HE LION ROARS - Lionel Collectors Club of America

Al KollisRM 15902HIGHLIGHT:“The volunteerBoard of Directors,officers, appointedofficials, andfellow volunteershave workedtogether andmade numerousaccomplishments.”The Lion Roars 2It is difficult for me to believe thattwo years have already gone by. AsI write my final President’s Report,I have very mixed emotions. I amsad to see my term end, but I am excitedabout what our team of volunteers wasable to accomplish. It seems like onlyyesterday when I first introduced myselfto you. My mother told me, “The olderyou get, the faster time goes by.” I didn’tbelieve her at that time, but I certainlydo now.When I look back over the past twoyears, I am very proud to be involvedwith the best toy train club on the planet.The volunteer Board of Directors,officers, appointed officials, and fellowvolunteers have worked together andmade numerous accomplishments.Membership stats ebb and flow overtime, like the tides; nevertheless, sinceI assumed the office during the 2009Convention in Sacramento, CA, 766 newmembers have joined the club.Many to ThankUnder the leadership of Director RogerFarkash and Dominic Caponi, JMCoordinator, the club’s Junior Memberprogram has grown and providedactivities and benefits for youngsters.Many people talk about bringing childreninto the hobby, but the LCCA has beenwalking the walk, not just talking thetalk. We have been very successful inadding young members and providingvalue to kids through our JM Program.We were the first toy train club to providea Facebook account. The new The LionCub publication for JMs is anothercreative communications project. Weare planning numerous activities for JMsand youngsters at our upcoming annualConvention to be held at the HyattRegency DFW at the DFW Airport.Our energetic TLR Editor Mike Mottlerhas continually updated the format of ourmulti-award-winning club publication –especially during our 40 th anniversaryyear. A big “Thank you!” to Mike, thecreative core team, and the authors thathave contributed to making the magazinethe best toy train club publication on theplanet! Mike does a great job balancingthe articles, and there is something ofinterest to everyone in each issue.Report fromCraig Tribuzi and Barrie Braden havecontinued to improve our buy/sell/tradepublication, the Interchange Track andthe eTrack section of our website. eTrackenables our members to create wish lists,show product photos, and enhance theiropportunities to buy/sell/trade trains24/7/365. If you are not familiar witheTrack, I suggest you check it out. It is agreat, easy-to-use source of informationabout train products posted by ourmembers all around this country. If youwant to sell an item, list it at eTrack.Club members with Internet access andan interest in Lionel trains will haveaccess to it.We have made tremendous improvementsin our club’s website, www.lionelcollectors.org. We have posted newitems on our website on average of oncea week during the past year. Director EdRichter (The Voice) has made significantcontributions with his videographyand video editing skills. Visit the videosection of our website, select postingson the crossing gate signal, and viewthese videos. I am certain you will findsomething of interest to you.Former President and Website ManagerLarry Black is now preparing to launchour newly re-designed website. Thissignificant makeover is intended tobe easier to navigate, speed up videodownloads, and enhance our membersand guests overall experience with ourwebsite. In my opinion, our website issecond to none in the toy train hobby.Product Development Manager LouCaponi and Director Dave Miller havedone a fantastic job of developing unique,desirable, limited-edition, collectibleLionel ® train items such as the Santa Fe#208 Alco diesel pair, the re-make of theBurlington #216 Alco set, the UP “Flag”Cylindrical Hopper Car, and numerousother items. Our 40 th anniversary saleof Lionel catalogued items at reducedprices was a huge success on two levels– great deals for members and a revenuegenerator for the club. “Thanks!” to allwho supported the club by purchasingthese products. Stay tuned for upcomingLCCA commemorative items.LCCA ConventionsThe LCCA hosts the best toy trainclub Conventions on the planet! Our

our President40 th anniversary Convention held lastsummer in Denver, CO, at the DenverMarriott Tech Center Hotel was a blast.One highlight was “The LCCA Special”#844 steam locomotive train excursionfrom Denver to Cheyenne, WY. TheUP steam crew modified the signage onthe tender to read “Lionel Lines.” Ourmembers were surprised and delightedwhen they had not just one, but twophoto run-bys.One of my personal Conventionhighlights was the Saturday eveningbanquet. Eight Charter Members sharedthe stage alongside 40 Junior Members.We are grateful to Jim Gates, CharterMember #1, and his fellow 83 chartermembers who had the foresight andperseverance to form this great club backin 1970. We are counting on these JuniorMembers to continually improve andgrow our club over the next 40 years. Iconsidered it a very special evening.Sharing the MagicDuring the past two years, we were verysuccessful in introducing the magic ofLionel trains and the benefits of beinga member of the LCCA to thousandsof people who attended the World’sGreatest Hobby on Tour train shows invarious cities around the country.The former owners of Lionel Trains Inc.,Dick and Linda Kughn, received anaward from LCCA during ‘An Evening ToRemember’ in NJ.“Thank you” to all our members whostopped by the club booth to chat. Itwas great to see so many young familiesand children involved in these events.It demonstrates to me that our hobbyis definitely very much alive and doingwell. The toy train hobby should continueto do well into the future.An Experiment and a TrendThis year we experimented with hostingor co-hosting local events. “An Eveningto Remember” at the NJ Hi-Railers Clubin Paterson, NJ, was a family-friendlydinner event that featured LCCA formerPresident Bill Schmeelk performinga magic act. Members spent a specialevening in an intimate setting withformer owners of Lionel Trains, Dick andLinda Kughn. Other VIPs at this eventwere “Train Lady” artist Angela TrottaThomas, “Mrs. Lionel” Marie Dean,OGR’s Jim Barrett, and representativesfrom Lionel. Our members enjoyed aspecial evening amongst friends, ranLionel trains on one of the premier toytrain layouts in the country, and bondedwith the people of Lionel.LCCA recently co-sponsored a secondlocal event – a toy train auction – incollaboration with the Colorado ToyTrain Group, Ltd., in the Denver area onMay 22. More than 700 lots of trains wereoffered for sale at auction to registeredbidders. LCCA members participatedin this event at 50% off the RegistrationFee. What a deal!Challenges AheadWe have accomplished a lot in the pasttwo years. However, we still have manychallenges ahead of us. In my view, weshould:• Continue to focus on providingour members with more benefits, thusincreasing membership value.• Reduce the costs of our new businessoffice operation.The NJ Hi-Railers Club train layout.Our club founder, Jim Gates, representedthe club at the WGHOT train show inOmaha, NE.The Lion Roars 3

• Focus on year-round activities andspecial local events that add valueto our members and promote andfoster interest, research, educationand enjoyment of Lionel trains.• Plan toy-train-related events thatmaintain existing and recruit newmembers. Yes, we have greatConventions, but we are more than aclub of conventioneers.• Continue to support and expand ourJM program. After all, the childrenwho play with trains today will growup and become the collectors/operators/hobbyists of tomorrow.• Seek ways and means to grow theclub to become the biggest – as wellas the best – toy train club on theplanet!2011 ConventionConventions Co-managers “CowboyBob” Carter, “Loco Louie” Caponi, andthe entire Convention Management Teamare planning a great Convention for youat the Hyatt Regency DFW at the airportduring the week of July 25 through 30.Bring a friend or an extended familymember and introduce them to the club.I am certain they will have a fun-filledweek. We will offer train and non-trainrelatedactivities geared for people of allages and interests. This year, experts willpresent seminars with demonstrationson interesting, useful topics. RenownedLionel-licensed artist, Angela TrottaThomas, will conduct two“Learn to Draw a LionelTrain” classes; one foryounger JMs and a secondclass for advanced JMsand Regular Members.Lionel’s massive trainlayout designed and builtby T W Design of Dallas,TX, will be in operation atthe host hotel. It’s as bigas a four-stall garage. Arepresentative from OGRmagazine will attend theConvention and conductdemonstrations. Theirdisplay will show thedigital archive of OGRmagazines contained on CDs, a productfavorably reviewed in TLR. Come ondown to Texas and enjoy the camaraderieof fellow LCCA members, “talk trains”with hobbyists and experts, and shop ‘tilyou drop in the on-site LCCA Store andthe Trading Hall.I believe the more you give to the club, themore you receive from it. I recommendthat everyone get more involved. This isyour club, and you make it fully yours byparticipating to the max. Everyone hasone good train story to share with fellowmembers. Earn “15 minutes of fame” bysubmitting photos or videos about youand your trains. We can publish them inTLR or post them on our website. Othermembers would love to see them.In closing, I want to thank every memberfor helping to make the LCCA the besttoy train club on the planet! To meand my family, the best fringe benefitof membership is “collecting” greatfriendships and relationships over theyears. Our people make this club great.I am grateful for the opportunity to serveas president during the past two years. Iplan to continue to support the club andhelp it grow in the future. Gina, Alfonse,Vincent, and I are looking forward toseeing y’all this summer at our 41 stConvention in Grapevine/Dallas, TX.Remember Rule #1: Have Fun! Are wehaving fun yet?Photographs by Ed Richterand Bob CarterToy Trunk Railroadby Erik SansomThe Lion Roars 4

