!at the throttle! - cagrs!at the throttle! when i realized that i was responsible for writing an...
TRANSCRIPT
!At The Throttle!
When I realized that I was responsible for writing an article for the monthly CAGRS newsletter, I thought about revisiting an arti-cle that I had written previously to see what I could garner from it. It had only been a few months since I had written it, but it might still provide some thought provokers. I found it hard to believe, but I had written the original article seven years ago. Where does the time go??? After eight years (yes, it has been eight) as secretary for CAGRS, I am moving on to dif-ferent responsibilities, mainly that of presi-dent. I want to express my gratitude to the leaders and members who have gone before me over the years and have sustained a unique organization that fills a certain niche in the lives of its members. As we journey together, if you have any ideas that you would like to share with others, please let me know. I have yet to find any dull periods as-sociated with trains. Now moving on . . . The original article remi-nisced about when I was 11 years old and I had a cousin who worked for the LMS Rail-way who invited me down to the local yard to get a close look at some of the engines that were there. We first crossed the yard to an old black 0-6-0 switch tank engine that was getting ready to be put up for the night. The crew welcomed us aboard and gave me a quick tutorial on all the dials, knobs, and lev-ers on the backhead. The number of dials and gauges were sparse in number compared
to the much larger main line engines. The en-gineer instructed me to push up on the main lever that crossed the backhead. This was the throttle!! After giving it a good shove (at least for an 11-year-old) we started to roll. After a thrilling ride of about four feet, the engine stalled out. I took a bit of ribbing from the crew who encouraged me to give it a “real go”. This time I was more successful and we slowly rolled across the yard to the turntable. As I found out in later years, the turntable design was fairly common across Europe, the UK and the US. It is still used on the cable cars in San Francisco. It’s known as an Armstrong turntable. In other words, you had to “strong arm” it yourself to get it to work. No motors here. Nowadays, in the age of cyberspace, it’s called “Voice Activated”. After we had made the necessary turn, we left the train and its crew to finish the job of pre-paring it for the nightly break in action. This adventure is still well defined in my memory. Now let’s move forward a few years. Last year at this time, we were visiting family in England and did the train spotters circuit of the National Railway Museum in York and several active restoration railways. Dr Bee-cham didn’t get all of them during the inglo-rious period of nationalization, thank good-ness. Several steam centers are up and run-ning, much to the delight of locals for the in-herent tourism and, especially, for American tourists. We took a side trip to visit the leg-endary New Romney, Hythe, and Dyn-mchurch Railway, which started operations in
Volume 19, Number 5 May 2016
2
CHCAGO AREA GARDEN RAILWAY
SOCIETY http://cagrs.com
Officers President, Madison Parker
630-851-4056 [email protected]
Vice President, Lorrie Rockey 630-709-6957
Treasurer, Wayne Clauss [email protected]
Secretary, Dora Mecko [email protected]
Chairpersons Membership, Walter Radtke
205 E. Moehling Drive Mt. Prospect, IL 60056
847-255-2977 [email protected]
Open Houses, Beth and Steve March
847-367-5175 [email protected]
WebMaster, Ray Sargent 630-766-5738
[email protected] lantern
Newsletter Editor,
John Peart 773-973-0217
Newsletter PRINTER, Pete Costanza
The Ink Well (847) 923-8060
1927. Some of the original engines are still in operation and are meticulously preserved and cared for. It is a 15” gauge system that still operates daily. It used to bill itself as the “World’s Smallest Public Railway”, However, it now bills itself as the “World’s Largest Garden Railway”, as it passes right next to several back yard gardens on its 28 mile round trip run. If you are watching carefully, you can even see some layouts along the way similar to those owned by our own CAGRS members. The railway still does a lot of its work nowadays with tourists, but contin-ues to be a major transit connecting villages along the line and as a school bus for local children. What a way to get to school! Thanks for strolling down memory lane with me. I hear it happens more as you get older. It now has a name – schiz-othemia. Keep those trains runnin’. Madison
The CAGRS monthly meeting and annual Spring Pot-Luck was held on Saturday, April 23, 2016 at the Vernon Township Community Center in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. Attendees: Attendance was not taken. However , ap-proximately 55 were there to eat and share. Ron Althardt opened the meeting by welcoming everyone. He thanked Dora Mecko and her team, Don Mecko, Joe and Mary Lou Lienau, Lorrie Rockey, and Ron and Gayle Althardt for coordinating and hosting the event. Announcements: Contact Steve March to set up your date for an open house.
