Countdown to the Fair

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

April 2008

Next Public Operation Sessions:

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 May business meeting, May 2nd.

Upcoming Events

May

Business meeting:
May 2nd.
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.

June

Business Meeting:
June 6th, 2008
This will be the last business meeting until after the Fair. Fair information will probably be distributed on the 6th, 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 20th to July 6th.

July

No business meeting scheduled, due to Fair.
Alameda County Fair: Until July 6th.

August No business meeting scheduled, due to annual club Bar-Be-Que, on Friday, August 1. 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 April 4, 2008 Meeting Minutes

President Gary Lewis brought the meeting to order at 8:08pm.

Treasurer Paul Newhouse gave the following report on our funds. For specifics please consult Paul.

Bob Johnson discussed the problem with the ladder reaching the heater elements. John Marshall has found a ladder leveler that would allow the ladder to be extended an extra few inches needed to reach the elements. Curly moved, Lee Buckner seconded and motion passed to get the leveler.

The above item would come out the general fund, so Curly moved, Dennis Berger seconded and motion passed that each scale contribute an amount to the general fund (from checking). For specifics consult the official meeting minutes.

Bob Johnson suggested, based on the work that he has done in the past for the HO layout that Gerald DeWitt be made an honorary member. Gerald spends his free time out at Niles Canyon Railroad now. Carl Klenk moved, Dennis Berger seconded and the motion passed to make Gerald an honorary member.

Bob Johnson introduced probationary members John Marshall, Charles Chan and Earnest Knapic as HO members that had passed their probation. Dean Lewis moved, Andy Herrera second that they be accepted as regular members. Motion passed and members voted to accept them as new members.

South Bay Historical Society has a train show on April 5th and 6th.

Dean Lewis moved, Dennis Berger seconded to adjourn the meeting. Motion passed and the meeting was adjourned at 8:23

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.

Top of page

HO Scale News:

Top of page

From the HO scale Trainmaster

We had a good turnout for the training session for the port area on the 18th. It looks like the members that were present had fun learning how the whole thing works and are more comfortable with operating in the port area. The same evening we pulled out all of the accumulated stuff from under the passenger yard and city areas. Some old stuff was sent to e-waste recycling and some stuff went to the dumpster. We located some boxes of detail items and will be able to organize the stuff that does get put back under the layout.

The second Friday training/work session is scheduled for the 25th and we will return the retained items that were pulled out last week. Time permitting; there will be some training on using the freight yard so that members feel more comfortable using that facility.

Thanks to those who participated on the 18th. And thanks in advance to those who will be participating on the 25th.

The vote on the EOT device for the Amtrak train passed, it has been purchased and installed on the Walthers MHC (box car). It is now on the layout.

I have received a suggestion that we should have a work night each month to keep on top of any layout issues that crop up from time to time. That sounds reasonable to me. Sounds like an item to discuss at out next scale meeting.

The fair is rapidly approaching, as of this writing we are less than 60 days till opening day. There is a lot of work that needs to be done before the fair starts. Traditionally we have had a work Saturday to take care of some of the work. This year we will follow the same pattern, with a bit of a change. An e-mail was sent out to the group asking for preferences for a date to hold the Saturday work day. Presently, I have received responses from seven members relating to their choice of day. The 10th has five for all day with an additional two for the afternoon. The 24th has three for all day and one additional for the afternoon. Three people are participating on both days. Needless to say we have more members than that and it would be nice to have some more hands to help out.

Let me know which day you wish to work. I need to know, in advance, how many for each day, so I can plan for lunch. Its poor form to run out of food and drink. Note: the club drink concession is not involved with lunch for either day. No free drinks from the club fridge, regular prices there. But there will be a cooler stocked with something to drink throughout the day.

-Bob Johnson,

HO Scale Trainmaster

DCC controller cables repaired.

Wayne brought in a cable tester and a package of new cable ends for the DCC controllers.
As a result, the controllers are working more reliably.
Wayne, thanks for attending to this necessary task.

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, in the upstairs room 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.

Fair Sign up sheets posted

The sign up sheets for the 2008 Alameda County Fair have been posted on the board upstairs. DCC operating days have a red accent to differentiate them from analog operating days. Please note that shift start times are now 1/2 hour earlier than previously. It is understood that those who sign up for weekday evenings may not be able to arrive from work to match the earlier start time but members are encouraged to do the best they can.

Unofficial HO meeting minutes:

Minutes of the April 4, 2008 HO meeting

Meeting was called to order by Trainmaster Bob Johnson at 8:28 PM

Respectably submitted
John Kolberg, ATM

May Saturday Work Session

Top of page

O Scale News:

From the O Scale Trainmaster:

Thanks to one and all of the O-Scalers who showed up for the last show. The turnout of folks to run trains was very good, along with some VERY nice-looking equipment.