Lou CaponiRM 8735Product Development ShopHIGHLIGHT:“Thank you” toall who sent mewonderful notesand e-mailsabout how muchyou enjoyedthe beautifulgraphics on theLCCA 2010ConventionCar, a UnionPacific ‘Flag’CylindricalHopper. ”It’s summertime already, and thegreat news for LCCA members is– it’s also LCCA Convention time!I’m looking forward to seeing manyof you in Texas in late July.“Thank you” to all who sent mewonderful notes and e-mails abouthow much you enjoyed the beautifulgraphics on the LCCA 2010 ConventionCar, a Union Pacific “Flag” CylindricalHopper. I am honored that so many ofyou took the time and dropped me a line.I will continue to offer LCCA membersthe very best club-sponsored products Ican develop as proof of our performanceas the best toy train club on the planet.Last CallIf you have not received your 2010 UnionPacific “Flag” Cylindrical Hopper Caror your Burlington #216 Alco train set,contact me immediately at caponilj@comcast.net or call me at 484-431-8529.Do not contact the LCCA Business Officeabout this, because I am the gatekeeperfor these items.2011 Convention CarSales of the Texas Special Milk Reeferhave been nothing less than outstanding.This Lionel ® product is limited to1,500 pieces as advertised through ourpublications and website. Based on aMay 15, 2011, tally of orders received,we have already exceeded expectations.We have surpassed the 1,000 mark, andwe know from past experience that it’snot unusual for 400+ orders to arriveduring the final two weeks of the offer.Don’t get left out. Don’t procrastinate.Send in your order today. The deadlinefor ordering this beautiful piece ofrolling stock is imminent: June 30, sameas last year. I guarantee that you will notbe disappointed!What’s on the Wayfrom Lionel?The new Dinosaur Transport Gondola,LCCA’s first product intended forJunior Members, will be arriving soon.The ad photo of this car in this issueof The Lion Roars is very colorful,and the gon is “equipped” with severalrealistic dinosaurs for enhanced playvalue. However, you can’t appreciatethe graphics on this dynamite-lookinggondola by looking at the picture. The caris equipped with die-cast metal trucks. Ifa youngster drops it on a hard floor, don’tworry about coupler or truck breakage.Although intended for JMs, this car is notlimited to them only – it’s available to allmembers. Remember, total production islimited to 500 pieces. We will not go backto Lionel for additional pieces. I hope tohave this gondola available for viewingat our Convention in Texas along with alot of other goodies. Stop by the onsiteLCCA Store within the Convention hosthotel and take a peek!The second item in our JM series will bean Animated Skateboard Gondola aimedtoward older-age JMs. It will be limitedto 500 pieces also. It will be available toall JMs and Regular Members. Both ofthe JM-oriented products will be sold ona first-come, first-served basis.Our 2011 ConventionI predict that members who plan toattend the upcoming Convention will beastounded by the LCCA commemorativeofferings shown in the previous issueof TLR. Most items will be extremelylimited, so take this hint – get to theonsite LCCA Store and have your creditcard handy.Kind Words for our FriendsAt our 2010 Denver Convention, theclub designated a play area in the atriumof the host hotel for Junior Members,visiting children, and special youngguests and families. It was a first-timeventure, and it was a big hit. Moms, dads,aunts, uncles, and grandparents had agreat time playing with new Lionel trainsets provided to LCCA by the company.We re-gifted the trains to youngsters andMake-A-Wish families. It was a sight tobehold. LCCA has named this activity“Smiles from the Heart.” Our friends atLionel helped keep smiles from the hearton the faces of many wonderful kids.I believe Lionel will participate in thisprogram again this year but with somelimitations commensurate with today’seconomic environment. We thank themfor their generosity despite the reality ofthese difficult financial times.See you soon in Texas!The Lion Roars 5

Jerry DangeloCM 67An Artifact of early LCCA HistoryHIGHLIGHT:“Now comesthe real puzzle.I cannot find anydata or logic toexplain why thisprogram wasdiscontinuedor when.”As I mentioned in my last article,while I was looking for data onmissing LCCA Charter MembersI found some interesting early LCCAhistory to share with you.The first is a Certificate of Membershipissued to all members who requestedone in the late 1970s and early’80s. Thisprogram was initiated at the January 3l,1976, BOD meeting when then AssistantSecretary Dave Stonecipher (RM 212)moved that the president appoint amember or a committee to producea Certificate of Membership for clubmembers. The motion was seconded bythen Director R. Curtis Fischbach (RM172) and carried. That information waspublished in the April 1, 1976, issue ofThe Lion Roars within the report of theBOD minutes.My Certificate of Membership is shownbelow, and I must say that it is a nicedesign. I do not know who designedit. Hopefully, this article may producethat information for us. Mycertificate issigned by my friend and then SecretaryDienzel Dennis (RM 6713). Mr. Dennistook office in 1982-83, so the exact yearof issue for this certificate is a mystery,at least for me. If the BOD initiated thecertificate program in 1976 and I did notreceive mine until 1982 per Mr. Dennis’signature, which is a seven-year gap,the question remains, when were theydistributed?Now comes the real puzzle. I cannot findany data or logic to explain why thisprogram was discontinued or when. Nordo I remember any discussion of it whileI held various offices in the LCCA from1982-83 and afterwards. It is my hopethat someone can enlighten us why thiswas dropped and when. If you have anyinformation on this point, please dropme a line or e-mail me so I can updatethis article and place a copy into ourhistorical record.Next time, I’ll have another story aboutthe early history of the LCCA.Club members can reach Jerry at:www.dangelo32@netzero.com.The Lion Roars 6

a Layout and a CollectionOn Hallowed GroundMy train building rests on the site of theformer local train depot, and that wasa key decision point. It’s on the exactlocation of the old train depot in Leland.When putting in the foundation, I foundsome old railroad spikes and tie plates.The depot was originally M&St.L, butlater it became Chicago & Northwestern.When I was aboy, I’d go thereand put pennieson the track andwatch the train goby. When a trainstopped, I’d talkto the engineer. Iwas there with thetrains all the time.Bob’s TrainHouseI built the mainportion of thebuilding for alarge layout withroom for a lot ofpeople to walkaround in it andnot feel closed in.It is accessible to persons with handicaps.I can run up to seven trains at a time onindividual loops. I invite church and civicgroups to visit, and I let the trains run onopen loops with no switching from trackto track.The layout has all the Lionel operatingaccessories made in the postwar era.All of them are up and running, includingthe hard-to-find ones like the Heliport.The Sawmill and the Forklift attractthe attention of many visitors. I envyhobbyists who have layouts with sceneryand lots of detailing, but I elected to gojust with Lionel postwar items only. It’swhat I like.The Lion Roars 9

I started collecting with just steamlocomotives, and then I set a goal ofacquiring every Lionel steam enginemade, which I did. Then I startedcollecting passenger cars. At thispoint in time, I don’t have all thevariations, but I have all the numbers.Then I moved along to freight cars,diesel engines, and electrics. I nowhave all of these, including all theF3 diesels. All that’s missing is aboutthree engines, and I’m on the lookoutfor them!Trains as anIntergenerationalAttractionMy son now serves in the Armyas a Captain at Ft. Hood, TX. Mydaughter and her husband livenearby and they have four kids –three girls and a boy. My daughter’sfamily really loves the trains. Myparents love the trains as well. Pam,my fiancée, will attend the upcomingConvention in Texas with me. It willbe her third event, so the hobby hasbecome a regular thing. This will bemy tenth Convention.The Layout and CollectionI consider the layout pretty wellfinished. I don’t move things aroundvery much because I’m happy withit the way it is. Visitors can walk allthe way around it. If I need to getto the middle area to fix somethingor replace a bulb, I remove theturntable. It pops out like an accesshatch. I’m tall with long arms, so Ican reach halfway across the layoutfrom both sides.My goal was to have everything ondisplay as much as possible. I boughtMDF sheets for the display shelvesand cut grooves in them to holdthe wheels of the trains in position.An electrical lighting contractorinstalled florescent ceiling fixtures,so everything is well lit. For dramaticrunning, I turn the overhead lightsoff and use the lights on the layout.“Pam, my fiancée, will attend the upcoming Conventionin Texas with me. It will be her third event, so thehobby has become a regular thing. This will be mytenth Convention, and I can’t wait to go there.”The Lion Roars 10

