Narrow Gauge Meet 2014, March 7-10

Well, at least you can look at the pictures from an amazing weekend. https://picasaweb.google.com/Ratsgarage/JoshuaTreeSouthernNarrowGaugeMeet37102014?authuser=0&feat=directlink  And if I get more I can blend them in too. Thanks to Allan Ratliff, Mike Masse, Anthony Duarte, John Griffin and who else I've gleaned photos from to show the rest of you what a great weekend it was.

    The story will come as I find time, this week is going to be real short as I spent Monday out at JT and we leave for AZ on Thursday afternoon. It doesn't give much time for washing, loading, fixing and sleeping before we do it again.

    We had a blast. The weather was the kind you wanted for the weekend and it got better every day. Thursday evening there was five engines sitting at the bays already. All total counting all types of flanged wheels there was 21 for the weekend.

Gary Conley

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

Gary Conley

Usually about eight o'clock in the morning if you were out at Joshua Tree for the weekend you would hear an old Toyota Diesel pickup rattle through the gate and the brakes would squeak it to a stop right in front of the patio/picnic shelter. Out would tumble a tall thin man with a more salt than pepper  beard and a pair of glasses. Gary was up for the morning, to see what was going on. Sometimes he would bring his crossword puzzle and do it in the shade on the table. Gary was a man of many talents; from the outside one would never know, but get to know him, visit with him and you would learn many things about him over time.
   Gary spent his working years in the electronics field, making components that went into aircraft and spacecraft was some of the things he worked on. Some parts that had worked on even went to the moon. Always liking the desert he ended up in Joshua Tree where he spent many a year before and after retirement. Back when the desert was wide open, wild and sparsely settled. Gary collected things and his house is a showcase for those such things. His many talents are showcased there as well; jewelry, model making, imaginative creations of the mind and soul, the beauty of the desert through material and plant life have a place at Gary's too. Being of the generation that experienced the early 60's music had a special place as well as the art associated with it. His collection of 'licorice pizza' is extensive and take prominence in both the house and garage.
    A talented modeler in the smaller sizes a room in the house has a train layout that is detailed beyond most peoples wildest fancies. The extent of the scenery is mind blowing and every time one saw it they would see more and more details that were unnoticed before. A gifted woodworker he along with Terry Watson built all the cabinetry in the Museum for displays as well as Gary building the dioramas that are in the back room of the museum. He with Terry turned the museum into an interesting collection to see and enjoy with both their talents for arrangement.
  Gary had a fascinating imagination, the things that he would build up or put into his detailed works were off the charts at times. His coffee table piece of work would be a cross between Jules Verne and Who knows where; if he were forty years younger it would be 'Steampunk', I guess he was ahead of his times. Pictures of his iron workings took a slanted eye or a Salvador Dali eyeglass, I have a chain mail piece that he made years ago that he gave to me a while ago. He was always bringing a gift to someone who might enjoy it.
   On of Gary's latter fancies was the Cacti Garden in front of the Museum and Railroad. In working with the 7 1/2" railroad in trying to find a way to funnel foot traffic towards the walkway and not up the embankment a Cholla Garden was planted and tended to by him as first a blockade but later a showcase of the different varieties that thrive in the area, and thrive they have with his green thumb behind them. He and Terry also were working in the interior of the Espee wooden caboose for the Museum and in cleaning it up for presentation and tours along with the rest of the full size equipment we have out here.
   Gary enjoyed seeing the progress of the entire Museum and both it's railroads. He took many a picture and I was very fortunate to be able to download his pictures on a quite regular basis for use in any of the blogs and updates. The above picture was one of the ones I found while looking through his collection this evening.

   Always up for a ride up the hill to see the progress we had recently made since his last trip, Gary enjoyed seeing the progress made and helped where he could. He made new Through Truss Bridges for the 'G' scale as well as a display trestle for the flat car in the museum. And was always at least a cheering bystander on many a project, many a time he would wield a shovel in assistance on our march up the hill.

