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I want to thank all of the many people on this forum for all their help and who have put up with my questions and for their great answers.  It is truly a pleasure to belong to such a great group of people.  A big thank you to Alan for keeping the forum going.  I appreciate Lionel, MTH, WBB, and wish that K-Line was still in business and a big thanks to all of the great hobby shops that have come and gone and the ones that are still going strong, I wish you a great and continued success.  I would also like to thank Steve Nelson, Mr. Muffin, for his great business his wonderful crew who are always willing to help out.  Last but not least, TW Trainworx for all of the great custom layouts and tons of inspiration they have provided.  I look forward everyday to opening up the link to the OGR Forum to catch up on all of the latest train stuff and a special thank you to the gentlemen who started this list.

God Bless you all. 

Neat idea for a thread, I like this!

I'd like to thank:

  • Those of you here who have made nice comments about my postings on my layout (hey, you never know how your stuff is gonna be received until it is, right?). I subscribed to the magazine mostly because of the nice interactions I've had here.
  • Several of you who have given me assistance, and friendship online here. I don't want to start naming names as I'll forget someone and feel bad. You know who you are!
  • Allan, the editor of OGR. He's one of the nicest editors I've ever worked with (and I've worked with more than a few, in different types of magazines over the years). It's always a real pleasure working with you!
  • The Olympia, WA model train group. They're a nice bunch of guys and they totally turned me around on the hobby after being out of it for several years due to a horrible chain of incidents I endured within the hobby when I lived in the South...
  • My good friend Bob, from Florida, who's been a friend and mentor ever since I was a teen. I can't believe I've known the man for over 35 years!
  • My local pal Robert (different guy, same first name), who helped me with the track plan for my layout, the wiring, other stuff and is a one-man cheering section for my work.
  • The late Lee Riley at Bachmann. I just wish I could have thanked you in person. Without you getting the ET&WNC Baldwin ten-wheelers made in On30, I might not be in the hobby today (and for sure not in O scale).
Last edited by p51

I would like to echo the wonderful kind words stated in this thread about the Really Great Staff at OGR for this forum and Great magazine. Thru the great folks on this forum I have acquired a lot of knowledge and great tips about this great hobby of ours. Met several really nice folks both on the forum and in person as a result of the forum. Number90 love your story about your first train from your parents in 1953. I have a similar story only it wasn’t my parents it was an uncle that promised my mother(his sister) that if I walked before Christmas he would buy my me the biggest and best Lionel train he could find in Pittsburgh and I did walk 2 weeks before Christmas 1953 and still have that beautiful AA Santa FE F3’s and all of the 2500 series passenger cars made including both baggage cars. I also still have the ZW he bought to run those F Units which I currently still use on my layout. 

A tip of the engineer's cap and a mega "Thank You" to BIG BOY 4005 who has entertained and educated many of us for years with his much-anticipated monthly updates on the progress of his incomparable layout.  What worked and didn't work were tirelessly photographed and explained each and every month--a must read for most forum members.   And he helped out frequently with ad hoc posts to help those encountering a problem or had a question he could answer.

Health problems have interrupted his continued contributions here and the fourth week or so of each month just isn't the same without his photos, how-to's, humor, and dialog.  Carry on, Elliot--you are missed.

I would like to thank Joe and the staff at Mario's Trains. Mario's is extremely helpful in finding items, both new and older items. Their prices are competitive and they offer easy to use on-line coupons which makes the deals even better. And, last but not least, Mario's has the best packing standards of any train dealer I've ever dealt with, bar none. Everything comes in protective-cushioned out boxes, such that inner carton is well-protected. This is extraordinary service that goes above and beyond.

Tom,

What a great thread.  I have a lot of nice things to say about a lot of people because truly this hobby has become more about the people I have come to know than the trains themselves.   Where to start?  Tom your help with some of the more obscure ATSF locomotive information has been so important to the success of those projects.  More importantly your friendship, occasional wellness calls, and emails have really been so timely for me over the last ten years. 

