So do I! He was struck by lightning... for real! One lucky boy!
>>> Phil
Posted by Steve Kraus (Member # 476) on 01-05-2004, 12:39 AM:
UP is very shorthanded right now and plans to hire 1345 train, engine, and yard employees between late November 2003 and March 2004, and as many is 3000 during 2004. In the meantime they are putting managers into service, suspending some maintenance projects so work train crews can be used on revenue trains, and even borrowing workers from CSX and CN.
Source: TRAINS February 2004, p.10
Posted by Michael Schaffer (Member # 1204) on 01-05-2004, 01:22 AM:
But they still had sailing ships and cannons all through the 19th century when the steam trains were already around!
Posted by Gary Crawford (Member # 2038) on 01-06-2004, 12:41 PM:
Being in the museum/tourist line/fan trip end of things all these years, I would say we now have far more of the "romance" of railroading than the "real" railroaders did. I have met many an oldtimer who absolutely loved his job and was loyal to the railroad he worked for, but almost to the man they despised the higher-ups they dealt with. Dispatchers and road foremen and district supers and the like were power-mad dictators who tried to squeeze 110% out of everyone under them.
These hands-on workers, the engineers and conductors and brakemen, and others not in train service really did love what they did so long as they were far away from bosses.
What the romantics tell you isn't exactly what happened. Waiting for days and days to be called up on an extra list (don't even think about leaving the house for even a minute because they might call), getting EXACTLY eight hours off before you were scheduled to run again (I never could walk in the door and just crash into bed, no matter how tired I was), doing yard moves at night in the rain before radios, nursing along a locomotive that was known to be a lemon but they would not take it out of service and then catching hell because you ran late, etc. It was a very tough job.
It's no wonder there were so many craft unions in railroading. If it was such a gravy job there would be no need for them. It was, and still is, hard work. My hat is off to the people past and present who choose to make a living at it.
Posted by Will Kutler (Member # 770) on 01-06-2004, 08:39 PM:
Since the origonal thread topic was about model railroaders, I am going to direct us back to that subject, and disscuss one of my favorite subjects...the imported, hand-built, brass scale model.
I have had some previous discussions with some other F.T. members who are fellow "brass" enthusiasts, and was able to help out with technical questions.
Although the info I am about to add is quite extensive, it should answer many of your questions:
For now, I will be quoting from Phil and Ruth Kohl's book "Pacific Fast Mail...25 Years of Fine Models C 1979 Library of Congress No. 78-78186. There is a more recent book out about Tenshodo, which was done in a presentation style and is quite pricy. Occasionally they have poped-up on E-Bay.
"The first International Models advertisements offering brass models made in the Orient appeared in 1948. Initially, quanities were very limited. Modelers, accustomed to assembling their motive power from a kit, were slow to accept the tinplate-like concept of a ready-to-run scale model. The models were exported from Japan by Atlas, a Japenese trading company. The trading company fills several needs such as language translation; preparing paperwork to meet banking, export, and customs requirements; and arranging for packing and shipping."
"The early models sold by PFM were obtained from makers in the United States, primarily Kemtron. Early in 1954, a series of misunderstandings occured between International and Atlas. As a result, Atlas began a search for another importer in the United States. Apparently, Bill Ryan (a Seattle Cadillac dealer) learned of this search from both Levon Kemalyon, then owner of Kemtron, and Mr. Phil Crawley, owner of Van Hobbies, Vancouver, Britis Columbia, Canada. About the same time Mr. Ryan saw samples of Tenshodo diesels and passenger cars during a visit to Kemtron in Fresno, California. After exchanging letters, Mr. Ryan flew to Japan for meetings with both Atlas and Tenshodo. It was during one of the meetings with Atlas that Mr. Ryan saw the pilot model of the HO-scale Shay locomotive. Both firms agreed to supply models, establishing relationships with PFM which have continued for 25 years. The United label was selected to describe the many small makers represented by Atlas. Mr. Crawley agreed to import both Tenshodo and United models into Canada, under the PFM name."
I should interject here. Tenshodo "officially" entered the brass market in 1953 with the FT diesel locomotives made by Tetsudo. Tenshodo is also considered to be th "official" birthplace of the imported brass model. United States Military Officers helped to spark the interest in Tenshodo models when they saw the handmade Japenese prototype engines being offered for sale in the Tenshodo toy store in Tokyo. These Officers began to order individual custom built models of American locomotives for themselves.
Kemtron is now part of the Precision Scale Company/Iron Horse Models line. Also, this is the "succession" of importers who also became part of Precision Scale: Max Grey, Balboa, Westside.
"Mr. Ryan visited Japan about twice a year to meet with both exporters and manufacturers. Apparently he purchased some models directly from the makers for his own personal collection and in response to orders from others for custom-built models. Careful inspection of PFM's records has led us to the conclusion thaat some of these models were sold privately by Mr. Ryan. We examined all the PFM sales invoices from 1953-1959 and found no evidence of sale through PFM of some of the models that are known to exist. One of our unfinished tasks is identifying and including these models in the approperiate listings."
To be continued...
