November, Thank you so much for doing this. Tuesday, November 15, :30 pm Amherst Railway Society headquarters more on meetings

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1 Eight & Sand November, 2016 Amherst Railway Society 1130 South Main Street Palmer, MA amherstrail.org The mission of the Amherst Railway Society is education regarding and the promotion of hobbies related to railroading Switch List Modular Clinics Begin... Nov. Meeting: Railcars President s Message Show Update Editorial: Wick Moorman Maine Narrow Gauge Events Belt Lines Update Amherst People: Joe Biagioni Module Corner: Middletown Grants At Work: Look Park Webmaster: ZeeMaps Membership Dues Memberships expire on June 30 of the year listed on your membership card. Regular adult memberships are $28 for one year, $70 for three years, and $112 for five years. Student memberships are free, but require an annual update of school attending and expected graduation date. Click here to renew or update your membership. a regular publication of the Amherst Railway Society Modular Modeling Clinics Begin... I just cannot believe that you have taken the time not only to show us how to do this but you also prepared these modular kits to the point where my son and daughter can assemble them with little assistance. Thank you so much for doing this. On October 8, the Amherst Modular Modeling Program held the first of five clinics designed to teach participants how to build model railroad modules. And, by all measures, the program is a resounding success. There were some grateful parents here and it was fun for everyone, says instructor John Sacerdote. In less than two hours, we had five modules assembled and standing, ready for track and road bed. In the remaining four clinics, participants will add wiring, track, and scenery to their modules. During the last clinic, the new modules will be connected to form a working railroad. New module owners will also have the option of showing their handiwork as part of the Belt Lines layout at the Railroad Hobby Show. Details of the Modular Modeling Program can be found at: amherstrail.org/abel/abel-aboutus-moduleclinic.php. next meeting: Tuesday, November 15, :30 pm Amherst Railway Society headquarters more on meetings Notice of meeting changes or cancellations are posted on: Amherst Railway Society web site - amherstrail.org Amherst Railway Society Facebook page 1

2 ARS meeting: November 15, 2016, 7:30 pm Contemporary Rail Cars Dan Bigda knows just about everything there is to know about rail cars - because that is his profession. Dan sells and leases rail cars for M4 Capital, a company that works with shippers using intermodal and marine transportation, as well as rail cars. On November 15, Dan will give us valuable insights into the design of contemporary rail cars, and the demands shippers place on them. He will also comment on current rail industry trends. Dan is also an accomplished 2-rail O scale modeler. His Hamden Terminal Railroad has been featured in O-Gauge Railroading, and the article can be downloaded here. Amherst Introduces the Module Kit The Amherst Railway Society recently unveiled a new kit designed to make it even easier to build HO scale model railroad modules. The kit is a standard 2 foot x 4 foot straight module that comes with all lumber pre-drilled for assembly, all hardware, and all through-wiring components. To learn more visit: amherstrail.org/abel/index.php. 2

3 President s message Supporting the Amherst Railway Society photo: Phil Johnson Last month in this column, I talked about our expanding marketing efforts and the reasons behind it, namely the Amherst Railway Society s significant influence in the railroad world, and the importance of telling that story. Also, the importance of generating revenue and operating like a for-profit business, even though we have a non-profit tax status. This month, I want to expand on that thinking and introduce another concept that I believe is critical to the long-term health of the Amherst Railway Society. And that idea is an annual giving campaign. When you think about it, everyone in the Amherst Railway Society shares an enthusiasm for railroads and model railroads, and probably for a lot of different reasons. For some that enthusiasm goes back to the train set we got as kids. For others, it goes to a relative who worked for the railroad and used to tell stories of life as an engineer, or a passenger train conductor. Or, maybe we grew up in a place where railroads played an important role in the community, and they were just part of your life every day. Whatever the reason, the sound of a train horn, or the clickity-clack of steel wheels on steel rails is important to each of us. It s in our blood. The Amherst Railway Society brings that enthusiasm for railroads to life, lets you share it with people who feel the same way you do. The Railway Society gives you opportunities to ride, and model, and photograph, and learn with people just like you. The annual giving campaign gives each of us an opportunity to support the Amherst Railway Society - beyond our annual dues. We ve set up a five-tier giving program and named the tiers for five of the seven railroads of Palmer - the five that actually ran. Here is what it looks like: Tier 1 - Central Massachusetts $180 Tier 2 - Ware River $300 Tier 3 - Springfield, Athol & Northeastern $500 Tier 4 - Central Vermont $1500 Tier 5 - Boston & Albany $2500 In the months to come, you are going to be hearing more about our annual giving program and how you can participate in it. For now, I am asking you to think about the value the Amherst Railway Society brings to your life. We are all part of a very special organization, and we want to do everything we can to keep it special. John Sacerdote 3

