Checking out a club.

[P5se Camelback]

Thanks, Tetters! I'll keep you guys informed as to how it goes, but all indications are that it will be a good experience.

I was talking with a couple of the members about building a 2'x4' diorama to take photos on while I build the layout proper. I mentioned that It would be fun to try some scenery techinues, since none of my previous attempts at building a layout ever got that far. I was asked what materials I was planning to use. I mentioned I was thinking of trying the new scenic techniques using 2" foam, if I could find it here locally. I was told they have a boxcar on a siding in Ft. Myers where they store all kinds of stuff, and that they have a bunch of 2'x8'x2" "logs" of foam that they sell to members for $4 each and since I'm now a member ... I said, "Cool!"

And, BTW, I did talk up "Big Blue at The-Gauge" at every opportunity, even passed out a few cards I made up by hand lettering 3x5 card halves (I needed the lettering practice!) with all the pertinent data, including the URL, on them. Who knows, maybe we'll get a new member or two!

[Gary S]

biL, Tetters, alright! I'm a tad envious, seeing that y'all are going to get first hand operating experience. Hope y'all have fun!

[RobertInOntario]

Hi Tetters,

My sons & I have visited the Scaroborough Model Railroaders' layouts several times during their open houses and really like them. We live fairly close to their club building.

I also frequent an LHS where I know at least one member works! I think the SMR layouts are excellent, both their N and HO scales. They also have a couple portable layouts which I've seen at model railway shows.

There is another HO club located up in Markham, near my work (also near George's Trains), which is called Railview Model Railroad club (or something similar). It's also excellent but IIRC it's even more expensive.

I already belong to a club, an association of British model railway enthusiasts called The Platelayers (<!-- w --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.theplatelayers.org">www.theplatelayers.org</a><!-- w -->). We don't own our own layout, etc., but hold meetings at various members' homes. There is talk, though, of building a group layout. Unfortunately, I don't really have the time or money at the moment to join any other railway clubs, and I'm not very active with The Platelayers (other than occasionally contributing to their newsletter).

I would sooner take part in assisting with a full-scale heritage railway, which I hope to do at some point in the future, even if it has to wait to my retirement years! I think it would be more fun to assist with the York-Durham Heritage Railway north of Toronto, the TRHA at the John Street Roundhouse or the Halton County Radial Railway near Guelph, etc. Have you ever considered that as an option as well?

In any case, I wish you well at the SMR and maybe my sons & I will run into you there in the near future -- we hope to visit one of their November or December open houses.

Cheers, Rob

[Puddlejumper]

I envy you guys. There is no club local to my town, but I recently was invited by a friend to join the Capital HO Trackers. Apparently they just started up, and only have 4 modules. Being as how my layout plans start with either 2 six foot or 3 four foot modules (It's a 12 foot industrial park with a single main line), I figure I may go join up with them. I'll post up my experience when I do.

[P5se Camelback]

Dave -

I couldn't find Isle de Cobb (apparently neither could Google Maps) but I do know that there's a really nice club in Severna Park, MD. I visited there several times with my daughter (6 & 7 at the time) when we lived in Columbis, MD and had a very nice time on each visit. They have an impressive layout ( it was featured in Model Railroader back in the '70's or '80's (i think.)

I don't know how far away that might be but it might be worth the drive one weekend when they have their "November is National Model Railroad Month" Open House.

BiL

[Puddlejumper]

biL,
Isle de Cobb is actually Cobb Island, Md. It is in southern Charles County. I am anxious to go to the Severna Park Club, I have seen it in Model Railroader and it appears very impressive. It is the only layout I have heard of that has a complete coal operation, including animated loading of the hoppers and automated rotary dumping of same.

Thanks for the advice, I will keep the Gauge informed.
Dave

[P5se Camelback]

Geez! You're almost closer to Richmond! Severna Park isn't really a "Local Club" at all! I had no idea!

[tetters]

Well, I had a great time tonight. This experience so far is really recharging my batteries in so many ways.

Tonight when I arrived, I presented my switcher to a couple of the guys who directed me to the dispatcher Todd (geez, I hope I got his name right!). Todd is the man who programs all the locos for the layout and he had me all set up in about 5 minutes. Then I hooked up with Stephen who invited me to work with him as he was working a small switch list and allowed me to run my loco for the session.

