Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Camp Swampy

Camp Swampy:
What do you do when you find some plywood, 1"x2"x48" sticks, 1" foam and assorted model railroad stuff?  Well, I built a model railroad.  It was only four feet square, the track went round and round with a few turnouts and absolutely no purpose.  Enter the Light bulb (Ford's Better Idea), a slightly twisted mind and a rich slathering of well fermented words.  What came forth was "Camp Swampy - The U.S. Army National Railway Test Facility".


History and Purpose of the National Railway Test Facility

During the late 1930’s, as rumors of impending war in Europe circulated in Washington D.C., Congress, in its infinite wisdom, and following its successful takeover of the railroads during World War I, sought to bring prosperity, through regulation, to the South.

Their search for a problem needing regulation eventually brought to their attention the absence of any nationwide system to address the testing of any and all railway equipment.  As Chairman of the Senates Committee for Transportation, Senator Chuck Skeemer, lead a select panel to develop plans and solicit bids for the construction of such a facility.

After a series of smoke filled, backroom meetings, a plan came forth:
  • Location to be level, requiring minimal earth movement.
  • Ready source of treatable water at the site.
  • Remote location so as not to annoy neighbors with sounds or smells.
  • Facility daily operations to be handled by a reputable railroad.
  • Facility to be under the overall direction of the U.S. Army.
As bids were received it became apparent that many had to be rejected because the location sloped toward a river.  The facility was in jeopardy if an appropriate site could not be found.  A fellow member of Congress recalled that the pyramids were built using a water level system and suggested they use such a system to find the final location for the facility.  They needed to find a location that did not slope toward a river.  A half brother of Senator Skeemer, John Dealer, owner of Honest Johns Used Cars, declared that he had the ultimate location, and, for the right price, he would be willing to part with it as his patriotic duty.

Mr. Dealer submitted his bid and when opened, the Committee found it to fulfill all the requirements.  The location consisted of 800 acres of land, dead level, unlimited treatable water, 20 miles to the nearest neighbor and included the services of a reputable railroad.  To prove that the railroad, yet un-named, was reputable Mr. Dealer included two shares of stock for each member of the Committee.  The bid was accepted and the House directed to appropriate the $500,000.00 to purchase, construct and begin operation of the facility.
Mr. Dealer notified his second cousin twice removed, Melvin C. Chew, owner of 4 x 4 Lines, a kiddy railroad of good reputation, to prepare to go big time.  At the same time the U.S. Army was directed to find an appropriate commander of General rank to oversee the operation of the facility.

So it came to pass that on April 25, 1939, the newly named U.S. Army National Railway Test Facility was dedicated at Camp Swampy, under the command of General Halftrack.

Building a Diorama - Part #2 - Finding YOUR Setting

My original diorama was set in Southwest Arizona, low elevation dry desert and bare rocky mountains.  Sage, cacti, sand and rock provided a dusty, arid local for my efforts.  Since I was using materials that were new to me I proceeded to build my example through it's first, simple version before showing it to the newer modelers at the club.

Over the next several meetings I progressed, adding more color, ground cover, texture and rocky areas.   It was at this point that I sensed a collective feeling of fear, a fear that maybe they couldn't do as well and that they might be dissatisfied with their results.  New modelers seem to think that what they see on a layout is the outcome of months of thought and lots of effort by skilled people.  They fail to grasp the idea that a layout is often an ongoing expression of an incomplete vision, the vision may change, skills are learned and mistakes are made.

In desperation I grabbed my scissors and to their shock violently stabbed them through the center of the diorama and ripped the scenery from top to bottom, almost yelling at them, "Don't be afraid to make a mistake or change your mind.  See, change is easy, just do it!"  The next week I arrived with a ravine spanned by a wooden trestle, an almost dry stream trickling below.

Your mission, if you choose to accept it, is to select a location that interests you, mountains, farmland, desert, seashore, prairie, forest, whatever lights your fire.  Think of a place that would be a great setting for your models, whether trains, cars, boats or buildings.

Now go out and buy several sheets of foam core board, some plaster cloth, lightweight spackling, glue and the several tools you might not have in your toolbox.  See the several previous parts #1a, b, c for what I used and hurry back.  We are going to Build a Diorama.

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Me and Model Railroading

I guess I don't rank very well with real model railroad modelers.  I don't have a favorite road, or era, location or scale.  I do like to see favorite engines or trains, UP Big Boys, ATSF PA & PB War Bonnets, CB&Q Pioneer Zephyrs and others.  I am not into fine scale modeling and I like to collect some things I can't run, UP Big Boys.  I do like steam engines, billboard refers, ore cars, colorful trains of all kinds and have some engines that never ran on the road painted on the tender.
Our little club, Rail Roadrunners of Yuma, doesn't have a layout of our own so we setup our portable layouts where invited and able.  Most people who view our trains are not too sharp on prototype so enjoy seeing a variety of trains, Red ones, Holiday ones, Freight ones, Passenger ones, Old ones, New ones--I think you get it.  My fellow club founder, Marvin, will be disgusted when, not if, I get Thomas the Tank Engine.  Marvin is Pennsylvania, PRR, through and through, knows diesels beyond 4 axle or 6 axle, and steamers by builder and railroad.  Me, I like trains.  If I see something I like, or think is different, -- or even "cute", -- I might buy it if it is cheap.  Marvin likes Homosote and I like extruded foam with cork.  Marvin is N scale and I am HO.  One thing we are together on is that we are both sarcastic and grate on each other.  Oh, Marvin is a Democrat and I am a Republican.  We suffer together for the sake of the group and even work at the same place 2 or 3 days a week.
I know I had an idea in mind when I started typing, but old age and time have stolen it from me.  I guess the theme would be that model railroading can be almost anything you want it to be and we can still be friends even if our desires are different.

"Suffer your elders their ramblings as their fate will soon enough be yours."  WOW 101:1

Armchair