Inside the OC&E. CMRM Hosts RockyOp By Bill Kepner

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1 Inside the May 2015 Volume 6 Issue 5 OC&E CMRM Hosts RockyOp By Bill Kepner Published by the Colorado Model Railroad Museum th Street Greeley, CO One of the most popular model railroad operating events in the country is RockyOp. Scheduled on May 1-3, 2015, RockyOp is an organized weekend of special operating sessions on 11 model railroads along the Front Range of Colorado. Many attendees are members of the Operations Special Interest Group of the National Model Railroad Association, but the event itself is completely sponsored and organized by an independent volunteer group. The Colorado Model Railroad Museum was one of the featured model railroads for the 2015 event. Approximately 24 attendees arrived at the museum by 5:30 PM on Friday evening. After a thorough overview Kirk Orndorff coaches RockyOp guest Phillip Abaray of Westminster, Colorado. Phillip worked for the Union Pacific Railroad of the layout presented by Operations Manager, as a Track Inspector out of Omaha, Nebraska for over 40 years. Steven Palmer, the visitors This would be his first time operating at CMRM, and with a train drew numbers to determine the order that they he ever operated during his railroad career! of 5 locomotives and 45 cars, it was probably the longest train could pick their assignments. Throttles and radios were handed out and each first time operator was paired up with an experienced museum volunteer. A full schedule was run, with the yards switched as needed. While the OC&E layout doesn't have a lot of local switching opportunities, there are few model railroads in the world where 50 to 80 car-long trains are routinely operated, so the attendees were able to have a unique experience. Many were from outside Colorado, and some came from as far away as 1 Pennsylvania. We even had volunteer Karl Luce return to Colorado for the weekend. Karl had moved to Washington state several months ago for a job change, but was back in town to experience this event. Everything went fairly smoothly; some switches were run, and minor derailments occurred, but everyone had fun, and we hope everyone tells their friends of the good times that were had. CMRM 6th Anniversary Open House Friday, May 22nd, 4:30-6:00 PM Rocky Op in Northern Colorado normally occurs every other May, alternating with model railroads in Southern Colorado in the even-numbered years. For more information about this year's event, check out their web site In about nine months, information will be posted about next year's event. Admission is free to the public!!! Come and celebrate the Museum s new recognition wall where we celebrate our Donors, Sponsors, and Sustaining Members. There will be cake!

2 More RockyOp Photos This column, top: Steven Palmer welcomes the attendees and covers some of the operating practices of the railroad. Middle: Karl Luce originally discovered the museum through Rock Op several yearas ago, and has felt it was a life changing event. Bottom: Quintin Foster, from Salt Lake City, positions the set of OC&E Frogs in the Coors Bay Yard while Mike Command switches the Coos Bay Turn. This column top: By the middle of the session, most of the available trains were on the layout, and the staging yards were almost empty. Middle: Charles White brings his train into the Klamath Falls Yard, while several other visitors wait their turn to proceed on the mainline. Bottom: For about 20 minutes, the main lights in the museum were turned off and the layout was lit with night lighting. This gave everyone a chance to experience railroading in the dark. 2

3 Happy Birthday Union Pacific By Wayne Hansen, Union Pacific Steam Crew Volunteer Ticket Agent Our Colorado Model Railroad Museum celebrates the Union Pacific Railroad each May. How does the UP itself celebrate its rich heritage? In the 150th year since President Abraham Lincoln signed the Pacific Railway Act of 1862 creating the Union Pacific, one example is the Union Pacific 844 Shiloh Limited Steam Special in April CMRM volunteers Brent Milota, Jim Leonard and I served as volunteers to accompany American Civil War Battle of Shiloh reenactors aboard this special train. Ride along with us back into American history. Left: CMRM volunteer and UP Station Master, Jim Leonard, waves to the crowd as the train leaves one of the many towns the train visited. Above: Author, Ticket Agent, and CMRM volunteer, Wayne Hansen, poses in front of the famous UP 844. Below: One of the members of the UP Steam Crew maintains the locomotive after everyone else gets to go home. We depart Cheyenne March 22, 2012 with a minimal consist of 2 locomotives and 7 cars: UP 844, two water bottles Jim Adams and Joe Jordan, UP 2010 C45ACCTE Boy Scouts of America, Step Car UPP 9336, Tool Car Art Lockman, Boiler- Dorm Howard Fogg, Baggage Car Lynn Nystrom, and Souvenir Car Reed F. Jackson. We stop every 75 miles or so to lube the 844 bearings. The first night, we park at the Business Car track in downtown North Platte, Nebraska and stay at the Holiday Inn Express. One crewmember stays with 844 to maintain the boiler temperature all night. In order to depart at 8 AM, all crew need to be at the train by 6 AM. March 23 We depart North Platte and arrive at the North Council Bluffs, Iowa UP Car Shop where the Heritage Fleet is stored and maintained. March 24 We add our go-to-war equipment of 14 cars: Power Car UPP 207, Crew Sleeper Omaha, Baggage Car Council Bluffs, Diner Car City of Los Angeles, Dome Diner Colorado Eagle, Coach Texas Eagle, Dome Coach Columbine, Coach Sunshine Special, Dome Coach Challenger, Coach Katy Flyer, Coach Portland Rose, Coach City of Salina, Business Car Kenefick, and wait for it Flat Car Cannon Car UPP When was the last time you saw a Class 1 railroad with a Cannon Car on its mainline? 3

