Oh boy,another scale!

[Virginian]

Hi y'all,
Just thought I'd let everyone know..I'm joining the local rail club so's I can do some HO...there's that sweet Proto 2000 VGN 2-8-8-2 just sittin' in the display casat the train store, waitin' t' come on home!
Last night, as a guest I got to run a members lumber train on their large layout; radio control, computerizeed blocks and cabs, the whole shebang! So today, I'm off to arrange for a new home for the little Mallet!!!(for the time being, a box on my 'display shelf' ( havent built one yet..guess I'll have to get started on that project too)!!

Check out the 9-97 issue of Model Railroader article on the Sonoma County Model Railroad Society for details on the system. They've aquired space and have built a large (oh, about 20'X 40', three level, 'permanent' layout since the article was written, but their still using the same computor system.
So...anyone know where I can get a big box full of coal hopper cars, cheap??

Bye now
VGN

(almost...c'mon Mr. Sun, burn that fog!)
P.S. to shamus...if they'll give permission, I'll see if I can't get some photos to post sometime in the next month or so...I think it would be a good example of a work in progress...I'd post it in 'Club News', I guess, though Tech. might be good re: the computor control aspect??

 

[shamus]

Hi Virginian,
A 2-8-8-2 by Proto 2000, wow, didn't know they made one. Now you have just got to go HO, and maybe a logging line off somewhere to run the new Backmann three truck shay?;(
I know, you need a track plan for it, okay

 

[Virginian]

Hi shamus,
Yep, they came out in late Jan or early Feb. under several flags...VGN, N&W and Union Pacific, as far as I know, possibly more Road Names.
As far as a loggin layout goes, there's alot of material for prototype research close to home, inclding the actual sites of some pretty intersing operations.
I've actually been looking at some books aboutlogging operations of late 19th through early 20th century Northern California logging operations and the trains that made them possible , inc. some great old photos..you'd probably start panting at some of the shots

...Like the trestle at Caspar up on the Mendocino coast ( I actually lived there for a brief time many years ago...Nothing left of the logging town, really, but a few houses and ruins of the mill and footings for the trestle that ran down to the mill on the beach...Hey, I just thought of something...maybe there's a book available here that would interest you. Hey, I'll email you some details; perhaps we could work a swap and avoid our 'enchange' problem???
Later, gotta run..check your email tommorrow.
VGN