4 Amherst Railway Society Railroad Hobby Show January 28-29, 2017 Eastern States Exposition West Springfield, MA Railroad Hobby Show - Update The contracts are back. Now we start the process of piecing together a show that occupies four buildings and covers 8 ½ acres. All while paying attention to all kinds of special requests. But, hey, that s what makes it all fun, right? Oh, and that doesn t count the two days of clinics that run on the Thursday and Friday before the show. So, the to-do list is long, but as many of you know, I love this time of year. Speaking of clinics, we have 30 this year. And many of them are hands-on, which means you get to take your projects home with you. For the full list of 2017 clinics, and to register, go to: railroadhobbyshow.com, then click on the CLINICS tab. All clinics are being held at the Sheraton, Springfield. Clinic pricing includes breakfast and lunch AND a twoday pass to the Railroad Hobby Show. Plus, the Sheraton is offering a special $99/night room rate that includes parking. This year s Railroad Hobby Show will include new exhibitors, layouts, manufacturers, and nonprofit organizations, as well as many of the regulars that we have come to rely on. Here are a couple sneak peeks. Extreme Model Railroading - bet you haven t heard that one before. The 2017 Railroad Hobby Show will have Extreme Model Railroading. And, the folks from Boothbay will have an exhibit that will challenge anyone that has ever exhibited at our show. Ever! You will see. Finally - please volunteer! With this year s configuration, we need more volunteers than ever. Even if you only have a couple hours here and there. It all helps. Our show is only as good as the number of volunteers that we have to run it. Three ways to volunteer: Call the show office: the show office: Fill out the on-line volunteer form. John Sacerdote, Show Director showoffice@amherstrail.org 4

5 editorial comment Wick Moorman Gets It In October, Amtrak s newly appointed President, Wick Moorman, was spotted aboard the Washington DC bound Crescent. Heading to work in Washington? Maybe. But Moorman was not your typical Business Class traveler - laptop out, ear-buds in. Rather, Moorman spent the majority of his trip in the dining car and lounge car talking with and, more importantly, listening to dining car staff and train crew members. He asked about the length of crew shifts, frequency of trips, menus, and food storage. He heard about the division of crew responsibilities, how signals were called. He saw inventory paperwork and learned that it is done by hand. He commented that maybe ipads would work better. And the crew was honest. Moorman learned that the food quality on the City of New Orleans was not good, and that the staff doesn t like serving an inferior product. He heard suggestions for more fresh fruits and vegetables, and regional menu items unique to the train s territory. To be sure, Moorman is going to have his hands full juggling the expectations of passengers, employees, freight railroads, and Congress. But, that s what good execs do. And, good execs start by doing their homework - asking, listening, thinking. Wick Moorman understands this. Maine Narrow-Gauge Winter Weekends Three Maine two-foot gauge railroad museums are collaborating to provide a rare winter narrow-gauge railroading experience on January 14-15, 2017 and January 21-22, The event is designed to provide a unique opportunity to photograph winter operations that were typical of Maine s narrow gauge railways 100 years ago. Equipment from all five Maine narrow gauge railways will be in operation including Sandy River and Rangeley Lakes No.6, Kennebec Central No.4, Wiscasset, Waterville & Farmington No.9, Monson No. 3 and Bridgton and Saco River Coach No.11. For additional information, visit: amherstrail.org/ars/news.php. 5

