# Spring Stock Run on the RGS East



## Big65Dude (Jan 2, 2008)

This last weekend, Roger Cutter once again hosted the annual "Spring Stock Run" event at his fabulous *RGS East *outdoor layout in the rolling farmland of Central Maryland, about twenty miles north of Baltimore.









It was a bit cold and windy but that didn't deter the twenty or so guys who showed up to operate. The hot pit-beef and barbecue sandwiches, with all the trimmings, served at lunchtime, helped warm us up very much.









Besides, there was always the cozy refuge of Rog's "playroom" with the big screen TV showing train videos and his HOn3 modular layout up and running as well. (And, yes, Roger will have it at Kimberton next month.)









The layout was in terrific shape (best I've ever seen it, in fact) and featured some new stuff and some old stuff refurbished. 
The Chama coal tipple and sand house are now in place and Rico Station sports a new shingled roof and several new out-buildings, authentic to the original.
All of the trees have "wintered" well and look great. (Just a little over two months ago, the whole layout was under two feet of snow!)









Of course, the center of attraction was the new Chama coal tipple and sand-house in the upper yard. That's the "Spring Stock Run" passing by just now.









Here's a better look at the coaling facility without any of those pesky trains in the way...









... and here's the sand house.









The somewhat incongruous sight of an East Broad Top train passing the Chama (NM) engine servicing facility, but,_ what the hey_, it's all narrow gauge, right?
This EBT consist pulled by "Mike" No. 14 was beautifully rendered by Geoff Ringlé of Trenton, New Jersey.









Here's my "C-20" (a bashed Bachmann "Connie") starting out over the big timber bridge north of the Rico Yard with an all-tanker consist.









"Sherm" - No. 65's hogger - was really leaning on the whistle to warn autos at the level grade crossing that he was coming 'round the bend.

I hope you enjoyed seeing these views as much as those of us who were there did. Remember, Roger Cutter extends a welcome to any and all who'd like to come to these operating sessions throughout the year. The next one's scheduled for the first weekend in October (the 2nd and 3rd.) Try to make it - you won't regret it!


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Nice! I managed to get out and get trains running for the first time this year as well. (No photos, though.) Good to get out and see motion in the garden again! 

Later, 

K


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Jack, 

Thank you for posting photos of Roger's meet. Very nice indeed.


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## Don Howard (Jan 2, 2008)

Brrr! 
It looks like everyone had extra layers on. 

Thanks for posting. 
Maybe I'll make the Fall run. 
I've made sure its on my calendar.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

_I forgot my camera, but Mike Oates sent a couple of beautiful photos, so enjoy! _ 









The trio of EBT Mikados: Rog's Jolly Green Giant, my straight-from-the-factory #15, and Geoff's wonderfully weathered #14. (The white stuff is ganister rock, on its way to the Refactory to make fire bricks.)










A delightful spring shot of the inner loop servicing area. (I know that station has a name, but it escapes me.) Roger's consist of drop-bottom gons, which were sent down to service the coaling facility.










This is Bruce's K at the top of the long hill from Rico.


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## Richard Smith (Jan 2, 2008)

A beautiful railroad. Thanks guys!


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## Big65Dude (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Pete Thornton on 19 Apr 2010 07:28 PM 
(I know that station has a name, but it escapes me.) 

Peter -

The station is the "Ft. Mallison Depot" - named after my wife, Sally.


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## Alan in Adirondacks (Jan 2, 2008)

Jack, 

Great photos. Thanks for posting. Roger has a great layout and your photos really do it justice. I particularly enjoyed those of D&RGW #65 and Geoff's EBT #14. 

Did you happen to get a shot of Jeff Redeker's live steam Santa Cruz & Felton 4-4-0 pulling the three flats and my SPC #47 caboose? I understand the Bark Box may have solved the oil emission problem.... 

Best regards, 

Alan


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## Big65Dude (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Alan in Adirondacks on 20 Apr 2010 04:50 AM 
Jack, 

Great photos. Thanks for posting. Roger has a great layout and your photos really do it justice. I particularly enjoyed those of D&RGW #65 and Geoff's EBT #14. 

Did you happen to get a shot of Jeff Redeker's live steam Santa Cruz & Felton 4-4-0 pulling the three flats and my SPC #47 caboose? I understand the Bark Box may have solved the oil emission problem.... 

