The SETOFF The Official Publication of NARCOA North American Railcar Operators Association March/April 2010 Volume 24 No. 2b .Nominations are Open The Economic Impact of NARCOA Cleveland Motor Cycle Company The NNAARRCCOOAA OOffffiicciiaallss SETOFF President: Warren Froese Nominations, Elections Volume 24 - No 2b Vice-President: Mark Springer Carl Anderson Secretary: Mark Hudson 1330 Rosedale Lane Treasurer: Tom Norman Hoffman Estates, IL 60195 The SETOFF is the official publication of [email protected] the North American Railcar Operators Associ - Area 1 Director ation (NARCOA) and is published bimonthly (ME, NH, VT, NY, MA, CT, RI) NARCOA Insurance Administrator to promote safe legal operation of railroad mo - Warren Riccitelli (401) 232-0992 Tom Norman (406) 722-3012 torcars, and to encourage fellowship and ex - [email protected] 1047 Terrace View Drive change of information among motorcar Alberton, MT 59820 enthusiasts. Membership in NARCOA, which Area 2 Director [email protected] includes a subscription to The SETOFF, is $30 (NJ, PA, DE, MD) per year, and is available from Secretary Mark John Gondor (724) 244-7538 Rule Book CertificationTest Hudson. Please send your check made out to [email protected] Al McCracken 2916 Taper Avenue NARCOA to: Area 3 Director Santa Clara, CA 95051 Mark Hudson, Membership (IN, Lower MI, OH) [email protected] (Mark will have a PO Box soon, Dave Verzi (216) 941-5273 watch the website). [email protected] The SETOFF Editor Brian Davis (330) 554-4480 [email protected] Area 4 Director [email protected] Brian Davis, SETOFF Editor (WV, VA, KY, NC, SC, TN) 5626 Chadwell Circle Tom Falicon (828) 488-8063 NARCOA Webmaster Ravenna, Ohio 44266 [email protected] Keith Mackey (352) 347-0770 [email protected] [email protected] Area 5 Director Leon Sapp, Assistant Editor (MS, AL, GA, FL) NARCOA Forum Moderator Jan Taylor, Assistant Editor Bobby Moreman (770) 457-6212 Rich Stivers (408) 264-1048 [email protected] Jamie Haislip, Contributor [email protected] The SETOFF is printed by Area 6 Director Committee Chairs Greg Kightlinger, GEK Printing (MN, WI, IL, Upper MI) Judiciary Chair Bob Knight (815) 786-3096 Jim Spicer (541) 344-3079 All subscriptions and address changes [email protected] 91375 Coburg Rd must go to the Secretary. All materials for pub - Eugene OR 97408 lication must go to the Editor. Area 7 Director [email protected] Materials received by the 15th of even (ND, SD, NE, IA) numbered months will appear on the 1st of the Carl Schneider (515) 967-5181 Safety Chair Bob Knight (815) 786-3096 next odd numbered month subject to editing [email protected] [email protected] and available space. Please include your e-mail Area 8 Director address and phone number. Electronic submis - (Canada, World outside U.S.) Rules Chair sions are preferred. Text files must have either Warren Froese (204) 668-8311 Jim McKeel (316) 721-4378 .doc or .txt extensions. Photo files must be high [email protected] [email protected] resolution with .jpg extensions. All materials are archived and not returned. We cannot Area 9 Director Operations Chair reprint copyrighted material without written au - (AR, CO, KS, LA, MO, OK, TX) Bill Taylor (406) 721-2351 thorization or proper attribution. Mark Springer (316) 721-4804 [email protected] Letters to the Editor must be signed and 143 North Arcadia include an e-mail address or phone number for Wichita, KS 67212 Committee Chairs authentication. All such letters will be printed [email protected] Operations ............................. Bill Taylor Rules ..………….…….…...… Jim McKeel as discussed in the NARCOA policy book. Area 10 Director Judiciary ..................................... Jim Spicer For more information about NARCOA, (WA, OR, ID, MT, AK, WY) Safety ..…………….............… Bob Knight the safe legal operation of motorcars, or to find Jim Spicer (541) 344-3079 Affiliates ................................... Dave Verzi NARCOA affiliates located in Canada, the [email protected] Custom-Built Motorcars ........ Tom Falicon United States, and Mexico, please see: Communications ..……..…. Bernie Leadon www.narcoa.org Area 11 Director Data and Computer ................ Pat Coleman © Copyright 2010 - NARCOA. All rights (CA, NV, UT, AZ, NM, HI) FRA ........................................ Ron Zammit reserved. Reproduction, by any means, in Pat Coleman (925) 979-1030 Legal Forms ........................ Mark Springer whole or part, by any party, is strictly prohib - [email protected] ited. Director-at-Large (non–voting) S On The Cover: near Sayre, Margaret Hope (604) 320-7613 NARCOA Licensed Radio Call Sign [email protected] PA cars crossing the WPH T745 foggy Susquehanna River, Director-at-Large (non–voting) Channe l 1 – 151.625 MHz by Gary Shrey Bernie Leadon (615) 478-3660 Channel 2 – 151.505 MHz [email protected] Channel 3 – 158.400 MHz Page 2 The SETOFF Mar / Apr 2010 democratic organization that can only have PPrreessiiddeenntt’’ss MMeessssaaggee contested elections if people step up to the plate. Is this a way that you could con - Warren Froese tribute to our hobby? If you are interested in these positions please contact Carl An - Where will you chose to join a NAR - hobby. In the final analysis this move to derson [email protected] for information. If COA excursion this year? What are the “electronic” will significantly reduce the you have questions about what is involved factors that help you and your family de - workload (all of it volunteer) presently re - I would be happy to discuss this with you. cide where and when to ride the rails? This quired to maintain the database and keep Finally, I would like to remind you that is the time of year when these questions information flowing. It will result in easy your NARCOA Annual meeting will be come up around the tables of hundreds of and helpful database access for those who held in Chicago October 1 and 2, 2010. NARCOA families as we consider the year need it (our Insurance Administrator, our You are invited! to come. It is an exciting time as we dream ECs, Board Members, etc.) and make your of the possibilities, sketch out the options membership renewal a simple brief As you venture to your first run please and then work together with reality (often process. In the case of the Setoff, elec - remember that your ac - the needs and wishes of our spouses or tronic publication reduces the costs asso - tions, communications, other close family members) and make real ciated with publishing paper copies which and reactions all matter. plans. Many runs are scheduled across the helps us keep membership fees low. I hope Be safe, think safe, and continent. I hope you and your family will this information is helpful. Should you react safely. find just the right ones for you. have any questions please feel free to con - Frroomm TThhee As we move into this exciting new year tact me. As a Board we will be working of operations, there are several important with these options into the spring. Editor items I wish to have you consider: At last year’s meeting we committed to Editor I want to take a moment to publicly work to create the necessary tools to rep - Brian Davis thank, Joel Williams, our Membership resent our hobby in a professional and ac - Secretary for his long and faithful service curate manner. This involves two aspects: Being from Ohio has some advantages, to our NARCOA community. Joel has an - First, we are working to produce informa - and some disadvantages. One of the nounced his intention to step down as Sec - tional material in the form of video and/or biggest disadvantage is the long winter, es - retary and we are in the process of finding PowerPoint for presentation to community pecially if you are not keen on winter the person(s) needed for this significant groups and railways. If you are aware of sports. But I know that spring is just task. Joel has served our organization existing materials or have specific skills in around the corner because the number of since its inception and he has served in these areas please contact Bernie Leadon excursions on the websites increases al - countless ways. He has faithfully per - (Director at Large.) Second, we would like most every day! And one of the biggest ad - formed a multitude of monthly tasks that to assemble a team of people with signifi - vantages of the area where I live is the we only notice when one slips through his cant and successful experience in working large number of excursions which are less fingers – a relative rarity. As I have dis - with host railroads as a “ready” team to than a five hour drive away! It is hard to cussed the many facets of this role with meet with railroads. Their role would be to choose, and Jane and I cannot wait to get Joel I am amazed that one person has cho - communicate the benefits of NARCOA ex - back on the rails again! sen over a long period of time to serve our cursions to decision-makers at potential The Jan /Feb 2010 Issue was quite late, hobby in this way. We owe Joel our most railroads. If you feel you have experience and I was not happy that it took me so long sincere thanks. If you have a chance to do and skills to offer in this area please con - to get that issue put together. Getting this this personally I encourage you to do so. tact me. issue, and future issues, to you on time is a My hope is that Joel will now fully enjoy The Board would like to invite all mem - high priority for me, and for everyone on being a participant in the hobby he has so bers in the “odd” numbered areas – 1, 3, the communication team.