www.trainweb.org/bsg

Badgerland Membership on the rise

December Meeting

Sunday, Jan. 23, 2000

Gary Children's

West Allis, WI

Attendance:

G. Children, A. Doty, T. Garrett, S. Jones, D. Kloes, J. Lebovitz, L. Lechner, J. Madden, L. Marotz, R. Meissner, B. Nelson, K. Pilon, C. Porter, A. Pratt, D. Sengenberger, R. Schlicht, D. Smukowski, J. Starosta, E. Stetzenbach, F. Vergenz,J. Young. (22)

$$ Treasurer's Report $$

Club Expenses as Follows:

a) Train Trade Show Rental

$733.00

b) Trade Show Supplies

$24.29

c) Journal Trade Show Ad

$47.92

d) This Week Ad Trade Show Ad $25.04

e) Newsletter Printing & Supplies $27.61

f) Trainfest Supplies

$17.52

g) N.A.S.G.Dues

$17.00

Reports:

Dave Smukowski our newly elected President opened the first meeting of the new millennium. Outside of Dick Kloes, Jim Brown and Roy Meissner, Dave is the first other individual to hold the office of President since the very early 80's.

This is a rather remarkable statistic. We passed a rule limiting length of terms, just a few years ago. This probably means that Dave will be alternating terms, with some other poor sucker, excuse me, I really meant some other, deserving, individual for the next two decades.

Jeff Young gave a brief report on the dealings with the Waukesha County Expo Center regarding our use of their facility for the Train Trade Shows.

As in the past, the club has sent flowers for deceased relatives of club members. John Wickland's mother and Lee Marotz's mother passed away recently. Our deepest sympathy goes out to them.

Badgerland Web Site w a s discussed at length. Many other organizations have web sites and we felt that it would benefit the club, plus accomplish the club goal, of promoting S Gauge in our region. Steve Jones and Norm Rutkowski have done all of the upfront work to get our site running and they are continually adding information. More information will be available in the future regarding this topic. All of the particulars, the advantages the disadvantages, the ins, the outs, the ups, the downs, the rounds and rounds, and almost anything, that we could possible discuss, was discussed. A motion was made, and passed, that we proceed with this endeavor and advance the necessary funds, to accomplish the task.

Some Fall S-Fest 2000 plans were given out . There are various events that are being proposed, and if we can find enough volunteers, there will be plenty of activities outside of the main event at the Expo Center. Plans are being made for different tours, some of these will be free. Others will be a participate if you wish basis. We want to have something for everybody. We will be looking for group rates and will have a listing of events in the S-Fest forms and early mailings. This will give us the opportunity to see how many individuals are interested well before S-Fest.

The facility was discussed at length. There are a lot of good ideas being brought forth, and fortunately, there are volunteers who are following up on them. (When October comes around, I hope that we are able to find our club members, before the Cold & Flu season arrives. We also hope that our members will not be performing a Harry Houdini disappearing act around this time.) I can't and won't go into everything was discussed. I don't type that fast, and would not be able to finish this newsletter before Fall S-Fest.

Jim Brown, charter member, who has held every Badgerland office, at one time or another, and is now living in the "Great North Woods", gave us a surprise phone call during the meeting. Since he was attending by phone Kathy Pilon could not prove, whether or not, he was wearing his club badge. Therefore she could not access him the 50 cent fine.

Chuck Porter gave a report on the progress that he is making on the club shirt and club cap project. The style of shirt and cap is being finalized. Chuck may have a sample at the next meeting. The prices will be in the upper $20' s on the shirt and the mid to lower teen's on the cap. The shirt will be a long sleeved, light blue, denim shirt. We will have to have a minimum order of at least 2 dozen. If you are interested in purchasing one or both of these items, let a club officer know. Also give them an idea of your size. We will have to know, if you happen to be a "full _bodied" individual or as one member put it, "horizontally challenged". __- _ We had quite a few members sign up at the meeting. We will, probably only order these items one time, unless they become as popular as the Michael Jordan jerseys. Then of course, we will have a Nike logo put on them. We will have them manufactured in some third world country, and we will ask triple the price for these items. Then you will really be sorry, that you didn't order them now. But knowing some of our members, they will order more than one, and hold you up for a price, that will insure them, that they get theirs free.

