NEWSLETTER Public Website: www.rcgrs.com
Rose City Garden Railway Society October 2018
By Bill Derville
Registration for the 2019 National Convention in Portland covering 223 attendees. We are at 27.8% of our stated opened at noon on August 30th. Because of the limited goal of 800 people. We have collected $50,895 in number of cab rides, we expected many people to register registration and event fees. We have sold 20 of the 23 early. Usually registration for a convention is sluggish until cab rides for sale. Both the Monday and Tuesday spring, but there was a lot of activity in the first 30 days. Willamette Shore trolley rides and dinner at the Old This was due to a full page advertisement that appeared in Spaghetti Factory sold out in the first 48 hours. The four the Atlanta convention program, the promotion at our Tuesday ops sessions open to 32 people are also full. We convention vendor booth, the full page ad in the June have sold at least 29 bus seats on each of the five layout issue of Garden Railway Magazine, and the subsequent tours with 47 seats sold on the Wednesday buses that 1/6 page ads that have been in all Garden Railway include a tour of the Columbia River Gorge, Gary Lee’s Magazines since. Don Erikstrup put together a great layout and Vancouver layouts. website using Wild Apricot for the convention. Michael Guest speaker, Doyle McCormick has proved a great draw Barnes has published a newsletter about the convention. for our banquet. We have already sold over 100 meals to Over 300 people have now subscribed to this newsletter. the banquet. There is a capacity of 450 people, and I now The video Ev Helms and Don Erikstrup put together about expect that will sell out. That alone will cover the hotel our ops sessions with Tom Gaps and the convention video food purchase requirement of $18,000. We had budgeted have been shown many times and are currently on our $4,860 in unused food purchases that I now believe will website. A lot of work has gone into promoting this easily cover with banquet sales, the ice cream social (138 convention and it has paid off. scoops of ice cream already sold) and sales at the As of September 23rd, we have had 111 registrations concession stand in the vendor hall.
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Inside this issue:
October President’s Message 1
Upcoming Events 2
New Club Members 5
September Open Houses 6
It’s Just Railroad Talk 8
I’ve Been Working on the Railroad... 11
Non-Club Events 14
Club Calendar 15
Club Business 16
Hosts: Jim and Linda Loudon debut the Featured Garden Railroad: Alaska and NW 17 Serrano Creek Line at their 1st Open House Railroad on September 8, 2018 - Photo by Alison Coots
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The BBQ and train ride has sold 179 tickets of the 660 via e-mail monthly. available to sell which is limited by the 220 people each of So far only 8 people have signed up for the convention the three trains can carry. It should sell out, too. from our club. You won’t want to miss participating in the We have sold 38 of the 100 convention cars we planned to biggest club sponsored event, so don’t wait too long to buy and build loads for. We decided on T-Shirts and hats submit your registration. to be sold in the convention store which Alan Olson is I could not be more pleased with our start to this convention heading up. that our club is sponsoring. The Steering Committee will be Jerry Chapman has sold 45% of our available booth space concentrating on Clinics at our October meeting. We have in our vendor hall. At our Steering Committee meeting this not started putting together the convention program, week, we prioritized the vendors we want to solicit, so all planning the model contest, or putting our list of needed the main vendors will have a spot if they want it. Booths volunteers together for our many events. So there is a lot are being sold for $350 per booth with $325 for additional ahead of us to do. Building 1,200 loads for the 100 booths. convention cars we expect to sell will be a huge club job by itself. We will start working on the loads soon, and We expect to have over 30 layouts on tour for the 5 days of probably also some at the Fall Social on November 10th. layout tours. So please continue to work on getting your Thanks to Ev Helms and Alan Olson for designing a great layouts ready for what I think will be one of the best layout car with reversible loads so the car can be converted from tours at any national convention. a convention car into a regular Union Pacific center beam Train Mountain is now on board for Sept 2nd, Labor Day as car. part of our post-convention tour. More on that in future My congratulations to the club on our great start to this columns. Sign up for the newsletter on the convention convention, and my thanks to everyone in advance for your website https://ngrc2019.org to receive detailed information work to make this one of the best national conventions and pictures of our events. We are hoping to send this out ever!
