The SETOFF The Official Publication of NARCOA North American Railcar Operators Association Sept. / Oct. 2008 Volume 22 - No. 5 BBrroowwnn RRaaiillrrooaadd EEqquuiippmmeenntt KKaattyy’’ss CCaarrss PPllaanntt MMaannaaggeerr KKeenn LLeeyy RRiiddiinngg WWiitthh JJooee HHaannkk BBrroowwnn RReemmeemmbbeerreedd The President’s Message SETOFF Warren Riccitelli Volume 22 - No. 5 In the past year, I have met with many tended to solicit feedback from other lead - The SETOFF is the official publication of challenges as NARCOA’s president. The ers in the hobby. I surely have succeeded the North American Railcar Operators Associ - job requires daily decisions and actions for in getting feedback, and I am listening. ation (NARCOA) and is published bimonthly the organization to grow and prosper. I support last year’s decision that all to promote safe legal operation of railroad mo - Over the past year many events have taken 117 Excursions Coordinators that passed torcars, and to encourage fellowship and ex - place that required immediate decisions the board mandated January testing are on change of information among motorcar that could not wait for the entire board of the approved list. I stand by that decision, enthusiasts. Membership in NARCOA, which directors, or for the annual meeting. as everyone on the Board of Directors includes a subscription to The SETOFF is $30 does. We have found a few apparent er - per year, and is available from Secretary Joel The most controversial decision I Williams. Please send your check made out to made was to suspend the Excursion Coor - rors, and these will be corrected either by NARCOA to: dinator mentoring program in May. I made the Board, or the Operations Committee. the decision based on two issues that ef - There is also a list of those that have been Joel Williams, Membership fected NAROCA’s operations. First was “in-training” over the last year to be EC’s, Box 802 discovery, upon the death of the operations and what remaining requirements each has Lock Haven, PA 17745 chairman, that our records of the EC pro - left to completely satisfy all qualifications. Wayne Parsons, SETOFF Editor gram were incomplete. We had no defini - I anticipate that all of the above, both those 13380 Golden Valley Lane tive list of EC names showing who had who passed the January test and those who Granada Hills, CA 91344 passed the test, who had been mentored, complete the training qualifications, will [email protected] etc. The second issue was multiple reports be grandfathered in by the board under ex - Deby Springer, SETOFF Proofreader (all arriving within a short time) of actions isting requirements. Leon Sapp, SETOFF Assistant Editor for by several EC’s that ranged from lack lus - I do expect the Board of Directors to Announcements ter performance to issues that are now be - revamp conditions for new applications, The SETOFF is printed by fore the Judiciary Committee. After and to visit the qualifications required for Greg Kightlinger, GEK Printing discussions with several Board members, future Excursion Coordinators. The goal I believed that the entire EC program re - is to create a program that will be based on All subscriptions and address changes quired a thorough look and cleanup. It was education and training. The desired out - must go to the Secretary. All materials for pub - at that time the decision to suspend adding come is to improve the quality of all EC’s, lication must go to the Editor. new EC’s to the list was made. and their communication with the Opera - Materials received by the 15th of even numbered months will appear on the 1st of the As part of these July discussions with tions Committee and the Board. next odd numbered month subject to editing several officials in the west, I made pro - I have a notice of motion before the and available space. Please include your e-mail posals regarding reducing the EC list. My Board to name new Operations Committee address and phone number. Electronic submis - comments were taken to mean that definite Chair, and naming additional members to sions are preferred. Text files must have either provisions had been discussed among the the operations committee. I want them to .doc or .txt extensions. Photo files must be high NARCOA Board. That was not the case. work with the excursion coordinators on a resolution with .jpg extensions. All materials The ideas discussed were mine personally, daily basis. The committee should also be are archived and not returned. We cannot are not the view of the Board, and were in - reprint copyrighted material without written au - Please turn to page 4 thorization or proper attribution. Letters to the Editor must be signed and include an e-mail address or phone number for In This Issue authentication. All such letters will be printed as discussed in the NARCOA policy book. President’s Message ..................... 