CAGRS April Meeting Minutes
April 23 2016
by Madison Parker Secretary
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The Bay Area Garden Railway Convention is July 4 -10. Check their web site, www.ngrc2016.org for details. Old Business: Dora Mecko is looking for someone to take over the responsibility for “Caring and Shar-ing”. If you are interested, please contact Do-ra. New Business: None Reports: Vice President, Lorrie Rockey: No report Secretary, Madison Parker: The word for the day was “tachophobe”, which is “one who is afraid of high speeds.” The minutes for the March 2016 meeting were presented. Steve March moved to accept the minutes. After a second to the motion, they were accepted. Treasurer’s Report, Wayne Clauss: None Membership, Walter Radtke: Memberships as of March 20 were 125. Editor Report, John Peart: None Caring and Sharing, Dora Mecko: Look for the Caring and Sharing updates in this news-letter. Contact Ron Messner for club shirts Contact Judy Rustemeyer for the new CAGRS wind breakers which are available in different sizes for purchase. Ron Althardt still has club pins available. Get them while they last. Comments: Thanks to Brian Valleau for coordinating the
film for the evening, “Hurricane Express”, a vintage 1932 John Wayne movie. A fun film with John Wayne cast as a pilot, but spending more time on a train. Additional thanks to Brian Valleau for heading up the elections committee for president and secretary. Madison Parker was elected as president and Dora Mecko was elected as sec-retary. The next meeting will be May 22, 2016 at the Holiday Inn in Itasca. The presenter will be Matt Drennan with the latest and greatest news concerning large scale trains. Ron adjourned the meeting. Respectfully submitted, Madison Parker, Secretary
It was a great turnout for our annual CAGRS Pot Luck. Wonderful, delicious ap-petizers and desserts. The "Hurricane Express" kept us all on the edge of our seats....Finally, the "Wrecker" was unmasked! I want to thank everyone that came out. And a huge THANKS to all that helped set up and clean up. I couldn't have done it without you. It was wonderful to have Mary & Jim Fiorito with us that evening. Also, welcome back Haberkamps! We've missed you! This is my last "Caring & Sharing" column, so
Caring & Sharing Corner
Dora Mecko
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please drop me an email as soon as possi-ble. We need someone to take it over. Dora Mecko
The new login information is below: The user name remains: "cagrs" (all lower case) The new password is: "lantern" (all lower case) (Ed: discreetly listed in the Officers box, on page 2, under Web Master)
Midwest rails will have a small layout by the switch tower. They will feature a collection of trains and this year the Nickel Plate Road locomotive No. 765. The 765 is a 2-8-4 Berkshire type steam loco-motive , built in 1944 by the Lima Locomotive Works in Lima , Ohio. The web site for Franklin Park is www.vofp.com Everett Sykes
May
BIRTHDAYS ANNIVERSARIES
Jeannie Benson Hoernecke
Jim & Mary Fiorito Jacob
Gayle Parker Rustemeyer 59 yrs
Donald Mecko Vavra 51 yrs
Donna Lawrence
Kenneth Carlson
Mary Lou Lienau
Irwin Mishoulam
Cindee Moeller
Bob Derenski
Bill Rustemeyer
Steve McCabe
CAGRS Web Master
Ray Sargent
5
Turn Your Spring Fancy to Scheduling Your Open House
Check your Newsletter for the most recent ver-sion of the open-house schedule and pick a date for yours. Plan on putting up signs direct-ing visitors to track side. Water to drink would be nice and you might offer your guests a light snack (I like cookies). When you pick a date please send us a note so we can put a notice in the newsletter. We need about a week to let you make changes in the description we have on file so please try to no-tify us two weeks before the day of the Club meeting before your layout date. If you have shown previously we have a file description of your layout and directions to your house. You might consider opening your layout on the same day that others in your county will be open if convenient. It cuts down on the driv-ing. Questions? Mail: [email protected] or
1.847.367.5175
OPEN HOUSE May 15, 2016 (11am to 4 pm) Kishwaukee Valley & Elkin Creek RR Club 13400 Sun City Blvd Huntley, IL 60142 Harry Sorenson 847-669-8936 Wayne Clauss and Joe Vavra
Directions
From I-90 exit North on Route 47, towards Huntley, IL. At the 2nd light, turn left. Follow Del Webb 1 mile to first stop sign. Turn left onto Sun City Blvd. Pass Baseball Diamond on right. Use parking lot or pass barn building and use upper parking lot. Follow signs on foot. Parking on street is permitted.
