May/June 2010 - O Scale Trains Magazine Online

Fast Mail, an Amtrak train, and the Exposition Flyer. The CaliforniaZephyr consist is made up of cars built and marketedby club members Ron Keiser and Don Elliott as MidlandReproductions kits in the 1980s.Locomotives range from a classic 1939 Lionel Hudson thatis used on special occasions to products of US Hobbies, AllNation, PFM, Sunset 3 rd Rail, Overland, Key, P&D, and RedCaboose. The All Nation F units were painted with the lastgallon of Rio Grande Aspen Gold paint from the railroad’sBurnham Shops in Denver.Red Caboose, Atlas and Intermountain cars populate therolling stock roster with the remainder being made up ofbrass units built worldwide in the last 20 years. Models manufacturedin the 1950s have been removed from the layoutdue to a lack of detail.An operating session on the standard gauge line requiresthree engineers, a dispatcher, a yardmaster, someone in thestaging yard and a floater to move to any trouble spots quickly.Other members greet visitors and give tours of the layoutas the trains move along. The narrow gauge run requires threeto four other members in similar roles.Adjacent to the layout, there is a small meeting room anda large workshop with woodworking and modeling toolsavailable and several projects are always in various stages ofcompletion. New members are welcome to join as long asthey are willing to make the commitment to work on the layout.The payoff is the chance to run trains on one of the mosthistoric train layouts in the United States.What the future holds for the club and its layout is somewhatin question. The entire Union Station complex is underredevelopment with a variety of plans for the station andthe adjacent yards currently being discussed. The club hasreceived preliminary assurance that it will continue to be ableto house the layout as it has for the past 74 years. The memberscontinue to make progress on installing DCC control butto completely convert a layout this large will take some timeand money.Visitors are encouraged to attend operating sessions onthe last Friday night of each month from 7-9 pm., Septemberto May. The layout can be accessed by entering the lobby ofUnion Station and taking the elevator downstairs. Then lookfor the signs to the Colorado Midland. This is a trip worthmaking! The locomotives and rolling stock are outstandingin their detail and composition. The scenery and details areaccurate and complete, and the two hours of operations willpass quickly for a visitor who wishes to spend a pleasant eveningin this historic setting.More information and pictures can be found on the club’swebsite at [www.denveroscale.org] or by calling 303-572-1015. You can also watch videos of operating sessions bysearching the YouTube website [www.youtube.com] or linkingto YouTube from the club’s website. The addition of webcamsso that website visitors can watch operating sessionslive is in the club’s plans as well.Special thanks go to club member Chip Rovetta for hiswork in captioning the photos as well as adding his considerableknowledge to this article, and to Erik Lindgren for histireless photo work.uPrototype photo courtesy of Hundman Publishing. Similar to PSC #17565-1O Scale Brass Models - Limited ProductionThe C&O H-7 and H-7a 2-8-8-2s are in the works with our premier builder Boo-RimPrecision Co. of Korea. Models are scheduled for November 2010 delivery. Everypossible detail and innovative idea will be incorporated in these models. They willfeature dual motor system and all ball bearing drive to assure smooth running.Models will be available both factory painted and unpainted. Production is limited to50 units total between 5 versions. Don’t miss out! See a PSC dealer and order yourhandcrafted brass model today!Visit our website www.precisionscaleco.com for complete listing.Precision Scale Co. Inc.2383 Meridian Road, Victor, MT 59875Email: psc@ixi.netMay/June ’10 - O Scale Trains • 9