Thursday, September. 21, 2000
Jim Starosta's,
Greenfield, Wl

G. Children, A. Doty, T. Garrett, S. Jones, D. Kloes, D.KoehIer, S. Lunde, J. Maslowski, M. McGrath, R. Meissner, R. Otto, K. Pilon, J. Poniewaz, C. Porter, A. Pratt, G. Sarlitto, R.Schlicht, D.Smukowski J.Starosta, R. Stemplinger, F.Vergenz, J. Young. (22)

a) BSG. Picnic
$221.54.
b) BSG. Club Insurance
$312.00
c) S-Fest Expenses
$3,320.20

A breakdown of S-Fest Expenses will be given at general meetings

Mac McGrath passed around some rather incriminating photos from the BSG picnic. Some of the members confiscated a few of the pictures, before they could be used against them. Unfortunately Steve Jones has posted some of them on our internet site. Most of our members won't have to worry about any calls from Hollywood. (The Mad Max movies are over.) It is almost a foregone conclusion that we will attempt to make this an annual event.

Steve Jones gave a report on the web site, which included material on the type of informational updates that we are doing. A discussion followed on the site in general.

S-Fest 2000 was the main topic of discussion throughout most of the meeting. Roy Meissner gave an update on the totals for the meet, regarding registrations, tables, patches, vendors and S-Fest cars. It appears that out of the 530 cars ordered, 75 of which were the original club member promotion, there are only about 40 cars left. For all practical purposes it appears that the cars will be a sellout.

The various food items that will be available at the arena and the S-Fest banquet was discussed. In order to make this S-Fest affordable, we will probably not make little or nothing on the banquet.

There will be five or six layouts in various areas in the arena. There were a ton of items discussed at the meeting regarding S-Fest. Ron Schlicht made a report on the S-Fest Patch. I received an Email with a scanned view of the actual stitching, which gave me a higher confidence level in there work. I will be making a report on the patch after delivery. There was a very unique story connected with this years patch. If this source turns out to be what I am hoping, I will be passing on the information to the other participating clubs.
(Received the patches 10-2-00.)

Jeff Young gave a brief report on the Train Trade Show ( swap 'meet).

Dave Koehler gave a report on a project that is being planned for the Veteran's Administration Hospital. I will include a copy of the proposal in this newsletter.

The Modular Layout Plan has been submitted for Trainfest. A list will be sent to John Tews for those who will be helping out at the layout. Please volunteer for the entrance table, for ticket taking. It's only for a couple of hours and it goes real fast.

Sunday, Oct. 15, 2000
1:30 pm
Location:
Dick Kloes's
9735 West Morgan Ave
Milwaukee, WI
Phone: (414) 543-8839

Morgan Ave, in front of Dick's house, is completely torn lip and there is no parking available on either side of the street. Right across the street, there is a huge church parking lot. Dick has received permission to use it. One important note is that it "cannot" be accessed from Morgan Ave., but you can enter on Beloit Road. Then just proceed to the South end of the lot and you will be right in front of Dick's house.

October - Dick Kloes
November - No Meeting Held
December - ???
January - Gary Children
February - Steve Jones
March-???
April - ???

Call Ron Schlicht, If you wish to host a General Meeting.

Main criteria for hosting a meeting Not on a swap meet Sunday,
Weekdays permissible.
Saturdays do not exist.

Lionel Swap Meets
Knights of Columbus Hall
1800 South 92nd St.
West Allis
9:00 A.M. To 12:30 P.M.

Lionel R.R. Club Open House
April 8 &9
October 15
November 19

Lionel R.R. Club Open House
November 25 & 26
December 17

Tri-City Train Show
South Hills Country Club
|3047 Hwy. 41 (I-94) E. Frontage Rd.
8:00 A.M. To 12:00 P.M.
November 5
December 3

Wise Division Meets
Locations for Events Vary
Meets usually open at 12:30 PM

Midway Motor Lodge
Airport October 15
Trainfest
Wisconsin State Fair Park
November 11 & 12
Midway Motor Lodge
Airport December 3
T.B.D. January 21
Midway Motor Lodge
Airport February 11

Trainfest
Wisconsin State Fair Park
November 11&12

Great Midwest Train Show
DuPage County Fairgrounds
Wheaton, IL
10 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
November 12
December 10
January 14
February 11
March 11
April 8
May 8
June 3

I've got some great ideas to spend some of the club's treasury. Over the years the club has purchased various items related to S Gauge. Most of these are displayed at the train shows. We always try to show current production items. On the modules that make up the tin plate era, the S &S modules, there are A.F. operating accessories. Well

my oil drum loader is just about crapping out. The operating accessories are particularly entertaining for the kids (kids of all ages). If you don't believe this, stand in front of our operating accessories modules. You won't have to worry about getting too close sometimes it's five deep. People always ask if they can buy some of these items. I point out that what they see is an original Flyer version, and then I page through the Lionel catalog and point out the existing version, which they can purchase. Some accessories are re manufactured year after year. I think we should purchase some of the more popular Flyer reproductions. They could be displayed on our modules, or even taken to shows with a small transformer and run on a table.