From Algonquin road and 47, turn south about 1.5 miles to Sun City entrance on right.
GPS Coordinates: 42.139384, -88.457531
Facilities and Parking
Description
This layout features 1500 feet of trestle-supported, stainless-steel track on hilly ground. Three separate main loops, a single track trolley line, 20 foot minimum radius mainlines and a separate logging loop section with yard and sawmill.
The layout features block controls, 5 bridges, elevation and trestles. Garden features are maintained by members of the Sun City Gar-den Club. The layout is a product of the Sun City, Huntley RR Club members. . Included on site are three indoor layouts, "O"-gauge, "HO"-gauge and "N"-gauge, all built and oper-ated by Club members
July 24, 2016 216 E Fullerton Ave Northlake IL 60164 Rich & Barb Harder The Rag and Thorns is having a going out of business sale and give away. The used brass track will be among the items to be given away. Depending on how much track has been dis-mantled there maybe one train running. Stop by and see the demolition results and take home some used track or more, it could be yours for the asking or make an offer on some-thing that interests you. Parking will be permitted on NORTH SIDE OF STREET only.
2016 Summer Layout Tours
by Steve March
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Open house date County group* Layout1 Layout2 Layout3 Layout4
Sunday, May 1 Cook south
Sunday, May 8 (Mother’s Day) Lake
Sunday, May 15 McHenry Sun City
Sunday, May 22 (CAGRS Mtg) DuPage
Sunday, May 29 (Memorial Day Wkend)
Cook north
Sunday, June 5 (CAGRS Board Mtg)
Cook south
Sunday, June 12 Lake
Sunday, June 19 (Father’s Day) McHenry
Sunday, June 26 (CAGRS Mtg) DuPage
Sunday, July 3 (4th of July Wkend) Cook north
Sunday, July 10 Cook south Lienau
Sunday, July 17 Lake Althardt Silverton
Monday, July 18 Lake Althardt
Sunday, July 24 (CAGRS Mtg) DuPage Harder Sale
Sunday, July 31 Cook south Cipcich 9-5
Sunday, Aug 7 Cook north
Sunday, Aug 14 Lake
Sunday, Aug 21 McHenry
Sunday, Aug 28 (CAGRS Mtg) Cook south
Sunday, Sept 4 (Labor Day Wkend) DuPage
Sunday, Sept 11 Cook north
Sunday, Sept 18 McHenry Sun City
Sunday, Sept 25 (CAGRS Mtg) Lake
Sunday, Oct 2 Cook south
Sunday, Oct 9 DuPage
Sunday, Oct 16 Cook north
Sunday, Oct 23 (CAGRS Mtg) Cook south
To reduce member driving time consider scheduling your open house in one of the county groups appropriate for your layout.
Printed 1/6/2016
2016 Summer Layout Tours
by Steve March
Note: All Open Houses are from 1pm to 5 pm unless noted .
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CAGRS JACKETS
Judy Rustemeyer is the Jacket Lady for the club.. Jacket Order Form: Name:_______________________________ Address: _____________________________ Phone: _______________________________ Make Checks Payable to CAGRS Contact Judy Rustemeyer 6067 N. Newburg Avenue, Chicago, IL 60631 312-513-2227
——————————————————————————— CAGRS SHIRTS
Ron Messner is our Shirt Man. Our members are seen here in the photo wear ing our smartly styled denim versions with logo. The shirts are available with short or long sleeves.
All shirts are available in sizes Small thru XXXL. The Polo short sleeve version is $28. for all sizes. The denim shirts are $30 for all sizes and sleeve styles. Please contact Ron for his in-ventory. You can contact him by phone, email, or at a CAGRS monthly meeting to place your order.
Ron Messner 4936 Berenice 773-794-1779 Chicago, IL 60641 Ron-
OFFICIAL CAGRS CLUB LOGO SHIRTS AND JACKETS
AVAILABLE
Coming Up this Month
May 15 Open House, KV&EC Sun City, Huntley May 22 May Meeting, Holiday Inn, Itasca, 5:30 May 24 Afternoon Tour of Sanfilippo Collection
Coming Up June 5 Great Midwest Train Show, Dupage County Fairgrounds June 11 Franklin Park Railroad Day July 4-10 Bay Area National Convention .
Chicago Area Garden Railway Society 205 E. Moehling Drive Mt. Prospect, Illinois 60056-3845