I echo your sentiment about Scott Mann.  He took a huge chance way back in 2009 to involve me in a project and I've lost count of how many I have had the true honor of being involved with since.  Nicest and likely the shrewdest business person in this scale to pull of some some really interesting and fun projects.  Scott has become more than a contract employer is one of my true friends beyond just the business of trains.  Plus we both share a love for Peter Gabriel era Genesis music! :-)

Through my Sunset association I have come to know Bob Heil as not just a great resource, but a mentor and an incredible modeler.  If I have a tenth of the quality in my layout someday that he has in his that will be a true accomplishment.  Richard Dunn just knows his stuff and it is always fun to have him pop over to San Ramon when schedules align.  There are so many others I have forgotten to mention when it comes to emails and input I personally get during project development.  This role has taken my hobby to a level I never dreamed possible.

I am thankful for my TCA membership.  So many wonderful people.  I can't mention them all by name, but in my Division I have to say that Past National  President Chris Allen has always been my TCA mentor.  He's helped me through the politics when I was on the national board and never fails to go way above and beyond for Desert Division.  The only negative thing I can say about Chris due to his influence I now too spend a little too much at Division auctions and as a result have a storage unit for my trains.  Not necessarily the worst thing that can happen I suppose.  There are several others that have simply welcomed this crazy scale rivet counting railfan.  Prior to TCA I was an avid HO and N stay at home non-social modeler.  TCA has given me appreciation for trains I never had a remote interest in such as pre and post war Lionel.  I'm only a locomotive short of being able to run a standard gauge train around my tree as a result.  That 400E is just a bit out of reach for something I'd run once a year though.    

I am thankful for this forum.  My first post was in 2007 regarding a Williams T1 I purchased on Ebay that didn't run even though "it had been tested".  Through the kind help of several members at the time I was able to determine that the wiring harness was not wired correctly and I fixed it myself. 

In terms of people, I really want to give a special call out to Jack Wheelihan.  He is among the most friendly and genuine person one can meet and just knows so MUCH about prototype trains once you correspond with him in person.  While the project is a few years old, your EMD diagram of the SD7 demo scheme saved me days of work during crunch time.  Our conversations on configuration of Burlington E and F units is one I'll never forget in how patient and thorough you were with walking me through Burlington Bulletin #10.  I also have to give a shout out to the comedy duo of Kruimer and Casatelli.  Back in the early days of the 3 rail scale page, they really kept me in this scale as I was drawn to the ideas of scale couplers, non-swinging pilots and scale length cars.  

It is hard to really say all I want to say, so if I've left you out for some reason, it is not intentional.  I am better with arcane knowledge than names and always will be! Off there are so many of you that post on these pages that I am forgetting, but I do have to get back to work on GP7 and GP9 research or Scott will be after me!

Last edited by GG1 4877

This thread is indicative of Mr. Campbell's good spirit and upbeat attitude.  

After scheduling to attend a two day ranching symposium in Amarillo, TX, I contacted Tom in hopes of us finding time for a visit of any length.  He offers that I should arrive a day early and have an extended get-together (and if you like, bring some trains!). 
Having known and talked with Tom for a few years, I like the fact that our conversations start with family and home life, recent travel, our health, and musical interests.  We certainly talk about model and real trains.  Texans share an understanding that it is not polite to converse on the subjects of religion or politics, but we have found there is no need for us to steer clear of such.
Since our first meeting several years ago, I have speculated that Tom's wife and extensive family have waited patiently for his time while he completed a brilliant railroad career, and that I was not going to take any of that time away from them.  Any amount of time on the phone or meetings in person are a treasured gift for me.  "Thank you" to my gracious host.

People of faith in the Creator share a promise of spending Eternity together in His presence.  Don't be surprise if Tom and I end up building a railroad that spans the Promised Land and which strongly resembles the AT&SF.  Who else is in?
Penned with a smile.
Sincerely,  

Rob Leese posted:

This thread is indicative of Mr. Campbell's good spirit and upbeat attitude.  

