Join the Railroaders Memorial Museum for this installment of its monthly lecture series, History After Hours. At 5:30PM, a guide will lead visitors on a personalized tour of the Museum, giving visitors full access to exhibits. At 7PM, Brock Kerchner will conduct a presentation on his new GPCo book, Conrail Business & Research Trains!. Hors d'oeuvres and beverages are included with admission. Handcrafted beers will be served by Railroad City Brewing Company throughout the evening. Attendees must be 21+ to be served and identification is required.

For all 23 years of Conrail's tenure (1976-1999), the railroad maintained a fleet of specialized railcars and locomotives equipped to "test the condition of [its] track, allow Conrail’s management to inspect the right of way and facilities at the ground level, and show customers and potential customers exactly how their freight [would] move.” The specialized railcars in this fleet were split between Conrail's business train (often called the Office Car Special, or OCS) and the railroad’s research and track department.

This virtual presentation is based on Kerchner and Reminder’s comprehensive and definitive book of the same name, released by The Garbely Publishing Company in November of 2021 (learn more at www.cr-ocs.com). The presentation and the 416-page hardcover book include the authors’ three decades of combined research.

Each railcar and locomotive in Conrail's special equipment fleet will be covered, with original diagrams and drawings as well as photographs depicting the interiors and exteriors of the railroad's opulent business cars and its specialized research equipment. With every specialized operation came specialized employees, and Conrail's business and research trains were no exceptions. From the mechanical staff that rebuilt and maintained the cars to the on-board management that ensured their smooth operation, this presentation will feature information and stories gleaned from interviews with the major players in Conrail's special equipment staff. These accounts are accompanied by rare photographs showing these unique and memorable trains under construction, in operation, and even in a foreign country! The presentation will also cover the Conrail Technical Services Laboratory and the special railcars equipped for the Conrail Police Department.

Tickets for the event are just $25 and may be purchased at the link below.