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The Rail Philatelist September 2000 Newsletter |
Volume 5 …………… PRICE $1.00 (10 ISSUES FOR $8.00)…………….Number 8 September 1, 2000
Dear Fellow Rail Philatelist:
My apologies to those of you who encountered excessive
delays getting your orders and new issues because of my hectic summer travel
schedule. Between June 12 and August 31, I was home only 18 days and some of
that time was consumed by household chores, preparing and mailing pricelists,
etc., leaving too little time to attend to all the orders and correspondence
received. Thanks for your patience. Hopefully, I won’t let myself get into this
situation again.
NATIONAL
MODEL TRAIN SHOW: The National Model Railroad Assn. convention and show was held
in the San Jose Convention Center Aug. 4-6. I was able to move right in when I
got there at about 7 PM but there had been up to a two hour wait earlier in the
day due to union problems. Took me until almost 9:00 to get my booth set up.
This is an excellent venue for the show but there seemed to be fewer booths than
in years past. One change for the better was closing the show at 6 PM on Friday
rather than at 9 PM as before. That made for a very long day and didn’t add much
to sales although I had 32 Friday sales in St. Paul (which wasn’t a good show
for me) and only 21 in San Jose. Only those registered for the convention were
allowed in in San Jose while the public was invited for the evening hours in St.
Paul and previous years. Saturday morning I looked for a way to make a speedy
exit Sunday night but couldn’t find one so I guess I’ll just have to wait in
line with everyone else trying to get out. Then I toured the layouts and
manufacturers booths before opening my booth. Maybe I’m getting crotchety in my
old age, but the layouts didn’t seem to be as well designed and detailed as in
previous years - an observation confirmed by a couple of other dealers I talk
with regularly. The show was a little slow getting started because long lines
formed for only two ticket booths before they got the kinks worked out.
Attendance was very good Saturday but the bulk of my sales were to a handful of
regular customers from the area - they at least helped me exceed my St. Paul
sales. There wasn’t much activity Sunday so overall the show was quite
disappointing - sales were about half of what I expected (and needed). And an
hour wait in line to get a place on the loading dock Sunday evening didn’t help
build fond memories of the show either.
APS
STAMPSHOW 2000: The Rhode Island Convention Center in Providence was another
great venue for a stamp show that didn’t quite work for me. My Saturday was very
busy with several of my New England mail order customers stopping by but sales
on Thursday, Friday and Saturday didn’t add enough to cover the costs of the
4000 mile round trip. The high point of the show for me was meeting several mail
order customers for the first time and meeting a couple new customers as well.
Even the dealers breakfast Sunday morning was a non-event, no controvercy, etc.
My one regret from the show was that I didn’t get the opportunity to get around
to many of the other dealers booths - there were a couple dozen dealers there
that I’ve never encountered before and may not get to see again. I did manage to
stock up for the enclosed OPQ & R lists at A&D Stamps each morning
before the show opened and I bought a great collection of French Parcel Posts
from the dealer across the aisle from me. About a dozen collectors attended my
“Railway Philately” slide show, so I was pleased with that! One of the
advantages of doing major shows like this is the opportunity to rub elbows and
talk with the “movers and shakers” of philately - not just the APS officials and
exhibitors, but also industry leaders as well. Never one to mince words nor hide
my opinion, I took full advantage of one such opportunity in Providence. Sam
Malamud, owner of Inter-Governmental Philatelic Corp. and producer of most of
the excessive new issues saturating the market, stopped by my booth to offer me
a bargain on train FDCs returned by his customers. I declined his generous offer
since I can’t sell the stuff either, then turned the conversation to the glut of
new issues. He acknowledged the problem and indicated that his company plans to
cut new issues to about half in the coming year. We can only hope that he
follows thru on that promise and that other producers will follow his lead. Time
will tell. I shared a room at the Westin Hotel with another dealer to keep my
costs down. That afforded me the opportunity to explore the beautifully restored
downtown area of Providence and also for a walk up college hill where Brown
University and the University of Rhode Island are located among some stately
mansions and classic New England churches. In fact, the view of college hill
from the train station platform at dusk Saturday evening reminded me of a
Grandma Moses painting!