If anyone notices a problem with anything on the layout, please either leave a note on the clip board or send me an e-mail so that I try to see if we can keep the number of failing things down to under a few hundred. And, yes, I am painfully aware of the number of things that need attention on the layout.

Here comes the Fair- It's closer than you think!

-George

O Scale Trainmaster

Top of page

	In Memoriam, Member Ken Olsen answered the call of the great dispatcher and took his final run to the station of eternity April 11, 2008. Ken was a member of ACCRS for many years. He is fondly remembered for being a worker, a regular participant in club meetings and helped staff the club's exhibit during the annual county fair each year. He was a good friend to many people. In addition to his interest in trains, Ken liked baseball. He was a fan of the San Francisco Giants. Ken will be missed by those who knew him; his name will be added to the memorial board.

Convention Call

NRHS Lone Star Rails 2008

The North Texas Chapter, NRHS, is hosting the 2008 edition of the National Railway Historical Society convention in the Fort Worth and Dallas, TX area, June 16 through 22, 2008. Additional information: http://www.lonestarrails2008.com/

The National Model Railroad Convention 2008

The Los Angeles Division/Pacific Southwest Region of the NMRA is hosting the 2008 edition of the NMRA national convention in Anaheim, CA July 13 through July 19, 2008. The convention is the Anaheim Special and is headquartered at the Anaheim Mariott hotel. Additional information at http://www.nmra.org/2008/

The National Train Show, held in conjunction with the NMRA convention, will be held at the Anaheim Convention center July 18 through July 20, 2008. Additional information at http://www.nationaltrainshow.org/

History Notes

On April 12, 1831 Grenville M. Dodge was born. In later life Dodge became a General in the Union Army during the Civil War ( War between the states, in some quarters). And subsequently became the Chief Engineer of the Union Pacific Railroad during construction of the Pacific Railway in the latter half of the 1860's.

Prototype News

State Museum Steam Season Starts

Opening weekend for the 2008 steam season was April 5th and 6th for the California State Railroad Museum Railroad (Sarcamento) and Railtown 1897 (Jamestown). Steam locomotives will be running on weekends until September. Additional information: http://www.csrmf.org/doc.asp?id=262

Santa Fe 3751 to Run in June

The Central Coast Railway Club and The Pacific Locomotive Association are sponsoring a round trip from Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal (Union Station) and San Diego on Sunday, June 1st, 2008. Reportedly the trip has sold out, but there is a waiting list. The train will leave Los Angeles Union Station at approximately 7:45 AM (exact time will be on the tickets) with a planned 11:30 AM arrival in downtown San Diego. The return trip will leave downtown San Diego at approximately 2:30 PM m with a planned 6:30 PM arrival back at Los Angeles Union Station. Ticket Prices: Adult ticket - $169 - SOLD OUT, Child ticket - $99 - SOLD OUT, Dome ticket - $249 - SOLD OUT Additional information: http://www.goldenstaterails.com/

Union Pacific Steam out and About

The July 19 Denver Post Cheyenne Frontier Days roundtrip special, pulled by No. 844 between Denver and Cheyenne, marks the 100th Anniversary of the first Frontier Days Special. Tickets will be available beginning on May 11th, Premier Seating - Comfortable spacious seating with large windows in Union Pacific's vintage coaches. Premier Ticket Price: $250 each.
Dome Seating - Extremely limited seating in upper level of Union Pacific's vintage coaches. These glass penthouses provide breathtaking views of vast prairies and mountain vistas. Dome Ticket Price: $350 each. Additional information: http://www.cfdtrain.com/posttrain.htm

Locomotive No. 844 will be on public display during the four-day Democratic National Convention, August 25 - 28, in Denver. There are no excursions planned and a detailed schedule will be available in July.

Locomotive No. 3985 will be on public display during the four-day Republican National Convention, September 1 - 4, in St. Paul, MN. There are no excursions planned at this time. A detailed schedule will be available in July that will outline the route No. 3985 will take on its way to St. Paul and the route it will take returning to its home base in Cheyenne, WY.

Top of page

The Gandy Dancer, a monthly publication of the Alameda County Central Railroad Society.
Last updatedNovember 20, 2008.

Unless otherwise noted, this web page and all images and information it contains are
Copyright © 2004 - 2009 Alameda County Central Railroad Society. All Rights Reserved.
For more information, email Dan Espinosa at:
steelnomad2002 at yahoo dot com.