SUMMER 2015 ■■■■■■■■■■■ VOLUME 35 ■■■■■■■■■■■■■■ NUMBER 6

What a great crew!

Monday, June 1, 2015

The Semaphore David N. Clinton, Editor-in-Chief CONTRIBUTING EDITORS Southeastern Massachusetts…………………. Paul Cutler, Jr. Paul Cutler III Cape Cod News………………………………….. Skip Burton Globe Reporter………………………. Brendan Sheehan Boston Herald Reporter……………………… Jim South Wall Street Journal Reporter....………………. Paul Bonanno Rhode Island News………………………………. Tony Donatelli Empire State News………………………………. Dick Kozlowski “ News”…………………………….….. . Russell Buck “The Chief’s Corner”…………………………. . Fred Lockhart

PRODUCTION STAFF Publication……………………………………….. Al Taylor Al Munn Web Page and photographer…………………... Joe Dumas Guest Contributors………………………………. Peter Palica, Ron Clough

The Semaphore is the monthly (except July) newsletter of the South Shore Model Railway Club & Museum (SSMRC) and any opinions found herein are those of the authors thereof and of the Editors and do not necessarily reflect any policies of this organization. The SSMRC, as a non-profit organization, does not endorse any position. Your comments are welcome! Please address all correspondence regarding this publication to: The Semaphore, 11 Hancock Rd., Hingham, MA 02043. ©2015 E-mail: [email protected] Club phone: 781-740-2000. Web page: www.ssmrc.org

VOLUME 35 ■■■■■ NUMBER 6 ■■■■■ SUMMER 2015 BILL OF LADING

CLUB OFFICERS

President………………….Jack Foley Annual Cookout…………..4 Vice-President……..…..Dan Peterson Chief’s Corner ...... ……….3 Treasurer………………....Will Baker Contests ...... …..3 & 17 Secretary………………....Dave Clinton Chief Engineer………....Fred Lockhart Clinics……………………..6 & 13 Directors………………....Bill Garvey (’16) Dining for a Cause……..16 ………………………..….….Bryan Miller (temp) Donations…………………….7 ……………………….…..….Mike Dolan (’17) ……………………………….Roger St. Peter (’17) Editor’s Notes……… .....13 Election Results……………4 Form 19 Orders .... ……….3 On the cover: Our group photo after the In Memoriam ...... ……….3 Annual Business Meeting, June 1, 2015. Member News ..... ….....13 Memories ...... 5 Operations Survey……….14 2 Potpourri ...... ….…....8 Sample Ballot ...... ………..5 In Memoriam: DAVE MacDONALD FORM 19 ORDERS

th JUNE B.O.D. MEETING Dave MacDonald passed away on June 9 , after a Monday, June 29th 8 p.m. long illness. He was 85 years old. Dave was a life- JULY BUSINESS MEETING long resident of Weymouth, attending public Monday, July 6th 8 p.m. schools through Weymouth High. He was a veteran of the U.S. Navy, serving aboard the USS Vulcan SPECIAL ELECTION FOR DIRECTOR as HM3 and he attended New England College of Monday, July 6th Pharmacy. Dave owned South Shore Hobby, which OFFICIAL OPERATIONS th th for many years was on Broad Street in Jackson Monday, July 13 & Thursday, July 16 8 p.m. Square and which introduced many of us to the JULY B.O.D. SSMRC. 15 years ago, Dave was made a “Life th Monday, July 27 8 p.m. Member” of the SSMRC, due to his over 50 years ANNUAL COOKOUT AND POOL PARTY of membership in the Club. Dave was also Tuesday, July 28th 2 p.m. interested in the Maine narrow gauge railroads and was a member of the WW&F in Wiscasset.

SUMMER OPEN HOUSE R.I.P. Dave. st Saturday, August 1 9 a.m.-4 p.m.

99 RESTAURANT (HINGHAM) SSMRC FUND RAISING Monday, August 3rd 5 p.m.- 10 p.m. NOTE CHANGE: AUGUST BUSINESS MEETING th Monday, August 10 8 p.m.

DECODER & LOCO TUNE-UP CLINIC th Thursday, August 6 8 p.m. NEWSLETTER DEADLINE nd Saturday, August 22 AUGUST B.O.D. MEETING st Monday, August 31 8 p.m.

Fred Lockhart CONTESTS Since last month, we have made progress on the Congratulations to Bill Roach on winning this month’s “punch list”. The Tuesday morning group has Installed 50/50 raffle! the Tortoise switch machines that were missing in Middleton yard and wired them with toggles and has Our next contest is a RR Crossword Puzzle from Al installed a Tortoise on the new siding at “Corner City”; Taylor. Puzzle #15-6 can be found near the end of we should really give that place an official name. The the newsletter. Please make sure to put your name next item they will be working on is to add “kill” on the puzzle before leaving it in my mailbox. You switches to the mainline turnouts that are manually can also email your completed puzzle to me at controlled with toggle switches; this should prevent [email protected]. Extra puzzles available accidents during Open Houses by someone playing with on top of the old wood display case inside the train the toggles. Al Taylor found that the bridge connecting room. Drawing will be held at the August Business Meeting. Cedar Hill passenger and the engine terminal had swollen from the humidity; he adjusted that and has also installed the safeties for the approach to the bridge. There is not any lead to the bridge after the

