Untitled Document

January 2006

Streetcars return to New Orleans
***

Sunday, December 18th, was the red letter day for New Orleans, a city that loves its streetcars. Eight of the Perley-Thomas streetcars that normally ran on the St. Charles line began running on a portion of the Canal Street line and the Waterfront line. All trolley service in New Orleans had been suspended since Hurricane Katrina hit the city in August 2005. Shown above is car 965 on Canal Street. This car most likely last saw service on this line over 40 years ago. After the normal, political and somewhat idiotic ADA problems were waived, these historic cars were allowed to run on these lines. The Waterfront line will be run over its entirety while the Canal cars will only go as far north as Crozat Street. Testing of these cars on the Canal line was accomplished on December 12th. The cars had to be towed by a truck from Carrollton Carhouse to Canal Street due to the fact that the overhead wire power distribution system is still damaged from Hurricane Katrina. Below is car 930 on the testing day getting the mud from the tow truck removed.

All the news about trolley cars was not good this month. Earlier, the Time learned that on December 2nd, silly, stupid SEPTA in Philadelphia, a city which does NOT seem to love its streetcars, paved over more of the Route 23 trolley line. This line was one of three that SEPTA promised to restore trolley service after they stopped running the PCC cars in 1992. Many of those very former Philadelphia trolleys have just finished their eleventh year of service in San Francisco, where they are not only appreciated but revered.

So on one hand, we have two forward thinking cities with their progressive transit systems that love their streetcars and one backward city with its equally non-progressive transit authority that does not.

_______________________________________________________

More News concerning the Great Train Expo
***

In the November 2005 issue of the Times, we published an interview with Dave Swanson concerning the new Great Train Expo, the Greenberg shows and the now defunct Great American Train Show (GATS). The interview also detailed some of the changes that are happening to the Great Western & Atlantic Train Show which evolved from GATS.

There will be moderate to considerable expansion in the Great Train Expo in late 2006 and early 2007. The Times will report these events as they occur.

_______________________________________________________

Trolleyville Vendors provide 2006 show appearance schedules!
***

Trolleyville vendors made their scheduled appearances known to the Times late last month. They requested that we print their schedule here after they learned that many of their customers were unaware that there had been Great Western & Atlantic Train Shows (GWAATS) at San Jose, CA in September 2005 or Del Mar, CA in December 2005. Then we told by an official spokesperson for GWAATS that there were no advertisements in Model Railroader magazine after the September 2005 issue appeared on newsstands in early August 2005 and there would not be any until at least after the February issue. This magazine is the periodical read by most people even remotely interested in model trains. For many years, there had been Great American Train Show ads (often full page color ads) which listed all the shows. Readers had become accustomed to checking these ads monthly for shows in their areas.

When GATS was replaced by GWAATS in July 2005, instead of an announcement in Model Railroader of the new company, the long familiar ads were eliminated in the October, November, and December 2005 issues. GATS vendors were notified by letter in mid-July that GATS was gone and GWATTS was taking over some of the remaining shows while some were cancelled and others were transferred to the Great Train Expo. To our knowledge no public statement has been issued about GWAATS and the demise of GATS and without the normal ads present, the rumors began and continue. With the rumors growing steadily, and the familiar Model Railroader ad now gone, it is no wonder that many train enthusiasts did not know of the GWATTS shows. Since we can no longer count on the traditional large monthly ads in Model Railroader to inform and remind readers of of GWATTS activities, Trolleyville vendors have provided their schedule in column 2 of this issue. Cut it out and paste it on your refrigerator so you do not miss these shows.

Naturally, we wish all of our readers, vendors and traction fans all the best for the New Year!

Trolleyville Vendor
Show Schedule!
***

Trolleyville vendors are currently scheduled to appear at the following model train shows during 2006. So if you are in the area, please come and visit them:

Jan 7-8 - Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA
Great Western & Atlantic Train Show
Custom Traxx, Holland Traction Products and Railway Traction Miniatures.

