V&T RR Convention

[Cliff_Jennings]

Hi folks,

I just attended the annual meeting of the Virginia and Truckee RR Historical Society, and it was a total blast. This isn’t a full report, I just wanted to share a few points. I also wanted to generally ask if other folks have these sorts of meets for other RR’s, and what they enjoy from them.

The V&TRRHS (www.vtrrhs.org) has this annual conference, and I attended in 2011 and this year. About 95 folks attended the conference this year (in Carson City). Lots of lectures for two days, a banquet, a special train excursion, etc. There was a room to display models, and the array of V&T works were impressive. I brought the V&T flanger model 52 to show.

It was a real nail-biter for me, bringing the flanger model on the plane – through security, as carry-on. Lots of prep. But as things turned out, it was easy.

Anyway, in addition to regular lectures, this year they had a “modeler’s workshop” where shorter talks were delivered on particular modeling topics. I gave a talk on researching, modeling and building V&T Flanger 52 (in G gauge). While doing so, I about had a coronary (I don’t give public talks ever), but the group was very supportive and appreciative. What a great bunch of folks. And everywhere I turned, I was speaking to some specialist or official who was top dog in one aspect of the (real) V&T or another.

What’s cool is that many aficionados of the prototype V&T are also active modelers of the V&T. So at this most official representation of the railroad in its historical sense, the modeling aspect is intimately intertwined. Modeling almost seems to be considered a valued extension of the reality of the railroad.

Other details. The V&T RR excursions were my high points. I also allowed a couple extra days for exploring this region of Nevada (I’m from Maryland, so this is a real treat). Several museums, including the NV State RR Museum in Carson City and (today, after my trip over the Sierra’s into California) the CA State RR Museum in Sacramento. I’ve never been to either (even though I was raised in Modesto CA, go figure.) Anyway, it’s been a blast, and I sure hope to do it again.

OK, that’s a hint at the V&T conference. Many, if not most, major RR’s have such a historical society. If you have a favorite RR, maybe you should look into yours, because it might add several dimensions to the hobby for you. At least, I know it has for me. And if you’re a already member of something like that, perhaps you’d share some of your experiences.

===>Cliffy

[Denray (Dennis Rayon)]

Hey Cliffy

You Forgot to load the pictures.

Dennis

[on30gn15 (Forrest Scott Wood)]

Hey, glad the transportation and the talk went well!

Maybe someday I can make the trip; there are health issues.

V&T is a fun little railroad to model, whether prototyping, protofreelancing, or fully freelancing.

Man I’d sure like to have one of their little 2-6-0s in the 1/24 to 1/22 flavor of G; especially the Lyon.

And imagine what would have happened if they’d kept the C&C instead of selling it to SP.

[Noel_Wilson]

Ya… Cliffy… need photos… You also have message up top.(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

[Randy_Lehrian_Jr]

Sounds like a great time Cliff! Glad you were able to transport the flanger without incident. I seem to like airlines less every year.

Well, Since you are asking for examples of other such groups and events, It just so happens that I just got home from the FEBT’s fall reunion at the East Broad Top railroad. What A great time. This is an annual event each October and the second that I have attended. Like the V&TRRHS conference we also have clinics a modeling contest, a brief annual business meeting, a dinner and for now at least rides on speeders. This year was a real treat for me since we were also given permission to get M1 out and I got my first ride on it! Another first for me was a ride in M3. It’s was out last year too but I was so busy with my volunteer work I didn’t have time to ride it. The only big duties I had this year were the set up and tear down and running of the F scale layout in the hall. Aside from the reunion, I am out at the EBT monthly for the work sessions. Here are two videos I took, unfortunately we had a fair amount of rain on Saturday when all the rides took place.