4 9 AM The Shiloh Limited Steam Special departs Kansas City en route to the war. Box lunches are served to all passengers in the baggage car. The Special arrives at Jefferson City, Missouri not lost on the Union soldiers for a musical media event, by our on-board Shiloh Band. March 25 We depart North Council Bluffs at 8 AM and arrive at Kansas City, Missouri at 10th Street East Fuel Track. The train and crew layover here. We reprovision and polish the train on March 26. March 27, 5 AM - Engineer Ed Dickens, Fireman Ted Schulte, and our pilot crew reposition the train to Kansas City Union Station. The crew loads 325 Union and Confederate commanders, troops, families, and the Shiloh Band. All personnel are under military command. Loading is markedly orderly. All reenactors are in period attire with bedrolls, backpacks, haversacks, and canteens. All rifles and cartridge boxes containing black powder are stowed in the baggage car and rifle racks. All sabers, swords, and sidearms are stowed and secured in the baggage car. All cannons are secured on the Cannon Car. The train becomes SKCSL 27, the Shiloh Limited Steam Special. This momentous travel stretches the imagination. I see 1862 reenactors on the way to war in 1950's reclining chairs with footrests and plush dome and observation cars, pulled by a 1944 steam locomotive. This is a far cry from the boxcars and shared space with mules and horses of the 1860s. 4 Adjusting the First National Confederate Flag Stars and Bars at Washington, MO After other public relations stops, we arrive in St Louis, Missouri. The troops stay with the train all night. Their dinner chow line is set up just outside the train. Porta potties are available. The troops will sleep on the train. Pickets are posted to guard the cannons, the locomotive, the armories, and the Command Car (Kenefick). The steam crew turns the train over to military authority, and security and heads to the nearest Crown Plaza Hotel.

5 March 28 Our crew arrives at the train at 4 AM for a 6 AM departure from St Louis. Box breakfasts are served to the troops. We plan to off-load the troops and cargo 126 miles away from Shiloh to keep this special train out of the war zone, to be used another day. 3:45 PM We arrive at West Marion Intermodal Terminal in Arkansas. We unload the troops who board buses to go to war. We unload eight cannons to flatbed trailers for transport to war. We uncouple 14 empty passenger cars and one empty cannon car for the trip back to Council Bluffs. The Shiloh Limited Steam Special is terminated. This mission is complete. These 1862 Union soldiers say farewell to their 1944 transportation for two days. The Confederate commander ponders what lies ahead. The Blue-Gray Alliance organized the 150th Anniversary Reenactment of the Battle of Shiloh. Reenactors, delivered by our train, joined 6,000 others for the commemoration. In 1862, MG Ulysses S. Grant led the Union Army of the Tennessee with 48,894 troops. General Albert Sidney Johnston and Pierre G.T. Beauregard led the Confederate Army of the Mississippi with 44,699 troops. Leaving the train at Marion, Arkansas and on to Shiloh. 5 The battle lasted two days. The Confederates prevailed the first day. The Union eventually prevailed, but not before 24,000 American troops died the bloodiest battle in American history up to that time.

