the main- the main ---linelinelinenow, get digging and just see me when you arrive at the meet to...

September, 2012 1 PDF Extended Version AGTTA Main-Line

PRESIDENT’S MESSAGE September is upon us

and “Train Season” is beginning again. Our Fall/Winter Calendar has some changes from our “normal” activities.

Unfortunately the Model Railroad Museum at Balboa Park did not have a two-week plus block of time for our usual

public operating session. This very public presence of AGTTA helped us recruit new members and promote our December “All Day” meet. More than a few of our members, include me on this list, are disappointed about this.

Our “Special Raffle” for the 1955 GG-1 set is still going on. We are getting close to our goal of 150 tickets sold. This raffle is an important fundraiser for the club. It really helps us keep down the cost of dues to our members. I know I

THE MAINTHE MAINTHE MAINTHE MAIN----LINELINELINELINE OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE ALL GAUGE TOY TRAIN ASS OCIATION

VOL. 33, NO. 09 SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA SEP TEMBER 2012

HOWHOWHOWHOW----TO CLINICTO CLINICTO CLINICTO CLINIC How To Service The Lionel 2343 Santa Fe Locomotive

The How-To Clinic returns this month from its summer vacation by addressing another one of Lionel’s favorite engines – the Santa Fe 2343 Diesel Locomotive. Jim Weatherford will be back at the table to explain and demonstrate the proper and effective way to service this classic. For all you 2343 owners, or soon to be owners, this is another not-to-be-missed Clinic.

CLINIC START TIME: 5:15 PM Come to the Meet and support your Clinics! And as always if you have any ideas for future Clinics make sure you pass them along to Jim Weatherford . He would love to have them.


will be buying my tickets at the September meet. I am looking forward to this drawing….I don’t own a twin motored GG-1 from the postwar era.

AGTTA Elections: October is the month that we nominate candidates for the officers and board members. Please step up and run for office. After nominations are completed, the Ed Karper Memorial “Freebie Table” will be held.

Southwest Division TTOS is again hosting the Cal Stewart meet November 2-4. This year, the meet has been moved to a new venue. The location is now the ONTARIO CONVENTION CENTER. The location is much easier to get to and much more convenient for attendees, especially the table holders. I am looking forward to the new venue, hauling boxes and bins of trains up and down a freight elevator and halfway to Timbuktu to get to my table got old.

Our November Meet is our Board election night.

December Events: I am hoping that we can exhibit at Del Mar again this year. This event will be December 1-2 at the fairgrounds. Unfortunately we cannot get a Saturday at the church for our all day meet. We are however going to have an enhanced December 13th Meet and Open House on our regular meeting night starting at about 3:00pm. We need to work on this event in order to make it a truly great event for our club and our guests.

We always need members to share items from their collections at our monthly Show & Tell. It allows members to see our unusual items. If you have an unknown piece, we also have a pool of members who can help identify it.

On a sadder note, I need to announce the passing of Tony Mirabel, a very active member of our club since 1977. Please keep Tony in your thoughts and prayers.

I hope to see all of you at the September Meet on 13th.

Ed Samsen - President AGTTA

MEMBERSHIP NEWS New Members – As we head into the 2nd half of the year Membership Chair Jim Weatherford has great news to share. In July he received yet another new Membership Application. We would like to extend a warm welcome to Richard Haigh who collects O and lives in Vista. Richard’s membership was sponsored by Mark Del Vechico . Way to go Mark. In August Jim received applications from two more new members: Burnell Carstens who lives in Chino and Walter & Kathy Bartol from Escondido who collect O and 0-27. A warm welcome to you all. ☺

THE MAINTHE MAINTHE MAINTHE MAIN----LINELINELINELINE is published around the first of each month. The Main-Line is the official publication of the All Gauge Toy Train Association of San Diego.