3 turnouts, so the safeties will prevent the turnouts from Congratulations to the winners and thanks to all being aligned with the bridge when it is not in place; who were willing to serve their Club! also, there are filler blocks with fascia to complete the fascia. All that needs to be done now is lay the track and wire it and it will be ready to be put into service. The Annual Club Cookout & tracks on the lift up section have been re-aligned and it Pool Party has been reported to be derailment free--for now anyway! The Program cart has been repaired this month also, with a new Soundtraxx booster. The connection to the computer to use “Decoder Pro” was TUESDAY, JULY 29th re-established, so everything should be working now to program locomotives. If Decoder Pro asks you about a com Port it is com port3. Anyone wanting to help out see me and I will set you up with a project. We will be having another Operation in July, then on August 1st our “Summer Open House”, so along with helping the Ops Committee with set-up, we need to clean some track with special attention to the yards and industrial areas. The Electrical Committee had a quart bottle of liquid soldering flux; the flux is blue in color and last seen it was in the work area in Cedar Hill. Well guess what? They can’t find it and searched all over the club. Maybe another set of eyes might help! If anyone might know where it is, please let Al Taylor or Bob England know or just leave it at Cedar Hill. Thanks! All members and applicants are invited to this And thanks to everyone helping out this past month. year’s cookout and pool party, which will be held Fred Lockhart again at Jim & Alice South’s home at 95 Audubon Ave. in Braintree. Thanks to their generosity and Chief Engineer kindness, we can enjoy a beautiful in-ground pool for a dip on a hot summer’s day. There are plenty of “dips” in attendance, too, along with lots of goodies supplied by the attendees and the Souths. The fun begins after 2 p.m. and after the eating, slides and digital presentations are shown on the President = JACK FOLEY 42 big screen in the back yard.

Vice President = DAN PETERSON A sign-up sheet on the Bulletin Board has some 36 suggestions of what you might bring, if you care to Treasurer = WILL BAKER 43 bring any food. Please see Jim or myself, if you Secretary = DAVE CLINTON 41 have any questions. We will have a slide projector Chief Engineer = FRED LOCKHART 43 and digital projector and encourage you to bring Directors (2-year term) some favorite train pictures that you’d like to share.

= MIKE DOLAN 33 Come and enjoy the good company, good = Chip Mullen 14 conversations and good food! = John Sheridan 11 = Roger St. Peter 33

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Amtrak makes free Wi-Fi service available on SAMPLE BALLOT FOR SPECIAL ELECTION Express trains Boston-Washington. Genesee & Wyoming buys ’s “FreightLink” for $334 million. Maine voters approve bond to preserve 240 miles of Montreal, Maine & Rwy threatened with abandonment by owners. Last interlocking plant in the U.S. using mechanically-operated “Armstrong” levers con- nected through iron pipes to switches closed by Union Pacific in Springfield, IL. Housatonic RR begins study of restoring passenger service from Danbury, CT to Pittsfield, MA. Mike Dolan starts new column “Chief’s Corner”. ”Central Corridor” promoted by W. Mass officials to re-route Vermonter up from New London, CT on New England Central.

SUMMER 2005 (10 years ago) Work parties held in July and August to repair/paint outside of building. Amtrak returns Acela high-speed trains, after brake problems sidelined fleet. Plans to increase Commuter Rail to Worcester include purchasing sections of CSX’s freight line. NY State abandons plans to refurbish seven , due to high cost and inefficient engines Local couple purchases S. Weymouth RR station to become general store. Conway Scenic RR acquires ex-QBT U23B #21 and B23-7 #23. We will be having a special election at the July Business Athearn announces future Genesis F-units to Meeting, to fill the Director vacancy created by the death offer DCC and sound by MRC. of Dennis Hart. Caboose Motel in Lancaster County, PA reopens after refurbishment; location has over 40 cabooses. Absentee ballots are available from the Secretary and VIA’s Canadian celebrates 50 years of operation. must be returned by July 3, 2015 at P.O. Box 224, Granite slabs from the burned-down Sacred Hingham, MA 02043. Heart Church in Weymouth Landing to be used in new station in the Landing. MBTA raises parking fees to $3 at most stations; SEMAPHORE $3.50 at Quincy, Quincy-Adams and Braintree. Palmer, MA’s expanded public library opens “Railroad Research Center” room stocked with rR MEMORIES books and reference materials.

”Steaming Tender” take-out food concession SUMMER 2010 (5 years ago) opens in ex-Palmer . Progressive Rail Services purchases Electro- Decision made to move Show to SS Country Motive Diesel (EMD) for $820 million. Club for March 2001. MassDOT approves purchase of up to nine new Commuter Rail locos from Utah Transit Authority.

