| "4 X4" Open House |
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| "4x4 Pix" |
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| 4X4 ? Yes, it's just a title. There were 4 railroads open for 4 hours to close out the week of the NMRA convention. Two raillroads were offically on NMRA'S bus tour two were not. Gene Ewan and myself were not. Bob Shaw and Frank Ancher agreed to remain open and join our open house list. During my Open House in June I answered many questions about the layout. While I was on the phone with Dan Hoag of Eaglewings finalizing the new "RDC Line" I mentioned it and he told me he had something that would help out and he'd get it in the mail to me.. Folks can just take a photo of it and have all they need... Hmmm!? I wonder what it is?? Well, you all see what it is. Some may say "What?! A free AD?" I don't mind this sign at all.. I think my new layout is GREAT and they are the guys who built it! So why not? This is my 3rd running in 2006 for visitors and, there may be a Fall and Christmas Open House too! I like to run my trains, not just look at them. Eaglewings has made that possible for me &, I'm running almost daily... (commercial over) ANYWAY..... It was a PERFECT day to run trains and fully "deck out" the layout for the first time. We had a nice crowd and a few neighbors stopped by to take a look also.. You just can't ignore that BLUE COMET whistle for long.. |
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| Doubled headed Dash 9's with a modern consist rounds the outer track. Smoke blowing and sound cranked up.. |
| Reading SD45.. Dirty engine, dirty cars. This also had it's sound up. It later became the Video Train.. Read on! |
| The Re-Issue of Aristo's "Blue Comet" was well received. This is the first Open House for the complete "new" train. Smoke and custom Phoenix sound on this baby.. What a Sweet Train.. |
| Last pass on the Canal Bridge for the M-407. The entire RDC line will be replaced with a new Eaglewings structure...Bridge Too! YAAAY! no more warpping.. |
| "Video Only" |
| 1.The "Bud Phillips" Hersey's video gon makes a few passes to capture the Dash 9's and Blue Comet run by's. 2. Tony Parone's video camera also takes a ride on the West Berlin. 3. Ed Tevis does tripod. 4. Kurt Nelson does Stand Up. |
| "Pix Only" |
| Ward Hutton snappin.. |
| Bruce Morrill snappin.. |
| Tony Parone snappin..(I think)_ |
| "And now, time for some history" |
| Ok..what is that I'm looking at you ask?? It's the back of my control station box. All power packs, receivers etc. are housed in this. (see the receiver antenna wires?) But, if you noticed, there are 2 spikes. The gold spike reads 1995. That's when the "Ground Layout" was constructed. The silver spike on the right reads 2005. That's the construction year of the new layout. It only took me 10 years to realize I was fighting a never ending battle on the ground to run trains. How long will it take you? |
| "on to more Pix " |
| "The BEATLES are BACK!" |
| "Says my daughter Melissa." She and Matt stopped by to check it out on the way back from the shore. The Beatles are seen here on the new zebra crossing on the West Berlin. The Blue Comet got in the photo too! |
| The guys take pix.. the ladies look at flowers. |
| Bud Phillips and the Blue Comet. |
| Rita tries to take it all in. |
| I think I found that bad cable. |
| What ya cookin guy? |
| Sure looks Perrr-tee.. |
| The RDC's swansong of the wooden elevated.. |
| More trouble in the hood. |
| Ping Pong says, "Daddy..you don't do this every weekend do you?" I love the company and, it's neat to see the trains run but, I get really tired..but it is FUN! |
| "on the layout" |
| "and....." |
| Photos on this page by Bob Whipple and Tony Parone - July 8 ,2006 |
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| And James |