2 Photo Reports ............................. 16 For more information about NARCOA, NARCOA Officials ...................... 3 Brown Railroad Equipment ....... 18 the safe legal operation of motorcars, or to find Letters To The Editor ................... 3 Katy’s Cars ................................. 20 NARCOA affiliates located in Canada, the United States, and Mexico, please see our offi - Directors’ Messages ..................... 4 Ken Ley - Plant Manager ........... 21 cial website at: Enjoy The Ride ............................ 6 Why Spark Arrestors? ................ 22 www.narcoa.org Wedding On The Hudson ............ 7 Riding With Joe .......................... 22 © Copyright 2008 - NARCOA. All rights Spring Weekend in PA ................. 7 Radio Noise ................................ 23 reserved. Reproduction, by any means, in Big Sky Adventure II ................... 8 Why Didn’t I Think of Tha t?..... 23 whole or part, by any party, is strictly prohib - ited. Alaska Railroad ......................... 10 Potty-Car Etiquette .................... 23 Camas Prairie ............................. 12 Hank Brown Remembered ......... 24 On The Cover: Strasburg Railroad Tennessee Southern .................... 13 Excursion Announcements ........ 25 at Strasburg PA. John Gonder's CBL is Mississippi Miles ....................... 13 Wanted & For Sale Items ........... 29 next to the "J" tower, April 27, 2008. Photo by John Gonder. McCloud Last Run ..................... 14 Spotlight On An Affiliate (North Memories of McCloud ............... 14 Central Railcars) ......... Back Cover Page 2 The SETOFF Sept. / Oct. 2008 NARCOA Officials Area 6 President: Warren Riccitelli Director-at-Large (non–voting) Vice-President: Bobby Moreman Dave Verzi (216) 941-5273 Members Secretary: Joel Williams [email protected] Treasurer: Tom Norman Nominations, Elections At the September meeting the &ARCOA Board will Area 1 Director Carl Anderson (ME, NH, VT, NY, MA, CT, RI) 1330 Rosedale Ln. appoint a member from Warren Riccitelli (401) 231-5640 Hoffman Estates, IL 60195 [email protected] Area 6 to finish Hank 39 Jackson Drive Brown’s term. Any member North Providence, RI 02911 NARCOA Insurance Administrator [email protected] may submit their Tom Norman (406) 722-3012 application for consideration Area 2 Director 1047 Terrace View Drive (NJ, PA, DE, MD) Alberton, MT 59820 by September 10, 2008. Joel Williams (570) 786-1335 [email protected] For more information, [email protected] Rule Book CertificationTest contact Carl Anderson at Area 3 Director Al McCracken [email protected] (IN, Lower MI, OH) 2916 Taper Avenue or (847) 882-5329 Bruce Carpenter (419) 738-5384 Santa Clara, CA 95051 [email protected] [email protected] Area 4 Director Judiciary Chair next SETOFF (WV, VA, KY, NC, SC, TN) Al Elliott (732) 536-7460 deadline Tom Falicon (828) 488-8063 4 Woodview Drive Thank you to the many members, and [email protected] Manalapan, NJ 07726 [email protected] one non-member, who sent in material Area 5 Director for this issue of The SETOFF. Special (MS, AL, GA, FL) Safety Chair thanks to Jamie Haislip for submitting Bob Knight (815) 786-3096 Bobby Moreman (770) 457-6212 the most photos and articles. Thank [email protected] [email protected] you Ken Ley for allowing the Editor to interview you for the page 21 feature. Area 6 Director Rules Chair (MN, WI, IL, Upper MI) Jim McKeel (316) 721-4378 [email protected] The deadline for the next edition is October 14th. The SETOFF Editor Wayne Parsons (818) 368-5942 Area 7 Director Letters To The Editor (ND, SD, NE, IA) 13380 Golden Valley lane Carl Schneider (515) 967-5181 Granada Hills, CA 91344-1118 [email protected] Dear Editor, [email protected] I would like to express my thanks to NAR - Area 8 Director NARCOA Webmaster COA and especially to Joel Williams for (Canada, World outside U.S.) Keith Mackey (352) 347-0770 once again printing a hard copy of the ros - Warren Froese (204) 668-8311 [email protected] ter. This roster is a good way of re-con - [email protected] necting myself with old members that I’ve NARCOA Forum Moderator lost track of over time. It is also helpful Rich Stivers (408) 264-1048 Area 9 Director for finding members with similar types of [email protected] (AR, CO, KS, LA, MO, OK, TX) track cars that may have advice on a Mark Springer (316) 721-4804 Committee Chairs restoration project. I sincerely hope we [email protected] Operations ……..…………... can continue in the future to receive Area 10 Director Rules ..……………….…...… Jim McKeel printed copies of this roster every few (WA, OR, ID, MT, AK, WY) Judiciary .................................... Al Elliott