He worked as the conductor, telling me where to spot the cars, uncoupling, and which ones to pick up. It was challenging and tad confusing at times, but in about a half an hour I was starting to get a feel for it. He even left me alone for about ten minutes...maybe longer when he went for a smoke break. Which caused some members to crack a couple of rookie jokes and watch out going through "my" area of the layout. The alone time allowed me to operate the turnouts on the switch panels and pick up and set out a few cars on in the area. Which I managed to finish before Stephen got back. I think he was just happy I didn't break anything. LOL!!! We actually managed to get a lot accomplished as we finished our switch list for the one town and moved on over to "Drake Mines" and picked up a tank car and spotted a couple more cars. Then it was time to call it a night. I left my train on the siding (I brought my loco home of course) and packed it for the night.

So yeah it was a good night. My wife commented, "So did you play nice with your choo-choos?" when I got home.

Silly girl. ...of course I did!

[P5se Camelback]

Tetters ...

I'm glad that you, too, are having good first experiences with a club. I find myself wishing that I had been able to find one to join earlier in life, but I was never aware of one closer that an hour or so away ... so I've be a "Lone Wolf" (as we used to say,) or in today's parlance, a "Stand Alone" Model Railroader for fifty years.

I was back at "The Depot" again today, picked up my Bright Boy, and happily cleaned another 30 or forty feet of Main Line before being briefed about how the upcoming Open House will work and what my duties as an Engineer will be. I was then invited to go to lunch with three of the other members. The lunch table talk covered a broad array of topics, from club business to the weekend's NFL football results.

My Training Program to learn how to how to use a Digitrax Throttle and make a few trips across the main line from San Bernadino, CA to Victorville, CA on the ATSF's LA Division 1 Line, in preparation for operating a train during the Open House will happen on an upcoming visit. I'm actually kind of "little boy excited." It's a fun feeling to be so readily accepted by a bunch of friendly, knowledgeable guys ... and to get to run a few trains for the first time in two decades!

Enjoy, Tetters, enjoy!

[tetters]

Hey BiL! Thanks!

Good luck with the up coming open house. I'm sure you'll have a good time for sure.

The SMRC is having an Open House at the end of this month and the first weekend of Dec. No word on whether or not I'll be asked to assist on any of those dates. Although Stephen did mention that the area we were switching during the open house requires a jump on to the main line to service one industry. He commented that when switching that spur when asking dispatch for permission to enter the main he'll tell you to, "Make it quick!" Which I'm sure keeps things interesting when its busy like that. Last nights switching detail was all calm and collected.

I left out the part about my gunky, dirty wheels though!

When I first put my loco on the track it was stalling quite a bit. So Stephen graciously took it to the cleaning station inside the layout space. They had a couple of leads hooked up to the main buss that ran to a couple of alligator clips in a drawer that could be clipped to the leads of a locomotive or a short piece of track. There was also a homemade foam cradle to put loco in upside down. In my case we clipped the leads to the short track, held it on a set of trucks and applied some throttle to the engine to get the wheels spinning. Then dipped a Q-Tip in some alcohol and apply to the spinning wheels. I'm embarrassed to say that the wheels on my engine were filthy! The tip of the Q-tip after cleaning just one had black streaks all over it! Gosh... :oops: :? He also advised me to NOT buy one of those Kadee brushes. He mentioned that they used to use them but threw them all out a long time ago citing that they brushes were pitting the metal wheels. He told me that one would mysteriously keep re-appearing until eventually they buried it in the bottom of the trash can. Timely advice because I was contemplating buying one of those, but now I won't.

However, I saw it as a learning opportunity. I instantly saw how quickly and easy it would be for me to set up a small cleaning station on my own layout in order to maintain my own equipment at home. Something I can almost whip up in an evening and one more thing I took home with me from last night.

Cheers!

[BR60103]

If one set of wheels is that dirty, you probably should clean all of them and your track too.
I have a track on my layout that I use for cleaning loco wheels and another track on a plank for car wheels. The loco can be spun on a wet cloth while the cars are run back and forth on it. Are the "trucks" anything like the rollers from the Bachrus tester?

You'll probably be needed for the open house; even if you don't get to run, an enthusiastic new member is good for talking to the public.