The Life and Death of Gloster Depot
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SPRING 2005 Newsletter of the Twin Cities Division, Thousand Lakes Region, National Model Railroad Association l www.twincitiesdivision.org The Life and Death of Gloster Depot By Marvin Mahre were sold at Gloster, but the poor con- ductors had to punch out many cash As reprinted from Northstar News, the fare receipts. Railway Express was also newsletter of the Northstar Chapter of the handled at the depot. National Railway Historical Society. The operators at Gloster had a unique [Editor's Note: Gladstone Depot was locat- set of manual gates they operated. The ed in present day Maplewood, near Frost & gates blocked either the NP or the Soo English streets - just feet from where the Line, depending on which way they were Division has its monthly meetings. The thrown. The NP block signals went red name Gloster was used because the Soo when the gates were against their main- Line had a depot in Gladstone, Michigan. line. The Soo Line had no block signals. Before Maplewood was incorporated in At one time, the operators tried to 1956, the area was known as "Gladstone."] time-slip extra pay for changing the posi- tion of the gates, but the railroad won Let's start about 1942, because that's that argument. These gates can be seen when I can remember the vivid details in John Cartwright's drawing of the better. Gloster Depot. The Gloster Depot was manned twenty- The Milwaukee freight train, in the days four hours per day (three tricks). Three of steam, had three helpers coming up freight railroads ran through Gloster. the hill by Seeger's Refrigerator The Soo Line crossed the NP line to Company and the Hamm's Brewery. Duluth and CMStP&P had trackage Two helpers were on the front and one rights over the NP. Both the NP and the was on the rear of every Milwaukee Soo Line ran two passenger trains each. freight train. These helpers cut off at The NP went to Duluth and the Soo Gloster and returned to Pigs Eye Yard Line ran to Chicago. Soo Line #1 often via the westbound track. The NP was picked up passengers for St. Paul, and on double-tracked from St. Paul to White flag, #2 and #6 stopped for eastbound Bear Lake in those days. The Milwaukee patrons. NP #66, on Saturday night, used two 2-8-2 steam engines for both often had ten or more passengers from helpers and road engines. Once in a St. Paul who got off at Gloster. In fact, great while, a 4-8-4, similar to the 261, the train stopped on Frost Avenue, came as a helper. rather than at the depot platform, and the brakeman put the stepbox right on The NP ran all of their freight trains via the concrete pavement to avoid having the Soo Line from Mississippi Street Yard the passengers walk back to Frost to Gloster to avoid using helpers and Avenue on the old dirt road running to the Gloster station. Not many tickets Continued on page 7 Hey! Hey! We’re the Twin Cities Division Board & Officers Superintendent So where’s my article? Several people who have given me articles to be published in Lynn McCall 763-425-3509 THE CROSSING GATE may be wondering just where those articles are. Here’s how I tend to work: [email protected] the earlier you give me stuff, the more likely it is to get into the very next issue. As the issue fills up throughout the quarter, I usually push non-”time sensitive” articles into the following issue. So if you Assistant Superintendent don’t see it here, there’s a very good chance it’ll be in the next issue. Bill Gisch [email protected] What’s this I hear about Leone becoming an MMR? Yes, it’s true. Your Chief Clerk & Train Show Coordinator very own editor has joined the ranks of the Master Model Railroaders as #346. If you happened Al Dowd to be at the February Division meeting, you saw the Thousand Lakes Region’s Achievement 651-260-1606 Program Director John Hotvet, a Master Model Railroader himself, make a very nice presentation [email protected] of my plaque and certificate. Thanks again, John -- it really was totally unexpected. Coincidentally, I have the honor of becoming the Division’s first MMR since John got his in 1997, and only the Paymaster TimKlevar third MMR in the Region in the last eight years. [email protected] The seven certificates I earned in the Achievement Program are: Author, Civil Engineer, Electrical CROSSING G ATE Editor &Webmaster Engineer, Scenery, Structures, Cars, and Volunteer. It was a great learning experience. If you’re Gerry Leone, MMR interested in the program, don’t hesitate to talk to me about it