NEWSLETTER CONTRIBUTIONS Please mail or e-mail all contributions for publication by the 1st of the month to:

Bill Hohnhorst, Main-Line Editor 8150 Pasadena Avenue

La Mesa, CA 91941-6425 (619) 461-5039 [email protected]

MONTHLY MEETINGS Meets are normally held on the 2nd Thursday of each month at the Torrey Pines Christian Church, 8320 La Jolla Scenic Drive North, La Jolla, CA, beginning at 4:30 PM. Big All-Day Saturday Meets are held in June & December.

AGTTA CLUB WEBSITE www.agtta.com

2012 AGTTA OFFICERS & DIRECTORS President

Ed Samsen (760) 458-4791 [email protected]

Vice President Ken Steele (619) 644-1247 [email protected]

Secretary Jim Weatherford (619) 287-8687

[email protected] Treasurer

Jon Everett (858) 538-0930 [email protected] Directors

Andy Anderson 858-274-9178 [email protected] Dave Campbell (619) 575-7578

[email protected] Steve Mitton (619) 621-9779

[email protected] Steve Pierce (858) 571-6238

[email protected] Greg Smyth (619) 476-9942 [email protected] Immediate Past President

Bob Wall (858) 452-8955 [email protected]

Website Coordinator Alan Hamel (858) 453-5297

[email protected]


2012 Membership Renewals – And more excellent news on the 2012 Renewal front. Jim received two additional 2012 renewals from Allen Blodgett and Bruce Gripkey . Welcome back guys! 2012 Membership Total – As we enter the second half of the year Jim reports that the club’s 2012 membership total now stands at a very robust 152.

CLUB NEWS More Very Sad News – Tony Mirabel Has Passed Away – On Saturday, September 1st, I received a call from Roland Frandsen letting me know that Tony Mirabel has passed away suddenly that morning. Later it was learned that he had suffered a heart attack. Tony is to be cremated and no public funeral services are schedule. However, Geri , Tony’s Significant Other, would like to have a little remembrance at

ANNUAL WHITE ELEPHANT RAFFLE

It’s time once again to dig out some of those items you have laying around, which you’re never going to use, and bring them to the September Meet for our Annual White Elephant Raffle . You’ll be helping the Club and helping yourself in getting rid of some of that old unwanted stuff taking up room in the closet or garage. It might also win you some brownie points with your housemate or make room for that next irresistible purchase.

In case you don’t recall how it works here’s the idea. You bring an item to donate to the Raffle. In return you’ll receive one Raffle Ticket, valued at $1, for each dollar the donated item is valued at. For example, if you donate a boxcar with a value of $10 you’ll receive ten raffle tickets. It’s as simple as that. For those who do not wish to donate, raffle tickets will be available for purchase at $1 apiece. And donors can purchase additional tickets at $1 each to increase their chances of winning a donated treasure.

Now, get digging and just see me when you arrive at the Meet to exchange your oldie but goodie “stuff” for raffle tickets. Bob Wall


possibly the October Meet. Tony joined our Club way back in 1977 and has been a very active member of these past 25 years. Without question, he will surely be missed by all of us. Our deepest sympathies go out to Geri and Tony’s family.

August Meet Delights – Seems that August is quite the Birthday Month for AGTTA Members. To celebrate her birthday, which was the week of the August Meet, Cheryl Lyman brought chocolate cake and ice cream to the Meet. Turned out that it was also Bart Grey's birthday that very day and Jim Andrews was later in the week. Bob Wall reported that the treats sure tasted real good on a warm summer night. (Editor’s Note: Sure wish I could have been there for my birthday was also that same week. ☺)

Special Raffle #4 – Lionel ‘O’ 2253W GG-1 Train Set – This classic set is getting close to being raffled off. Just 20 more tickets need to be sold to meet our minimum ticket sales goal of 150 tickets. That means that we’ll have at least one more monthly prize drawing of two free tickets at the September Meet. And hopefully we’ll sell the 20 tickets and be able to complete the raffle at the October Meet. BTW, Bob Wall was the lucky winner of two free tickets at the August Meet.

