October 2013 Newsletter - makemytracks.commakemytracks.com/Newsletters/October 2013...

Makin’ Tracks! Newsletter October, 2013

I don’t know if you have themwhere you are, but we have them -by the millions, where we are. I’mtalking about stink bugs, whoseprocreative efforts are surely whatovercome their otherwise seemingly stupid andinept conduct. They don’t fly well, they don’t bite(people, anyway) and they are easy to catch. Butthey do eat vegetables, which is why my gardenhas been abandoned, and they DO stink. Justone touch, and your finger comes away smellinglike, well, never mind, about that.

I only mention this because this is one of thetimes of the year when the little critters come outin vast numbers, which reminds me the fall isabout here, when our thoughts turn more toyou-know-what.

And we ARE, indeed, thinking about the trains,as we prepare for the first big show of theseason, being the October 26th & 27th GreatScale Train Show at the Maryland StateFairgrounds in Timonium. If you are within anhour or two of Baltimore, why not see the showand pay us a visit, there. See the web site at:

http://www.gsmts.com (Allow loading if asked)

We mentioned, in our lastnewsletter, that while wereceive many emails frompeople, we didn’t get toomany calls, and wanted tomake sure you knew wewelcome your phone contact.

Well, that seemed to do the

trick, because we receive many calls now on adaily basis, and have made many new friends onaccount of it. That number again: 434-823-4809.

Looks like we ARE. Their repcalled us a few weeks ago andasked if Broadway could listus as a dealer. Good idea, wethought, and so they did.

Actually, we’re pretty impressed with thiscompany. The product is excellent, and theservice nearly beyond belief. One of ourcustomers reported that he received some freeparts for a loco that was long out of warranty, andwe’ve heard similar reports from others, as well.And we’re also noticing that Broadway hasbecome more aggressive on pricing, as well, sowe’ve listed some of their specials on our website.

Bachmann hasimproved the quality oftheir higher endlocomotives over theyears, some of theirDCC and sound

Spectrum engines are about as good as you canget. But they have now introduced sound intotheir mid-tier locomotives, such as the various Funits. No fancy box, but good looking andEXCELLENT sound. The pricing? $169 MSRP;street price $85, give or take. THAT “soundsgood” to us!

A Newsletter For Customers, Friends & Others who enjoy the rail modeling hobby(Please have your Internet connection working to follow Internet links in this newsletter)

October, 2013 MikeMillitello

JSGeare

THIS STINKS!

BE CAREFUL WHATYOU PRAY FOR

WE OTTA BE ONBROADWAY♫

BACHMANNSOUNDS OFF

http://www.gsmts.com/


Don’t study the reporting markson the tank car pictured above,too much, or you may collapse inuncontrollable hysterics. WE did,

anyway. The car itself is anample statement of hiscapability as a modeler butalso mirrors a quick wit, wrysense of humor and of ironywhich has guided him over 7decades of life.

He welcomed us to his cavernous Columbia,Maryland home, where we met his wife Sandy,who carries some very impressive credentials:She is the author or editor of 5 books, and morethan 100 articles and book chapters, withnumerous journal contributions and testimonythree times on Capitol Hill during theCongressional debates on child care legislationand welfare reform. Wow!

Their home is in some ways like a museum.Target lighting, never ending display cases filledwith brass locomotives, a substantial workshop,separate assembly room, a music area and, ofcourse, the vast layout in his basement. Ah yes,that layout!

Many of the details are to be found at thewebsite:

zanestrains.com (Trust the link, if asked)

But let’s run down the basics:

● 2,850 square feet● Name: “Piermont Division”

● Over 22 scale miles of track● historically accurate architecture, scenery,

trains, etc.● Era: end of World War II to the mid-Fifties

(Viagra car not withstanding)The material on the website says you can“almost hear the rumbling of trains. . .” Almost!?There’s no “almost,” about it. Let me put it thisway: When Howard enters the train room at thebottom of the basement steps and throws amaster switch (or several) the layout literallycomes to life. Trains - dozens of them, maybemore- go into idle mode; steam engines withtheir jets of steam being emitted, diesel primemovers in start up sequence. And the lights innearby Baltimore dim.

The layout is comprised of meandering sectionswhich seem to go on, forever. Most everywhere,the platform edges are curved; no right angles.You do not walk through Howard’s creation; youflow within it, you become a part OF it.

That said, let’s look at the layout diagram. It wasbuilt in 3 stages, as Howard’s house was expandedon 3 occasions over the years. As you can see,virtually every inch of available space was used.

The platform height is 4.5 feet. Thus the viewersees trains, structures and terrain features in thesame way you would see them in the real world.

This probably explains why the subjects ofphotographs of the layout look so profoundlyreal. The camera, after all, is exactly where itwould be in the real world.

Even when the over all layout is blown up to fill apage, it is still difficult to pick out details. Thus,we’ve broken it into panels, to give you a moredetailed view.

THIS IS HUGE! REALLY.

Mike and I pay a visit to Howard Zane, seehis incredible layout, and learn someinteresting details about his amazing life.

http://zanestrains.com/index.htm


At immediate right isthe over-all layout as itexisted when the book,My Life with ModelTrains was publishedin 2006. It has, sincethen, undergonechanges in section 1.

Below, at right, is a closer view of section 1, builtbetween 1983 and 1992. In this closer view, it isnot just the overall geometry that impresses, butalso the track paths which combine sweeping,expansive runs in the midst of, and between,dense, packed yards and sidings. This is anoperator’s dream as well as a modeler’s. Section1 has been rebuilt since the diagram waspublished, to eliminate the duckunders.

The layout is inspired by the topography, ruraltowns and the people of northern WestVirginia, which is the area were I spent mostof my youth. He certainly has represented itaccurately. As he explains in his books (yes,there are TWO books) he was greatlyinfluenced by the time he spent in the area,learning to play the banjo well, and immersinghimself in “mountain music,” which is amongthe few purely American art forms.

