​​  Roundhouse Rick’s RR Ramblings 

  Email Rick at Rick@usjet.net    

#116: 

Did everyone have a great time at our Open Meet last month?  I tell you, I certainly did and I even sold some items so I went out for a nice dinner afterwards.  We had almost 100 visitors to our meet so I think many of our members did very well on the selling floor.

There is one issue that occurred and maybe someone can help.  Rick Larson packed up at the end of the meet and somehow he seems to be missing two postwar flat cars that were bundled together.  They were a #6802 red flatcar and a #6817 red flatcar.  They did not have loads.  Rick doesn’t know if he accidentally left them on the table and maybe someone picked them up, not knowing who they belonged to.  If you found a bundle with these two cars, please call Rick Larson at 651-456-9275.  Thank-you.

I hope that everyone who made it to the Randolph Railroad Days near the end of March had as much fun as I had.  The weather was cloudy but OK and the crowd was good, especially for the first Saturday of the event.  The Progressive Rail switch engine and MN&S caboose had to cancel their appearance. 

There are two shows that I have to remind you about in April.  Our very own Tom Jefferson and Greg Beckman presents their Greater Upper Midwest Train Show & Sale at the Century College, West Campus, 3300 Century Avenue North in White Bear Lake, MN on Saturday, April 8th from 9AM to 2PM.  This is always a great show with lots of tinplate and 3 rail trains.  If you want a last minute table, contact Tom at 651-894-2926 or Greg at 651-808-8556 and ask for availability. 

On Saturday, April 29th, the Greater East Area Model RR Club presents their Newport Model RR Club Train Show & Sale at the Woodbury High School, 2665 Woodlane Drive in Woodbury, MN from 9AM to 2PM.  This show has been improving every time out.  Six foot tables are available for only $20.  Send table reservations to:  Greater East Area Model RR Club, P.O.Box 0061, St Paul Park, MN 55071 or you can contact Ed at 651-233-3310.  Roundhouse Rick will be there selling some left-over trains.

  The 2nd Annual National Train Day Boxcar has arrived at Scale.

In the November 2016 issue of Classic Toy Trains magazine you can look at the inside front cover and see a picture of this limited edition, collector’s item, boxcar.  It was produced for the 2nd annual National Lionel Train Day on December 3rd, 2016.  If you look at the picture, it looks like a boxcar with passenger windows cut into the side of the car.  Don’t let the picture fool you.  There are not actual windows cut into the car, but it is a very unique, specially decorated boxcar by the people who create the very colorful Made In USA boxcars that you see in the Lionel catalogs.  The car looks like it has corrugated sides with passenger windows like the 027 passenger cars.  The car also features fully diecast silver painted trucks.  These are very limited and you may have trouble finding one but Doug Gardner has five of these cars available at Scale Model Supplies in St Paul.  Call Doug at 651-646-7781 to reserve one. 

I have one more train flea market reminder for you.  The Twin City Model Railroad Museum will hold their spring flea market at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds on Saturday, May 13th, from 9AM to 3PM.  Tables are $35.  To rent a table email hobbysaleinfo@tcmrm.org or call 651-647-9628.

Here’s something else to think about.  Lakes & Pines TCA would like to have another picnic gatherning in August.  Last year we visited the garden railroad in Wayzata on Lake Minnetonka.  Do you have any ideas where we could picnic this year?  Email Michael Speltz at mpspeltz@juno.com 

HAVE YOU EVER NEEDED TO REPLACE A MAN ON THE LIONEL #50 GANG CAR? Here are some suggestions.  You can use a plastic O gauge insulating pin.  Drill a hole from underneath the cover and insert the pin, long end first, and it will stop at the ridge of the pin.  Then seat your man on top of the pin.  Another suggestion is to file or sand off the little broken nub, drill the hole and insert the pin from the top.  Your choice, I guess.  You might want to use a tiny amount of “hot glue” to hold the pin in place.  It will not damage the parts and can be easily removed if necessary.  For the proper effect, you may want to paint it orange and slide the man on after the glue and paint have dried.

You know, I’m going to cut my Rick’s Ramblings short this month so a special historical article can be included in this bulletin.  See you April 9th at the John P Murzyn Hall in Columbia Heights.  Next month is my last Ramblings until fall.  If you want to contribute something, send an email to Rick@usjet.net  

                                       Email Rick at Rick@usjet.net