We are a diverse club, but there will not be skirts for female members.

New products Jeff Madden brought along an S-Helper catalog and gave a report on ther S Gauge items. Gary Children displayed a gondola kit and a hopper car kit that he was in the process of assembling. They were both polyresin kits. Chuck Porter brought along a Pacific Rail Shop car kit and gave some tips on assembly techniques. Don Goeke brought along some heavy equipment, scale items, that he had purchased at Target. Many of our members have found many different items for layout use at Target.

The Mad City Model Railroad Show was discussed. This year we will not have a layout at the

show, but we will have a club table there. We will have to have more participation in the modular layout. With an influx of new members we may have more candidates for module building. Hopefully this will be the last time that we miss this show without having the modular layout setup. As of the writing of this newsletter, we have a table, we were only able to get six passes. Ron Schlicht is coordinating this event.

Dick Kloes gave a report on the Train Trade Show . We are doing very well. Jeff Young is starting to take an attendance count. Our attendance is growing and with the exception of a couple months, when we conflict with other area swap meets, our seller list is also growing. It is possible that starting next year we could have up to 70 or more at some of our meets. This would be a good thing for us, and model railroaders in general.

Dave Smukowski heard a report, that there is a radio program which is all about trains. Larry Lechner was scanning his radio dial and found a radio station AM 540, Milwaukee Catholic Radio. It airs on Saturdays, from 9:30 A.M. to 10:00 A.M. They talked about American Flyer Trains, Lionel, Marx, G Gauge and you name it. They also had an engineer talking about his experiences on the railroad. They are sponsored by some large hobby shop. I'm not sure who. Maybe we might be able to get a mention on this program and promote our club.

Steve Jones asked, that if you have any ideas for the web site, bring them to the next meeting. The more information that we have on the site, the more people will be interested in visiting it. We will be adding the history of our club. If you have any footnotes, that can be added from over the past 25 years, Call, write, telegram, pound on drums, but get the information to Steve. We could also use pictures of our members layouts and make this an interesting site to visit

At this point of the meeting, we went to the second tape. As I am writing this newsletter, it is now 12:00 A.M. You will never know what was on those missing minutes. I will afford myself the same liberties that Richard M.Nixon afforded himself. I will tape over them at the next meeting and they will not be included in the club's history. (It is inherently obvious that this newsletter is not composed chronologically.)

Major Rule Violation took place. This was my own self imposed rule, "never, ever" install the second, 90 minute tape for a meeting.

We might have to create a new office, a timekeeper. They will give a 5, 10& 15 minute warning, if you have something to add, you will be asked to give your "final answer", to any, and all questions. When the official timekeeper rings the final bell, there will be no alternatives given. The meeting will be adjourned. Death will be your only option.

I will not install another tape again.

Next Meeting:

Sunday, Feb. 27, 2000

1:30 pm

Location:

Steve Jones's:

6203 N. Bay ridge Ave.

Whitefish Bay, WI

Phone: 332-6395

Down the Tracks

Upcoming Meetings:

February - Steve Jones

March - Brad Nelson

April - Open

The April meeting will be the last one until next September.

Main criteria for hosting a meeting Not on a swap meet Sunday, Weekdays permissible.

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"Editors Comments"

$@ #*%!&?:

Our last meeting was hosted by Gary Children, as usual there was plenty to fill up on. The call from Jim Brown added a touch of humor to the meeting. I might add that with Jim gone, the arm wrestling event, for the last beer, has been canceled. This means that T win by default.

At the last meeting we enrolled a new Junior member, since the we have added another. We haven't had a junior member since Fred Vergenz passed through puberty. The last time that we had multiple junior members, was in the late 70's or early 80's.

Dick Kloes seemed to recall that we may have had up to sixty members, at one time, or another. I haven't found any evidence of that yet. If I do find out, I will refute the following statement. I believe that our membership has reached a new high, 58. I also believe that with the growth of the Swap Meet, ( I still have a hard time calling it the Train Trade Show) and the addition of the web site, we will get to 60 and possibly well beyond. With more and more S Gauge items coming on the market, our gauge, although still a minority gauge, may have a higher growth rate, than any of the other gauges.

