AZ: Glendale model-train store puts businessman's dream on track

From AZ Central :  Glendale model-train store puts businessman's dream on track

Opening Jack's Trains in Glendale was Jack Miller's second chance to make his dream of a model-train business come true.

Miller, who received his first train set on Christmas in 1946, said since that day model trains have made up a big part of his life. Miller managed a train store in 1980 and 1981 in Rochester, N.Y., he said.

"When the guy went out of business, I wanted to buy the train store, but he wouldn't sell me just the train store, and that killed the dream," Miller recalled. "I said, 'Someday I will do it again.' Now here I am."

Miller, 75, and his wife and co-owner, Pat, opened the model-train business in Glendale in April 2011 near 58th and Glendale avenues, near Bitz-ee Mama's restaurant. In March, the business moved to its current location, 7021 N. 57th Drive.

Within the shop's white walls, visitors are surrounded by model cabooses, tracks and train memorabilia. In addition to selling model trains and accessories, the Millers repair trains.

The couple plan to open the Caboose Cafe in the back of the store soon to provide customers with sweets and treats.

The shop is a gathering place for model-train lovers, Miller said.

The West Valley Railroad Historical Society, founded by Miller, meets at 7 p.m. Mondays at the store to work on model-railroad projects. The society has about a dozen members, and anyone can join, Miller said.
Miller talked about his love of model trains and the business.

Question: What do most customers who come to your store look for?
Answer: "People are looking for specific things sometimes. Other times, they just ... come to check me out and see what I have."

Q: Has the model train industry changed in the past several years?
A: "The popularity of trains has never died. ... We're doing digital, and it's absolutely awesome. Our locomotives now are digital. We have a chip in the locomotive that designates the address to that particular locomotive ... (The chip allows you to control it) via computer or via cellphone."

Q: What will Caboose Cafe offer customers?
A: "(It) will be opening shortly, by September 1. We will have New York hot dogs, fudge, imported jams and jellies. We'll (also) be having cookies, muffins, sodas, water, juices and coffee."

 

60 is the new 40

On August 10, 2012, the Cheyenne chapter of the AARP hosted a seminar called Gray Matters - which was free and provided a free lunch - unfortunately fish and cheesecake, blech - from 4 to 6 was a reception for all travelers who had come in for the AARP National Spelling Bee to be held on the 11th.

I attended that and it was a lot of fun. The emcee introduced a few folks, we talked about words, there was a "mock" spelling bee (which only consisted of about 20 people getting up and being questioned on one word...._ and so on. And there were finger foods there - Chinese food to be precise. Don't know where they got it from or if they cooked it on site (Little America is a hotel and resort where people come to play golf among other things) but it was delish.

The spelling bee started at the ungodly hour of 8:30 am (Well...8:30 is not so ungodly but I had to get up at the ungodly hour of 6:30 to get there in time for registration, etc.) It started with 4 rounds of 25 words each - which was a Written Test.

The first 25 words were extremely easy. They asked words like "Greetings" and "Navel" and "Mince." I suppose a few might have been considered difficult... "Animus" and "Lacuna."


The second 25 words were equally easy, but I did miss MUGWUMP.


I assume they did this just to help everyone settle the nerves and get new people used to what was going on. People had trouble hearing some of the words (hey, they were all over 50 and most over 60) and the Pronouncer  would come down and tell them the word face to face and have them say it back, etc. Indeed, the Pronouncer did an excellent job.


Third round was where they started asking the difficult words.


I missed:
QUESTIONARY INERCALATE
TUATARA
SKOSH
VIRIDITY
WIMBLE

The fourth round was the real killer. I only got 12 out of 25 right. I missed:

FELICIFIC
DOVEKIE
FLYTING
NAPERY
COTYLEDONARY
WELTSCHMERRZ
OPPUGNER
AECIOSPORE
SYNCYTIAL
KNUR
IRIDIUM
TUYERE
HYOSCYAMINE

I then stayed for the Oral rounds and was joined by one of my friends from my Scrabble Club. (I think an audience could have assembled for the Written rounds, too. There were chairs there and family were in them...but I think most people only wanted to come see the Oral rounds where you actually saw the speller's faces as opposed to their backs, etc.)

Two of the people I met last night at the reception made it to the Orals. One of them it was his first trip to the Bee and he was successful his first time out. Made it through about 10 rounds. (In the Orals, you miss two words and you're out.) Another one was an elderly woman from Minnesota who also got through about 10 rounds before being knocked out.

There were three sisters and a brother who had come as a sort of family reunion. The eldest sister made it to the Oral rounds but was bounced after only two rounds. This was too bad and it was because she was a bit unlucky - she got two 6-syllable words in a row while some of the others were getting much easier ones (but still, not ones I could have spelled). But she was disqualified along with several other people in the same round, so hopefully she didn't feel too bad.

The words in the Oral Rounds were extremely difficult. Several times more difficult than the toughest words in the final round of the Written.


