Our meeting last month at Danas was a pleasant surprise. Lots of CGRSers showed up to enjoy the unseasonably warm weather. With the thermometer reading in the mid-60's, Bob Dana had several trains running out in the garden, including a 12-car freight train double headed with Aristo-Craft SD-45 Diesel locomotives. An Aristo Little Critter loco pulled a two car consist on a small loop; an LGB Stainz was at the front of another train on a separate small loop; and an Aristo RS-3 pulled a short freight train on yet another separate loop of track.

After watching trains and talking trains for a while we went indoors for a short business meeting. Some items discussed were:

1. We mentioned that several local stores had their holiday small figures on display - with lots of original new pieces and at reasonable prices. Some CGRSers decorate their garden railroads for the Christmas season.

2. We were sorry to report the death of Joan Voit, wife of Richard Voit and mother of Michael Voit. (See obit further back in this issue).

3. We asked for meeting hosts for next year. We are especially looking for indoor meeting spaces for January and February - and maybe March - of next year. Contact Bill Lott if you can help out. Bill Lott: 614-837-8520, wlott@insight.rr.com.

4. We began collecting membership dues for 2002. See form further back in this issue.

5. We discussed whether or not to hold a monthly meeting next June, since the meeting date would fall on the beginning of the week of the national garden railway convention in Cincinnati June 26-30, 2002. Some felt holding a meeting just before having one's railroad open for the pre-convention tour would be bit much. Preliminary indications are that CGRS railroads will be open all Tuesday, June 25th and morning through early afternoon on Wednesday, June 26th. It is our understanding that the Cincinnati convention opens with Registration on that Wednesday evening.

6. Ron Mayer had his last five video tapes available of garden railroads on tour for the LGB Convention in 1998. (See ad in back).

After these brief business items Myron Cherry of Cherryhill Aquatics gave a presentation on water gardens. He covered a brief history of water plant hybridization and then focused on plants available at his nursery that can handle our winter weather.

After the presentation Bob Dana brought us up to date on the expansion plans. They are planning to install a deck, so part of the railroad will be removed and reinstalled to run around the edges of the new deck. Harriet Dana gave us some insight on the name of their railroad, Sunburst, Minneapolis and Southern. Harriet grew up in Sunburst, Montana, Bob grew up in Minneapolis, and since then they have lived south of those two cities - and hope to continue to do so.

Next, two CGRSers brought in their newly-acquired LGB Mikado Locomotives. Bob Dana set each of them out on the layout to try them out. Nice looking locomotives with a great sound system. Slight derail problem on the Aristo switches though. Dave Cheney brought in a scale model semi-trailer truck, painted and lettered for Hershey's Chocolate. A nice looking vehicle. He explained how to get one for yourself. Bill Lott showed off a small model flag pole with a flag that could be raised and lowered.

Dave Cheney then made an impromptu announcement that the Cheney Creek Railroad would be open to visitors for short time after the meeting. Several CGRSers took him up on the offer. We got our first look at the expansion of their railroad to "Pine Island."

In conclusion we thank Bob and Harriet for getting their railroad and their home ready for the influx of the 50 or so CGRSers who enjoyed the day's meeting!

"Memorial contributions may be made to St. Clare Circle in care of St. Anthony Catholic Church in her memory."

[Webmaster note:  Even if you've seen this in the past, remember it is not put together the same way each year.  Although many buildings are the same from year to year, they are not arranged the same way.  Come out and enjoy!]

Jack and I are looking forward to hosting everyone for the holiday party on December 29.  Come at 5:00 p.m.  which will give us a few minutes of daylight before the lights show up at dark.  We will have trains running outside (if the weather cooperates).  We will also have some trains running inside as well.

We will supply the main dish - beef barbecue sandwiches.  Everyone should bring a side dish that goes with that.  This is also a good time to share left over Christmas cookies, etc. (hint, hint!)

As far as entertainment, I'm sure there will be some singing around the piano.  We have some very good musicians in the group!  Richard Abler will bring his video of the Cass trip.  It's an excellent account of that trip. If anyone else has videos or  pictures of the trip that they would like to share, please bring them.

The back deck track will be available for running any Christmas presents that you might want to share with the group.

We will have a guest with us.  Pam Spaulding, a photographer from the Louisville Courier Journal, will be here hoping to get some winter shots of the railroad.  She and a colleague are writing a book on garden railroading.  She hopes for a sprinkling of snow!

For us, the part of the hobby that is most fun is sharing it with others. Sure hope you can join us on December 29, 5:00 p.m. until ?????

NOTE:  Parking is a bit of a problem.  Our streets were torn up this summer and the berms are now soft mud. Park only on pavement but be sure to leave one lane open for the neighbors.

A little history of our railroad (A lot of this is in Jack's words) 

Like many of our members,  Jack and I attended Ameriflora at the Franklin Park Conservatory in 1992 and saw the German exhibit which included a garden railroad designed by Paul Busse. We were there at dusk when the lights began to show up in the beautiful little village that was a part of the layout.  I was mesmerized by the charm of that village and the little trains.

A year later we went to a train show - GATS- and ran into Richard Abler. (Jack and I knew Richard from our mutual love of music - we sang together in the Worthington Chorus.  What we didn't know about him was his love of garden railroading.)  Richard, of course, signed us up for membership in the Columbus Garden Railway Society.

Our first train was the LGB circus train which we ran around the Christmas tree.  After a couple of years, and trips to Chris Myers' shop, Watts' Train Store, etc., and many CGRS meetings, we decided to put up something temporary - just to see if we liked it.  So - in 1996 - we had our first open garden railway in conjunction with the Columbus Parks and Recreation Open Garden tour.  We were one of 12 railways open and our "layout" consisted of 9 loops of temporary track laid in existing gardens. We were hooked!!