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SUMMER 2000 (15 years ago) Hearings take place on restoration of three “Old Amtrak renames San Diegans (60-year-old name Colony” lines in Southeastern Massachusetts. from Southern Pacific) to Pacific Surfliners. SUMMER 1985 (30 Years Ago) New Hampshire approves money to buy six Referenda questions on restoring Old Colony commuter cars and one locomotive to extend service gets 82% positive response from all towns. MBTA service from Lowell to Nashua and MBTA cancels lease for “GO cars” and sends Merrimack and from Haverhill to Plaistow. them back to . Edaville reopens for full summer/fall season. Maine Central’s Crawford Notch station restored GE adds satellite tracking to its new production to original appearance by Appalachian Mountain locomotives. Club, the new owners. Amtrak Acela Express service delayed by broken Amtrak disconnects traction motors on bolts on undercarriages of at least two locomotives. troublesome “SPV-2000” Budd cars and they Super Steel Schenectady completing first become locomotive-hauled coaches. refurbishment of Amtrak . Steamtown swaps N&W “A” 2-6-6-4 Mallet #1218 Worcester Union Station opens for the first time for two NS geeps. since the mid-1960s, when it was closed. CV stores remaining Alcos, becomes all-geep RR Amtrak introduces “Satisfaction Guaranteed”  Canada reinstates six routes, including policy, along with a new “boob” logo. Atlantic Limited across northern Maine. SUMMER 1995 (20 Years Ago) Union Pacific buys MKT (“the Katy”). Amtrak tests new P32AC-DM locos from GE. State officials consider making Quincy a station Ex-B&M commuter lines speed limit raised to 70 stop on restored Old Colony service. MPH for the first time in 25 years. MBTA renames three stations: “Washington St.”, RR Museum of New England considers move “MIT” and “Essex”. from Essex, CT to Palmer, MA. Steam loco on Gettysburg RR suffers boiler explosion, with serious injuries but no deaths. DECODER & Final decision to build Greenbush Line comes from Secretary of State James Kerisiotes. ENGINE TUNE-UP

Thrall introduces 140-ft articulated auto carrier. CLINIC SUMMER 1990 (25 Years Ago)

Railroads test “transponders”, for keeping track of freight cars. Nice turnout this month. Starting off the fun was Quincy Quarry Museum obtains replica of Granite long-timer Chris Barlow, with an Athearn Genesis Railway car. F3A painted in, what else, Maine Central “Pine Amtrak inaugurates Carolinian between New Green”. The DZ125PS fits into this model just fine, York and Charlotte, NC. as there is an 8-pin plug available. The bulb is Maine Mid Coast RR, operated by MassCentral, protected by resistors on the factory board, so no restores passenger service on Rockland branch. need for additional resistors. These are such Durango & Silverton completes construction of $2 smooth-runners and with beautiful detail. Worst million roundhouse, replacing one that burned. thing is the coupler on the back. It is so close to the Midpoint of construction of “Chunnel”, liniking back of the truck that sometimes it is necessary to England and France. use the gray wheel on the “Mototool” to grind down Two custom-decorated Athearn boxcars released some of the plastic on the back of the truck, in in SSMRC “East Coast Lines” scheme. order to get clearance for the back of the coupler Guilford abandons MEC “Mountain Division” from box. In this case it was not necessary but if Chris Portland through Crawford Notch to St. Johnsbury. has any tracking problems with this truck, he will New passage under Atlantic Ave. connects South have to resort to this fix. Only option is to resort to Station with the Red Line subway. the 30-style Kadee box, which sucks, to put it Amtrak introduces “Conference Cars” on bluntly! Metroliner service.

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Bryan Miller brought his “new” PFM brass steamer; a model of the D&H’s 2-6-6-0. His first brass, Our next clinic will be Thursday, August 6th; we obtained from a collection is a perfect example of are taking a vacation for July. Sign-up sheet on 1970s brass, and the problems that were present in Bulletin Board. Everyone is welcome! those days. He was able to fit the DZ125 in the boiler, on top of the can motor, which had replaced the original Pitman open-frame motor that came HELP THE CLUB WITH YOUR DONATIONS with the model. This was a hard-wire job, which worked out just fine but a worn-out rubber coupling OF BOTTLES, CANS, SOUP LABELS AND TONER CARTRIDGES! between the motor shaft and gear tower made it necessary to haul the locomotive apart again and fit a replacement. Because of the closeness of the motor to the gear tower, there isn’t much surface area of the short coupling, so 5-min Epoxy was added inside the coupling, so it will not slip, hopefully, until the year 2055. After all, the original lasted over 40 years! This loco is powerful but very slow, so will be good for shunting long strings of Please remember that Ron Clough collects cars in the yard. Besides, now there is someone returnable beverage bottles and cans and brings else in the Club who, hopefully, takes an interest in them to the recycling center, with the proceeds the Delaware & Hudson, a very colorful and historic coming back to the Club. This is a great profit railroad. center for us, with over $500 returned to the Club last FY! Please leave your bottles and cans in bags Fred Lockhart brought his P1K, now Walther’s, at the bottom of the Library stairs and we will take RDC decorated in the New Haven McGinnis care of them. scheme. This latest run includes an 8-pin plug on the factory board, so the DZ125PS was again preferred. This decoder is small enough, so it can be hidden in the ceiling of this model. No additional resistors are needed, as were needed in the original run, when we had to cut four “traces” on the factory board and add a 270-ohm resistor for the bulbs.

Both Paul Cutler III and ye Ed brought old P1K RS2s, decorated in the New Haven black and orange. (Yes, they were different numbers.) They Many of you don’t know that Ron also collects are hard-wire jobs, using the DH126D and adding a Campbell Soup labels, which go to the various 47-ohm resistor for the reversing lights. Adding it to schools in Town, and which help them buy things the blue “common” necessitates only one resistor, they need. He also found out recently that they and not one for each bulb, since only one bulb is on accept “Box Tops for Education”, so please put at a time. Paul also brought an old Kato RS2, these items in his mailbox. (I found that using a box custom painted in the Lehigh & New England knife down the very middle of the front of the label, handsome black with white striping and “bullseye” it peels right off the can in one piece.-Ed.) Ron logo. This Kato model takes a DH165IP into its 8- thanks all who have participated in these programs pin plug and no additional items are needed. It is a in the past and hopes you will continue to think of good idea, though, to solder the brass wiper strip, the SSMRC in the future. One makes money for the which runs between the trucks, to the brass motor Club and the other makes goodwill for the Club, as connection, as the factory has only “pinned” these the teachers know where they came from. two parts together and good contact is “iffy”; solder takes care of this weakness in conductivity.

