Newsletter of the Nor-Cal Division of the Train Collectors Assn. Richard White, Editor March 2017 Long-time Nor-Cal TCA Members Honored at the December 3, 2016 Meet At left: The members pictured received Certificates of Membership from TCA National. Front row (L to R): Paul LeBrett (25 years), Robert Straka (seated, 50 years!!), Jefferson Graves (30), Franklin Kamian (25) Second row: Chuck Schaffer (45), Bob Nichelini (35), Chuck Stone (40), Steven Vickers (25), Richard Vose (45) Third row: Stephen Slauson (45), Dave Selvy (35) Photo by Mark Boyd Nominations for Nor- Cal Officers will be made at the April 8 Meeting. Cal-Stewart Meet March 5, 2017 The Spring Cal-Stewart Meet will be held at the San Ramon Marriott Hotel. Be there!! WELCOME BACK Leigh Bradbury 04-57416 Larry Bradley 94-39191 Michael Brown 05-1275 John Cave 15-71109 Jean Paul Costes 84-20317 Laurence Dreyfuss 03-55526 Vince DeMaso 01-571131 Richard Goldman 03-56382 Dave Otth 74-7028 James Neely 89-28396 Tom O'Callaghan 92-35369 Larry Zahn 94-39435 PRESIDENT S MESSAGE By Bob Nichelini 81-16938 At almost every meet, both here and around the US, there is discussion about declining TCA membership. But is that really a problem? When I joined TCA membership was exclusive. Potential members were required to attend meets as a current member s guest. Membership credentials were validated at the door and no one was permitted to just walk in. A potential member was vetted by the membership chairperson and admitted only after receiving required sponsorships. Membership was intentionally small and limited to serious train collectors. Everybody knew everybody and camaraderie was important. Then the organization went through an expansion metamorphous. Anyone could join. No sponsors were needed. National TCA advertised for new members who could apply by mail. At the same time, online trading had an adverse impact on our ability to retain members and attract new members. (Continued on page 2)
President s Message (continued from page 1) People asked, why pay dues to attend a monthly train meet when you can find all the old toy trains you want on ebay and other on-line sales sites? Now I m not suggesting the old ways were better. But we survived very nicely when the membership was small and catered to true believer train collectors. I am confident, even as membership numbers decline, that TCA and Nor-Cal will continue to provide access to our two most important products old toy trains that you can touch and personal interaction between people with like interests. As a smaller organization we may need to adjust our business practices, look for less expensive venues and ask for more volunteer help. But as we get smaller, we might get better. Bob Nichelini Nor-Cal President Page 2 Bob Morris had this Creswell Standard Gauge Hudson, in Blue Comet colors, at the February Meet. At left: a Christmas photo of Nor -Cal member Bill McDermott. It look like llittle Bill has received a Buddy-L Allied Van Lines truck from 1950. In Memoriam Michael D. McKinney #85-21915 Long time Nor-Cal member Mike McKinney, of Sacramento, was President of the Sac-Sierra Chapter during the 2011 convention, and was very active in that chapter. He enjoyed collecting the Big Four of prewar standard gauge, and constructed a large layout in a separate building he constructed. He was an active member of BATHS. He is survived by a daughter, a sister and his wife Diane McKinney. The Nor-Cal Board and the members express their condolences. In Memoriam Lawrence Dreyfuss #03-55526 Nor-Cal member Laurence Dreyfuss passed away on December 1, 2016. Lawrence lived in Cedar Ridge, California. He is survived by his wife, Gretchen Dreyfuss The Nor-Cal Board and the members express their condolences. In Memoriam Glenn Heestand #11-66580 Nor-Cal member Glenn Heestand passed away on December 18, 2016. Glenn lived in Pleasanton. He is survived by his wife Marilyn Heestand.. The Nor-Cal Board and the members express their condolences. In Memoriam Raymond Hunt #92-34899 Nor-Cal member Raymond Hunt passed away recently. Raymond lived in Dublin, California. The Nor-Cal Board and the members express their condolences.