But, had I studied for a year, I think I could have handled them.


And it is my intention to study for a year and  get into the Orals next year.


So, why is the title of this blog entry 60 is thenew 40?


Because it is.


People are living longer. You don't want to outlive your money and more importantly you don't want to outlive your sense of enjoyment of life. And learning new things every day is enjoyment and keeps the mind active.


The AARP Spelling Bee is held every year, and it gives you an excellent reason to travel to Cheyenne and see The Cowboy State. You'll meet lots of interesting people.


You do have to study.


I studied very desultorily for about a month...combine all the time I studied and it was about 10 hours. Not nearly enough, but then, I'm a good speller so the Written Rounds were relatively easy - except for that killer last round.


Why learn words that you'll never, ever say in real life?Well, because they're interesting. And the concepts of what you'll learn, you can apply in other areas. So it's a win win.


So start planning to live a long, healthy, active, intellectual life, and do it now, however old you might be!

Posts resume Monday

I'm participating in the AARP Cheyenne Spelling Bee today, Saturday, and need to recover Sunday....

So Monday, posts resumes.

Oft-derailed Pokey Smokey II out for year for new track

From Pilot Inline:  Oft-derailed Pokey Smokey II out for year for new track

The city's beloved children's train, Pokey Smokey II, will be closed for about a year, this time costing the city $125,000.
The reason? It was never designed to fit the track, according to documents obtained by The Virginian-Pilot.
Now the city must get a new track in the hopes that Pokey Smokey II will be back in commission by next summer.
The train first began chugging around City Park in May 2011, replacing an older model shut down in 2005 over safety concerns. But it has broken down five times since then in different locations.
On several occasions, the rear wheel truck of the coach car came off the track, Deputy City Manager Brannon Godfrey told the City Council in June. The train closed weeks after it opened last year and ran only a few days this year, according to city records.
The fix, Godfrey told the council, is to replace the entire track.
The three-quarter-mile track is made of donated 90-pound rail - a type used by full-size trains.
However, Pokey Smokey II is a standard model train designed for a 20-pound rail, according to documents obtained by The Pilot. Rail sizes are measured by the weight per yard.
The new track will be made of 20-pound rail.
The council approved money for the project in June. About $45,000 will come from the general operating budget and $80,000 from the capital improvement fund. The city spent almost $30,000 previously to make other repairs to the track.
According to documents from October 2010, the purchase agreement between the Southeast Virginia Community Foundation, which raised funds for the train, and Chance Morgan, the manufacturer, do not mention that the train must fit a particular rail type. It lists only the C.P. Huntington locomotive and its coach for a purchase price of $215,970.
The track installation guide provided to the foundation a month later by Chance Morgan states: "The C.P. Huntington will operate on 12-, 16- or 20-lb rail. However, it is recommended that 20-lb. rail be used whenever possible."
City leaders said they believe the train doesn't fit because the track is old.
Regardless, Godfrey and former foundation director Judi Luffman said it was their understanding that all three parties had conversations and thought the train would fit.
Luffman said she was surprised and befuddled to learn that the train didn't fit the tracks. She rode on it several times when it opened on May 14, 2011, and said it felt fine.
Jeff Roth, vice president for administration for the manufacturer, said that any sales associate would have known to mention the rail size that the miniature train needs.
The C.P. Huntington train is not a custom design, Roth said. Pokey Smokey II is the 365th model the company has built and is the same model that is in use at the Virginia Zoo in Norfolk.
Pokey Smokey II was supposed to be a gift to Portsmouth, a reminder of its namesake, which had chugged its way into the hearts of locals over several decades. City leaders had thought it would be easier and more cost effective to replace the original Pokey Smokey than to repair it.

 

UK: Photo gallery: More than 2,000 people turn out for Southwold model railway event

From EDP24:  Photo gallery: More than 2,000 people turn out for Southwold model railway event

The Southwold Model Railway exhibition at St Felix School in Reydon. Organised by the Waveney Valley Model Railway Club. Picture: James Bass

It came as more than two thousand people made tracks to St Felix School near Southwold to attend one of the biggest model railways events in the country.
The Model Railway Exhibition 2012, organised by Waveney Valley Model Railway Club (WVMRC), included a variety of layouts spanning the decades, featuring miniature houses, railway stations and trains.
The highlight of the event was The Gresley Beat 1923-1939 LNER – a large exhibition layout based on the approaches to King’s Cross in London which is highly acclaimed within the model railway fraternity.
But families also enjoyed hitching a ride on the back of tiny steam engines, which ferried people backwards and forwards on the school green.