When: October 7, 2018 1pm to 5pm Where: Baker & Grand Ronde RR (Gary Lee) Corbett, OR
EVENT DETAILS: utilizing Baker and Grande Ronde equipment. This will be Weather permitting I plan to host an OP session Sunday, a no host event". That is, we will provide water and sodas Oct 7, 1:00-till 5pm. All are welcome to attend. Up to six 2 and light snacks but please plan to provide your own man crews will be dispatched throughout the B&GR . We meals. will conduct operations using track warrants and way bills Please register to participate
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When: October 13 & 14, 2018 10am to 6pm Frank & Alexis are new members to the club. The open house is open to friends, family and Where: Pine Valley & Western RR club members. Refer to the New Member Frank & Alexis Barberis announcement on page 5 for more information. Email:
When: October 2, 2018 12pm to 5pm Where: Staver Locomotive 2537 NW 29th Ave Portland, OR 97210
EVENT DETAILS: with Westbound trains superior to Eastbound trains. Attendees are encouraged to bring their own locomotives Further Rules and Regulations to be determined in the and rolling stock for this event. fullness of time. Notes: There is No Track Power - You may park in the Slow trains like Shays, Climaxs and the like are rear. - Carts are available, please unload promptly and encouraged to use the Secondary Mains marked in return cart to west door for others to use. - Restrooms on Yellow to avoid faster traffic. East end of building - Bring your own food and drink - The A small supply of Time Tables and schematic maps are in building is not climate controlled, wear appropriate clothing the wood room for those who did not print one out for for being outdoors. themselves. Dispatching on Single Track sections between High Rocks J.M. Zweerts Chief DispatcherBest regards, and West Albina, all other tracks subject to "Smoke Orders" Rose City Garden Railway Society
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November 10 10am to 5pm Canby Adult Center 1250 S. Ivy St. Canby, OR 97013
There are six clinics held throughout the day. Three in the Meals 1 and 2 include: side salad with choice of ranch or morning and three in afternoon. TBA. If interested, contact Italian dressing, the sides are: twice baked potatoes, green Rusty Baumberger. beans, and corn bread with honey butter. There will be a buy sell table and raffle. For dessert we will have Strawberry shortcake with whipped cream. The biscuits are made from scratch. Each person will receive one free ticket with each meal purchase. Additional tickets may be purchased at one 5) If, because of Health Issues, you cannot eat any of the dollar each. above meals, The Canby Adult Center will allow you to bring your special food as a sack lunch. Because this is a Meals are $30.00 per person. Heck of a deal for main fund raiser for them, there will be a $10.00 cover charge course, side salad, two sides, and dessert besides when you provide your own food. This will allow us all to beverages and cookies all day. eat together. Please do not abuse this privilege and fee. MENU: CHOSE ONE!
1) St. Louis Bar-B-Q pork ribs. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ 2) 1/2 of Bar-B-Q chicken CUT OFF DATE: Chef Hurley must have the totals 3) Chef Salad with corn bread and desert - no sides. by Wednesday October 31st. No exceptions please, you have plenty of time. Check the “Member” Event 4) Vegetarian Risotto with corn bread and desert - no Calendar for updates. sides.
The following is the proposed schedule for this event, but is subject to change.
