Pikes Peak "N" Gineers Model Railroad Club

THE RAILHEAD

Important Dates
Layout Hours and Address
Just a reminder
Modules, modules, modules!
Sam makes the front page!
Off we go to Chapel Hills
Cheyenne couple visits
Cheyenne trip details
Member changes
Club Calendar
Rural station tops endangered list!
Two magazines cease!
How we began
Whistle Stop: Newsletter changes

Our first clinic of the year was a great success. Craig Kleinman presented his clinic on airbrushing and decaling. We have all seen his professional work and have been envious of his skill. His clinic showed why he's a pro.

The clinic started right after our July business meeting. Those of you who missed the 45 minute clinic missed something very worthwhile. It even included a five page handout.

Craig started by covering the different types of airbrushes, how they work and the advantages of each. Then, he went into a discussion of the various types of hobby paint available and mixing them. While he demonstrated spraying paint, Craig discussed the different approaches to brass and plastic models.

One topic that I found especially helpful was his discussion on masking the model for the purpose of painting multi-color paint schemes. He identified the different tapes he uses and the advantages and disadvantages of using each. His tip on masking a model for painting curves was great.

Craig also covered safely stripping paint from models identifying which strippers he uses. For detailed information, refer to Craig's article in the April, 1999 issue of The Railhead.

He finished the airbrushing portion of the clinic with a good discussion on cleaning up. Obviously, you don't want to let paint dry in your airbrush. Then, you have a big headache taking everything apart and cleaning, cleaning, cleaning.

When covering all of these topics, Craig added tips and guidance based upon his personal experiences. The airbrushing portion of the clinic occupied most of the time available.

Decaling was the next subject that Craig explored. He emphasized the importance of having a smooth shiny surface and coating his finished work with a mixture of lacquer thinner and Dullcoat.

Thanks, Craig, for presenting an excellent clinic. There was something to learn for everyone.

You'll be a hard act to follow.

Webmaster's Note:  Meeting minutes will not be published on the website.
PPNG members may obtain minutes from the Stationmaster.

Our leadership, the Board of Directors, have decided that the club layout needs to progress. More active members should own modules. Time for some progress.

Superintendent Kleinman announced on July 16 that the club is going to auction off the three modules that have been for sale for some time now.

The first module which will probably be put on the auction block is Steve Hackett's Georgetown Loop. It is a four foot module and is 30 inches deep. At the time Steve moved back to Virginia, he indicated that he wanted to sell the module for the amount he paid for it. Unfortunately, we don't know how much that was.

After some discussion, the club leadership guesses that he may have paid $65 but could have paid as high as $85. To be safe, the club is valuing the module at $85.00, which is not unreasonable considering that Steve is now including buildings, additional trackage, turnouts, and a small power pack with his module—all items that he added after he bought it.

The amount collected from the sale of this module will go to Steve, not the club.

Of course, the new owner of the Georgetown Loop can do whatever he wants as long as he follows club guidelines.

The next module up for grabs is the module sitting just to the right of Rick's Aspen Industrial Area. It is the same size as Georgetown Loop. The asking price on it is $166.00. This module has a lot of additional trackage and turnouts on it which drive the price up.

Recognizing that the asking price may be out of reach for some members, the club will buy back the turnouts the new owner does not want, thereby reducing the net cost of the module.

Another available module is the one separating the passenger yards from the freight yards. Like the module next to Aspen Industrial Area, this module also has extra trackage and turnouts. The present asking price is $128.00. The club is also willing to reduce this cost by buying back any number of extra turnouts that the new owner doesn't want.

Last, but not least, Joe Morgan's Cheyenne Hills corner module, located right at the front door, is also for sale. Interested members should contact Joe for more sale details.

For the first three modules mentioned, the club will entertain opening bids $20.00 less than the respective prices mentioned. This decision should help to get the bidding going.

The club layout needs some new activity. Be daring. Be adventurous. Buy yourself a module and get busy modeling. Show off your skills. If you don't have any skills, then start developing some by getting a module. The club has plenty of very experienced members willing to give you all of the help and guidance you could possibly use. You already have a head start. All of these modules are already wired and working.

After all, we are model railroaders. Let's have something new to show off to our public. Let's model!