   Gary was diagnosed with a cancerous tumor about a year ago and decided that the treatment was not worth the risk of what the odds were. Like all of us who have watched friends and loved ones go through what they did, some for better and some for worse his decision was to bypass the radiation that would not guarantee him a cure or longevity at best, surgery was not an option for what was diagnosed, but to face the demon through hospice and live it out the best he could. Gary enjoyed his limited time on this plane, he set up his legacy to go to those that he wanted it to go to and who would enjoy it. When I was last at his house in January, Dad and I visited him and he was in great spirits and talkative and enjoyed the visit. Everything in the house had a label on it to as who it was going to. Be it family, friend, museum, etc... He had it under control, his sister was coming out to visit, they hadn't talked in years, he was in contact with his brother as well. He was right with the world and going out on his terms. Gary was brought up in February for the meet and the monster was taking a toll, the meds were controlling him but he made it out and visited. It was good to see him again. Gary passed away last night the 3rd of March, peacefully in his sleep his sister along side him these last few days. I'm going to miss that diesel rattle and the squeaky brakes, he was a good member, friend and man. We will miss him, we no more possess him, our hearts and memory bare. Gary, till that day we meet again, peace be with you friend.     

A Fine Winter day in the High Desert

 Punxsutawney Phil needs to move to the High Desert. He would care less if there was six more weeks of Winter if he was sunning himself on a rock at Joshua Tree.
  It was a beautiful weekend among the budding trees including a few Joshua Trees. The Mulberries are a tad confused and by next time will be in leaves; what the Quail don't get to as they are running around with new broods too. Lizards of all sizes had found a favorite rock for the day. Spring is on its way out here.
   President's weekend is the Standard Gauge Meet and we had six of them running and of course the GE 47 tonner too. The Barter boys came from both directions for a weekend of running dirt up the hill. I had to call off the drop bottom Barter Coal loads as we had raised the track far enough above the upper trestle. Bill Shepherd was back at building the turntable wall so it went there instead.
  John Barter came west with his 4-6-0 and Art came east with his 3-truck Shay. Of course plenty of cars as well to fill out the vehicles; the wooden drop bottom gondolas are always a hit around here. We can't wait for the 2 1/2" scale versions to go behind the 2-8-0's they are working on. I brought out the American and the Alco got a running too, the Barter boys used it Saturday afternoon with the drop bottoms and it looked good. Matt Z' had his juice jack pulling more than it's far share and a new visitor from the LA area with a little four wheeled electric locomotive as well as an engine he ran on the "G" scale for the day, Robert Guzman and his son.
  Greg and Becky made it out for the weekend to round out the Ratliff family. A surprise visit from Tom Gazsi was even in the works for the weekend. John Griffin has been hard at work with the Freight Motor as the upper High Line ballasting job has come along nicely. Bill Shepherd has been in town a few weeks and projects throughout the facility are surfacing the longer he is here. Expect to see him through the Narrow Gauge Meet.
 As mentioned the Narrow Gauge Meet is coming up, March 7-10, it is building up to be quite the show, Allan was roped into the Wagonmaster job and he says that all spots to camp are full. If you aren't on the list you better talk real nice and you might get to stay south of Hwy 62.
   We did do a little work on the hill, as John his been adding fill along side the track and ballasting the grade, we kicked the track a little closer to the mountain and it looks wonderful. A quick run with the Laser Level has us within acceptable tolerance's and the next 135 feet of track has steel stakes driven to help the grading process. We are into an area we haven't been in for a while; we need to cut out and remove rock so we can keep a close to flat grade for a siding before we get into the trestle district coming up. This is the last of the pre-graded high line before we get into terra incognito as we work ourselves up the side of the mountain. The grade was completed rough about thirty years ago an we have finally gotten there. We have done quite well working ourselves up the high line with a lot of help from the members, I'm sure we will get a lot further with continued help.
 A link at the bottom for pictures and as usual if you have any questions an E-mail at ratsgarage@yahoo.com will most usually get you an answer. See you at the Narrow Gauge Meet. Brian
https://picasaweb.google.com/Ratsgarage/PresidentSWeekendAtJoshuaTree214172014?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Mid Winter Run January 17-20, 2014

