Hands On Commitment to Craftsmanship

Transcription

1 MARCH 2012 Volume 2 Issue 2 Hands On Commitment to Craftsmanship The vision and passion behind the Waukesha County Gandy Dancers By Angela Podewils What are the qualities that some might say define model railroaders? For those entrenched in the hobby, they may put toward the top of the list creativity, persistence, and a strong dedication to craftsmanship. Sometimes these qualities are passed down from previous generations of modelers, others are often inspired by a childhood passion for trains. Either way, these qualities come together in the construction of model railroads and come alive in the club houses of model railroading organizations across the world. For the Waukesha County Gandy Dancers, these qualities are at the core of what 2012 Trainfest November 10 th - 11 th they do. Formed in 1983, this club has become a family and community affair with their clubhouse located in downtown Waukesha, Wisconsin. Their current railroad, a freelance modular HO scale, is three years old and features locomotives from a wide variety of time periods. At any given show, they may run anything from throw back steam engines to present day representations of diesel locomotives. see Hands on Commitment to Craftsmanship Continued on page 7 What s Inside Lionel: Past-Present-Future PG 3 How to: Decaling Tank Cars PG 8 A Life Long Passion PG 10 It s the Monday after Trainfest PG 12 DID YOU KNOW? In this issue, we've begun adding interesting tidbits about Trainfest and model railroading. Have an interesting fact to share? Send it to us at: John@trainfest.com

2 Trainfest From the Caboose For the first time in years, I took a month off from the continuum of yearround Trainfest activities to work on my personal model railroad. I was successful in adding a new 9-track staging under the existing railroad. (The Timber River Railway was featured on the cover of Model Railroader, November 1992 check it out.) I realize after spending many hours installing benchwork, track, wiring, turnouts and switch motors, that I don't bend and flex in the same way which I did 20 years ago and it s harder to get back upright! In fact, it s easy to get stuck under the benchwork with your arms in unusual positions and your legs twisted under you. At the time I was thinking of calling my wife for help to get unstuck - BUT I would have had to admit that I am aging and not in as good of shape as I was when I originally built the basic layout. So now I am back to work on Trainfest registrations (which thankfully calls for far less physical activity), updating the computerized business management system, and setting into motion plans for our 41st Trainfest. Thanks again for your continuing support in making Trainfest one of the best railroad shows in the USA and America's largest operating model railroad show. I am proud to continue serving as Trainfest s Executive Director. Over the last 21 years, its people like Mike Hirvela who shared with us It s the Monday after Trainfest on page 12, who make this volunteer job so gratifying. Clear Signals Always, John John H. Tews, MMR Executive Director Trainfest Trainfest EXPRESS is sent free via as a PDF or can be viewed on the Trainfest website in an interactive, online paging-style format. You can also print out the pages or articles you desire. Sponsoring Publisher Wisconsin Southeastern (WISE) Division, Inc., NMRA Publisher John H. Tews, MMR john@trainfest.com Contributing Editors Angela Podewils Bonnie Moyer Topczewski Jody Delie Newsletter Design, Web & Advertising Mercury Communication Partners, LLC Photos Contributed by Jeremy Topczewski Ruth Johnson TRAINFEST, Trainfest EXPRESS and the Trainfest LOGO are registered trademarks of the Wisconsin Southeastern (WISE) Division, Inc., NMRA. Trainfest Committee John H. Tews, MMR Executive Director, john@trainfest.com Richard Cecil Asst. to the Director Cedor Aronow Security Scott Porinsky Computer Services Gary Kamin Trainfest Treasurer Ed Padgett Volunteer Coordinator Kurt Wamser Floor Director Linda Sukup Ticket Coordinator Terry Thompson HMA-MRD Advisor Joe Russ WISE Superintendent Mercury Communications Advertising Agency Trainfest is possible due to the dedication and hard work of our volunteers and board members. If you would like to volunteer for America s largest operating model railroad show, contact us via volunteer@ trainfest.com. Trainfest is sponsored by the Wisconsin Southeastern (WISE) Division, Inc., 2 NMRA

