All aboard
HARRIMAN. Special event at Mary Harriman Memorial Park on Aug. 17 will mark the first railroad train ever dispatched by telegraph nearly 170 years ago.
HARRIMAN /
| 07 Aug 2019 | 08:14
The certificate commemorates the first railroad train dispatch by telegraph in 1851. It features a background of an Erie Railroad stock certificate, early railroad symbols, the New York State historical marker about the site in Harriman of that train dispatch, as well as documentation of the on-air contact and call sign.
The Orange County Amateur Radio Club (OCARC) will set up special ham stations at Mary Harriman Park on Saturday, Aug. 17, operating on the air from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.
The event’s purpose: Commemorating the first railroad train dispatched by telegraph in 1851.
This event is announced to all amateurs in the United States and any ham operator anywhere who logs a contact with these stations during this one-day-only event will be able to download and print a commemorative certificate.
The special call sign used for the stations will be “K2T” (symbolizing “Telegraph”).
One of the stations will be using Morse Code as was used (over telegraph wires) in the actual dispatch.
The certificate features a background of an Erie Railroad stock certificate, early railroad symbols, the New York State historical marker about the site in Harriman of that train dispatch, as well as documentation of the on-air contact and call sign.
The commemorative event is made possible through the auspices of the Village of Harriman, and the Monroe Historical Society.
The public is invited to visit the Park during operations on Aug. 17, obtain historical information, and learn about the latest ham radio technology and licensing.
More information can be found at the OCARC club website: www.ocarcny.org, or call 845-391-3620 to leave a message.