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Beach station at 12:09 a.m. The power cable was presumably stolen to be sold as scrap. At least 500 feet of the valuable cable was discovered stolen from roughly 12 locations along the A Line near Howard Beach, and some signal equipment and track components were damaged as well by Finally, a reminder that we have a collection box in electrical current that could not flow through the the meeting room for ANY toner or ink cartridge you cable. (TN) may have. No limit to size or brand. I return these ●●●●●●● to Staples and get $2 for each, which helps pay for A GROUP CALLED “THE T1 TRUST” plans of our toner cartridges used for the newsletter and raising $10 million to build a replica Pennsylvania Club correspondence. You know the outrageous Railroad T1 4-4-4-4 . The loco prices of toner, so please bring them in and toss would be numbered 5550, the next number after into the box—they do not have to be wrapped or the last original T1, and would be used in mainline packaged. Much appreciated!-Ed. excursions and to set a world speed record for steam locomotives. It is thought that the project will last 15 years. (Trains) ●●●●●●● REFURBISHED GREEN LINE vehicles entered POTPOURRI service on the MBTA’s Green line last month, as the first of 86 total rebuilds expected by the end of next year, the agency said in a release. The comprehensive rehabilitation work includes AMTRAK WILL INSTALL inward-facing video upgrades to the vehicles’ heating and air cameras in the fleet of ACS-64 locomotives in conditioning systems, improvements to the service on the Northeast Corridor by the end of alternator and low voltage power supplies, auxiliary 2015, and all subsequently delivered locomotives lighting, cab equipment, open door indicators, as will have the equipment installed before they go well as overhauled structures, roof, exterior, door into service. Installation will first occur in the 70 systems, braking equipment, trucks, propulsion, ACS-64 locomotives that will power all Northeast and pantograph upgrades. Internally, all of the Regional and long-distance trains between trolley cars are receiving insulation upgrades and Washington, New York, and Boston, as well as improvements to the flooring and seats. Alstom is Service between New York; ; performing the $104 million MBTA Green Line and Harrisburg, Pa. Amtrak is developing a plan for trolley car rehabilitation project in upstate New installation of inward-facing cameras in the rest of York. (TN) its locomotive fleet, including Acela Express power ●●●●●●● cars and diesel locomotives. Amtrak already has M.S. WALKER, a manufacturer of fine spirits, plans outward-facing cameras on locomotives. (TN) to build a new $50-million factory and R&D center ●●●●●●● at the old Stop & Shop complex on the HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS of New York City Readville/Dedham line. The MBTA is taking over Transit subway customers were left standing on the the company’s existing facility located on Third Ave. platform Wednesday morning by a massive theft of in Somerville, for construction of a trolley repair copper cable from A Line tracks near Howard facility for the extension of the Green Line into Beach in Queens. Limited service has been Somerville. Presently, the Somerville siding has restored, but residual delays will persist throughout room for only two tank cars of alcohol. Their new the day. The cable theft was discovered at 11:22 location will have a siding which will be able to p.m. Tuesday night when a northbound A Line train handle seven cars. (RN) lost power north of the Howard Beach station. ●●●●●●● Crews brought in another train behind it, and the MBTA HAS LEASED former Amtrak F40PH estimated 150 customers on board were able to locomotives from San Luis Central. Three arrived in walk through the trains to get back to the Howard Framingham in April, and were shipped south to

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Middleboro to Mass Coastal, then shipped to the ALWAYS WANTED TO OPERATE a subway former Harris Rebar plant at Rochester, which is train? Here is your chance. Subway fans now have now being used by Mass D.O.T. to prep the the opportunity to operate a first-of-its-kind subway F40PHs for service. (RN) Wonder why they need to simulator. The Metropolitan Transportation lease old F40s, when they have brand-new locos Authority has created a realistic train simulator on the way?-Ed. experience that the average railfan can now enjoy. ●●●●●●● The simulator covers New York City Transit’s A NEW CATENARY-FREE ground-based static Second Avenue Subway right-of-way, including a charging system for LRVs and electric buses is one route through three stations that are yet to open. of the highlight exhibits for Alstom at the UITP 2015 Simulator movement is controlled with a realistic- World Congress and Exhibition that was held this looking operator’s joystick. The trip begins at the month in Milan. Unlike Alstom's existing APS northern-most platform at 96th Street. From there ground power supply system, which supplies power you head south to the 72nd Street platform. to the vehicle continuously while in operation, SRS Signaling and speed control are simulated just like charges banks of onboard supercapacitors or on real subway operations. The simulator gives a batteries during station stops. The system is real sense of the effects of braking too quickly or capable of delivering 1.1MW of power, or 1500 too rapid an acceleration would have on real amps at 750V dc in a 20-second charging cycle, passengers. The user's score is measured with a well within typical station dwell time, with the "passenger mood" gauge that rates one's system notifying the driver when the onboard power effectiveness as an operator. (TN) storage solution is completely charged. Equipment ●●●●●●● for the solution is located both onboard the vehicle THE RAILROAD MUSEUM of New England’s and in cubicles located at stations. The range of the Naugatuck Railroad put leased Budd RDC-1 No. 41 vehicle's catenary-free operation is dependent on in revenue service for the first time on Sunday, May the capacity of the battery and Alstom says that in 31st, covering both of the line’s two afternoon trains addition to its own vehicles the system is compliant between Thomaston and Waterbury. Now totally with solutions from other manufacturers. Alstom refurbished and wearing full New Haven Railroad has also worked closely with battery and “McGinnis-era” colors, the 62-year-old, self- supercapacitor manufacturers to develop SRS. The propelled car had worked for the New Haven, Penn manufacturer stresses that SRS does not spell the Central, and Amtrak before its retirement in 1980. end of APS as a catenary-free electrification The Budd Rail Diesel Car Foundation owns the car. solution, which debuted in Bordeaux and is now in use on light rail networks around the world. "Networks in hot climates which require air conditioning are better suited to APS because these systems will drain the batteries very quickly," explains Cristina Anderiz, vice president for infrastructure at Alstom. "This is the case in Dubai and in Rio de Janeiro. It is also not that well suited for networks with steep gradients. However, it completes our portfolio so we can provide our customers with a range of solutions depending on their needs." (TN) ●●●●●●●