at a Division meeting, or email me. 952-474-8364 [email protected] NMRA Achievement Program Consider having your layout on a future TCD tour Dave Hamilton By Neil Maldeis, Layout Tour Coordinator 763-449-0058 [email protected] Over the past couple of years as your Layout Tour Director I have been surprised at members’ reluctance to participate on a tour. Unfortunately, it seems like the same people that have opened Layout Tour Coordinator their layouts in the past are the only ones volunteering. Neil Maldeis [email protected] Don't be intimidated or think that your layout isn’t good enough to show. All layout sizes, scales and levels of completion are welcomed! Everyone has creative and interesting ideas to share and Public Relations even someone starting out in model railroading will be able to teach an old timer a trick or two. Don Smith [email protected] One of the main benefits of being a member of the TCD is to be able to participate in layout tours. Director at Large What better way to share the camaraderie with your fellow members and have some fun! Please Bruce Notman seriously consider opening your layout to a future TCD tour. [email protected] Let your TCD Layout Director know if you can participate and get signed up for a future tour! Education Director Bruce Selb [email protected] The TCD needs YOU to lend a hand Popular Vote Contest Chairperson This May four TCDOfficers will be giving up seasonal layout tours). Neil Maldeis has said Pam Notman their posts because the time limit on their posi- he’d be willing to partner with another person tions has expired. We really need people to in that position. NMRA Contest Chairman step up to the plate and volunteer to help the position open Division by serving as an officer. It’s not hard, If you’re interested, please contact a Division and doesn’t take as much time as you may think. officer (see box at left). Thanks! THE CROSSING GATE is published quarterly by the Twin Cities Division of the Thousand Lakes Region of the National The positions are: Assistant Superintendent (in Contributors to this issue: Model Railroad Association. Material may be reprinted with charge of scheduling clinics), Popular Vote permission. Marvin Mahre, De Smith-Lindeen, Pat Contest Chair (oversees the contest each Walker, Carl Wessel, Al Dowd, Tom month), Member at Large (in charge of selling Do I have to beg? Ok... PLEEEEEEASEE!! Articles, photos, tips, door prize tickets at the meetings), and Layout Pappas, Bob Sterner, Jim Bernier, Neil or ideas are heartily encouraged and will be enthusiastically Tour Coordinator (sets up and schedules our Maldeis, Dave Hamilton... THANKS! accepted in any format (PC or Mac; Word, Simple Text, typed, Deadline for next issue: June 10, 2005 handwritten, scribbled on the back of a bar napkin, etc.). Send it to your editor by regular mail to The Crossing Gate, 6459 Smithtown Road, Excelsior, MN, 55331, by email to edi- [email protected] (no photos in email, please!), or hand it to him at the next Division meeting. Be part of the Division! If you’re an NMRA member, become THURSDAY, Apr. 14, 2005 7:00 pm THURSDAY, May 12, 2005 7:00 pm a Regular member of the Division (you get a year’s subscrip- tion to THE CROSSING GATE, plus voting privileges) for only $10 MODELING CLINIC - Using “Adobe Photoshop ANNUAL BUSINESS MEETING - Agenda items per year. If you’re not an NMRA member, become a Subscriber Elements” in ModelRailroading (Gerry Leone, MMR) will be posted on the web as they become avail- (you get a year’s subscription to THE CROSSING GATE) for only PROTO PRESENTATION - Western Canada on able. We’ll also be unveiling any submissions for $10 per year. VIA (BillDredge) a new Division logo. Don’t forget your old door- POPULAR VOTE MODEL CONTEST – prize tickets for the big drawing! Whimsical Railroads & NMRA Merit Award Judging 2 THE CROSSING GATE The final leg of LRT opens Just what is a aboard the trains at the Regional convention? new Lindburgh Station, sit- By Pat Walker uated 60+ feet below TLR Webmaster and 2006 TLR Convention ground level. [Editor’s note: Chair Carl's just being modest; that's him in the photo I've seen a lot of new faces at TCD clinics, and a few have asked me why they should be inter- below.] ested in the 2006 TLR convention that the divi- For a cold day the trains sion will be hosting. A good question. So, I'd were still packed with like to give a brief run-down on what happens many travelers wanting to at a “Regional,” as they're usually known. get that first complete ride from end to end.