For those of you who missed it, our own Sam McCulloch was in the lead story on the front page of the August 3 The Gazette. Not only that, but he was in a color picture with his mother.

The story was about an important issue that has gained increasing national attention, as it should. The subject? Should libraries' computers have filters blocking Internet sexual or offensive material from children?

Joe has done it! And, the club approved it!

We are scheduled to take the traveling layout to Chapel Hills Mall on Saturday, August 28, 1999. What a great advertising opportunity for us!

We'll set up that Saturday morning inside the mall's main entrance, outside of the skating rink. Operating hours will be from 10:00 am until 4:00 pm. Then, we'll take the traveling layout back to the club. Joe will announce more details at the business meeting.

All members who want to take advantage of this chance to demonstrate your skills running trains should sign up at the club so that Joe will know who will be helping.

He showed it to me saying, "I've been carrying this around in my wallet for some time waiting for the chance to visit you guys."

It was a yellowed newspaper notice, published in The Denver Post years ago. It advertised a Pikes Peak "N"Gineers's upcoming open house in Shops of the Bluffs Shopping Center, at the corner of Austin Bluffs and Academy. We haven't been there since November, 1995.

"Have you still got Gary Coleman's layout? We'd sure like to see it?"

Model railroader and retired attorney Charles J. Carroll and his lovely wife were down from Cheyenne vacationing in the Pike Peak region. They asked if they could see our present layout. I opened up the club to them early on Saturday, July 24.

The Carroll's were really impressed by our layout and Charlie Carroll proved to be a very interesting model railroader. He had modeled in just about all scales. In recent times, he has been building small dioramas and selling them or giving them away. His next project will be a layout in Z scale.

Our visitors were fascinating people. They knew a considerable amount about railroads and railroading and spent some time traveling around learning more about trains.

If matters work out, the Carroll's will be with us during our tour of the Union Pacific shops in Cheyenne.

Just goes to show what our advertising can bring us—new friends, for one thing.

Here's the scoop on our visit to Union Pacific Railroad's Shops and Roundhouse in Cheyenne, Wyoming.

WHO: All members and friends
WHEN: Saturday, September 11, 1999
TIME: 11:00 a.m. in Cheyenne
COST: Free
TRANSPORTATION: Car pool

THE DETAILS:
We meet at the Park & Ride lot in Monument before 7:00 a.m. Get off I-25 at Exit #161. Since we will carpool northward, we'll figure out who rides with whom. Again, get to the Park & Ride before 7 o'clock so that you don't hold everybody else up.
We leave at promptly at 7:00 a.m. This allows us four hours to make a 3(++) hour trip. We will reassemble again in the Cheyenne area before proceeding to Union Pacific. This will give everyone an opportunity to get breakfast and take a potty break.
Rick must have completed an accurate count of members and friends going by the end of the August 20 business meeting. The count is important because Union Pacific wants to be sure that it has enough personnel present to handle our crowd. Rick has to call UP and give the count.
As part of that accurate count, Rick must also have a signed release of liability for each visiting member and for each visiting friend in his hands. The release is required by Union Pacific.
So, Please be considerate and helpful to Rick by calling him (home telephone 282-9089) and let him know that you are going-especially if you can't get to the August 20 business meeting. Remember, if you haven't signed a release, you can't go. It's just like the Chinese laundry: "No tickee, no laundry!"

The Union Pacific facilities are handicapped accessible.
There are handicapped restrooms in the UP shops, but not in the roundhouse. The restrooms are a "little rough, but serviceable."

Union Pacific has promised that both its 4-8-4 Northern and its Challenger will be on display for us. With luck, we should be able to get into one of the steam engine cabs. Maybe we'll be able to see both.

Also, we might be able to see the cab of a diesel.

Union Pacific Railroad will also provide an ample opportunity for us to spend, spend, spend on UP souvenirs.

Rick will give any additional details at the August 20 business meeting.

So, start packing your cameras, bring lots of film and take advantage of a golden opportunity.

Ann Foster has a new work telephone number.

The T.J. Downey's have a new address.

[This information can be obtained by contacting the Stationmaster.]

