Annual Christmas Luncheon

From: Fletcher Swanson

To All ExCons and their Friends, The Annual Christmas Luncheon get together will be on Monday Dec. 29th from Noon until 4 PM at:

Victory Brewing Company
420 Acorn Lane
Downingtown, PA 19335
610-873-0881

The setup will basically be the same as last year. Victory Brewing will serve a hot all you can eat buffet lunch and pitchers of ale and beer. Cost is anticipated to be $25.00 per person payable when you arrive. Please forward this email far and wide. Last year we had over 90 ExCons attend. I am sure we will have more this year as this has grown every year. Don't miss this once a year Conrail reunion with all your old Conrail friends. Mark your calendar and PLEASE SPREAD THE WORD.

This event is not restricted to Marketing and Sales. All Excons and friends are welcome. Your Hosts, Fletcher Swanson, Mike Behe, Mike Kasper and Joe Bowers.

PS: Last year some attendees made contributions to the U of Delaware's Victor Giardini Award Fund. In addition, a small surplus from the admission collection was added to the fund and sent to The U of D. See their letter attached. Let's plan to remember Vic again this year. While there is no requirement to make advance reservations, if you are sure you are coming please email your intentions to: fswanson@rcn.com so he can give Victory Brewing an estimated count.

See you on Dec. 29th

Jim Viscusi

From Fletcher Swanson: "I knew and worked with Jim on many projects. He was an honorable and fine man and I will miss him. May he rest in peace. "

From Jack Hillis: "Jim worked in the Mechanical Engineering department at Conrail." From Richard Scullin: "Jim Viscusi passed away Oct. 21. Death notice attached. I tried to find a link to the death notice but couldn't. Sorry to be the bearer of sad news."

Dave Sweetland

David Ross Sweetland, 71, of Exton, Pennsylvania, a retired Conrail manager and a lifelong railroad buff, died of cancer Saturday, September 13, 2008, at Neighborhood Hospice in West Chester. A native of Rhode Island, Mr. Sweetland earned a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Maine, where he met his future wife, J. Susan Heath. He served in the Army Reserve with a railroad transportation group. In 1959, he joined the Pennsylvania Railroad's mechanical department in Altoona. In 1976, when Conrail was created, Mr. Sweetland was in charge of re-numbering the locomotive fleet for the new company. He was transferred to Philadelphia in 1985 by Conrail and became manager of mechanical training, educating the next generations of railroaders. After his retirement in 1996, he was a consultant at the Academy of Industrial Training in Essington. Mr. Sweetland authored over 70 railroad books, including many "All Color" late steam and early diesel pictorials for "Morning Sun Books", and many railroad related articles as well. He was a member of several railroad historical organizations. He was especially proud to be involved in the preservation and restoration of a Class E7 diesel locomotive, which he rescued from the scrapyard, his wife said. The train, one of the first passenger diesel locomotives acquired by the Pennsylvania Railroad, has been on display for 10 years at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg. In addition to his wife, Mr. Sweetland is survived by sons Ross and Christopher; daughters Elizabeth and Joyann; and two grandchildren.