Jan 14-15 - California Expo, Sacramento, CA
Great Train Expo
This is the first scheduled Great Train Expo in California and is sure to be a best bet. Custom Traxx, Holland Traction Products, Light Rail Products, MTS Imports, and Railway/Traction Miniatures.

Jan 21-22 - Cow Palace, Daly City, CA
Great Western & Atlantic Train Show
Holland Traction Products and Railway Traction Miniatures.

February 25 - Fairplex, Pomona, CA
Great Western & Atlantic Train Show
This is a ONE-DAY show, Saturday only. Custom Traxx, Holland Traction Products and Railway/ Traction Miniatures.

March 18 - Orange County Fair Grounds, Costa Mesa, CA
Great Western & Atlantic Train Show
This is a ONE-DAY show, Saturday only. Custom Traxx, Holland Traction Products and Railway/ Traction Miniatures.

Sep 23-24 - Santa Clara Fairgrounds, San Jose, CA
Great Western & Atlantic Train Show
Holland Traction Products and Railway Traction Miniatures.

Sept 30 - Orange County Fair Grounds, Costa Mesa, CA
Great Western & Atlantic Train Show
This is a ONE-DAY show, Saturday only. Custom Traxx, Holland Traction Products and Railway/ Traction Miniatures

Nov 11-12 - Placer County Fairgrounds, Roseville, CA
Northern California Model Train Show
This is usually a great show with all facets of model railroading included. Custom Traxx, Holland Traction Products and Railway Traction Miniatures.

Sep 23-24 - Santa Clara Fairgrounds, San Jose, CA
Great Western & Atlantic Train Show
Holland Traction Products and Railway Traction Miniatures.

Nov 25-26 - Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton, CA
Great Train Expo
This is another sure winner. Holland Traction Products, and Railway/Traction Miniatures.

Dec 2-3 - Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar, CA
Great Train Expo
Another sure winner. Custom Traxx, Holland Traction Products, and Railway/Traction Miniatures.

_________________________________________

Association of Modular Model Railroad Operators formed!
***

With the July 2005 demise of the much loved Great American Train Show and the subsequent decision of their successor, GWAATS. to reduce their number of shows and to move to more one day shows, many of the Southern California model railroad modular clubs found themselves with fewer places to display their layouts. Several of the better Southern California modular clubs banned together during this month to form the Association of Modular Model Railroad Operators (AMMRO). This organization will be looking for new venues, even outside of the normal model train/model railroad show areas for places to display their very popular model railroads. So if your community center or shopping mall would like to host a model train display, please contact the association at 310-990-5422.

It is intended that these shows will contain modular model railroad clubs only, however dependent upon market studies, selected shows including vendors may be developed in the future. More information will be forthcoming as the association proceeds in early 2006.

_________________________________________

The Southern California Traction Club embraces the Great Train Expo!
***

The Times also learned that an agreement has been made between the Board of Directors of the Southern California Traction Club (SCTC) and the management of the Great Train Expo, to have the SCTC appear at their California shows beginning with Sacramento in January 2006. The Sacramento show will be the farthest the club has traveled from their Baldwin Hills clubhouse to display operational HO scale traction since the club was founded in 1995. The SCTC will also appear at the Great Train Expo to be held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar, CA in December 2006. The Great Train Expo shows are managed by CIA Incorporated, which brought over 19,000 model train lovers to their fantastic World's Greatest Hobby on Tour show in Long Beach in February 2005. For more information, check their full page ad in Model Railroader magazine or visit their web site.
____________________________________

New HO scale Traction Product!
***

The Times learned during this month that Rio Grande Models is producing trolley pole towers for the Pacific Electric diesel locomotives that sported trolley poles during the 1940s. These trolley poles were required to activate highway crossing signals which were activated by trolley wire contacts. Several Southern Pacific diesels had these poles attached, including EMD NW-1 and TR6a, Baldwin DRS-6-6-15, AS-616, VO-660 and VO-1000 models. The Stewart Division of Bowser Manufacturing produces of the Baldwin diesels listed earlier. More about this item, next issue. Also see the Other Products section of the Custom Traxx catalog for more information.