SD S-Gaugers Written Up – No, not for a ticket, but in a very nice article in the Point Loma Association Summer Newsletter. You can find a copy of the article on page 9. And special thanks to Bob Graves for e-mailing me a copy to share.

Steve Currie Continues To Make Progress On His Layout – Steve reports that construction of his train barn is complete! He now has started on the

first phase of building the table. He discovered that ½” plywood is up to $21 a sheet! � But he bought enough to get started and hopes to get to the point of experimenting with track plans soon. You will find pictures of Steve’s Train Barn on pages 10 & 11.

For Sale: Lionel 18010 S2 Turbine & Tender with Display Case - Mike Wheeler would like to sell the above. He states that the engine is mint in the box and has never been run. When first released in 1989 it sold for over $2,000. Mike is asking $700 for this scale locomotive. Features:

• Highly detailed die-cast metal construction of both the locomotive and tender

• Smoking stacks (4) • Operating headlight • Operating backup light on the tender • Firebox glow • Constant voltage lighting • Powerful Pullmor® motor • Spoked drivers with metal rims • Metal handrails and steps on the engine &

tender • Transformer controlled Forward-Neutral-

Reverse operation • Opening boiler front • Metal wheels & axles • Authentic Pennsylvania markings • Loco & Tender are over 30" long • Operates on O-72 or greater curves

Tender Features: • Turbine RailSounds™ include the hiss of

the powered-up turbine, the shrill blast of the steam whistle, and the tolling of the bell

• Includes a special bell sound activation button in case your transformer is not equipped

• Volume control • Operating die-cast knuckle coupler • Metal wheels & axles • Die-cast metal trucks • Real coal load • Authentic Pennsylvania markings

If interested you can reach Mike at 619-479-0546.

Whistle Stop Train Shop Closes After 63 Years in Business – On August 25th this venerable Hillcrest icon closed its doors, truly an end of an era. Owner Scott Rhodes said “There simply is not enough business to keep going.” Thanks to Bart Grey you’ll find a copy of the newspaper article covering the closure on page 12.

Cal-Stewart Meet Brochure Is Out – A four page flyer detailing everything you need to know about this big event has been mailed out. If you would like a copy you can go to their website, www.cal-


stewart.org, or contact Larry Pearson, the Meet Co-Chairman, at (818) 848-2653. You will also find a copy of the four page flyer on pages 18-22 and additional information on pages 23-25.

BOARD MEETING On Tuesday, August 28th the Board met at the SDRRM. Much was discussed and accomplished.

CALENDAR OF EVENTS: 1. September Meet – It was decided to have this year’s White Elephant Raffle at the Meet. 2. October Meet – It was decided to have this year’s Ed Karper Memorial Free-Bee Table at this meet along with the 2013 Board Nominations.

3. December Open House Meet – Well we have run into a problem with having our December Meet on a Saturday. We were penciled in with the church for a December 1st date. But unfortunately the Church had “computer problems” which resulted in them scheduling a wedding on that date. So with no Saturdays available our only option is to have our Holiday Meet on our normal Thursday afternoon/evening date, the 13th, and to make it as big an event as we can. We will extend

the hours and open the hall earlier as setup will be (Continued on Page 7)