UNION PACIFIC’S STEAM CREW in Cheyenne, Wyo., is still aiming to run Big Boy No. 4014 by The RDC had arrived on the Naugatuck last year, 2019 and hopes to outshop 4-8-4 No. 844 late this and after receiving some minor mechanical work by year or early in 2016, says Ed Dickens, UP's senior museum volunteers, was determined to be ready manager for heritage operations. (TN) for regular service. Sunday’s runs had not been ●●●●●●● announced in advance, and some riders appeared surprised to see the shiny stainless-steel No. 41

9 waiting at the station in place of the railroad’s ●●●●●●● regular six-axle heavyweight coaches. The car ran Recently retired Amtrak AEM-7 No. 915 was well all day, and handled the steep grade north of delivered to the Strasburg Rail Road on Thursday Thomaston with ease. (TN) afternoon, bound for the Railroad Museum of ●●●●●●● Pennsylvania. An Amtrak crew brought the motor to THE has constructed what it Leaman Place Jct. behind a pair of GP-40's, No. calls a “connaboose” for use on gravel trains 723 and 724, trailed by two cars of new rail for between Anchorage and Palmer this spring and delivery to Harrisburg. Built between 1979 and summer. The term comes from the car’s 1988, the 54 AEM-7s were replacements for construction using an intermodal container and in Amtrak's former GG1s. The part from its function as a caboose. The railroad twin-cab, B-B electrics were built by EMD with built the car after a loop track was taken out of major parts and components designed in Sweden service. About a year ago, the railroad had to by ASEA (Allmänna Svenska Elektriska remove the Palmer loop track from service because Aktiebolaget; translation: General Swedish it was no longer being used or maintained by the Electrical Inc.), which merged with Brown Boveri in two companies that had jointly built it for looping 1988 forming ABB. The units were sometime and loading their aggregate trains. The railroad had referred to by railfans as “toasters” owing to their also used it to loop Anchorage Sand & Gravel 86- boxy appearance, or “meatballs” after the food dish car gravel trains that load at that company's facility Swedish meatballs. (TN) Also called “The Mighty along the Palmer Branch. Without the loop track Mouse” by some. –Ed. gravel trains had to back up along the branch with a ●●●●●●● trainman hanging from the side of a hopper car at TRIVIA: Robert Todd Lincoln, the only child of the rear of the train and communicating with the Abraham Lincoln to survive into adulthood, became locomotives on a portable radio. To address safety acting-president of Pullman Palace Car Company concerns, the railroad considered several options, in 1897, after George Pullman’s death. (Year of including purchasing a caboose. Instead, a more Train Trivia) cost-effective solution was the in-house design of a ●●●●●●● flatcar equipped with a shelter made from an A WIND-DRIVEN WILDFIRE that grew to at least intermodal container. Railroad mechanics outfitted 30 acres on the west side of Spokane, Wash., on the car with LED solar-powered back up lights, June 11 was quickly knocked down by two seats, hand holds, emergency air valves on each helicopter drops, fire teams from six agencies—and end, and hand holds and sill steps. (TN) the rapid deployment of a BNSF Railway Fire Train.

Stationed at BNSF's Parkwater (Spokane) terminal, the four-car train (three cars carrying water or other suppressant with pumps and hoses, plus a