Some individuals misunderstood this premise. I do not want the club to buy me new accessories. The newer ones will only be used for train shows, after all they will be BSG property. Over the course of a weekend, these accessories are run quite a bit and the older ones are not as efficient as the new ones. Repair parts are more readily available for the new products. The other reason is, why show antiques, when we can display current production.
(P.S. Jim and I will still bring our more popular "antiques", until they die.)

Due to the fact that some of the more recent newsletters have contained an error or two, one of the members at the meeting suggested that a reprimand be in order. I strongly disagree with the method of punishment. The sentence was as follows: I must continue to write the newsletters for a period of, not less than 15 years, but not exceeding, life.
I will be retaining Johnny Cochran as my counsel. I will maintain my innocence and blame my wife, children, drug dealers and 0.J. Simpson's golf partners.

After having updated two of the club corners (4-modules), now I know why tinplaters have more finished layouts than proto-typical sealers (RUBBER ROADBED). Thank God for rubber roadbed.

I'm sure there are many techniques for adding ballast to the track work. I'm sure many of them are better than the one I used. But this was definitely not as much fun as ...........anything I did on the rest of the modules. I don't want to sing "I've been working on the railroad". I prefer "Singing in the Train". (So Gene Kelley left out a letter.) I did manage, not to glue the sections together. Thank God for waxed paper. By the way, there are some club spacers, two and four foot modules, that require ballasting. Join the fun, I've had mine.

Speaking the modular layout, we need more module builders. My work has my signature, it has a tinplate identity. This means that 30 feet of "our" layout has "a look". This is as far as I am going. We do "not" want a dominant theme. Come on all of you sealers, or have you sold your modules to the tinplaters. Read our letterhead. Promote the entire gauge.
----- or get off the pot.

The following newsletters will include corrections to most of my mistakes. One of our members suggested that maybe he was reading between the lines, but if the Editor makes enough mistakes, maybe someone will say "I can do better than that". As of October 1st, the odds of my running unopposed are 50 to 1 by the Las Vegas odds makers.

Seriously sometimes I have a blast writing some of this trash. All I need, is one really good laugh, and I'm happy. Maybe I should send these newsletters to the National Inquirer.

Hopefully subsequent membership rosters will include e-mail addresses. If you have a new e-mail address send it to me. rschlicht@ra.rockwell.com The above is my work address. I do not have a home address. Maybe I'll have a real computer by next year.
I found out that E-mail is not the answer all. Because of the error in the last newsletter, I phoned many members, U.S. mailed notices, and E-Mailed others to inform them of my huge blunder. One member responded within about ten minutes or so. Others responded the next day or within a couple days. One was undeliverable, some members had multiple addresses. The experiment was about 50% successful, at least in my mind, which is only about 50% functional anyway. I actually believe some of the members have "still" not opened the message. So much for the hope of cutting down the cost of newsletter postage.

Art Doty, whose postal delivery agent still uses hay and oats for his vehicle, is faster. But then again the condition of his newsletters are generally a bit chewed up and usually include horsy drool.

The Badgerland S Gangers were looking for a 22nd Annual Fall S Fest patch, Don Hink donated his.

The club still needs the 15th Fall SFest patch to complete an archive set.

Ron Schlicht is looking for a Plasticville Cape Cod house. Peach sides, Brown roof, windows and doors. Original box not required. It could even be glued, as long as its not sloppy.

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 individuals who may not have a complete S-Fest patch collection, we do have a supply of the 16th, 15th, 10th and never popular 7th year. We also have some car bodies from the 10th and 13th Fall S Fest.

Badgerland's older rolling stock of early American Models cars and some engines will be sold shortly. Most of the cars have solid scale couplers and scale trucks. Some may have some steps missing. They were run on our club layout, some at only one show. A list will be publish in a subsequent newsletter. Whatever is not sold to members will be offered for sale at the Badgerland Swaps. They will be very reasonably priced.

Not much else to report. Everyone is saving up for S-Fest 2000.

a) Information for our web site Help make it grow. Why not short biographies of members with digital pictures of their layouts.
b) Contact S-Fest committee members about helping out.
c) More new member modules.

I recently purchased two items. The first is an American Models Wood Sided Milwaukee Road Caboose as usual I am very pleased with the product. From the grab irons to the marker lights the detail for a HiRailer are more than I could ask for.

The next item is a S-Helper Old Heidelberg wooden reefer. This car is so nice, that I am having a Blatz beer while I'm writing this report. (That's the truth.) Without a doubt this is the most detailed piece of rolling stock that I have on my layout. Along with my Schlitz car, I'm hoping that four more desirable (to me) beer, reefers are manufactured. I'd love to have a six pack on my layout.

Reiterating, I like the new stuff that I have purchased so much, if I wasn't so concerned about derailments, I would be tempted to go to scale rather than Hi-Rail. NAH!

The one point that I will make, is that the last dozen or two items that I have purchased, have not been American Flyer. I'm even shocked at that statement.