09:00 Door unlocked for people doing setup 10:00 Doors open for attendees 10:30 Morning clinics start, topics TBA 12:00 Morning clinics end 12:15 Lunch served 01:15 Afternoon clinics start, topics TBA 02:45 Afternoon clinics end 03:00 Raffle drawing begins 03:45 Raffle drawing 04:00 Cleanup starts 05:00 Doors locked - building closed
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NEW CLUB MEMBERS Welcome! Frank and Alexis Barberis Kenneth and Joyce La Flam
Frank & Alexis Barberis are the proprietors of the Pine It is currently track powered and can utilize a traditional Valley and Western Railroad. Variable DC throttle or Fixed DC and Astro-Craft Revolution control. Plans are to eventually move to battery The Pine Valley & Western Railroad is a "G" gauge, X- operation. Most equipment on the roster is Aristo-Craft Scale (1:29,) garden railway located in the Pacific (1:29) with some USA Trains (1:29) and a smattering of Northwest (Gresham, OR.) It represents what might have Bachman (1:20.3.) been a small short line railway in the Pine Valley area of Eastern Oregon that is an affiliate of the Atchison, Topeka We are planning another Open House this year for the and Santa Fe Railway circa 1935 to 1955. Steam is king, weekend of October 13 & 14, 2018, from 10 AM to 6:00 but diesel is beginning to make an appearance. PM. Operations will be weather dependent, but we can always hang out in the “depot” and talk trains – rain or My wife and I applied for RCGRS member ship in shine! September, 2018 after a number of RCGRS members visited an Open House of the PV&W held in July of this Please see us on Facebook: Forbin Barberis year and announced on Facebook. Track Plan, Logo, and a couple of pictures are attached. The PV&W has been under active construction since 2008. Frank “Forbin” Barberis.
Junction, Main Street USA The Depot
Track Plan
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Outdoor open house season is short in the Pacific Northwest. The Geographical span of club membership is Time: 10am - 12pm large, so large that it makes sense to have multiple open houses in one day . Jeff and Diane opened the day with a Hosts: Jeff & Diane Lange pre open house at the Lakeview and Boulder RR. Lakeview and Boulder RR -Continued below- Vancouver, WA
A panoramic view of the garage. Jeff has been an RCGRS member since the mid Host Jeff Lange racing cars on his all-scale table layout 1990’s and has a large collection of “everything trains” Photo contributed by AB Coots Photo contributed by Gary Jantzen
Photo contributed by Gary Jantzen Photo contributed by Gary Jantzen
Lunch is served! Menu: BBQ Hamburgers and Hotdogs with all the Potluck trimmings. Yum! This was the first Open House and debut of the relatively new (last bridge Time: 12pm - 4pm was completed the day before) Serrano Creek Line. Hosts: Jim & Linda Loudon Attendance equaled to around 50 club members and Serrano Creek Line guests. Engineer Jim, was ecstatic to see up to 4 trains Vancouver, WA running at one time and only one train wreck. -Continued on next page-
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Photo by Gary Jantzen William DuVal operating White Pass consist Photo by Ev Helm
Photo by Ev Helm Photo by ABCoots
Railroad Ladies taking a break after keeping things running. Thank you for organizing the Potluck and cleaning the rails. Pictured Nola, Jonette, Margaret, Diane Photo by Jim Loudon
Ev Helm and Greg Martin Running Trains! Great Train Wreck! Photo by Jim Loudon Photo by Ev Helm
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Model Railroad Hobbyist (MRH) They also have a premium subscription video channel called trainmasters.tv/ . Very well done videos. They A local and online model railroad have free sample videos. These are weekly shows on resource various aspects of model railroading. Although generally in the smaller scales, many techniques are applicable to large There is an online model train scale. And, I'm sure, they would be open to Large Scale magazine called Model Railroad shows. Hobbyist. It is an all-scale publication. They don't have a lot of G stuff, but These folks are in Woodburn, so they are local. Maybe they would like more. You can find someone can hook up with them to help promote Large out more at model-railroad- Scale, the club, and, hopefully, the convention. hobbyist.com/ I encourage everyone to subscribe to MRH. After all, it is It is a FREE subscription. They are FREE. always looking for content. For those Submitted by, who write, consider submitting your Michael Barnes article. It will likely be published in the next month or two as opposed to the next two years in GR.