Here is an over all of the F scale set up. That’s my # 12 and hoppers. Our VP Andy’s # 15 and Pete Thorton’s, 2-8-0 and coach # 20. That coach is every bit as impressive in person as it was in his build log. I also took out my models of the Saltillo Water tank and Robertsdale Freight house that can be seen in the distance. It was great to meet with Pete and Jerry out there and talk a bit of large scale.

[Cliff_Jennings]

Hi guys, thanks for the replies, and Noel, thanks, I just replied back. Randy, thanks for that report, wow! And that M3 is just too cool! I’m having photo issues at the moment, so here’s some videos.

Here’s the V&T’s McKeen motor car being driven out of the Carson shop. The action starts at about 1:30.

And, this is the V&T’s (“new”) #29 doing the runaround passed the passenger cars while on the short “wine and cheese” excursion train into Carson River canyon.

This rather lengthy vid is a passenger’s eye view of the V&T coming around the horseshoe curve at Gold Hill. This is on the main V&T ride between Carson & Virginia.

And another…

And though this is a junky vid, it represents my 3rd train ride of the trip, in the cab of #2008 doing the short tourist run from the CA State RR Museum.

I especially wanted to get to the CSRM, since their holdings include 3 V&T locos. Here’s switcher 2008 next to the venerable V&T 2-4-0 J W Bowker.

[Cliff_Jennings]

Here’s some pics of the V&T loco’s I had the pleasure of visiting, in the order I saw them.

From the Nevada State RR Museum, the Inyo,

the #27,

The #25,

the Glenbrook (narrow gauge, from the a sister company which ran at Lake Tahoe; proto of the mogul that Bachman just released),

… and the McKeen Motor Car #22.

At Virginia City is housed, in its own special barn and museum, the Dayton #18:

I saw all the above, and a bunch more, on the day just before the conference started. It was a full day!

A few days later at Sacramento, in the California State RR Museum, I also saw the Genoa #12,

…the Empire #13,

… and finally the J W Bowker, #21.

The full loco roster can be found here:

http://www.virginiaandtruckee.com/

===>Cliffy

[smcgill (Sean McGillicuddy)]

Thanks Cliff !

Great pics!

[on30gn15 (Forrest Scott Wood)]

Some handsome and desirable old timers there. McKeen, though not steam, was steampunk before there was steampunk,

[David_Maynard1 (David Maynard)]

Oh yea, the McKeen is just too flippin cool.

[Noel_Wilson]

Great photos … Look like a great time to.(http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

[Cliff_Jennings]

Hi guys, I’m glad you liked the photos! And Noel, you bet, I had a blast. I’ve been modeling the V&T for years, or at least making a garden rr based on it, but this was my first time actually seeing the rolling stock first hand. Too fun.

Yeah, the McKeen is cool Dave, it definitely has a maritime look, a ship on rails. It’s also LONG (see the vid above). And I agree Forrest, but too bad it wasn’t steam driven, haha! I didn’t get to ride it, but I understand they do rides in tourist season, on their 1:1 layout around the museum.

[Cliff_Jennings]

I’d also like to post on some of the cars I saw, again in the order I saw them.

This is a tunnel inspection car, which has been converted to an open-air excursion car. I’d like to model its before-conversion state, and eventually model most of the V&T’s MOW cars.

A Kimball caboose,

A Kimball coach, check out the painted details.

There are a number of passenger cars in the NSRM shop in varying states of health, such as this one.

Cars and locos had generally been sold to movie studios, other RR’s, etc., but have been slowly returned home. The staff would sure love to restore all of them, but funds are scarce.

Here’s a freight car that has been fully restored, one of the V&T’s own inventions if I recall correctly, an “outside-braced” box car. It has openable louvers, for carrying livestock. Would love to model this someday.

This is a car specially designed for hauling bullion and mail. It is now a ticket office in Virginia City for the new V&T excursion trains operating between there and Gold Hill.

Finally, the fully restored no. 16 combine, built in 1874, and housed at the CSRM. Check out the pinstriping at the corner.

===>Cliffy