The Gandy Dancer
The Official Publication of
The Alameda County Central Railroad Society
August 2002
Summer Issue
| The Gandy DancerThe Official Publication of | August 2002
Summer Issue |
| Club Officers: | |
|---|---|
| President Gary Lewis |
Vice President Henry Chandler |
| Secretary Dean Lewis |
Treasurer Don Pomplun |
| HO Trainmaster Andy Herrera |
O Trainmaster George Cumming |
| Newsletter Editor Bob Johnson |
Webmaster Jim Ferreria |
| Visit the club website | |
If you have any information that would be of interest to the membership please contact Bob Johnson, so that it may be included in the next issue. The deadline for submitting information for the September issue will be August 23rd with a goal of being mailed and uploaded to the website by August 25th Members are encouraged to submit photos, announcements and other club and model railroad related material for use on the club website. Please contact Jim Ferreria with items for the website, or questions relating to the website. |
| Go to July Issue | Return to Gandy Dancer Index | Go to September Issue |
| General News | HO Scale News | O Scale News | Test Your Word Power |
On Sunday, August 4, the O Scalers of ACCRS will host our second annual summer get-together, swap meet and barbecue. Bring your favorite locomotive (or train) and operate it on the Club's O Scale pike. We are equipped for DCC running, as well as traditional ("analog") controls, and the more, the merrier. Hang out with other O Scalers, tell lies, and have some barbecue. This year, we are adding trading tables for all interested in swapping your stuff for somebody else's stuff. Commercial dealers are also welcome (scale O only, please). There is no charge for any of this, but we'd like to know if you are coming--especially if you want a swap table. RSVP to the O Scale Trainmaster, George Cumming.
August 24 (Saturday) and 26 (Sunday). 16th West Coast Nationals.
Hours: Saturday 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Sunday 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Start time for the club display is normally 10:00 AM for this event.
October 4 through 6. Last year we were open for this show. No decision to participate has been made for this year; this is listed for member reference only.
November 10 and 11. 12th Autumn Get Together. Hours: Saturday 8:00 AM to 6:00 PM and Sunday 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Start time for the club display is normally 10:00 AM for this event.
November 25 and 26 (Thanksgiving weekend). Hours are 11:00 AM to 5:00 PM.
The Monday, June 24, 2002 issue of the Tri-Valley Herald had a nice article, by Herald staff writer Joe Gaspar, about the club in The Valley section under the heading "In Training". The story featured three photographs, including a large photo of O Scale Trainmaster; George Cumming with a Santa Fe streamlined passenger train. Highlights of the article included a description of the layouts, the varied of backgrounds of club members, an interview with President Gary Lewis and an interview with grandparents that brought their grandchildren to see our display. This was a very positive write up on our club, from a local news outlet. Text of Tri-Valley Herald article.
We had a good visitor count for this year's display. The visitor count for this year was 47,325. Last year's visitor count was 48,102. There were 777 fewer visitors through our display this year.
And now a word from our President.
Thanks to everyone for helping out during the Fair. It's the time of year that "playing trains" can become work. The effort everyone put into preparation and participation is appreciated not only by the Society officers but I'm sure by the public and the Fair. Let's look forward to a year of improvements and maybe some new members. See you at the BBQ.
-- Gary Lewis
The August general business meeting would coincide with the annual club barbecue, so the next regular meeting will be held in September.
The annual club barbecue will be held on Friday, August 2nd. Hors D'Oeurvres will be served between 6:30 and 7:00 PM. The club will provide the meat, beans, corn on the cob, beverages and bread.
The club will be supplying chili so members should please refrain from bringing beans. Members are encouraged to bring in a variety of salads and desserts. The signup sheet is located on the refrigerator in the locker room.
Break out that secret family recipe and share the fruits of your culinary skills with your fellow club members. Sign up today!
The September general business meeting will be held on Friday, September 6, Big Bertha the club BBQ, will be fired up for those wishing to bring your own meat for the self-service grilling session prior to the meeting.
A new bar tab sheet is now in place on the refrigerator. Your outstanding balance has been transferred from the old sheet to the new sheet. The old sheet was out of date and had a number of names of those who are no longer involved with the club. In addition, the list is now in alphabetical order, it may now be easier to find your name on the list.
A special HO meeting is scheduled for Friday, August 9th. This meeting will be a continuation from the special meeting that was held on June 14th and will discuss the role of the Train Master and Asst. Train Master in regards to monitoring funds.
It is time to begin considering whom we want as the new HO Scale Trainmaster. According to tradition we select a new Trainmaster following the conclusion of the Fair and after the club BBQ.
If you haven't checked out the new passenger station and viaduct please take a look. The new station looks great and the elevated road structure seems to work well with the station support structure. Ed note: the model on our layout looks much better than the full sized C.B.& Q. station in Omaha does.
The big bridge next to Jamestown has been removed from block 37 so that the roadbed hump at the uphill end of the bridge can be worked on. The length of time that the bridge will be out is unknown at present.
A coal load is missing from the Rio Grande coal hopper in the club freight train. This item disappeared sometime during or after the fair. Please check any equipment boxes used during the fair to see if this item somehow ended up amongst items that were removed from the layout. Thanks!
The following remarks are from the HO Scale Trainmaster.