AUGUST RAFFLE RESULTS WINNER ITEM DESCRIPTION SOURCE

Ed Samsen Lionel Canadian Pacific ‘O’ Snow Plow Provided by AGTTA Walter Bartol Lionel ‘O’ Auto Highway Signal Provided by AGTTA Bob Wall Lionel Lehigh Valley ‘O’ Short Hopper Provided by AGTTA Caroline Poindexter Large Bottle of JT’s Frying Bacon Mega Steam Provided by AGTTA Smoke Fluid Ed Samsen Lionel ‘O’ #2282 Black Bumper Donated by Dave Ely Walter Bartol Framed Train Collage Donated by Jay Thompson Caroline Poindexter Lionel NPR 42800 Caboose Donated by Ed Jones Christine Poindexter ‘N’ Mansion Building Kit Donated by Jim Andrews Steve Mitton Intro to Scale Model Railroading Book Donated by Carl Burnett Charles Seitz How to Build & Operate A Model RR Book Donated by Carl Burnett Bob Wall I Love Toy Trains 4 TM VHS Video Donated by Steve Pierce Kathy Bartol CSX Mountain Sub Pentrex DVD Donated by Tom Barker Christine Poindexter Cajon Pass Action DVD Donated by Nels Soderberg Steve Pierce Today’s Illinois Central DVD Donated by Nels Soderberg Steve Pierce Crimson Tide DVD Donated by Tom Barker Luis Ramirez Type 4060 Transformer Donated by Ed Jones Luis Ramirez Small AC/DC Transformer Donated by Ed Jones Ed Samsen Pair of ‘O27’ Lionel Manual Switches Donated by Ed Jones Walter Bartol Pair of Marx Lionel Manual Switches Donated by Ed Jones Luis Ramirez Marx Erie Flatcar, Stockcar & Tender Donated by Ed Jones Christine Poindexter Aristocraft ‘G’ Toy Train Catalogs Donated by Ed Jones Steve Pierce 3 Issues of TCA Quarterly Magazines Donated by Ed Jones Luis Ramirez Model Railroader Magazine Issues Donated by Jim Osborne

A Big ”Thank You!” to all the Members who donated t o the August Raffle.

San Diego Model Railroad Museum

Model Railroad Swap Meet

Saturday, October 13, 2012 7 am – 11 am

Cost: Buyers $2 / Sellers $5 Sellers must arrive by 6:30 for setup & must

furnish their own tables

Coffee & Donuts will be available for purchase

For additional info call Swap Meet Coordinator Jim Anderson – (619) 224-1041 or

the Museum Office – (619) 696-0199


This is the third article from the Classic Toy Trains Handbook.

Using a common ground, also known as a common return, regardless of the kind of transformer arrangement or power source you use, is highly recommended. The reason is simple. A common ground system can expedite your wiring and save you money in the process because you’ll need only about half as much wire.

Instead of using two wires to complete each electrical circuit with the transformer, you connect only one to the hot, outgoing or center-rail side of the circuit (+). The ground or return side of the circuit (-) uses a path in common with all the other circuits in the system to get back to the power source. One ground connection may be used for all track blocks, turnout motors, lights, and accessories on the layout. It doesn’t matter how many circuits share the same common ground, all find their own paths back to the power source without interfering with each other. (Don’t ask how: electricity just works that way.)

Many operators find it convenient to use the track running rails as common ground connections for all the electrical circuits on their layouts. This is an efficient method for small and medium-sized model railroads. On large ones, however, with their long stretches of track and numerous lights and accessories that drain away power, it is recommended that all the ground leads be connected to a heavy copper wire running underneath the layout. Electricians call such a thick wire a “bus”. These ground bus wires are usually installed around the periphery of the layout or cut across it diagonally. That puts them in proximity to the track and the accessory circuits they serve.

Large Lionel transformers, particularly those with several control circuits, often have common ground terminals that have been connected internally to simplify wiring. If your transformer doesn’t have these terminals, or if you aren’t sure it does, consult the following chart. It shows the various circuit combinations available on many of the popular postwar Lionel models and should help you select a workable common ground terminal.

SEPTEMBER 2012 TECH TIP WIRING A LAYOUT – COMMON GROUNDS

By Jim Weatherford


(Continued from Page 5)

required. We will plan on having food and drinks available, as we normally do. At this month’s Meet we would like to have your thoughts on this. Please let us know if you how you feel about having the event at our Thursday Meet.

4. Christmas Party – This year’s gathering will take place on Tuesday, December 4th at Tom Hams Lighthouse Restaurant. This is going to be a very special evening, but it won’t be the same without you with us. So please mark those calendars now and watch for all the details in the October Main-Line.

5. AGTTA Modular Layout at SDRRM – Unfortunately there are no open dates between now and the end of the year so we won’t be setting up our Modular Layout until sometime next year.