▲ Section 21995-2001

▲ Section 1: 1983-1992

▲ Section 3: 1995-2001

Over-all View ►


Turning now to section 2 of the layout, weshow you two detailed views, as this is thelongest section.

If you were to stitch together the two panelsbelow, the right side of the top would be matchedto left side of bottom.


Section 3 panels, same arrangement as section 2: top right matches bottom left.


One reason to gaze in awe at the pictures of thelayout diagram is that they are, in and ofthemselves, works of art and, at the same time,technically proficient. Howard is not just an“artist” in the creative sense, but he is, in fact,an actual artist and designer. That was his firstcareer work. He credits his mother for this, asshe was a noted interior designer and obviouslypassed along the ability to her son.

Structural designers, unlike many who workonly on a flat surface, must be able to think in 3dimensions. But Howard takes this to anotherlevel. Given a picture of a building to be modeledhe will first build a “study model,” which is akind of model of a model. The scratch built studymodel won’t have all the fine details of the endresult, but will allow the builder to anticipate andaccount for possible difficulties and challengeswhen it come to the final construction.

To many of us, the “study” would be more thansufficient to place on the layout, perhaps withsome paint and a few details. But the bottomline is this: when Howard starts work on theactual production model, he will have alreadybuilt it once before! Test fitting of parts in aboxed kit is one thing; testing the fit of partsyou’re making up as you go along is another.

In the opening to this article, we mentionedHoward’s sense of humor. This doesn’t takeshape as mere “jokes” being passed around.Rather, the quality is “built in,” and so is oftentransferred onto his craft. See the top rightpicture, an appealing town scene. But if youdon’t look closely, you may miss something.Look at the NEXT picture, below it. What’s thaton top of the church steeple? Yes, a questionmark! And so, the layout is rich not just invisible detail, but also in more subtle material;little change-ups, little twists, here and there,that may make you laugh or make you think.

Next photo shows a red circle around a billboard.Hard to see it in the next photo, but the messageat the top of the billboard says, “Get a grip onyourself,” and advertises the services ofDr. Joycelyn Elders. Who was she?? Look it up!

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joycelyn_Elders

Need we say more?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Joycelyn_Elders


In addition to interesting visual content, thereare some auditory surprises, as well. One ofthese involves, to put it politely, a “house of easyvirtue.” Once you see and study the building,you’ll catch the drift. But just to be sure, there’sthe sound of activity in the interior, to removeany doubt. Howard quietly stands by andpresses a button, and then you hear the sounds

that could mean only one thing. We won’t go intodetail, but let us just say, “It’s a West Virginiakind of thing.” But not involving sheep.

So, where are the TRAINS? Here are some greatpictures taken by Mike during our visit, withplenty of trains!


We won’t post more glamour shots of Howard’sbasement paradise, because excellent photosand the story behind his accomplishment will befound at the link on page 2, above. Weencourage you to follow it. But that leaves “therest of the story,” which brings us to his writingand his music.The Books: Let’s startwith the two books. Mostwell known is theexquisite My Life withModel Trains, nearly 300pages comprising over450 color photos togetherwith a running narrativecovering most everyaspect of building andrunning a model railroad,as well as some very pithy general commentaryabout the hobby. The book is about 12 inchessquare, so the photos leap off the pages.Some of the material has an entirely practicalthrust. For example, Howard notes his reasonsfor a high platform:

I chose 54˝ for the height of the lowest track level. Thebenchwork is 48˝, and all roadbed is on risers going to amaximum height of 66˝. They’re perfect for my height, 72˝.There are two other reasons behind this rationale. The first. ..is that modelers spend much time under the bench doingwiring and other maintenance. . .it’s quite comfortable to siton a chair and work without straining your back. The secondreason is that a typical drop ceiling height in a basement is 7’.If your benchwork is 4’ and lowest track level is 54˝, thatleaves only 2 ½’ to cover with scenery. This makes thingsmuch easier and certainly more realistic. A four foot highbackdrop is quite difficult to treat.

Exactly! Why didn’t I think of that?We confess to a special place in our hearts forHoward, because he is unafraid to offeralternatives to the “conventional wisdom” when it

comes to modelingmaterials and methods.Instead, he relies on acreative instinct whenhe observes materialwhich can be readilyadapted to the hobby.A good example, and onefrom which I takeguidance, is his methodof building up terrain.As every rail modelerknows, working with

plaster, by whatever name, is messy. Howardused the well regarded method of a cardboardstrip web, over which is laid, well, something.Could be plaster cloth, could be paper towelssoaked in sloppy plaster mix, could be wetnewspaper. In Howard’s case, it was artist’sconstruction paper - an expensive option. But oneday, Howard noticed what his flooring contractorwas using to protect the new hardwood flooringbeing installed in Howard’s home:

. . . the contractor had used a roll of similar paper with sortof a muted red hue . . . I tried a sample and it worked evenbetter at a fraction of the cost. This is called red rosin paperand is in 4’ . . . rolls . . . from retail home supply centers likeLowe’s or Home Depot.

Turns out that coating the rosin paper withwhite glue produces a very hard shell, when dry,and is extremely light weight.We can attest to the durable, light result.Howard was finishing a shelf layout for acustomer when we visited. It was about 10 feetlong and 3 feet wide. Mountains, river, track,buildings, bridges. It looked heavy! But he said itwas probably only 100 pounds total -easy for 2people to move around.While there are plenty of tips and techniques(and the logic supporting them) we don’t want todisclose too much - buy the book!But, meanwhile, we’ll tantalize you with withsome of the rich little vignettes and uniquecharacters. An example: Howard sets the sceneat small shows and swap meets. They areusually held in cramped venues such as firedepartment halls, and comprising perhaps 125vendor tables. Owing to the crowds aroundtables, Howard and his friends found it difficult,


at times, to make a close approach. But therewere two individuals who were equipped withspecial countermeasures.

