April 2024 Newsletter





Last Thursday, March 28, was opening day of the 2024 major league season !  Before air travel became commonplace, baseball teams moved between cities by train, like this photo shows of the 1946 Chicago Cubs posing in front of Union Pacific locomotive No. 4439 (UP Railroad Museum archives).
 
A search for No. 4439 at www.utahrails.net provided more details about the 0-6-0 engine.  Built for Southern Pacific by Baldwin Locomotive Works in April 1918, the Los Angeles-based engine was used in yard service for the Harbor Belt Line until retirement in 1957.  Donated to the City of Los Angeles in August, the locomotive became a permanent display at Griffith Park's TravelTown in November 1957.
 
By the way, the 1946 Chicago Cubs went 82 and 71, finishing third in the National League that season.
 
Club Activities
April Luncheon Dates
April 5 and April 19th - Bloomington Country Club at 11:30am.  If you plan to attend, contact Bryan Enarson (bryanlax@aol.com) no later than Wednesday before the luncheon.  Unlike a typical restaurant which welcomes any number of patrons anytime during business hours, the country club arranges tables and chairs specifically for our luncheons.  Again, if you plan to attend, contact Bryan at the email above.
 
CCMRRC Spring BBQ
Saturday, May 18, 2024
Time: 11:00 - 1:00
Place: Tim & Dana Fitch house, 2734 E Rock Land Dr, Washington
Details and RSVP request will be sent in future mailings/newsletters.
 
Sun River Junction Model Railroaders
For the 12th consecutive year, trains will be running on April 27th in SunRiver between Noon and 4PM.  New this year is LEGO.  One of our residents collects LEGO trains and buildings, creating a different and very unique model railroad. More to come in a separate email later this month with locations and a map of SunRiver.

This month CCMRRC G-scalers will meet at Bryan Enarson’s Man Cave on April 26th.  For more information, contact G scale VP Larry Schneider (peggy.larry.schneider@gmail.com).

The next HO scale group meeting will be held at Georgette Contos’ house on April 24.  Contact HO scale VP Professor David Merrill (atsgrr@gmail.com) for further details.
 
Member Railroads
New CCMRRC member Bob Elliott shares a video he made of his HO scale layout HERE.

Larry Schneider obtained a gasoline tanker truck for his G scale layout but indicates it wasn’t easy to find one in the proper scale.  The truck he chose is a 1:25 scale kit from AMT.  All parts were painted before assembly.  Also, Peggy Schneider suggested including hot air balloons on the layout.  Click HERE and scroll to the April 2024 Update for photos.
 
Readers of this newsletter will recall Chris Clune purchased Jim Harper’s O scale layout and moved it to Eugene, OR.  His father, noted narrow gauge modeler Dave Alan Clune, passed away February 25, 2024.  A retired Southern Pacific engineer, Clune was widely known for the extensive On3 Cascade County layout he built over a period of several decades in his home in Eugene, OR.  David was a life member of the NMRA and earned Master Model Railroader recognition in 2022.  His father Chris Clune Sr. was a tool and die maker and co-founder of ExactRail Scale Models.

In future Newsletters, look for photos of Jim Harper’s railroad as it’s incorporated into the Clune layout.

Upcoming Train Shows and Conventions
Ophir, Tintic & Western Train Show - April 5-6, 2024 
Location: Spanish Fork Fairgrounds Tennis Building
Address: 475 S Main St, Spanish Fork

Rocky Mountain Train Show
April 6-7, 2024
National Western Complex
4655 Humboldt St.
Denver, CO 80216

Surfliner 2024 NMRA National Convention
August 4-11, 2024
Westin Long Beach
333 East Ocean Blvd.
Long Beach, CA USA
 
Kanab Train Show - Date Change for 2025
Next year's show is scheduled for January 17-18, 2025.  The newly-remodeled gymnasium/expo hall we’ll be using will double the floor space compared to 2024.
 
Modeling News and Information
The National Model Railroad Association announces a new partnership with Grouper.  For NMRA members age 65+ Grouper works with Medicare Advantage and Medicare Supplement plans to cover NMRA membership dues, so you can focus on what you love to do.  Don’t worry about the membership cost - it’s on your health plan.  See https://www.nmra.com/grouper for more information on this exciting news.  Explore all the benefits of NMRA membership at https://www.nmra.org/member-services.

Making Mountains  

A small S gauge layout with big ideas
 
Choosing rail for a garden railroad

Maintaining Lionel structures
 
How to protect O and S gauge toy trains in storage

Large Scale ‘Big Boy’ Replica Stuns on Home Made Railroad!

Four track types for model railroads

How to dress up your tubular track

The Lionel Scout locomotive that meant ‘Christmas’

Repairing Lionel’s smoke units

Perfect G scale roadbed

10 scenery products you should know about

Prototype News & History
Union Pacific Appoints Operations, Risk Management Successors

What is the Salt Lake Lucin Cutoff’s Boxcar Seawall?

Outfit Cars
 
Railroad Signals 101

San Francisco – Los Angeles night train signs 'collaboration' with major stakeholder

Big Boy’ Tender Restoration Continues at Silvis

All wired up: The history behind the electrification of railroads.

 

Until May, All Aboard !!
Lloyd Thomson