July 2024 CCMRRC Newsletter








Happy Independence Day!!

Today, July 4th conjures up visions of parades, cookouts, waving flags, and brilliantly colored fireworks.  However, before the American Revolution, King George III’s June 4 birthday was a celebration marked with bonfires, speeches, and the ringing of bells. But in 1776, as patriotic fervor swept through the colonies, praising birthday celebrations turned to mock funerals for the King.  So was the mood of the colonies on July 2, 1776, when the Continental Congress voted in favor of American independence. On July 4, Congress officially adopted the Declaration of Independence.  The U.S. Congress designated Independence Day as a paid federal holiday in 1938.

Club Business
Luncheon Dates July 5th and July 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.
 
American Flyer modeler Bryan Enarson updates us on the club’s project destined for this year’s Jubilee of Trees.  “All original American Flyer buildings and switches have been tested and are ready for final placement and power connections.  Track is cleaned and ready for permanent installation. Landscape and final touches to be completed in October.”  For a photo of the current progress, click HERE and scroll to the July 2024 Update.

Member Layouts
Rich Wilson, VP of the N scale group, also enjoys modeling HO as you can see from the photos found HERE of his 4x8 layout.  Depicted on the railroad is a drive inn, a farm, and a park. Currently he’s working on the downtown area.  Contact Rich (cd5wise@gmail.com) as the layout is for sale.

Member Vacation Trips
Larry and Peggy Schneider are destined for the Pacific Northwest on this year's vacation.  Click these links for photos they’ve taken so far of the Susanville Depot and the Timber Heritage Museum in Sonoma, CA.
 
Model Railroad Publications forwarded by CCMRRC Members

Modeling News and Layouts

As reported last month, Kalmbach publishing (home of Trains, Trains.com, Model Railroader, among others) was sold to FireCrown.  Part of the process was planning the disassembly of their 35-year-old  Milwaukee, Racine, & Troy (MR&T) HO scale club layout housed in Kalmbach’s former offices.  Click HERE for a guided tour hosted by David Pop.

Prototype News & Information

Railfanning News

Union Pacific’s 4014 Big Boy left Cheyenne this morning (June 30) on its Westward Bound Tour from Wyoming to California.  Since Big Boy was recently outfitted with Positive Train Control, the diesel locomotive typically located behind the last tender will see limited use in the consist.  Find the tour schedule HERE.  A video of the departure can be found HERE.  Big Boy’s second tour for 2024 is the Heartland America Tour leaving Cheyenne on August 29th and includes stops in Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, Oklahoma and Texas. The eight-week tour concludes in late October.  Watch up.com for information.

Upcoming Group Meetings – G scale & HO
G-scale: Larry Schneider peggy.larry.schneider@gmail.com
HO scale: David Merrill atsgrr@gmail.com

Upcoming Conventions and Train Shows
Surfliner 2024 NMRA National Convention
August 4-11, 2024
Westin Long Beach
333 East Ocean Blvd.
Long Beach, CA USA

 
Until August, All Aboard !!
Lloyd Thomson
d.lloyd.thomson@gmail.com