As Linda and I prepare for our relocation, here are a couple of thoughts. It's been real and it's been fun. But it has not been real fun. I would like to wish my successor lots of luck.
--Mike
The only news for this month is that the Open House sponsored by the O Scale is on Sunday, August 4. For more information see "Open House and Swap Meet, sponsored by O Scale".
Listed below are this month's questions about American railroad slang. Some terms refer to people and others to equipment, facilities or actions. Answers will appear in the September issue.
A few months ago I announced that The Museum Report would be suspended for a while. There was a simple reason for this at the time I had exhausted my supply of material for this feature. During this years vacation I collected a good amount of fresh material. Please be patient, there are over 40 rolls of film to be processed, not all of it train or railroad related. Some museums mentioned from two years ago were visited again and a number of museums in Nebraska and Iowa will be featured in upcoming issues. An interesting note is that many museums that were visited included a preserved depot in addition to railroad equipment. Two of the museums that were visited were related to the United States Air Force, (Hill Aerospace Museum in Ogden, Utah and The Strategic Air Command Museum in Omaha, Nebraska) both include a number of rare military aircraft. If the membership is interested, photos of some aircraft from these museums may be featured when the photos become available.
As most of you are aware, I attended the Union Pacific Historical Society convention in Grand Island, Nebraska. As a part of the tours associated with the convention two preserved and restored Burlington (CB&Q) stations (Hastings and Grand Island) and one UP station (now a restaurant in Hastings) were visited. These stations will be covered when the photos are ready.
The Sunday, July 21, 2002 For Better or For Worse comic strip, by Lynn Johnston, featured a humorous reference to railfans and modelers.
 |
McCloud Railway Steam Specials |
|
McCloud Railway, Shasta Sunset Dinner / Excursion Train - McCloud California, will operate several "Steam Specials" the weekend of August 3rd and 4th 2002 with McCloud River Railroad No. 18, a 1914 Baldwin built 2-8-2.
Civil War Reenactment Excursions - Trains depart McCloud at 10:00 am, 11:30 am, 1:30 pm and 3:00 pm.
A "Special Steam" excursion will operate round trip McCloud to Signal Butte on Sunday August 4th.
For additional information and details (reservations required for Dinner Train) contact:
Shasta Sunset Dinner Train
P.O. Box 1199 / 328 Main Street
McCloud, California 96057
Phone: 1-800-733-2141 or 530-964-2142
or Email
Info from Altamont Press website by Rusty Murchison
 |
Santa Fe 3751 Going |
|
Former Santa Fe 3751 is scheduled to run from Los Angeles to the Grand Canyon as part of the NRHS Canyon Rails 2002 convention. The engine will make a trip on the Grand Canyon Railway from Williams, Arizona to the Grand Canyon and return during the course of the convention. When the convention has concluded 3751 will return to Los Angeles. Schedule subject to change. Latest Information.
| Monday, August 19; | Tuesday, August 20; |
| 10:00 Depart Los Angeles Union Passenger Terminal. 12:00 in San Bernardino for 5 minutes to exchange pilots. 14:00 in Barstow for water & service. 15:00 depart Barstow. 17:00 to 17:20 service in Cadiz. 19:00 arrive Needles. |
10:00 depart Needles. 12:00 to 12:30 service in Peach Springs. 15:00 arrive at Williams Junction. 15:30 arrive at Williams Depot. |
| Wednesday, August 21; | Saturday, August 24; |
| 20:00 to 22:00 night photo session. | 08:00 depart Williams Depot for south Rim. 11:30 arrive south Rim. 14:30 depart south Rim for Williams. 18:30 arrive Williams Depot. |
| Sunday, August 25; | Monday, August 26; |
| 08:30 depart Williams Depot. 13:00 arrive Matthie, Arizona for service. 13:45 depart Matthie. 19:00 arrive Parker, Arizona. |
08:30 depart Parker. 12:00 arrive Cadiz for service. 12:30 depart Cadiz. 14:30 arrive Barstow for service & water. 15:00 depart Barstow. 17:00 pass thru San Bernardino. 18:30 arrive LAUPT. |
Saturday, September 7 and Sunday, September 8, 2002
The 5th Annual Truckee Railroad Days Celebration. Festivities include equipment displays by the Feather River Rail Society, Amtrak and the Union Pacific Railroad. Tours of private railroad car "Santa Rosa". Other activities include: Model Train and Garden Railway exhibits, Carnival and Handcar Rides, Pancake Breakfast, Wild West Shows, Historical Presentations, Live Bands, Exhibitors and Vendors. Additional Information.
 |
Frisco 1522 last season under steam. |
|
The group that manages former Frisco 1522 has decided to throw in the towel. Citing high insurance costs, difficulty in gaining access to mainline track and recently updated federal boiler regulations as the reasons for its decision.
There are tentative plans to have a pair of Farewell Excursions on Saturday and Sunday, September 28 & 29, from St. Louis to Newburg, Mo., and return over the Burlington Northern Santa Fe's ex-Frisco line.
Details on ticket prices were not available at press time. Addtional Information.
1522 is the only operable 4-8-2 locomotive in the United States.
| Top of page |
| Go to July 2002 Issue | Return to Gandy Dancer Index | Go to September Issue |