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Badgerland S Gaugers News

"…. A social club for the promotion of model railroading—
especially S gauge including American Flyer, hi-rail, scale
and other facets...

Badgerland S Gaugers Charter

Attendance:
G. Children, A. Doty, C. Hartert, D. Kloes, S. Lunde, J. Madden, T. Marty, R. Meissner, B. Nelson,
K. Pilon, C. Porter, R Puls, R. Schlicht, R. Shimon, J. Starosta, F. Vergenz, J. Young. (17)

Steve Lunde opened the BSG February general meeting and welcomed all of those attending on the very cold day.
First of all he thanked Harold Immekus for his donation of a set of Fall S Fest heavyweight passenger cars complete with trucks. The cars will be used for club purposes at this years upcoming Fall S Fest 2008.
Steve also reported that we are making progress on various S Fest projects. Of course on some work related items we will still need a lot of help.

This price will only be offered until the next BSG general meeting. Since we will not be ordering as many cars as in the past, if you miss out it will just be your tough luck. But then again if you really want the car you can pay the "rip your lungs out prices" that will be asked when no more cars are available. Some past years FSF cars have made some individual sellers very happy with the profit that they netted, the 2000 Milwaukee Road reefer for example.

Make your checks payable to the Badgerland S Gaugers and send it to our Treasurer Jeff Young. Specify the car or car numbers that you want 2008, 3301 or 3302. Note on the check "2008 S Fest Car".

Steve once again showed a sample of a planned BSG coffee mug. He is asking members who may be interested to contact him. If there doesn’t appear to be enough interest in this we will forget about the project.

Art Doty gave a report on, in state and out of state, model railroading activities around the Midwest.

Not to sound morbid, but with BSG’s aging membership, we have ended up getting a health report on many of our ailing members at the meetings. At many of our ages, we all have some aches and pains but many of our members have suffered through some pretty tough times. Hip and knee replacements are occurring with more frequency. Broken limbs, shoulder surgeries and various other medical conditions have befallen many of our members. We wish all of our BSG members who are ailing to get well soon and our prayers are with you.

At present Trumann Garrett is in a health and rehabilitation center. If you wish to cheer him up, you can contact him at the following:

Trumann Garrett
C/o Grand Prairie Health & Rehab
10330 Prairie Ridge Blvd.
Pleasant Prairie, WI 53158
(262) 612-2971

East on Hwy. 50 from I-94 to 104^th Ave
Right (south) on 104^th to Prairie Ridge Blvd., Left on Prairie Ridge Blvd.
Go approx. ½ block, Grand Prairie Health & Rehab which is to the left.

Was the word Prairie noted enough? I’ll bet most of the businesses in Pleasant Prairie have the name prairie in them. Perhaps Happy Hour Prairie Saloon, Prairie Chuck Wagon Restaurant, Prairie Feed and Grain, Prairie Chicken & Poultry, Prairie Dog and Animal Veterinarians Clinic, Prairie Grass and Landscaping, Top Choice Prairie Steak House, Bury Me on the Lone Prairie Funeral Parlor or the Lonesome Prairie Women’s Club, all sound like viable businesses to me. They are probable located on a Prairie Street, Prairie Avenue, Prairie Boulevard, Prairie Drive, Prairie Lane, Prairie Way, Prairie Circle, or Prairie Court, and all in the near vicinity of a Prairie Park.

Ron Schlicht gave a brief report on upcoming model railroading shows in Wisconsin, Mad-City, Mitchell Park Domes and MSOE. Those are shows that the club will be participating in. As always, February is the shortest month of the year but is packed with more model railroading activities that usual. Ron also passed around the new Lionel and K-Line catalogs. There are a few new S Gauge items. He also passed around the new "tentative" 2008 Member Roster. Due to the fact that many of our members are late in paying their dues the roster will not be released until the next newsletter. The names of the "TARDIES" will not be included on the roster. Remember we have a new $5.00 reinstatement late fee.

