Hello my name is :)

[GEX1]

It's been suggested I introduce myself and being new to forums - Here goes.............
Hello I'm Russ
At 43 as far back as I can remember I've been around trains. When I was in diapers my father used to take me to work sometimes. He and my uncle had an aluminum smelter in East Los Angeles that backed up to the U.P. yard on Washington Blvd. Dad used to take me around the fence to watch the trains go by. As I got older he used to take me to the team yard off Fruitland Ave, at U.P.s yard - the guy in the Hobart tower would wave, Santa Fe's yard on the other side of Washington Blvd, down town to Southern Pacific's yard, Union Station, Amtrak's yard by Santa Fe Ave, the round houses and depots that he knew of, Travel Town in Griffith Park, Laws and Virginia City. Then in the early 80's Dad and I built a 15'X20' HO layout. A big square with a hole in the middle of it. It had 2 main lines and an industrial line in the middle. Mom had other ideas though and re-claimed the den lol. It was up for almost 10yrs. So that gave Dad and I the excuse to get into Jeeps. We took the opertunity to go and trace the Trona RR, Kaiser Steel's RR, Southern Pacific's narrow gauge, Mulhollands spurs for the Aquaduct, the Bodie & Benton, Looked for traces of the D.V.RR, tried to follow the old tram and monorail routes and countless ghost towns and mines along the way. I've heard and seen a lot of crazy things - Ever seen a Willy's Pick Up converted into a mine engine to pull and push ore cars on a track - or a Willy's wagon to power an air pump? Willy's truely were like the ads said "Universal".
So now to today -
I'm getting back into the hobby after a long haitus. Iv'e been watching here for a bit and my wife has given the green light to build a small shelf road in lol my bedroom lol < yeah my daughter just moved back home and took my 11'X10' spare room > so now I have to switch gears HELP!!!! lol
Seriously though I am looking forward to learning from and meeting the people in the forum to gain more insight. I've learned a bit so far thanks for the oppertunity to learn more.
Russ

<< I hope it's not too much info >>

 

[Zathros]

You don't happen to have any pics of that adventure with the converted Jeeps exploring the railways. That sounds so awesome! That sounds like the basis for a really good movie, the kind that aren't made anymore!

Oh, :welcome1: to the forum!

 

[GEX1]

Sorry it's taken so long to reply. I tried to on my cell no dice. The pictures of most of time period are packed away in my parents storage waiting to be moved into the new house. I thought they were lost - wheew!! At the end of this month (fingers crossed) I'm headed back up there to break in a new truck. If I get it, then weather and 2yr old permitting (it's supposed to rain here and snow in Big Bear this week) I'll get some pics If I can get in with a stock 3500 4X4? You're right it does sound like movie stuff lol. I wish I had a hood mounted video camera back then. Any way thanks for your help in the forum stuff!! Now I need more time to be here to search and read so I don't ask the same questions a million others have << Good luck lol

Thanks
Russ

 

[Zathros]

I would love to see whatever you posted about these adventures. My father died when I was five. I have a 12 year old son, and I am trying to build memories with him. Seeing can really help me.

 

[GEX1]

I'm here in the morning? lol If you private message me? I can give you places to go.
I've looking at trucks for work and will hopefully be cleared to purchase by the end of the month. I'll be taking a mini vacation (to break it in lol) and plan to head up. If the weather holds I plan on revisiting some places. But remember I'll be in a stock crew cab 1 ton 4X4. It wont be a dually so for where I'm looking to go I should be ok. Time/washouts/landslides We'll see. Sorry to hear about your dad but glad to hear about your son. Head north into the Seirras or east just before and for miles after the Salton Sea. The Kaiser line ran from Salton Sea to the 10 just past Chirriaco summit. << lol Are you in So. Cal? before I continue lol

 

[Zathros]

I wish, I am in New England. No Big Sky here!