I'm changing the name of this column from Ron's New Product Report to Badgerland's New Product Report. Since I have cut back on my purchases, and many of my buys are not true S Gauge, maybe some of our other members can add their input to this report. Let me know if you think this is a good idea or a bad one. Otherwise I'll drop the column.

It probably means I'll add some other inane column, like blasted or ballast, how I spent my Summer vacation, the Jim Starosta product drop test results, or The Ronaldland S Gauger American Flyer Division of the Badgerland S Gangers Model Railroad Club of Southeastern Wisconsin report.

R.S.G.A.F.D.B.S.G.M.R.C.S.W.

At least I'll have more letters than the St. Louis club (AFSGSLA). This could be the birth of a new very diverse organization. We won't have club patches. We will have club belts. It's the only thing that we might be able fit the club's name on. We will also break the tradition of railroad, or baseball style caps. With the advent of our new name, we will wear sombreros, on which we can embroider the club name around the brim, which will fit on sombreros. Club shirts are out, but ponchos might work. I haven't decided on the club mascot, but I'm sure we can dress up some Looney Tunes character as an engineer. Maybe Yosemite Sam. Unfortunately we might be excluded from hosting a Fall S Fest, unless the winner of the patch contest figures out a way to get our name on the patch that is

smaller than a family size pizza. The W.I.S.E. Division may not let us in to their show either. But think of it, we could start our own show, and call it "Strainfest".

In the event you feel that you would want to be part of an organization which I just described, please do not call your Editor. Call the following phone number:
786-438-4357 or
RUN-GET-HELP

One other bit of advise. If you have taken any of the above seriously, please do me a favor. Walk a mile in my shoes. That way I'll know that you are safely, at least a mile away from me.

( VASG )

MODEL TRAIN PROJECT

We would like to tell you of a project of the Veterans Amputee Support Group (VASG) that serves thee needs of the elderly and disabled veterans: the VASG Model Train project. Through the Model Train Project we seek to provide disabled and elderly veterans an opportunity to work cooperatively to overcome physical challenges, as well as provide them a vehicle to reach out to intergenerational family and friends.

We seek cooperative sponsorship for this project from businesses, foundations, and individuals. This letter of inquiry includes a description of VASG's mission. A full proposal and detailed budget will be forwarded upon request.

ABOUT VASG: Organized in December of 1989 as an informal group comprised of veterans helping veterans at the Zablocki Veterans Affairs Medical Center (VA Medical Center), VASG became a recognized veterans service organization in 1997. A private, unincorporated, nonprofit volunteer organization committed to serving those needs of disabled and elderly veterans that are not attended to by the VA. VASG filed an application for tax-exempt status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code on April 13, 2000.

VASG's mission is to educate, inform, and give moral support to fellow members and all disabled veterans. With personal experience of disability and amputation, VASG members meet twice monthly to provide information and camaraderie to fellow disabled veterans, their spouses, families and caregivers. We help amputees overcome and live with their disabilities by providing services that are not provided by the Veteran's Administration (VA) such as:

- purchasing of handicapped equipped wheelchairs
- preparation of Advanced Directives, Living Wills, and Durable Power of Attorney
- transportation assistance.

About the MODEL TRAIN PROJECT: Model trains have been part of American history since the invention of the modern railroad. For veterans, disabled by amputation, other physical impairment, or the natural aging process construction and operation of a model train is an opportunity to adapt to and become proficient in the use of protheses and the reality of impaired limbs. For those disabled for quite some time, participation in the Model Train Project provides an opportunity to shepherd fellow veterans as they learn to live with physical limitations. The model's displays will be operated by foot or hand controls so that all veterans, regardless of disability, will be able to operate the model. Maintenance and guidance will be provided by

Model Train Clubs, They will be there to instruct and help the veterans.

In addition to the physical engagement with the Model Train Project, disabled veterans' minds will be challenged both by creation and ongoing maintenance of the model trains and by engagement of their imaginations as they enjoy use of the model with family, friends and fellow veterans. Due to its intergenerational attraction, we expect veterans will be eager to share the model train experience with grandchildren and other young visitors to VA medical institutions.

The Model Train Project will be housed at the following VA medical institutions; VA Hospital, Wood, WI (Milwaukee), the VA Hospital, Tomah, WI, and the Veterans' Home, King, WI. However, other than the provision of space for the project, it is not supported financially in any way by the VA or any other Government agency. The Model Train Project will be customized to Wisconsin and will feature scenes depicting the general area, including local landmarks, area businesses, and tourist attractions. Acknowledgement of Model Train project sponsors' support will be prominently displayed and incorporated into the model itself.

Our Request: We are requested on behalf of VASG to bring this project to realization. To that end, we would like to discuss with you, via telephone or in person, the appropriateness of a formal request for support.

You see, we are confident that residents of Wisconsin respect the sacrifices made by veterans of all of this nation's wars and that through teamwork by businesses, foundations, and individual philanthropists, the Model Train Project will become a reality for disabled veterans and will be serviced by the VASG.

Thank you for the consideration that may to extend to this project.

Very truly yours,

JJF/TMcG/vr
A:VA-Train.001

Officer's Listing:

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.