6. Del Mar “Great Train Expo” – There seems to be some question as to whether this event will take place this December. On their website the Great Train Expo calendar lists Del Mar as taking place on December 1 & 2. But on the Del Mar Fairgrounds website the calendar does not show the Expo. Hopefully this insistency will be cleared up by next month. If the show does go on we will try to have our Five-Rail Modular Layout there.

7. World’s Greatest Hobby Show – After a four year absence the World’s Greatest Hobby Show will pay a return visit to the San Diego area on the weekend of February 9 & 10. The Del Mar Fairgrounds will once play host to this fantastic event. And AGTTA plans on being there with our Five-Rail Modular layout.

OTHER ITEMS: 1. Special Raffle #4 – We are getting real close to meeting our minimum ticket sales goal. We just have to sell 20 more tickets before the big grand prize raffle ticket can be drawn. If you haven’t purchased your winning ticket yet make sure you do so at the September Meet. 2. Club Treasury – Jon reports that the Club Treasury is in great shape containing just over $5K. 3. Future Board Meetings – Our next Board Meeting will take place on Tuesday, October 9th, while our last Board Meeting of the year will take place on Tuesday, November 13th. Both meetings will take place at the SDRRM and will begin at 7:00. All members are welcome and invited to attend any and all Board Meetings. 4. 2013 Board – At the October Meet we will be accepting nominations for next year’s Board. We encourage you to consider becoming a Board Member. Your Club needs you!


SPECIAL RAFFLE #4 LIONEL “O” 2253W GG-1 TRAIN SET

THE SET: This classic 1955 Lionel set is headed up by a 2340 Green GG1 5 Stripper.

TICKET SALES : Tickets are just $10.00 each. And we are only 20 tickets shy of reaching our minimum ticket sales goal of 150 tickets. Get them while you can for soon they will all be gone.

MONTHLY PRIZE DRAWINGS: At the monthly Meets a winning ticket is drawn at 6pm . The winner, who must be present to win, is then given two free tickets. Bob Wall was the lucky August winner. The Grand Prize drawing will take place at the Meet following when the minimum 150 ticket sales goal is reached.

The lucky winner will not need to be present to win the Set.

PARTICIPATION: Your purchase of raffle tickets in our Club Special Raffles provide you with the opportunity to take home a fabulous prize while helping AGTTA cover the Club’s basic operational overhead expenses (hall rent, insurance, newsletter, etc.). Through these raffles we’ve been able to keep annual dues at their current level and continue to offer free admission and table sales at our monthly Meets. A definite win, win situation. So as they say, buy raffle tickets. And thanks! ☺

INFORMATION: Bob Wall / (858) 452-5297 / [email protected]


STEVE CURRIE’S TRAIN BARN


Several AGTTA members took advantage of the recent layout tour to view one of the finest layouts in the San Diego area, John and Trina Duffy’s beautifully sceniced "O" gauge layout.

John Duffy at the controls of his beautifully detailed layout

SD LAYOUT TOUR PHOTO GALLERY Photos taken by Bob Wall


Cheryl Lyman definitely enjoyed herself

Texaco Oil Storage Facility is very realistic


That is some real looking coal mind.


Happy Flohe above and John Barker below enjoyed viewing the layout


It’s always nice to stop by and get a cool one at Duffy’s Tavern

I was introduced to Member Dave Otth at the June All Day Meet. During our conversation Dave asked if I would like to have a little contest to run in the Main-Line PDF version. Of course I said sure! He said he would supply me with pictures from the “Golden Years” of Hollywood that contained toy model trains. I would include picture and the applicable question about the picture. Then I would list three possible answers. It would be up to you to come up with the correct answer. The member e-mailing your Editor the first correct answer would receive a free printable image of the photo, courtesy of Toy Trains go Hollywood. Sounds like fun, right?

OK, to the right is our first picture. The question is: "What is the Title of this I Love Lucy Episode?"

