Re: steamed snowbirds
Dear Walt, I don't know how I got on your mailing list but I sure do like it. I appreciate receiving your kind of messages. Too bad I live so far from Marco Island. I would love to partake in your fun. I am the only person here in Mexico City, that I have been able to verify, as doing this live steam bit. So I do it alone. My unk Abe always speaks of you very highly and that is a real compliment. He's choosey to say the least. I am just capable of making an "on the spur of the moment" trip to FL just to go "training" with Abe at your place. Right now I am trying my darnedest to get my #22 C&S going correctly. It has a defect in its valve reversing mechanism that requires longer set screws to correct. I'm waiting for Aster to send me some. On that same engine I changed the fuel system supply and got rid of the expansion tank with its outlet valve that I think is a design mistake. Now she lights up on the first try. No more 2 foot flames coming out of the smoke box. Unk Abe can tell you about that. They about through me out of the DH hotel last January. They thought I was a terrorist trying to burn down the place. I imagine you read in the web page about my minimum radius formula. Some people just don't understand what it's all about. I hope this letter finds you well and enjoying your lovely Florida weather. Luz and I were in Daytona Beach on March 5 to March 10 for bike week and there we too enjoyed your beautiful weather. I have the only coal fired steam powered Harley Davidson motorcycle ever made. I'm into that hobby too as well as collecting antique clocks and ham radio. My best wishes, Arthur ZZ
steamed snowbirds
Friday afternoon turned into an impromptu "snowbird steamup" at The SWAMP RR. The Island Doctor, Dr. Abe Cohen of Long ISLAND, NY and Marco ISLAND, FL ran his Daylight. Bob Cushman of Bedford, NH and Sanibel, FL operated his Forney and Harry Quirk of Springtown, PA ran his 1970's vintage Aster French Mikado. There is a world of difference between the highly detailed French Mike (Boxpock wheels, much piping, etc.) and the recent Aster USRA light Mike. I've never previously seen a locomotive of Harry's that did not perform flawlessly, and this was no exception. Harry's son is manager of The Bahia Mar Resort & Marina on Ft. Lauderdale Beach, FL. He arranged a "comp" room for Harry and Carol at The Registry Resort in Naples. I warned Harry that a tip of less than $20.00 per bag would be sneered at. The dinner buffet was $31.00/plate plus gratuity. Harry and Carol can now say that they spent the night under the same roof with a former US President, George Bush and his family. If you ever attend a steamup at The Swamp RR we cannot guarantee you will share the roof with such famous persons, mainly because the Quirks only get down here once a year. But if you will settle for less notoriety, former presidents and equally prestigious persons are rather frequent here in the winter. Keep your steam up! Mr. Lunkenheimer's associate