After scheduling to attend a two day ranching symposium in Amarillo, TX, I contacted Tom in hopes of us finding time for a visit of any length.  He offers that I should arrive a day early and have an extended get-together (and if you like, bring some trains!). 
Having known and talked with Tom for a few years, I like the fact that our conversations start with family and home life, recent travel, our health, and musical interests.  We certainly talk about model and real trains.  Texans share an understanding that it is not polite to converse on the subjects of religion or politics, but we have found there is no need for us to steer clear of such.
Since our first meeting several years ago, I have speculated that Tom's wife and extensive family have waited patiently for his time while he completed a brilliant railroad career, and that I was not going to take any of that time away from them.  Any amount of time on the phone or meetings in person are a treasured gift for me.  "Thank you" to my gracious host.

People of faith in the Creator share a promise of spending Eternity together in His presence.  Don't be surprise if Tom and I end up building a railroad that spans the Promised Land and which strongly resembles the AT&SF.  Who else is in?
Penned with a smile.
Sincerely,  

Very nice sentiments, Rob!  I'm set for the promise of Eternity, and if we build model railroads there, the AT&SF is fine by me.

Rob Leese posted:

People of faith in the Creator share a promise of spending Eternity together in His presence.  Don't be surprise if Tom and I end up building a railroad that spans the Promised Land and which strongly resembles the AT&SF.  Who else is in?
Penned with a smile . . .

I hope I don't get reassigned to the Furnace Creek Subdivision of that eternal layout , but, if so, I'm sure you'll carry on with the plan, including overseeing the accuracy of all the cattle pens and windmills.

Our friendship started with this Forum.  And even though you and I are way out west, far, far away from most others who post on the Forum, the camaraderie here makes them seem like neighbors.  

Thanks to Rich Melvin, who had much to do with setting the no-flame, positive tone of the O Gauge Forum, which is unlike most other message board forums about trains.

Last edited by Number 90

Fashionably late to this thread here...Id like to thank all the OGR Magazine crew, for which i never would have met them and fellow Forumites. Id like to thank my friends that hang out at the Quaker State & Loopy dinner.  And Peter for organizing the Diner breakfast...Eddie G for his "count down to York"...like a twice yearly pep rally...the NJ HiRailers for their open house generosity and helping me get fatter...lol...I missed several folks..yet, thanks. Oh yeah, and the magic of electricity applied to teeny electric motors,  and smoking cabooses...

Last edited by redjimmy1955

I thank my late Uncle Harold for taking me with him on the Illinois Central yard switcher in their yard in my hometown when I was a kid and the rules were more relaxed.  Thanks to my dad for taking me to New Orleans on the Panama Limited for my 12th birthday.  Thanks to the nice crew of the Mt. Hood Railroad who let me ride along in the cab that time as they switched around passenger cars.    Thanks to all the friends and relatives who have, over the years, indulged my train-watching obsession.  It’s all helped fuel and keep alive my appetite for O Gauge trains.  

Great thread topic, by the way.

Hey, if I were to list only two things, one would be the Cab 2, with its Train Brake Slider and the Warning Sound Controller. I'm dabbling in DCC in other scales and haven't run into any other hand held controllers that have these features, or have them as good as, the Cab 2, in my opinion. (I consider the Train Brake Slider more of a Johnson Bar the way I use it)   So thanks Lionel and to that responsible person or committee!

And Number One:  Gunrunner John. I enjoy reading and need his electronic expertise, and admire the respectful way in which he presents it. Thanks John! 

Rick

Downers Grove,  Illinois

 

Our O scale friend Big John& the Work posted photos of his recently-arrived, and beautiful, Sunset 3rd Rail F3A and F3B in Northern Pacific passenger livery.  While I was admiring the photos, I noticed the winterization hatch over the rear cooling fan of each unit, and that got me thinking about winter and the Northern Pacific.