Reader Response Special: A Brief History of our Columbia River, By Tom Wirch
We should add to the great article on the Columbia Gorge great interest to Garden Railway fans. Warner Swarner by Tom Wirch that the town of Cascade Locks houses a nice display of the Oregon Pony locomotive. It was the first If memory serves me right, this 0-4-0 was on display at steam locomotive in the Pacific Northwest in the Union Station for many years, before they started 1860’s. This historical little 0-4-0 locomotive should be of renovating the area. Tom Gaps
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Tips and Bits on Winterizing
Editors Note: The Club has seen an increase in members in the last few years and many are new to garden railroading. I recently sent an email out through the RCGRS “members” email asking for some bits and tips on getting the garden railroad ready for winter. LINKS Here is the one and only tip received….Do you have a tip to share?
Hardie Backer Board By Tom Gaps
After the first couple of winters on my railroad, I found that each spring it was very hard to find that exact spot where I had placed a building the previous spring. To The Great Race to Promontory address this issue, I cut some pieces of Hardie Backer https://www.up.com/goldenspike/index.html Board that exactly matched the foot print of each building. I then created a small hole, about an inch deep, that was the same size and shape as the foot Web master, Don Erikstrup, has and continues to work print of the building. I back filled the hole with play box on updating the Photo Gallery at the club website as well sand so that when I placed the piece of Hardie Backer as the NGRC Convention Website - for updates and Board on the sand, the top surface of the Hardie new additions on our member’s garden railroads. Backer Board exactly matched the level of the surrounding ground. The sand was easy to move https://www.rcgrs.com/ around and provided solid and even support for the https://ngrc2019.org/Portland-area-layouts Hardie Backer Board. The building was then placed on the Hardie Backer Board and a small amount of club Friday September 14th the Eisenbahn Romantik aired a ballast was placed around the building to smooth the 30 minute TV segment on SWR-TV in Germany showing contact point between building, Hardie Backer Board their visit to the RCGRS in the summer of 2017 (RCGRS and surrounding ground. Newsletter, August 2017 for reference) . The video for The following fall, when I put the buildings away for that segment is now available on their WEB page at the winter storage, the Hardie Backer Board remained in following link. place to maintain the location. The following spring the Two caveats - 1) Because the server is located in Hardie Backer Board clearly marked where the building was to be placed. It has prevented plants from growing Germany, "sometimes" the video will stall due to in the spot and clearly marked how far the surrounding network issues; and 2) If you don't understand German, plants needed to be trimmed back to allow the building you will have to be satisfied with just watching the video. to be placed in the same exact location. https://www.swr.de/eisenbahn-romantik/ebr-folge- Being made of almost 90% cement, the Hardie Backer 935-gartenbahnen-portland/-/id=98578/did=22051992/ Board is resistant to winter rains. With an even layer of nid=98578/ugxct0/index.html sand under it, it become quite solid allowing you to walk on it. However, if you don't get the sand all the way out to the edges, the edges will break off if you sand on it If you are interested in the progress the Willamette due to lack of support from the sand. I've some of Shore Trolley is making toward becoming a fully battery these boards in place for five consecutive winters and powered trolley, you might find the this article of interest. while they show some age and in a few cases have https://pamplinmedia.com/lor/48-news/406395- developed cracks (what was once one piece is now two 303732-back-to-the-future pieces), since they have not moved, they remain quite solid and continue to do their job of maintaining the exact same location for each building. Continued on next page
Fall Cornfield Meet
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Winterizing - Continued Three of the buildings have sound, which requires power Backer Board. I connected the two ends of the wire to a for the electronics. I chose to run a low voltage line to each terminal block so they could not short together. I coiled up building, drilling a hole in the Hardie Backer Board to allow the wire and terminal block and covered them with a small, the wire to come up from under the Hardie Backer upside down plastic (butter) tub and placed a rock on it to Board. During the summer, this wire and the associated hold it in place. This protects the ends of the wire during module with the sound card and speaker are covered by the winter and keeps the nosy squirrels from chewing on the building. In the winter the building and the structure the wire. holding the sound card and speaker are stored away leaving just the wire coming up out of the hole in the Hardie
Tips on Drilling Holes in Steel
By Tom Wirch