Bob Hess is tall and slim with a long reach that easilystretches across any island of tables to snag his prey. He wasconceived, designed, and bred specifically for these shows. . .(he) could have made millions just buying for the manyhippopotamus-sized model railroaders at these shows. . .Then there was Frank the farter a.k.a. Frankfarter. Notunlike a skunk, he would use his God-given talents to subduehis adversaries and break up feeding frenzies at bargaintables. He’d always leave with the prize in hand – and othersgasping for fresh air!

Howard’s experience at train shows is muchvaster than ours. However, Mike and I can verifythat Frank is still out there.Finally, Howard takes a long view when it comesto rail modeling. Who better than an actual artistto wax philosophical about modeling as an artform - even a fine art form?On page 76 of My Life with Model Trains, herefers to model railroading as a “multi-dimensional art:”

Art comes in many forms, but model railroaders create art inrelief, which is the third dimension. The fourth dimensionwould be movement; the fifth, sound; and the sixth, smell . . .There could be more dimensions coming. Only the future will tell.

I especially enjoy this observation, because itbrings to mind a personal recollection about“smell.” As a 14 year old, I was building “themother of all layouts.” I had installed a farmscene at the base of a mountain, complete withbarn, pigs, cattle, and farmer. The hobby shopwas out of the Plaster of Paris, which I needed tofinish the steep mountain behind the farm, andgave me a kind of paper mache product as analternative. I mixed up a batch, but was calledaway for dinner and homework. I returned to theproject a few days later, and immediately sensedan unpleasant aroma wafting from the tub of stillsoggy product. Because my summer vacationswere spent on a farm, I recognized the aroma:manure. But then I realized that this was theappropriate scent for the farm scene! I explainedto my parents that I has perfected “scale smell.”They asked that I not repeat it. More recently, Ilearned about “scale wind,” having been createdby the members of the High Desert ModularModel Railroad Club (see the July 2103newsletter). On their layout, there are operatingwind turbines, and so, “scale wind!”

Howard is right - the hobby is multi-dimensionaland can only become more so.You want this book. It is inspiring, instructionaland, most importantly, it is personal. Unlike somany magazine articles that say, “First I did this,then I carefully did that, then I did the other. . .”this book draws you into a conversation. It isimpossible to put down.

Howard’s less well known,but very compelling work, isA Nice Jewish Boy FromJersey. Copyrighted 4 yearsafter My Life, this soft covervolume picks up somethreads introduced in thebig coffee table book, andweaves these into the tale ofhis life. Chief among thethreads is the subtitle, “Lifeis not a dress rehearsal.” Bewarned, some subject matter

and language is “adult content.”In over 350 pages, he makes it clear that he, likehis father, came at life head on, horns down, andcharging at full speed.While generally chronological, the book jumpsahead (or back) in time here and there topreserve the essential connections among earlyand later experiences. But, not always; inaddition to being a great story teller, Zane is alsoa very skilled writer.An example: in one section, he tells aboutspending a night in a small town jail because hecouldn’t pay a speeding fine. This side bar wasincidental to a story about a hurried trip backhome for the holidays. Pages later, with thisincident forgotten by the reader, he tells aboutpreparing for a trip in his airplane (he’s a pilot)and mentions loading up the luggage and thegarbage. Garbage? Turns out, he had beentaking garbage on plane trips for years. Why? Sohe could bombard the small town with the jail,when he flew over.Howard’s writing makes liberal use of thevernacular, echoing the actual figures of speechand zesty vocabulary used by his parents, hispeers and himself as he grew up. But the use isnot gratuitous, as it is so often today. He explains:

I was advised to edit out many of the cussing and foullanguage, but rarely is the meaning foul. These words andphrases were used as adverbs, adjectives, and sometimes


nouns Of course, they were in poor taste, but to change themwould just not be correct. (Emphasis, mine)

He’s right: the book would still be interestingwithout them, but it would lack personality; itwould not be the compelling page turner that it is.This is not just a collection of stories; one thingleads to another, everything is connected, andthe reader comes away with the sense of havinggrown up with Howard.Zane has had many careers, many adventures.He has been a designer, pilot, airport owner,“repo” man, merchant, professional modeler, andof course, a writer. He and his partner Ken ownthe Great Scale Train Show, one of the largestshows on the east coast, which continues togrow in popularity each year. He is a skilledbanjo player, and an artist. He has had unusualand amusing romances, death defying flights, aharrowing bar room brawl, dangerous legalencounters, profound experiences of love. He hasbeen financially secure, and he has lived invirtual poverty. He sees much of his parents inhis own nature, and although there were periodsof long absence from, and strained relations withhis family, there was always a homecoming,always a reconciliation. The book leads us throughall os this, as if it were happening to the reader.Among his favorites targets is himself. He tells thestory about preparing for the 10th anniversary ofThe Great Scale Train Show. For every show,mailers were sent to thousands of previous showattendees, and featured “Herman and Mildred,”two cartoon characters created by Howard.