We have a full schedule coming up. So, pay attention, gang:

Aug 9 - Board of Directors meet
Aug 20 - Business Meeting followed by a module auction and maybe clinic.
Aug 22 (Sunday) - Club Picnic at the Palmer Lake Pavilion. Sign up at the club.
Aug 28 - Chapel Hills Mall Show
Sep 11 - Trip to Union Pacific's Shops and Roundhouse, Cheyenne, Wyoming
Sep 13 - Board of Directors meet
Sep 17 - Business Meeting
Oct 9 - Slim Rails' Swap Meet.
Oct 9 &10 - PPNG Open House. Slim Rails' Swap Meet is on October 9 (Saturday).
Oct 11 - Board of Directors meet
Oct 13 - Pike Peak "N"Gineers Model Railroad Club's 10th Birthday!
Oct 15 - Business Meeting
Oct 16 - Club's Tenth Anniversary Party! Yup, gang, we are ten (count 'em, 10!).
Nov 8 - Board of Directors meet
Nov 19 - Business Meeting
Nov 26, 27, 28 - Thanksgiving Open House
Dec 11, 12 - Christmas Open House
Dec 13 - Board of Directors meet
Dec 17 - Business Meeting
Dec 25 - Christmas
January 1, 2000 - Y2k strikes and all of us loose our trains forever (so they say).

The long-dormant 119-year-old Denver & Rio Grande Railway Depot in Antonito leads the list of "Top 10 Most Endangered Stations" in the nation from The Great American Station Foundation and the National Trust for Historic Preservation.

Built in 1880 of lava rock quarried near Trinidad, the passenger depot served passenger trains between Denver's Union Station and Durango to the southwest, or Santa Fe to the southeast.

By 1951, the last passenger train had rolled away and the station was boarded up.

Then, in 1970, Colorado and New Mexico formed the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad Commission and purchased a 64-mile section of track between Antonito and Cumbres, N.M., and established the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad, which is operated by concessionaires.

However, the new line built a new, larger station about a mile south rather than using the old depot.

Today the town, bi-state commission and the railroad's successful, relatively new, concessionaire all hope to reactivate the depot and are pleased with the top-10 designation. However, they don't agree on how the depot should be redeveloped.

Antonito Mayor Carla Lucero says negotiations are under way with Union Pacific Railroad to acquire ownership of the depot.

Then, ideally, Lucero would like the train to begin using the in-town depot so tourists can walk directly to the local stores, restaurants and other businesses "if we can convince the railroad."

New Englander George Bartholomew, who took over the railroad concession three years ago and has seen ridership surge by more than 40 percent, doesn't see it becoming a passenger depot.

Bartholomew sees only two options, restore the depot and turn it into a museum promoting the tourist railroad wand keep it where it is, or move it next to the line's other facilities.

Acknowledging the opposing goals, the executive director of the Toltec Scenic Railroad Commission, Leo Schmitz, said it would be difficult to open it as a passenger deport because Union Pacific controls the traffic rights between the two sites.

The most-endangered list was launched last year "to bring national attention to these treasured landmarks that once played a significant role in the development of many of our cities and towns," the announcement said.

Antonito's depot is the second oldest on the list, after the Milwaukee Road Railway Depot in Mineral Point, Wisc., which was built in 1856.

The only station on the list located in a neighboring state is New Mexico's Santa Fe Depot in Raton.

Pentrex Media Group has ceased publication of its two railroad magazines, RailNews and Vintage Rails, effective immediately, and says a sale of its magazine publishing division is pending. Meantime, Pentrex is maintaining and updating its records "to assure a smooth transition to the new owners." Pentrex's magazine office in Waukesha, Wis. (about 2 miles west of the offices of Trains' parent Kalmbach Publishing Co.), has been closed, and the contents are being relocated to Pentrex's corporate offices in Pasadena, Calif. Pentrex says all photos and contributors' materials from the Waukesha office are being returned during August. Pentrex remains in business, concentrating on its historic field of producing railroad videotapes, and the firm says it will continue to produce books.

Back in the deep dark ages of 1989, Ron Theisman, Dave Bol, Del Sheets and Chris Mueller met at Guiseppe's on August 23. They discussed the feasibility of organizing a new model railroad club.

Related topics included how to meet, should the meetings be formal or informal, how often meetings should take place and under what type of guide lines.

Where should the club meet? Should there be dues? What should Ron's role be as a board member versus a host dealer.

