Note: Plans have changed and the February meeting will now be over ZOOM. Members will receive a link.
Note: Plans have changed and the February meeting will now be over ZOOM. Members will receive a link.
Wednesday,
February 25 at 2 pm
Coppola’s Restaurant
203 Carleton Street, St. Catharines
Directions: 300 m west of Lake St. – take QEW Lake St. exit SOUTH, then one block 2nd light, and left on Carlton
So far the weather looks agreeable for a face-to-face meeting.
If you park in front, come in main entrance and walk through to back. If you park on the east side, come directly into the meeting room through the back door.
Assembly as usual a bit before the meeting start time. Although the restaurant does not officially open until 3 pm, our host will accommodate us earlier, and therefore lunch can be ordered once we are assembled. Discussion within the Exec indicates a strong desire to make the meetings as casual is possible, so ordering during the proceedings will not likely be an issue. I have given many a presentation talking over the clanking of forks and knives on dishes – no problem for me, should be okay for you too, I trust.
Keep in mind that our host, the restaurant owner, is saving us over $1300 a year by offering up this great room, with screen and proper seating, for free, but he hopes that when he calls in his kitchen and serving staff early just for us, we will order lunch or at least something, late lunch as it might be (or is it early supper?) We need a good showing for this and future meetings, or this venue and the present situation will just not work for our group.
Recall we were getting around 18 people out to Ricki Jo’s for dinner and then another 6 or 7 added at the actual meeting. Hopefully we can keep up these numbers. Please do your best to come to the meetings, whether you order food or not. Remember, you have to eat food on Wednesday one way or the other, whether you come to the meeting or not, so nine times a year not eating at home, well, what can I say, do your best.
We really need Members and Guests to bring well edited, short (10 to 12 minute) presentations. You can do two different shows if you want, as long as they together don’t exceed 12 minutes each. The 2nd show can be done after the rest of the registered presenters have done theirs, and if there is time left. If you have a short show and want to present, best to get on the list by contacting Bobby Martin separately at trains1987@hotmail.com (i.e, please do not ‘respond to all’, just contact Bob directly).
If you have not paid your dues for 2026, it is past due and can be paid to Treasurer and Lord of the Exchequer Chris at the meeting.
Looking forward to seeing the gang out on the 25th. Bring a guest. Encourage them to join.
Andy Panko
President, CRHA Niagara Division
The meeting tomorrow, Wednesday, January 28 will be ONLY by ZOOM.
Gerry at Coppola’s called and indicated that for him to open the restaurant early for us, and call in waiters and kitchen staff, would be problematic if only 8 or 10 folks show up because of the weather.
Indications are that the weather will not be better than it is today, and if you have been outside this morning in the wind, you will have found it to be dangerous, especially if you are a senior. Having to deal with a malfunctioning car for instance, in conditions like this, could be a real problem.
I just got off the phone with Gerald, and he will be sending an email link later today that you can log into. In order not to do a wholesale disruption, the time will remain the same, 2 pm.
Wednesday, January 28 at 2 pm
Coppola’s Restaurant
203 Carleton Street, St. Catharines
Directions: 300 m west of Lake St. – take QEW Lake St. exit SOUTH, then one block 2nd light, and left on Carlton
If you park in front, come in main entrance and walk through to back. If you park on the east side, come directly into the meeting room through the back door.
Assembly as usual a bit before the meeting start time. Although the restaurant does not officially open until 3 pm, our host will accommodate us, and therefore lunch can be ordered off the regular menu commencing at 2 pm.
As with our previous 48 years of meetings, we will run 2 ½ hours, so clearing out around 4:30. I don’t think the room is being used immediately after that, so we will not likely be kicked out right at the end-time like at the museum.
We really need Members and Guests to bring well edited, short (i.e., no longer than 10 to 12 minute) presentations. Please remember, that unless you are deemed the feature, negotiated and officially scheduled by Bobby Martin, whereby we get to enjoy your show for 30 to 40 minutes (that includes 5 minutes for questions and comments), regular presenters are limited to 10 to 12 minutes. You can do two different shows if you want, as long as they together don’t exceed 12 minutes.
If you have more to show, or want to do two shows that extend past the 12 minutes, you certainly are welcome. This can be done after the rest of the registered presenters have done theirs, and if there is time left.
In the old days, the Captain was the timekeeper and used to cut overtime presenters off before they finished what they wanted to show if they went overtime. We really don’t want to have to do that. Time your show by previewing and timing it at home, and edit down as necessary. It is acknowledged that there are relevant questions and comments that might interrupt your performance, and these are generally welcome, and presentation length can be adjusted as appropriate on the spot.
