Now that York is past, we will resume our regular meeting schedule which is the third Thursday of the month. Our November meeting will be held on November 16.

In case you forgot, we will still be at the JOHN C. WOOD Municipal Center, which is located at 3730 Old Lee Highway just behind the Fairfax City Police Station. We’ll be in Room #1 and the meeting will start at 07:00 p.m.

There is a rumor that Bill Buschmeier might attend this meeting.

The annual Fall For Fairfax festival was again a big success. The weather cooperated and the crowds were heavy. We were joined at the festival by the Atlantic Coast "S" Gaugers. This was their first time with a train layout at the festival. Our layout was 84 feet long thanks to the addition of four modules. Participating were Bill Buschmeier, Arleigh Rice, Joel Wasserstein, Bob Wilson, Keith Webb, Ted Rabusseau, and Jim Warrington,. Dave Messerly was also scheduled to participate but he got called out of town on a business trip at the last moment.

An interesting display was put on by Joel Wasserstein who displayed an accident scene and resulting traffic jam. Bob Wilson had his military setup which drew lots of attention. And although he was not part of the show at least six people asked about Frank Hale's famous live fish car and a few also asked about John Harper's choo-choo cam that we had at the Fairfax Fair.

We also need to mention the help received from Ted Rabusseau's wife Dottie and his sons Ian and Wesley for all their help at the festival.

Based on their show participation, Bob Wilson, Jim Warrington, and Joel Wasserstein have now qualified as full Partners in the Trackers. Congratulations are in order for them.

-------------------------- 2000 ------------------------

Nov. 11-12 Rockville Lions Club Train Show in Rockville, MD (NCT is scheduled to appear)

Nov. 25-28, Festival of Trees in Easton, MD

Dec. 02-03 Fairfax Station Railroad Museum Train Show in Fairfax Station, VA (NCT is scheduled to appear)

Dec. 02-03 Colvin Mill Run Holiday Train Display by Jim and Joann Stapleton.

Dec. 11-31, National Christmas Tree exhibit on the ellipse in Washington, D.C.

Dec. 11-18, U.S. Geological Survey annual Holiday Train Show (Community Night is Tuesday, Dec. 19^th)

Dec. 23-29, B&O Railroad Museum in Baltimore (NCT is scheduled to appear)

Dec. 30-31, Greenberg Show at Capital Expo Center in Chantilly, VA (NCT is scheduled to appear)

-------------------------- 2001 ------------------------

Feb. 10-11, Greenberg Show at The Show Place Arena in Upper Marlboro (NCT is scheduled to appear)

June 08-10 Fairfax County Fair in Fairfax, VA (NCT is scheduled to appear)

Aug. 18-19, Greenberg Show at Capital Expo Center in Chantilly, VA (NCT is scheduled to appear)

Apr. 27-28, York TCA Meet

Oct. 19-20, York TCA Meet

-------------------------- 2002 ------------------------

Apr. 19-20, York TCA Meet

Bill Creech is working on an appearance for next March with the scouts in Woodbridge.

Fellow Trackers , this past summer I had a chance of a lifetime opportunity to attend Railcamp2000 . It was a great opportunity to meet other young rail enthusiasts and to have a great time. To give you an idea of what we did during the week, I will quickly go day by day through our schedule.

On Sunday, we arrived at the dorm at the University of Scranton and checked in with Mr. O’Rourke and Mr. Eastwood. We had dinner at the University "mess hall" and went to bed early to get rested for the long week ahead of us. Each day we woke up at 6AM, had breakfast at 7:30 and arrived at Steamtown about 8:15.

On Monday, Park Rangers and Steamtown Staff gave us safety talks and history talks about the Park Service and the railroads that were very interesting. We took a tour of the roundhouse and locomotive shop and had lunch. We then toured a coal mine where they took you down into an actual coal mine. Later we visited the anthracite museum that had a very good display and history of the area in general. I was surprised at how good the museum actually was.

Tuesday, we inspected the excursion cars and the outside collection. We replaced the brake shoes on the excursion train and worked in the shop on Switcher 26. We helped to remove the pistons and valve gear since it is undergoing its five-year inspection along with the other main steamer 3254. I would think the 3254 is up and running by now. Later that day we were given a talk about boiler safety, water glasses, general operational needs of steam locomotives, and the Gettysburg explosion. We then went into the roundhouse and got a chance to inspect the 2317 from top to bottom and prepare her for the next day’s trip.