Editors Note: This bit appeared on the club web email speed motor isn't much good if you use the high speed as a comprehensive and informative answer to another all the time (see #4). There isn't really a wrong motor to club members pleas for help! use. A quality motor that will not stall (stop turning) is a good investment. An 8- to 10-amp corded drill with As a former garage door installer/repairman, with about 25 a 3/8" (or larger) keyless chuck should be the only drill years experience, I have probably drilled 500,000 holes in you'll need for 98% of your drilling needs. As far as steel of varying thickness and strength. cordless drills, you cannot beat Ryobi Products. Six Are you drilling Stainless Steel? DON"T! It is a very years ago. (Spoiler Alert: COMMERCIAL) Sharon gave frustrating task that should best be left to professionals. a Ryobi tool kit that had a compact drill, impact driver, You need very hard drill bits, and a lot of patience! circular saw, recip saw, and flashlight, 2 18v batteries, a charger and a carrying bag. A lot of people pooh- My RULES for drilling in steel: pooh Ryobi products. Using this kit of power tools, I 1. EYE PROTECTION: Eyeglasses ARE NOT safety built 2 cedar decks with them: one in the front, as a glasses. Use the kind that have side shields on the porch 5' X 8', and one in the back as a deck off our temples. bedroom, 16' X 20'. In the 6 years that I have had the set, I have never had any problems with them. The 2. PILOT HOLE: for a ¼" hole, use a ⅛" pilot drill. For circular saw easily cuts through 2" lumber, and the larger holes, use a correspondingly larger bit. recip saw (Saws-all) can handle 3/16 steel, with the 3. COOLING/LUBRICATION: Cutting Oil is best, right blade. I swear by Ryobi tools! The kit is $229 at WD-40 is an acceptable substitute, just use a little Home Depot, stock # 1000-318-661. About 20 to 30% more if it (it evaporates when heated). less at Christmas time. 4. USE THE HARDEST DRILL BIT AVAILABLE: TiN, 6. CONSTANT, MEDIUM PRESSURE ON THE DRILL: Titanium Nitride, is a very hard ceramic compound that, Pushing down hard won't cut any faster, but it will dull when applied to a drill bit in a thin layer, increases the your bit much faster. If the bit starts smoking, you are lifetime and cutting power of a bit. It is the hardest drill pushing too hard. Let the drill and bit do the work. bit available at an affordable price. IT WILL BURN 7. EYE PROTECTION, EYE PROTECTION,EYE OFF if used at a high speed, for a long period of time. PROTECTION. I just can't say it enough! HSS (high-speed steel) with a black oxide coating is the next hardest bit, but it, too is susceptible to burning Of course, if you are building a Large Scale steel bridge of in high-speed overuse. Drill bits made for wood are any size, I would recommend a portable hole punch, useless in metal. $59.99 on eBay. Saves a lot of sweat and cursing. Or look for Roper-Whitney punches on eBay. For making a lot of 5. USE THE CORRECT DRILL MOTOR (drill): A high- holes fast, you can't beat'em.
Bridge Inspector
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New Rotic Changes at the Bearspaw Southern
With a complete operating session accomplished this The indoor yardmaster will have a very busy and satisfying season we saw a couple of important areas to make job starting, switching and turning trains. Several engine improvements for future events on the Bearspaw Southern. service and caboose tracks add function to the yard. In First major project was to increase the classification yard addition three staging tracks will allow operating sessions space at New Rotic. This is the town just before trains exit to begin promptly as well as permit room for quick roundup the basement via Carpel Tunnel to head outdoors for at close of tours. One more feature is the placement of Glacier. By rearranging the yard throat switches I was able three closed circuit TV cameras to give the New Rotic to add three full classification tracks, doubling the capacity Yardmaster a clear view of trains entering and exiting of this freight yard. All the switches are now wired with outdoors at Wye Knot. Here are a couple of photos of the slow motion turnout motors through a new control panel. new yard tracks and control panel. Warner Swarner
What's happening at Batson and Bellfry Part 1 - First part of September
The one major operating constriction for trains this summer boulder blocking clearance for the new passing siding. on the Bearspaw Southern was on the “southbound” Dynamite was out of the question. I started digging and mainline after leaving Equestrian. There was a distinct with the use of high school physics and the Greek need for a new passing siding south of Batson at Bellfry. I philosopher Archimedes, I was able to position a fulcrum located positions for the switches to begin construction of a and lever. The boulder slowly moved as I shoved rock 19’ passing siding as well as an industrial spur to add under it to capitalize on the advances. interesting and easy to access switching in the shade of the I haven’t constructed the new spline roadbed yet but have high grape arbors. the basic concrete block footings in place. If weather holds The switches fitted smoothly into the existing spline rail out this October I will glue the spline roadbed curves in line. The only major problem was a very big 350 pound place and put in the track. By spring we will have the 6th
Continued on next page
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B & B pt.1 - Continued double ended passing siding up and running. Hopefully we can host an early operating session to get our busy 2019 season under way. The first switch is just after crossing the new Batson Bridge over the upper pond.
