PIKES PEAK "N" GINEERS MODEL RAILROAD CLUB
THE RAILHEAD
May 2007 SEEKING SERIOUS N-SCALE MODEL
RAILROADING SINCE OCTOBER 13, 1989
  

Calendar of events for the Pikes Peak "N"Gineers 2007

May
May 5: Work session at Peck’s 1 to 4 pm.
May 12: Lecture on Colorado’s Historic Railroads at 3 pm at the Western Museum of Mining & Industry
May 14: Board Meeting – Howard’s Pit Barbeque – dinner at 6:30 p.m. – meeting at 7:30 p.m.
May 18: Business Meeting – 7:30 p.m. in the dining room on the fifth floor of St Francis Hospital.
May 19: Run trains at Joe’s from 1 to 4 pm.
May 26: Work session at Peck’s 1 to 4 pm.
May 26, 27, and 28: 3rd Annual Historic Georgetown Railroad & Mining days
June
June 1,2, 3: Club trip to ride the Alamosa Train.
June 8, 9, 10: Western Museum of Mining & Industry show.
June 11: Board Meeting – Howard’s Pit Barbeque – dinner at 6:30 p.m. – meeting at 7:30 p.m.
June 15: Business Meeting – 7:30 p.m. in the dining room on the fifth floor of St Francis Hospital.
July
July 9: Board Meeting – Howard’s Pit Barbeque – dinner at 6:30 p.m. – meeting at 7:30 p.m.
July 20: Business Meeting – 7:30 p.m. in the dining room on the fifth floor of St Francis Hospital.
July 21, 22: Colorado Railroad Museum Steam Up
Future events and dates
August 25: Camping trip to Chris and Connie’s to look at the Grape Creek extension to Westcliffe.
September 9: Dual picnic with the DANS club.
October 6, 7, 8: Rock Island festival
November 24: Club swap meet and show
Work session
On April 21st, Lester, Charley, Chris, Mike & Mary, met at the storage unit and unloaded six feet module rack so it could be brought to Joe for repairs. We picked up some burlap and Velcro to make additional skirting so we may add additional modules to the MTL. We loaded two of the 6 ft modules to take to the Peck’s to do some work on. One module needed some minor woodwork repair. The module is going to receive some additional scenery and a mining scene. After some discussion on how to proceed the work began. First thing was to determine where the old mine was to be located and then clean the area so it could be attached to the layout. Then we laid some ballast and ties to represent an abandoned spur line to service the mine. This was then saturated with alcohol and 50/50 white glue and water. This will be finished on the next work session on May the 5th.

Colorado’s Historic Railroads
The lecture on Colorado’s Historic Railroads will be at the Western Museum of Mining & Industry on May 12, 2007 at 3:00 pm. If you plan to attend be sure to RSVP at (719) 488-0880. I have already made our reservations and it sounded like the lecture was filling up fast so don’t wait till the last minute. If have you never been to the museum it is located just off of I-25 at the Gleneagle exit #156A just across from the north entrance to the United States Air Force Academy. The lecture is free but they do ask for donations.

The Gallopin’ Gosling
Many people have marveled over the famed “Gallopin’ Goose,” the hybrid automotive unit that used to run over the narrow-gauge railway from Ridgway to Telluride and beyond. These “locomotives,” which were a cross between a motor truck and a train, are still on display at Telluride, Dolores, the Colorado Railroad museum in golden, and out at Knott’s Berry Farm in California.
How did it get its nickname? According to Bruce M. Burbank of Littleton who wrote to Frances Melrose of the Rocky Mountain News for her  “Rocky Mountain Memories” column, the machines would tend to run hot while climbing the steep grades. To cool off, on the downhill run, the driver would raise the four piece hood, hinged in the center. As speed picked up, the sections would flap like wings, suggesting a goose flying. Another version is that the name came from the way the contraption wobbled down the tracks.
Much less-known, however, is the smaller version of the same combination, which is now located at the Jail House Museum in Silverton. It ran on the Silverton and Northern Railway to places such as Animas Forks and Eureka from 1887 until 1947. Only about eighteen feet in length, it could seat six passengers, or the space could be used for freight. Two household brooms were affixed to sweep the track in front of it. This little machine ran on a regular daily schedule. By extension of the expression, this should be called the “Gallopin’ Gosling.”
This is the last article from the book “ I Never Knew That About Colorado” by Abbot Fay. Thanks to TJ & Lynn for sending those in. If anyone else has stories or articles they would like to share please send them to me.

Alamosa Train Trip
Trip time is almost here. Cut off for tickets and hotel reservations is Monday April 30th. I’ll be contacting those going about collecting the money for the train tickets. I did find out that the cost of tickets is higher than what is posted on the web. We will be getting the group discount as we have over twenty people going. Some members will be carpooling down after 5 pm on Friday June 1. They will meet at the Park & Ride between Tejon & Nevada under I-25. If you wish to carpool down this is the place to meet. Others will head down on their own.

Annual Historic Georgetown Railroad & Mining Days
The club was invited to this event, but do to scheduling we had to refuse for this year. We hope to be invited next year. The event for 2007 is May 26, 27, & 28. This is the third year this event has been held and they are hoping to make it an annual event, so if you can make one of the days please attend. The program is educate children on their railroad and mining history.

Western Museum of Mining & Industry show
The club will be setting up the MTL on Thursday evening after work. The time will be set at either the board or business meeting. The event runs June 8, 9, & 10 from 9 am to 5 pm daily. Tear down will be after closing on Sunday June 10. We will work on an operating schedule at either the board or business meetings.