At the risk of wandering off the track of this list: Kansas City did have a
Railroading Explorer Post in the 1970s, I got to work with then on several
occasions; their advisor was a BNSF superintendent Pat Keim. BNSF is known to
this day for supporting BSA activities. The first camporee in my district I
was involved in brought out a newly shopped BN piggyback trailer from their
local forwarder, and we had layout modules for the various scales set up in
the trailer as well as OL material, banners, etc. I think there were other
posts around the BNSF system. Today, I know of no venturing crew with a
railroad theme, thought it is possible. There is still a lot of railroading
merit badge activity some places, especially at the national camporees at Fort
A.P.Hill, but I do not see much here other than individual troops trying to do
their own thing with the RR MB book.
Just an old UC.
DJE-KCMO
----- Original Message -----
From: Bill Lane
To: S Scale List
Sent: Tuesday, September 02, 2008 6:09 AM
Subject: {S-Scale List} The dreaded 802 coupler
Hi All,
Ed L and I have had lively discussions in the past about this, particularly
if I had 1 of his cars here to paint. Hold your ears Ed....
As on my website, I took a turn into HO in my teen years. (I say it was
teenage rebellion against what - I don't know) I was in the only Explorer
group (Oldest Boy Scouts) in the country whose theme was trains. Most others
were squirming through dark muddy caves, hanging off cliffs or eating tree
bark well before the food channel while the 7 of us were safely and cleanly
playing with our trains. They thought WE were strange.... but that is where
I discovered Kadee couplers and the beginnings of finer scale model
railroading. We eventually became the unofficial adopted stepchildren of the
adult model railroad club we were meeting at every week anyway when our
Explorer leader Mike Sharkey moved back to Boston. Mike said it was to get
away from me because I drove him nuts. I never believed him.
What does all this waxing nostalgic have to do with couplers? Patience
grasshopper....
We had a seminar given by the adults on proper Kadee coupler installation.
Since the #5 was most common they were everywhere. Of course the #1 goal was
to get the height correct, and that they would work with the delay
uncoupling every time. In spite of the simplicity of the #5 I rarely got
them to delay well.
When I first saw that old S boxcar and learned about the 802 that all but
did it for me. I left HO mostly because I hated the #5! So the 802 haters
now have another reason to hate it. It brought ME into S Scale! The 802 is
generally more forgiving in terms of running on modules step up for 2 days,
which was most of my running in the early years. My first draft gears were
designed to use the 802.
Newer draft gears I am designing are going to be for the SHS coupler to get
rid of the slack action. I have started to design 1 for a P70/B60. The delay
uncoupling is now not as important to me. I have been cutting the pins off.
Did that answer the question?
Thank You,
Bill Lane
Modeling the Mighty Pennsy & PRSL in 1957 in S Scale since 1988
See my finished models at:
http://www.lanestrains.com
Winner of the 2007 Josh Seltzer NASG Website Award
Look at what has been made in PRR in S Scale!
Custom Train Parts Design
http://www.lanestrains.com/SolidWorks_Modeling.htm
PRR Builders Photos Bought, Sold & Traded
(Trading is MUCH preferred)
http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRphotos.xls
***Join the PRR T&HS***
The other members are not ALL like me!
http://www.prrths.com
http://www.lanestrains.com/PRRTHS_Application.pdf
Join the Pennsylvania Reading Seashore Lines Historical Society
It's FREE to join! http://www.prslhs.com
Preserving The Memory Of The PRSL
[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
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