Dick Kloes gave a brief report on our swap meets. So far this year we have not been as successful as in the past. At the BSG board of directors meeting it was decided to drop the September swap meet. We will also make every attempt to avoid the doubling up of the February and December swap meets with the Lionel Club. We will move the February meet to the third Sunday of the month, if necessary. Even though it conflicts with the Mad-City show, we have enough members willing to run the meet. We do not lose as many dealers to the Mad-City show as the Lionel Club does. The only sacred December dates are the 24^th & 25^th. Other than those two dates we will hold a meet on the forth or fifth Sunday of the month, thus not doubling up with Lionel. Many people go shopping on the day after Christmas. Most men who attend swap meets could care less what day it is. Some diehards would show up if a swap were held on Mothers Day, their wedding anniversary or a family members funeral.

Dick Kloes also gave a report on the progress being made on the BSG modular layout. At the present a major renovation has been made to one of the club ends. Roger Shimon has volunteered to make an additional set of ends, which would allow us to create an "L" shaped layout. The layout committee has decided the width of the layout will not exceed 14 feet. This means that there will only have one 4-foot straight section on each end. This will create less dead space (excluding members) in the center of the layout. Over the next few weeks, work will proceed on the other end modules. Some renovations have already been made. Plans and materials are being gathered for more improvements. If there are members who would like to work on the layout, we would like to have 16 feet of new modules done before November. This will result in the club having 32 feet of straight modules in addition to the ends. A new geezer gate is in the planning stages.

Saturday March 8, 2008
1:00 pm
Steve Lunde’s
Location:
2601 Aberdeen Ct
Waukesha, WI 53188
(262) 574-1086

There is no specific criterion for hosting a meeting. Weekday evenings, Saturdays or Sundays are acceptable. If you want to schedule for next year it’s not too early.

Badgerland Train Trade Show
Knights of Columbus Hall
3200 S. 103^rd St. Greenfield, WI
8:00 A.M. To 12:00 P.M.
2008 March 30

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.
2008 March 2

Wise Division Meets
Best Western Midway Hotel - Airport
Meets usually open @ 12:30 PM
2008 April 20

Great Midwest Train Show DuPage County Fairgrounds Wheaton, IL
10 A.M. to 4:00 P.M.
2008
April 13
May 11
June 8

Programs are held at the Milwaukee School of Engineering Student Center, 1025 North Broadway Milwaukee, WI.

3^rd Floor Student Center
Doors open at 7:00 pm.
Programs start at 7:30 pm.
Programs are "Free". General Public Welcome. The programs are subject to change without notice.

First of all, accept my apologies for forgetting to put the name of the street that Brad lives on in the meeting notice. Thank God for the map. Needless to say Brad Nelson hosted the February BSG general meeting. One of the last times that Brad offered to host a meeting we ended up being snowed out. This time we were nearly froze out. With temperature hovering around zero degrees, 17 hearty BSGers braved the frigid temperature to attend what was a great outing. Just before we reached Brads (his home is about 500 yards off of a Canadian National mainline) we were stuck behind a railroad signal as a 3-engine, around 130-car, train cruised by. As Johnny Carson might have said "How cold was it"? It was so cold that after the train passed we had to wait a bit while before the Wisconsin Central and CN service trucks could get the frozen crossing gates back up. (True)

OK you couldn’t make the meeting so you didn’t get to see Brad’s layout. So go out and buy the March 2008 issue of Classic Toy Trains. You will only get a hint of how good the layout really is. In person, in living color, smelling the smoke, hearing the choo-choo, touching, feeling, drooling, is the only way to experience Brad’s layout. Then again you can always stay home with your edition of CTT and your Playboy magazine. Just don’t get the CTT all messed up. CTT does have some pretty hot centerfolds, that is strictly speaking, in model railroading terms.

For all of those who may pooh-pooh Classic Toy Trains, it has stepped up in the past few years. Most of their featured layouts are no longer that toy train style layout. I have been looking at a few websites with S gauge train layouts on them and many are really great. Then again there are those who don’t take things that dammed serious. They may not have the greatest layouts, but at least they look like they are enjoying them, versus laboring for decades and missing out on being a little boy. Dog gone it I think that I am going to run right down to the basement take my 1948 Royal Blue set off of the shelf and just enjoy watching it run around and around the track, so EXCUSE ME.

