November 2021 Newsletter





The Thanksgiving Holidays are quickly approaching and so is the CCMRRC Annual Layout Tour slated for November 12-15, 2021.  Further details on the tour can be found at HERE.  Look for six outdoor banners at various locations around Washington County.  Articles like THIS are appearing in local publications.  Thanks to Victor Lorch for making radio spots during his Big Band music show on Radio St. George 100.3FM on Sunday evenings.  And thanks go to Al Thorne for arranging with the State Bank of Southern Utah (River Road) to include our tour on their outdoor electronic display. 

CLUB NEWS

Luncheons

With the change to a bi-monthly schedule, the Cracker Barrel has declined to make special seating arrangements to accommodate for us as they did in the past.  Therefore, luncheons will be postponed until further notice.

G-Scale Pediatrics Railroad at St. George Regional Hospital

Larry Schneider relays the following information from Mike Robertson at the hospital.  "I have some sad news. Our manager made the decision to use the playroom on Pediatrics as a clinic area taking care of patients. This is happening for a hopefully temporary time since we are experiencing a high number of admissions and expect this to continue throughout the Winter. Normally that would not affect the train but maintenance needs to install privacy curtains from the walls that will hinder the movement of the train around the track. And to add insult to injury one of the cables that will support the curtains has to be placed right where the train rests."

G-Scale Group

From Larry Schneider: “We had our last meet (dual location) on October 22nd.  It began at Dick and Laurie Saunders for trains and eats, then moved on Tim and Dana Fitch's house for more trains and desert.  Truly a fun afternoon. Both modelers have made significant changes over the past 2 years and are looking forward to displaying during the upcoming tour. Also exciting is that 2 of our members are deeply into 3D printing.  Keith Johnson is using printers in DSU’s Innovation Center, and Tim purchased his own printer.  Past newsletters have detailed Keith’s and Tim’s projects. They both currently use CAD freeware but are looking more into 3D scanning and of course there are some items available in 3D on the internet.”

From Keith Johnson: “The separation of my loop into two loops is now complete. This did require building all new roadbed. And that roadbed will be expanded to the area previously damaged by wind, and eventually throughout my entire layout. There is one track that links the two loops but once a train is on the new loop, it runs independent of the original loop. Using the connecting section of track allows me to run everything with just one electrical connection.”  Photos of Keith’s work can be seen HERE.  Scroll down to the November 2021 Update.

From Ron Smith: “I've completed a new layout on the west side of my back yard. The figure 8 has about 90 feet of track and goes up and down over rock hills.  It's up and running, just in time for our November open house.”  Photos of Ron’s new construction can be found HERE.  Scroll down to the November 2021 Update.

Lionel Group

From Dan Mangiarcina: “Instead of going up on my table I thought it would be different and go under it.  As you can see, I ran the track along the sides of the table. It goes into a tunnel on one end, then under the table, then comes out of a tunnel on the other side. The train is never out of sight because it can still can be seen from the end and 2 sides of the table.”  To see Dan’s design and construction work, click HERE and scroll down to the November 2021 Update.

HO Scale Group

From Tom Lantry: “Locomotives representing the active lines of the now coast to coast intermodal railroad empire faced each other as the east and west halves of Bonneville Proving Ground HO scale layout joined during a festive and patriotic ceremony. The final golden, commemorative bead of caulk was driven linking the two halves as train engineers blew  LokSound and Tsunami horns in salute. The first locomotive, UP 903, completed its manifest destiny safely circumnavigating the finished loop at 0305, 13 October.  On 14 October I began daydreaming about, then seriously planning, my next layout.  On 15 October I began building it.   I have 4” Risers Bulk Pack back-ordered from Woodland Scenics but they don’t expect fulfillment until January.  So, I better get my Gunderson Maxi-IV well cars into service, and help ease these supply chain disruptions.” 

“I’ve discovered Foamular board has unusual acoustic properties, and was disappointed in the sound deadening abilities of roadbeds.  I used Atlas concrete tie flex track, and Micro Engineering weathered flex track, caulked with Dyna Flex 230 Clear to Woodland Scenics Foam Roadbed, and plain cork roadbed. The roadbeds were glued to Foamular or Woodland Scenics 4” Risers w Titebond Wood Glue.  Even at low speeds, my locomotives produced roaring sounds on the Foamular to the point I at first seriously assumed I was hearing United 5141 to Denver, then Delta 4245 to SLC, climbing out of SGU. Neither cork nor foam roadbeds mitigated the sound transmission. I think it’s more accurate to say the Foamular amplified the sound as a sounding board.  DynaFlex 230 clear has been unobtainable for a month. I substituted Lexel which is toxic, requires ventilation for days, and costs more.”  Progress photos of Tom’s railroad can be found HERE.  Scroll down to the November 2021 Update.

As a proofreader for the NMRA Magazine, I recently reviewed an article written by our own Professor Dave Merrill detailing the construction of Whetstone Ridge on his Ascape Tennsion & Sulphur Gulch Railroad.  NMRA members will find this article in the magazine’s December 2021 issue.  Everyone else can read a similar article on Professor Dave’s Blog at http://davesatsgrr.blogspot.com.

Modeling News

Prototype History

Railfanning

  • Historic logging locomotive to be restored for display in Michigan inventor’s hometown:

https://www.mlive.com/news/2021/10/historic-logging-locomotive-to-be-restored-for-display-in-michigan-inventors-hometown.html?outputType=amp

  • 25 of the Best Train Museums:

https://vacationidea.com/things-to-do-near-me/best-train-museums.html

  • Central Pacific Railroad | Founders, History, and Facts:

https://www.britannica.com/biography/Leland-Stanford

  • And Thomas Eckhardt: “This is the best video from this magnificent Swiss narrow gauge line from St.Moritz to Tirana. It’s not just a cab mounted camera. It gives a realistic feeling of the over 5,000 feet descent from the highest point to the southern terminus Across the border in Italy.  Max grade is 7%, top speed 40mph.  The excellent commentaries are in French, well can’t help you there.”https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xJ9FRvAqA9k

 

Until December,

All Aboard !!