The Lion Roars 11

About five yearsago I startedcollecting postwarLionel HO.The trains arevery interestingcollectibles. WhenI got into it, theseHO trains werevery cheap, butnow prices haveescalated tenfold.I’ll only buy themin boxed sets.My prized piece is the #347 CannonFiring Range Set. I have never seenanother one for sale in as fine conditionas this one. The black Rock Island trainis cool, and I have the Lionel PaperTrain of 1945. I have several cars withdifferent variations. I like limited-editionitems, and the variations are interesting.Like many collectors, I upgrade piecesin the collection when I find a piece thatis better than the one on hand. However,the market has been picked over a lotsince the time when I started collecting in1995 during my first LCCA Conventionin Des Moines, IA. That year, I comehome with a pickup truck full of trains.The trains were cheaper then, and goodquality items were available. Today, it’smore difficult to find good postwarpieces because much of it iswith collectors who maynot want to sell itemsright now. Even if they dooffer something for sale,the price is high.I have two prewar O-gaugesets, but that’s not a focusfor me. My collection nowincludes more than 250O-gauge boxed train setsof the postwar era.The collection is presented in display cases and on shelves.The Lion Roars 12

The “Wow!” FactorVisitors walk into my train building andsay, “Holy cow, this train empire is in themiddle of rural Iowa?” What they meanis, “in the middle of nowhere!” Theyjust can’t believe this big train layout isin such a little town. I open the layout atChristmastime and for special occasionswhen people want a tour. When kidscome in here, their eyes get so big thatthey can’t talk. That’s my biggest thrill.I don’t post opening hours, but if peoplewant a tour, they can contact me. I’llbe glad to open it at no charge. Churchand school groups come by, and there’sa monthly VFW breakfast in Leland. Iopen it for that event.The hobby has always fascinated me, andI have a great deal of fun playing with oldtoy trains. If they don’t work, I’ll cleanand lube them and pretty soon, they’rerunning again. I attend train shows with aLCCA member and friend, and we oftenbet on the prospects for fixing an oldertrain.Lifelong LearningEvery time I go to a LCCA Conventionor talk to another club member, I learnsomething new. There’s so muchknowledge within the group. There’s nota Convention that goes by that I don’tcome back with more knowledge. Thereare hobbyists who know 10 or 20 timesmore than I do, and all are eager to talkand share.For me, it’s cool to get kids involved.That often begins with a starter trainset like The Polar Express. Let them gettheir hands on the controls, and the rest,as they say, is history. Better yet, theunfolding of destiny.Photographs by Ray HansenEditor’s postscript: Robertcommissioned a photographer to takepictures of his complete collectionof club-sponsored products. He hascontributed the images to the club foruse in the online photo archive.The Lion Roars 13

Robert H. WalkerRM 27981A Crossing Gate withHIGHLIGHT:“This realisticcrossing gateoperation canbe accomplishedat nominal cost,and it’s an easyto-implementproject.”The Lion Roars 14Editor’s Preface: Most three-railersare familiar with crossing gate controlmethods: the venerable Lionel #153weight-sensitive contactor, the #153IRinfra-red device, and the simple yeteffective insulated outside rail. Eachmethod has its devotees and detractors.Bob offers another way to operate oneof the hobby’s most ubiquitous operatingaccessories.There are a number of differentmethods for detecting the positionof a train in a layout. The detectionsystem used for the crossinggate described here employs a simplemagnetic sensor, which triggers a newservomechanism driver circuit that inturn activates a small servomechanismto lower and raise the crossing gate arm.Two key detection elementsare incorporated. The firstis a pair of small magneticnormally-open reed relaysensors mounted alongside123the track, one on the leftside of the track prior to thecrossing area and the otheron the right side of the trackafter the crossing area, asshown in photos 1 & 2. Thesensors are Cherry Electricpart #CH-405.The sensors are triggeredby small magnets attachedto a car, one on the left sideof the car at the head of thetrain and the other on theright side of the last car ofthe train. See photo 3 for atypical magnet placementon the underside of agondola. The magnet is thesmall rectangle in the centerand is held in place by double-sidedtape. As the car passes the sensor, themagnet causes the sensor relay to closemomentarily. The magnet is a CherryElectric part #CH-412,but any similar magnetwill work.The first sensor shouldbe located far enoughbefore the crossingarea so that the gateis fully lowered whenthe locomotive entersthe crossing area. Thesecond sensor shouldbe located after thecrossing area so thatthe gate is raised as thelast car exits the crossing area and movespast the second sensor. The sensors arecompact in size and can be concealedby small trackside structures or scenicelements, if desired.The second key element is theservomechanism and its control system.A relatively new product, the Quad-Piccircuit board is available from Tam ValleyDepot in San Diego, CA. The Quad-Picwill control up to four servos, so it canbe used for semaphores and turnouts aswell. You will need a 12 VDC powersource for the Quad-Pic. Instructionsaccompanying the Quad-Pic explain howto set the servo arm travel end points andthe speed of the arm movement.4Both the sensor and the servoconnections to the Quad-Pic use smallthree-pin connectors, so wiring is easy.Note in the circuit diagram (Figure 4)that an optional controller is shown.This controller comeswith the Quad-Pic.It’s a one-inch-squarecircuit board with apushbutton and twoLEDs. The controlleris not necessary for thissetup, but it is handy foroperating the crossinggate manually, ifnecessary.Photo 5 shows a viewof the servomechanismlocated directly beneath5

Magnetic Sensorsthe crossing gate. The servo hastwo operating functions. Theleft hand side arm is connectedto a flexible wire, which passesthrough the layout surface andraises/lowers the crossing gatearm. The second function is theright hand side arm. When thegate arm is lowered, it trips thesnap-action switch mounted atan angle to the immediate rightof the servo. The gate loweringand raising speed can beadjusted and is quite realisticwhen in operation.When the crossing gate armis lowered, the snap-actionswitch closes a circuit, whichsupplies power to two small redLEDs mounted on the gate armfor added realism – an optionalfeature. Also note in Figure 5the previously discussed handycontroller board, which canbe mounted anywhere that isconvenient.Photos 6, 7, 8, and 9 show thesequence of operation with atrain approaching the crossing(gate up), a train entering thecrossing (gate down/LEDs lit),a train in the crossing (gatedown/LEDs lit) and finally, atrain leaving the crossing (gateup).This dual magnetic sensorarrangement can also be usedin conjunction with the Quad-Pic and a servo to operate asemaphore signal. This realisticcrossing gate operation can beaccomplished at nominal cost,and it’s an easy-to-implementproject.Photographs by Robert Walker6789The Lion Roars 15

Mike McLintockRM 27393Puffy Will Roll Again.HIGHLIGHT:“We filledbuckets full ofmetal piecesfrom thecylinder, rodand piston,”he said. “Wetowed her backto Grapevinewith ourGP-7 dieseland assessedthe damage.”In Time for the LCCAConvention?The LCCA will bring its nationalConvention to Grapevine/Dallas,TX, in late July, and club memberswill want to ride the GrapevineVintage Railroad with Puffy, the steamlocomotive, on the point. But thisvenerable 113-year-old loco needed twonew pistons and a connecting rod. Sowhere to go for these important parts? ToParis, of course. Paris, Arkansas, that is.That was where Brent Villard,Trainmaster for the GVRR, went tofind the new pistons and a rod for themajor rebuilding of the railroad’s #2248William S. Davis steam locomotive.Also known as “Puffy,” this 4-6-0 wasoriginally built in Paterson, NJ, in July,1896, by the Cooke Locomotive andMachine Works.The 20-inch-diameter, 350-poundpistons and a four-foot-long connectingrod were acquired from the MissouriPacific #2522 4-6-0 locomotive on staticdisplay in the Paris City Park since 1962.The Lion Roars 16Removing the piston and rod from MoPac #2522 in Paris, AR.That Missouri Pacificengine was also built byCooke in October, 1898,so it was a perfect match.In Regular ServiceThe GVRR ran its iconicengine on a weekly basisbefore it suffered majordamage to the cylinderwalls. The cylinderdamage was repairedlast year. Puffy was onits final test run to FortWorth last October 31stwhen the piston broke,resulting in damage tothe cylinder and the rod.Villard was there when