These rules were put in place many years ago after a lot of Member complaints, and getting to the end of the meeting night having too many people not having had the chance to do their presentations.
If you have not paid your dues for 2026, it is due and can be paid to Treasurer and Lord of the Exchequer Chris at the meeting. Also, we have very few calendars left, and they will be available for $20 cash at the meeting, or $25 postpaid if mailed. See JB for calendars, I think he might have four or five left.
If you have a short show and want to present, best to get on the list by contacting Bobby Martin separately at trains1987@hotmail.com (i.e, please do not ‘respond to all’, just contact Bob directly).
Looking forward to seeing the gang out on the 28th. Bring a guest. Encourage them to join.
Andy Panko
President- CRHA Niagara Division
CRHA Niagara Division Members and Associates:
Wednesday 26th November is our final regular meeting for 2025 and our last meeting at the Lock 3 museum. Join us for supper at Ricky-Jo’s @ 5pm and/or at the Museum for 7pm. We expect to see some great presentations and there are always interest door draw prizes (so bring cash). Also Ron Danielsen (our membership chair) is promoting our membership and calendar offer. His offer is outlined below.
There will never be a better time to renew your membership, or become a member, and get one (or more) of the fabulous 2026 CRHA Niagara calendars, before they are all sold out.
Benefits of CRHA Niagara membership
Membership fee for 2026 $30.00 (Unchanged)
Calendar only – picked up at meeting in October or November $20
Calendar only prepaid postage in Canada $25
Early payment bonus – for membership paid no later than November 29, 2025
Membership $30.00
2026 CRHA Niagara Calendar with prepaid postage $20.00 (regular price $25.00)
Total $50.00
or with CRHA calendar at the meeting, or the lunch (no postage) $45.00
Methods of Payment
This is a long, but very important email setting out, literally, the next 9 months of our Division business, so you might want to sit down. All good news…..read on……
Your exec has been at work, with two meetings in the last month or so. The first meeting we met at Caroline Cellars in the lines and concessions of NOTL, and hosted CRHA President Robbie Robinson, where we were updated on our parent organization and the happenings at Exporail. Our Division provided a donation of $500 to Exporail, for ‘paint’, the intention to be used on the CPR observation car from the Canadian, Sibley Park, currently under restoration there.
The second meeting was held this past week at Coppola’s Restaurant in St. Kitts, where we managed to settle on the next year’s worth of things that needed to be settled upon.
The meetings from now ‘till the end of the year will be held at 7 pm at the Lock 3 Museum, as in the past, as follows:
Our obligation at the Museum ends this year, as we are paid up for the room rental until December.
GOOD NEWS
Meetings will be at Coppola’s Restaurant in their private presentation/dining room on Carlton Street, 500m east of Lake Street in St. Kitts and only about 1-minute south off the QEW, so no negotiating traffic in town or etc.
Our meetings will be held as follows, commencing at 2 PM on these Wednesday dates:
The meetings will be held at the Coppola’s Restaurant meeting room.
THE REALLY GOOD NEWS…..
The room is FREEEE, so we save hundreds of dollars on room rental fees. There are no parking restrains, parking, like at Andyland, is FREEE.
From the parking lot to the meeting room, the path is FLAT, so no problems with walkers, canes, etc. – NO STAIRS or ramps. The room has a LARGE screen, designed for projection. The room has blackout curtains for meetings with presentations in the daytime
The room is equipped and designed for dining at the same time as presentations, and the restaurant has a BROAD menu. Therefore, we don’t have to change venues betwixt dinner and the meeting, although of course it is now a late lunch and meeting.
And best of all, especially for those having to drive back to Burlington, Stoney Creek, Mississauga, North York or beyond, the meetings will conclude by 5pm, so except perhaps for January, you will be driving home in daylight, instead of 10 o’clock at night!!!!
Note our meetings now run 2.5 hours, so we are adding a half hour, Why? Because we can !! As long as you don’t mind some fork clinking whilst doing a presentation, we will run 3 hours.
Many of our members were using the last Wednesday to chase trains (try to chase trains) in Niagara prior to the dinners and subsequent meetings. Now, it will be possible to do this in the a.m., up until after the noon hour, have lunch at the meeting, and still head back in the light. This saves having to pay for lunch, and then pay for dinner, a considerable savings figuring in the cost of even lunch these days.
MARK THIS DATE DOWN, we need you and your +1 guest there in order to maintain our pricing with the venue. You don’t really need to bring a +1, just kidding there.
