Peter Shavney's presidents report
APRIL 2007
Several members of A.M.R.E, including Vic Louie, Don Burrer, Pete Shavney, John Stabe, and Harold Fleischer were seen visiting several of the layouts on the SAMRA train show home layout tour. Ray Phillip’s very complete layout called the South Texas and Gulf features very complete operations using Digitrax and trains up to fifty cars in length and longer. The track is signaled and dispatcher controlled with very complete simulated real time train movements. The mainline is over 1250 feet long plus over 200 feet of industrial sidings. A “must see” experience.
Other layouts visited included Tom Crosthwaite’s Mogollon & Southwestern and is based on the Arizona Mineral Belt RR. Scenery is well done and detailed with prototypical operations and an operating turntable. Well worth visiting.
The third layout we visited was Joe & Sharon Mainz’s HO “Southern Pacific RR” containing many scratch built structures and scenic details. On Sunday we visited two very fine layouts, the Cook Family N scale “Santa FE and San Antonio”, an incredibly well done N scale pike with loads of precision structures and electronics. Last but not least was Dick schaefer’s HO Maple Valley & Western RR and Rock Creek Southern. Dick’s collection of books and magazines rivals that of a big city library. On display is one of the largest collections of passes anywhere – well over one thousand. You could spend a week there.
Back at AMRE, work has finally gotten underway on major track improvements in the “Springfield” area with much of the old track and platform now removed in the first phase of the project. New engine terminal facilities are planned along with a full size turntable, which will be able to turn the largest of the many articulated model steam engines now in the hands of members. Two new water features are also in the works with the one in the Summit area now underway.
Following elections held in January, the following have been nominated and/or elected to office for 2007: President, Pete Shavney; Vice President Victor Louie; Secretary, Larry Walsh; Treasurer, Gene Turner; Member at Large Steve Posey. Train show Chairman, Gene Turner; MPC Coordinators; Electrical, Don Burrer; Scenery, Larry Walsh; Track and Benchwork, Steve Posey; Operations, Vic Louie.
Peter Shavney
Last update 11/28/2007
© 2007 John Stabe