From the Railspot group, this announcement. The railfans that live in north Texas (and southern Oklahoma) know where I'm talking about: ANNOUNCEMENT! ! It's SAGINAW TIME!! (Please pass this on to your friends) Plan on attending the 3rd Annual “24 Hours @ Saginaw” 2008 Come watch trains and have a good time with local railfans and members of the North Texas Chapter, NRHS. In 2006, we had up to 100 railfans attend. At least 5 stayed the full 24 hours. We recorded 75 trains. In 2007, at least 9 railfans stayed the full 24 hours, several stay 12 hours or more and we recorded up to 58 trains. Let's hope we break a new record this year! Our Objective: Watch and record trains for a 24 hour period. Our Goal: Spend 24 hours at the Saginaw Heritage Center (the depot) at 301 S. Saginaw Blvd. in Saginaw, TX. Date and Time: Friday, May 23rd & Saturday, May 24th, 2008 7:00pm to 7:00pm, for 24 hours! Come watch, talk, listen and photograph trains safely while sharing fellowship and education with like minded railfans and families. Also, help us promote the City of Saginaw as a nationally known hot spot to watch and record trains safely. It is reported up to 60 trains pass the Saginaw depot per day! Plenty to fill your train watching appetite! Activities Include: Operation Lifesaver Rules on “How to watch trains safely”. A safe area to watch trains. 24 hours of Railroad videos and slide programs. Railroad theme games and trivia to help pass the time. Railroad Scanner broadcast of approaching trains. Masterboard to record the running total of trains. Door prizes and merit awards for hours logged watching trains. Food, Fun and More... NEW EVENT - "Texas Slide Show Shoot-Out" Bring 10 of your favorite slides to show during this fast pace slide show presentation. Anyone can participate, we will go until everyone has had a chance or the last set is shown! Admission is FREE, Donations are accepted. Sponsors: The North Texas Chapter of the National Railway Historical Society http://www.ntxnrhs. org and Saginaw Chamber of Commerce http://www.saginawtxchambe r.org Check out Wes Carr's "Railfan Primer" about Saginaw http://www.trainweb .org/southwestsh orts/saginaw. html And on Sunday, May 25th... Don’t forget the 28th Annual Lone Star Railfair - Railroad Collectible and Train Show in the Amon G. Carter Exhibit Hall - Will Rogers Memorial Center - Ft. Worth, TX It’s the premier railroad collectible / artifact show in Texas! So, if you are not already committed to another event Memorial Day Weekend or planned on attending the Lone Star Railfair train show, please plan on joining us Friday night for a quality slide show or a few hours on Saturday and have fun watching Trains, Trains, Trains... Bring your friends, make a full railfan weekend out of it! More info to follow as we get closer to the event... Lastly, we are still accepting anyone who would like to put on a program or clinic during the "24 hours @ Saginaw" event. Whether it's a slide show, a video, or film or a clinic on photography, recording sound or video or documenting trains via train logs, we welcome your program. Any length or subject will be considered. Please contact me via email or call at the number below if you are available. Thanks for your interest! Saginaw is a town on US287, north of Ft. Worth, TX. It is the crossing of UP's ex-Rock Island line to Wichita, and two BNSF lines- the ex-Santa Fe from Kansas to Ft. Worth, and the former BN (nee Ft. Worth & Denver) from Texline to Ft. worth. Besides Amtrak's Heartland Flyer, there are unit trains of rock, coal, stacks and grain, as well as general merchandise. There are several eateries across the highway, and the spot is a refurbished depot that now houses the local Chamber of Commerce. Great place to watch up to 60 trains a day, and easier to access these days than Tower 55 in Ft. Worth.