Some possible names for the club included:

• Southern Colorado N'ers
• Cascade N' Line
• Rocky Mountain N Scalers
• Springs N' Scalers
• Colorado Springs N Scale Club
• Mile High N Scalers
• Pikes Peak N Scalers
• Western Rockies N Scale
• The Summit N Scale Club
• Old Depot N Scalers
• N Scale Rail Joiners
• N Switchers
• Cheyenne Mountain N Scalers
• 160 Club
  

A week later, Ron, Dave, and Chris met again. Del Sheets was no longer in the picture due to a move to a job in Minnesota.

After discussing the club's new name without having reached a decision, these explorers asked where the club could meet on a regular basis? While that decision remained pending, they did decide that the first meeting to sign up members would take place on October 13, 1989 at Guiseppe's.

Ron had arranged a 55 minute program on "electrics" for that meeting. After talking about finances, the three organizers decided that there should probably be four officers: a president, a vice president, a secretary and a treasurer. "These should be on an interim basis right now & elected as soon as a 'core' club is in place." This second meeting lasted an hour. Another meeting was held on September 19. This time five people attended.

Pikes Peak "N"Gineers was officially adopted as the club's name.

The location of the October 13 meeting was changed to the Raintree Inn. It was scheduled from 7:00 until 10:00 p.m. Ron's Train Showcase would pay the cost of the hors d'oeuvres. A cash bar was provided by the Raintree Inn.

The organizers voted that the club would be strictly N scale.

The October 13 meeting took place as planned. Charter members signed up. (Ron added a couple of charter members later). Thus, Pikes Peak "N"Gineers was inaugurated with 38 charter members, very little money, few trains, no modules and no meeting place.

We've come a long, long way! Of the original 38 members, we still have nine: Ron Theisman, Chris Mueller (affiliate), Bob Patoni (affiliate), Ann Foster, Don Seidel, T.J. Downey (affiliate), Mike Peck, Margaret Afkhami, and Charles Bay. That many ten years later-that ain't bad.

The club's November and December meetings were hosted by Mr. & Mrs. Bill Whitmer at The Retired Enlisted Association.

While these meetings went on, Ron made contact with Plaza of the Rockies in downtown Colorado Springs. He negotiated the club's first "permanent" home, found on the Plaza's second floor. The rent: Nothing!

For the first meeting in the new digs, club members were advised to "bring a folding chair unless you want to sit on the floor!"

At the December meeting, the Club adopted its Constitution. One of the main agenda items for the January 19 business meeting was amending the Constitution regarding dues.

Alas, the January 19 meeting did not occur. Reason: weather. So, the meeting took place a week later, on January 26.

At this time, the club's officers were: Superintendent-Chris Mueller, Assistant Superintendent-Mark Wittrup, Stationmaster-Dave Bol, Paymaster-Bob Patoni. The club had a whole $600 in the bank.

Club activity in building a layout was furious. Our newsletter later reported:

IT WORKS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!5:02 PM SATURDAY FEBRUARY 3rd 1990. CHRIS throttled his Missouri-Pacific Freight Train around all three of our modular loops. We should always be able to run trains on our modular layout as well as begin with our other plans.

While the club members were enthusiastic, most were relative newcomers to the hobby. The lack of "how to" knowledge placed a burden on the experienced modelers. So, the club scheduled and held clinics in March, 1990. It was an ambitious schedule:

Saturday, March 10 - Track Soldering - Soldering techniques (Bring soldering iron)
Tuesday, March 13 - Chalk Talk on Wiring - Basic wiring for track plans
Friday, March 16 - General business meeting - Brass Locomotion
Saturday, March 17 - Air Brush Demonstration - Painting layout rails and ties
Tuesday, March 20 - Ballast - Ballasting track basics
Friday, March 23 - Tree Making - Frank, Travis, and Jerry on various trees
Saturday, March 24 - Build Your Own Hand Throttle - Jerry demonstrates "How to"
Tuesday, March 27 - Ballast - Ballasting track, continued
Friday, March 30 - Scratch-Build Buildings - Beginning Building Basics
Saturday, March 31 - Basic Hydrocal - Using hydrocal for scenery.

The clinic schedule for April and the first part of May was no less ambitious.