We Hope by Late July.the breakdown occurred. “We filledbuckets full of metal pieces from thecylinder, rod and piston,” he said. “Wetowed her back to Grapevine with ourGP-7 diesel and assessed the damage.”The City of Grapevine was not willingto give up on Puffy and charged Villardto locate the necessary parts for a repair,if possible. The alternative was tocustom-make new parts copied from theoriginals – an expensive process. Aftercombing the country for static engineswith interchangeable pistons and rods,he discovered the parts in neighboringplaces and carefully bored out withmanual tools brought to Grapevine toperform this precise, meticulous work.The cylinder sleeve was then replaced,the piston put back into place, and therod re-attached.A Colorful HistoryPuffy has been owned and operated bythe GVRR since 2000. The engine pullsa set of heavyweight passenger cars toand from the Fort Worth Stock Yardsseveral days a week. Before becomingGrapevine’s “Puffy,” the engine wasowned and operated by the Fort Worthat his first theme park, Disneyland. Butthe train was determined to be too largefor the park and was moved to the TexasState Railroad.Status ReportAs this issue of TLR went to press,Brent and his team were still doingthe painstaking repair and reassemblywork on Puffy with the hope of havingthe historic steam engine ready forboarding for an excursion run for LCCAconventioneers. If they are successful,those who climb aboard the GrapevineVintage Railroad in late July amid a swirlArkansas. Paris is locatedin western Arkansasbetween Fort Smith andLittle Rock, 339 milesfrom Grapevine.Villard and his crew waited for amoderately warm winter day in Paris andcarefully removed the parts they neededfrom the “parts donor” locomotive foruse in rebuilding the GVRR steamer.According toVillard, rebuildingan old steamlocomotive isalmost a lost art,so he turned toexperts at PortableMachine Works ofBaton Rogue, LA,to do the work.The casing waswelded in several Disneyland.F A C T O I DPuffy originally served as aSouthern Pacific engine andwas bought by Walt Disney forservice at his first theme park,and Western and was namedthe “Tarantula,” a nicknamefor the Fort Worth railroadsthat spread throughout thetown in the shape of thiswell-known arachnid.Puffy was formerlyowned by the TexasState Railroad,which operatesexcursion trains toand from Rust toPalestine, TX. Puffyoriginally served asa Southern Pacificengine and wasbought by WaltDisney for serviceof puffing smoke and blowing steamshould offer a “Thank You” to the crewat the GVRR. And remember the “partsdonor” – an old steam engine in a publicpark in Paris.Photographs by Mike McLintockand Bob ReedEditor’s Postscript: If Puffy is notrepaired in time for our Convention, aback-up diesel locomotive will be on thepoint.The Lion Roars 17

“Cowboy Bob” CarterRM 6620LCCA 2011Driving to Texas?Save your validated airport toll roadcard and present it to the host hotel deskfor free parking on the premesis.Tour 1: Texas State RailroadMonday, July 25 7 a.m. – 6 p.m.Costs: $139 open-air car; $159 airconditioned car (limited seating)After a 2.5 hour motorcoach ride tothe site, you will arrive at the PineyWoods of East Texas for a ride aboarda 1900-era steam train. Enjoy a photorun-by before leaving the station, seelocomotive #610 (it pulled the AmericanFreedom Train), then watch old #300as it turns on the 1880s air-poweredturntable. Tour the maintenance shop inRusk and then climb in the cab of #300to have your picture taken.You will enjoy some of the most mouthwateringBBQ ever under the tall pinesin a pavilion, or in large tents set upjust for us. This is truly a “Welcometo Texas” tour to begin your fabulousweek in the Lone Star State. Some ofthe cars are open air, meaning coveredbut non-air conditioned, with a fewcars air conditioned for comfort. Theweather may be warm, but the shade ofthe forest and the movement of the trainshould make the trip quite comfortable.One lucky guest 18 or older will enjoya ride in the cab with the engineer andfireman, so be sure to wear closed-toeshoes in case you’re the lucky one.Tour 2: Mystery and ModelTrainsTuesday July 26 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.Cost: $99Explore Dallas with an inquiry intothe assassination of President John F.Kennedy, dine at Spaghetti Warehouse,and visit one of the country’s largestpermanent G-gauge model trainexhibits.This tour will begin at the Texas SchoolBook Depository and Dealey Plaza, thesite of the JFK assassination. Then it’sup to the Sixth Floor Museum whereLee Harvey Oswald took the fatal shot(or did he?). You will be transportedback to 1963 and JFK’s trip to Dallas,the motorcade route, the “X” on theThe Lion Roars 18street where he was shot, the stockadefence, and the investigations thatfollowed.After lunch at Spaghetti Warehouse, it’son to the Children’s Medical Center ofDallas, home to the country’s largestpermanent G-gauge model train display.This two-story layout was designed andbuilt by local artist Malcolm Furlow withthe intention to help the children forget,for just a small time, their pain andillness.Tour 3: Money and MotorsTuesday, July 26 8 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.Cost: $69This tour begins with a visit to theBureau of Engraving and Printing(BEP) Western Currency Facility inFort Worth. You’ll watch a short videoand then see millions of dollars beingprinted as you walk along an enclosedelevated walkway over the productionfloor. PLEASE NOTE: NO CAMERAS,CELL PHONES, OR FOOD/DRINKMAY BE BROUGHT INTO THE BEP.The tour is a 40-minute walking tourand covers about ¼-mile. After the tour,enjoy the opportunity to shop at themoney store for your sheet of uncut bills.Next is one of the world’s largest andmost modern sports and entertain-mentfacilities, Texas Motor Speedway (TMS).Tours include a stop on the luxury suitelevel where you get a birds-eye view ofthe 1,500 acres that is TMS and morethan 150,000 spectator seats. You canbring your camera here for numerousphoto ops, including the infield andthe garage. Ride in the TMS van andnegotiate the 24-degree, high-bankedtrack. Truly an experience you’llremember and talk about!Since there is NO LUNCH on this tour,feel free to bring snacks to eat on the busbetween the BEP and TMS venues.Tour 4: Arlington SportsTuesday, July 26 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.Cost: $134This is truly a sports fan’s delight! Takea trip to three of North Texas’ premiersporting attractions – the InternationalBowling Museum, Texas RangersBallpark, and Cowboys Stadium.First is an interactive museum filled withone-of-a-kind bowling artifacts, a uniquebowling experience, and a cuttingedgeglimpse toward the future of thispastime.Second is the Ballpark in Arlington,home of the 2010 American LeagueChamps, the Texas Rangers. Arrivingat the ballpark, we’ll tour the open-airstadium and see the clubhouse, pressbox, owner’s suite, and the dugout.After a BBQ lunch, it’s on to CowboysStadium where a guided tour takes youthrough the largest domed facility in theworld. You’ll go behind the scenes andpose for souvenir photos, so bring yourown camera. This will be a day of sportsand fun!Tour 5: DART and MATATuesday, July 26 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.Cost: $79Today you will enjoy the present andthe past in urban rail travel. Beginningwith the exploration of the Dallas AreaRapid Transit’s (DART) control roomand shop, this two-level facility is theheart of the DART rail system where allthe routes are controlled and all the carsare serviced.After exploring the present and futureof urban rail, you’ll be taken back inhistory on the McKinney Avenue TransitAuthority’s Trolley (MATA) system.The “M” Line is the only transit linein North Texas that operates lovinglyrestored antique electric trolley carsrunning on some of Dallas’ oldestoriginal trolley tracks. You will rideon one of the following cars – Rosie(1909), Green Dragon (1913), Petunia(1920), or Matilda (1925). After ridingthe entire route and watching theoperator reconfigure the car for theround trip, you will take a private tourof the trolley barn and “talk shop” withthose who keep these historic treasuresin working order. Finally you’ll havesome free time in historic Uptown forlunch on your own or checking out theart galleries and antique stores.Tour 6: Grapevine VintageRailroadWednesday, July 27 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.Cost: $129After a short ride from Hyatt RegencyDFW to historic downtown Grapevine,TX, look for the RR turntable. We’lldepart on a 10 a.m. train ride aboard theGrapevine Vintage Railroad.