Batson and Bellfry Part 2 - Mid September The good weather has held out. I was able to finish the spline supports for the Bellfry passing siding and get it stained. I added a stub industry siding at the west end which can serve as an industry or helper engine pocket. I haven’t put in the final industry track that goes back toward the fence yet, but I had to leave something for October. -Warner -
You can never own too many clamps
Batson and Bellfry Part 3 - End of the Month
I Lied! Not on purpose, but I couldn’t help myself. I’m addicted. I kept working on my Bellfry siding in the wonderful weather we are having. I have started putting the stonework in place. -Warner-
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Construction Alert! Roadbed Replacement on the Coeur d’Alene Branch of the Northern Pacific
It seems that the owners of the Coeur d"Alene branch of job closed down the branch line up Canyon Creek to Burke, the Northern Pacific were dissatisfied with the roadbed they so the crews were forced to work weekends to get the job assumed when they took over from the old Colorado done. They already had to replace part of the line that Southern and demanded the roadbed be replaced between followed the creek up the canyon, so that part is now the Wallace Idaho and Gem near the lake, much to the operational. But the hard work is paying off, and the crew dismay of the work crews which was faced with the huge expects the line to be back in operation before October! job of demolition and removal of "tons" on concrete. The -Bill Derville-
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Upcoming Events (non-club)…
45th Great Train Swap Meet October 6, Battle Ground High Contact: Larry Sprenkel Southwest Washington Model 2018, 9:30am School, 330 Main St. 360-0619-8899 Railroaders, Vancouver, WA to 2:30pm Battle Ground, WA [email protected] 98604
Mt Rainier RR - Rail to Ales - October 6 54124 Mountain Hwy E. mtrainierrailroad.com/ Oktoberfest Express Elbe, WA 360-492-6000
Mt Hood RR & The Hood River October 12-14, Hood River, OR Train Schedule & Tickets Harvest Festival 2018 www.mthoodrr.com/ Get your gang on board for some classic Harvest Festival comedy antics with the sheriff and some hoodriver.org/harvest-fest/ pesky robbers! Sumpter Valley RR - Fall Colors- October 12, McEwwn Depot-Baker www.sumptervalleyrailroad.org/ Enjoy a steam-powered trip through beautiful 2018 City, OR index.html Autumn foliage without making it an all-day event. Or Sumpter Station- Sumpter. OR The Great Race to Promontory May 10, 2019 Promontory Summit, www.up.com/aboutup/community/ the 150th anniversary of the Utah great-race/index.htm transcontinental railroad’s completion. 2019 National Garden Railway August 27-31, Greater Portland Area ngrc2019.org/ Convention 2019
2019 National Garden Railway Convention The Rose City Garden Railway Society (RCGRS) is proud to welcome you to Portland, Oregon, for the 35th annual National Garden Railway Convention to be held from August 27th through August 31st, 2019.
Convention Video: https://youtu.be/jElhk3bjXUY
39th National Narrow Gauge September 4-7, Sacramento, CA www.nngc2019.org/ Convention 2019
2020 National Garden Railway May 31 - June Nashville, TN www.facebook.com/ngrc2020? Convention 6, 2020 __tn__=*s-R
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Club Calendar of Events...