3 Lionel: Past-Present-Future Lionel s Electric Toy Trains have been an iconic image in the minds of model railroaders for over 100 years. A modeler s first memory of a toy train is often that of a Lionel train making its way around a Christmas tree or living room. Along with Lionel s ownership of the American Flyer brand, the original S Gauge, the Lionel Company holds the key to many childhood memories. With over 100 years of history to set Lionel apart, we combine our unique history with innovation and new ideas to offer train fans of all ages the widest variety of exciting locomotives and train sets to choose from, says Matt Ashba, Product Manager at Lionel Years of History The Lionel Manufacturing Company was founded in 1900 by inventor Joshua Lionel Cowen. The first train produced by the company was the Electric Express. This first train was not originally designed as a toy, but rather for store displays. As the display train gained great popularity, Cowen began to produce toy trains as his mainstay. In the first decade of the 20th century, Lionel Trains began to grow and develop as a company. It was in this time that O-gauge trains and track debuted, and today, most Lionel Trains produced continue to be the popular O Gauge. DID YOU KNOW? During WWII, Lionel produced a Lionel Wartime Freight Train set. Released for the 1943 Christmastime season, this paper train set was sold for $1. Throughout its existence, the Lionel Company has been shaped by several world events. For example, during WWI Lionel produced armored toy trains. Following a prosperous decade during the 1920 s, like many, the company faced hard times. Lionel survived partly due to an affordable windup car which families embraced during this era. Lionel halted production during WWII; however, behind-the-scenes they continued to advance toy train technology. Lionel emerged from the war with a large array of new products to distribute to the model train market. Lionel Today While still remaining true to the origins of the company, Lionel s products have followed the ever advancing technology in the rail industry. From steam locomotives to new green energy locomotives, Lionel s products showcase a wide range in time that mirrors its longevity as a company. Today, Lionel offers four gauges including Lionel O Gauge, American Flyer S Gauge, battery powered G gauge sets, and Little Lines sets made especially for young children. see Lionel: Past-Present-Future Continued on page 4 3

4 Trainfest is sponsored by the Wisconsin Southeastern Division, Inc. of the National Model Railroad Association (NMRA). WHAT IS NMRA? The National Model Railroad Association (NMRA) was established in 1935 in Milwaukee, WI to bring model railroaders together and develop standards for the model railroading industry. Today the NMRA is a worldwide non-profit educational association. Headquartered in Chattanooga, Tennessee, the NMRA promotes the hobby of model railroading through fostering fellowship among modelers and providing resources to hobbyists everywhere. This global organization is divided into 17 geographic regions. The regions are broken down into divisions which provide local support and camaraderie to modelers along with the resources of this worldwide community of model railroaders. WHAT IS WISCONSIN SOUTHEASTERN DIVISION, INC.? The Wisconsin Southeastern Division serves seven counties in southeastern Wisconsin Kenosha, Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Racine, Walworth, Washington and Waukesha. Dedicated to its educational mission to promote the hobby of model railroading, the Wisconsin Southeastern Division creates the opportunities for modelers (new and not-so-new to the hobby) to come together and share new ideas and information. Wisconsin Southeastern Division also offers a youth group for younger modelers and train enthusiasts to get started in the hobby. LIONEL: PAST-PRESENT-FUTURE Continued from page 3 Cowen promoted the electric toy trains as a father-son activity encouraging these duos to plan and create railroads together. This tradition continues today with Lionel s familyfriendly trains. These collections are durable for use by young modelers while still providing the high level of detail and features Lionel has become known for. Lionel s train sets, locomotives and rolling stock are not limited to prototypical models, rather popular characters and brands are also featured including Thomas the Tank Engine, Hershey s, and The Polar Express train created to resemble the movie. In 2010, Lionel helped to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the Boy Scouts of America with several licensed products. These train items which include locomotives, cars, tractor trailers and figurines have been popular with current Boy Scouts and Boy Scout Alumni. Just as the young railfans grow up to become model railroaders; Lionel has grown and developed their product offerings with these hobbyists. Over time we have seen the tastes and needs of the customer mature, says Matt Ashba, Many are calling for a higher level of realism. Lionel presents greater realism in their Legacy Control and Vision lines with exacting detail incorporating the latest technology. The Legacy Control System provides modelers a realistic feel and sound when operating their trains and is TMCC compatible. The product utilizes Lionel s Legacy WHY TRAINFEST? One way Wisconsin Southeastern Division pursues its educational mission is through its annual event, Trainfest. At Trainfest, hobbyists, hobby dealers, manufacturers and rail fans of all ages come together for two days to celebrate everything trains. Trainfest has become a hub for bringing together new and experienced modelers to grow the hobby through the sharing of ideas and the passing on of passion for modeling to the next generation. If you are interested in learning more about the Wisconsin Southeastern Division or becoming a member, visit If you are interested in becoming a member of the NMRA and do not live in Southeastern Wisconsin, please visit for information about your local NMRA Division. If you want to learn more about Trainfest or wish to attend, visit

