(Volume 26, No. 9)
Presidents Soapbox
I can almost hear flanges squealing around the curves in Beaver Canyon. The mainline trackage as far as Armstead is nearly complete and in place. We should expect to see the Lima yard in place very soon. The scenery is growing even faster and we are now considering the controls necessary to operate trains on the new trackage. Steve recently posted some photos on the club website showing our progress and we should all be proud of the state of the layout. Many hours have been spent by members on other than Thursday nights and many more hours will be needed before the Railshow.
The unfortunate incident of last Thursday night which caused hard feelings on the part of one member reminded me of an discussion I had with an artist a few years ago. I was preparing a brochure featuring some of the artists paintings and since I also had worked on similar materials for the local Artists Guild, I asked if the artist was a member of the I. F. Art Guild. The answer was an emphatic "NO, I don't care to have my work criticized by anyone else". I have the feeling that many of the local modelers who choose not to associate with our club share the same sentiment and become "Closet Modelers". In the case of the artist, the buying public becomes the ultimate judge of the work; in our case, we hold ourselves to be both modelers of a high standard and state in our own brochure that we intend to demonstrate those techniques in our displays.
This recalls to mind a survey we took of the membership a few years ago as well as a question asked on our membership applications. One of the choices checked on most responses, suggests that people join ours and similar organizations to learn more about modeling techniques. When you join a club of any kind, the Club sets it's own rules and standards. I think it is unreasonable for anyone to join and not find that there are standards for everything that involves the club. It is not a matter of individual taste or that any individual can go his or her own way. If you don't wish to be part of a group which sets it's own standards and then makes sure those standards are policed, you should not get involved.
A much better response should have been for someone to have said "what can I do now to improve the scenic addition"? With constructive discussion he would have both learned and contributed to his own and the clubs benefit. Any grown man or women who demonstrates the "spoiled child syndrome" needs to learn to accept constructive criticism. If that criticism includes human relations on my part, I accept that criticism and ask for understanding since no offense was intended.
The building of this layout has been a learning process for all of us from the time the concept was first hatched. Almost every aspect has required some innovation and creativity to get to the current state and more will surely be required before the final spike is struck. Let's all learn to work together and, as well, develop that work to the highest standard.
Leo Harker
Timetable
September 5 Business Meeting
September 12 Work Night
September 19 Work Night
September 26 Work Night
September 28 Idaho Rails Train Show
October 3 Business Meeting
October 10 Work Night, Load Tables
October 11 Meet Set Up
October 12 Fall Meet
Because the fall meet is fast approaching, all meetings will be work nights until further notice.
Diesel Multiple Unit
Story by JOHN NORTON, Photos by BRYAN KELSEN - The Pueblo Chieftain
Luxury railcar builder Tom Rader believes that transit systems need to offer a nicer ride. "if you want to get somebody out of his Lexus, you don't offer him a Ford Fairlane".
That's one reason Rader invited transit officials to Monday's open house at the Transportation Technology Center and gave them a ride in his company's new DMU, or Diesel Multiple Unit, a utilitarian name for a new generation of sleek, quiet and potentially luxurious self-propelled transit cars.
Its not a new idea. For nearly three decades, the Budd company made passenger cars equipped with diesel engines and many are still in use today although showing their age.
The Budd Car was a flexible answer to urban transit needs, especially in rapidly growing areas. Because the cars had their own engines, they could run on existing freight lines, saving cities the cost of installing track and electrical systems. They could even pull a couple of trailer cars when needed.
One of Rader's longtime customers, the Alaska Railroad, was looking to replace its own aging Budd Cars and asked if Colorado Railcar was interested in building replacements.
No one else was doing it so the Fort Lupton company began work, figuring that it could sell units to a lot of other customers, including urban transit systems.
Colorado Railcar, the former Rader Railcar, has long been a supplier of luxury domed passenger carr to trains operated by Royal Caribbean and Princess Cruise Lines, the Alaska Railroad and tourist trains that traverse the Canadian Rockies.
Starting with its passenger car design, Colorado Railcar incorporated the latest Federal Railroad Administration crash safety standards and mounted the frame on a chassis that includes a pair of diesel engines that directly run front and rear wheel systems.
The prototype is outfitted with plush first-class seats and coach seats in the front section and booth seating in the rear. The two sections are separated by a wide door area that opens to either side. There's also a restroom and galley area.
Dome windows were included, the style used on the tourist trains, but Rader said regular windows would be offered for transit cars.