Saturday, November 29, at 1 pm (again, a daylight ride in both directions) at COPPOLA’S Restaurant. We spent some time with the owner of the venue and arrived at the following menu and pricing situation:
House salad, big bowls, served family style
Pasta (penne tomato) with meatballs, also served family style,
Entre – Roasted herb chicken breast, with roasted potatoes and vegetables, nobody is going home hungry
Dessert – tiramisu
Coffee, tea, pop all included, alcoholic and other beverages are on you, of course.
Normal price $45, not including tip and tax. NOW HEAR THIS, the ‘normal price ++’ comes out to, according to our mathematician Gerald A., to $60.01 per person. INSTEAD, the Division, because of careful management of finances, can, like it used to do in the past, subsidize a portion of the value of the meal for Members paid in full for 2025, and a guest of theirs. The Division will cover $15 of the meal, so the Members plus one guest will only pay $45 each.
John B. and Gerald A, have figured out a way to deal with calendar distribution after I actually produce them (in progress as you read this). Thank you to Tammy for providing guidance in calendar distribution. Calendars will be available for distribution worldwide in early October, and available to members at our meetings on October 29 and November 26 ,and at the Christmas Party on November 29.
Ron Danielson will be dealing with membership dues, coupled with calendar sales to members. There was talk at several meetings over the last year that the dues should be raised to $35 or $40, and most recently, that the calendars were too expensive at $25. Well, GOOD NEWS AGAIN on both counts….
Ron has provided the following:
September 24th marks the start on the next year of CRHA Niagara monthly meetings. It is also time to renew your membership, or join if you are not yet a member.
Benefits of CRHA Niagara membership:
Membership fee for 2026 $30.00 (Unchanged)
Membership $30.00 2026 CRHA Niagara Calendar with prepaid postage
$20.00 (regular price $25.00)
Total $50.00
or with CRHA calendar at the meeting (no postage) $45.00
Methods of Payment
Ron adds:
We look forward to seeing you as we start the next exciting year at CRHA Niagara. From December to November, dinner is at Ricki Joes, 286 Bunting Road, St. Catharines, at 5:15 PM; meetings are at 7:00 PM, at the Lock 3 Museum in St. Catharines. the last Wednesday of each month.
From January to May, lunch and meeting will be at Coppola’s Restaurant , 203 Carlton Street, St, Catharines.
Meetings are “hybrid”, that is by Zoom link, and face-to-face, unless it is clear there is an impending winter storm, in which case the meeting will be Zoom only.
Thank you to Ron for taking care of membership and to JB and Gerald for dealing with the calendar sales, and to Tammy for providing me a bit of a history lesson on all these topics.
Hope to see you all this Wednesday, September 24 at either Ricci Jo’s for din-din at 5:15 or Lock 3 Museum at 7.
Andy Panko
CRHA Niagara Division Members and Associates:
The weather seems to be reasonably agreeable, so no doubt we will have a blended meeting tomorrow night. We are always happy to meet in person, and always happy to see our more remote members join us on zoom, that has been running pretty good lately (thank you Gerald).
Looking forward to seeing all and sundry tomorrow, one way or the other.
AWP
Wednesday January 29th we held another successful meeting including 30 or so in person and 6 via ZOOM. We elected a new slate of officers (see the Current Executive page), held a draw where we raised $40 dollars and saw some great slide presentations. The first was a presentation of slides brought by Keith Ballantyne and narrated by Paul Chapman. It featured a number of wonderful slides of Erie Lackawanna trains with some L&PS at the end for good measure. We saw digital presentations by Dean who had great shots from around southern Ontario, Glenn Cherry who showed some switching action in the Welland and Thorold areas, Gerald Arends who showed some photos that were shared on Facebook of a bad derailment in the 1970s at the Jordan bridge and lastly by Chris Paxton with several of old scanned slides from Fort Erie and Buffalo area taken in late 1976.
Last night marked the final regular meeting of 2024 with a good number in an attendance plus a number online. We were, once again, treated to top notch presentations by Glenn Cherry, Tammy Frakking, Dean Brown, Paul Chapman and Andy Panko. We are all looking forward to CRHA Niagara Christmas dinner, December 27th at George’s Greek village. Andy will be sending out more information on this as that date approaches. Our next regular meeting will be January 29th at the St. Catharines Museum, Lock 3.
Next Wednesday, November 27th is our final in-person meeting for 2024. Plan to attend as there will be some great presentations that you wan’t want to miss. See you at Lock 3 Museum @7pm November 27th.