STAYING ON TRACK
The Newsletter of the Lubbock Model Railroad Association
OCTOBER 2002
Back to main pageAMARILLO TRAIN SHOW
Herein a letter received from the Amarillo Railroad Museum, Inc.:The Amarillo Railroad Museum is planning a train show for the weekend of April 11 - 13, 2003. In the past, we've held six of the typical vendor and layout shows that were quite successful. We haven't hosted a show for the last few years because we could not reserve a date at the Amarillo Civic Center that would appeal to vendors and clubs. Of course the key to a successful show is having layouts for people to come and see the trains, thus we invite your club to come and display your layout at our show and to have an opportunity to mingle with folks from other railroad clubs.
At the moment, we need to know if your club is interested in coming to Amarillo on the weekend of April 11 - 13 to display your layout. As noted above, it takes train layouts to attract the people to come to the show. This is a preliminary inquiry to see if there is enough interest among the railroad clubs to make the show a success. We would appreciate hearing from you no later than November 1 if your club is interested in coming to Amarillo.
If you have any questions, please write to me at the above address (Amarillo Railroad Museum, Inc., P.O. Box 31105 Amarillo, TX 79120-1105, ed) and/or e-mail me at broth@arn.net . Thank you for your time and kind consideration.
Bob Roth
Director, Amarillo Railroad Museum, Inc.
LOCKHEED MARTIN RECREATION AREA
Herein a letter received from the Lockheed Martin Recreation Association (LMRA):Dear Model Railroader or Railfan:
I would like to take this opportunity to inform you of several Model Train shows that will be taking place in the Fort Worth/Dallas area in the very near future. These shows are being sponsored by local area clubs:
The first one will be held on the 12 and 13 of October. It is being sponsored by the LMRA and will be held at the Health Fitness Center on the grounds of the LMRA. It is the club's 20th annual show. There will be over 160 dealer tables at this show as well as local modular clubs, and the LMRA permanent layout in the club room.
Next will be the Fort Worth Area Holiday Train Show. It will be held at the Amon Carter Exhibits building which is in the Will Rodger Complex. There will be over 200 dealer tables at this show as well as local modular clubs. This show will be on the 16th and 17th of November. It is sponsored by the North Texas Council of Railroad clubs.
Then on January 18th and 19th the North Texas Council of Railroad clubs will sponsor the Dallas Area Train Show. It will be held at the Plano Center in Plano, TX. There will be over 200 dealer tables at this show as well as many local modular clubs.
While attending the LMRA show be sure and attend the Craft Fair in the LMRA picnic area that is being sponsored by the Pottery, Ceramics and Stained Glass Activities of the LMRA Recreation Association.
I have enclosed flyers on these events. Hope you are able to attend several of them and help support your local clubs. If you would like additional information on these events call me at (817) 935-4292(w) or (817) 249-4965(h) or send e-mail to Robert.1.bray@lmco.com .
Thanks for your Support.
Bob Bray
Ok. This is the editor. I will bring all the flyers to the October meeting.
VESTS
Since the LSR meeting is coming to Lubbock next summer, this is a great time to get your Lubbock Model Railroad Association vest. Many members will be helping to put on the meeting and it would be "cool" if all of us had the same red vests to show our guests our support for the club and for the meeting. Also, if someone needs to get to the local Bar-B-Q restaurant, they will know who to ask! Vests are available at every monthly meeting. They are $17 each.Herein a letter from Krause Publications:Sept 17, 2002 Railroad enthusiasts can travel the rails around the globe exploring locomotives, architecture and infrastructure with a new book from Brian Solomon. Published by Krause Publications, "Railway Masterpieces" features photographs and stories of historical and present day railroading elements from such countries as the United States, Great Britain, Germany, Switzerland, Ireland, Italy and Japan.
"Railway Masterpieces" highlights the award-winning photography of Solomon and other world renowned railroad photographers, including Otto perry, Jim Shaughnessy, Colin Garret and John Grubber. Their' more than 200 color and black and white photos illuminate the locomotives, trains, stations, bridges, tunnels, and other railway engineering marvels in this hardcover book.
Each of the book's three sections feature popular railway sights and some obscure sights, which many enthusiasts may not realize is right in their backyard. Sights include Grand Central Terminal, the Pioneer Zephyr, Moffat Tunnel, the Flying Scotsman, the Shinkansen and Helsinki Station.
This is the editor, I will bring the flyer to the meeting if anyone is interested in this book.
CLUB PROMOTION
While at the National Narrow Gauge Meeting in Rhode Island this September, I came across a brochure devoted to the Prince William County Model Railroad Club written and printed by the club. They print it on an 8 x 11-inch sheet of high quality gloss paper folded in thirds. The pamphlet describes the club's activities. Cleverly, on the last page is a tear out sheet requesting more information about the club and their meetings. They purchased four clear plastic holders that can stand alone (for tables) and/or hang on a screw head on the layout front. This might be a great idea for the LMRA to try and attract new members. Our business cards are pleasant, but not flashy.I will bring the brochure to the meeting. Perhaps we could get a volunteer to write it. It is only about 300 words with a color photo of a diesel.
WHITE BUFFALO FESTIVAL
Snyder The Scurry County Parks Department hopes area residents will lend their model trains and railroad-related items for a display during the White Buffalo Festival at the Coliseum. They need the items by October 7; the display opens October 12. For more information call the Coliseum at (915) 573-2443 from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday.TRACK TO THE FUTURE - CONTINUED
By Bill Marvel as printed in the Dallas Morning News, May 17, 202, pg 2c."The electronic control system in the train is, in effect a miniature engineer," says Model Railroader's Terry Thompson.
Much of the technology was devised by Texas Instruments' engineer Keith Gutierrez while he was a Southern Methodist University student in the late 1970s. Mr. Gutierrez was looking around for a senior thesis project. He was a model railroader and so was his senior adviser, professor John Fike. Integrated circuits were the hot new technology, Mr. Gutierrez recalls. "We were trying to stuff them into toy trains."
The result was a series of articles on command control Mr. Gutierrez wrote for Model Railroader that turned the hobby upside down. Another was CVP Products, the company Mr. Gutierrez founded to manufacture and market command control products for model railroads. Dr. Fike was his first customer.
Those early decoders could slip into a cigarette pack. Now, "I'll show you what cell phone technology is doing for us," says Mr. Gutierrez, holding up the next generation of decoder a tiny black square the size of a ladybug.
"Some systems are so sophisticated now," says Terry Thompson, "you can set a certain speed, and the system will keep the train to that speed like cruise control for automobiles."
Digital Command Control, as it's known in the modeling industry, not only makes a model move like a real locomotive slow, easy starts and gradual stops but produces sound and light effects only dreamed of a few years ago.
Q: What is a mail bag catcher?A: Railway mail cars in which mail was sorted en route were equipped with moveable iron arms, called mail bag catchers, which were swung outward when the train was in motion to grab mail pouches suspended from mail cranes. They were operated by railway mail clerks responsible for collecting mail en route.Staying on Track is published monthly by the LMRA - David Lamberts, editor.
Visit us on the Internet at railserve.com/lmra
E-mail me at DWL1944@cs.com
Our mailing address is PO Box 53674, Lubbock, TX 79453