5 Lionel is here to stay past, present and well into the future says Matt Ashba. The future of the hobby is no more apparent than in the children s eyes as they watch the trains circle round the Lionel booth at Trainfest. RailSounds System which further adds to the realistic experience with subtle accurate sounds for every aspect of a train s operation. Lionel created their Vision line to pair with their realistic operations of the Legacy System. The Vision line features locomotives, rolling stock and accessories that clearly demonstrate the technical advances Lionel has made throughout its vast history. Each feature and detail of these products has been constructed to mirror the real lifesize train as closely as possible. In addition to producing prototypical steam locomotives, the Vision line also represents current advancements that parallel the rail industry called The Green Fleet. It includes two locomotives - the Genset Switcher and GE s Evolution Hybrid. Lionel is here to stay past, present and well into the future says Matt Ashba. The future of the hobby is no more apparent than in the children s eyes as they watch the trains circle round the Lionel booth at Trainfest. The Lionel booth at Trainfest

6 6

7 HANDS ON COMMITMENT TO CRAFTSMANSHIP Continued from cover Creativity The beauty in the hobby of model railroading is the opportunity to create, recreate, or rewrite a part of railroading history. Whether a railroad layout is designed freelance or based on a prototype, it is the creativity, inventiveness and fearlessness of model railroaders which brings about these amazing scenes. Much of the Waukesha County Gandy Dancers railroad resembles a Midwestern United States landscape. It is in the details where the artistry of the club is revealed. Several scenes depict major industries home to the Midwest set along paths of carefully crafted lifelike natural scenery. Among the many scenes on the railroad, visitors may be surprised by what they see spring to life, from small city industrial towns to perhaps a scene of a spaceship landing! It's Waukesha as I always envisioned it should have been planned. Waukesha County Gandy Dancers member Tim Shipman is often asked about the small city depicted on the layout. Visitors often ask if the city is indeed Waukesha, Tim responds, It's Waukesha as I always envisioned it should have been planned. Dedication to craftsmanship Persistence As with the creation of any model railroad layout, the Waukesha County Gandy Dancers railroad was not without its challenges. The initial railroad was constructed in about one year; it is powered by Digitrax and proved to be a challenge as the club spent a lot of time getting the DCC controls to work properly. At its first Trainfest appearance in 2008, the scenery of the railroad was incomplete, but they were determined to make the railroad ready in time for public viewing. There was a last minute rush adding ground cover and other scenery touches during set-up to make it visitor friendly. After its first appearance at Trainfest, the club was able to complete and expand the scenery to their exacting vision. see Hands on Commitment to Craftsmanship Continued on page 10 7

