MTS Imports hosts 'Last' Traction Show

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                MTS Imports, Inc hosted its last traction show, according to Joel Lovitch, and what a show it was. This show, known as the "Trolley Extravaganza" is to be the last of 25 consecutive annual shows promoted by MTS Imports, Inc. Joel stated that when he started the "Extravaganzas", he promised to put on 25 shows and did exactly that. He felt that it was time for someone else to take over. Joel was assisted in the conduct of his 'final' show by his wife and two daughters. This gathering of so-called trolley "weenies" was even highlighted by the presence of one of the Oscar Mayer "Wienermobiles" in the parking lot of the Holiday Inn, King of Prussia, where the show was held. Incidentally, there is only one door to enter the Wienermobile and there are four very comfortable looking seats inside,

Many of the current traction entrepreneurs were on hand including Eric Bronsky (Bronze Key Models), George Barsky (GHB), Ed Skuchas (Berkshire Car Works), Kevin Farrell and Trolleyville's own Custom Traxx. (George Huckaby).  John Nicholson of Doylestown Car Works was on hand displaying many of his excellent St. Petersburg O scale trolleys.  Of course, Joel Lovitch of MTS was no hand with many new and "previously owned' traction pieces and parts. The show was held at the Holiday Inn, King of Prussia, Pa on Friday, September 20 and Saturday, September 21. The public was admitted on Friday from 7:00 to 11:00 PM and Saturday from 9:30 AM to 5:00 PM. Admission was $10.00 and spouses and children under 18 were admitted free.

                Several modules were on hand to entertain the show visitors. Bob Thomas had a small HO scale layout running between a small loop and a warehouse type building. The streetcar left the loop with a right turn, made a left turn and then a sudden right turn into the single door opening. The door closed and  inside the building, a turntable combined with sophisicated electronics turned the car completely around 180 degrees, the door opened and out came the car. The car that he was using was a WP Car Chicago MU #6207. Just to prove that any car would work, Custom Traxx' NORTA Riverfront car 451 was used for two trips.

                Naturally, no east coast model trolley meet can be complete without the East Penn Traction Clubs HO and O scale modules. Ed Torpey, Jack Spedden, Tom O'Donnell, Bob Dietrich and other members manned the HO scale three separate routes under individualized control. Again Custom Traxx car 451 was caught taking the crossover on one of the HO scale modules.

                The O scale modules are no less spectacular. Bill Brandt and his associates were on hand with some very nicely detailed models. Seen on the layout were SEPTA Single End Kawasaki Light Rail Transit vehicle, an Indianapolis Railways Peter Witt, a Capital Transit pre-PCC streamliner and many others. Shown below is a Johnston Traction Co car entering the Fairview Loop.

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Annual Orange Empire Model Traction Show and Swap Meet

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                Each fall, in September or early October, the Orange Empire Railway Museum hosts swap meet and model traction meet. The centerpiece is usually the Southern California Traction Clubs HO scale modular layout known for operation of five-car Blimp trains and 1200 series interurban cars.

This year was no different as the club operated for the entire day of the swap meet. This year the club displayed and operated a Lehigh Valley Transit Express car made from the Sparrows Point Division, Bethlehem Car Works laser cut kit. The kit had been assembled by John Kennedy and Custom Traxx has installed a Bowser drive with A-line flywheel kit along with two reworked trolley poles.

Also displayed was another express motor, belonging to Ed Torpey, converted from the Bowser Jewett in the same manner as had been done to the prototype in 1935.

Anyway, for you Southern Californians, the next display of the Southern California Traction Club will be at the Arboretum of Los Angeles County in Arcadia, CA on October 26-27, 2002.

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25^th Trolley Extravaganza

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(continued from column 1)

There was the large HO scale Chicago elevated train modules as shown below.

                Although this was the last show to be hosted by Joel Lovitch, it does not look like that this will be the last Extravaganza. Rumors (very strong) abounded that another trolley fan will take the show over and produce it in 2003.

                On another note, there seems to be a potential problem with the East Penn meet currently scheduled for May 2003. It appears that the South Jersey Expo in New Brunswick has been or is in the process of being sold and no commitment in available at press time for the May 2003 date. Stay tuned or check their web site at www.eastpenn.org for the latest news.

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Trolleyville needs your support to continue!

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            Trolleyville was created in 1997 to help new modelers in the traction portion of the model railroading hobby. It was intended that several model tractioneers from all over the United States and Canada could contribute to both the Trolleyville Times and the Trolleyville Schoolhouse. We know that there are several of you with many ideas and facts about many topics as we read and review most of your discussions on many of the trolley chat rooms.  But as you can see, almost none of the well-known traction modelers have contributed to either the newspaper or the schoolhouse.

                Without a diversity of input, it makes little sense to continue the monthly publication of a weekly newspaper devoted to traction and traction modeling. So this is the final call for others beside whose names you see regularly to contribute. Just send your articles via email in MS Word format to trolleyvilletimes@customtraxx.com or schoolhouse@customtraxx.com. We can handle the rest.

                Without more diversity, publication on a monthly basis may be discontinued in 2003.