6 Board of Directors John Sacerdote Bruce MacCullagh David Royce Bill Meier Jr. Clark Huber Kurt Jellinek Rudy Versailles President Past President Treasurer Secretary Railroad Hobby Show John Sacerdote Director Show Committee Dick Joyce Chair Clark Huber Kurt Jellinek Tom Laware Sr. Tom Laware Jr Brian O Leary Rudy Versailles Bruce MacCullagh David Royce Strategic Planning Ken Harstine Co-chair Kurt Jellinek Co-chair Joe Albano Jr. Clark Huber Dick Joyce Tom Laware Sr. Bill Meier Jr. John Randall David Royce John Sacerdote Membership John Sacerdote Chair Joe Albano Jr. Ted Curtin Joe Kurland Tom Laware Sr. Joe Lepage Greg Maas Prototype Meet David Owens Chair Amherst Belt Lines...update On November 12, the Belt Lines will be participating in a new show in Connecticut sponsored by the Technology Students Association (TSA). TSA is a national organization of middle and high school students engaged in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) education. TSA s membership includes over 233,000 students in approximately 2,000 schools spanning 49 states. The November show is a major fund raiser for TSA students in the Hartford area, and the Belt Lines layout is one of the primary attractions of the show. The show will be held at Conard High School in West Hartford, Connecticut. Then, a few weeks later, the Belt Lines will be part of the NMRA Hub Division show in Marlboro, Massachusetts on December 3&4. This is a big, well attended, two-day show that is a great start to the holiday season. Module Kits At the Open House in August, we rolled out the new Module Kit. The kits are now available for anyone that is interested. For additional information on the kits, visit: amherstrail.org/abel/index.php. If you are interested in ordering a module kit, please contact the coordinators at: amherstbeltlines@amherstrail.org. Show Calendar November 12, 2016 December 3-4, 2016 January, 28-29, 2017 photo: Phil Johnson Technology Student Association - West Hartford, Connecticut NMRA - HUB Division - Marlboro, Massachusetts Railroad Hobby Show - West Springfield, Massachusetts 6

7 Amherst members... Rails...in the garden Joe Biagioni Joe Biagioni is a forester by education. Professionally, he is an urban forester - his term. That means landscaping, irrigation, ornamental pruning, and problem solving. Joe frequently gets called in to rejuvenate commercial and residential gardens, or handle special problems with athletic fields, patios, and walkways. Joe is also a model railroader. Combine that with his environmental knowledge and you have an expert garden railroader, by default. A while back, a friend in Hew Hampshire asked me if I would help him with his garden railroad, says Biagioni. So I did, and that kind of opened up a whole new part of my business. While Joe will do a new garden railroad from scratch, the majority of his work deals with existing railroads that are having problems. Most people that get into garden railroading don t fully understand the impact of being outdoors, says Joe. Sticks, debris, weather - everything changes, everything moves. Keeping a garden railroad running requires a lot of maintenance. Another thing that Joe quickly realized is that few garden railroaders understand railroad operations. I am probably an educator as much as anything. I show clients how to set up their railroad for operations, where they need sidings and switches, how to pick industries, and rolling stock. There s a lot less available in G scale than there is in HO. Joe s goal is get the client happy running trains, having fun. And that often mean simplifying the operation. Getting trains in and out of storage is time consuming, says Joe. So I show clients the value of having good storage sheds. I am also I big fan of battery power instead of track power. It s just so much easier - takes corrosion and track cleaning out of the picture. Joe is a regular at Belt Lines shows with the Hooterville and John Deere module sets. He also has his own garden railroad as his home in Douglas, Massachusetts. Joe s business is Arbor Alliance at: facebook.com/arbor-alliance

