June 18, 2024 - Meeting Summary

The San Diego S-Gaugers held the May club meeting at our clubhouse and on Zoom. Attendees were: Mike Forys, Ken Sadlock, Robert Graves, Alex Sibbald, Scott Lewis, Raulf Polichar, Les Smith, Craig Carlson, Don Briggs, Paul DeLaurell and John Racey.

Introduction of New Faces / Show and Tell:

Mike Forys passed around four new American Flyer train cars that he purchased from Charles Ro and a new Scale Trains S-Helper GN caboose. Les Smith showed us photos and described his bike trip on a railroad right of way, Trail of the Hiawatha.

Treasurer's Report:

Bob Graves reported that the club received visitor donations totaling $235.20 in May, $38 less than April, and $66 below the average for May with $24.05 of the donations coming from our Venmo account. In the twenty-two months we have had Venmo Service, we have received $1366.70 in donations. Bob sold $15.90 worth of donated trains to Craig. To date the club has received $8,000.84 from the sale of donated trains. We paid the annual premium of $262 for insurance on the club's layout and equipment which contributed to the club showing a net loss of $120.30 for the month after expenses.

Standards Report:

Ralph Polichar is working on the Amtrack Engine. He passed around a new window button that requires a screwdriver to remove the outside case.

Publicity Report:

N/C

Library Report:

N/C.

SN3 Layout:

N/C.

Window Layout Success and Visitor Attendance:

Mike Forys reported that from May 18th 2024 to June 15, 2024 the window buttons have been pushed 2,890 times. Windows 1=1,430 Windows 2 =1,466 average 103 per day over 28 days.

Grossmont total (beginning Feb, 2016) = 316,983

Day one (beginning May, 2011) total = 356,541

Visitor Total since February 1, 2016 = 94,294

Old Business:

Club Mural:

The Mural lettering, grab bars and ladder are complete. The UP logo and door hardware are next.

Window Layouts:

The Comet Locomotive has been replaced on the layout due to worn contacts.

New Business:

Lego Days:

The next Lego Build Day will be June 29th, 2024.

Future Events:

The next meetings will be on Tuesdays, July 23 2024 and August 20th, 2024 and will be held at our clubhouse and on Zoom.

Main Layout:

A circus display has been located on the S curve temporarily until the permanent town is completed.

Train Show:

The Great Train Expo is coming to the Del Mar Fairgrounds on October 5th and 6th 2024.

Halloween:

Mike Forys relayed a conversation with Larry Brown regarding Halloween. We told him we would support Halloween candy give away.

Visitor Celebration:

The club expects that we will see our 100,000th visitor at this location sometime in November, most likely January 2025.

SDSG Layout Expansion:

Mike Forys has begun constructing two new modules to support the layout expansion to include our turntable module. One is 24 inches deep and one is 30 inches deep. They are ready for track.

Clubhouse Lighting:

The black can lights have been upgraded with LED equivalents by club members.

The meeting was adjourned at 11:05 am.