3645 Jeannine Drive, Suite 108

Tuesday: 7:00 - 9:00 PM

Fridays: 7:00 - 9:00 PM

Saturday: 1:00 - 4:00 PM

The club's newsletter summarized the first three months of 1990:

If you have not stopped in to see our layout lately, you need to. It is growing! With the addition of Mike Peck's and Dennis Ingram's modules, we grew 12 feet in one evening! In terms of scale feet thats (sic) over 9200 feet! Not bad for an evenings (sic) worth of track laying!!

We have several more modules that are close to being ready to fit into our large layout. When these are added, I am sure we will all be amazed at the size and scope of what was only a dream 4 months ago. Also as our layout grows, so does the capability to run longer and longer trains. We are at the point where you can bring in your big locomotives and run 40 to 50 cars behind them. This is truly what N Scale is all about.

At this time, the club's big layout had eight modules in it and $350 in the bank.

The club also scheduled its first Swap Meet for April 21, 1990. The report of it says,

Ahhhhh other peoples (sic) trash turns into our treasures. That seemed to be the general feeling of our swap meet. For those who brought items to sell-they were rewarded. For those who were looking for deals-there were plenty. For those looking to buy-unlimited potential. Basically it got such rave reviews that most participants felt another one towards the fall season would be appropiate (sic).

The club's activity was apparently noticed by the Plaza of the Rockies management. It invited the club to participate in Springspree and hold an open house. Members were urged to get their modules ready by June 9. What qualifies them as being ready?

Having the three main lines laid down, operational from an electrical stand-point and your mountain line as well laid down and working qualifies as being ready. Scenery is not as important at this time, as is getting all the modules we have under construction completed. Especially critical are corner modules and transitional modules.

Success is infectious.

What a spectacular event! With a tremendous effort on the part of the members and several back to back late nights, everything came together for our three day open house. It was amazing to see all the modules go together for the first time and see the results of a enormous layout. It was awesome as we tested trains of 3, 50, 70 and 100 plus cars. They ran smoothly around our Pike. It was contagious as the excitement grew and the members began to "experience" the dream—not just dream it. We had completed a goal in four short months that on February 3rd was still on paper.

But that was the first part. The second part was just as special and that was the actual open house. Over 1000 people stopped by to see our trains. The joy and excitement on the little kids (sic) faces, the fascination from the adults, the wonderment of the newcomers and the pure ecstasy of fellow model railroaders was witnessed many times over by those who interacted with our guests. Our sense of accomplishment and our pride in our layout was just as evident to them.

Editor: Charles J. Bay

THE RAILHEAD is published monthly by the Pikes Peak 'N' Gineers Model Railroad Club, P.O. Box 594, Monument, CO 80132; Telephone 719-488-9318. Subscription is covered through membership in Pikes Peak 'N' Gineers, a nonprofit corporation. ©1999. All rights reserved. We assume letters, questions, news releases, and club items are contributed gratis.

By July 1, 1990, the club had 40 members. That number doesn't begin to indicate the comings and goings of many people. Some of the charter members moved to employment elsewhere. Other charter members did not want a modular approach to the big layout and, after the vote to basically follow NTRAK standards, those members left the club. Others just lost interest.

Despite this revolving door, many new people caught the bug and joined the club and enthusiasm remained very high.

[More next month]

I have a new computer. It has new software. I should finally be Y2k compliant.

This change will help us to commemorate our tenth anniversary, which occurs on October 13, 1999. Not many clubs have lasted 10 years. Many of those that died along the way weren't flexible or didn't have the dedicated leadership needed in times of crisis. Others simply evaporated due to a general lack of interest. So, we should be proud just to be around!

In commemoration, it's time to change the look of your newsletter somewhat. There's no sense in getting into a rut. So, I am instituting some changes. One of these is a change in the newsletter's heading. Last month's issue introduced the new masthead. I hope that you find it more appealing.

Another change is to include more stories about the specific railroads we model. It would be helpful if you would tell me about some of the unique and lesser known facts about your favorite roads. You don't have to write a story—just loan some material to me.

Also, in this issue and for the next few issues, we'll take a look at our past. It will help explain how we got to where we are today. It will also demonstrate how much more sophisticated we have become.