Herman was obese, always appeared in railroad coveralls,and was never without his engineer’s cap. Mildred was nolight-weight either. She was always depicted with her hair incurlers, thin legs with knobby knees, and wearing stripedsocks with patent leather shoes . . . I had drawn Mildredhugging Herman saying Happy tenth anniversary, Herman,while Herman was dreaming of a steam locomotive roundinga corner. Sounds innocent, eh?. . . My partner, Ken, and some of our staff had a meeting togo over the show promotion and logistics, and, of course,approve the card. For this meeting, I sketched a spoof card . . . Herman and Mildred . . . in bed with him on top. Nothingwas shown, as they were covered with a blanket with onlytheir heads and four feet showing, two up and two down, butthe deed was obvious. Mildred was saying happyanniversary, and “Oh Herman, you are wonderful.” Hermanwas still dreaming of a train.We all got a chuckle from this sketch, and the following daymade preparations for the printing and mailing of theoriginal card. I had mistakenly placed the spoof card in the

file that was to go to the printer. Ken, not suspecting thatanything was amiss, took the file to the direct- mail firm. Iwent off on a ten-day trip, as did Ken. We were notreachable, so the direct mail fellow thought this card wasstrange and took it to the post office for a ruling. He was toldthat it was acceptable, and it was, but still in terrible taste.When I returned, my voice mail box had overflowed as did Ken’s:“You damn perverts, we just received your card and did notthink it was funny,”“I’ve had with your shows. I’ll never return after receivingthis sick card!”“We got your card, and your show is now on our list ofthings never to do again.”It got much worse, as the phone was still ringing with allkinds of complaints. Some actually threatened legal action.We were shocked, because at first we had no idea what thefuss was. To make things worse, several dealers dropped out.Ken figured it out first, as I was still too upset to thinkclearly. We were about to lose our show, and why?After the storm passed, the damage was considerable. I’dguess that, between Ken and me, over 500 calls had beenfielded in addition to hundreds of letters, none being toocomplimentary. Of course, there were some who liked thecard and wanted us to continue with Herman and Mildred,but we did not. They retired, and we went back to our boring,but effective, mailer. We did send out a letter of apology, andthat had a positive effect. What is ironic, is how this cardimmediately became a collector’s item. Two years later, oneof our dealers who specialized in railroad collectibles told ushe sold an original card with the correct post mark for $50.

If I go too much further, here, I’ll simply end upreprinting the entire book, so let me just saythis: while the many stories are, individually, agreat read, you will begin to detect thateverything is taking a direction, leading tosomething; some unifying denouement. Indeed,such is the case, and it takes shape as a kind oflove story. TWO love stories, actually. One refersto Sandy, his wife, and the development of theirrelationship. And the other? To his parents. Theconcluding lines of this book are these:

I can only hope a copy of my story somehow finds it wayupstairs so my folks can know how grateful I am to them.Thanks, Mom and Dad. You were the very best.

So often for the writer, as for the reader, bookslike this explain how we got to be the way we are.I don’t know if such was the case with Howard,but if so, then it is all good news.And that brings us to the music.The Music: Most people who know the “public”Howard Zane identify him with model trains.But, unless one knows him personally (or hasread his books) his love of music may come as a


revelation. Here, we are at a loss to explain indepth, for it is difficult to find words thatdescribe music. Shall I just write, “La la la la?”During our visit, I noticed that a central area ofhis house appeared as a kind of “waiting room,”what with chairs arranged along a wall. Off inone corner stood an elegant banjo. Howardexplained that he and friends gathered everyFriday night to play “Appalachian” music,sometimes called “mountain” or “old time” music.Guitars, banjos, and fiddles are the primaryinstruments. Some of the songs have rootsrunning back over 100 years.Although all these instruments have theirantecedents in African or European musicalculture, the distinguishing feature of Appalachianmusic is that it developed in relative isolation -the hills and hollows of West Virginia, andsimilar topology of surrounding states. Thus, themusic has been preserved over the years, and isplayed and heard by devotees of the form. Makeno mistake, you won’t hear it on the “top 40” oryour favorite elevator.As Howard learned, and as he explains in his“Nice Boy” book, musical instruction, andlearning, is based as much on immersion andintuition as it is on technique, repetition, anddiscipline. And it also requires a degree of inborntalent, a knack. For the student, you either “getit,” or you don’t. For the listener, pretty muchthe same. Howard was one of those who just “gotit.” Not surprisingly, perhaps, the lyrical materialoften involves trains - steam engines are big.That said, here are Howard and Sandy playing“The wreck of the Old 97.” The video may bejumpy, and the audio is not the best - but you’llget the idea about the music. (Click the picture).

Chances are, you found something hauntinglyfamiliar about the video. Sounds awfully like theKingston Trio’s “MTA,” popular during the early

1960’s, yes? Yes. And there is a reason for that:the music did not originate with them. The“Wreck of the Old 97” was a favorite of folkmusic enthusiasts for years, but the Trioadapted it to a more contemporary audience (atthe time). See and listen (click picture):

In the realm of “Mountain Music,” Howard is aswell known and highly regarded as he is in railmodeling. Dana Klosner-Whener reported in aJune 2004 Special to the Baltimore Sunnewspaper, that old time and mountain musicwere being preserved, and actively performed by“The Howard County Appalachian and Old TimeMusic group, run by Thunder Hill residentsHoward Zane and his wife, Sandy. . .”. Danaextensively cites Lisa Roberts, a fiddler and banjoplayer who was a long time participant in thegroup. “Howard is a rock. You can always counton him being here with the session and being verysupportive, welcoming and encouraging.”And we think we see a link, here, between the“mountain music” and the modeling. When andif you read Howard’s books, you’ll very quicklysee he was ready to make it up as he went along.His books don’t tell you how YOU should do it;they tell you how HE did it, and suggest you try,for yourself. Likewise, the people who play theold time music. As Dana reports, “Many of themusicians don't read sheet music, havinglearned the songs by sitting at someone's side.”The Take-Away: Mike and I found our visit withHoward to be so much more than seeing a greatlayout. Howard is as generous with his time ashe is with his ideas and knowledge. When wetook our leave, we felt as if we were saying “solong” to a friend. The trains are one thing, but inthe end, it is always about the people.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YjKhq3PwthE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MbtkL5_f6-4


OK - we give up! Therecomes a time when a

contributor has been so utterlyfaithful, and has supplied such

inspirational and useful and creativematerial, that such person is entitled to

his own space. We are pleased, thereforeto announce “Paul’s Corner,” which from

this point forward shall be the place dedicatedto his work and instruction.

