Dear Bob,

I was impressed by Bob Hayden’s review of the HOn30 Forney from Toma Model Works in the July/August GAZETTE and decided to get one. I clicked “purchase” on a Sunday afternoon — already Monday in Japan — and my kit arrived at my door on Friday of that same week. Looking at the need for a weight in the boiler, I went to the fishin’ aisle of a local store and found some lead weights shaped like little zeppelins. The ½ oz. size had a maximum diameter that would just fit, and were only about $0.60 each. I sectioned out a couple pieces of the central, larger diameter and fit them together to form the weight. Note:  if a motorized cutting edge is used, that lead heats up really fast.  I found the old basic hacksaw to be better, and one can tap them on an anvil a bit to form the flat edge across the bottom of the boiler. This should be an interesting winter project.

-Sincerely,
Bill Althoff, via email

Dear Bob,

The Cumbres and Toltec Scenic RR calls it “The Victorian Iron Horse Roundup.” NO, it’s an extravaganza! They brought the Eureka 4-4-0 and Glenbrook 2-6-0 from the Nevada State RR Museum, the Denver & Rio Grande Western 2-8-0 #315 from the Durango Railroad Historical Society and combined them with their own D&RGW 4-6-0 #168. Number 318 was relettered to #425 in the proper gold lettering to match #168’s era.

By the fifth day of celebration, the C&TS had double headed Eureka and Glenbrook, or #168 and #425 to pull the heritage train on turns to Big Horn and Osier. Those rough backwoods roads were festooned with chasers! There were freights! There were demonstrations in Chama! There was even an overnight passenger train from Antonito to Chama!

There was an open house when the public was invited to see displays and demonstrations. Pile Driver OB sank a shaft of wood a few feet into the ground … then smashed a watermelon
placed on the pile to smithereens.

“Only” four more days to celebrate, stand in awe, or, usually, both.

-Sincerely,
Bill Jolitz, via email

Dear Bob,

I thought readers might be interested in the completed, scratchbuilt, HO scale, Mina depot mentioned in my January/February 2020 GAZETTE article where I only showed a cardboard mockup. Thanks for all the inspiration over the years.

-Sincerely,
Steve Bradley, via email

Dear Bob,

I’d like to express my gratitude to Craig Symington, MMR, for his three articles on upgrading HOn3 Lambert Geese in the May/June 2021, May/June 2016 and July/August 2016 GAZETTEs. I happened to have two #2 motors in my box of “what to do with” stuff and knowing that friend and GAZETTE author, Steve Harris, had a #4 that was basically scenery in his West Durango goose barn, I decided to upgrade them all. Following Craig’s guidance, I installed LED lights, and replaced the noisy gear drives with rubber belt drives. The old Geese now run smoothly and silently.

Thanks Craig.

-Sincerely,
Michael Pulling, via email

Dear Bob,

As a new board member of the Narrow Gauge Preservation Foundation, I though it appropriate to preserve an older kit. The On3 RGS #0404 shown here, started out 50 years ago as a Darr Scale Models D&RGW wood craftsman kit which is dimensionally close fit. I built a new cupola and added San Juan Car end rails, and evolution couplers. The tar paper is silk span and brass Wiseman trucks were used for electrical pickup. Light weathering was done with chalks. The working marker lamps are on the wrong end, but are based on photos on page 177 in Dorman’s book The Rio Grande Southern.

-Sincerely,
Robert Staat, PhD, via email

Dear Bob,

First, let me thank you for all the years of the best model railroad magazine, the GAZETTE. I thought readers might be interested in this White Pass & Yukon photo taken in the 1950s in Whitehorse, when mining in the area was busy.

-Sincerely,
Bill Curry, Federal Way, WA