8 Finding Community in Model Railroading How To: Decaling Tank Cars Andy Orr of Toronto, Canada, has been a model railroader for 15 years. His lifelong interest in trains expanded as he was introduced to the hobby through friends who already modeled. As a member of the York Railway Modelers, he especially enjoys the social aspect of belonging to a model railroading group. He feels this camaraderie is best exemplified by his experiences traveling from Canada to Milwaukee for Trainfest with the Niagara Frontier Region demonstrators. Andy has found the experience to be as much about the relationship of the group as it is about the show itself. By working as a team to build their railroad layout, Andy feels they were able to create the best product possible. In the vast number of skills needed for building a model railroad, it can be impossible for one person to become an expert at everything. In a group setting, each member contributes their own specialties for the best outcome. The group functions like a football team, says Andy. The quarterback cannot be both quarterback and lineman at the same time. For modelers just starting out in the hobby, Andy stresses the importance of community to learn the many aspects of the hobby. No one is out there teaching these skills to new hobbyists, says Andy. Rather he sees new hobbyists learning skills from experienced modelers as apprentices would learn a trade. Further, a model railroading group also serves as a great resource of information on the best products and equipment to use. Just as Andy has learned new techniques from other modelers, he too has become a "go to" source for information about his techniques for applying decals to tank cars. The project Andy shared with Trainfest EXPRESS is the decaling of tank cars, for his group s railroad layout in Toronto. The cars he describes would have been in use during the mid-50 s, some being built as early as the 1920 s. 8

9 DID YOU KNOW? Railroad is the preferred term in the United States; however, in Canada and several other countries, Railway is the chosen term. Andy recommends having a set of brushes on hand for this project. They can be an inexpensive bundle brought from a hobby shop or art supply store. The brushes should include a wide brush and smaller brushes. The wide brush will be used to clean off any dust from the car, and smaller brushes to "fish out" the decals and apply the solution. The solution softens the decals so they will adhere more closely to the surface. The Tools As with any modeling project, it is important to have your workspace outfitted with the tools you will need. Andy has used decals from several manufacturers for his projects, including Microscale and Black Cat. He has found that Black Cat offers decals for many Canadian freight cars. The Step by Step Process For advanced modelers, Andy recommends Walthers Solvaset. The Solvaset works quickly making the decal very soft and nearly impossible to move on the surface. He advises newer modelers to use Testors Micro Set and Micro Sol. Andy uses an Exacto knife to cut out the small decals, he recommends using a new blade to make precise cuts. Finally, Andy uses a magnifying visor to best view what you are working on since the pieces are rather small to work with. see How To: Decaling Tank Cars Continued on page 14 Step 1: Research the car you wish to replicate by finding pictures and plans to see how the car originally appeared. To find exactly what you're searching for, Andy recommends books, libraries and the internet. 9

10 A Life Long Passion As I interviewed Tim, it became clear that this sense of resourcefulness and determination is indicative of model railroaders. Seeing how everyday objects can be altered and adapted to be used to create a railroad runs through these creators. For Tim, trains have been a lifelong interest. His first taste of the model railroading hobby came when he received a train set for Christmas when he was seven. He was always intrigued by trains, often stopping to watch at railroad crossings. Tim remembers attending a Christmas Parade as a child and missing most of the parade because he was too busy looking under the trolleys to determine how they worked. Tim s resourcefulness kicked in when he began his first railroad as a child. He started modeling with an American Flyer set, and at this time very little scenery and structure resources were available. As a result, much of his first railroad was built from scratch. When it came time to find ground cover, Tim looked to items around his home for a solution. His father was an upholsterer of chairs and Tim would use the foam from his father's chairs as the base for some of his scenery items. He would grate the foam with his mother s cheese grater and then color it with her dyes. Needless to say his father was none too happy with him when he found out that Tim had used his chair foam for his railroad. This passion for trains has stuck with Tim throughout adulthood. As he builds railroads not only with the Gandy Dancers club, but with his family as well. Tim has attended Trainfest for all of its 40 years. He found out about the first one by accident when he saw the show posted on a bulletin board and thought to himself that the new train show would be something interesting to check out. HANDS ON COMMITMENT TO CRAFTSMANSHIP Continued from page 5 Dedication The Waukesha County Gandy Dancers work tirelessly year round on their railroad. When it s not on display at Trainfest, they house it in their clubhouse. The clubhouse, gives members an opportunity to not only work on the railroad but also enjoy the camaraderie of club members who have become friends. For those like Tim who are retired, the clubhouse is an opportunity to get out of the house and work on something they truly enjoy. For both the Waukesha County Gandy Dancers and Tim Shipman, their hobby dedication stems from a deep rooted, life-long love and fascination with trains. It s truly demonstrated in the craftsmanship, creativity, and dedication they continue to bring to the hobby of model railroading. An Example of the Midwest industrial scenes throughout the railroad 10