Interested in attending the following club events? Event registration is strongly recommended unless otherwise specified. Registration instructions are described in the “Club Business” section. Event When Where Comments/ Additional Info
BnB Breakfast***East October 2 Elmer’s Restaurant 9:30am-11am 1001 NE Sandy Blvd Portland, OR Just Run Trains OP Session October 2 Staver Locomotive See Page 3 12pm to 5pm 2537 NW 29th Ave Portland, OR Battery Conversion Installation October 6 Mike Fisher’s Workshop Registration is Closed Workshop for Beginners - 10am to 4pm Tigard, OR Revolution System Questions: Contact Mike October 13 10am to 4pm
Op Session October 7 Gary Lee: See Page 2 1pm to 5pm Baker & Grand Ronde RR Corbett, OR 97019 Open House October 13 & 14 Frank & Alexis Barberis See page 3 10am to 6pm Gresham, OR
BnB Breakfast***West October 18 Elmer’s Restaurant 9:30am-10:30am 1250 NW Waterhouse Ave Beaverton, OR Battery Conversion Installation October 20 Mike Fisher’s Workshop Registration is Closed Workshop for Beginners - 10am to 4pm Tigard, OR Revolution System Questions: Contact Mike October 27 10am to 4pm
Set up Christmas Display at Al’s October 27 Al’s Garden Center Work Party to setup Garden Center 9am to 3pm 16920 SW Roy Rodgers Rd Christmas display Sherwood, OR Movie Night - Halloween Edition November 3 Fanno Creek Brew Pub 6pm to 9pm 12562 Main St Tigard, OR BnB Breakfast***East November 6 Elmer’s Restaurant 9:30am-11am 1001 NE Sandy Blvd Portland, OR Just Run Trains OP Session November 6 Staver Locomotive See Page 3 12pm to 5pm 2537 NW 29th Ave Portland, OR Fall Social November 10 Canby Adult Center See Page 4 10am to 5pm 1250 S Ivy St, Canby, OR 97013
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Club Business
From the Yardmaster Did you know that the RCGRS has a dual rail bender and How To Register for Club Events Jig stone molding set for use by the club members? All you have to do is request the item from the Yardmaster and then Interested in attending an “Open Houses”, BnB, Movie make arrangements to pick the item up. Or it can be shipped Nights and other club events ? It is important for each to you with you paying the freight both out and back. For of us to use the club websites “Members” section to register more information contact: Jay Burke, Yardmaster for the event we are planning to attend to help the person hosting an event and to know how much food etc. to pre- pare. Please register for events you are planning to attend. How to Order Club Merchandise Go to the society Website: www.rcgrs.com Club Merchandise includes a selection of apparel for Men Locate an click on “Member Pages” (under logo and Women in addition to a variety of hats and visors. For at top of the page) more information, contact Alan Olson [email protected] Locate and click on Members only access: Page Access You will need to log--in with your email and password to continue Locate and click on “Events” in the blue highlighted It is our Society’s policy to attempt to have an event or open menu house on every second Saturday or Sunday of the month. Scroll through and select the event(s) that you are inter- Other and additional dates during a month are also availa- ested in attending ble and encouraged. Anyone interested in having an Open h s a “Reg will you to House or sponsoring an event, please contact: Tom the to register. By registering here, the host can Gaps, Event Coordinator/Calendar see how many are coming as well as who is coming. In addition, you will receive a reminder of the event. Manager [email protected]
RCGRS Officers and Staff
President Bill D Summer Tour Chair Bill De ville 503--645--1771, [email protected] 503--645--1771, [email protected] Vice President, Rusty Baumberger Event Coordinator/Calendar Manager 503--512--7857, [email protected] Tom Gaps, 503-659-8893, [email protected], [email protected] Secretary, Jill DeGarmo [email protected] Module SIG Co-Chair, Dave S 503--654--2469, [email protected] Treasurer Steve ogsw 503--501--8630, [email protected] Module SIG Co-Chair, 503--632--2900 (H), 503--577--2753 Yardmaster, Track Committee Chair, [email protected] Jay 360--254--8701 (H), 503--867--2725 (C) Live Steam SIG Chair, Ron [email protected] 503--628--2300, [email protected] Immediate Past-President, Greg Martin Op-SIG Chair Tom s, 503-848-9091 (H), 971-334-6374 (C) 503--659--8893, [email protected] [email protected] Education Chair, Rusty Baumberger Newsletter Editor, Linda Loudon 503--512--7857, [email protected] 949-275-8578, [email protected] or 2019 NGRC Steering Committee Chair, [email protected] Bill D Webmaster, Don s 503--645--1771, [email protected] 720--244--7522, [email protected]