    Mid Winter...that's what the calendar says, it was a nice weekend to try out sunscreen and t-shirt styles for the summer months. There wasn't even much snow to look at on the back side of San Gorgonio on the way home. It was a light turnout but a lot of things were taken care of.
    Over the years we have called our weekends out at the tracks "Runs" to attract visitors, naming them "work weekends" shies people away from bringing out their equipment and running the railroad. We only have eight weekends normally during the season to accomplish things around here. We work during most of them, if someone wants to haul buckets of fill up the hill during a meet am I going to say no you can't? Bring it on, making your steam engine or train do more than run in circles is actually fun to do. If folks want to help out laying down fifty more feet of track up the hill, I'll find the track screws and joiners real quick, and a bucket of refreshments too. This place wasn't built over one weekend and it takes a lot to keep it going, and always plenty more to do. Limited time and limited workers; the sweat only spreads so far. So I'd call it a steamapalooza, railfest or what ever it takes to have interested parties roll out here for a day or weekend and see our railroad thru the rocks.
   Lots of things over the weekend, from Dad's list we had;

John: while We were gone: Hauled Dirt to end of track. To increase grade,
Leveled Spot by "G" Gauge for Don's Parking. Dug Trench to move water
spout to inside the Upper Ballon (Big Rock).
Thursday:
Emptied fire barrel,
cut a load of wood.
Friday:
Visited Gary, great visit, he was in great spirits and trotting the attributes of medical alternatives
Hit the Hardware store and picked up supplies for water plug move.
Moved water line and discussed water leak that we had no idea about except second hand,
refilled water line.
Delivered wood for retaining wall at lift, leveled out area before so no one falls in.
Delivered wood for Don's Landing.
Dumped ashes, lifted track at end of track were John had dumped fill.
Saturday:
Fitted in and welded three lift out tracks in Engine House; Brian and Greg.
Blew out sand and leaves out of lift area.
Changed the garden valve by the Bird water.Stopping a leak; Greg,Brian
We started isolating different areas to find leaks; Greg, Brian, Brendon
Dug up shut off by trash can. Valve would not shut off.
Old wood stop ,that holds the Blue Bell together was rotten . We replaced
the stop and push the Blue Bell back together.  Went to town to by fittings
to bypass valve that would not shut off.
Refilled both dirt piles for loading up the hill with Brendon's Bob Cat.
Sunday:
Brian and Brendon installed bypass valve we bought Saturday.
More Isolation testing.
We found a wet area by the shut-off valve at the Pullman.
We DID NOT Dig in that area.
Brendon took out thrash barrel Sunday .
Monday:
Drive in rods to retain RR tie on south side of lift. Fill to be added later.
Cut Rods 48" 42" 30" for retaining wall north side of Station and for RR tie wall already installed in camp space at Horseshoe.
Emptied Fire barrel. Cleaned BBQ out and ready for next time.
Cleaned up around Tie area.
Brian painted flashing around Engine House.
Washed down posts of Lift. BLUE again.
As I write this JOHN G is making multiple loads of girt and rock up the Hill

That's quite a bit of stuff done on a "Run", We did unload the engines, the GE and the American Friday morning as well, ran the GE and picked up and did the Friday stuff by rail. Saturday the welder was delivered by rail. Brendon brought out 3030, and we actually had all three trains running Sunday afternoon. Sunday morning Brendon got an early start and we listened to steam in the early morning. There was time to play too. But, is getting to spend time out in the High Desert and enjoying the great weather really work?

Next month is the Standard Gauge Meet, February 13-16. Bring the skinny wheels out and run the hill. I can bet you the Barter Boys will spend at least a day 'working' loads of fill up the high line. Smiling the whole time. This Winter either hasn't got here or is going to be a mild one. Plan on mild and plan on being out for the Standard Gauge Meet.

Link for pictures down here and any questions give me a rattle at ratsgarage@yahoo.com .
https://picasaweb.google.com/Ratsgarage/MidWinterRunAtJoshuaTreeJanuary16202014?authuser=0&feat=directlink

New Years Weekends at the Tracks

With New Years Day falling on a Wednesday this year it makes for a staggered holiday, or a real long one. Some of us chose the long one and others came out for a few days before or after.

