A great source of encouragement, information and networking
has been the series of “Espee in Oregon” Meets organized by Rod Loder. As the title suggests, these meets have
concentrated on topics specific to the Southern Pacific in Oregon. These meets
have been held in Southern Pacific cities in Oregon. Past meets have been held in Salem (twice), Oakridge,
Klamath Falls, Medford, Corvallis, and now, Clackamas (April 5-7, 2012). Each meet has featured a tour,
typically of an industry on-line.
For example, the Corvallis Meet toured the Hull-Oakes steam-fired
sawmill south of Corvallis, in Dawson.
Last year’s Salem Meet toured Freres plywood veneer mill in Lyons.
The meets feature presentations on a variety of topics,
including local area railroad history, modeling techniques and other topics of
use to layout construction, maintenance and operation of particular note to SP
in Oregon. Seen below is John
Cathcart describing rolling stock tuning and maintenance operations on San
Diego’s LaMesa Club layout.
The meets are a great place to network and even acquire
items particular to the SP in Oregon.
In the view below, Larry Castle expounds upon an SP topic in front of
the table with the Oakridge Museum photo binders he helped create. In the background is the ALW Lines
table with the many kits for SP line-side structures, mostly based on
structures along the Cascade Line.
A subsequent post will describe this great modeling resource. In the meantime, go to:
http://alwlines.com/default.aspx
I have no financial
interest. I am just a very satisfied
customer!
The Espee in Oregon Meets also feature layout tours of local
layouts. Many of these are
SP-themed layouts, such as Tom Dill’s Siskiyou Line layout featuring 1950’s
Ashland, shown last year at the second Salem Meet.
The Espee in Oregon Meets have provided a great place to
meet fellow SP-Oregon modelers.
Information useful to modeling the SP in Oregon has been provided and
exchanged, and lots of helpful tips and encouragement provided. Even though I have only recently
returned to my native Oregon, these meets have provided me with the model
railroader contacts so important to hobby enjoyment.
