April ‘09

RAILMAIL

Tulsa Garden Railroad Club

 

President, Donnie Shirey   

918-361-1760   donniewshirey@mbcsi.com

Vice. Pres. Bob Gardine

918-476-6374    bgardine@chouteautel.com

Treasurer, Suzanne Honeyman

918-827-7516   shoneyman@honeycreekfarm.com

Secretary, Barbara Black

                918-742-6669  wgblack@att.net

Editor, Jim Martin   

918-756-3324   nitram1933@sbcglobal.net

Web Coordinator, Joe Salamon

            918-437-8050   salamon7@cox.net  

 

Tulsa Garden Railroad Club

C/o Barbara Black

3813 E. 38th St.

Tulsa OK 74135

 

www.tulsagardenrailroadclub.org  info@tulsagarderailroadclub.org

 

 

Greetings from the President’s Roundhouse

Spring has sprung, maybe. Just if old man winter would let go and let it warm up a little. We have a few outdoor events coming up with the Jenks Herb Fest and the Claremore festival. This would be a good time for club members to get out the rolling stock and locomotives and run them on the ground displays at these events. (I think Joe is asking for trains and such to show up at the events so that it is not so bare.) The Jenks event is going to be different as we have a local nursry (Colebrook) that is going to help populate the layout with live plants. This should help the layout look more “outdoors”. After talking with the people incharge of the Claremore event and mentioning the live plant idea for Jenks, they thought that maybe someone there could also help when we setup at the Claremore event.

After lasts months meeting in which it was decided that the regular monthly meetings would continue to be held on the last Thursday of the month and a special get together would be at a club members house to have an operating session or workshop. Now we need to get some workshops put together for the upcoming special get together. BE THINKING ABOUT WHAT WE NEED TO DO FOR THESE WORKSHOPS.           Until the meeting….Donnie

 

Banner Photo

Double header on the Guess family super module at the recent Great Train Expo.

 

Shows, Meetings & Events

GTATS, Saturday April 18, Bixby Community Center, 211 N Cabaniss, hours 9:00 to 3:00, More info at 9180440-1910.

 

Jenks herb Fest, Saturday, April 25th, our annual ground track set up at this great festival. Contact Joe Salamon  918-695-7384 or at salamon7@cox.net

 

25th Annual Garden Railway Convention, July 5-11, Denver CO. This is where it all began twenty five years ago. Great convention with tours, vendors and exhibits. If you’ve not been to a Garden RR Convention, this is the one to attend. Details and registration forms available at www.2009ngrc.com

 

Heart of America Garden RR Show, Friday/Saturday, August 14-15 This show has a couple of years under its belt and is all large scale. If you don’t make it to the National Convention, this is a good option. Info at www.hagrs.com

The Mikado

A number of club members own a model of the 2-8-2 Mikado, one of the most popular steam locomotives utilized on our railroads. The early Mikado’s were built by Baldwin in 1893 for Japan Railways on a 3 foot / 6 inch gauge. After Pearl Harbor, some railroads renamed their 2-8-2 locomotives “MacArthurs”. The 2-8-2 based on our 4 foot 8-1/2 gauge became the principal freight locomotive of North America with some 10,000 in service over the years. Because of their large numbers, they were one out of every five in service on our railroads. They were relatively large weighing over 400,000lbs. and had the ability to handle trains of 3000-5000 tons at good speeds. They also saw service as passenger engines for those railroads with heavy grades.

 

 

March Meeting Minutes

Minutes of the January 31, 2009 meeting approved as written

The Treasurer’s report as of March 28, 2009 approved.