There is good news on the small hand held tape recorder that the club purchased two or three years ago. When I dropped the tape recorder one of the setting buttons slid to a fast forward position due to the impact. I have now reset it. No more chipmunks unless it is a really boring meeting and I can’t bear the time it takes to listen to it again.

There are some things I miss with old age. Years ago I didn’t have to listen to the meetings. Jim Brown and I just kept popping bottle caps. I didn’t have to listen to the meetings until I sobered up. Some of our meetings can drive you in that direction. Can’t do that anymore.

With what has transpired on the modular layout your editors head explosion was averted. There is nothing but good news regarding the progress on the BSG modular layout. There is only one fear. With all of the improvements made over the past few weeks, will the progress continue? I am looking through the writings of Nostradamus to see if there is an impending BSG modular disaster or BSG work stoppage, which he may have predicted for 2008 or 2009. 22 years ago we started with a lot of enthusiasm. Let’s not drop the ball, lose the fire, fall on our face, run out of gas, slip on a peel, lose sight of the goal or get too busy with other things,………as you can see I’m running out of clichés, but you get the drift, have a clue, know what I mean, etc. etc. etc..

After the general meeting, Chic Hartert gave a clinic on various methods of making trees. If you didn’t know how to make a tree for your layout before, you do now. Not only was this an educational clinic but extremely entertaining. Chic listed the various materials that he used and built some trees right before our very eyes. Between the glue, the paint, the hair spray and the beer I was feeling really terrific by the end of the session. Some of the techniques were so simple you felt stupid just watching him work. The results were incredible and I mean incredible. I used the term "it blew my socks off" for all of those present, thank God that it didn’t. The only near disaster was Chic forgetting to move his beer prior to starting some of the spray painting. Again your lightening fast editor sprung into action sweeping up the can, averting the ruination of a perfectly good product, preserving the purity of the brew and saving the day. And the crowd roared.

This clinic turned out soooooooooo good. BSG will have some clinics or activities planned for "all" of our general meetings. If this doesn’t stimulate interest in attending meetings then nothing will.

For any of you who missed it, Chic will be doing the clinic at this years Fall S Fest. Take my word for it be sure not to miss it again.

At our next meeting Steve Lunde will be doing a clinic on soldering and wiring. Steve has done a lot of engine motor conversions and other electronic modifications to both Flyer and scale equipment. Steve is very adept at this. Nonetheless to quell any of your fears the Waukesha fire department has been put on alert for the afternoon of March 8th. But if you still have concerns, you can bring your own fire extinguishers, oxygen masks and flame retardant clothing. Do any of you know CPR?

We will need a presentation for our April, September, Etc., Etc. meetings. If you would like to volunteer or know of a guest presenter, Contact:

As a sidelight, this turned out to be one of the shortest meetings that we have had in a long time. That resulted in our having just a lot more time to participate in the "FUN" stuff.

I love Excel spreadsheets. Of all of the documents on my computer, I think that there are more spreadsheets than any other type of document. Every bill is documented. Grant it this is a relatively recent phenomenon, 1997. I can tell you how many therms, kilowatt-hours, monthly averages, sales tax and other statistics for every month since 1997. Water, sewer, phone and property taxes since 1977, you name it, I got it on a spreadsheet.

It just stands to reason that I would have a similar propensity for information on the Badgerland S Gaugers. I have historical data on swap meets, S Fests, officers, meetings, newsletters and other items.

The Badgerland S Gaugers officially started with a letter sent out by Chuck Porter to various known S gaugers on October 8, 1975. The first official meeting was November 20, 1975. Since our years are really defined by seasons, by this year’s Fall S Fest we will be going into our 34th season of existence.

The third meeting was really the first one that was more or less, open to all comers. It was at that meeting that about 16 of us signed the charter. John Hancock was not one of them. Nine members from the 1976 roster have held continuous membership to the present date. Two others from 1976 have renewed their membership over the past few years.

Throughout the 33 years we have had 7 BSG presidents, 10 vice-presidents, 4 treasurers, 7 secretaries and 6 editors, 3 of which only served one-year terms. One president served 11 years total. One vice-president served 12 years and was president two other years. The BSG treasurer has served for 19 consecutive years and a secretary for 25 plus being your miserable newsletter editor for 24 God forsaken years.

