Choo Choo Bob's Run Day - A special day!

It turns out, today we had a group who came to the track from signing up at Choo Choo Bob's Hobby Shop in St. Paul. Bob is a likeable fellow that really likes trains. Not only has he the shop but he also has a TV program about trains as well! Today as we were setting up in the depot area for running the trains I was asked if I had my camera available and to get it and get ready for an award presentation. I was thinking what had I done that they were about to give me another award? Turns out it was for Choo Choo Bob and I was just a photographer for the event. Darn.

The club had made up a placque that essentially reads that Choo Choo Bob is a "diamond" friend to the SCRR for his work promoting us to train fans. He has asked and gotten exhibits to place in his store to show people what kind of place we are and talked about us several times and encouraged people to join our organization. He is truly a good friend and benefactor. We wanted to signify that spirit and feeling for him by giving him something tangible. Our best wishes are nice but an award placque means we took the trouble to recognize his contributiuons and we appreciate them. I took several photos of Choo Choo Bob and Dan Bissonnette (our President) passing the placque and shaking hands over it.

I started as stationmaster with Dan and we got the ball rolling almost immediately. The rail fans were filling in the waiting line and we had trains ready so off we went. The folks who come to these events a more of the kind of people that we want to have as members. They love trains and do not realize that they cn be a part of SCRR and get to operate trains for very little money. I decided to try a different tactic to get people interested in membership. When I coould sense someones interest I would say "You really should consider joining." Usually the reply was "I can't afford it." I then would say all you need is about $7 a month to join as a member. I go on to point out they can then come out during the week as well as the weekends and after training can use the club equipment for free. They then feel it is too good a deal and it is hard to pass up. I suggest they get an application which has our contact information and talk to the Club President Dan if they want to follow it up. I talked to about eight people who seemed really interested so we will see if any do go on to become members.

One thing I do with this kind of group is give a narrated tour while we are on the train. I point out the buildings and some info about each on and explain what the signals mean and what the buttons do and that we have rules and operating standards. Since they are captive on the train it is a chance to "fan the flames" and get the people interested in considering membership.

After my last ride at 3PM, I got lunch then I took my camera and started getting as many photos of the group activities as I could. I switched to taking movies and got several train runs up to Summit on film. I told the folks on the trains that I should have a video on YouTube on Tuesday at the earliest so they can see themselves on TV! I think many of the people will really enjoy seeing their trips on the computer screen with their family and friends.

After being asked to step in on a phone call from a lost driver, I realized that we needed a sheet to help phone answerers so they have a clear message to help guide lost drivers to the location. There were three scenarios that I could readily come up with. The driver either got off of CTH F on Cove Road and simply went past our road and went to the end of South Cove Road and wound up at the boat launch landing. The driver turned wrong at the stop sign and went into Troy Burne or they missed the Cove Road turnoff on CTH F or had not got to it yet so we had to talk them to Troy Burne and Cove Road. Other than for those scenarios they had to go back to Hudson and come back down CTH F about 4 miles and and look for the South Cove Road. So I wrote it up in large type on a single sheet and I will hang it above the phone so others can help prople who are lost and call the track phone.

It also dawned on me that most of the members do not know the firestop number for emergency services of the location so if they are using a cell phone they do not know how to tell 911 where they are. I wrote up another sheet in large type with our location and firestop number and I will ut that over the building phone as well.

I spoke to Tommy at the track and we discussed the semaphore circuitry face to face and we refined his expectations and we discussed not having a display board as we presently do, to simplify things. Having all circuitry on one board and just having a single connector on the card for the pedestal wire to the wiring box below. Then he gave me three tomatos from his garden.

When I got finished at the trach with the movies I met a couple of folks that had gotten there late and I encourage the gentleman to come closer to the trains is he wanted to get closeup photos. His wife said he was a train nut and he had a train room at home and loved to spend his time there. I told him I coul give him a tour of the roundhouse if he and his wfe wanted to go and he eagerly wanted to go.

We come in the front door and the first steamer he started taking photos - about 10 and then the second many more so his wife said he couldn't take so many pictures as there were at least 40 more trains to see. I started uncovering locomotives and he snapped photos over and over and after about an hour we finished up with me pointing out detail work on locomotives and trucks which he dutifully photographed. His wife said I had made this the best day in his life so far!

It's after 2:30 AM so I think it is time to call this a wrap for the night.