Countdown to the Fair

The Gandy Dancer The Official Publication of the Alameda County Central Railroad Society

April 2007

Next Public Operation Sessions:

Orchard Supply Hardware how to fair

The Alameda County Fair

Club News

Vest Order Looms

Dean Lewis is putting together an order for club vests. For you newcomers, you may have noticed that the ACCRS likes to have members wear "club" vests during shows. It gives us a little bit of a "uniform" and makes it easy to determine if the person leaning over the rail to touch a piece of equipment is a member or not. A variety of colors are available, and you can have your name and logo of your favorite railroad stitched on the front. For more information, please visit the vendors site. Total cost to members is $25; the ACCRS picks up shipping and the cost of embroidering the "ACCRS" across the back. See Dean with your order (specifically size, color and what logo and name you want on it), and he'll send it in with the rest. The deadline for orders is the end of April.

Upcoming Events

May

Business meeting:
May 4th.
Big Bertha will be hot, so charcoal smoke will be once again wafting through the spring air. Won't you bring your favotite treat and join us in our feast? Maybe this time it'll actually feel like spring?!? The grill will be ready to cook at 6:00 PM.

OSH How to Fair
Saturday, May 5 and Sunday, May 6.
For hours, see "Next Public Operation Sessions".

June

Business Meeting:
June 1st, 2007
This will be the last business meeting until after the Fair. Parking passes and other Fair information will probably be distributed on the 1st, so please plan to attend.
And since you'll be there anyway, why not take the afternoon off, bring something to grill and hang out with the gang?

Alameda county Fair: June 22nd to July 8th.

July

No business meeting scheduled, due to Fair.
Alameda County Fair: Until July 8th.

August No business meeting scheduled, due to annual club Bar-Be-Que, on Friday, August 3. Sign up sheet for this event will be posted soon. Remember to sign up, indicate what you will be bringing to share along with the number of people that will be attending. Spouses and kids are welcome at this annual club social event. Please sign up early for this event. Do not wait until the day of the event to sign up, as someone did last year.

Unofficial March Meeting Minutes

The March meeting minutes were unavailable last month, but now are available.

The March 2, 2007 meeting was called to order at 8:07 PM with 25 members attending.

Treasurers Report was made and accepted.

There was some discussion on club financial matters.

Gary and Dan reported on their meeting with the fair management. Highlights of the meeting follow:

• Badges (who and how many- Dan will forward list)
• Parking (new rules)
• Meeting times (fair wanted to know)
• Open houses/tours (fair needs heads up)
• Club electrical usage discussed.
• Insurance for roof repairs? We can fix the roof if our policy covers workers Comp. Gary to check into the policy coverage.
• Combo to building. (fair management wanted combination in case of problems)

Exit signs (Dan Espinosa) We need new ones, as the old ones can't be seen in the dark any more. Dan will report back with options and price.

Bob pointed out the new CFL samples in the aisle. Pricing on those were discussed. A motion to get 23 watt warm white version was made by Dean Lewis. Motion passed.

A new candidate for membership was presented, but the candidate's name escaped Secretary in the excitement.

Five perspective members were presented to vote into membership; Carl Chow, Randy Chow, Gunther Hossner, Al Perruquez, Peter Lotzmann; were accepted by unanimous voice vote.

Andy reminded the members of the upcoming Western Pacific convention in Livermore.

It was mentioned the O scale narrow guage power has been left on on several occasions. Please make an effort to ensure that you turn off everything you turn on, especailly if you come in on the weekend.

A motion to adjorn was made by Bob Hopkins with a second by Andy Herrera. Meeting adjurned by unanimous vote at 9:00 PM.

Unofficial April Meeting Minutes

The club Secretary reports technical difficulties with the production of the minutes. And expresses his regrets.

Bar tab update If you have run up a tab on the sheet on the refrigerator, please pay your outstanding tab. A new sheet will soon be posted, and old balances will be transferred, but the process is easier if there are few to no balances to transfer to the new sheet.

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HO Scale News:

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From the HO scale Trainmaster

Wow. There is only 2 months to the FAIR. 2 MONTHS!!!

We need to finish up projects and solve any track and electrical issues. It would be nice to have this done in time for a couple of Friday night test runs.

Last year we divided the layout into 5 sections and had a team work on each section. Since that worked so well lets keep the same teams in the same sections. We should also start cleaning the building. There is a lot to do but if all work together it will not be so bad.

-Seth,

HO Scale Trainmaster

Layout Cameras:

Wayne reported the following via the Email distribution list earlier this month:

I found out at the last business meeting that a couple of the video cameras were not working. I took a look at them yesterday and determined that they both needed replacing.

The power supply had gone out for camera #5 (the overhead view of the block 35 transition to the hidden yard). Camera #2 (north view of the hidden yard) has been giving us problems for a year despite my best attempts to fix it.

Fortunately, I had two video cameras in inventory (thanks to Paul). I have replaced both cameras, tested them, and they are now in operation.

Camera #5 now has an extremely clear view and also has an automatic iris, which should help a lot when we run the computerized scenic lighting. Camera #2 has a much better mount and is also has a very clear view. I think we will get many years out of these new units.

I tested all the other cameras and everything is working normally. If you notice problems with the video cameras or the video system, please let me know. I know my attendance has been somewhat irregular lately, but I am still keeping up with what is going on and actively involved with the electrical stuff.

Housekeeping:

With the fair rapidly approaching the issue of housekeeping is increasing in importance, we seem to have the usual problem of clutter and trash accumulating around the area, under the layout and so forth. If you make a mess, please clean it up. If you get a drink from the fridge, please use the recycle barrel for your empty container. Cobweb removal in the layout room is an ongoing issue and is needed as well.

Clinics:

A DCC decoder install clinic was held on Saturday, April 21. A number of members participated in the demonstration and hands on event. A respectible number of locomotives were upgraded with new decoders installed during the session. We should be seeing several additional locomotives during our upcoming DCC operating sessions.

Big Bertha was fired up and several members took the opportunity to grill something for lunch. Ann brought down a couple of variations on tiramisu, which were quite delightful.

Consideration is being given to scheduling another DCC decoder installation clinic, possibly after the Fair. If you would be interested in attending a future DCC clinic please let us know.

Equipment Donated

Member Lee Buckner has donated several Amtrak passenger cars and one heavyweight observation car to the club. The cars are currently being marked for club ownership and having their weight, couplers and wheels checked.

Lee, thank you for the donation.