Convention Tours“Puffy,” the classic steam locomotiveof the GVRR, is now undergoing majorrepair, and we hope it will be in servicein late July. If not, diesel #2199 will beon the point.During the 75-minute trip there will bea surprise holdup by a group of trainrobbers, so hold onto your women andother valuables. When the train pullsinto the Ft. Worth Stockyards, you’ll betreated to a longhorn cattle drive and achance to do some cowboy boot ‘n hatshopping. For lunch, it’s Joe T. Garcia’s,a Ft. Worth Tex-Mex icon, beforeheading back to the hotel.Tour 7: Cowgirls, Science,and SalsaWednesday, July 27 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m.Cost: $100This tour catches the cowgirl spiritat the only museum in the world thatdocuments the women of the West. Ft.Worth’s national Cowgirl Museum andHall of Fame features stories, tributes,and artifacts of the ”can-do spirit” ofcowgirls everywhere.Next door is the new Ft. Worth Museumof Science and History, which openedin November of 2009. Exhibits includeDinoLabs; Paluxysaurus jonesi, theofficial dinosaur of Texas; The NoblePlanetarium; the Ft. Worth Children’sMuseum; Innovation Studios with handson demonstrations; and the Omni IMAXTheater. Afterwards, we’ll do lunch ata local legend and sample some tastyTex-Mex treats at Pappasito’s beforereturning to the hotel. Note: IMAX andPlanetarium admissions not included.Tour 8: DART and MATAWednesday, July 27 9 a.m. – 3 p.m.Cost: $79A reprise of Tour 5 for convenience.Tour 9: Planes and TrainsThursday, July 28 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.Cost: $115This tour begins with a visit to theCavanaugh Flight Museum where youstep back in time and watch the historyof aviation unfold. Walk past woodand fabric aircraft from WWI. Passby aircraft of the 1930s and WWII,and check out the early jet planes ofthe ‘50s. A special treat for one luckyperson will be a ride in an open-cockpitStearman Bi-Plane. Tour participantswho signed a waiver and are in goodhealth will be eligible for that luckyride. It’s just another memory-makingevent of a lifetime, courtesy of yourLCCA.After the flight museum, lunch will beat Babe’s Chicken House. This NorthTexas home-cookin’ favorite servesup family-style dinners of fried orsmoked chicken, pot roast, and chickenfried steak with lettuce salad, greenbeans, creamed corn, mashed potatoes,and excellent biscuits with honey ormolasses. After waddling out of Babe’s,you’re off to the Museum of AmericanRailroads (MARR) at its new location.The MARR has one of the mostcomprehensive heavyweight passengercar collections in the U.S. Among thelocomotives in the collection are a UPBig Boy, a Pennsy GG1, a Santa Fe F3,and a 4-8-4 Northern. This tour willdefinitely be one to take.Tour 10: Money and MotorsThursday, July 28 8 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.Cost: $69A reprise of Tour 3 for convenience.Tour 11: Arlington SportsThursday, July 28 9 a.m – 4 p.m.Cost: $134A reprise of Tour 4 for convenience.Tour 12: Glass and WinesFriday, July 29 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.Cost: $110Today you will visit the exquisite VetroGlass Blowing Studio and Gallery.Vetro is a state-of-the-art facility whichis nationally recognized. Its glass artistsspecialize in hand-blown works of art.After the glassblowing demonstration,guests will head to the beautiful CrossTimbers Winery for lunch and winetasting where you will be able tosample five delicious wines. Texas,and specifically the Grapevine area, isbecoming well known throughout thewine industry. Today you’ll samplesome of this “Texas Pride” for yourself.After glass-blowing, wine tasting, andlunch, you will be able to visit themany shops and boutiques in historicdowntown Grapevine before returningto the hotel.Tour 13: Mystery and ModelTrainsFriday, July 29 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.Cost: $99A reprise of Tour 2 for convenience.Tour 14: Dallas DazzlesSaturday, July 30 8 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.Cost: $60Take a driving tour of downtown Dallasand learn the city’s history, includinghow Dallas was named and why it wasfounded on the banks of the TrinityRiver. You’ll see famous sights likePioneer Plaza and Fountain Place alongwith highlights like Dallas City Hall,The Arts District, the original NeimanMarcus department store, and the OldRed Courthouse.When you get to Uptown, you’ll havetime for shopping, grabbing a snack,or exploring. You will even have timeto take a ride on the free trolley systemthrough the “M” streets. It’s a wonderfulway for the ladies to spend a Saturdaymorning while the men “train shop.”Note: lunch is NOT included.Notes: (1) Tours are not handicap-accessible.(2) For safety, open-toe shoes andsandals are not permitted on any tour. (3)By participating in Convention activities,attendees allow LCCA to publish theirphotographs in club publications.The Lion Roars 19

LCCA CONVENTION CLINICSCraig Tribuzi RM 10207MONDAY, JULY 25 TUESDAY, JULY 26 WEDNESDAY, JULY 27 SATURDAY, JULY 30Railroad ChinaBob LaPrelle, President & CEOMuseum of the American Railroad7 – 8 PM, Seminar Room AA discussion with samples of RR chinaused in some of America’s major RRs.LCCA WebsiteLarry Black, LCCA Web Manager7 – 8 PM, Seminar Room AA presentation on LCCA’s website,including a real-time interactive sessionLionel Product Support CenterMike Reagan, Lionel LLC7 – 8 PM, Seminar Room ANeed replacement parts or your engineserviced? Mike will explain what Lionel’sService Center can do for you.BSA RR Merit Badge ClinicJerry Calkins, LCCA8:30 AM – 3 PM, Seminar Room AHelp Boy Scouts fulfill mostrequirements for earning this badge.Railroad CookingGerry Lemmons, Purser and ChefColorado Pines Private Railcar7– 8 PM, Seminar Room BLearn about onboard railroad cooking;from a chef who prepares meals in motion.Making Foam SceneryJerry Hoverson, NMRA MMR7 – 8 PM, Seminar Room BMethods used to create foam and plasterlandscaping on his fabulousRocky Mountain Central RR layout.Building Inspiration PointCraig Tribuzi, LCCA7 – 8:30 PM, Seminar Room B$$$A third alternative to building mountainsusing dimensional, free-standing foam.Building Scratch TreesConnie Calkins, Fran Ourso, and ShirleyHunter – the LCCA Ladies8:30 – 9:30 AM, Seminar Room B$$$Let the Tree Ladies show how they makeevergreen, deciduous, and aspen trees.Carving MountainsRoger Farkash, Founder, T W Design8:30 – 9:30 PM, Seminar Room ABuild mountains on your layout byartfully carving them from polyurethane.Train Displays for the PublicBan BywatersFounder, Trains at Northpark7 – 8 PM, Layout RoomBan shares his experience in buildingtrain displays open to the public.Legacy/TMCCTom Nuzzo, Lionel8:30 – 10:30 PM, Seminar Room ALearn how to use Lionel’s commandcontrol system to operate your locos,accessories, and switches. Basic andadvanced methods explained.LCCA eTrack & ITCraig Tribuzi, LCCA IT EditorBarrie Braden, LCCA eTrack Editor10 – 11 AM, Seminar Room BA presentation on LCCA’s InterchangeTrack and online trading forum eTrack.Creating Background BuildingsChris AtkinsCamas Prairie Railroad, Lewiston8:30 – 9:30 PM, Seminar Room BLearn how to use free software to createrealistic background buildings.Electrostatic Grass GeneratorMike Jobe, NMRA8:30 – 9:30 PM, Seminar Room A$$$Build your own GRASSZILLA staticgrass generator and make grass come alive.Prototypical LoggingBart Bartholomew, NMRANoon – 1 PM, Seminar Room BLearn the methods used by early loggers tocut and transport raw trees to saw mills.Color CodesMaking Pine and Aspen TreesDuane Richardson, NMRA MMRCharlie Kirk, NMRAReporting for The Lion RoarsMike Mottler, LCCA TLR EditorScenery ClinicLionel Clinic8:30 – 9:30 PM, Seminar Room BLearn how to make great-looking scratchbuiltpine and aspen trees.1:30 – 2:30 PM, Seminar Room BShare with others your unique train storyand hobby experience throughThe Lion Roars.LCCA ClinicLayout ClinicBuild a Standard Gauge LayoutBan BywatersNon-Rail ClinicBSA Clinic8:30 – 11 PM, Layout RoomAssemble a TMCC-controlled StandardGauge layout & operate it at the Conv’tn.Clinics with a $$$ code = Materials used in that clinic will be available for purchase (limited to kits on hand).The Lion Roars 20

LCCA 2011 CONVENTION SCHEDULEGrapevine/Dallas, TX July 25 – 30, 2011Event Time NotesSunday, July 24Registration Desk open Noon – 7 p.m. Hyatt Regency DFW (HRDFW)Monday, July 25Registration Desk open 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. HRDFW DownstairsTour #1: Texas State RR Special 7 a.m. – 6 p.m. With BBQ Lunch in Rusk, TXTuesday, July 26Registration Desk open 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. HRDFW DownstairsTour #2: Mystery and Model Trains 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. With Lunch at Spaghetti WarehouseTour #3: Money and Motors 8 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lunch on your ownTour #4: Arlington Sports 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. With BBQ LunchTour #5: DART and MATA 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Lunch on your ownWednesday, July 27Registration Desk open 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. HRDFW DownstairsTour #6: Grapevine Vintage RR 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. With Lunch at Joe T. Garcia’sTour #7: Cowgirls, Science, and Salsa 9:30 a.m. – 2 p.m. With Lunch at Pappasito’sTour #8: DART and MATA 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. Lunch on your ownFirst-time Attendees Reception 6 – 7 p.m. HRDFW Enterprise BallroomThursday, July 28Registration Desk open 8 a.m. – 5 p.m. HRDFW DownstairsTour #9: Planes and Trains 9:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. With Lunch at Babe’sTour #10: Money and Motors 8 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lunch on your ownTour #11: Arlington Sports 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. With BBQ LunchGet Acquainted Party 6 – 10 p.m. HRDFW Enterprise BallroomFriday, July 29Registration Desk open 8 a.m – 5 p.m. HRDFW DownstairsTrading Hall set up 7 a.m – 5:30 p.m. For Exhibitors OnlyTour # 12: Art of Glass and Wines 9 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. With Lunch at Cross TimbersTour #13: Mystery and Model Trains 8:30 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. With Lunch at Spaghetti WarehouseLCCA Annual Business Meeting 2 – 3 p.m. HRDFW, Room TBAJunior Members Fun Time 2 – 4 p.m. HRDFW, Room TBALionel Seminar 3 – 5 p.m. HRDFW, Room TBATrading Hall open 6 – 9 p.m. For Registered Members onlySaturday, July 30Registration Desk open 8 – Noon HRDFW DownstairsTour # 14: Dallas Dazzles 8 a.m. – 1:30 p.m. Lunch on your ownTrading Hall open 8 – 9 a.m. For Members OnlyTrading Hall open 9 a.m. – 3 p.m. For Members and the PublicTrading Hall take down3 p.m. – DoneLCCA Reception 6 – 7 p.m. HRDFW BallroomLCCA Banquet 7 – 10:30 p.m. HRDFW BallroomConvention EndsAfter the BanquetTravel Home Safely! See you next year in Norfolk, VA – July 2012The Lion Roars 21