One of the last generation of Budd Cars is still in use at the TTC where it's been outfitted as the Track Geometry Car.
By Monday's open house, the unit had traveled 1,000 miles on the technology center's transit loop, performing predictably, Rader said. The car offered "excellent ride quality and there are no mysterious creeping problems" that cause de- signers nightmares.
The Colorado Railcar DMU stands on the test track at the TTC
During the open house, the visiting vendors and potential customers rode the train at speeds up to 90 mph with the only noise coming from the passengers who praised the design and comfort of the train. They later stood alongside the track as the train passed by at 30 mph, barely audible from 25 feet away. "This is a very good neighbor," Rader said. Another pass at 90 mph was nearly as quiet.
Once the Pueblo tests are complete, the car will go on to the American Public Transportation Association show in Las Vegas next month.
Rader figures a lot of transit districts will be interested. Along with the savings from using existing freight track, self-propelled passenger can also offer a lot more efficiency. One DMU can haul at least two more trailer cars, and a pair of DMUs at either end of a trainset can offer the equivalent of five passenger cars. Unlike diesel locomotives which generate electricity that powers the wheels, the $2.9 million DMUs use smaller diesel engines that directly drive the wheels, and the powered unit also carries 90 passengers.
One of the last generation of Budd cars is still in use at the
TTC where it has been outfitted as the Track Geometry Car
Rader acknowledges that competitors could produce similar cars but most of them are too big to want to fill the small orders he hopes to supply.
Alan Udy
Idaho Rails Train Show
The Idaho Rails Train Show, sponsored by Idaho Historical Railroads, will be in Weiser, Idaho on September 28, 2002. The event hours are 10:00 AM to 6:00 PM, in the Weiser Vendome Events Center. Admission is free to the public.
The featured model railroad is the Rocky Mountain Hi-Railers S scale layout. The 21 X 25 foot Lookout Junction model railroad will be the center attraction.
There is also no charge if you wish to exhibit a collection or layout. There is a U5 per table charge for vendors.
Leo Hanker
Lemhi & Salmon Valley Railroad Co.
The Lemhi & Salmon Valley Railroad Company was a railroad incorporated by the Oregon Short Line which was never built. It was incorporated solely as a defensive move by the Oregon Short Line to be able to compete with the Gilmore & Pittsburg Railroad being built to Salmon at that time. The Lemhi & Salmon Valley Railroad was incorporated on June 10, 1909 in Utah to go from a location near the Cerro Grande station on Salmon River Railroad to Salmon, 148 miles. The line was then to go north and west to the west boundary of the state at or near junction of the Salmon and Snake rivers, 240 miles, and on to Lewiston, 40 miles. There was also to be a branch from Salmon to Challis, 52 miles, and from the main line to Grangeville, 10 miles. A third branch was to go from a junction near Kaufman on the main line east to connect with the Oregon Short Line between the Market Lake (renamed to Roberts in 1910) and Camas stations, 35 miles. The total length of the railroad was to be approximately 525 miles. The railroad was supported by some of the local populace, and the editor of the Challis newspaper even went so far as to state that the line would resolve the North-South railroad connection many people in the state wanted.
The headquarters for the railroad were in Pocatello, and the directors were Oregon Short Line officials who were also associated with the other lines incorporated in Idaho in this time period. They were W.H. Bancroft, J.M. Davis, William Ashton, and P.L. Williams, all of Salt Lake City, and W. R. Armstrong of Pocatello. Bancroft was the president, Ashton was the Vice- president, G.K. Smith was Secretary, and C.H. Jenkinson was treasurer. Bancroft was also trustee for 5770 of 5775 shares authorized. The railroad was authorized to issue $5 million in capital stock.
In July, 1909 the railroad announced that they were not sure when construction would be started. William Ashton was the chief engineer, and under his direction the railroad performed detailed surveys for the first few miles from Cerro Grande towards Salmon, but when it became apparent that the Gilmore & Pittsburg Railroad not going to be profitable, work on the Lemhi & Salmon Valley Railroad was stopped. The Oregon Short Line even had their engineers spying on the Gilmore & Pittsburg crews surveying in the Salmon area when the Gilmore & Pittsburg was being surveyed and when the Gilmore & Pittsburg was surveying a route to the west down the Salmon River there was a race between the two lines to claim the most feasible right-of-way.
The last annual meeting of the Lemhi g Salmon Valley Railroad was held in 1921 and the articles of incorporation forfeited on December 1, 1921.
Thornton Waite