NWI CHAPTER
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
May 2021 from
Jerry Pyfer

NWI Business

The NWI Chapter dues renewal season is over. We now stand with 36 NRHS members and 57 NWL subscribers.

If the wheels don’t fall off or the pandemic goes off the rails, I look forward to meeting at the Oregon (Illinois) depot for the month of August.

Hopefully we can go on to meet at St. Mark’s church in Rockford for September, October and November.

Robert Schmidt has requested October to resume his passenger train series.

Joint NWI-Wisconsin Chapter Meeting

May 8 th, ten NWI folks joined together at St. Mark’s church, in person, to enjoy another John Dziobko slides how. John’s annual show usually held in January had been called off due to the pandemic.

When Wisconsin Chapter President Mike Yuhas and I began formulating the joint meeting, my first thought was to offer a Dziobko show for this occasion.

Erik Rasmussen produced the “John Dziobko’s Rock Island - 1980 to 1973” which worked out very well. Erik’s diligence in scanning and cleaning the images had clearly shown through. Scanning slides and cleaning the image of film blemishes can be a most tedious job. Editing through the huge volume of John’s slides, still in the original boxes, was no easy task either.

Ray Peacock worked with John’s caregivers to allow John to participate as well. This was a greatly and unexpected treat for all of us. Ray shared a wonderful photo of John watching his Zoom show online from his room.

Mike hosted a flawless program that lasted nearly two hours. I noted many present and former NWI members among the participants. A few NWI folks finally gave me a face to go along with their mailing label as I have never met them. The high-water mark of 78 Zoom participants left the meeting wanting more. That is a sign of a great presentation. In my opinion, this program could be a standalone Rock Island picture book.

You will find this two-part program on Wisconsin Chapter’s You Tube site. Go to: www.nrhswis.org

I will enjoy working with Mike to come up with another joint program down the line.

Railfanning is…eating your M&M candies by paint schemes: Yellow and green for C&NW, or even better Illinois Terminal - blue & yellow for Santa Fe or even better Iowa, Chicago & Eastern - orange & brown for IC or if you squint, Milwaukee Road.

Do you have a “Railfanning is…” idea, sent it to me for consideration.

For more information about the Chapter, see Meetings and Join.