I am working on a new club logo. It, along with the renderings of the proposed Fall S-Fest patch will be at the next meeting. If I have room, I will give an example of the logo in the newsletter, but not the patch. We don't want any infringements on the UW logo, or it's name. Maybe we should think about a name for our mascot, preferably not "the little rat", as one person referred to him. Maybe some railroad term might apply. Maybe Casey Badger, Billy Badger, Herman Badger, or any son of a badger, that you might think of. I've already got some suggestions from other club members. Maybe we can have a contest, a vote, make

a decision, and have Regis ask us for our final answer. Maybe I should end this topic. Maybe I should go to bed. I'm very tired.

Editorial Response:

Here is proof positive that someone does read these newsletters. I recently received a letter from one of our club members, Chuck Westerman, regarding one of my editorials. Here are some excerpt from his letter, which deal with membership renewals.

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"Being very involved in a non-profit railroad historical organization for over 30-years, and a member of other groups off and on, I think I can shed some light from what I have heard and observed."

1. Some join fully intending to be involved. But after a couple of months other activities or obligations get in the way, and they realize they just don't have the time they thought.

2. Some join expecting to find one thing, but find something else. this could be activity (or lack of it), personality conflicts, or any number of differences.

3. Last, and perhaps the most common answer. Simply put, cost. People join at different times of the year. The membership fee doesn't bother them then. However, the renewals all come at the same time, and costs add up. They have to decide which groups they really want to rejoin.

"In my opinion, some turnover is expected. The only worry is when you can't attract any new members, and the long-time members start to leave. Then you have to wonder what changes have to be made."

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I really appreciate the response that I received from Chuck. There were some other suggestions that he made regarding the newsletters. Some of his ideas will be implemented in future news letters.

(There has been one recurring suggestion of what I can do with this newsletter, but I refuse.) I only wish that I had more input like his. Outside of one other prominent member, there is little or none. But this does give me enough encouragement to continue for a couple more, (or so), newsletters. Maybe we need a few more Chucks.

There has to be some little things that you would like to see in this newsletter. There must be something that you would like to see changed. Give me some of your ideas. The worst thing that could happen is that, I'll tell you it was really stupid, and how could you come up with such a hair-brained idea, and that I really can't believe anyone in the world would make a suggestion like that. Then I would print it in the newsletter and everyone would make fun of you, and then we would rip the Badgerland patch off of your vest and have you imprisoned in a Turkish jail. I'm reaching out. I think that I need help.

Changes

If your area code changed please let me know. Don't just tell me, give it to me on a piece of paper, scribe it on a rock, paint it on a board, or something, otherwise I'll forget.

So you think that the first paragraph was a bit overdone. Well besides getting two area codes through the mail, one was handed to me "scribed on a rock". This not only proved that some of our members read this newsletter, but share the same perverted sense of humor, that I have.

This newsletter contains the 2000 membership listing. Of one thing I am certain, and that is, all of the area codes are not right. There are not phone listings for everyone. If you find any errors, let me know, I will try to update them in the future.

There is an advantage to mistakes. For a couple of years I misspelled

the name of the road that Chuck Porter lived on. Here are some of those advantages. 1) He knew that it was a Badgerland newsletter. 2) He knew that there was nothing of real importance in that particular piece of mail.

3) He could marvel at the proficiency of the U.S. postal service.

4) And most important of all. He knew it wasn't a letter bomb, although some of the newsletters have been considered lethal.

Through my inane gift of misspelling, people have been able to identify my mail, immediately.

Along with area code changes, correct addresses, and your name spelled correctly, I would like to start a listing of E-Mail addresses. T only have a handful and am looking for more. This is one great alternative to dialing 10-10-321 or just paying some other long distance phone charge. Unfortunately your editor works on such an obsolete piece of equipment and he may never have a home E-mail address. I do have one at work, if you care to send it there if you wish. rschlicht@ra.rockwell.com

E-Mail Addresses

Chuck Porter:

thprtrs @ execpc .corn

Dennis Young:

supertrainman@setnet.net

Dave Sengenberger

msengenb@ iconnect.com

Mac McCrath

macsteri @earthlink.net

New Members:

Jurgen Barber,

Ross Otto (Junior)

Danielle Goeke (Junior)

See 2000 membership list.