We contacted Paul Busse and asked if he would help us design and build a garden railway.  In April, 1997, Paul and crew dug the ponds for the railroad.  In May, we had a "rail raising" with Paul supervising about 40 CGRS members who had arrived with drills, saws, battery screw drivers, etc.

Others brought chairs and enjoyed watching the action.  In one day, the 2x6 foundation for the track was done and in place.  A couple of weeks later, more members came and helped finish up the mountain line foundation.  Jack and I spent the whole summer bending and installing about 700 feet of track. In September, we were open again for the open garden rail-roads.  The pond and waterfall were working but the track was propped up on risers and the layout was still very much under construction.

Then the dirt and rock came - tons and tons of both!  Then the plants - then we built the trestles - then more dirt - more plants - more rocks - then endless jumpers and track clamps - and buildings set out with all the little people and stories they tell!  By August, 1998, we were ready to be open for the National LGB Convention held in Columbus.

After 6 years of longing, planning, and a lot of work, we had our garden railroad.  Since that time, we have had more than 4,500 people visit our railroad.

The name of our railroad is the "Shelby and Sparta Railroad, the Ohio Kentucky Connection".  Shelby, Ohio was Jack's home town and Sparta, Kentucky was my home town.  There is some personal detail in the railroad such as a replica of the house my grandfather built and which I grew up in (thanks to Jim Kimmel who built it from a photograph).  There is a general nod of the head to the way things were when we were children.

The layout is roughly an "L" shape occupying an area of 70 ft x 100 ft.  There is approximately 700 feet of track contained in 3 loops, one of which is a double reverse loop.  There are 5 tunnels.  The grade is about 2.5% on the main and branch lines and about 4% on the mining line.  There is a 4 foot waterfall which falls through 3 ponds and is powered by a 1/2 hp sump pump.  The aeration is sufficient to create an ecological balance without filters or chemicals. The current population is 21 fish and a few itinerant frogs.

We also have uninvited visitors to the pond including a blue heron, a Cooper's hawk, deer and raccoons. The birds and squirrels use it for their water supply and for bathing and are always welcome.  I even saw a little hummingbird taking a "shower" in the splash.

There are many varieties of plants visible in the summer.  When asked how many, I say "Who knows? They come and they go!"  Jack's answer to that is "In addition to the many beautiful specimens installed at the completion of the basic design, there has been an endless succession of station wagon loads of pots and flats."  I try to keep a current list but am not always good about keeping it up to date.

People also ask "How many trains do you have?"  Our answer is "More than good sense would dictate, and more than we have room to run at one time."

I do the gardening and decorating as well as the trestle construction.  This includes the buildings and planning their location, and installing the little vignettes of people and vehicles.  There are over 120 buildings - some are lighted at night - more will be in the future.  We have more than 500 people and animals and cars and trucks - not all will be out in the winter.

Jack takes care of the rolling stock, track maintenance, designs for future expansion, and the electrical work.  The latter includes automated controls and designing and building power supplies and throttles.  Of course, we both clean the right of way and run trains.

We also have 2 loops of track running on the deck which is visible from our family room. And there is the trolley line that runs under the grand piano in the living room, and the two trains that make their trips around the Christmas tree and the track in the basement and the room in the basement that has been turned into a model building room and... You would think we like this hobby!!!

I get excited when I start to talk about the railroad and this is probably more than you ever wanted to know.

Sure hope you can join us on December 29, 5:00 p.m. until ?????

In my opinion the SD-45 joins those locomotives that change the way the hobby thinks. Which locomotives are those? Well, lets start at the beginning. The LGB Stainz that essentially revitalized big gauge after its introduction at the Nuremburg Toy Fair in 1968.

Other benchmark locos which - in my  opinion - changed the way big gaugers think were the LGB Mogul in the mid 80's. This was the first American prototype loco and got a lot of folks in the US to take a closer look at G-gauge.

Then there's the Aristo-Craft FA loco in the early 90's which gave the G-gauge hobby the first popular modern loco-motive model. And now, at the beginning of this decade there's the Aristo SD-45. Not only is it a great loco, but its revolutionary drive train forms the basis for more good things to come from this manufacturer.

Each person has his or her own idea about awards. And I'll be the first to admit that each of you reading these award articles each year have your own opinion of what should have been selected as the winner. That's fine. Write up your selection for product-of-the-year and send it to me. I'll collect them for the next newsletter.

Just for the record, my past years' selections were as follows:

2000 - 
the Hartland Locomotive Works   
Mack Diesel and shorty cars -  great quality and an entry-level  price to get folks interested in  G-gauge 

1999 -  
the Aristo-Craft 
Eggliners - what  a hoot!

1998 -  
the LGB 
30th Anniversary Starter  Set - top quality at a low price.

1997 -  
the Bachmann 
Shay Locomotive -  a stunner! and a surprise from this manufacturer.

It's time to ante for dues for 2002. 

Still only $18 for the whole family! 

Still the biggest bargain in big-scale garden railroading.

Click here to renew!

In case of bad weather, a notice will be sent via the CGRS Alerting Service, but if you don't have email, call first if it's iffy.

The CGRS is pleased to welcome the following new members:

Jim & Karen Gritter of Grove City.  They joined us as a result of the CGRS' annual open garden tour.

Also please welcome Kevin Miller of Johnstown.

Just in time for cold weather our new batch of logo sweatshirts will be available for you at the next CGRS meeting on the 18th.  These quality sweats have our crossbuck logo prominently displayed across the front.

Pick one up at the meeting and save the $3.50 shipping charge.

Call Jim Kimmel if you'd like a new sweatshirt but can't make it to the next meeting. We only have a few that aren't already spoken for.

Click here to order!