AUGUST
TRAVEL: I made show trips to San Jose, CA and Providence, RI and a pleasure trip
to Nova Scotia for my granddaughter’s Christening in
August.
TRAIN
REPORT: Train watching on the California trip started well with a long SB
manifest south of Castle Rock, four locos on the point, two more pushing plus a
NB coal-empty to the north and a couple more trains in Denver. Then four in
Cheyenne, an EB stackpack near the UP ballast quarry, a geep working a string of
cars in the Laramie tie yard, eight trains between there and Walcott Junction,
another geep switching the refinery in Sinclair, three trains stopped in
Rawlins, and eight more between there and Green River. At Green River, they had
just replaced a switch in one of the yard leads under the foot bridge when I
arrived. During dinner at the Embers, I watched UP Ohio crane #903072 pull a
ballast car across the new switch, followed by the tamper. Also saw three EB
trains and one switching movement. Saw a pair of geeps descending Echo canyon,
probably helpers but I’ve never seen helpers there before. Passed an intermodal
climbing the pass and another just entering the tunnels East of Morgan, UT. Also
passed a coal train in the dark just North of Salt Lake City and saw the lights
of three others EB West of SLC, then nothing the rest of the way to Wells, NV.
Still a 42 train day ain’t bad! The next day was slower - a TOFC waiting to go
West at Elko, an EB manifest at Golconda, another just leaving Winnemuca and an
Autorack at Reno waiting to go West. I had just crested Donner Pass when I
caught a glimpse of the WB CALIFORNIA
ZEPHYR above me at the 6500
foot level. I pulled off at the Big Bend exit and found a spot where I would be
able to see the train clearly. It was a beautiful sight as the three locos, two
baggage cars, eight Superliners and five express boxcars curved around the rock
cliffs above me. I saw the train again as it snaked along the rock ledges near
Cisco and could have followed it all the way down the mountain if I had had the
time, but I sped on ahead, passing only a WB manifest waiting to get into the
Roseville, CA yard. The engine shops had a couple dozen locos in or around them
and about 75 more at or near the refueling facilities. A pair of geeps was flat
switching a string of cars in the East yard while three trains waited to head
East (probably not until AMTRAK cleared).
There was a BNSF steel coil train waiting to go West on the North side of
the new yard while a UP manifest crawled West on the South side, past a waiting
PFE refrigerator train. Saw an Autorack waiting to go West at Davis, passed
under a 10 unit Bay Area Rapid Transit (BART) train as it headed into Walnut
Creek and a two-unit Valley Transit Authority light rail train in front of the
convention center as I stopped to get my badge - not such a slow train day after
all! There was good train watching on the way home too, starting with a UP
Autorack on the approach to the Martinez Bridge as I slowed down to pay the
toll, followed shortly thereafter by a manifest. Although I was in a rush, I
made the short detour around the Roseville yard to see a WB manifest starting
out, a couple EB waiting on the South side of the yard and another EB snaking
its way thru the yard and making the turn toward Marysville and points North (or
East on the old Western Pacific Line). Saw three trains in short order after
leaving Reno Monday morning - a UP TOFC, a short BNSF manifest and a long UP
manifest, then nothing until 9:38 AM when I caught a glimpse of the WB CALIFORNIA ZEPHYR ducking behind a hill
near Valmy, NV. Missed the head end but the consist was similar to last
Thursday’s. That was followed in five minute intervals by three more trains.