10 caboose) was dispatched to the fire scene near the to appeal the decision. There had been intense west end of the railroad’s Indian Canyon Bridge. A opposition to the layover facility since it was first smaller wooden bridge standing over the BNSF proposed in 2012 when Amtrak’s Downeaster track was already engulfed in flames, and BNSF’s service was extended from Portland to Brunswick. Fire Train delivered the only sizable quantity of Nearby residents wanted the project built firefighting suppressant to crews working the fire on elsewhere, arguing that the building and train the ground. (RA) activity would pollute groundwater, fill the air with ●●●●●●● diesel fumes and make too much noise. The THE LAST 34 MILES of the 119-mile rail route layover building is expected to be 655 feet long, 70 between Utica and Lake Placid will be torn up and feet wide and 37 feet high. The rail authority said replaced by a bike path and snowmobile trail under the facility would allow for more frequent and a plan proposed by the state of New York. In efficient service because trains could be stored and addition, the plan proposes to upgrade the entire serviced overnight in Brunswick rather than having 85-mile route between Utica and Tupper Lake, to return each night to Portland. (PPH) where a new large-scale resort is planned. ●●●●●●● The Adirondack Scenic Railroad currently operates CONSTRUCTION HAS BEGUN on the first aerial tourist trains between Utica, Remsen, Thendara, structure that will eventually host 200 mph rail as and Big Moose Station and from Lake Placid to part of the California High-Speed Rail Authority's Saranac Lake. The Lake Placid segment would be high-speed project. (RA) abandoned if the proposal goes forward. The ●●●●●●● state's proposal appears to be a compromise A DISPUTE BETWEEN AMTRAK and the state of between the railroad interests and a small, but over escalating expenses has vocal, snowmobile trail faction. At present, tourist jeopardized chances that commuter trains will be trains operate during the warmer months, and running on the New Haven to Springfield line by snowmobilers ride the tracks during the winter. In late 2016. Amtrak now says the trains won’t be recent years, lack of snow cover has posed a running until late 2017. The Hartford Courant said problem for the snowmobilers, who have been Connecticut’s long-strained relationship with lobbying hard for the rail line to be abandoned and Amtrak apparently fractured further in the past year, converted to snowmobile use exclusively, and Gov. Dannel P. Malloy is now asking federal especially between Lake Placid, Tupper Lake, and officials to intervene because of what he calls the isolated community of Beaver River, which is Amtrak’s failure to manage budgeting and staffing accessible only by boat most of the year. The state for what was supposed to be a $365 million project, proposal includes a provision for a snowmobile “The result is that the project is grossly over budget route adjacent to the railroad to Beaver River. (TN) and significantly behind schedule,” Malloy wrote in ●●●●●●● a letter last month to U.S. Transportation Secretary MAINE STATE REGULATORS have awarded the Anthony Foxx. Malloy told Foxx that the Federal last remaining permit needed for construction to Railroad Administration must get tougher in start on a $12.7 million layover facility for Amtrak overseeing Amtrak’s work on its 62-mile Springfield trains in Brunswick. The Maine Department of Line, but said the real solution is to take the project Environmental Protection on Tuesday approved the out of Amtrak’s control altogether. stormwater management plan submitted by the “Connecticut believes that the only way to fund and Northern New England Passenger Rail Authority. own responsibility for the success of this corridor is The stormwater plan had received preliminary to transfer ownership of the line to the state of approval about two weeks ago. Regulators Connecticut,” the letter said. (tn) concluded that existing berms, ditches and ●●●●●●● adjacent railroad tracks would prevent significant NORTHEAST STATES and transit agencies - amounts of stormwater runoff from flowing toward including SEPTA and NJ Transit - are being asked abutters, and that the groundwater at the site to pay more to maintain the heavily traveled rail generally flows toward a nearby stream and not to corridor between Washington and Boston that they an adjacent neighborhood. However, the group that share with Amtrak. The new cost-sharing plan for represents the neighborhood said Tuesday it plans the Northeast Corridor is due to take effect Oct. 1,

11 although Massachusetts has objected. That state is Meanwhile, Massachusetts balked at its bill of upset about its higher bill and the prospect that the $32.6 million. That state, which owns the 38-mile plan "may mark the beginning of a devolution of section of the corridor within its borders, said its federal responsibility down to the states." The contribution would just lower other users' costs, states, transit agencies, and Amtrak are struggling rather than actually improve the rail corridor. And to balance the costs of the 457-mile corridor that Massachusetts is skeptical that the federal carries 710,000 commuter-rail and 40,000 Amtrak government will uphold its obligation to add $125 passengers on more than 2,000 trains each day. In million in new funding for the corridor annually for addition, state-supported feeder routes, such as the the next three years, and then boost its contribution Keystone Corridor linking , Harrisburg to at least $400 million a year above current levels. and Philadelphia, are connected to the NEC and "While the policy obligates the states to these new carry thousands of additional riders. Congress in payments, it does not ensure new or sustained 2008 ordered Amtrak, which owns most of the federal funding participation in support of state NEC, and the other corridor users to devise a capital and operating expenditures," wrote David formula for sharing costs that historically have been Mohler, a state transportation official who divvied up in more than 50 separate contracts. represents Massachusetts on the commission. "There hasn't been any uniformity to how those "Massachusetts is concerned that the adoption of costs are shared. Some are overpaying and some the interim policy may mark the beginning of are underpaying," said Toby Fauver, a devolution of federal responsibility down to the Pennsylvania deputy secretary of transportation states." Massachusetts' fears might be well- who co-chaired the committee that created the new founded: The U.S. House approved a proposed cost-sharing plan. The committee is part of the budget for Amtrak this month to cut Amtrak's Northeast Corridor Infrastructure and Operations funding by 17 percent, or $242 million. The Advisory Commission. The commission is corridor's infrastructure improvement needs are composed of one member from each of the NEC expected to cost about $18 billion over the next five states (Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, years, and only about $7.5 billion is funded under New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, current plans, according to the commission. "These and Maryland) and the District of Columbia, four needs cannot be met without substantial action and members from Amtrak, and five members from the investment by the federal government," the U.S. Department of Transportation. In December, commission wrote in its cost-sharing plan. Despite the commission voted, 17-1, to approve a new cost- the first-ever cost-sharing plan by the states and sharing policy, designed to spread the burden for transit agencies, "it has been the longstanding spending $425 million a year for the next three position of NEC stakeholders that the federal years for maintenance and upgrades on the government has primary responsibility for corridor. Then the cost would rise to $530 million a eliminating the backlog of deferred maintenance to year. The NEC Commission has no way to compel restore the infrastructure to a state of good repair," the states to pay more; disputes could be taken to the commission said. (PI) the federal Surface Transportation Board. However, ●●●●●●● the lopsided support for the new policy among the GOVERNOR BAKER, Secretary of Transportation commission members indicates that most are Stephanie Pollack and Interim MBTA General prepared to pay up. For SEPTA, that means its Manager Frank DePaola announced an $83.7 payments to Amtrak would increase from $38.4 million MBTA Winter Resiliency Plan for million this year to $52 million next year. "The investments this summer and over the next five increased funding contribution requested of SEPTA years in snow removal equipment, infrastructure and other transit authorities is to be used to bring upgrades and operations during harsh weather to the Northeast Corridor into a state of good repair," improve service reliability. Governor Baker also SEPTA chief financial officer Rich Burnfield said. stressed the need for legislative action on An Act "However, given the significant backlog of state-of- for a Reliable, Sustainable MBTA to secure long good-repair needs, the federal government should term improvements at the T. (BG) also contribute to this effort." For NJ Transit, the ●●●●●●● cost would be more than $100 million a year.