11 DID YOU KNOW? What does it mean to be a freelance railroad? The railroad is not mimicked after any specific place or time, it was and continues to be, conceived and built in the mind of its creators. 11

12 It s the Monday after Trainfest By Mike Hirvela Member and group coordinator for the Bluff City Modular Engineers from the Waukegan, IL area It s the Monday after Trainfest and all the aches are here, my knees, my back, are throbbing, my throat is anything but clear. You work on your RR modules steadily from year to year, for a brief time moment to bring some creative cheer. The bouncing along of the children crashing the aisles like dices, makes you stop and wonder, tho : there is an energy crisis? But the toothy grins are still fresh and the sparkling eyes shine bright and the looks of wonder on the young uns gives your heart delight. I meet nice folks from Indiana, and Michigan and Niagara Frontier, too. Iowa and Minnesota folks showed up in Viking Blue. Even the circus modelers this year got into the act by having something running an amazing bit of fact. Kalmbach had their new RR running on display Steve Otte was cleaning track with elbow grease the old-fashioned way. So, farewell to another Trainfest, where our creativity can shine. We look forward to the next one, In just 11 months of time. Yah wonder if it s worth it, all the time and fuss, but if it wasn t for our love of trains, we d all be celebrating the bus. 12

13 Here are some more photos of Trainfest 2011 we couldn t fit in the January issue. Thank you again to all who helped to make Trainfest 2011 a success and we look forward to seeing you at Trainfest 2012 November 10th and 11th. 13

14 HOW TO: DECALING TANK CARS Continued from page 9 Step 4: Soak the decals in a bowl of water, the backing of the decals should separate and come off. Then fish out the films from the water as you need them. Step 2: Find the decals you need. You can accomplish this by contacting hobby stores, looking in model railroading catalogs, checking online, or by talking with other modelers to get suggestions. Step 3: The decals will come in small sheets. Cut out the decals you need from the sheet. Caution Andy recommends not cutting all the decals out at once as they may get mixed up and you may want to save some for use on later projects. 14 Step 5: Using brushes and a knife, you ll begin to attach the decal onto the car. First, use the knife to move the decal around and place it in the desired location. Using your brush, gently go over the decal and smooth it out from the decal center on the car surface. If you encounter air bubbles upon application, Andy s recommended fix is to gently prick a hole in the film, then use a solution to dissolve the film which helps the decals stick directly to the car.

15 Step 6: The cars are shiny to help the material stick to the car. After the decal is attached to the car, Andy sprays it with a dull coat and weathers the car to make it appear more realistic. For the dull coat, Andy uses Testors or Polyscale diluted with solvent and sprayed very carefully. This process generally takes a few hours to complete. Andy prefers to work on one car at a time when applying decals. Otherwise with several cars decals in the water, they may get mixed up. However with some of the other steps he may work on several cars at a time. 15

16 SAVE THE DATE