The prototype NP F3's served for 24 years at the head end of passenger trains, and that's 24 long, cold winters in Minnesota, North Dakota, and Montana.  Long icicles hung from the chicken wire over the radiator intake openings for days at a time, only melting after the units got to experience temperatures above freezing west of Spokane.

I have always admired the way NP maintained its diesel locomotives.  The railroad did not clobber the carbodies up with after-market accessories or blank out the portholes or install any home shop gewgaws.  They remained "stock" although I'm sure they installed some of the EMD upgrades to the diesel engines, and maybe added automatic transition to the F3's.  In a Northern Pacific winter, reliability was important.  Dead engines and arctic temperatures are not very well matched.  So, I will say a kind word about the Northern Pacific Railroad and its Mechanical Department.

And I must tip my hat to the NP operating employees and their supervisors and dispatchers.  Those well maintained diesels would not have made a move in winter without a Brakeman using a switch broom to chisel and sweep the ice from turnouts.  NP Train Dispatchers, even though inside steam heated buildings, worked together with road crews to get trains over the road in winter.  And Northern Pacific Locomotive Engineers had to "know the air" in winter as well as in summer.  (There's a world of difference).  From Montana westward, NP Engineers had to be good mountain grade Engineers, because their railroad had a number of tough mountain crossings, unlike the comparatively moderate grades of competitor Great Northern.  NP took the hard route to the northwest.  All of its challenging territory created a culture of "getting it done," so the NP operating men would never be lifted up as examples of strict rules compliance, though they were skilled and dependable.

A long ago photo in Trains, of a Northern Pacific freight F3 (or was it an FT?) sitting ready for departure, covered in clear ice, was the seed that grew into my admiration for NP and its people.  I can imagine being a NP Engineer, in bed in February under quilts, and getting called on duty at 2:00 AM.  While he would take a quick shower, and then dress in several layers of clothing, his wife would be filling his Thermos with hot coffee and frying up a quick breakfast, which he would eat only after going outside and starting up his car, which would have been equipped with a block heater.  While the engine on the car came up to operating temperature, he would return to the kitchen, eat the breakfast, and kiss his wife good bye.  

Upon arrival at the Register Room at the passenger station, he would register his watch and check to see if the Fireman had registered both of them on duty.  The Conductor would go over the Train Orders with him, and they would discuss the weather until the Operator stuck his head into the Register Room and announced, "He's on the bell."  

The Engineer and Fireman would walk outside and down the platform to the spot where the engine would stop.  Looking in the direction the train would arrive from, they could see the Mars light of Big John's F3, the 6503A, wigwagging as the train topped a mild hill and made the straight-in approach to the station stop.  As soon as the train stopped, the inbound Engineer extinguished the Mars light and dimmed the headlight, the Mechanical Department employees applied a blue flag and light, and connected water hoses to the diesel units and the water baggage car.  Meanwhile, the well-rehearsed changing of crews would have begun: the inbound crew tossed their grips down to the Fireman, who caught them, and then tossed his own and the outbound Engineer's grips up to the inbound Fireman, for placement in the cab.  The inbound crewmen each slid down the handrail on one hand.  The trio of F3's glistened with a covering of ice, clear icicles hanging from the air screens and below the frames.  The Engineers would exchange advice about the train,  "The boiler on the second unit keeps going off line.  Fireman had to drop a fusee in her twice.  Other than that she's a puller.  The air's pretty tight for this time of year."  The Engineer and Fireman would then place gloved hands onto handrails that were half again their normal size, because of ice, and carefully climb the side ladder into the cab, where both heater fans would be whirring.  As soon as the cab door was closed, the soothing sound of an idling 567 series EMD engine would be heard, heavy jackets would be hung on the rear wall, and the Fireman would walk through the engine rooms to check the water and governor oil sight glasses on each engine, as well as the condition of the steam generators.  Snow which had been swirled up by the turbulence of the train would have come in through the chicken wire screens, an inch or more of it covering places on the walkway through the engine room of each unit.  "All good," he would report to the Engineer after coming back to the cab of the front unit.