Sallie AndrewsGrapevine C&VBGrapevine IsHIGHLIGHT:“The Lionel ®orientedlayout, now awork in progressapproachingcompletion,is a perfect fitin the baggagecar. It will beready for publicviewing inJuly, 2011.”Brent Villard opens the door of avintage Ringling Bros. and Barnum& Bailey Circus ® railroad baggagecar and announces, “Step right up!”with show biz flair and a showman’slaugh.Inside this restored car, visitors will seea model railroad exhibit created by theLone Star Hi Railers Model RailroadAssociation. Members have met,planned, and worked on their dog-boneshapedlayout for the past four years. TheLionel ® oriented layout, now a work inprogress approaching completion, is aperfect fit in the baggage car. It will beready for public viewing in July, 2011.Villard, trainmaster for the GrapevineConvention & Visitors Bureau, is proudto partner with the Lone Star Hi Railersto create the new attraction. The layoutwill bring life to the historic, 80-feet-longbaggage car parked on a track in line withthe large Southern Pacific Engine, No.771. The engine and baggage car are twopieces of Grapevine Vintage Railroadequipment maintained under Villard’swatchful eye.From miniature to mammoth, from thepast to the future, Grapevine is on trackwith all things rail. Beginning with thearrival of the Cotton Belt in 1888, to theacquisition of the Grapevine VintageRailroad (GVRR) excursion train in1996, to the coming of commuter railservice in 2013-14, Grapevine is agrowing transportation hub and visitordestination. The GVRR’s holiday NorthPole Express ® and a year-round scheduleof elaborately-themed excursions to thehistoric Fort Worth Stockyards alongthe old Cotton Belt Route are pulled byPuffy, steam engine No. 2248 built in1896, or Vinny, the 1953 GP-7 diesellocomotive.From its first days of settlement in 1844,obtaining rail service was a major goal.Cheers were heard in March, 1888,when the St. Louis, Arkansas and TexasRailroad, nicknamed the Cotton Belt,pulled into town. Before the CottonBelt arrived, there had been no quickand affordable way to get products tomarket. The Cotton Belt answered theneed for freight and passenger serviceand operated in Grapevine for 84 years.Because of the awareness of the needfor rail transportation, in 2006 citizensvoted for the development of commuterrail service in a local tax referendum. Itpassed resoundingly and commuter railservice to/from Grapevine will begin in2013-14.Grapevine’s railroad history can betraced to east Texas and a narrow-gauge,21-mile-long railroad called the TylerTap. In 1871, when it appeared thatthe city of Tyler would be bypassed bythe International Railroad, James P.Douglas petitioned the Texas legislaturefor permission to build a narrow-gaugerailway to “tap” Tyler into a railroad line.Service began in 1877 and by 1883 thecompany had 723 miles of narrow gaugeline. In 1888, the Cotton Belt line wasconstructed to Grapevine as part of itsCommerce to Fort Worth extension, andthe new road, then standard gauge, waslaid with 56-pound rails. The upgradeto 56-pound rails created a corporatedebt to Andrew Carnegie of more thanthree million dollars that ultimately ledThe Lion Roars 22

Bill SchmeelkHM 6643HIGHLIGHT:” The first pieceof good news isthat Lionel ® isnow includingthe manualcontrollerwith thecommandswitches andthe price hasnot beenincreased.“The Lion Roars 24Command Control FasTrackSwitches ArriveLionel’s 2009 Signature EditionCatalog introduced FasTrak TMswitches with built-in CommandControl TM . I’ve been anxiously awaitingtheir arrival and finally theyare here.T h eA p r i l2009 editionof The Lion Roarscontained ourreview of theFasTrack RemoteControl Switches.In that issue, weopened up one ofthe switches andexamined its mechanicalfeatures. Much of whatwas discussed there appliesto the new Command Control versions.Mechanically, both versions are identicaland we’ll deal here with the electricaldifferences. That issue of The Lion Roarsis available to members online at the clubwebsite and you may wish to review it forthe complete story on Lionel’s FasTrackswitches.As originally advertised, the Commandswitches would require no wiring andcould be controlled with either the CAB1 or the Legacy CAB 2. The manuallever controller was not supplied withthese switches, but would be availablefor separate sale. The first piece of goodnews is that Lionel ® is now includingthe manual controller with the commandLionel Newsswitches and the price has not beenincreased. This change is reflected in thelatest catalog.We’re pleased to have a chanceat one of thePhoto 1first modelsoff the productionline. Photo 1 shows aLeft Hand O72 CommandControl Switch. Actually, itlooks almost identical to thestandard non-command version.The lever controller is supplied alongwith several plastic numbers which canbe substituted for the illuminated Lionel“L” on the controller to indicate whichswitch it controls.Checking It OutI installed the switch on a poweredsection of track and used a Legacy CAB2 controller to activate it. According tothe instructions, each switch is factoryprogrammed with a switch ID# of 1. Toactivate a switch, press the SW buttonon the CAB, then press the ID# (1), andfinally press the AUX 1 button to alignthe switch path to straight or the AUX2 button to curved. I went through theprocedure and found that the switch didnot respond. I next went through theprogramming procedure which wouldallow me to enter a new ID#. After doingthis, the switch functioned correctly. The

had hoped. Upgrading would not bepractical and Lionel is not supporting anysuch option. An upgradewould apparently requireconsiderable work andwould include replacingthe existing circuit board,adding the second board,and drilling a hole forthe program button. Thestanchions into whichthe program button issecured were an additionto the new mold and donot exist on the standardversion. In short, there isno upgrade option.But There’sanother WayRegular FasTrack remotecontrol switches canbe wired for commandoperation with the LionelSC-2 accessory. The SC-2can control up to fiveswitches. Actually, with asmall modification and theuse of the supplied wallpower unit, it can controlsix switches. Dividingthe cost of an SC-2 byfive, we came up witha retail cost of $20 perswitch. The retail priceof a command switch isabout $16 more than the regular version.However, the major advantage with thecommand version is that it eliminatesall the wiring required for operation bya SC-2 and/or a manual controller. Thiscan be a significant time saver on a layoutwith many switches. The commandversion also gives you the option ofwiring the lever controllers as well. Yetanother option would be to use Lionel’sAccessory Switch Controller TM (ASC).The ASC can control up to four switches.Another addition is a DATA terminal.You can see this in photo 4 located justto the right of the four terminals used toconnect the controller. Jon Zahornackyadvised that the DATA terminal was forfuture use. He couldn’t offer any detailsat this time.The Lion Roars 26Command or Wired ControlFasTrack switches have a slot oneach side toaccommodatethe controllerwire. The wirecan be routedthrough eitherthe straightor the curvedside of theswitch. Twosupplied fillerpieces allowyou to fill theunused wireslot. Photo 6Photo 6 shows one ofthe slots andthe two fillerpieces. Usingthe fillerpiece rendersthe slot holev i r t u a l l yinvisible asseen in photo7. If youroute the wirethrough yourtable underthe switch, orif you’re usingPhoto 7 a commandswitch anddecide to notuse a wired controller, both filler piecescan be used and no wire slot will show.These new command switches are theeasiest method of adding switchesto a layout. Imagine the wiring thatcould be eliminated in a medium tolarge layout with a dozen or moreswitches. Thanks to Lionel’s RemyConvery and Jon Zahornacky foranswering our questions!HSL Completes LionelConsumer CatalogSeriesWith this latest release byHSL Inc., John Holtmannhas extended the range ofdigitally archived Lionelcatalogs back to Lionel’sfirst known catalog. Thisnew volume covers the years from1900 to 1924 and includes some of therarest of all Lionel catalogs. AlthoughLionel’s first catalog, in 1900, did notinclude trains, it provided an early look atJLC’s techniques of product promotion.His Electric Search Light is describedas, “The best and most useful electricnovelty ever placed on the market.” Johnacknowledged that without the generosityof other collectors, this edition wouldnot have been as complete. Included arecatalogs whose existence was previouslyuncertain and undocumented. Forexample, it was long thought that therewas no unique catalog printed for 1916.Instead, the 1915 catalog was used withthe addition of an updated price list. Thisedition of the 1916 catalog is includedin the archive, but also included is aseparately printed catalog that can bepositively identified as a 1916 edition.We can now say with certainty that aseparate 1916 catalog was printed.Although I have no financial interest inthis project, I did write an introductionand reviewed Lionel’s history from1900 to 1924. Carefully going throughthese early catalogs was enlighteningand provided some interesting insightsto Joshua Cohen’s early business.

