ETMRC  RAILNEWS

January 2014 http://etmrc.org

Yes, it DOES run there – Ron’s Bowser Brill car rounds a tight curve over a previously inoperable joint on the King trolley layout. The programming track for DCC operation is in front of the car, also was just made functional.

New Look, Sort Of

If the appearance of this edition of RAILNEWS looks a bit different, don’t panic. It may not be permanent. This month’s edition is being produced using a completely new computer application and it does not quite do what is expected. Once we figure how to use it properly, things should be markedly less worse. Or not. Stay tuned.

MEETINGS

The official weekly club meeting time os 9:00 to noon on Saturdays. Club members are usually present for work sessions, or just plain lollygagging Wednesday and Friday mornings, about the same time as the Saturday schedule. For those not yet retired, a group meets starting about 7:00 pm on Tuesday evenings for a couple of hours. Many meet at 8:00 Saturday mornings at McKay’sRestaurant on 1113 Main Street, Commerce for breakfast, and extend an invitation to any who care to join them.

CLUB ACTIVITY

Preparation of the Junction for the run of open houses that began in late September has yielded impressive improvements in the appearance of the club quarters. The litter under the tables is almost completely gone, and most of the books and magazines have been neatly filed in the cabinets in the refrigerator room. There were even some uncluttered tables and shelves for a few nanoseconds. The cleanup has created a new potential problem: most things now have a designated storage spot, something which has always been a concept at best in the past. Now we can find tools and materials to speed our projects, but only if we return them to their proper spots after use. This can make life much easier for all of us if we can ever get used to this unprecedented and radical change.

But this activity has slowed progress on layout projects – except for the Roy King trolley layout. Here, the benefits of a concerted effort to restore more of the layout to operation have borne fruit. Thanks to the efforts and patience of Ron M and Bob T, the city street and off-street loops been smoothed, and the interurban line reopened, and the junction between the two has been reworked with some new spring switches and improved track. This enables continuous uncontrolled operation of either line without having to realign track switches. With the completion and activation of the programming track for DCC operation, both lines can be operated simultaneously with multiple cars, but this requires operators who are paying attention. Because members have relatively few DCC-equipped cars so far, this level of complexity is not a real problem.

The Municipal Gymnasium, the location of the Junction, got treed during the recent ice storm. A large limb from an adjacent oak tree broke about 15 feet above the sidewalk and rests on the top of the north end of the building. Is this our problem? It is too soon to know if there is any roof leakage, but that can change in a heartbeat. A more serious problem is that the limb is suspended above the sidewalk that visitors to our Plano show open house will use, and the possibility that it could shift and come crashing down on someone is an uncomfortable thought.

PEOPLE

The weekend of December 14 saw two members – Bob T and LeRoy H – in the emergency room of the Greenville hospital for conditions unrelated to the train club. During the afternoon, LeRoy had an accident at his home, falling off a ladder, breaking his right hip. Shortly after that, Bob suffered severe abdominal pain that sent him to ER. Both were in ER at the same time, but LeRoy was already dosed with pain killer and was unaware of Bob’s presence until later. LeRoy’s hip was repaired surgically and Bob was diagnosed with a gallstone, that passed without incident shortly later. Bob has already returned to the Junction activities. LeRoy is mobile, but doesn’t bend easily yet, so he will be recovering at home until he becomes more flexible. Full recovery may take up to six months.

And the limb came tumbling down — A broken tree limb frames the entrance sidewalk to the junction, thanks to the early December ice storm. It looks pretty solid, but is that corner of the building solid?...

January BUSINESS MEETING

The next scheduled business meeting is 9:00 am, Saturday, January 4, 2014. Our business meeting is usually on the first Saturday of each month, unless it isn’t. Lately, it hasn’t been.

December BUSINESS MEETING SUMMARY

Submitted by Secretary Bob Erwin

For the second consecutive month, the meeting was not conducted when scheduled. This month, the meeting was delayed a week by the ice storm.

MEETING CALLED TO ORDER: 9:28 am, December 14, 2014

PRESENT: Tom B, Ron M, Bob T, Paul F, Rob D, Bob A, Bob E

PROXIES: None

MINUTES OF PREVIOUS MEETING: Approved as published.

TREASURER'S REPORT: Submitted by Treasurer Ron M
This section is redacted

COUNCIL MEETING REPORT: Submitted by Council Rep Paul F
Future Show Dates: Plano, January 18, 19 2014. Treasurer reported $deleted on hand. Fort Worth as of November had been paid. Plano was 50% paid. Table sales at Fort Worth totaled 220; Plano has sold 263. Next meeting scheduled Jan 14 at which time the Plano preparations will be gone over and \everything finalized that has not been done by that time.

OLD BUSINESS:
Rob wanted a report on LeRoy. Paul stated LeRoy is home after his hip operation and doing well. Doctor said he broke his hip in the best possible place. Bob T’s abdominal pain was diagnosed in the emergency room as a gall bladder attack. After eight days he passed a gallstone. He went to great lengths to describe the size, color, density as well as relating it to other objects in the familiar world. Should you possess such curiosity, suggest you contact Bob T, who has a photo. Rob Dove went on to suggest we get a card for everyone to sign and mail it to LeRoy.

At this time Paul rose to confess to the membership that last year he had collected money at the Fort Worth show by selling club items. However, he failed to turn this money over to the club. He did so at this time. In addition he turned over monies he had collected at this year's Fort Worth show. Mr. F then sat down suitably chastised. Paul then stated that LeRoy would be unable to work the slot he had signed up for at the Plano Show and looked for a volunteer to take his place. Although much discussion followed, nothing was decided.