 

Of course Mom and Dad headed out as soon as the Yule Log burned out and Greg and Becky made it out Friday, I tried something new and drug the trailer to the Ranch in the morning so I could make a quicker getaway on Friday myself. Dad had the GE 47 tonner and Greg brought out the Plymouth which hasn't been to JT in a few seasons. I brought out the 4-4-0 with it's new trim. Saturday Jeff and Kevin Tolan rolled in with a Suburban full of rolling stock and the Pacific Electric box cab. John Griffin has been using the Edwards Freight Motor for maintenance and hauling fill up to the turntable sight, a lot has been ran up the hill in the last month. Saturday we had four trains running for a bit, never any pressure to do anything but enjoy the weekend. Saturday Night was the Carne Burn, Jerry McPheeters furnished the Carne Asada for a local Market  and we all gorged on that for the evening.  Sunday the Tolan's rolled up shop and went back to town, two days was enough.
 Monday rolled around and a trip into town yielded a phone number of our roofer that did the station. We needed to do something about the engine house before it got to far away from us. The Maywalds rolled into town for a few days of fun at the tracks with their new RV. Doug and Bailey can handle the trailer floor but Mom and the girls like it a little fluffier. RGS 20 was in the trailer as well as their MP1500. Monday afternoon we set up a picture in the Van Wingen Yard as we had six locomotives to fill the tracks down there. Monday afternoon Matt rolled in from Chula Vista by way of Nacimiento.

                                
Tuesday Lonnie from Elite Roofing rolled in and we talked roofing for a bit and agreed to get the roof finished on the engine house. We had to finish the front trim yet and peel the old tar paper and nails off and out of the way for them as they would be back Friday. Lonnie wasn't out of sight down the road and a crew was on the roof stripping the roof. It took a little longer to get the materials for the front trim but we had it all done except for paint in a little over two hours. Still plenty of time to run a train or two before sunset. The hourly train rides on New Years Eve started at 7:00 and lasted till 12:00 I made a few. New Years Day was just a nice a day as all the rest, in fact the whole week had been beautiful. Warm enough for a t-shirt during the day and not frightfully cold at night either. The breeze that tormented the Southland was not evident where we were.

Thursday it was just Matt and the folks as most of us had jobs. The paint was applied on the front of the engine house and Friday morning the roofers came. The job was impressive and done quickly. Saturday was another beautiful day as I rolled in Friday night again for one last day or two of the week. We did a lot of little projects throughout the week and enjoyed ourselves in the process. We got in a little surveying on the high line to get a feel for where we have to be on the hill. It is going to be an engineering feat as they say. With the Mid Winter Meet coming up real soon we hope to see you out there. See you then.

Here is a link to the pictures. I have found it best to right click and open a new tab for the link. I never profess to know these computers, I just find ways to work around their quirks. https://picasaweb.google.com/Ratsgarage/NewYearsWeekends2014AtJoshuaTree?authuser=0&feat=directlink

Your right, it is not from this month at Joshua Tree. It was taken during Easter this year when things were warming up and blooming. This season so far we have had plenty of precipitation with hopes for more yet before Spring.

 Just a quick note out to all to have a Merry Christmas and hopes and wishes for a prosperous New Year. If you get any coal, I'll take it.

We will be out after Christmas for the New Years Weekend and to start the New Year off right. This year the holiday is smack dab in the middle of the week so if you get a day or two off make a trek out and enjoy the fresh air and views from the High Line. We've a few projects up our sleeves depending on the weather. And I know of three locomotives, oh five, that will be out sometime over the week.

Hope to see you in the next week or if not you can read about it next time. Any questions you can get a hold of me over the internet at ratsgarage@yahoo.com or call 951-768-0137. Merry Christmas, Brian, 7 1/2" coordinator.  

Thanksgiving Weekend in the High Desert

Late fall in the High Desert is like playing black or red on the roulette table, sometimes you keep winning and sometimes you keep losing. This past weekend you would have gotten three out of the four and a green one, neither side won.