The correct answer is one of these three. Pick it out and send me an e-mail with your choice. I will let you know if you get it correct and if you are the first to do so.

a. Lucy and Desi Buy a Toy Store b. Ricardo's Look for New Apartment

c. Desi, the Eccentric Engineer

TOY TRAINS GO HOLLYWOOD CONTEST Contributed by Dave Otth


American Flyer Ad from the April 1952 issue of Toy Trains Magazine – Hard to believe – 50 years!


Thought you would enjoy reading this flyer about our friends at the SD 3-Railers.


Al’s Choo Choo Loco Repairs, Layouts & Collections

Call: (714) 654-0726

Ed’s All Gauge Train Sale See & Hold What You Buy

All Gauges - Everything Trains 3000 Trains & Everything For Them

2012 TRAIN SCHEDULE SEPT 15 / DEC 15

8 AM – 1 PM Ed Jablonsky - (619) 287-0819

4838 Old Cliffs Road San Diego, CA 92120

Electric Trains Keep Roland Roland Frandsen Jr.

Mon - Fri 9 - 2 & Sat 9 - 1 (619) 449-9503

(Please call before coming) 10259 Escadera Drive

Santee, CA

ROCK HOUSE STATIONROCK HOUSE STATIONROCK HOUSE STATIONROCK HOUSE STATION Call Greg Anastopoulos for Hours

Bus: (760) 788-9846 Fax: (760) 788-8164

[email protected] 2505 Main Street, Suite 5

Ramona, CA

SUPPORTING BUSINESSSUPPORTING BUSINESSSUPPORTING BUSINESSSUPPORTING BUSINESS

AGTTA CLUB MEMBER’S TRAIN AGTTA CLUB MEMBER’S TRAIN AGTTA CLUB MEMBER’S TRAIN AGTTA CLUB MEMBER’S TRAIN

STORES & BUSINESSESSTORES & BUSINESSESSTORES & BUSINESSESSTORES & BUSINESSES

Steve Bovee, Owner

www.reeds-hobbies.com

E-mail: [email protected]

Elystoys Lionel, Am Flyer, Marx, Ives,

Hot Wheels, Dinky, Aurora Slots Tonka, Tootsietoy, Smith Miller

Jean & Dave Ely (515) 664-8217

Urbandale, Iowa [email protected]

Lionel Value Added Dealer Wanted to buy: Authorized Service Station Trains of all gauges American Flyer sales & service and vintage toys

D & S HOBBIES 28636 Old Town Front Street, Suite 100

Temecula, CA 92590 Phone: (951) 694-1773

Scott L. Kugler Mon: 9 – 6 / Thurs.: Closed Deborah L. Kugler Tues. 11 – 4 / Fri.: 11 – 6 [email protected] Wed.: 11 – 6 / Sat.: 9 – 6 Sun.: 11 - 4


Sept 13 Thursday AGTTA September Meet White Elephant Raffle Night Ed Samsen (760) 458-4791 Sept 23 Sunday TTOS-SP September Meet Ken Flory (714) 538-8218 Oct 7 Sunday TTOS SW October Meet www.ttos-sw.org/activities.htm

Oct 11 Thursday AGTTA October Meet Ed Karper Memorial Free-Bee Table Ed Samsen (760) 458-4791 Oct 13 Saturday SDRM Swap Meet Jim Anderson (619) 696-0199

AGTTA SEPT NEWSLETTERAGTTA SEPT NEWSLETTERAGTTA SEPT NEWSLETTERAGTTA SEPT NEWSLETTER

CALENDAR OF EVENTSCALENDAR OF EVENTSCALENDAR OF EVENTSCALENDAR OF EVENTS

ALL GAUGE TOY TRAIN ASSOCIATION 6621 Cartwright Street San Diego, CA 92120-2407

NEXT MEET:

Thursday, September 13 th

4:30 - 8:00 Torrey Pines Christian Church

8320 La Jolla Scenic Drive North

NEXT MEET: Thursday, October 11th

the main- the main ---linelinelinenow, get digging and just see me when you arrive at the meet to...

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