The WPI Railroad Club, founded in the fall of 1996 by a group of WPI students interested in model railroading and rail transport in general, will be celebrating its first anniversary this winter with its first annual fundraiser and an open house to be held in the wedge area of Morgan Hall on the WPI campus.
As the first club of its kind to be organized at WPI, the Railroad Club has had to overcome many obstacles in the past year. Space and support has been found in the Mechanical Engineering Department after much searching, and membership is steady. Currently holding meetings in the Higgins Project lab, room 005, club members have been constructing an HO scale modular railroad, the "Massachusetts Eastern Lines", over the past several months. The club is currently looking for a more permanent location, where an immobile layout and workshop may be established.
This year's fundraiser, a raffle, will be held as part of the club's first anniversary celebration. The Massachusetts Eastern will be set up in the Upper Wedge all day Saturday, December 6th, with drawings held at mid-day. Items raffled off will include a high-quality HO scale Athearn trainset, an HO scale locomotive, and a model building. The club is currently negotiating with Amtrak for a contribution of gift certificates good for some of the company's routes, and with local restaurants and businesses for additional gift certificates and prizes. An arrangement with SocComm, WPI's social committee, is also being worked out, which will allow students to purchase raffle tickets worth $1.00 towards admission at one of the weekly movies held on campus.
Membership in the Railroad club is open to all members of the WPI Community, including faculty, staff and alumni. Donations may be made to the club c/o Student Activities, and make the donator eligible to become an official Sponsor of the club. Additional information is available through the club's webpages at http://www.wpi.edu/~railroad, or email railroad@wpi.edu.