(Actually, since they were all WB at about 60 mph and I was EB at 70 mph, they
had about a 10 minute separation - a good math word problem or answer for JEOPARDY ). Passed a WB Cargill grain
train as it approached the tunnels West of Elko, NV, an EB TOFC in the yard
there, then an EB manifest just past the tunnels East of Elko. Saw my “mirage”
train in the same place as last time but couldn’t resolve any locos so it might
just be a string of boxcars on a siding in the middle of nowhere. Or it could
have been a train waiting to go East since there was another EB manifest “in the
hole” just below the Silverzone Pass summit waiting for the WB just clearing the
summit as I started my descent. That was it until I got near Salt Lake where
there were three locals working the salt plants and a taconite train approaching
the I-15 - I-215 intersection. Saw a WB Autorack just above Echo followed
shortly by what looked to be an AMTRAK coming around the bend. I quickly pulled
off to the side to let it come to me. Sure enough, it was UP #7145 leading
AMTRAK #35, seven Superliners, a red & silver dome car and a forest green
& silver dome observation car (couldn’t read the markings on the private
cars). Obviously some type of excursion but I’m not sure which one. Seeing that
reminds me that if you spend enough time going to enough places, sooner or later
you’ll get lucky and be in the right place at the right time! Passed a couple
more trains coming down the canyon and an EB leaving Evanston, WY. Caught up
with an EB Autorack as it started its descent into Green River and followed it
as it worked its way along the mountain wall into town. It passed as I stopped
at the Embers for dinner but there wasn’t any other activity except for the
usual SD-40-2 pair working a string of trona cars. A WB manifest had pulled into
the station for a crew change as I left. The EB Autorack was stuck waiting at
the east end of Green River because the rails between there and Rock Springs
were clogged with three trains each way. Passed at least fourteen more between
Rock Springs and Rawlins before it got too dark to keep an accurate tally, four
more on the way to Laramie, two on the way to Cheyenne plus a couple more
waiting there, a couple in Denver and a SB coal train at Greenland, CO. A very
good train day on an overly long day of driving. Got home about 2:30 AM, got a
little sleep, took care of some bills and orders, mowed the lawn, got a little
more sleep, then up at 3:30 AM to catch a plane for Nova Scotia for our
granddaughter’s Christening. On Monday while the women went antiquing and the
other guys played golf, I went railfanning, first to a museum in the wonderfully
restored 1918 Intercolonial RR station at Musquodoboit Harbor. They had a
caboose, snowplow, combination car, GE 44 ton loco and a flat car as well as
several interesting displays on railroading in the area. Then I stopped in
Windsor, NS and walked around the shops and yard of the Windsor & Hartsport
RR, an operating railroad serving a gypsum mine that also runs a tourist train
on Sundays - two open platform cars, an air-conditioned smooth-side coach and an
extended-vision caboose all painted maroon and gray. There were eight ALCO
(Montreal Loco Works) DSH-10 diesel switchers on the property in various states
of disrepair, one painted to match the passenger equipment. The gypsum train
uses four GE 70 ton locos. I saw one approaching the shop area about 8 PM the
night we arrived and another leaving the shop area about 7 AM when I drove my
son Jeffrey to the Halifax airport. My last stop was at a museum in Middleton in
the restored 1915 Dominion Atlantic station. Aside from a couple speeder cars,
there was no rolling stock but they had operating model layouts in every scale
and numerous interesting displays. So I was able to learn a few things about
railroading in Nova Scotia. I’ll save the Providence trip for next time- not
enough space left this month.
DINING
REPORT: Eating alone takes some of the pleasure from a good meal, so I was
pleased to bump into Jim Rudai, dba RAILSTOCKS, at Denny’s Saturday morning and,
by chance, again at Carrow’s that evening for dinner (great minds think alike?
or something). He is a great guy to talk with and does a beautiful job matting
and framing stock certificates. We’ve done business together two or three times
the past couple years, but this was the first time we’ve had much time for
conversation - turns out we have a lot in common. As for the culinary delights,
the prime rib was excellent Saturday night and the salmon with citrus barbecue
sauce and Mandarin oranges at Carrow’s Friday night was outstanding. My other
meals on the California trip were mostly burgers and fries at McDonalds, Wendy’s
and Carl’s Jr. - tasty but not much to write home about. The best restaurant in
Berwick, NS closes at 6 PM on Saturday night so we didn’t get to eat there but
we did have several great home cooked meals and some out, including lobster a
couple times while in Nova Scotia. There were no great culinary triumphs on the
Providence trip - dinners at the New River, Asian Paradise and Trinity Brewhouse
were good but not exceptional while the Westin’s Agora was good but not worth
the high price. I did manage to have lunch in a Valentino’s Pizzeria on the way
home - good thing I haven’t found one with a view of the UP main line - my
weight would go over 300!