Paul, heh, heh, won’t know about this until hereads the newsletter. Well, you’re running withthe big dogs, NOW, Paul, so DEAL with it!

Paul, like Howard Zane, has a knack for lookingat something which has a particular use, andimmediately seeing how it can be used in someOTHER way. And, sometimes, researching ONEthing, leads to another. That sets the scene, sonow, bearing in mind Paul’s focus on steel mills,here’s the story as only Paul can tell it:Today's car was put out several years ago by AHM as theirContainer Car. Once again it has no load in it; and for yearscould I could not find what it carried.

I was told that these cars hauled everything from PlasticDitching Culverts for farm field (replacement for terra cottafield tile) to pulp wood. A few months ago, I stumbled uponDUPX 50001 and realized it was the prototype for the AHMcar that I had been searching for. It took some intensedetective type work to find out any information about DUPX50001. Seems it had been in lease service to haul a chemicalfrom the Dupont plant to the plastics plant. This car wasapparently a “one off.” No other cars were made, that Icould find.BUT what did it haul? It took a lotof digging, but I finallyfound out it hauledAcrylonitrle. Thatsounds like somepretty "heady" stuff,BUT could it be used ina steel mill? AtWikipedia, I found that“Acrylonitrile is highlyflammable and toxic. . .It is classified as a Class2B carcinogen (possiblycarcinogenic).”

Wow, this was some pretty serious nasty chemical! Thereason for the open construction of the car was that the gaswas so highly explosive that it was deemed better to be inan open car in case of gas seepage than closed up in aboxcar - and someone gets a huge surprise when the doorwas open. Did not sound like it belonged in a steel mill. Ithought about it for a while and came up with an idea.

I figured I could use it to haul Argon Gas, which is used inthe Basic Oxygen Furnace. When the mixture of Iron andall the other additives comes to a pre-determinedtemperature, Argon is blown into the hot mixture; thiscauses the mixture to burn hotter and eliminates moreimpurities. The amount of argon varies depending upon thecustomer needs. So, construction of a load had to be simplebut it had to be believable.

I had some old used up felt markers and some spare plasticlaying around. After I had gathered up everything, away I went.This Load is totally made out of "re-purposed" materials.

I removed the “cage" from car frame so as to make an easierfit “canisters” of argon I pulled the felt tips out of the markersand cut the empty bodies to about 1” tall.; they fit the carpretty well. I used a 1/4 inch paper punch and punched outsome lids for the canisters and glued them to the top of (thebottoms were left off since they will be glued to the bottomof the car).

After the glue had dried I then painted the canisters,meadow green by Rustoleum. Then I glued the canisters onthe floor of the car. Careful spacing is required because youwill see 2 braces in the middle of the car. There is notenough room for 45 canisters and with 42 you have gaps.So I made load shifters out of match sticks and sanded andpainted them to look like the steel dividers in the 86'flatcars. Let's face it this car has an imaginary load in itanyway. Might as well have something in there to keep thecanisters from shifting around.

The map tacks (valve assemblies) on topof the canisters were anafterthought; the canisters didnot look right without a valve

assembly on them. So, I drilleda #53 hole in the tops of each one

and inserted a map tack that waspainted silver. They stick out over

the top of the car but they still arewell within NMRA standards. (At least,

according to my gauge!)

Using a dry brush and acrylic Apple Barrel Paintsfrom Walmart I weathered the cage of the car inside and

out. I weathered the canisters, then put them in the car.Finally, the car was given a once over with inda ink washthen allowed to dry. As you can see I had some good results.This car will have lots and lots of life left in it plying the railsbetween the argon supplier and my mill.

Paul’s

Corner


Our friend JR continues his work on the Mysticand Resurrected Railroad, whose principalbusiness is mining and forestry producers, andwhose territory of operation is precipitous, to saythe least; layer on layer of track, runningaround, over and through a mountainousterrain. This is one of those cases where thepictures do the talking - so, we’ll let ‘em talk!

THIS ROCKS!


And speaking of mountainous terrain. . .Fellowmodeler Dave sent us an item about DuaneDanielson’s harrowing experience on theCumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad. As you’ll notein the picture above, the caboose had other ideasabout the travel path and Duane plus a fewothers were in the caboose when it leapt fromthe track! The Durango Herald printed this storyabout the October 4, 2013 mishap:

When Duane Danielson boarded the Cumbres & ToltecScenic Railroad on Sunday, he was just a train buff lookingforward to riding in the cupola of the caboose. Before the tripbetween Chama, N.M., and Antonito ended, he had a story to tell.

“Surely, one of my cat’s nine lives has been wasted on this,and I can scratch this off my bucket list as being in a train

wreck,” the Durango resident said. The train was backing upat about 3 mph onto the Toltec Siding, said Cumbres &Toltec General Manager and President John Bush, when thecaboose, the third car from the rear of the train, suddenlypopped on the ground and went off the edge of the railroadties at about a 45-degree angle.

“It just started tipping over very slowly,” Danielson said, “Ifit hadn’t stopped, or had been going fast, many people wouldhave been hurt, but luckily, no one was. I could stick myhand out the window and touch the ground.”

By leaving the caboose coupled to the car in front of it, it waseasier for workers the next day to get it all picked up andback on the rails, Bush said. The cause of the tip-over is stillunder investigation. “They brought the caboose out Mondayafternoon, and by Wednesday, it was back in service,” hesaid. “In fact, on Sunday, it may be used to haul formerSecretary of the Interior Ken Salazar for the dedication of theCumbres & Toltec as a National Historic Landmark.”

Founded in 1880, the Cumbres & Toltec has been owned bythe states of Colorado and New Mexico since 1970. It takes awindy, narrow route that was voted one of CNN’s “49journeys that will change your life.” The 10,015-footCumbres Pass, which is part of the journey, is the highestmountain pass reached by rail in the United States. “Thestates spent $7 million or $8 million fixing the main line, andit’s a wonderful ride,” Danielson said. “This was a very scaryexperience, but I will definitely go on it again sometime.”