In the first full year we ended up with 29 members. For the first 10 years we averaged 30 members per year. The next ten years ebbed and flowed with an average of 43 members per year. The following ten years averaged 62 members with a new member spike of 16 in 2005. Our highest level ever was 92 in 2006 that number included associate members, spouses and juniors.

One member has been a meeting host 34 times and another member 31 times. Between the two members, they have hosted 27% of the club’s meetings over our existence. Along with two additional members the four have accounted for 45% of our meetings. Some of those four members have also hosted board meetings, Fall S Fest meetings and other BSG activities.

The BSG patch made its first real public showing at or around the first Fall S Fest in 1976. The patch was originally designed by taking an image from an ad in the Yellow Pages of the phone book. By adding bib overalls and a cap and we had a rodent engineer. It was redesigned and updated 25 years later in 2001. We have never had a name for the critter, people just call him Bucky. I like Spike.

The first BSG S gauge layout made its appearance at Trainfest on November 5, 1976. It was nicknamed the "Iron Maiden" because of its solid construction and weight. It was replaced by the modular layout system, which made its maiden voyage at Trainfest on November 8, 1986. BSG has had a layout at Trainfest since 1976 to the present missing only one year because the application blank was sent in too late. At one time the S gauge layout was one of the largest at Trainfest. There were 12 corner sections and there may have been 26 or more straight modules. It was horseshoe shaped and the inside legs straight sections were 16 feet long.

There is a lot more information that I still don’t have compiled. If there are any members that would like to help me out on the History of BSG please let me know. I have often thought of trying to scan all of the old newsletters and put them on a CD. Some of the more recent ones would simply be a download. Perhaps we could copy them onto discs for members who might actually be interested in the history of our club or for those who just suffer from insomnia.

Once again BSG brought layouts to the Mad-City show held at the Alliant Energy Center in Madison, WI. They call it Mad–City but this year it was downright nasty. Friday was a bit cold, Saturday was rainy and Sunday it was snowing. The weather prognosticators, or as I call them the weather terrorists, predicted a weekend just short of Armageddon. Therefore the model railroad enthusiasts showed up in drones on Saturday with a crowd of somewhere over 9,000 brought on by the threat of the end of the world, as we know it, which was forecast for all day Sunday. Admittedly when we left the inn for the show on Sunday morning our cars looked like glazed donuts. But the ice came off easily on my car. The Dane County Coliseum, which host’s hockey games could have held them in the parking lot on Sunday morning. The snow volume predictions just kept being readjusted down and down. Senior citizens had nothing to worry about since most of them had already been frightened into a comatose state. Needless to say the attendance for Sunday attendance was more of a very large group. I hesitate using the term crowd.

This was the first showing of one of the new ends of the modular layout. For one of the first times in years a lot of people were taking pictures of the modular layout. Those of you who worked on it can be proud of the job that you did and it’s not done yet. The modular layout was smaller than in the past but is making strides to get much better.

Ron’s Hi-Rail layout had some small updates, as it does for every show. Even more improvements are being planned for future shows. Norman Rick, our member from Mount Horeb, WI has been working on some electronic gadgetry to make the layout even more entertaining. He has made a lot of constructive suggestions for not only the youth layout but also has some great ideas for the modular layout.

Since Sunday was not very busy, one person could man the small layout, so Ray Puls and myself took a tour of the show. And low and behold we came across the geezer gate of our dreams. I don’t remember the name of the club, but Ray took a lot of photos and we will definitely construct one in a similar (but even better) fashion. One of that club’s members gave us a ton of tips on the some of the dos and don’ts that they experienced both during and after the construction was completed.