Wednesday afternoon Greg rolled in with Becky and Sydnie and Caleb in the sports car. Mom and Dad of course had gotten the jump on us all but that's expected. Colette made it by dark and I rolled in about 8:00 and that was it for the night. A decent night, cool but nice by the fire, ample wood kept it toasty.

 Thursday morning was clear and calm with the sweaters coming off real quickly. I did a pictorial on how we unload with our system as a retort to questions asked about it. Mostly from non steamers but still a good set of pictures. See the Picasa link somewhere down below for the pictures. About all I get accomplished was unloading before it was time to start the project of deep frying the guest of honor at dinner this afternoon. We did two this year as it was only eight of us for the dinner, and of course that allowed for many a sandwich over the rest of the weekend. The day was decent if you spent it in the sun. Dinner was about 2:30 so we had a little warmth out of the soon the be falling orb over the western hills. The only bad part about an early turkey dinner is waiting it out for a decent time to hit the hay, as it time for a nap just about dark, which is only 5:00. I toughed it out till just past seven so that nobody would have to take the early bird award from me as I usually am first to give it up for the night anyway.

Friday was play day! The 4-4-0 get steamed up and with the Alco running Thursday with the Edward's Freight motor getting a spin in. Count Dad's 47 Tonner along with Matt's PE freight motor showing up early Friday made for five engines. The Tolan's showed up Friday with Chloe to make it six, Jeff was home from college for the weekend so Lori even came along so she could actually see him for a bit. Saturday Gene Petralgia from down Chula Vista way with his Goose #8 made it seven pieces of motive power, and at one time we had five rolling at the same time. Kevin Tolan rounded up a few helping hands and gave the turntable its annual lubrication. Greg made next years chore a little easier by putting a Zerk fitting in the table deck so we don't have to lift it off of it's perch anymore. Mid afternoon Friday we had our only rain which just gave us an excuse to pull the steamers into the engine house for a spell and smoke out the place. At least we were dry and the sprinkles didn't last that long anyway. Soon we were out running again till it was time for dinner. It was cloudy off and on Friday night and even tried to sprinkle again around dinner time. No such luck, it cleared and the rest of the weekend saw no other threats of precipitation.

Saturday was a gorgeous day in the desert, the last day of November showed nothing like it should be that day. I had been running rocks up to the Bjerrum siding area most of the afternoon Friday and it was time to address a little track work on the upper grade. Terry Watson was in and out all weekend as was John Griffin. Gary Conley made it out for a quick trip around the railroad, even a trip up the high line to the end of track. It was a blessing to see Gary out for even a little bit, he enjoyed the outing and soon it was back to the house as I'm sure it taxed him quite the bit for such an outing in his condition. Loads of fill and four track panels soon were up the hill and things got busy. An errant drill bit slowed the progress down for a while but after sundown Saturday we had 40 feet of track added to the grade. Sunday we added another twenty to the total and after Mondays grading session we had most of it able to operate over it. Letting it sit and settle till next time will help the situation. A final manicure and we can continue up the hill. We are now into digging out the hill again, we have a section that has filled in with runoff from quite a few years of erosion , it is easy digging and the soil will not go to waste as we only at the most have to roll it down to Bjerrum for stockpile till needed. Our goal of to the end of existing grading looks a little more possible over this season. All too soon we will be in the trestle district again.

Monday Dad and I ran two more loads of fill up the hill at ten buckets a load. And we took up Gibraltar and her little sisters up to the fast growing rock pile as well. All in all it was a great weekend for family and getting a few things done around the place too. Even if it seemed like we didn't do much very quickly we got a lot done over the weekend. Next time out is New Years, it is a great place to be away from the hustle over civilized New Years celebrations, out at Joshua Tree it is a little more casual to say the least. Hop to see you out sometime again over the new year. Enjoy Christmas and all the other holidays too. Enjoy the pictures; https://picasaweb.google.com/Ratsgarage/ThansgivingWeekendAtJoshuaTreeNovember27December12013?authuser=0&feat=directlink