Wanted:

"S" Flex Track or Miller Tie Strip, used or discounted, in good condition, not Gargraves. Contact Chuck Porter.

Chuck is also looking for someone who enjoys (or would like to try) building S Scale structure kits. Call (262) 567-7320 or E-mail to thprtrs@execpc .com

662 - American Flyer Vista Dome passenger car, chrome-finished, plastic shell, decent shape, not mint, original box not required, hopefully not converted to knuckle coupler (if converted I'll have to change it back), no repaints please I'm trying to match it with some other cars, hopefully within the price guide range. Contact - Ron Schlicht."

I only list items under "Wanted" for two or three newsletters.

Please contact me if you want a listing continued or it will be dropped.

The same goes for the "For Sale" column.

Interested in swapping, mention it. (Train Related Items Only)

For Sale:

Nothing to report.

Food for thought:

a) THINK SILVER.

b) Contact S-Fest committee members about helping out.

c) Modular layout end restoration.

d) New member modules.

e) Reminder if you are a new member and do not have a club patch contact Ron Schlicht If you do not have a badge Art Doty has to receive your name.

Ron's New Product Report

I've purchased some new automobiles. OK, they are the wrong scale 43rd, not 64th. The detail, paint schemes and ornamentation is unbelievable. What

makes them unbelievable ? The price, approximately $10.00. Why are they so cheap considering the quality ? Just out of curiosity, what isn't made in China nowadays ? It's a sad scenario, that so much manufacturing has left the good old U.S.A. Previously, there has not been the variety of cars available, in the 1940, 1950 early 1960's. Over the last couple of years there has been an abundance of just what I'm looking for. Road Champs, Matchbox, Eagle's Race and the American Muscle series form Erti, have been my main source. There is also a glut of 64th scale at places like K-Mart, Wal-Mart & Target. All of those years of looking, and now I have more than my layout can handle.

I have ordered a S Helper Service SW-1 Switcher and will report on it, after the order comes in.

Send me your ideas, or tips, on items that they have purchased recently.

Your 2000 Dues Is Overdue!

Send your checks to club treasurer Jeff Young.

The views and opinions expressed in the Badgerland S Gangers newsletter are those Badgerland S Gangers newsletter are those of the editor, unless otherwise credited, and do not necessarily represent that of the club, it's officers, directors, or the membership. The Badgerland S Gangers do not offer any warranties, guarantees, nor assume any liability from the information contained in this publication.

Notes from Steve on the directions:

1. You will need to exit at Silver Spring then go North (left) on Port Washington at the end of the ramp.
2. At the intersection where Bender crosses Port Washington there will be Davey's bar on the South-East corner of the intersection and a 7-11 on the North-East corner. Turn Right
3. Bender turns into Devon as you come into Whitefish Bay.

Directors: Fred Vergenz (2000) - Chuck Porter (01) - Mac McGrath (02) - Trumann Garrett
Modular Layout Committee: Ron Schlicht - Chairman
Dick Kloes, Art Pratt, Jim Starosta, Jeff Young.

I ran into a glitch with getting a name assigned to our WWW site. I found out that MindSpring, my ISP, would not assign a domain name to a private WWW account. They wanted us to pay for a commercial account. This would cost us $29.95 a month in addition to the registration fees we discussed at the last meeting.

They offer free www space for non profit train related clubs. There are a couple of differences we will see:

2) There will be no cost.

3) Trainweb places a very minor amount of advertising from commercial sponsors on our WWW site.

4) The team at Trainweb is doing A LOT to advertise new sites and promote all railroading interests. We would not get this extra exposure as an independent site!

The NASG, the St Louis Group, and the Conn Group all use this service so I sent them e-mail asking for them to share their experiences. I also had numerous people from the club evaluate Trainweb. Everyone who responded to my reference check was very enthusiastic about the work that is being done by the team at Trainweb. Based on this response we are there.

If at some point in the future hosting the BSG WWW site there doesn't work out we can always go back to the original plan and pay the extra fees with very minimal work.

Regards,

Steve