With the Narrow Gauge Meet over and done it was time to visit another track as it is traveling time for Three Companies. With Mom felling much better these days Al and Lynn were off to the Maricopa Live Steamers Spring Meet. They pretty much just went from JT to Phoenix, ah, that retirement life. Greg and I had to attend our weekly sessions at the salt mill, but we were on the road by mid Friday afternoon. Matt Z, the CVLS president and soon to be new JT member (hint, hint)drove up to Corona for the trip over with us. He had never been to the Adobe track site and was exited to get the chance to go along.
The trip across the desert was uneventful, with the sun at our backs and traffic bearable we were soon in Buckeye and stopped to see Mike Polinsky's new house and to see his Artzberger RGS #20. When these engines are finished they will be as prolific as Little Engines Americans once were. Looking forward to that day.
In Greg's truck we had a stack of flat cars and the caboose to compliment the stack of flats that Dad had with the GE 47 tonner. It makes for quite a string, meandering out among the flora and fauna of the flood basin in spring. On an early Saturday trip through the yard area, Ron and Lila Schmidt had arrived as they were in the area for a spell.
We took them on a scenic trip on one of the five different loops that can be taken at MLS. After a good hour on the ride they were off again to enjoy the great spring weather.
MLS has quite a few 2 1/2"ng engines and cars about their railroad. Karl Hovanitz has a stable of 2 1/2" equipment at the club as well as at his home track at Bitter Creek.
Bruno Platzer keeps a plethora of narrow gauge equipment to pull behind his massive K-36 and GE 47 tonner there as well since MLS is the closest track to his home in Las Vegas. John Mueller's C-16 is at home there as well and is an early representation of Rio Grande equipment. He is working on finishing up a wooden box car, individual boards on the exterior, nice. John is one of the original five to be involved in the JT property. Jeff Hickman has an impressive collection of rolling stock with wide wheels too. A past visitor to JT, Bob Clark from Farmington, New Mexico was down to pick up his new Easlon freight cars. Bob says he lives by the blogs and E-mails from other clubs as he lives in the middle of nowhere. Thanks for the good word about these musings. Thanks to Rick White for the photos of the train, I took one photo the whole weekend.
It is always fun and interesting to travel to other tracks, you learn different ways to tackle things, some work for you, some don't. MLS has a weather demon like we do and the way they go about it makes a lot of sense. They have sand everywhere and their switch throws are the way we should go. We're working on it. Make an effort to visit another club track this season, you'll be glad you did. Next travel spot, Train Mountain Narrow Gauge Meet 09, May 2009, Chiliquin Oregon, see you there.
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