountaineer".
Thank you again for bearing with us. Happy New Year to us all.
Patricia B. Taylor, Coordinator - Flying Yankee Restoration Group
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