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EFFECTIVE JULY 6TH, the so-called 'honor box' summer and see you at the Club and at payment system will no longer exist at MBTA the various summer activities we have parking lots. The MBTA is eliminating the much- scheduled—see “Form 19 Orders”. maligned process of folding individual dollar bills ………………..David N. Clinton and stuffing them into tiny slots. The easier, more convenient payment method is PayByPhone which allows customers to pay parking fees by using any phone or any internet connected device. MEMBER NEWS PayByPhone is already used by more than 75% of MBTA customers parking in 'honor box' lots throughout the transit system. (BG) Congratulations to Matt Sisk on his appointment as ●●●●●●● deputy commissioner for operations of the State I ENJOYED THESE ARTICLES in this month’s RR department of Conservation and Recreation. Along magazines and can suggest them to you: with Commissioner Carol Sanchez, Matt will work TRAINS to advance Massachusetts’ 449,000 acres of Santa Fe Encore forests, parks, historic seashores and bodies of Fueled by Bad Intentions water for which the DCR plays an integral role. Loosening Friction’s Grip MODEL RAILROADER Bill Garvey is recovering from open-heart surgery 7 Ways to Add Operating Interest at the West Roxbury VA Hospital. Continued “Scratchbashing” an Arch Through-truss Bridge thoughts and prayers to Bill on a speedy recovery Use DecoderPro to Simplify Programming and return to us! Caboose Motels RAILROAD MODEL CRAFTSMAN Birthday Celebrations Edaville Water Tank Recycling Decoders The following members have made it through

News sources: Boston Globe, Boston Herald, another year and deserve congratulations: Amtrak “News”, Trains Newswire, Railway Age, Railpace Newsmagazine, Patriot Ledger, Wall JULY Street Journal, Providence Journal, Portland Press th Herald, Philadelphia Inquirer. John Childs ...... July 11 th Fred Lockhart ...... July 11 th Al Taylor ...... July 16 th Roy Colella ...... July 18 EDITOR’S NOTES 1. Next month’s issue AUGUST

nd 1. With a new FY, comes new Committee John Roberts ...... August 2 Jim Ferris ...... August 14th asignments. A new sign-up list will be Kurt Kramke ...... August 16th posted on the Bulletin Board after July Jim South ...... August 18th 1st, so please sign up for as many Al McCarty ...... August 20th committees as you are interested in Bill Roach ...... August 26th serving. It’s your volunteer help that

keeps this Club healthy and

progressive! Please support the folks,

who have agreed to run the committees.

2. Traditionally, the staff takes the month

of July off, so the next issue of the

Semaphore will by published on August

24th. We hope that you have a wonderful

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South Shore Model Railway Club Operations Committee Survey 2015

As we plan the next expansion of our layout with the Layout Design Committee, I thought it might be a good time to poll the membership on Operations. I’d like to know what the members want to see happen in the future, what they like now, and what they don’t like at all. We’re building this layout for all of us and it will only get better with input from as many members as possible. So please fill out his survey, tear off this sheet and either leave it in my mailbox, scan & e-mail it in, or hand it to me. Anonymously or not, it won’t matter as all entires will be seriously considered. Thanks! - (Blank Forms Available at Club)

Please mark all that apply (multiple selections are OK; 11). Do you want: leaving it blank means you have no opinion about it):  =More Passenger  =Less Passenger  =More Freight  =Less Freight 1). Would you like to be a Dispatcher?   =More Commuter  =Less Commuter  =Yes  =No  =More Local Freight  =Less Local Freight  =More Industrial  =Less Industrial 2). If you don’t participate in Official Operations, why not?  =To leave the number of trains the way it is.  =Takes Too Long  =Too Late at Night  =Too Serious  =Not Serious Enough 12). Please mark if you need a voice radio and/or headset:  =Too Difficult  =Too Much Stress  =Radio  =Headset  =Too Much Walking  =Not Trained  =Other:______13). Do you have any interest in running the Narrow Gauge? ______ =Yes  =No

3). Would you want to have more sit-down jobs? 14). Do you have any interest in running the Trolley Line?  =Yes  =No  =Yes  =No