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OLD BUSINESS

  1. Donnie Shirey reported that the Bentonville show was a very good show.  The club’s lay-out module really worked well.  You can view it on the web site.  There were a lot of people attending.
  2. The Great Train Expo was also a great show.  We had 24 modules and a lot of structures, good ground track in a 50 x 50 area, with an 8’ walk-way.  We received the stipend from the show.  Donnie reported that vendor count was low but there was a large attendance.  Donnie was asked to be interviewed on Channel 2, which was aired, so the club got some unsolicited advertisement  Vernon’s layout was spectacular.
  3. We have purchased additional insurance on both trailers in the amount of $17,500.00 at $116.00 per month.  Break-down includes $7,000 blanket limit for the inside of the trailer, cost of trailer, and rolling stock.  Should an accident occur while driving a personal vehicle and the trailer hitched to it, the driver’s insurance would cover if need be. Both trailer and contents area covered.  There was much discussion on securing the trailer with cables strung through the wheels, tongue lock, etc.  Nothing was decided.
  4. There is a definite need for programs for the club.  At present, we are only holding business meetings with no information programs. Harry Wolohon related that he was interested in casting windows, structures, etc.  Bob Gardine suggested that we shorten our business meetings so we can have time for demonstrations and clinics.  We decided that demonstrations and clinics would be a good fit for the meetings that are held in member’s homes.  A motion was made, seconded and passed that we change back to the last Thursday of each month at 6:30 p.m. and clinic work-shops and operating sessions on Saturday to be left up to the demonstrator as to the date each month and the time.
  5. The discussion on equipment included the eggliner and Ludwig informed Donnie that it will run on a flat track.  Joe Salamon stated that he will loan one of his egg liners to the club and he will take the bad one .  Sally Dischner delivered the egg liner and clips that had been ordered by the club to Joe.
  6. There was inquiry about the diesel and Vernon Guess stated that he has it.  It needs to be repaired.  Bob Gardine stated that he repaired all the equipment that he took from the trailer and fitted into the boxes he made before they were returned to the trailer.  Power supplies were questioned and Donnie stated that we have 5 strong power supplies.
  7.  It was announced that dues are due.

 

NEW BUSINESS

  1. The need to store the orange trailer was discussed and Skip Honeyman volunteered to have it stored on his property.  He would like to have a large lock to lock it up even thought it will be behind a building and out of sight.  A motion was made, seconded and passed for the club to buy a lock.  Bob Buttrum will keep the little trailer at his house.
  2. Joe Salamon  reported on the Jenks Herbfest.  The club lay-out will be position on Main street in the Church parking lot under two shade trees.  Emergency and police can close off the street in front of the church.  There is electricity available.  Joe stated that he needs people for  set-up from 6-8:00 a.m. The lay-out will be on carpet and asphalt.  Members may bring all the trains from their personal inventory that they would like to run.  Nadine Hodge contacted Colebrook Nursery and they are willing to donate some plants to enhance our lay-out. They will price these plants and we can sell them plants at their price with no tax.  Skip Honeyman reported that Colebrook gives club members a 10% discount, just show your membership cards.  Joe also asked for a motion for the club to buy breakfast for the members working at 6:00 a.m.  Motion seconded and passed.  He will buy the breakfast and the Treasurer will pay him.
  3. Nadine Hodge brought a huge poster of a picture of one of Joe Salamon’s lay-out.  A motion was made, seconded and passed to spend the money on 3 more posters.  Any member can submit pictures of their lay-out and send them to Nadine Hodge by April 9th.  Make them in high regulation.  A committee was chosen to judge the pictures submitted and select the three that they felt contained what the club is all about.  The committee chosen are the officers and Nadine.
  4. Donnie stated that we need at least 4 more posters and we should make them every 6 months.
  5. Joe Salamon was elected by acclamation to be the Tour chairman.  The tour will be June 6th from 9:30-4:30.  We will not have a raffle or books this year.  He has made up a flyer to hand-out at the shows.  The tour locations are 7205 West 34th Street, Tulsa, (Bud Craft) 3813 East 38th Street, Tulsa, (Bill & Barbara Black) 11381 East Independence, Tulsa, (Bob & Sheila Buttrum,) 12114 East 23 Street, Tulsa, (Joe Salamon) 13003 South 133rd East Avenue, Broken Arrow (Vernon Guess) and 1503 North Fox, Chouteau, Oklahoma (Bob Gardine)
  6. There is the Okmulgee in Bloom and Claremore Home & Garden show both on May 2nd.  We have been contacted by both and a motion was made, seconded and passed that we would do the Claremore Show.
  7. Christmas raffle tickets are available from Bob Gardine.

 

The April 30th meeting will be at the Zarrow Library  at 6:30 p.m.   Respectfully submitted:    Barbara Black, TGRRC Secretary 

 

 

PLEASE NOTE, I will be out of the country till mid-May. Please hold any e-mails to me till then. Thanks, Jim