Ahead, a semaphore blade stood erect, its green light waiting for the passenger train.  A Mechanical Department employee removed the blue flag and banged the lantern a couple of times against the pilot, to call the Engineer's attention.  The Fireman, watching down the platform in the side mirror, called, "Highball."  "Highball," the Engineer repeated, as he switched the headlight to bright and turned on the Mars light, sounded two short blasts of the air horn, put the F3's in Run-1, moved the 24-RL automatic brake valve to Release, moved the independent brake valve to Release and bailed down momentarily, with a sharp exhaust of air reporting that he had released the downward pressure.  He moved the automatic brake valve back to Running, as the train inched into forward movement.  He turned on the sander valve, which hissed and spit sour smelling condensation into the cab, moved the throttle to Run-2, then Run-3, then Run-5.  Now the train would be moving at about 15 MPH.  He would have made a running air brake test by applying the train brakes until he felt resistance, then released them, and brought the throttle directly to Run-8.  The Fireman would have seen a lantern wag a highball from one of the vestibules of the train, and called "Highball the running air test."  The Engineer would have turned off the sanders. and called Clear, as the train passed the semaphore and the 6503A made transition, picking up speed into the frigid prairie night.

Winter and the Northern Pacific . . . they were inseparable for six months of each year.  A toast,  to the people who managed and operated Northern Pacific.  ("The view is terrific, on Northern Pacific.")

Thanks for starting me thinking about all this, John.  I have really enjoyed the memories and musings.

Last edited by Number 90

Wow Tom. That story painted such a picture, that I felt like I was there. I spent many times getting ready for shift work not knowing exactly how long I'd be there. The people for the next shift might call off and I'd work a double. So I can imagine just how it was, as best as I can.

 I remember working at a graphite plant many years back. Guys called off all the time. So I accepted to work a double. I remember in the morning a boss came up to me and asked if I'd stay on. I replied "sure I would" and smiled. He walked off and I kept working.

 There must have been some staffing problem with management and another boss named Butch came in way early. He always made the rounds and came up to me with a weird look on his face. We both said hello and he walked off. A very short time later he came rushing back to me. He asked how long I had been there? I replied a few years now. No, he asked again, how long I had been on shift. I just smiled and he said weren't you here when I left? I said yes.

 He went and confirmed the shift records and ran back. He said I had to go home! I guess it's illegal to work a triple? 

Last edited by Engineer-Joe

Always LOVE Number 90's stories!  Would be a joy to sit by a fire outside sipping some bourbon and taking with him, Rich, and HW too!

Plus I have a fascination with the NP as well, from that beautiful paint scheme to operating an environment mostly foreign to me.  Don't tell the SF guys but I think the NP paint scheme is the best of all the F Unit's.

@TexasSP posted:

Always LOVE Number 90's stories!  Would be a joy to sit by a fire outside sipping some bourbon and taking with him, Rich, and HW too!

Plus I have a fascination with the NP as well, from that beautiful paint scheme to operating an environment mostly foreign to me.  Don't tell the SF guys but I think the NP paint scheme is the best of all the F Unit's.

I was fortunate that I got to meet HW and Rich. You know it's them as soon as you get near. Bigger than life and lots of experience. I heard Jack's voice at a show. Even without seeing him I knew who it was.

 I met Rich on an excursion. Great sense of humor and very genuine.

Kids wish to meet rock stars. I've toured with them. Nothing more behind the face sometimes. Sometimes much worse.

 I like to meet people like this. You will always remember it. Of course, I didn't see them when things were going south. I would have stood down, and moved out of their way. They are the times when these type of people stand and make things happen. That's what sets them apart. That's where the stories come from.