January 2006

Streetcars return to New Orleans *** Sunday, December 18th, was the red letter day for New Orleans, a city that loves its streetcars. Eight of the Perley-Thomas streetcars that normally ran on the St. Charles line began running on a portion of the Canal Street line and the Waterfront line. All trolley service in New Orleans had been suspended since Hurricane Katrina hit the city in August 2005. Shown above is car 965 on Canal Street. This car most likely last saw service on this line over 40 years ago. After the normal, political and somewhat idiotic ADA problems were waived, these historic cars were allowed to run on these lines. The Waterfront line will be run over its entirety while the Canal cars will only go as far north as Crozat Street. Testing of these cars on the Canal line was accomplished on December 12th. The cars had to be towed by a truck from Carrollton Carhouse to Canal Street due to the fact that the overhead wire power distribution system is still damaged from Hurricane Katrina. Below is car 930 on the testing day getting the mud from the tow truck removed. All the news about trolley cars was not good this month. Earlier, the Time learned that on December 2nd, silly, stupid SEPTA in Philadelphia, a city which does NOT seem to love its streetcars, paved over more of the Route 23 trolley line. This line was one of three that SEPTA promised to restore trolley service after they stopped running the PCC cars in 1992. Many of those very former Philadelphia trolleys have just finished their eleventh year of service in San Francisco, where they are not only appreciated but revered. So on one hand, we have two forward thinking cities with their progressive transit systems that love their streetcars and one backward city with its equally non-progressive transit authority that does not. _______________________________________________________ More News concerning the Great Train Expo * In the November 2005 issue of the Times, we published an interview with Dave Swanson concerning the new Great Train Expo, the Greenberg shows and the now defunct Great American Train Show (GATS). The interview also detailed some of the changes that are happening to the Great Western & Atlantic Train Show which evolved from GATS. There will be moderate to considerable expansion in the Great Train Expo in late 2006 and early 2007. The Times will report these events as they occur. _______________________________________________________ Trolleyville Vendors provide 2006 show appearance schedules! * Trolleyville vendors made their scheduled appearances known to the Times late last month. They requested that we print their schedule here after they learned that many of their customers were unaware that there had been Great Western & Atlantic Train Shows (GWAATS) at San Jose, CA in September 2005 or Del Mar, CA in December 2005. Then we told by an official spokesperson for GWAATS that there were no advertisements in Model Railroader magazine after the September 2005 issue appeared on newsstands in early August 2005 and there would not be any until at least after the February issue. This magazine is the periodical read by most people even remotely interested in model trains. For many years, there had been Great American Train Show ads (often full page color ads) which listed all the shows. Readers had become accustomed to checking these ads monthly for shows in their areas. When GATS was replaced by GWAATS in July 2005, instead of an announcement in Model Railroader of the new company, the long familiar ads were eliminated in the October, November, and December 2005 issues. GATS vendors were notified by letter in mid-July that GATS was gone and GWATTS was taking over some of the remaining shows while some were cancelled and others were transferred to the Great Train Expo. To our knowledge no public statement has been issued about GWAATS and the demise of GATS and without the normal ads present, the rumors began and continue. With the rumors growing steadily, and the familiar Model Railroader ad now gone, it is no wonder that many train enthusiasts did not know of the GWATTS shows. Since we can no longer count on the traditional large monthly ads in Model Railroader to inform and remind readers of of GWATTS activities, Trolleyville vendors have provided their schedule in column 2 of this issue. Cut it out and paste it on your refrigerator so you do not miss these shows. Naturally, we wish all of our readers, vendors and traction fans all the best for the New Year!	