6 Above: Union Pacific Delivers. The cargo was delivered on time and placed into urgent service. Right: Union and Confederate cannons, soldiers, and the Union Pacific unite for a moment before their skirmish. Below: The crew is onboard again for a 6 AM departure out of St. Louis, Missouri. But there's more about our train: March 29 The train and crew begin UP 844 Steam Special. We layover and reprovision our remaining and original consist of 2 locomotives and 7 cars. March 30 UP 844 Steam Special departs Marion, Arkansas at 8 AM. We make four lube and public relations stops. During these stops the crew grips and grins, has photos taken, answers questions, kisses babies, and hands out 150th Union Pacific anniversary pins. We eventually arrive at North Little Rock, Arkansas at 3:15 PM for our last PR stop. Engineer Ed Dickens turns the consist at Van Buren Wye and spots our train at Track 432, Three in Hole. For the next two days we remain on public display and are visited by thousands. The crew gives cab tours and works in the Souvenir Car selling UP Steam hats, shirts, pins, and tchotchkes. The train will resume as the UP 150 Express headed to Texas and beyond. It won't return to Cheyenne until May 16. But that's a tale for another time. Thanks for riding with us. And Happy Birthday Union Pacific. 6

7 Model Railroad Tourism: An Understanding of Visitor Experience at the Colorado Model Railroad Museum Connor Law, University of Northern Colorado student and former intern at the Colorado Model Railroad Museum, conducted a survey for his senior level research class in the Fall of His research showed that most visitors were extremely satisfied with their museum experience but some would like to see changes among the exhibits. CMRM took this information to heart and has begun a remodel of the museum's artifact displays. Connor was chosen from all the UNC Recreation, Tourism and Hospitality students to display his research at the UNC event and was also asked to be the guest speaker for the Research Dinner (right). Congratulations Connor! 7

8 Circus Trains! Photos by Greg Gardner During the weekend of April 10-11, CMRM held its first ever Circus Days that featured several circus trains on the layout along with a few special events for the kids. The Hozian Shows train proved to be very popular, and we hope it makes frequent future visits to the OC&E Railroad. 8

9 It s Happening! Photos by Bill Kepner In the February issue of Inside the OC&E, we reported that the Great Western Railway intended to spend $14 million to upgrade their line between Windsor and Greeley. There was some skepticism that this project would happen anytime soon or even happen at all. Very soon after the plan was made public, construction did start at the Windsor end, and by the beginning of May, several miles of track had been upgraded, many highway grade crossings were rebuilt, and new tracks were being built near the location of Farmers and west of 35th Ave in Greeley. Other than a loaded ballast train taking up residence in Greeley, there has been no visible sign of activity on the Union Pacific connection several blocks north of the museum. But that could start at any time. Above: In Windsor, several switches were replaced on Saturday March 28, To minimize the amount of time the track was out of service, they had been built in the field next to this location, and then like a model railroad, installed in large sections. Left: Meanwhile a welding contractor works on a rail joint next to the Colorado Highway 257 crossing. Right: Most of the GWR track still looks like this, just south of the museum, so there s still a lot of work to do. 9

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11 April Visitor Counts Week Week Week Week Totals Average YTD Inside the OC&E Inside the OC&E is the official newsletter of the Colorado Model Railroad Museum. Its purpose is to communicate news and information to museum volunteers and others interested in the museum. The June issue PUBLICATION DEADLINE: Tuesday June 2, at 5:00 PM. Send submissions to drgw0579@comcast. net. Bill Kepner, Editor. Ed Hurtubis and Bob Owens, Associate Editors CMRM 2015 Spring Events May 8-9 Union Pacific Days May Sherman Hill Train Show in Cheyenne May 22nd - CMRM 6th Anniversary Celebration Open House, 4:30-6 PM. Will be operating late that day for this event. This event is free to the public from 4:30-6 PM. There will be cake! Friday, June 5th - All Volunteers and their families are invited to attend the Downtown Celebration on the 9th Street Plaza at 5 PM for an unexpected surprise! Please look at your summer schedule as the museum will need Docent coverage every Wednesday and Thurs through June, July, and August. Beginning May 27th Summer Hours of Wednesday through Saturday 10 AM-4 PM, Sunday 1-4PM Newsletter News Monthly Theme: Each month we will try to have a theme the newsletter. The theme for the June issue is: Greeley History. We will take any contributed article at any time, but if you have an interest in writing about something in Greeley's history that would be of interest to the readership, please consider writing an article for the newsletter. Videos: Future articles may include a short video which would be available on the museum's website. If you would like to try watching a short video of the museum's motorcar, click on: Q