I mentioned that the modular layout was greatly improved. Gary Children did a really fine job on the S gauge display at the BSG booth and the small layout looked good. I mentioned all of the good things about the show and now for the bad news. On Saturday, at one period of time, the modular layout had only "ONE" BSG member manning the whole kit and caboodle. That is pathetic. There were occasions when only Dick Kloes was there and other times when only Ray Puls was there. The Goeke family can always be counted on to give a hand and they did more than their share. The Hi-Rail layout has a small but very dedicated group of workers. The modular "CLUB" layout couldn’t get a three-handed card game going. For years I have been handling the show passes, the floor plan, the application forms and the communications for our shows. The "pass" has two meanings for BSGers. One meaning is; a means to get free entrance into a show. The other is; I decline the opportunity to do much of anything at the show, in other words, I pass. The physical condition of the modular layout is getting better, the member participation is disappointing to say the least. That statement is not only from me. Because of the weather Sunday was somewhat excusable, Saturday was not. Heaven help us if there would have had good weather on Sunday.

Dick Kloes’s home is open for the BSG modular layout workshop sessions. Members will be meeting at his home to work on the club’s sections. All club members are welcomed to these gatherings. They will take place every Thursday evening starting around 6:30 or 7:00 pm until further notice. So far we have had a lot of fun and made a ton of progress on the modular layout. It has taken on a whole new appearance and this is a great thing. A lot of thanks have to go to Dick for getting the ball rolling on this project. If you want to pickup some modeling tips stop in. Just in case, it’s always best to call in advance. (414) 543-8839

Not a josh dammed thing to report by me or anyone else. I could write on all of the new Arttista or Woodland Scenics figures that have been released but not in S gauge, so most of you don’t give a rip. Arttista has increased their S gauge line to 87 figures. That’s the good news. The bad news is that, if you don’t want to paint them yourself, the individual prices range is from $4.99 to $28.50 for a forklift with driver. I can’t advertise for individual dealers but some of our club members can get discount prices on many items. The reason for not mentioning the dealers by name is that someone will ask "what is Schlicht getting out of it". The answer is; the same price you are going to pay. Unfortunately your editor buys the wrong scale, so at this time, I’ll just have to purchase the Arttista three drunken figures to keep me company.

Did you see the new Lionel catalog? Most of the time, the new products just end up being new paint schemes on last year’s items. This year the first item listed is a Union Pacific 4-8-8-4 Big Boy Steam Engine. The Bethlehem Steel Gondola with Coil Covers is different. There is an Operating Swing Bridge and the re-release of the American Flyer #793 Union Station along with the #792 Railroad Terminal. (This is not the talking station version.) Most of the other items are just new paint schemes as I noted.

I must admit that Lionel, at least at this time, is not abandoning S gauge. From the 0-6-0 Docksider, 2-8-2 Mikado, 4-6-2 Pacific, 4-6-4 Northern and now the 4-8-8-4 Big Boy there are a variety of steam era locomotives being offered. Along with various GP’s, Baldwin’s, Alco’s, Electrics and the heavyweight cars, there at least is a lot to choose from. With the addition of the offerings from S-Helper, American Models and others, S gaugers have never had this much product available.

The new K-Line catalog included a lot of circus related items. This is just a thought. Even though many of the loads are on three-rail cars, I’m sure that many of these loads would fit on S gauge flat cars. The loads are more S than O. The loads alone may be worth the price to you and you could sell the three rail flats at our swap meets.

I don’t want to use the term "three rail" anymore in this newsletter, it’s beginning to make me feel nauseous. Speaking of nausea, one other tip for "some" of you. There is a new drug on the market called "Oxy-Clinton" this can be used for the nausea, headache, back pain, buttock pain, reduce anxiety, earaches, hemorrhoids and skin irritation (when things just make your skin crawl). These symptoms may occur between now and the first week of November.

The modular layout transformation contains bigger and better tips that I can type up in this newsletter. For those of you who were unable to make the sessions it’s unfortunate. It’s very difficult to write up some of the processes that were used without having full color pictures with an accompanying step-by-step process sheet. Just having this newsletter printed in color would be cost prohibitive. Maybe we will get something on our website. Maybe I’ll write some things that I am doing on my own layout addition. Maybe one of our members will write some tips for this column. Maybe the sun will rise in the west tomorrow.

The following article appeared in the Baltimore Area American Flyer Club newsletter. The club and the author Monte Heppe have given me permission to reprint and share the piece with our members.

Phasing of transformers is necessary for a number of applications. If you have two loops of track, each controlled by a separate transformer, connected by a crossover, and you try to run a train from one loop to the other, the train will come to a stop unless the transformers are in phase.

