For members who will not be attending the three-day Conference on November 8-10, this meeting affords an opportunity to see the train equipment and exhibits associated with the Southeast High Speed Rail EXPO, as well as the rest of the Science Museum of Virginia, formerly Richmond’s Union Station. The Science Museum just celebrated the completion of its renovation.

Members and their guests will first meet for a luncheon and program at Julian’s Restaurant, 2617 W. Broad Street, across from the Science Museum, located at 2500 E. Broad Street. Before 11:00, use the rear entrance. The total luncheon cost is $12.89 per person.

CAPT and VARP directors will hold brief board meetings, respectively, at 10:30 AM. The general membership meeting will officially begin with the luncheon at 12:00 Noon, EST. The luncheon program will be "Rail transit opportunities along the Southeast High Speed Rail Corridor."

Our featured speaker will be Dr. Walter Witschey, Director, Science Museum of Virginia. Other related presentations are tentative at mailing time. Following our program, Dr. Witschey will escort attendees across Broad Street to the Museum's new storage and shop facility, where Richmond’s heritage streetcar is undergoing restoration in anticipation of its operation on the Museum ground's Explore Park. The Museum's group-rate admission charge is $4.50. The Science Museum will be open until 5:00 PM.

Efforts will be made to shuttle attendees arriving by train at Richmond's Staples Mill Road Station. Please indicate your shuttle requirements when you turn in your menu selection. VARP members are encouraged to contact Michael Testerman if they can help shuttle other guests. (See contact information at bottom of menu.) Richmond's Greyhound Bus terminal, 2710 N. Boulevard, is less than 3/4 mile from the meeting venue. Walk south on N. Boulevard to Broad Street, then go two blocks east.

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Meal selections include beverage and salad. Optional homemade deserts will be available upon request at extra cost.

All meals are priced at $9.95, plus 20% gratuity (automatically added) and 9.5% sales/meal tax, for a total of $12.89 per person. Pay at the restaurant. Please mail, phone, or E-mail your menu selection, including number in your party, to be received no later than 11-10-2000, to VARP, P.O. Box 867, Richmond, VA 23218-0867, (804) 649-1405, "Michael Testerman", <testertrain@erols.com> SEND NO MONEY!

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Making its first trip South of Washington DC, the Acela Express, Amtrak’s 21^st century high-speed train, is described as Amtrak’s "latest and boldest step" in rail passenger service that is customer-focused and a market-driven provider of premium transportation.

Twenty Acela Express electric trains will travel, starting in December, between Boston and Washington. The trains use advanced tilt technology and upgrades for a smooth, comfortable ride on curves. Trip times will be about three hours between Boston and New York on the fastest express trains and as little as two and a half hour between New York and Washington.

The Pacific Surfliner will visit Richmond from the West. The new five-car, double-decker Surfliner consists of one Pacific business class car, one coach/café car, two coach cars and one coach/baggage/ cab car. The trains are manufactured by ALSTOM, and powered by new General Motors Electro-Motive Division F59PHI locomotives.

Also to be displayed is the Acela Regional Turboliner, a New York state train that will soon travel between New York City and Albany at 110-miles per hour. Powered by gas turbine engines, the train will include two power cars and four coaches. The Turboliner is capable of achieving speeds of up to 125 miles per hour.

Virginia Railway Express is the nation’s second largest rail commuter service. Based in Northern Virginia, the VRE will bring a locomotive and two passenger cars to the Expo. The VRE’s new double-decker train, added this year, will be on display at the Expo. The new bi-level cars add 50 seats per car for the fast-growing Washington commuter passengers.

North Carolina Department of Transportation, Rail Division

North Carolina’s new "The 1797 City of Asheville", a state-of-the-art General Motors locomotive new to North Carolina this year, will travel to Richmond for Expo. The locomotive exceeds all environ-mental standards. A new feature is the isolated cab, separate from the locomotive that makes a pleasant, air-conditioned or heated compartment for the engineer complete with elaborate diagnostic computer equipment. The diesel-fueled locomotive is used on runs between Charlotte and Raleigh that are shaving time off the now three hour, 45 minute trip. The goal? Two hours.

The F59 was purchased last year from Electro-Motive Division of General Motors and is designed to maximize safety and comfort for train crews.

The American Passenger Rail Coalition, a national association of railroad equipment suppliers and rail-related businesses working for a healthy and efficient U. S. inter-city passenger rail system, will feature large photos of new Amtrak and high-speed rail equipment manufactured by member companies.

Amtrak was created in 1971 to provide national rail passenger service. Examples of the latest Amtrak high-speed equipment will be showcased. The Amtrak exhibit will complement the equipment on display.

Bombardier Inc. is one of the world’s largest transportation manufacturing companies. Headquartered in Montreal, Bombardier is the manufacturer of the Acela, the high-speed Northeast Corridor train that has just been given go-ahead for service from Washington to New York.

With operations in 12 countries and 56,000 employees, Bombardier is a world leader in manufacture of passenger rail cars. It offers a complete range of urban, suburban and intercity vehicles as well as turnkey rail transit operations worldwide.

In the past two decades Bombardier has delivered more than 10,000 passenger rail cars incorporating innovative, highly safe and reliable systems throughout the world.

Bombardier’s exhibit will feature pictures and documentation of various technologies such as the high-speed electric locomotive, high-speed non-electric locomotive and the Acela Express.

An engineering firm based in Alexandria, Va., HDR was selected to perform environmental and engineering services for the Pacific Northwest Rail Corridor.

Expertise of HDR includes operational and capacity analysis, conceptual and preliminary engineering and grade crossing safety studies.