Best regards, 

Alan 
Alan -

No, sorry, I didn't get any shots of Jeff's loco, but I will attest that he deposited only water on the railroad - much appreciated by us "sparkies."

Since you commented, I do, on the other hand, have another shot of No. 65 taken that day:


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for the great photos guys! Roger's layout looks fantastic! That Chama coaling tower is tremendous! Who built the tower and the sanding facility? Also, what is the scale? It looks 1:20.3 which would make it quite large!


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## RGSEast (Apr 21, 2008)

The Chama coal tower is 3 Foot Classic and was one of the few operating ones built. I disabled that feature as it was very likely to break things. It is 1:20.3 and is 3' high (by accident). The sand house is a 3 Foot kit that I built. Makes a great pair and I will be doing some more Chama structures for the upper yard area. 99% of the structures are 1:20.3 including a Rico water tank (2' tall), a Idaho Springs C & S water tank, a DRGW Jack's Cabin tank, Rico Depot, Rico speeder shed, Rico coal and outhouse. Then there are a bunch of generic structures. 

Bridges are replicas of the Pleasant Valley bridge 9a truss (the original bridge), Bilk Trestle. Future trestles will be replicas of Lightner Creek and Butterfly at Ophir. 

Future structures will be the West Durango goose barn and engine shed, EBT Coles depot and water tank, and for the C&S a Jefferson depot to go with the Idaho Springs tank. Gotta be ready for the Mason Bogie. 

Thanks for the kind comments and to be honest the reason the layout is in such good shape is because of Jack and many others who come and help or provide work on buildings and equipment. I just provide the space and $$$... 

If you are in the East and want to drop by, send me an email... 


Roger Cutter 
RGS East


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Jeff Redeker's live steam Santa Cruz & Felton 4-4-0 pulling the three flats and my SPC #47 caboose? I understand the Bark Box may have solved the oil emission problem 
Alan, 

I ran my C-19 with a Summerlands "Chuffer" pipe a couple of weeks ago, after a maintenance session re-ballasting the layout, and demonstrated that the oil problem has indeed been solved. Jeff's bark box was equally clean, so we have at least two live steam engines fit to run next to the sparklingly weathered RGS sparkies. 

I found one of Mike Oate's pics shows Jeff's 4-4-0 (which was converted from a 2-6-0 before Accucraft announced they'd build one.) A beautiful job. Jeff indicated he had done a lot to the engine recently - r/c, the bark box and a nice-sounding whistle. Here's the turntable with Jeff's loco and the three flats behind ""Ft. Mallison Depot". Check out the cow-catcher and super-size headlamp on the tender - Jeff ran in reverse for a while looking really slick.


_










_And Mike sent another one of the coaling tower with Jeff's 4-4-0. In the background is our host, Roger.


_










[P.S. I ran my clean C-19 at ECLSTS on Mike's track and then parked it in the service bays. Some Aster S*** warmed up his engine next to mine, cleared the cylinders and sprayed oil and water all over my clean boiler!!]_


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## rbednarik (Jan 2, 2008)

Wonderful photos. I almost didn't recognize the layout as the last time I was down to the RGS East, the bridge out of Rico had just been put in, most all of the track was still precariously perched on the foam and pvc pipe!

I am glad to hear that the modifications for clean-steam were a success and nobody's weathering got dirty. 

For those who are unaware of Jeff's was-a-mogul 4-4-0, here are some ex-shop pictures we took before the meet last weekend:



















You can see the big #3 on the rear of the tender, as well as the backup light and rear pilot. All of these are pulled directly from a page in the SPC's roster book 


The stars on the drivers and pilot wheels are a slight touch of flair from the Southern Pacific side of things...dare I say that they were originally from a GS-4 decal set? I think that is cause for treason in the 1:20 world.


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

I finally got my jaw up long enough to say WOW!!! Very nice railroad and some very good looking trains. 

Jack, your weathering is spectacular. 

Chris


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## Alan in Adirondacks (Jan 2, 2008)

Here's a video of Jeff Redeker's Santa Cruz & Felton #3 touring the RGS East. Thanks for the video footage go to Clem O'Jevic and for the stills to Pete Thornton, Mike Oates and Ryan Bednarik. 



Best regards,

Alan


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Sure don't know how I missed this thread. What a gorgeous railroad. It's fabulous. Great images to boot...


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