8 module corner Middletown by James Mayo Model railroading is an art, and that art is on full display in James Mayo s Middletown module set. Middletown started out as an eight foot module set with two industries - Pocahontas Box Company and the adjacent pulpwood operation. The set gained an additional four feet when Horace Shu, an adhesives company, was added. Middletown is a switching delight with pulpwood loads and covered hoppers full of plastic pellets coming in, and boxcars loaded with paper products and finished adhesives leaving. Middletown is busy enough to require its own dedicated switch engine. Middletown is thoughtfully laid out, and just plain fun to operate. What really takes Middletown to the next level, however, is the creative thought and attention to detail that James has put into the module set. It s inspiring, really. The old crane covered with vines - James teased apart strands of thread, dipped them in glue, and covered them with ground foam to create this beautiful scene. The welder working on the railroad bridge - James uses a small LED bulb to simulate an actual welding operation. The pulp wood - yup, real twigs. The colorful trees simulate spring in Virginia. James makes and mixes his own ground foam to get the colors just right. And, people bring the set to life - paper mill workers tossing horse shoes on their lunch break. Middletown can be attached to James home layout, operate as a stand alone switching module, or fit into a Belt Lines modular layout. 8

9 grants at work Look Park Florence, Massachusetts In 2013, the Amherst Railway Society donated the $10,000 Founders Award to Look Memorial Park in Florence, Massachusetts to help replace the rail used by the park s replica steam train. The original rail was laid in 1948 and had carried literally hundreds of thousands of miles of train rides. The new rail was installed during the fall, 2013 and spring, 2014 by park staff and many volunteers. The Look Park steam train is pulled by a replica 1853 Huntington locomotive and attracts approximately 60,000 riders each year. Covering 150 acres, Look Park was a gift to the city of Northampton by Fannie Burr Look as a living memorial to her husband Frank Newhall Look. The park offers visitors a variety of facilities and activities. The holidays are a special time at the Look Park. From December 9 through December 24, the park hosts Santa s Trains in cooperation with the Pioneer Valley Model Railroad Club. The event features three operating model railroad layouts, many themed holiday trees, and visits with Santa and Mrs. Clause. For additional information, visit: lookpark.org. EIGHT & SAND - what it means Eight & Sand is a railroad term used to wish train crews a quick, uneventful journey. The term comes from notch 8 - the highest power setting on modern locomotive throttles - and the ability to apply sand to prevent wheel slip. 9

10 Eight & Sand November,, 2016 from the webmaster ZeeMaps - a new feature There is a new feature on the Amherst Railway Society web site call ZeeMaps - amherstrail.org/ars/zeemaps.php. ZeeMaps is interactive mapping software that shows the geographic location and limited information about Amherst Railway Society members. And you can be part of it. Here s how Once on the ZeeMaps page, look for the section entitled: How to add your pin to the map: Follow the instructions. If you have questions, contact me at: webmaster@amherstrail.org Joe Lepage From the Treasurer As Amherst Railway Society Inc. is a 501 C(3) tax exempt organization, your donations (of either cash and/or property) may be deducted on your Schedule A, Form 1040 of your Federal income tax. Consider the Amherst Railway Society in your estate planning. Your gifts can be restricted or non-restricted (you can pre-determine how you want your donation used). Upon request, and proper documentation, the Treasurer will issue a letter to be used as justification for your tax deduction. The Amherst Railway Society is a group of railroad enthusiasts. If you like railroads the way we like railroads, the Amherst Railway Society gives you a place to expand your knowledge, make new friends, and simply do what you like doing best. Reader contributed railroad stories and articles can be considered for publication in EIGHT & SAND. Please discuss article ideas with EIGHT & SAND editor, Greg Maas. Greg can be reached at: greg.maas@icloud.com. 10