Bush is happy about how his staff members handled thesituation. “I’m proud of all our crews for the speed,consideration and safety precautions they took as theyhandled this,” he said. “Just like with the Durango &Silverton, when something like this happens on the route,you’re pretty much out there on your own.”

EXTREME RAILFANNING

GOVERNMENTSHUTDOWN?. . . JUST SAYIN’

Cartoon copyright 2011 ColumbiaDaily Tribune John Darkow


There is nothing quite asimpressive as a modelrailroad with actual workingsignals.

But for many, the technicalchallenge of a prototypicalsystem, to say nothing of thecost, puts this “aspect” of thehobby beyond reach. But,

maybe not. Actual block control may be a bit of astretch, but what about other areas wheresignals are used, such as to indicate how aturnout is set?

For this, you really don’t need to worry, toomuch, about train detection or exotic sensingdevices and controls. Instead, if the turnout iselectrically operated, you can use your existingwiring, plus a simple relay to do the job.

Although visual appeal is our main interest,here, there is an operational benefit, as well.Your signals can tell you, at a glance, how yourturnout are set.

To illustrate one way in which this may be done,we’re using basic Atlas products: turnouts,remotely controlled switch motors, the pushbutton control boxes to fire the motors, and anAtlas relay.

The switch motor basics: But before we begin,let’s review the basic operation of an Atlas switchmotor, first.

The motor contains a “solenoid,” which is amagnetically operated plunger that pushes thewire or plastic stem at the end of the motor fromside to side. The action of the stem moves thethrow bar of your turnout, and this, in turnmoves the blades (the point rails) of your turnoutto set direction for straight through or adiverging route.

The motor works with only a momentary pulse ofcurrent, supplied when you press your finger onthe switch at the control box. When youwithdraw your finger, the flow of current stops. Ifyou were to keep the switch pressed down, themotor would overheat and be ruined.

And that’s the big challenge when it comes topowering the signal lights. If power to the switchmotor was constant, we could simply attach thesignal wires to the switch motor terminals, andthe signal would stay on. So, we need anotherpower source, and a way to route the power tothe appropriate lamp in the signal, based on theposition of the point rails.

The Relay. That’s where the Atlas relay comesin. It is independently powered by the accessoryterminals on the power pac, or otherwise by aseparate, 12 volt AC or DC power supply.

GETTING WIRED - Some SimpleSignal Control -and how to fake it.

One power wire from the ACsupply feeds the bluecontact in the relay. The

other runs to one wire from eachlamp. The remaining lamp wiresare attached to the red and greencontacts in the relay. The solenoidin the relay connects either red orgreen to blue, and the circuit is

then complete.

At the right endof the relay arethe terminalsfor triggeringthe solenoid.

They are normally wired to the switch motorterminals, and thus the relay operates wheneverthe switch motor does. Finally, you’ll note thatthe relay actually works two banks of terminals.Thus, additional devices can be controlled by it.Now, you can have power where you need it!

A Signal Scenario: Let us imagine we have asingle crossover between 2 main lines (north andsouth) running more or less in parallel. Thediverging track of one turnout will thereforefeed the diverging track of the other. Before weeven think about signals, though, we’ll need toavoid potential disaster!


Here we have the crossover, with bothturnouts set for diverging. As should beclear, there will be no problem for thetrain to cross from one main

line to the other. But suppose one of theturnouts was set for straight through, and theother was set for diverging? What would happenthen? A train traveling through the crossoverwould derail when it hit the turnout set forthrough traffic, of course!

Thus, if one turnout is set for diverging, then theother MUST also be the same. You can eitherrely on your memory, for this, or have the routesset automatically.

It’s easy enough to do:just control BOTH switch motors

with ONE control box. That way, bothturnouts will either be straight through,or diverging, but never both. This also

simplifies the signaling, because there are onlytwo conditions to be indicated: both turnouts arediverging, or both are straight through.

That settled, we can now think about whatsignals we want, where they should go, andinformation they give the engineer in the cab -and YOU as the operator at the panel.

Consulting the above illustration, it should be self-evident that a train moving through the entranceof the north track will always proceed, no matterwhich way the point rails are set. Thus a signalfacing east, at the entrance of the turnout, willalways read green. Likewise, on the south track, atrain moving through the entrance will always beclear, and a signal facing west, at the entrance ofthe turnout, will also always read green.

But NOT SO on the exit ends of the turnouts!Here, if the point rails are not set for straightthrough, a train moving into the turnout throughthe exit might derail, or at least cause a shortcircuit. Thus, we need signals at the exits toindicate red if the point rails are set to diverging,and green if set for straight through.

What about signals to indicate the position of thepoint rails for a loco (and maybe a few cars)which is actually IN the crossover? This couldhappen. A train may be parked there, awaitingother trains to pass through the turnouts aheador behind it. Thus we need signals to tell us theturnout ahead (or behind) is set for diverging, sowe can move through safely.

You will discern that there is a certain amount ofsignal coordination, here, involving 4 signalseach of which has 2 possible indications (red, orgreen). While it may seem complex, at first, it isreally quite simple, based on conditional (“if this,then that”) logic. It boils down to this:

IF:-turnouts are set for diverging, THEN: - set crossover signals green, AND - set exit signals red, AND - entrance signals stay green.

OR IF:-turnouts are set for straight through, THEN - set crossover signals red, AND - set exit signals green, AND - entrance signals stay green.

