Estes Valley

ESTES VALLEY - DIVISION 5

ESTES VALLEY DIVISION ACTIVITIES

Members of the Estes Valley Division participated in the Longmont Museum’s 'Planes, Trains, & Automobiles' exhibit that ran from May 24 to September 14.  The museum reported that this was the most popular exhibition that they have had in some time.

The Longmont museum staff approached the late Bob Trump, at Rails in the Rockies, about possibly loaning some of the Estes Valley work for the Longmont exhibit.  3 exhibition pieces - the Maud Monroe Mine, Rattlesnake Ridge and the Makenzie Rose Mine - were loaned for the nearly 4-month-long exhibit.   

The above photo is of the Makenzie Rose Mine (one of Bob’s favorite pieces) as it was on display in the Longmont museum.  Bob scratch built the On30 mine structures and laid the track. Other Estes Valley modelers helped with scenery and additional details.

July found the members in the Annual Layout Hop and Picnic.

First on the tour was Steve Andersen’s garden railroad.  Steve has several levels of track running on the fence and right into his workshop.  The above photo of Steve in front of his workshop reveals some of his collection of builder’s plate replicas.  The track along the fence is mostly hidden by the foliage on account of the camera angle.  Steve admits to having a very eclectic collection of models.  The roster includes just about everything from clockwork oldies to track powered sound equipped locos and some stuff in between as well. 

Visitor Gordon Goff watches the progress of one of the G scale trains on the middle level of Steve’s garden railroad.  Gordon is a garden railroader who likes to scratchbuild structures.  His wooden coaling tower is quite impressive in large scale.  Not obvious is the fact that the track runs through the wall and right into Steve’s workshop.  Above is a better view of Steve’s cast builder’s plate replicas, though not all of them.

Steve’s workshop is much like a greenhouse, with screening to reduce the sunlight.  This looks like an enjoyable place to work, with a view north across the Estes Valley.  On the left are multiple tracks with the various means of power.  Both 45mm garden railway track and three rail O gauge track enter the shop from the outside running area.  Almost every imaginable means of track power was noted.  Under protective cover to the right are various power tools for woodworking and more.  

Of course, most modelers freely subscribe to the notion that we are all tool junkies.  One cannot have too many tools.  The parallel correlative maxim is that, regardless of the size of one’s workshop, the next project will require a new tool.  Also note that the previous project would have been done more quickly and better if the now essential new tool had been available.

The next stop on our layout tour was at the home of Richard and Audrey Putney.  Dick’s railroad is a representation of the line from Laramie, Wyoming to Colorado’s North Park.  The railroad includes provision for continuous running as well as several locations for busy switching operations.  A complete engine terminal is located on a shelf addition, just behind where Dick in standing in this photograph. 

Dick indulged me with my request to run my recently completed DCC sound conversion of a KATO NW2 switcher in ATSF black & silver.  I had not installed couplers, so was limited to just a bit of running and enjoying the sounds of the first generation EMD loco.  It brought back memories of listening to lots of Santa Fe switchers working the industrial area across the tracks from where I grew up.  I do not know if what I saw so long ago were S1, S2, SW6/9/1200 or NW2 locomotives or maybe something else altogether - just that they were cab-end locos that were black with silver.  Thank you Dick, for granting my Santa Fe locomotive & crew temporary track rights on your North Park railroad. 

The layout has well done and complete scenery with the appearance of being ‘finished.’  It may look finished, but Dick does not suffer from a lack of ideas to add details or new structures.  The town scene above illustrates the level of detail Dick has attained, as well as the switching operation potential in this part of his railroad.

The July layout tour ended at the home of Richard and Mary Oldberg.  NMRA life member Dick Oldberg is always ready to talk about David H. Moffat’s route up South Boulder Canyon to the “top O’ the world” and thence down past Irvings, Fraser, and to Tabernash.  This was the Middle Park territory then known as home to Doc Susie and other hardy residents.  While many visited with Dick at his Moffat Road layout, John and Nan Thut were busy cooking for the crowd. Hamburgers, brats, hot dogs, and other goodies rounded out the day.  Anyone that went home hungry had only themselves to blame.

This last photo illustrates what the NMRA, the NMRA Regions, and the NMRA Divisions are all about.  The place was Steve Andersen’s home, just recently.  Lynn Patton and Jim Mount are looking for answers regarding one of Steve’s locomotives (I do not recall who is holding the flashlight).  Steve was looking for help in setting up the locomotive so that it could be operated from either track or battery power.

Friendship, helping each other, and sharing knowledge are hallmarks of the hobby and of the NMRA.  Although all of these photos have been about sharing the hobby, this one happens to be more directly identifiable as such.

On the subject of sharing the skills and enjoyment of the hobby, join us next February 14th & 15th, 2015 - President’s Day weekend - for our 18th year of Rails in the Rockies.