NEW BUSINESS:
Paul referred to the wise acre who placed a sign on the ladder with arrows pointing out the difference between the ladder and the trash can. Paul admitted it was his trash on the ladder. Ron M attempted to save Paul from more chastisement by reminding everyone that the last one to leave must lock the door.

Paul brought up the problem of expired drinks in the refrigerator. Rob supported Paul by citing the corrosive nature of citric acid (an ingredient in many soft drinks) and the need to throw old drinks out. Paul said we would do that today.

Paul said we should look to putting DCC on the trolley line. Bob T said it was possible. The closest connection could be made at the reverse loop, but power could also be taken from the narrow gauge section of the layout or Price yard. Tom said he would like to see DCC on the main layout trolley, since it is all ready on the King Trolley layout, and that would make interchange between the layouts simple. Rob D agreed that it would be nice because it might offer another place to program locomotives. Bob T was very quick to say, "No." The trolley line has both rails grounded together with the power in the overhead wire. Unless a locomotive has a trolley pole, it cannot be done.

Rob stated that he and Paul were planning changes to the junction electrical circuits to allow more efficient heating and cooling of the work area. Rob mentioned he and Paul are also involved in sealing up our space to prevent the escape of warm air in winter and cooler air in summer.

Rob also mentioned his scenic idea about the curve leading to the mine. He described what he wanted to do; there were no objections. He also wanted to clear up his reasoning re: the replacement of the coaling tower. He simply thinks that the tower we currently have is too small for the trains we run. He would place the small tower in current use at another location. There was no objection.

Paul and Bob T have been discussing placing slip switches and crossings at the throat of the yard. Bob T thinks it is doable, but involves extensive work. Bob then discussed the different possibilities offered by this concept. In the end Bob said he is ambivalent about the whole thing. Creating a reversing loop in Price Yard would be more practical.

Tom B has been receiving newsletters from other clubs and is aware that they create committees and assign them specific duties. Should we follow their example? Rob stated that for us that might not be practical due to our small numbers. Right now people see things that need to be done and they do them. Bob T offered that the committee should be one person, assigned the job and responsible for its completion. Tom went on to say that this affects new members especially since they don't know what needs to be done. They are sometimes hesitant to involve themselves. Paul said that we might have lost members in the past because there was nothing for them to do. Bob T then went on to suggest and list projects that needed to be done. Rob suggested that since Tom had this idea why didn't he come up with a plan. Tom said he would maybe try to possibly give it some thought.

Bob T suggested that something be done to the museum area. Specifically scenery, building, display items, etc need to be considered. Also the tunnel behind the museum needs work. The engine service facility needs to be finished. Track, wiring, scenery as well as items for the museum require attention. Rod suggested that we concentrate on revenue producing and railroad related structures rather museums. This was med with little discussion, which caused a rumor that everyone might have been sleeping.

MEETING ADJOURNED: 10:30 am.

WHAT THE %*##% --?

A section to list strange happenings that really should be tracked down and fixed: Anyone? Anything?

The railroad layout has been running pretty reliably, except for recurring dead spots in the DCC mode. On the main layout trolley operation, a rash of derailments just east of the crossing with the three mainline tracks. Fortunately, this problem emerged after the earlier open houses, so visitors were not subjected to any foul language that seems to accompany the diagnosis and corrections of such problems. The spot where the derailments occur is unusually difficult to access, so be prepared with ear plugs when the diagnosis and repairs begin.

INFORMATION:

The following web sites are excellent sources of supplies (1) and technical data (2). Two of our members also have personal web sites (3) and (4). Ed McCamey’s site (3) hosts the club website. Site (5) has some interesting photos of Commerce area railroading over the years.

1. Cyberspace World Railroad for supplies
2. http://www.geocities.com/budb3/index.html for technical data
3. http://www.coslar.us for Ed M's personal web site
4. http://geusnet.com/~rteeter/ for Bob T's personal web site
5. www.tamu-commerce.edu/library/collections/digital for Commerce Texas photos

COMING ATTRACTIONS:

January 11 — LSR 3 – Northeast Texas Division – Nicholson Library, 4845 Broadway Blvd, Garland.

January 18 — Annual Metro Council Train Show–Plano – Plano Centre (and last of the season ETMRC Open House, Commerce).

REGIONAL RAILROAD PROTOTYPE NEWS

This is just a sampling of what’s going on in our area, which is defined to be whatever I think interesting, so the area can be fairly large. Or not.

Blacklands 201: — Photos of Blacklands trains: under the best of conditions, the Blacklands Railroad is very camera shy. Evidently they have a sort of schedule that sometimes sees a train on Tuesdays and Thursdays between Greenville and Sulphur Springs if there is traffic. It stands to reason that if there is no traffic, then there is usually no train. The break in the main line near Mt. Vernon earlier this year almost completely banished the Blacklands to Greenville local switching. Nothing could move over the line east of Mt Pleasant and nothing did. But a side trip to Sulphur Springs revealed Blacklands Paducah rebuild GP-7 number 201 parked on a siding east of the depot. The paint is a little worn in places, and the company logo is missing from the number 2 end, but the paint scheme is bright and tasteful, and the day was superb for photography. And the point? a static shot is better than no shot at all. And the ex-Conway Scenic Railway 2-6-2 steam locomotive is in many pieces, but still across from the depot. But no one really needs a photo of a full size locomotive kit.

It brightens up the day – Blacklands 201 rested dead on a siding in Sulphur Springs on a crystal clear day in late November 2013, but still looked good.