4). Would a weekend Operation Session be of interest? 15). Are there any new industries you’d like to see modeled?  =Yes  =No  =Coal Power Plant  =Auto Unloading  =Grain Silos  =Livestock 4a). If “Yes”, which day & time?______ =Propane  =Oil Tank Farm  =Other:______5). How long do you want an Operation to last?  =1 Hour  =2 Hours 16). What kind of Operation Session do you prefer?  =3 Hours  =Other:______ =w/Dispatchers, Train Orders, Fast Clock, etc  =Show-type; Running in Loops w/Dispatcher 6). Are there too many trains, or too few, or just right?  =“Trains & Turkey”; Running in Loops w/o Disp.  =Too many  =Too few  =Just Right  =Running Freely with a Few Other Members  =All By Yourself 7). What kind of mainline trains do you like to run?  =None: You Don’t Run Trains  =Freight  =Commuter  =Passenger  =Local Freight  =All 17). What can we do to make Operations more fun for you? ______8). What kind of switching do you like to do? ______ =Industrial  =Freight Yards ______ =Mainline  =Passenger Yards  =None ______9). Would you like to be a Yardmaster? ______ =Yes  =No ______10). Do you want to see more mainline industry sidings?  =Yes  =No Member’s Name (optional):______

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 Therefore he needed to change a number on a P2K

MEC GP7 so as not to replicate another one he By Paul Cutler III already has from a different manufacturer. Dave th On Monday, June 8 in the club’s Model supplied some “E.L.O.” Shop, we held our Second (ever) Decal Clinic. (Easy Lift Off) by Testors, Many moons ago, we did a Decal Clinic using and Chris applied it to the undecorated Kadee Boxcars. This time, it was Chris with another MEC GP7 factory numbers with a “anything goes” as each member brought their own Micro-Brush. After some rubbing (and a little paint projects and decals to the clinic while the organizers removal, too), the number was erased from the brought the tools and the know-how. model. The new number decals were applied, and The lead clinic organizer, John Sheridan, with fresh overcoat, the model should look factory was halfway to the club when he was called back to fresh once again. his real job to fix a massive network crash, so clinic Barry Doland brought a couple factory co-organizer Dave Clinton stepped up to the plate painted corn syrup tank cars for adding additional with his able assistant (and decals. These decals would clinic participant), yours assign these cars to “Moxie” truly. This did mean that service (of course they Dave had to run back to would). Barry is nothing if his house for more not persistant when it comes supplies (mostly stripping to his poison of choice (), so fluids); good thing he lives he added “Return to Moxie”, in town!  letter by letter to each side of Jack Foley decaled an Accurail black “data just one car. That’s still a lot only” open 2-bay hopper for the Alaska RR. He of decaling, and he still has said, “There’s no way I’m doing all those tiny little the other car to go. Barry adding Moxie numbers!” All Jack had to do was add the “Alaska With the only passenger equipment at the Railroad” to the sides, then add a car number. At clinic, Steve Wintermeier stripped the lettering off first he thought he had to physically pick up the his ancient Athearn Blue Box RDC-3 (it still has the decal from the paper rubberband drive). His goal is to turn it into an and lay it on the Alaska RR version (another ARR fan?), where they model. After a couple filled in the RPO door and painted a blue stripe early attempts that across the letter board. Steve used the E.L.O. and went poorly, he was the Micro-Brush shown how to slide to strip the old the decal off the Jack hard at work lettering off. backing paper with ease. Then with multiple coats And since he of watered-down Solvaset and a little bit of pin still has to paint pricking Jack eliminated some silvering under his the blue stripe, decals (he also learned the importance of glossing his decal clinic the model before decaling). By the end of the night, experience Paul P. and Steve Jack had completed the model and it was ready for never actually included any decals. overspray. Yay! Paul Pando signed up and merely watched With his multiple MEC GP7’s, Chris the clinic. He didn’t do any modeling, but he Barlow almost has as many as the real MEC did.

15 picked up a bunch of tips to try at home (and that’s good, too!). Then there was my own project. I brought three 10,000 gal. tank cars that I had recently painted all- black to be made into New Haven tank cars. These were old Walthers kits, like our old QuinOil cars, but sold by a third party supplier sans trucks & couplers. Weird. Anyways, I put them together, shot them black, then shot them glossy. I thought I might get 2 or even 3 done, but with division of labor with the clinic management, I was only able to complete one tank. It’s ready for a flat finish, and then I can do the others. I did have a little silvering even with the gloss coat underneath, but a couple pin pricks Fixing that %$#@ broken decal! and more MicroSol saved the day. The only problem I really had was that the “NEW Always decal with photos at hand HAVEN” decal would split between the “NEW” and the “HAVEN”. This led to some tense moments while I slid them back together, but now you can’t even tell they ever broke.

Overall, we had a very fun and succesful decal clinic. We’ll have to do this again, but probably wait until the Fall when the humidity is lower.

DINING FOR A CAUSE

On Monday, August 3rd. between 5 p.m.- 10 p.m. you are invited to support the SSMRC by having supper at the “99 Restaurant” on Rte 3A in Hingham, across from the Stop & Shop. We are participating in their “Dining for a Cause”, which is offered to non-profit groups. What they do is return 15% of the meal check, excluding tax and tip, to the organization.

Here is an opportunity to take your “better half” out to dinner on a Club night ! (We’ve rescheduled the Business Meeting for the following Monday.) And a portion of your meal charges will come back to the Club to our general fund. The only requirement is that you present your server with a “voucher”, when you are seated, so that they know you are one of the participants in the program. A flyer with vouchers will be mailed to all members next month. You can give the vouchers to family and friends and neighbors, who can all help our cause by dining at the Hingham 99 on Monday, August 3rd. It’s a great place and the food is delicious!

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WSJ 5-27-15

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Wall Street Journal 5-20-15

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