Talk is cheap. What YOU need are somediagrams, right? Let’s start with wiring just onesignal. As you can see, below, most wiring isalready done. The dashed lines are all you needto add. Starting from the 12V power supply (orpower pack accessory terminals) connect onewire to the common terminal of the relay, the

ENTRANCE

EXIT

EXIT

ENTRANCE


other to one wire from each lamp in the signal.Then connect the free wire from one of the lampsto terminal A of the relay; the other free wirefrom the other lamp to terminal B. Finally, runwires between the relay and the motor on theswitch whose setting is being signaled. Themotor itself does not interact with the relay - itsimply is a handy place to tie in the wires. Therelay and signal action is actually triggered bythe control box. You could just as well run wires

to the control box, but the motor is probablycloser.

In our crossover example, two turnouts areoperated by just one control box; therefore itdoesn’t matter which motor you use for theconnection.

So now, let’s look at the BIG PICTURE, to seewhat goes where.

The diagram above may look intimidating, so let’sgo through, step by step:

The designations such as “A1+B1 Red” simplymean to combine the red lamp wires from signalsA1 and B1 and attached them to terminal A of therelay. In actual practice, the lamp wires areprobably too short to reach the relay, so you mayneed to tie two together, then run a single wireback to the relay, like this:

Now observe the blacklines which show thegeneral wire paths. Asyou can see, ONEcontrol box servesTWO switch motors.And one of the motors(the one at the top) iswhere we tie in theconnection to therelay. It doesn’t matterwhich motor - we’ve

simply made the illustration as easy to follow, as

we can. The only new wiring here is between aswitch motor and the relay - everything else isalready there, or else will be installed in thecustomary manner for Atlas devices.

Now look at the signals. We already know thatC1 refers to the entrances to the turnouts, and isalways green, and always on. The easiest way towire this lamp is in parallel to the feed from theAC power supply (or accessory terminal on thepower pac), like this:

You COULD justput the lamps rightin line with thefeed, but if oneburns out, thenthe circuit wouldbe broken, andnothing would work.

Don’t connect thered lamp in C1 toanything, at all.

ENTRANCEEXIT

ENTRANCE EXIT


Now let’s look at the other signal relayconnections more closely:

The above connections may seem counter-intuitive, at first. However, A1 and B1, which areat the exits of each turnout, should indicate REDwhen the turnout is set to diverging - exactlywhat we want. At the same time, signals A2 andB2, which are just inside the crossover shouldindicate GREEN when turnouts are set fordiverging. Thus, when the relay shunts power toterminal A, the correct indications (red at exits,green in crossover) will be triggered.

Like wise, when turnouts are set for straightthrough, then we want the reverse: exit signalsGREEN, crossover signals RED. This is exactlywhat we get when the relay shunts power toterminal B.

Problems / Issues:

Even the best plan and careful work canencounter problems. Here is a list of somepossibilities:

Turnouts not in sync: We’ve establishedthat the operation of the turnouts should besynchronized, so that both are either set straightor diverging at the same time, triggered by asingle control box. But if they don’t actuallywork that way, then reverse the wire connectionon ONE of the turnouts. Now, they will be insync.

Signal indications reversed: It is alsopossible that the signals show the opposite ofwhat you want. If that happens, then swap theconnections to the relay A and B terminals.

Lamps and or switch motors don’t workat all: This may be owed to using the ACterminals on a small power pac, which doesn’thave enough muscle to feed adequate power.Solution: dedicate a separate controller, or use aseparate 12 volt AC power supply.

DC or DCC? Doesn’t matter. The systemrelies on its own source of power, and has nophysical connection to the DCC power bus, or tothe DC track power.

Signal lamp wires: A signal with 2 lampswill have either 3 or 4 wires appearing at thebase of the signal. If 4 wires, then each lamp isfeeding 2 wires independently of the other. Twisttogether 1 wire from each lamp (doesn’t matterwhich) to make a “common” wire. Each lamp willthen have one free wire. The free wires will go tothe relay terminals; the combined common willgo to the power supply.

If your signal has ONLY 3 wires, then thecommon wire has already been made, for you. Ifcolor coded, that wire is probably white, yellow,or black. But to make sure, test them bytouching the supposed common to one ACterminal, and one free wire to the other ACterminal. If a lamp comes on, then one of those 2wires is common. Which one? Test the other freewire. If the lamp comes on, then the wire youkept on a terminal is common. If it does NOT,then the loose wire you tried the first time is thecommon.

What About LED’s? For purposes of thisdiscussion, we have assumed ordinary 12-16volt miniature lamps. If you are using signalswith LED’s, the wiring is exactly the same, BUTyou will need to change TWO things:

1.You will need to attach resistors to the wirescoming from the LED’s, one resistor for eachwire running to the relay (not the common).Specifications for the resistors should beincluded in the signal packaging.

2.Use a DC power supply instead of AC. If theLEDs do not come on, reverse theconnections at the DC supply terminals.

Other Scenarios: We’ve focused on a crossoveras a demonstration of how to handle a somewhatcomplex wiring situation. Your own imaginationmight tell you how to approach otherapplications. For example, signals for a turnout


feeding a siding might include two signals at theentrance. The one on the diverging side, facingthe entrance, could be wired to show red if theturnout is set for straight through, green ifdiverging. On the other side of the track, a signalwould show green for straight, red for diverging.At the exit of the turnout, the signal would showred if diverging, green if straight.

Final Comments: We suggest that beforeinstalling the signals and relay in place, you firstarrange a test on your workbench. You need not

use switch motors, because they serve only ashandy place to mechanically tie in the wiring andhave no electrical interaction with the signals.Just use a control box, the relay, your signals,and a power supply.

Like most things, the first time through can be abit challenging. But, once done the first time, therest becomes much easier. You will be rewardedwith a much more visually interesting layout. Itwon’t mimic real railroad operations, but it WILLlook really good. Try it!

GOTTA NEED FOR SPEED?This should get your attention. . .

Inventor and entrepreneur Elon Musk, whobuilt Space-X and the Tesla automobile, hascome up with the ultimate in publictransportation - the Hyperloop!