Wednesday was the most fun of all. In the morning, we toured the paint shop and got to paint part of the tender from locomotive 3254 (the trucks). In the afternoon, we made metal locomotive silhouettes in the car shop. First we made the base by drilling and stamping out holes in a piece of metal. Then we placed brackets to hold the silhouette, heated them up and pounded them into place using a process called hot riveting. Next we made the locomotives by cutting them from a flat piece of metal using a process called plasma cutting. We sanded down the rough sides and welded the base to the locomotive cutout. Finally we went to the paint shop and painted both the locomotive and the base black.

Thursday was also a fun day. We took a chartered bus to Binghampton Yards in New York, a major hub for CP diesel repair and servicing. Once we got there, they shut down the shop so that we could take a tour. We also toured the yard and viewed a recently installed turntable. CP provided a pizza lunch at their expense. After leaving the yards, we visited Starrucca Viaduct and Nicholson Viaduct. Both are huge, amazing structures towering over everything beneath them.

On Saturday we presented the projects that we had been working on all week. There were four groups that had to coordinate in a role-playing exercise – a rail museum, an excursion train operator, a group that restored engines, and a group that restored train cars like the Dover Harbor. While I can’t say that the project was the highlight of the week, it was a good way to get to know the other campers and a little bit about the business of railroading. We also reviewed the week and offered some suggestions for improving future camps. Then we left for home.

I think its great that there are groups like the NRHS and people like Mr. O’Rourke, Mr. Eastwood, the counselors, and the staff at Steamtown who make this week possible. They worked hard to make it a great experience and so much fun. I plan to volunteer on the Dover Harbor trips later this year and next year. And I am looking forward to the busy Tracker schedule ahead of us.

Brunswick Railroad Days were the featured event in Maryland on October 7-8. The Trackers were back on the second floor of the Brunswick Volunteer Fire Department competing with a very small craft show and hourly stage performances.

After the first hour delay and several disappointed train layout viewers in the large crowds, we developed a process for running silent (low sound and no whistles) that allowed us to operate while the various stage shows were performing. This was a successful compromise that was OK with the City of Brunswick Special Events Director, Geri Reynolds. A special thanks to the City of Brunswick who awarded us $200 and the Fire Department which had a prosperous food concession.

At Brunswick, we operated a figure-8 layout in a new elongated configuration that featured several innovations. Brian, Julie, Joshua, Cloe,and Jerimiah Turner set-up the center cross-over module and provided new western ranch scenery using Lincoln Logs* and Julie's scratch built county home. The figures from the Lincoln Logs* were reasonably close to fitting O_Guage. Joshua even had watering troughs in place for the horses. The second innovation was operating Lionel's Command Control with two trains of 6 - 8 cars each on the outer loop figure-8. This operated very well and was very interesting to our viewers. This required constant attention with no distractions, even very minor! Score was Ed Beaver with 2 small crashes (near the end of one train) and Rick Hamilton with 1 large crash (Dead center in the middle of one train). No damage done in any case. Other folks setting up modules and helping with the operation were Jim and Joanne Stapleton, Rick, Valerie, and Claire Eudy, Jack Schmidt, Skip Sheetz, and Wilson Major.

As in Julie and Joshua's display, the use of figures from other model and toy series can provide unique scenes. At the September Greenberg show, Ian Rabusseau was active with his LEGO* trains modular displays. Figures in this series of models are about the correct size and could easily be used to provide interesting displays on our O_Guage modules. We could even have a small LEGO* train running in the background of O_Guage modules. Taking his own approach to our hobby at the September Gaithersburg show, Wes Rabusseau exhibited several MTH RailKing* sets and demonstrated their performance with his BNSF diesel easily pulling a 20 car freight.

Near term plans for Maryland are the Rockville Lions Show on November 11-12 with Bill Buschmeier as Trackmaster. (With his new scheduling system, who will volunteer to call him at 6:00am on Saturday?)

John Harper is again doing the Festival of Trees Display in Easton, Maryland. The Trackers will be loaning some club corners and skirting materials. John needs operator help on November 25-28; please give him a call.

Skip Sheetz has the December 23, 26-29 B&O Museum planning moving well along except for incomplete operator staffing - be sure to get your schedules to him.

In the area of long term plans, Ted Rabusseau's suggestions sparked discussions which resulted in enough members volunteering to staff the B&O Museum Steam-up Week-end display on April 28-29, 2001. (This is a conflict with the TCA York meet.) Although plans are still emerging, Skip Sheetz will continue to act as liaison with the Museum. Since Ted "volunteered", he is now Trackmaster; call him if you want to participate.