Trolleyville Vendor Show Schedule! * Trolleyville vendors are currently scheduled to appear at the following model train shows during 2006. So if you are in the area, please come and visit them: Jan 7-8 - Anaheim Convention Center, Anaheim, CA Great Western & Atlantic Train Show Custom Traxx, Holland Traction Products and Railway Traction Miniatures. Jan 14-15 - California Expo, Sacramento, CA Great Train Expo** This is the first scheduled Great Train Expo in California and is sure to be a best bet. Custom Traxx, Holland Traction Products, Light Rail Products, MTS Imports, and Railway/Traction Miniatures. Jan 21-22 - Cow Palace, Daly City, CA Great Western & Atlantic Train Show Holland Traction Products and Railway Traction Miniatures. February 25 - Fairplex, Pomona, CA Great Western & Atlantic Train Show This is a ONE-DAY show, Saturday only. Custom Traxx, Holland Traction Products and Railway/ Traction Miniatures. March 18 - Orange County Fair Grounds, Costa Mesa, CA Great Western & Atlantic Train Show This is a ONE-DAY show, Saturday only. Custom Traxx, Holland Traction Products and Railway/ Traction Miniatures. Sep 23-24 - Santa Clara Fairgrounds, San Jose, CA Great Western & Atlantic Train Show Holland Traction Products and Railway Traction Miniatures. Sept 30 - Orange County Fair Grounds, Costa Mesa, CA Great Western & Atlantic Train Show This is a ONE-DAY show, Saturday only. Custom Traxx, Holland Traction Products and Railway/ Traction Miniatures Nov 11-12 - Placer County Fairgrounds, Roseville, CA Northern California Model Train Show This is usually a great show with all facets of model railroading included. Custom Traxx, Holland Traction Products and Railway Traction Miniatures. Sep 23-24 - Santa Clara Fairgrounds, San Jose, CA Great Western & Atlantic Train Show Holland Traction Products and Railway Traction Miniatures. Nov 25-26 - Alameda County Fairgrounds, Pleasanton, CA Great Train Expo This is another sure winner. Holland Traction Products, and Railway/Traction Miniatures. Dec 2-3 - Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar, CA Great Train Expo Another sure winner. Custom Traxx, Holland Traction Products, and Railway/Traction Miniatures. _________________________________________ Association of Modular Model Railroad Operators formed! * With the July 2005 demise of the much loved Great American Train Show and the subsequent decision of their successor, GWAATS. to reduce their number of shows and to move to more one day shows, many of the Southern California model railroad modular clubs found themselves with fewer places to display their layouts. Several of the better Southern California modular clubs banned together during this month to form the Association of Modular Model Railroad Operators (AMMRO). This organization will be looking for new venues, even outside of the normal model train/model railroad show areas for places to display their very popular model railroads. So if your community center or shopping mall would like to host a model train display, please contact the association at 310-990-5422. It is intended that these shows will contain modular model railroad clubs only, however dependent upon market studies, selected shows including vendors may be developed in the future. More information will be forthcoming as the association proceeds in early 2006. _________________________________________ The Southern California Traction Club embraces the Great Train Expo! * The Times also learned that an agreement has been made between the Board of Directors of the Southern California Traction Club (SCTC) and the management of the Great Train Expo, to have the SCTC appear at their California shows beginning with Sacramento in January 2006. The Sacramento show will be the farthest the club has traveled from their Baldwin Hills clubhouse to display operational HO scale traction since the club was founded in 1995. The SCTC will also appear at the Great Train Expo to be held at the Del Mar Fairgrounds, Del Mar, CA in December 2006. The Great Train Expo shows are managed by CIA Incorporated, which brought over 19,000 model train lovers to their fantastic World's Greatest Hobby on Tour show in Long Beach in February 2005. For more information, check their full page ad in Model Railroader magazine or visit their web site. ____________________________________ New HO scale Traction Product! *** The Times learned during this month that Rio Grande Models is producing trolley pole towers for the Pacific Electric diesel locomotives that sported trolley poles during the 1940s. These trolley poles were required to activate highway crossing signals which were activated by trolley wire contacts. Several Southern Pacific diesels had these poles attached, including EMD NW-1 and TR6a, Baldwin DRS-6-6-15, AS-616, VO-660 and VO-1000 models. The Stewart Division of Bowser Manufacturing produces of the Baldwin diesels listed earlier. More about this item, next issue. Also see the Other Products section of the Custom Traxx catalog for more information.