The basic idea, here, is to shoot pods of passengersquickly through a tube from one place to another,cheaply. Musk thinks his pods can scoot at 700MPH (give or take). And he’s convinced a systemconnecting Los Angeles and San Francisco could bebuilt for chump change: $6 billion. This comparesfavorably to the now $70 billion estimated for thenew high speed rail system covering the sameroute, and taking 2 and 1/2 hours to make the trip(the H/L does it in 30 minutes).

So, how will it work? CAN it even work? The keyissues are about what you might expect.

If you use a purely vacuum driven system, youquickly run into the problem of maintaining thevacuum over hundreds of miles of tube.Impractical, costly. Scratch that idea.

If you use an air DRIVEN system - like thepneumatic tubes that transfer documentcapsules at the bank drive up, you run into theproblem of pushing a huge column of air aheadof the capsule. Scratch THAT idea.

What about the”rail gun” approach. That canwork, but if a wheeled system is used, the wheels


will disintegrate. And is a “floating system” is used,the cost goes through the roof. So, no, and no.

But suppose you came up with a kind ofcompromise in which there is low air pressure inthe tube, producing a partial vacuum which canbe easily maintained with pumps here and therealong the system. That’s a start, but still, the fasteryou go, the more the remaining air resists travel.

Solution? Mount a fan on the nose of the podthat transfers high pressure air from the front tothe rear. This solves another problem, as well:diverting some of that air through the bottom ofthe pod produces an air cushion, effectivelyfloating the pod. Hmmmmmmm.

So, the next issue is actually moving the pod.The fan serves more as a pressure equalizer, notas propulsion (it is not like an airplanepropeller). The fan is powered by onboardbatteries. How, then, to actually move the pod?

Badda-bing! Use a linear electric motor (think,“solenoid”) to do the job, and power it from -what else - solar cells! These motors are costly,but they are only needed to maintain speedoccasionally and could be placed at intervals ofperhaps 70 miles. Most of the cost of the systemis the transport tubes.

How much will it cost to travel? $20, one way. Byair? $75. By 30 mpg car? $65. By the proposedhigh speed rail? $105 (all figures are approximate).

The system would use multiple pods, departingat 2 minute intervals, each carrying up to 28passengers and luggage. It is a true loop - a racetrack - with turns at each end point.

Within the past few weeks, some real heavy-weightsfrom the engineering community have signed on toactually build this bad boy. A demonstrationsystem is estimated for late 2014. Follow this linkfor the Forbes article. (Trust the link).

So, what’s missing? Consulting the plans, we don’tsee any provision for restrooms. That could be bad.

Will it happens? Seems like we’ll know sooner, ratherthan later. Click here for a video of the concept.

Elon Musk’s proposal is available as a 57 pagedocument. The first few pages are written inlayman’s terms, the balance is more technical -but most readers should get the idea. Click linkto download your copy (long download - 18 MB).

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/elon-musk-hyperloop-project-draws-top-engineers-article-1.1466597

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GiYb_0wOWqY

http://ezbizwebsite.com/SupplementalInfo/Hyperloop proposal.pdf


You knew it had to happen - the advertising!Hey, baby needs a new pair of shoes, here.

Bucks Ballast: This stuff is catching on, BIGTIME. Aside from the true scale size andprototypical appearance, what most modelersseem to like about it most is that it doesn’t float.That means you can aggressively pour on yourglue mix without worrying about displacing thestone. Of course you can - it is REAL stone, notcrushed nut shells used by the popular brand.We make it ourselves, starting with raw quarryproduct which we then crush, sift to size andwash, then apply over 200 pounds of magneticpulling force to remove any metallic products orstone fragments which are magnetic. EvenHoward Zane told us, “I wish I had this 30 yearsago.” Best of all, it is more economical then otherbrands. The whole story, pricing and ordering, allconveniently located at this Buck’s Ballast link.Get you some!

Broadway Limited Specials: You’re gonna lovethese! Paragon2 DCC and sound AND smoke.

Diesels and steam. Too many to list here, butexpect savings of not less than 25%, up to 40%.Follow this link to our web site BroadwayLimited Specials page.

Signals: If you want to set up a signal system aswe have shown you, above, please contact us.We have the relays, and can get signals from avariety of sources.

Atlas C83 and C100 Flex track. Yep -we’ve gotBOTH, for right now. Joiners, too. Follow thisorder page link.

How to reach us: Aside from the links we’vegiven you, feel free to call 434-823-4809anytime, or shoot us an email [email protected].

With every newsletter, weinclude some diversions whichmay inform, edify, or justamuse you. This time,something just for fun. Webring you a link to an oldtimey “video” of theChatanooga Choo Choo, whichis populated by well knownand beloved comedians of the

golden age. You see one of them, above left. Canyou identify the others?

Turn up your sound, and sing along. Followthis Chattanooga Choo Choo link. And here arethe lyrics:

Pardon me, boy Is that the Chattanooga choo choo?Track twenty-nine, boy, you can gimme a shineI can afford to board a Chattanooga choo choo

I've got my fare, and just a trifle to spare

You leave the Pennsylvania Station 'bout a quarter to fourRead a magazine and then you're in Baltimore.

Dinner in the diner, nothing could be finer,Than to have your ham an' eggs in Carolina

When you hear the whistle blowin' eight to the barThen you know that Tennessee is not very far

Shovel all the coal in, gotta keep it rollin'Woo, woo, Chattanooga, there you are

There's gonna be a certain party at the stationSatin and lace I used to call "funny face."

She's gonna cry until I tell her that I'll never roam,So Chattanooga choo choo won't you choo-choo me home?

Chattanooga choo choo, won't you choo-choo me home?

See you next issue!

CRASS COMMERCIALMESSAGES

LET USENTERTAIN YOU

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mailto:[email protected]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gIC94gEUuc8

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