The Southwold Model Railway exhibition at St Felix School in Reydon. Organised by the Waveney Valley Model Railway Club. Picture: James Bass

Dennis Moul, of Southwold, a member of the Waveney Valley Modern Railway Club, said: “Basically, we are one of the only club-run two-day events in the UK at this time of year. If you want to see model railways, you have to think about us.
“We try our best to provide areas which appeal to non-specialists who are interested in model railways, and those who are specialist modellers – we have layouts which are suitable for all ages. Everyone enjoys it. It is very much a happy exhibition. It is cheerful and pleasant, which people comment on every year.
He added: “The best part of this year’s event has to be The Gresley Beat 1923-1939 LNER. It is really big and an absolutely superb model railway.”
As part of the Gresley Beat layout, trains emerge from Oakley Park Tunnel from the North bringing coal, fish and mixed traffic freight trains on the upper level.
Meanwhile, its lower level features suburban services approaching King’s Cross, with some having to wait at the platform to become vacant. The trains are surrounded by the intricate work of Geoff Taylor who constructed the buildings and scenery.
Terry Stock, chairman of Waveney Valley Railway Club, said he was pleased with how many people attended over the weekend.
“It went very well on Saturday and it picked up as well on the Sunday,” he said.
“We have had many comments about the quality of the exhibits. Because we are a two-day show we are able to attract the big layouts.”
More than 36 exhibits were on show at the exhibition, which was marking its 24th year. Plans are under way to hold a special exhibition next year to mark its Jubilee anniversary.
A raffle was also held with all the proceeds going to Royal National Lifeboat Institution and the East Anglian Air Ambulance.
WVMRC has about 40 members who meet on a Wednesday evening, Thursday afternoons and Thursday evenings at their clubhouse at Barsham, near Beccles.
 If you would like to join the club, visit www.waveneyvalleymrc.150m.com

 

 

Aug 11-12: All aboard for the biggest train show in the Tri-state area

From CentralJersey.com:  All aboard for the biggest train show in the Tri-state area

EDISON — The world of miniature railroading will be making a stop when Greenberg’s Train & Toy Show rolls into town on Aug. 11-12 at the New Jersey Expo Center.

Model and toy train experts will be on hand with exhibits and demonstrations. The event includes operating train layouts in a variety of sizes and scales, how-to hobby demonstrations, tables of shopping at the hobby marketplace and more.



You may spend the day visiting operating train layouts provided by local train enthusiasts who represent a variety of scales and gauges. Attendees will see operating railroads that are detailed to familiar local scenes of the past and present or that exist only in the designer’s imagination. Also, participants will get a chance to see the a hobby where you can be the city planner, structural engineer and conductor all at the same time.


There will be seminars on topics such as starting a layout, developing scenery and maintenance. If there isn’t a seminar geared to your question, all you have to do is ask.


The hobby market offers thousands of model and toy trains from leading manufacturers. Young “conductors” will find Thomas the Tank Engine on sale, plus everything needed to start their first layout. Shop for scenery supplies, hobby tools and the latest how-to hobby videos and publications. There will also be a huge selection of train parts, train accessories and die-cast vehicles.


Admission for Greenberg’s Train & Toy Show is $7 for adults and admission is good for both days. The show runs from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Children 11 and under are admitted free. Visit www.GreenbergShows.com for more information.

 

Salem man is building bridges with scale model train hobby turned business

From Statesman Journal:  Salem man is building bridges with scale model train hobby turned business


Preparations are being made, in a backyard 2,100 miles away, to install a 10-foot-long replica of the Golden Gate Bridge.

The bridge was made by Johnny Hanson of West Salem, and his craftsmanship will be on display during the upcoming 2012 National Garden Railway Convention in the Chicago area.



“I hope more people see what I do,” Hanson said. “Right now it’s only been word of mouth.”



That’s how I learned about Hanson and his hobby-turned-side-business. A source from one of my recent columns lives in the neighborhood, had seen some of his handiwork, and thought I might be interested in his story. She was right.

Hanson makes custom bridges for G scale train enthusiasts. G scale is a scale for model railways and, because of its size and durability, often is used outdoors. They call these installations garden railways.


If you’ve ever visited The Oregon Garden in Silverton, you might have seen Hanson’s work. He donated the bridge that is part of the train garden there.



Hanson has been building these bridges since around 2006. He initially learned how to make them through a fabricator he became acquainted with while working for Industrial Welding Supply.



“It started out as something to do,” Hanson said, “and the hobby got out of hand.”



The hobby did help him heal during a difficult time when he lost his parents and brother in a span of a couple of years.


“I just crawled in the shop and started building these things,” he said. “It was my space.”



Hanson taught himself to weld years ago while working as a mechanic on a dairy farm in California. After moving to Salem in 1993, he took a couple of summer classes at Chemeketa Community College.



He’s not a professional welder — he’s a mechanic for Emory & Sons Construction — but prides himself in his craftsmanship and attention to detail.


All the welds on his bridges are ground down to look smooth. And if you look down a row of beams on one of his bridges, or a row of cables, you can see the perfection.


“It’s his artistic eye, that’s what makes them different,” wife Eileen said.