Completing the package is a bonussection which includes items such as a1917 catalog mailer, catalog wrappersdating from 1910 to 1914, a 1923miniature catalog folder and an earlyorder form. This latest edition, as wellas the previous three editions coveringLionel catalogs through 1995, sells for$50 each plus $5 per shipment. It isavailable at www.hslinc.com or call 800-779-2802.More Digital ArchivesHSL is also continuing their seriesof OGR archives. The latest volume,release 9, contains issues of O GaugeRailroading magazine through Run225, which takes it through2007.All ninevolumesn o w includealmost 39 years and 20,000pages of O Scale Railroading and OGauge Railroading. The format is muchthe same as John’s Lionel digital archives,allowing you to search quickly and findany article or column. There’s also acomplete list of the table of contents forevery issue, with links that quickly directyou to each article. Of course, you canalso browse page by page or columnby column. For me, the nine volumeshave freed up several feet of shelf spaceand provide a very convenient way toaccess the wealth of information in thesemagazines. Each volume sells for $29.95plus S&H. Details can be found atwww.hslinc.com and you can placean order at www.ogaugerr.com. Or callOGR at 800-980-6477.Kalmbach Publishing has also begunto offer digital archives. Currently youcan purchase seventy years of Trainsmagazine for $150 and the first 10 yearsof Classic Trains for $49.95. I had hopedto do a full review of the Trains product,but Kalmbach was unwilling to lenda copy for review. We can only hopethat future plans will include archivesof Classic Toy Trains and ModelRailroader magazines.New VideosLionel Nation 6This latest edition in Tom McComas’Lionel Nation series includesan interesting video history ofLionel’s steam switchers. Itbegins with the prewar scalePennsylvania B-6 switcherintroduced by Lionel in1939 (two years afterthe scale Hudson) andends with switchersrecently introducedby the company.The switcher hasbeen with Lionelfor a long time,and I found itinteresting tosee all thechangesthat it hasendured.I particularly enjoyed thesection that showed someLionel accessories whichhave been repaintedto match their initialillustrations in Lionel’scatalog. The 445Operating SwitchTower and the OperatingBarrel Loader look especially good inthe colors originally printed in the 1952catalog. This is something that I thinkLionel should consider when they reissuean accessory – decorate it as Lioneloriginally planned. Another candidate forthat would be the 264 Forklift Platformas shown in the 1957 catalog.Another section deals with Lionel’saction and operating cars. Listed aspart 1, this section describes severalof Lionel’s popular operating carsincluding: the Milk Car, Cattle Car, HorseCar, Merchandise Car, and OperatingBoxcars. Part 2 of this interesting videodiscussion will be part of Lionel Nation7 when it comes out.In an operating tips section, we’re shownhow to install and operate Teledynecouplers and Magic Electrol. MagicElectrol was introduced by Lionel in1940 and did not re-emerge after the war.Magic Electrol used a DC whistle relayto control the e-unit of the locomotiveallowing two-train operation on the sametrack. Teledyne couplers used the sameprinciple to operate electromagneticcouplers.The Lion Roars 27

Video Repair GuideAlso from TM is a newDVD titled, Maintenance& Repair Guide forLionel Electric Trains& Accessories. This35-minute videoprovides a widevariety of informationon keeping yourpostwar Lionels ontrack and in topoperating condition.Everything fromsetting up yourw o r k b e n c hwiths p e c i a lt e s tt r a c kt oascene highlights a Halloween train andanother, the Big Rock Candy Mountain.Gumballs, M&Ms, marshmallows,peppermint canes, and other assortedcandy replaced the usual coal, logs, andbarrels. I found it interesting to see howwell Dots worked on a Lionel barrelloader and how little spillage there wassubstituting M&Ms for coal on a 397 anda 97 coal loader. Also featured are theworld’s largest G-gauge layout and anArea 51 layout. Quite a variety packedinto this 40-minute video designed forkids but sure to be enjoyed by all. Theprice is $9.95 plus S&H. Thesevideos are available at yourlocal hobby store ordirect fromTwo Lionel layouts are featured. Firstwe see the construction of a 6x14-feetlayout built by TM Studios for Steve andRickie Strauss. We see it disassembledand delivered to the second floor trainroom and then in full operation. WayneKoebel’s 14x19-feet layout is next alongwith his extensive collection of bothprewar and postwar trains.Also on this DVD we see some ofLionel’s new locos including the Gensetswitchers, the latest of Lionel’s Hybriddiesels, and the Union Pacific Challengerin action. Lionel’s Lone Ranger Set is alsofeatured along with some backgroundinformation on the man who rode thatfiery white horse with the speed of light.As in the last edition, this DVD alsoincludes a bonus section of some early1950’s 16mm color film of TCA membersand their layouts. Though not includedin the 65 minutes labeled on the box,this bonus footage is worth watching. Ifound this latest edition of Lionel Nationseries especially interesting to watch.The video is produced in high definitionand looked great even on my traditionalTV. The price is $19.95 plus S&H.cleaning andlubricating motors,repairing smoke units,switches, whistles,horns, to repairs forZW transformers.Actually watchingthe repairs beingdone gives youthe informationyou need toc o n f i d e n t l ytake on manyc o m m o nrepairs andmaintenanceissues necessary tokeep your trains in goodworking order. At a very reasonablecost of $9.95 plus S&H, you can’t gowrong.All Aboard!Finally from TM, a new addition to theirpopular I Love Toy Trains series, titledAll Aboard! Though clearly designed forthe younger set, you’ll find many scenesand layouts of interest to any toy trainenthusiast. One of the layouts featuredwas Scott Sanborn’s large 20x20-feetlayout made entirely from Lego parts,including the trains, the buildings, thecars and all of the scenery. AnotherTM Books and Videos either online atwww.tmbv.com or call 800-892-2822.In my next LN&V article, I’ll review thelatest revision of The Big Book of Lionelby Robert Schleicher.Photographs by Bill SchmeelkCovers provided by the ProducersThe Lion Roars 28

Ken MorganRM 12231The Tinplate CannonballHIGHLIGHT:“The #260Ewas the mostexpensiveO-gauge loco inthe 1930 catalog.For $21.50, youcould buy it, boththe #257 and#258 steamers,or any electricloco and getchange back.”TRIVIA: QUESTIONWhat was Lionel’s smallestO-gauge, sheet metalsteamer? Bonus question:from whom did Iborrow the initialsub-heading?Trains in TransitionAfter a few recent TPC articles aboutLionel’s “modern” approach, diecastingmethods, and streamlinedlocomotives, let’s go back in timeand see what came immediately beforethat.Lionel ® didn’t produce a steamlocomotive in O gauge until 1930. In thatyear, they introduced both the biggestand the smallest electric powered,O-gauge, sheet metal steamers they evercatalogued. The biggest one was the#260E and its variants, and they are thesubjects of this installment.All about the#260E SteamerThe #260E was the most expensiveO-gauge loco in the 1930 catalog. For$21.50, you could buy it, both the #257and #258 steamers, or any electric locoand get change back. So what did youget for that? A 2-4-2 with lots of brasstrim and an eight-wheel #260T oiltender. In sets, the #260E hauled eithera #710/710/712 passenger train or four#810 series freights, including the #810derrick. Clearly, the biggest and bestrolling stock in the O-gauge line!The #260E was a heavy loco. The boilerand cab were sheet metal, but at least tomy eye, heavier than the contemporaryelectrics. The frame, cylinders, andtender body were heavy metal castings.The tender frame was sheet metal. Thecatalog picture was inaccurate – notexactly a unique occurrence – and itdidn’t do the loco justice. It was missingmuch of the brass piping.The first version of the #260E hada slightly different frame than itssuccessors. It had a groove for a creamcolored stripe. The boiler front was quitedecorative. It had brass trim around theheadlight, flag holders, and two openingsat the base, which contained a greencelluloid lens on the left, and a red oneon the right. All were lit by the sameheadlight bulb. Not exactly prototypical,but it was eye-catching! Color was alsoadded on the wheels. The spokes werered. This was a common Europeanpractice, but not typical of NorthAmerican equipment.In the following year, Lionel changed thestripe to green. Later, the casting with thegroove was replaced by one without, andthe whole frame was painted dark green.Also in 1931, Lionel placed a switch inthe cab so that the pendulum reverse unitcould be turned off. This enabled the locoto be used with the automatic stop stationaccessory. The loco had to be locked intoforward. Otherwise, when the stationsaid “go” the loco would be in reverse.That would cause obvious distress to theoperator, not to mention the probabilityof derailed cars given the couplers thenin use.The loco was also equipped with “fireboxglow” – a red or amber bulb under thecab. In 1933, the “chugger” was added.One needed an active imagination tobelieve it sounded like a real steamengine, but at least it provided soundeffects.These features appeared in severalStandard gauge locos, but not in any othersheet metal, O-gauge steamers. Most ofwhat I have found in print indicated thatthis was the year that the tender went tothe 12-wheel version. Interestingly, therewas no change in number, which was notLionel’s normal practice. This loco isshown in photo 1. Note that the #260Tnever had a whistle. There is no room forone in the cast body. Maybe that helpsPhoto 1The Lion Roars 29