15 Rose City Garden Railway Society ALASKA AND NW RAILROAD
By Bill Caron
The Alaska and NW Railroad is a freelanced layout featuring locomotives and rolling stock from the Alaska Railroad (ARR) as well as Union Pacific (UP) and BNSF from the NW. After a few years of my son, William (11yrs) and me touring club layouts during the Summer Tour and various club events, we pulled together some ideas from other layouts and tried to apply them to ours. I’m sure you’ll see some similarities. After re working the proposed layout numerous times using the AnyRail computer software we came up with a “to build” layout. We were limited in space with only having a 40 foot by 12-foot area to work with and include all our wish list items. Fortunately, we were about to re landscape the entire back yard, so I was able to plan for the future layout.
2015: Start of Landscape
Sept. 2016: End of Landscape
The main goals for our layout was to have two levels of track to be able to increase the main line and run long trains, we needed some storage space on the layout for all the extra rolling stock, two passing sidings to be able to run multiple trains, a tunnel and William wanted the trains to pass through a stump of an old tree. Unfortunately, we were not able to include a tunnel due to the trees we had to work around. The chosen material used is 2x6 pressure treated lumber as the base of the raised portion of track. The 2x6’s are supported with 1” PVC pipe driven into the
ground about 2 feet, utilizing PVC pipe should last and not need to be replaced for a long time. We used ‘T’ pipe fittings which are screwed into the 2x6’s for support. Landscape edging was screwed into the side of the 2x6’s to contain the ballast material on the raised track. All the track work is raised and ballasted at grade level with ¼” minus gravel. Track at grade level is run on a base of at least 4” of ¼” minus gravel. All of the track is made by USA Trains short of a couple of turnouts which are Aristocraft. Minimum track radius is 4 feet (8 foot diameter) which will allow us to run most of the motive power we are interested in running.
June 16, 2018: Determining Elevations
June 16, 2018: Finalizing Grades
June 16, 2018: Siding Development
June 16, 2018: View Looking South
June 16, 2018: End of Day
Aug. 31, 2018: Elevated Track Laid and Tested June 17, 2018: Planning the Raised Track
Aug. 31, 2018: Wiring Complete
Motive power on the layout consists of locomotives by USA Trains including two ARR GP-7’s, two ARR GP-38-2, BNSF GP38-2 (battery powered), UP NW-2, UP Hudson Steam, Southern Pacific NW-2, Bachmann 2 truck Shay and a Piko Denver and Rio Grande Mogul. Rolling stock is mostly USA trains with some Arisotcraft, Piko and Bachman as well.
Sept. 3, 2018: Alaska on the Move
The layout is track powered with switched isolation at each storage siding and each passing siding. This allows multiple locomotives to be stored on the tracks while not running but also allows some limited operations. Turnouts are currently manual as we are still deciding on if they are going to be remotely controlled via pneumatics or electric.
Sept. 3, 2018: Alaska and the NW RR
Sept. 3, 2018: Running Trains
Next steps to the layout is to start the landscaping and determining what we want for buildings. There will be an oil terminal, and other industries. We will also have a water tower and passenger station for the excursion trains. Future for the layout include a small logging operation for nostalgia, expand the mainline around the entire back yard (maybe front yard too if my wife will let me) to accommodate the future excursion train pulled by the UP Hudson with full passenger car consist and Denver and Rio Grande Mogul with its wood sided passenger consist.