MARK BOYD WRITES Page 3 I am going to bring a train I received 2 days before Christmas. [see photo on page 5] that I ordered it 2 years ago, and it has just arrived. It is an English locomotive in 0 gauge (DC operation) manufactured by Darstaed Trains of the UK. It is a steam locomotive called The Mallard, like Ducky s on the TV show NCIS. I also received 6 Gresley corridor coaches to go behind it. The Mallard set the world speed record for a steam locomotive in 1938 at 126 miles an hour on the Settle line in the UK a straight section of track that is all downhill. Patty and I rode the line behind the Sherwood Forester steam loco [see photo] from York, England, to Carlisle. AT THE DECEMBER 3 MEET IN LAFAYETTE At right: Secretary Mark Boyd is holding a photo of Gary Espinosa, taken at the November 6 London to Brighton Veteran Car Run. There were 450 cars that participated in the event, all made prior to 1904. Gary was a passenger in a 1903 Peerless 2 cylinder, 12 horse power car. Gary and friends left Hyde Park in London in the Peerless at 7:00 AM and arrived in Brighton at 12 noon, - 58 miles. Gary described his once-in-a lifetime adventure to the members. Richard Zanotti displayed this large, 1gauge Marklin 4-4-0T tank engine, built for the English market. It is clockwork, with a speed control. It is from 1916 or so. Richard obtained this at the recent York Meet. Joe Barker displayed these Lionel Christmas-themed freight cars. Two photos mini tin train set. At left: This is Cliff DenOtter s Ives O-gauge Greyhound set, from 1928. Jack D Angelo, our esteemed Treasurer, had these cool train book ends for sale.
MORE PHOTOS FROM THE DECEMBER 3 MEET Photos by Patty Sokolecki Smoot Ralf Parton Paul LeBrett, Jack D Angelo John and Dave Pinson Lou Goring, Mike Andrews, Paul LeBrett, Phil Sherman Richard Hofmeister Chuck Schaffer and Richard Goslee Mark Landes, Dave Selvy, Nick Mizsey Unknown, sorry! Page 4
AT THE JANUARY 14 MEET Gary Espinosa displayed this Bing 1 gauge live steam loco, a 1905 Jupiter. He obtained this from England. This is Cliff DenOtter rare Lionel 1930 O-gauge #450 Macy s Special loco. Previously owned by late, prominent Nor-Cal member Fred Hines. He won it in an auction in 1980 +. Other Nor-Cal members at the auction agreed not to bid on this, so that Fred could get it! Page 5 Bob Morris had these charming lithographed tin Marx tanks on his table. Behind them is a lineup of Marx O-gauge searchlite cars, in Army olive drab. The tanks, and the searchlite cars, were included in the Marx Army Supply Train of 1939-41. For comparison, here is a Macy s set, engine and cars, that sold on ebay on January 29, 2017, for $810. Mark Boyd displayed his recently acquired Darstaed O-guage Mallard locomotive. The prototype, pictured at the right, is in the National Railway Museum, in York, UK. See Mark s comments on page 3. Mark dusplayed this set of six Darstaed lithographed Nigel Gressley coaches to go with the Mallard loco.
AT THE FEBRUARY 11 MEET Page 6 Gary Espinosa recently acquired the Bing O-gauge clockwork train (1906 or so). Gino Cerelli displayed this beautiful prewar Bing O-gauge station, along with Hornby O-gauge and Dinky Dublo OO-gauge figures. Joaquin Murphy displayed this Ives Wide Gauge set from the 1920 s. This is Richard Zanotti s hybrid Marklin switch tower. The upper portion was missing so Ira Keeler added a Hornby cabin. The photo shows an original. These original Ives boxes for Joaquin s set are equally rare. Ives printed different graphics on each of the four sides of the boxes, so they could be arranged in a diorama, as shown.. At left: Dave Pfeifer displayed this rare 1700 Series Lionel windup set, the Silver Streak in orange and chrome, from 1936-37, Paul Guaraglia displayed this American Flyer 2dome Shell tank car, from 2008, specially manufactured in a series of only 75 by American Hi-Rail, in 2008.
MORE ITEMS FROM THE FEBRUARY MEET Page 7 Left: Original Voltamp car. Middle: Pride Lines reproduction of Voltamp steeple-cab locomotive. On right Ira Keeler reproduction steeple cab loco. All displayed by Richard Zanotti. John Granuchi had these handmade scenery flats, made from Toonerville Trolley illustrtions glued to wood pieces. Mark Boyd displayed various items brought back from the Nuremburg, Germany, Toy Fair. WORLD S LONGEST ALL-CHOCOLATE TRAIN A train made entirely of chocolate has set a new Guinness World Record as the longest chocolate structure in the world... The sculpture, on display at the busy Brussels South station, is 112-feet (34.05 meters) long and weighs over 2,755 pounds (1250 kilos). Maltese chocolate artist Andrew Farrugia spent over 700 hours constructing the masterpiece. A potion of the train is shown in these two photos.
Just Trains Largest Selection in the East Bay Friendly help for the young and the young at heart O-scale, O Hi-Rail and Tinplate, G, HO, N and Z 9650-H Imhoff Drive, Concord Tuesday-Saturday 10-5:00 PM Jim Anthony, Owner Sunday 12-4:00 PM Website: www.just-trains.com (925) 685-6566 FAX: (925) 685-7 997 Submit address and email changes to Mark Boyd, E-mail: mark.boyd54@att.net