Posted by Will Kutler (Member # 770) on 01-08-2004, 11:45 PM:
brass continued:
"The transition from the individual custom model to production runs of several hundred models was accomplished slowly. In the mid-1950's, both Katsumi and Tenshodo had a limited production capacty. Other production capability was developed to meet the growng demand for imported brass ready-to-run scale models. Mr. Ryan worked closely with Atlas as a consultant to aid in founding Ashi Scientific Labsoratories, thus establishing another model production source. Mr. Ryan as known for his so-called "book letters", by which he attempted to communicate United States technology and production concepts to the makers."
to be continued...having computer problems
Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 02-23-2005, 05:12 PM:
It has been 411 days since the last post.
Posted by Per Hauberg (Member # 529) on 02-23-2005, 05:12 PM:
Five pages of replies - Some rail-enthusiats in the booths out there we certainly have...
Some of You might even be interested in this link to danish local tv-station last nite: Danish State Railways (DSB) - normally known for getting surprised by snowing during winter months - yesterday heard the weather-forecast, and someone was wise enough to foresee, that the new railbusses, running in the area of Hans Christian Andersens Odense city, would never be able to go through the heavy snow coming up. Only available gear to do the job was The 1954 General Motors clone MY 1101, totally renovated and situated at the Railway Museum. The old roundnosed beauty was taken out, and made ready with ploughs. Unfortunate, only the preparations reached the tv-news.
Watch here: http://www.tv2fyn.dk/tv.php?dato=22-02-2005&udsendelse=&indslag_id=229597
When You get to the link, You can also in the register at the right find "Gammel færge bliver husbåd" about a freaky fellow, who has bought an old carferry, which he's now making into a houseboat. Nice pics !
I hope, the spot from "doing the job", which 1101 really managed, will be available tomorrow.
XTRA:
Back then in the fifties, danish trade unions were mad over the idea of DSB buying american diesel engines, allthough license-build in Sweden (by Nydquist and Holm NOHAB, Trollhättan). The unions made pressure on the government, who ordered local manufactorer FRICHS to build a similar locomotive ASAP. As Frichs had no motor this size, but had to develop this from the buttom, the project was hastened by using a motor from B&W Burmester and Wain shipbuilders of Copenhagen - and they should never had tried so. Only two locomotives were build, and they both were scrapped within few years, whilst the swedish GMs - sixty in number ran perfectly - the last of them into the new millenium. Some few are even today in use on private railways in Denmark, Sweden and Germany. Now, danish model manufactorer HELJAN makes HO models of both the original swedish and the danish mishap. Look here http://www.heljan.dk/products.php?page_id=7&cat_id=7 and guess, why the danish locs were called "Marilyn". Looks like, You'll have to push "Produkter" and then "HO Rullende materiel" to get there...
Per
[ 02-24-2005, 11:37 AM: Message edited by: Per Hauberg ]
Posted by Don Cross (Member # 2980) on 02-23-2005, 08:29 PM:
Went to a type of hobby and trade show for model railroading last year. Got to view a minidv presentation of someone lgb garden railroad and even some rough sketched scale drawings on graph paper.
The garden railway had almost 3k feet of track; a bit of which was located in an oversized detached garage and workshop. Most of the track was outdoors on a year round basis through all types of weather. The person regularly ran the train even while it was raining or snowing. Some of the footage which stood out was the fact that there was a seven foot handmade trestle, and the track crossed the rdiveway two seperate times and was regularly driven over by vehicles.
The person had bought three of the engines to the tradeshow type event- all were very well costomized and perfectly weathered. Two of the three had command and control functioned that were wired in. I'm not sure how or if the third unit worked with the existing set-up.
I personally only own an n scale set-up which is still in the works. Its been that way for years, and will remain that way for many more years. Its presently set down to take up about half of a roughly 16x16 room.
For those of the members of this board that are from the Pittsburgh region; does Buhl still have their displays near one of the new stadiums??
Posted by System Notices (Member # 2357) on 04-25-2009, 02:36 PM:
It has been 1521 days since the last post.
Posted by Will Kutler (Member # 770) on 04-25-2009, 02:36 PM:
Want to build a 7 1/4 or 7 1/2 gage live steam UP Challenger: http://www.livesteamlocomotives.com/id10.html
And here is a link to Kohs and Comapny, importer of some of the most amazingly detailed brass O-gage models you will ever see:
http://www.kohs.com/
Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 04-25-2009, 02:43 PM:
Will, long time no see... welcome back to the FT living.
Posted by Brad Miller (Member # 2) on 04-25-2009, 04:05 PM:
The same could be said for YOU, Phil. ![[Razz]](tongue.gif)
Posted by Phil Hill (Member # 371) on 04-25-2009, 04:12 PM:
HUH? WTF you talkin'?
Posted by Charles Greenlee (Member # 3856) on 04-26-2009, 12:02 PM:
What chu talkin 'bout Willis?
I'm helping a friend of mine with his layout at home. Well that is if I can get him motivated to actually do something rather than just talk about it. LoL And I'm part of the local model railroading club that meets downtown at the roundhouse museum. Right now I'm in charge on cleaning up some messy solder joints on the rail where the drops are made every so often to the main power. Most aren't bad, but a few are bad enough to derail even the most stable train. I'm no so sure connecting the track piece by solder is better than by the little connectors. They do make electrified connectors, with the drop wire built right in.
I do need to learn DCC, it can do some amazing things.
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J.K. He used to work at Erie Stoker, making coal stokers for steam boilers.![[Smile]](smile.gif)
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