Switches can be operated by two transformers in phase, using one to throw the switch and the other to power the lights. The advantage to this is that the full power of the transformer used to throw the switch is available to power the switch coils, while the other transformer can be set at a lower voltage, about 9 volts, to power the lights and make them last longer than if they were receiving 15 or 18 volts.

You can substitute at test lamp or a voltage meter for the touch wire in steps 4, 5, and 7. With the test light, a dim light or no light indicates the transformers are in phase while a bright light indicates they are out of phase. With the meter a low reading generally less the 3 or 4 volts indicates in phase, a high reading, 15 volts or higher, indicates out of phase.

Transformers used for application such as the two above should have a 16-gauge wire permanently connecting the base posts.

If any of you have any tips for your fellow model railroaders send them to the BSG Newsletter Editor.

Hopefully I will have any or all of your updates on the 2008 Membership Roster, if I have been informed of what they are. Call me, email me or send me a letter. It’s not that I’m lonely but I just want to avoid having an new, but out of date, roster.

Remember to send me your updated email addresses to insure that I change it on our e-mail group listing and put it in the newsletter.

Join this group you will receive periodic club updates, BSG news, tips and information on various S gauge websites that may be of interest to you.

If you are interested in using the Wanted & For Sale column give me a call. I will list your items for two or three newsletters. Please contact me if you want an item removed from subsequent newsletters.

Fall S Fest Patches for the following years: 9^th -1984, 15^th–1990, 21^st – 1996.

2004 NASG Convention Car
Depressed Center #2304
General Electric Reel Car Lamp Division
Contact: Alan Ruffolo

2000 Fall S Fest Milwaukee Road wooden sided reefer, manufactured by Crown Models, in their original boxes with the Car Nos. 25251 & 25256 In "like new" or "mint" condition.

Bob Nelson
9027 Weatherwood Ct.
Vienna, VA 22182
Phone: (703) 893-3438
Email: navy.seal@cox.net

If you have any items like old issues of Classic Toy magazines, S Gaugians or other model train related items that you no longer have need for, you might think about donating them to our club.
Contact Ron Schlicht or drop them off at a swap meet or his home.

The St. Louis club AFSGSLA has some former Fall S Fest cars that are still available, just in case you missed out.

2. FSF-1995 A/F by Lionel,
Monsanto Chemical Tank Car
(White)
LTI #48495 at $95.00

3. FSF-1999 A/F by Lionel,
Monsanto 3-Bay Covered Hopper
Car (White)
LTI #48215 at $85.00

4. FSF-2003 S Helper Service,
TTRX TOFC with REAX Trailer,
SHS #00193 at $65.00

$10.00 lump sum, for one to six cars.
$20.00 lump sum, for seven or more cars.
Make checks payable to AFSGSLA Inc.

American Flyer (Lionel)
American Models
S-Helper Service
Des Plaines Hobby
A.C. Gilbert American Flyer
(Only Gilbert AF not in original boxes and all Flyer equipment is graded)

Send self-addressed stamped envelope for complete listing, which is 5-sheets and over 200 pieces.

Malcolm Richert
18620 Pleasant St.
Brookfield, WI 53045
Phone (262) 797-8209
Fax (262) 786-8239

The 2004 Fall S Fest Milwaukee Road "Blue Ice" Reefer Manufactured by S Helper Service Are No Longer Available for Sale.

For any new members who are interested in club hats or shirts
Contact Jeff Young.

If you "have not" received a club patch or a membership card
Contact Ron Schlicht.

The views and opinions expressed in the Badgerland S Gaugers newsletters 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 Gaugers do not offer any warranties, guarantees, nor assume any liability from information contained in this publication.

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Waukesha, WI 53188 Kenosha, WI 53140 Menomonee Falls, WI 53051 Greenfield, WI 53220

Phone: (262) 574-1086 Phone: (262) 652-9549 Phone: (262) 250-0618 Phone: (414) 421-8512

Directors: Art Doty (08) – Ray Puls (09) – Dick Kloes (10) – Trumann Garrett

Modular Layout Committee: Dick Kloes, Steve Lunde, Ray Puls, Dave Smukowski and Don Goeke.