As Trackmaster for the August 2001 LOTS convention display in Baltimore, Brian Turner is thinking of reusing the elongated figure-8 configuration used at Brunswick this year. Non-Lionel equipment will be allowed. If you have not already signed-up for LOTS, call him.

I recently purchased the MTH UP Coal Turbine #80 and I would like to pass on some information to other members.

First, regarding the model. Be aware that the MTH photos show the middle unit BACKWARDS in the consist. When hooking up the locomotive set, BE SURE to note the F and R on the drawbars. Operating the unit reversed in the consist will/may FRY the electronics. The large open grills on the center unit go to the rear, next to the tender.

Second, regarding the prototype, since there was no information furnished by MTH, I offer the following:

UP #80, like the PRR S-2 turbine was a one-of-a-kind experimental unit. It was an unqualified failure. The following information is excerpted from "Giants of the West" by George R. Cockle.

#80, an Alco PA-1 (UP 607, built 2/47) modified to serve as the control unit for #80B. Placed in revenue service 10/62, renumbered #8080 in 4/64, retired 3/68, sold to EMD 4/68. Provided 2000hp #80B, originally a GE W1 electric (GN 5018, built 5/47) purchased by UP in 9/59.

Stripped down to the frame and running gear at Omaha Shops to house a 5000hp turbine. Renumbered #8080B in 4/64, scrapped 5/68. Centipede tender from Challenger UP 3990, converted to carry 61 tons of coal plus the pulverizing machinery. Scrapped 5/68.

This locomotive was initially tested in January 1962, modified and retested in April 1962. Placed in revenue service from 17 October 1962 to 15 November 1962. Withdrawn for shopping 16 November 1962. Operated briefly during 1963. Stored unserviceable after July 1963 at Council Bluffs until retired in March 1968. The units were renumbered in 1964 to make room for the new DD-35As 70-84. In the two years the locomotive was tested it only ran about 12,000 miles TOTAL. The turbines were only operated for 340 hours in ALL of the testing. The failure of the pulverizing system to reliably supply coal to the turbine and more importantly, the inability of the turbine nozzles and buckets to withstand fly ash erosion at 1450 degrees F sidelined the project.

A very nice engine, but almost no photographs of it in service have been found.

November 11-12 will find us back at the Rockville Lions Club Train Show held at the Rockville Senior Center. A flyer with directions is enclosed.

Scheduled to exhibit are: Arleigh Rice, Carl Condon, Jack Schmidt, Rick Eudy, Thom McKinney, Tom Hunter, Skip Scheetz, and Joel Wasserstein. A layout for that show is enclosed. Bill Buschmeier is trackmaster.

Please review this list of upcoming shows. We need quite a few more modules for some of them. Please contact the respective trackmaster if you can exhibit in these shows.

Frank Hale is trackmaster. Participating are:
     Frank Hale (S3)
     Thom McKinney (S2)
     David Messerly
     Arleigh Rice (S1)

This show is full.

Bill Buschmeier is trackmaster. Participating are:
     Skip Scheetz (Tee, S2)
     Bill Buschmeier (S2)
     Thom McKinney (S2)
     Tom Hunter (S3)
     Dave Messerly (S1)

We will probably try and setup on Friday, Dec. 29 with a lot of the modules coming from the B&O Museum show.

- There will be an Inner Harbor Train Show on Sunday, November 5, 2000 at the B&O Railroad Museum, 901 West Pratt St., Baltimore, MD from 10:00 am until 04:00 pm. This will take place in the roundhouse.

- The WB&A Chapter of the TCA is holding a mini-meet on Nov. 18^th at the West Laurel Community Center (16501 Supplee Lane, Laurel, MD) from 08:00 am until noon. Directions from I-95, Take Burtonsville 198 West Exit 33A. Go approx. 1/2 mile to bond Mill Rd. and turn right. Stay on Bond Mill Rd. until its end at a "T" intersection (about 1 mile). The building directly in front of you is the Community Center. Turn Right and then make a left at the first street (Supplee Lane), parking is in the rear of the building.

- The Great Train & Toy Meet will take place on both Dec. 16, 2000 and Feb. 3, 2001 at the Knight of Columbus Hall, Columbus Gardens, Klosterman Ave. and Belair Road, Baltimore, MD from 8:30 am until 1:30 pm

The Beltline is published 10 times a year on a monthly basis excluding the months of July and August. Its purpose is to provide notices of timely events, and information to its members. All inquiries, questions, and submissions should be addressed to the editor at: National Capital Trackers c/o Bill Buschmeier 15145 Wetherburn Dr. Centreville, VA 20120-3925 or e-mail at bush9@erols.com