NWI CHAPTER
PRESIDENT’S REPORT
November 2026 from
Jerry Pyfer

Congratulations again to Robert Jordan

Robert Jordan entered a photograph in our 2025 NWI Photographer of the Year contest back in April. He entered a photo of a CP snowplow busting through a snowdrift in twilight near Davis Junction with the headlight glowing thru the explosion of snow. He took first place in the anytime, anywhere Category C.

Trains magazine and the NRHS teamed up conducting a photo contest with the theme of “Unexpected” over the summer. The results can be seen in the November issue.

Robert won the Grand Prize with this same photo.

NWI Chapter Business

NWI Chapter Officer and Board of Directors Election Process
NWI officers and directors nominations are in.

The ballots will be sent to NRHS-NWI members only within this November issue. Subscribers to the North Western Limited newsletter do not qualify to take part in chapter business.

Members may bring their ballots to the November meeting with the business meeting completion as the deadline. There will be a committee to accept your ballot.

The other option is to mail your ballot to our post office box. We will clean out the mail on Saturday morning prior to the meeting. This NWL went into the mail early enough to hopefully give you two-weeks to get it back to us via the USPS.

WARNING, I hate to say it, but the USPS has been less than reliable for timely delivery of the mail. If you are returning your ballot by mail, I suggest you mail it the day after you receive it. Don’t sit on it until November 26 and hope we will receive it in time.

NWI October Chapter Meeting
Bait and Switch
Twice during 2026, we had to change presentations due to circumstances beyond our control. I hate when we have to do this, but that is life.

Several years ago, a scheduled presenter called off their show during the week before. Fortunately, I have several shows in my back pocket to provide an alternate program.

Each time, the change came along near or at the meeting time. I apologize for the sudden changes.

Bob Schmidt forged ahead like a trooper with his presentation of Canadian Passenger Trains - Part 1. He thoroughly covered eastern Canada operations right into Via Rail service.

I know just enough about Zoom presentations to get myself in trouble. A couple of years ago it seemed like a good idea. I hope you will forgive me on that.

The December NWL
The December issue of the NWL will arrive after the Holiday Party. Hopefully this note will explain why you didn’t get an NWL before the party.

The party is not an official NWI Chapter meeting and falls out of our newsletter scheduling.

You should also know, the party will not be Zoomed. I would rather socialize than have to worry about getting folks checked in online throughout the day. It is a party, come on out to Davis Junction at the fire department. Gilbert promised 17-below zero temperatures will not be a problem this year.

NWI Thank You Notes…
As our dues renewal season begins, I am grateful for those sending in the dues plus an added donation. Thank you to Frank Schmidt.

We also received a nice thank you from the Oregon Depot Museum for our chapter donations toward the depot and Silver View passenger car back in August.

Last Call for Obsolete NWI Program Equipment
Several chapter items are still lounging in my basement. These are items we used for traditional multi-media slide shows that more than likely will not be used again.

Items such as slide trays, Port-a-studios which use four-track cassette tapes, stack projector towers and Gemini dissolve units.

At this point, we have no takers. You have until the November meeting to request any of this equipment or it will be donated to a thrift store.

We will keep the Kodak Ektagraphic III slide projectors in the event a presenter wishes to share traditional talkie film slide shows.

NWI-NRHS Dues renewal Season
The NWI Chapter dues renewal season has begun once again. Dues will remain the same for both the NWI ($25.00) as well as NWL subscriptions and the NRHS National dues ($50.00).

Send your NWI portion dues renewal to: NWI-Dues, P.O. Box 5632, Rockford, Illinois 61125-5632 or bring them to a chapter meeting.

You will send your NRHS dues portion to the National and not the NWI Chapter.

Railfanning is…
Railfanning is cashing in a year’s worth of saved up pocket change at the bank and learning I had saved $261.00.

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