December 30 - 31, 2000

SNOW in the forecast! (Working on the NVNTRAK Railroad at the Capital Expo Center, Chantilly, Virginia - The Greenberg Show, December 30 -31, 2000)

Railroads had to plan for snow in the forecast by mounting snowplows on engines, making ready rotary snowplows, filling sand domes, and pre-positioning equipment etc. 

The NVNTRAK faithful awoke Saturday to a sunny dawn and clear streets. The end-of-year snowstorm express did not have a scheduled stop in the D.C. area after all; most of the destinations on Amtrak Acela route to the north were the only stops on the timetable.   More members and modules arrived to complete the NVNTRAK preparations for running trains throughout the weekend. Track work was done just ahead of the arrival of the several thousands of visitors who would take delight in the absence of snow on the roads and the rails, rails that saw heavy traffic both days of the show.

As the inclement weather around the country caused disruptions in electric power, show attendees were grateful that this area had been spared such distress. Coal is an essential fuel for generating electric power in various parts of the country, and on the west end of this weekend's layout, coal could be found originating in the mine on Mike Benc's set of Upper Casselman River modules - which also featured well-weathered prototypical Buffalo and Pittsburgh motive power being serviced in an off-mainline diesel facility. Coal also could be had at the east end of the layout on Noll Horan's Broad Top Transfer where East Broad Top narrow-gauge hoppers transferred coal to standard-gauge consists. Back at the west end, immediately next to Upper Casselman River was a final destination for all that coal, John Steitz's Power Plant. A remnant of water-powered industry on the club's Clark's Mill, separated the Power Plant from John Cook's R+FP at Quantico Creek, Fall 1998 and Possum Point Power Station module set. 

With airline flights grounded throughout the northeast due to snow, passengers on Pennsy varnish also experienced some delays before stopping at Jay Keese's Paoli Station, just past Possum Point. Yellow and Blue lines were operating in two blocks throughout the weekend and train engineers took some time to adjust to controlling motive power with the sequence of commands needed to operate the new Aristo throttles.  On more than a few occasions, diesels entering blocks previously occupied by steam locomotives were transformed to TGV-type trains reaching speeds beyond Acela. Once the procedure was ironed out for proper use of throttles and blocks, calm was restored. Traffic originating in Dave Davies' Brunswick Yard next to Paoli could head east to Dave's Hanger 18 and other intriguing destinations.

One of the more interesting social phenomena triggered by the forecast of snow in the D.C. area is the rush to the local grocery store, a rush that somehow causes more than a few people to lose their temper, common sense, and courtesy. Have no fear NVNTRAKers, on this weekend all your food shopping could be done at the magnificent Safeway store on Howard Beall's module just past Hanger 18. Or, you could have stopped next door in Leonard White's Alantown to see which stores were open. 

The Nor'easter forecasted for the weekend was supposed to bring more snow to coastal areas than the mountains, and mountains were one feature of the weekend layout. Many of the modules along the northeast section of the layout featured the mountain line, which began at Brunswick Yard and was completed by Paul Diley's pair of mountain modules, Marc Sisk's Pipestone Pass module set, and rounded out by Brad Pedersen's Service Corner. Trains were sighted throughout the weekend on the mountain line and included some Doodlebug action as well as a visit by Brad's Thomas the Tank engine, which particularly delighted our younger viewers. Another Thomas was on view and operating on the Orange line at David Freshwater's OLI Tower, to the south. The mountain theme continued on the east end of the layout with narrow-gauge action taking place on the HighliNn3 route more than 100 scale feet above the Red, Yellow, and Blue standard-gauge lines. Joining the usual assortment of narrow-gauge equipment on Jim LaBaugh's Shadow Mountain Mine, Steve Zutter's Mann's Creek II, and Noll Horan's Broad Top Transfer, was a train run by Marc Sisk that included RGS motive power and a RGS flanger that actually smoothed out some module scenery during the show. At this end of the layout, Keith Holzapfel presided over clinics for the public demonstrating how to remove and add scenery to two of the corners destined to become part of the club's mountain corner set. Keith also featured ways of spreading ballast along the tracks - without the use of a flanger!

Work trains did figure into the many different journeys on the rails taken by club members Saturday and Sunday. On the DCC-controlled Red Line, John Steitz's familiar orange M.O.W. train included three Aztec rail-cleaning cars. The RS-2's at the head of that train showed how diesel power could be relied on to get the work equipment through to make sure the rails and track bed were suitable for operations. Another work train of well-weathered M.O.W. equipment was headed up by steam power, no doubt fueled by the coal from Mike Benc's mine. Club corner Kudzu Corner, appropriately located at the southeast corner of the layout, was one place where all the M.O.W. equipment would be needed to keep the rails clean of too much green. When not viewing the various well-weathered consists passing by Kudzu Corner, show attendees could make a 180 degree turn to the NVNTRAK table where Mark Franke and John Drye conducted clinics to demonstrate all the different techniques that can be used to achieve the weathered look to just about anything. 

Heading west from Kudzu Corner, trains and their operators passed by Paul Diley's Lake Ridge Golf Course before entering Edd Braithwood's M+K Yard. Absence of snow meant there was plenty of activity on the tees and clear blocks ahead for trains as signaled by the lights at the end of Edd's yard. Part of the power theme within sections of the set up were seen just past M+K Yard with a low-head hydropower dam on Matt Guey-Lee's module and the generating plant on Chauncey Durden's module. Chauncey has done a great deal of work on this module since acquiring it at the auction at the annual club meeting last January, including application of a new technique to make rock outcrops. The industrial strength insulators and wiring on his power plant make it look like it could generate enough electricity to solve the current energy crisis in California. Snow was also absent from Cotton Bowen's Wallace, New York module where 40's vintage autos and trucks were in abundance on the streets heading towards the station to meet passengers and freight, or on to the next town, Nick Sklias' Nicksville. Clear skies also meant trafficability was good for the troops on Nick's Manata Gap and Cotton Bowens' Indiantown Gap modules. Safety while traveling is always a concern when the weather is cold and snowy, but it is also a concern at rail crossings and part of the scenes on Nicksville and David Freshwater's OLI Tower helped educate show attendees that they need to stop, look, and listen at grade crossings. Finally, at the end of a full circuit of the layout, operators could pull off on the club's Brendel Siding or round the curve on Drye Creek before heading over the bridges once again on the Upper Casselman River.

As the last show of 2000 closed, all the members who had run trains, spent year-end revenue on items for sale by the many vendors at the show, and worked on engines and rolling stock in the operating pit, gathered together to take apart the layout. Outgoing club president David Freshwater used his usual management techniques to see that all of the club equipment was properly packed in both trailers, ready for the next adventure in NVNTRAK model railroading. Many thanks to all the members that contributed to the this show in the spirit of our unofficial motto "Semper Gumby." From start to finish, club members' flexibility helped set-up coordinator Keith Holzapfel put together a layout that could have met whatever challenge the weather might have produced. 

As a reminder, we may need to decide on a club policy when a snowstorm does occur during a scheduled set up. John Drye has offered the following for thought.

1. It's not worth it to risk damage to modules and equipment in a snowstorm. 
2. It's not worth it to risk damage to MTVs in a snowstorm. 
3. It's not worth it to risk damage to members in a snowstorm. 
4. Clampdown remains as scheduled, with whatever modules show up, subject to rules 1-3. 
5. Modules who show up after clampdown can be incorporated into the layout as configuration permits, possibly in a second loop. 
6. "Semper Gumbi" applies. 
7. Don't forget rules 1-3.

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