Photo 2Photo 3 Photo 4explain the chugger. For reference, photo2 shows both versions of the #260T.In either 1934 or 1935 (again, sourcesvary), the loco was changed to gunmetalgray with nickel trim. Along withthis, the wheel spokes went to black.The tender was changed to the #263Wwhich does have a whistle. It’s the same12-wheel oil tender that came with theearly gray #763 Hudsons. Photos 3 and4 depict the old and new tenders fromthe front and back, and showthe differences. Note that thecatalog pictures were useless fordating purposes during this timeperiod. For example, the 1933catalog still shows the creamstripe.The ReverseMechanismAt about the same time, thependulum reverse unit wasThe Lion Roars 30replaced with the familiar pawl-type Eunit, without the L-shaped on/off lever.Consequently, the switch in the cab,which was modified when the chuggerwas added to control both the pendulumreverse unit and the chugger, nowcontrolled the new E unit. To the bestof my knowledge, only gray locos hadthe pawl-type E unit. Photo 5 shows thechange from the old to the new cab withthe deletion of the on/off switch.Photo 51935 was the last year for the#260E, but it was joined by the#255E, which was just the gray#260E without a chugger, and, Ibelieve, the normal pawl-type Eunit. That is, with the L-shapedlever. This resulted in a slotbeing cut in the top of the boilerto provide access to the on/offlever. It ran for two years.Throughout their run in thecatalogs, these locos wereregularly catalogued with thebig 810 series freights and thebiggest passenger cars, withthe #613/614/615 replacingthe #710/712 when they werewithdrawn after 1934.Let’s RecapThe #260E is a 2-4-2 with topof-the-linefeatures. It alwayshad a remote reverse. It was theonly O-gauge loco with a chugger andthe only sheet metal one with fireboxglow. It had lots of added metal trimand an ornate boiler front. It spawneda slightly less expensive offshoot, the#255E, at the end of its run. That enginelacked the chugger.But that’s not the end of the story. Nooo!In 1936 the #263E appeared with the#263T or TW or #2263 tender eitherwithout or with a whistle.It ran through 1939. Photo6 is a gray #263E. It hasthe same frame and overallappearance of the #260E, butit incorporated changes thatheralded Lionel’s increasingattention to greater realism.If you look closely at photo6, you can also see the E unitlever now protruding from theboiler top between the steamdome and the whistle.

You may remember from my previousTPC article that the first of the die-caststeamers appeared in 1936. In 1937, the#700 and the #763 were catalogued andPhoto 6of the decorative trim on the boiler front.Instead of flag holders, there were twored marker lights. Also missing were thered and green lights by the footboards.down towards the wheels. The #263Ehas both pipes running prototypically,although not as artistically, from the sanddome only. See photos 8 and 9.then followed by a whole line of die-caststeam engines in 1938. So in addition tothe attention to detail made possible bythe new process, Lionel modified theirmost impressive sheet metal steam locoto look more realistic. Gone was somePhoto 7The holes were closed. Photo 7 contraststhe two boiler fronts. Lionel added theeccentric rod, without which the real locowouldn’t reverse. Changed, too, were thepipes. The #260E had pipes from both thesand dome and the steam dome headingAbout the 263EThe #263E came in two colors – gunmetalgray, which, while not as common asblack, is prototypical, and two-tone blue,which is decidedly non-prototypical.That was the passenger version shown inThe Lion Roars 31

Gene Russell, Ed.D.RM 24608A Lionel PuzzlementGreatGrandfather’sMathThe followingproblems are froman 1877 arithmeticbook that mayhave been used atthe schoolhousewhen your greatgrandfather wasa boy. See howmany of thesemath problemsabout railroadsyou can solve.1. If one mile of railroad requires 116 tons of iron, worth 65 dollars a ton,what will be the cost of sufficient iron to construct a road 128 miles inlength?2. The railroad distance from New York to Albany is 144 miles; from Albanyto Buffalo, 298; from Buffalo to Cleveland, 183; from Cleveland to Toledo,109; from Toledo to Springfield, 365; and from Springfield to St. Louis, 95miles; what is the distance from New York to St. Louis?3. A railroad cost one million eight hundred fifty thousand four hundreddollars, and was divided into eighteen thousand five hundred and fourshares; what was the value of each share?4. A man traveled 6,784 miles; 2,324 miles by railroad, 1,570 miles in astagecoach, 450 miles on horseback, 175 miles on foot, and the remainder bysteamboat. How many miles did he travel by steamboat?5. The Illinois Central Railroad is 700 miles long, and cost 31,647,000dollars; what did it cost per mile?6. “A” traveled 325 miles by railroad, and “C” traveled .45 of that distance;how far did “C” travel?7. A man purchased a house for 2,375 dollars, and expended 340 dollars inrepairs; he then sold it for railroad stock worth 867 dollars, and 235 acres ofwestern land valued at 8 dollars an acre; what did he gain by the trade?8. At $65 a ton, how many tons of railroad iron can be bought for $117,715?9. What must be paid for transporting 31,640 pounds of railroad iron fromPhiladelphia to Richmond, at $3.05 per ton?Extra Credit/Bonus10. The Erie Railroad has three switches, or side tracks, of the followinglengths: 3,013, 2,231, and 2,047 feet; what is the length of the longest railthat will exactly lay the track on each switch? Hint: find the largest commondivisor.Answers are published in TLR … somewhere.

DinoDeliveryTrain layout provided by Arkansas Traveler Hobbies in Bald Knob, AR. 501-724-5326Creative play is the “work” of children, and thoughtful parentsand grandparents can provide an imaginative stimulus forplayful adventures. Your LCCA Junior Member could be therescuer of dinosaurs at the brink of extinction to the safety ofa zoo park, be the enabler of migratory treks of dinosaurs fromwinter to summer climates for survival, or be the conductor fora family of dinosaurs on a vacation trip.Your JM can imagine that dinosaurs need transportationtoo; perhaps aboard a train traveling from their swamplandhomes to the feeding grounds. This Lionel ® car brings fun tocreative play! Designed by LCCA and made by “Big L,” thisproduction is limited to only 500 pieces.LCCA offers its first car made especially for JMs and also forthose who are young at heart. The Dinosaurs Transport Carincludes several dinosaur figures. The selection of dinosaurswill be mixed for the sake of variety. The gondola has metal(not plastic) trucks and bears a colorful design.Heads up: another JM-oriented car will be announced in 2011– an animated car with skateboarders in action intended forolder JMs.MAIL THIS ORDER FORM OR PLACE YOUR ORDER ONLINEOnce submitted, LCCA will consider this a firm order and not refundable. Limit: three cars per member.DO THE MATH[ ] ___ Dinosaurs Transport Car(s) @ $44.95 each $__________Subtotal (in U.S. funds): $__________[ ] Minnesota residents: add sales tax — 7.25% of sub-total $__________[ ] Shipping & Handling in Cont’l U.S. — add $9.95 per car $__________[ ] S&H to AK, HI, & Canada, add-on $3 each to U.S. S&H $__________[ ] S&H to other locations, add-on $6 each to U.S. S&H $__________Total (in U.S. funds): $__________SEND YOUR PAYMENT[ ] My check or money order for the total amount of this order is enclosed andmade payable to “LCCA” with “DTG” written on the memo line.[ ] Charge the total amount of this order to my credit card as shown below.• S&H cost cannot be combined with other orders.Order deadline is June 30, 2011,with delivery expected in early 2012.Credit Card Account No.: ________________________________________ Exp.: ____________ [ ] Discover [ ] MasterCard [ ] Visa Code: ____________(3 digits on back of card)Signature: ___________________________________________________________________________By my signature, I authorize LCCA to charge my account for the amount due according to the terms and conditions cited herein.Name: ________________________________________________________________________________________ LCCA Member No.: ____________________Shipping Address: ______________________________________________ City: ______________________________ State: ______ Zip + 4: ________________Phone: ( ) ___________________________ e-mail: ____________________________________________________________________________________[ ] Check this box if any part of your address is new.Mail this order form or a photocopy to the best toy train club on the planet:LCCA Business Office • Dept DTG/TLR-06-11 • P.O. Box 4708 • St. Paul, MN 55104-0708Order online at: www.lionelcollectors.org — go to “LCCA Store”