Far North Queensland Model Railway Club Minutes / Newsletter

Meeting held at the home of Martin Ryan on Sunday 6/3/2011

Present:  David Blakeley, Rod & Ruth Bloomfield, Barry Clover, Doug & Peg Falconer, Peter Gill, Mick Henry, Graham Hodges, Dale Kaden, Ralph Kainzinger, Jamie Macnab, Martin Ryan, John Schilt, Don Sheehy, Ray Sofio, Jason Sou, Bert Toogood.

Guests:  Joe Dietz

Apologies:  John Henthorn, Peter & Gwen Lukey, Trevor & Anne Phillips, Gunnar Neander, Roger West.

Meeting opened at 1:00 pm by Graham with a welcome to Martin’s place. Martin apologized for not having a layout, but made up for it by displaying many items in waiting (which were not for sale). Ruth noticed the old Pfaff sewing machine, and Martin advised that it still worked.
Apologies as above were noted, and Joe was welcomed back for a second visit. Barry Clover was also a welcome sight after some months away with health problems. Mick advised that there was an N scale enthusiast interested in the club – a newsletter will be posted to him.
Graham mentioned the April and May meetings. It was decided that Sun 3 April will be spent at St Crispins Station at Port Douglas – refer information at the end of the newsletter. No decision was made on May, let Graham or David know by the next meeting if you are prepared to host or have an alternative idea.
Graham apologized about the February newsletter – the March meeting comes around very quickly when the February meeting is held a week later than planned!
David suggested that we could keep in touch with past members who have moved away by starting up a “guest list”. We have had a lot of wonderful people pass through the club over the years, and a lot of them only left due to the geographical constraint of no longer living in the Far North. They are unable to attend meetings and therefore have no reason to pay a membership, but it seems unnecessary to loose touch. The proposal was to save a version of the newsletter with only the show and tell, not the club minutes, and offer this (via email only) to departing members until they advise that they no longer want to hear from us. This was agreed to by the meeting.

Graham advised that the Secretary and Treasurer were resigning their positions so that elections could be held. Don nominated Graham as Secretary, Bert seconded, and as there were no other nominations Graham found himself back in the job.

Graham then nominated David for Treasurer, Don seconded, and David accepted after no alternative candidates appeared.

Gunnar was nominated as Scribe, and the group accepted on his behalf. (Thanks Gunnar).

David advised that the club finances stood at $1,366.21 in total. It was advised that in 2010 we had an income of $983.61, Expenses of $718.84, leaving a net increase of $264.77

For future discussion, would members like a meeting set up as a swap meet, where surplus items could be displayed and offered for sale by anyone? I didn’t record an answer to this at this meeting, so bring it up in April if you are interested.

Some discussion was forthcoming on how do people know that we exist as a club. Bert suggested a short notice in the clubs section of the Cairns Post. Graham advised that we were in the AMRM club listing and got the occasional referral from Toy World. David suggested that growth is not necessarily a good thing, particularly as we rely on the good will of the members as hosts to provide a venue. Ray wondered if the local phone book took community contact information. Peter Gill advised that 4CA had a segment to promote community events.

Meeting closed at 1:45 pm

Show and Tell:

Ray Sofio. Showed a Lionel Scout model train keepsake 3 piece set from Halmark designed as Christmas tree ornaments. Based on a 1940’s Lionel train set.

Jason Sou. Gave away some posters ex Bundaberg Sugar relating to rail safety around cane lines. He showed a Bachman model of an American built 3,700HP GE class 70 Diesel Freightliner 00 loco. Ray gave us a rundown on the history of American built locos purchased by the UK railways.

John Schilt.  Showed the specifications for a sound card for DC and DCC, steam and diesel. He will demonstrate one installed at the next HO layout. Ray offered more information – these are large cards so may need to be mounted in a trailing wagon, and the steam version can be set for 2, 3 or 4 cylinder locos. Don advised that the AMRM has two reports on it, one favorable and the other not.

Doug Falconer.  Showed a twin cylinder vertical stationary steam engine built by a friend who had passed away recently. It was sold on the spot to a member.

Graham Hodges.  While talking about old diesels, Graham showed us one of those things that you buy that you shouldn’t. His talk started back in the 1940’s. When the USA joined WW II, dieselization was in full swing, steam locos only being built for other countries. The government decreed that EMD would build passenger locos, Alco the freight locos, and Baldwin the switchers.

The Pennsylvania RR always bought of Baldwin if they couldn’t make it themselves. Baldwin built a 4-8-8-4 frame and had plans to fit each unit with numerous V8 engines prior to the war. This never happened.

After the war, Alco, Baldwin and Lima had no customers for steam. Alco was the only one to have any great success when they teamed up with GE. Pennsy wanted passenger diesels for the Broadway Limited and other expresses. Baldwin used the 4-8-8-4 frames from before the war, and fitted 2 x 1500HP diesels in each car body giving 3000HP per twin unit. It turned out to be less successful than the EMD F units and the Alco PA units.

Graham told of their early fall from grace to helper units on the horseshoe curve, but even there the lack of dynamic braking saw high wear on the brake shoes. Graham displayed the twin unit proudly – it is a Broadway Limited product, DCC with sound. We hope it doesn’t create as many problems on you layout as it did for Baldwin and the Pennsylvania RR Graham!

Next meeting will be at the Bally Hooley St Crispins Station, Port Douglas, on Sunday 3 April from 11am.
(No Phone contact)

DIRECTIONS

 Cairns local Directory Map 30 -E9. From Cairns (Cook Highway) turn right at Port Douglas Rd Craiglie then turn left at St Crispins Ave, about 1.5 km along. If you see the tram line on the left on Port Douglas Rd, you have gone too far. Then take the 1st street on your right - Escape St. until you see the station. There is parking on the grass near the station.

No barbecue will be available but I may be able to boil a billy for tea and coffee.  Please bring a CHAIR. Toilets will be unlocked at the station. There is a large undercover area for us to gather.

No club donation for this meeting, however we plan on packing up and riding the train at 1:30 pm from St Crispins to Port Douglas and return (3:00 pm arr). The cost is $10.00 per adult and is payable to the guard on the train.  Apparently he is a cranky old bugger and is not open to bribery! I have also been advised that Bally Hooley has some good DVD souvenirs for sale at Port Douglas.