TRAFFIC
REPORT: Ever wonder why highway departments reduce miles and miles of Interstate
to one lane with no evidence of construction anywhere? I think its the orange
barrel rental lobby. They have them up all over this summer. Even without
construction, I-680 northbound looked like a parking lot from the Martinez
bridge most of the way to San Jose. Fortunately the southbound lanes flowed
smoothly except for two instances where dry-road, clear day accidents brought us
to a standstill for short periods. I don’t see why California wastes money on
speed limit signs. The only time drivers actually go the speed limit is when
they are accelerating away from a traffic jam or slowing down for one. If I had
to deal with that traffic everyday I would become a much more aggressive driver
than I already am. The only traffic problem on my Providence trip was that I-95
between Mystic and New Haven, CT was a fifty mile parking lot on my Sunday
evening drive west.
NATURAL
PHENOMENA: The numerous Western forest fires created a haze that made long
distance train spotting difficult but created beautiful sunsets. Watched a
spectacular lightning display north of I-80 near the Great Salt Lake that didn’t
bring any rain relief for the forest fire lighting up the sky on the south side
of the highway near Clive, UT (mp 49). I passed thousands of scorched acres of
sagebrush surrounding Imlay, NV and an active fire just west of Lovelock,NV that
seemed headed for the railroad tracks - hope they’re a good firebreak. It
evidently worked since the fire was out on the way home. The one near Clive, UT
was still smoldering and I saw evidence of a couple other fires near Wells, NV
and Echo, UT. ...Looked like tent catepillars have infested the forests in
Pennsylvania - hope they don’t destroy the trees
THE
STAMP HOBBY...: Thanks again to Michael Laurence, Editor/publisher of LINNS STAMP NEWS for this insight from his APS
Tiffany Dinner speech:
8.
The stamp hobby encourages diversity and tolerance. One of the glories of stamps
is that you can collect what and how you please. We say this over and over again
in Linn's. We can't say it enough. New collectors quickly learn that every
collection is different. Most learn to respect such differences, even to
celebrate them. Such a nonjudgmental attitude is essential in a hobby in which
no two collections are alike. And it helps collectors move more easily in a
world in which no two individuals are alike.
[Ed.note:
I agree with the premise stated above in principle but in reality exhibit rules
discriminate against certain aspects of philately (e.g. first day covers) and
topical collectors are still treated with scorn or derision by some dealers and
classical collectors/exhibitors. That is part of the reason why the American
Topical Association and the American First Day Cover Society find it necessary
to still have their own shows and judges.]
STAMP
OF THE MONTH: One of the treasures discovered at the APS cachet makers bourse
was this “All Aboard” first day cover set prepared by Barry Southard, Homespun
Cachets. They are not only beautiful but informative as the next couple pages
show. It is easy to see why he is an Earl Planty Award winning cachet
artist. I have a couple sets
available at $15.00 ppd. SEE SPECIALS.
RAIL
THOUGHT OF THE MONTH: Companion tee shirts seen a few minutes apart on NMRA
convention attendees: Hers - “I’m married to a train nut”, His - “I’m the train
nut”.
RAIL
FACTS AND FEATS: The widest gauge in standard use is 5 ft 6 in. This width is
used in Spain, Portugal, India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Argentina and
Chile. In 1885, there was an 8 ft gauge lumber railway in
Oregon.
May all your signals be green,
JOIN THE CASEY JONES
RAILROAD UNIT OF THE AMERICAN TOPICAL ASSOCIATION
Dues $8.00. Contact Oliver
Atchison, PO Box 31631, San Francisco, CA 94131
COME
SEE MY INVENTORY AT ONE OF THESE UPCOMING SHOWS:
SEP 23-24 FILATELIC FIESTA SANTA CLARA CONVENTION
CENTER SANTA
CLARA,CA
I’ll be attending the Regency Stamp
Auction in St. Louis, MO Sept. 9-10 - an ex-customer’s collection is up for
sale.
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