I really appreciate the polite nature of some of you on OGR, when I first joined here more than 10 years ago it was a very different place especially in 2 rail but some of you have always been there and I thank you all for the mutual friendship and passion we’ve shared here.

I don’t ever complain or say anything negative about anyone it’s simply bad karma and child like behavior. I expect troll like behavior from my 6 year old he doesn’t understand but sometimes adults act like babies, I find it rather amusing.

I’ve been very busy the last 3-5 years with 2 kids under 6 and the hobbies have taken second place but I still find to play. My workshop is covered in kids toys of both kinds mine and the kiddies. So much for hand laying track right now but the kids are far more important to me than toy trains.

All, hey, Keep up the good work OGR family it’s a great place please, let’s keep it that way. It’s been a fun 15 years. 

I would like to give  big shout out to my wife Rachel.  She saw me trying to squeeze a decent large radius layout in our at the time small basement and then try to work around our communities building code to build an RR out building.  So when it came to moving she would give an ear job to real estate agents about how we will only consider ranch homes with a full length, deep, dry basement.

She insisted on turning around and leaving when ever a R/E agent tried to snooker us.  Now 12 years later she continues to push back when her lady friends comment on "Why does your husband have the entire basement?"  Her response is because I want him to!

Rachel is a keeper!!!

Tom, My wife Kim is completely on board with Rachel!  We are here as long as her mother is still living across the road, but after Mum passes Kim wants exactly the same kind of house Rachel wanted for the same reasons!!  At our wedding 36 years ago, our friend wrote on the rear window, Mark Boyce - What a Choice.  Today I would rewrite that, Kim Bonnett Boyce - What a Choice!!

Hello Tom, I just read your NP story, and Wow, your description of the real to life routine of railroad employees was very educational, and although I love model railroading, I know very little about the life of an engineer, brakeman, conductors or mechanical workers. Your descriptions of winter, ice and snow on the railroad seemed to come to life as I read your vivid descriptions. Cold winters are tough, going to work in the wee hours would be tough, safety, alertness, attention to a high quality work ethic would be a no brainer. Thank You for telling this amazing tale of what life would be like in NP Country.

I agree with others, it’s Nice to hear something Good, than the normal negativity that seems to surround us. I take it, HW = Hot Water, and Rich = Rich Melvin, and Yes, what a fun time could be had with them telling their railroad stories, a lot could be learned.  Wow, that would be a lot of fun. I’m going to order Rich Melvins book, The 765, soon.

I to miss Marty Fitzhenery, didn’t know Barry Broskowitz, and all the others that make this forum fun. Yes, Santiago’s Scale layout and trains are amazing, Eric Lindgren’s photography is Awesome, and I imagine his layout is breathtaking. There’s so much good out there, this thread should be read by everyone participating on the OGR Forum.

Real Trains, model trains, it’s simply all fun. Thank you.  Everyday is a new adventure, yesterday is history, tomorrow a mystery, todays a gift, they call it The Present. Happy Railroading 

Tom:

Your personal record has been awarded 20 merits for the following:

  • 10 points for starting this topic.
  • 10 points for the NP story.

 

However, the next time you come to the Chicago area, and don't look me up when you visit Hot Water, we will have to hit your personal record with 10 brownies. 

Regards,

Jerry

 

Tom and Mark, when we built our new house in State College I kept pushing back at the builder. I wanted a ranch house so my wife would not have to do steps in her daily routine. My reward was a 2000 sq. ft basement for a man cave / train room. So I would have to say she was on board also when friends ask her why I have the entire basement she gives the same answer because she wanted me to and has been super supportive on my layout and trains. She says it is something you always wanted and she wants me to have. I echo Marks thoughts on Jannie Thomas What a Choice I would add I won that one to have caught a great friend and wife. I would always tease her that she signed  prenuptial, she can be replaced but not the trains. I would sell everyone of them in a heartbeat if it met keeping her. Glad to say it has not and most likely will not come to that. She is the best thing that ever happened to me. 

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