BNSF Train crashes into truck and derails at 49 mph, 17th March (2008), Marysville Washington. Locos involved included - BNSF 981 & BNSF 2694
Photo and Link to News story (incl. more photos and video report) : KOMO TV

Sorry - I have been very ill so no update this month - yet. Hope to do a quick update soon.

News

BNSF train crashes into truck at a grade crossing at 49 mph, 17th March (2008), Marysville Washington. Locos involved included - BNSF 981 & BNSF 2694 (see photo above). KOMO TV (Leave a coment)

Court awards $24 million to trespassers, against Amtrak and Norfolk Southern. This is another case for tort reform. Basically, two teenagers climbed on top of a freight car and touched overhead catenary. The world has gone mad. So... trespass on the railroad and you get fined unless you do something really stupid and they will have to pay you - $24 million. They should not have been there. They knew they should not have been there. End of story. We all end up paying for it through higher fares and charges, higher general insurance premiums (an insurance compnay will eventually be picking up the bill) and from our pensions when all those companies' profit margins are hit. This is not a victory for small people against corporate America. We all lose. It is a victory for the totally irresponsible. Trains Magazine (Leave a coment)

Model Railroad Progress Report:

Phase 1 - Hidden Staging Area:

Phase 1 Baseboard modules are complete,

Track is laid, fully wired and tested,

Macros for route setting programmed: now fully operational.

Phase 2 - Front Scenic Section:

Phase 2 baseboard modules 75% complete, final module underway.

Wishram Yard with Fall Bridge in the background, the bridge from which BNSF draws the name for its Sub-Division that runs along the Columbia River Gorge (the inspiration for my model railroad).
Photo: Chuck Donaldson

Model Railway Exhibitions

Marc at Alexandra Palace

Again, took Marc to the Easter show at Alexandra Pallace London (BRM London Festival of Railway Modelling put on by the (London) Model Railway Club (MRC). Didn't seem as good this year and I can't really say why! The highlight of the show for us was New Mills, a modern-image D & E layout set somewhere on the West Coast mainline. Two double track mainlines with three passing loops. Full length Pendolinos whizzing by, long freights, Network Rail's HST Test Train, etc. Very entertaining and the only layout where the crowds were two deep. A major plus for this exhibition over the other major UK exhibition (Warley) is that the car park is free. A group of us were comparing the two shows (as everybody does) and a number of people have now stopped going to Warley, simply because of the car park charges. I'm thinking twice about it this year. Two things can be said for both of these exhibitions: firstly, despite the size of these two shows, they are two of the friendliest shows on the circuit and both clubs are to be congratulated on making guests feel so welcome; the second point is that they both cater very well for young children and each have junior modelling areas where the kids can build kits for free. Both clubs seem to be two of the most child - friendly clubs in the country. I think we might be joining the MRC this year.

British Region NMRA Swans

Last month, the BR NMRA Swans met at Charle Hendy's house. Gathering of the great and the good as usual. Thanks to Charle for the hospitality. Some of the Swans are currently chasing trains on the other side of the pond. I'll hopefully be putting some of the photos on this website when they get back. We're also going to build a railway photography website show-casing Lindsay's photographic exploits (some of which is on display on the walls of Model Junction). Keith Webb organised a Swan's outing to Ted's (Ted of Sunningwell Command Control). Ted's layout is just about the most 'operational' layout I have seen in the UK; HO on three levels with a genius central helix. He uses a waybill system but be warned not to mix his cards up.

Website Stuff

Added a new railfan link: Rails Northwest by Mike Clarke. Lots of valuable resource material on the site. There is also a section on Railroad Graffiti.

Another interesting site that I came across is www.railroadradio.net which streams railroad radio communications to your computer. An absolute boon for railfans in the UK.

Another link that I finally got round to including is the Oregon Heritage Rail Foundation, now that Kato have finally released the much awaited SP 4449 ("Friends Of" website) and Con-Cor are about to release a DCC SP 4449 complete with sound. I've also linked to the Friend of Burlington Northern website but in honesty, it's no where near as good as Q-Station, an absolutely brilliant website. Have also now included a link to the Mount Hood Railroad.

UP and not in my chosen location - but a great photo.
Photo: Chuck Donaldson

I've also added a search engine in the side bar where you can choose to search either this website or the Internet. For reasons of PRIVACY, I have not used Google directly (they log all of your searches), rather I've used the Scroogle (Google) scraper. Basically, Scroogle searches Google on your behalf. Google therefore tracks and logs Scroogle's searches but these cannot be traced back to you.

Comic genius or off his rocker? I hope for his sake it is comic genius. Had to mention Free Model Train Tours again, my Favourite Model Railroad Website - but is it for real? I think Mad mike actually visited my website last month as we definitely received a visitor who had googled 'Mad Mike' model railroads and I can't imagine anybody else doing this. Remember to take a look at at his other sites: Mad Mike's Enterprises, Free Ideas about Stuff and then the ultimate - Special Report.

The website is now regularly getting well over 20,000 hits in the month. Thanks for the interest and kind comments on your emails.

Best wishes,

Ant.

Webrings:

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	The Railway SiteRing Formerly "The Railway Webring"

 

 

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