# MLS open house during Tacoma national convention



## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

If there is interest I would like to have a open house for MLS members during the August national conventon in Tacoma. I'm looking at Thursday,August 5th as a good day from 10:00AM to 4:00pm. We are only baout 18 miles from the convention hotel in Tacoma. It would be fun to meet a few more MLS members and run some trains. Feel free to bring trains to run although they will have to be battery powered, there is no track power. I can e-mail directions to those who would like to drop by for a visit. I will follow up here with some overall layout photos from an operating session a couple days ago. 

This is a stack train leaving the indoor storage and staging yard heading towards the loop and 135' of 2% downgrade.








Rounding the curve at the south end of layout. The loop is visible at the top.








Same train at west end.








This is Mike Gorsich's N.P. Z-4 mallet on a test run. We just converted it to battery and Airwire. Mike is in the white t-shrt,me in the red.








Here the mallet is just clearing Marysville while Joe Freer is in the background doing local switching. Nice waist high switching here
which can get compliccated with both facing and trailing sidings. This side of the layout is about 100' long.








Small town of Sand Cut,named after a location at Tehachapi. There are a couple short industry sidings here.








This is Burch Creek. There is a spur track here with several sidings. The first structure for this loaction is now under construction
and should be off the workbench in a week or so. A W.P. freight is in the background. At this point the main can be operated as 
double track or single with passing sidings. Kind of whatever we decide for the day.









Here a S.P. freight headed by a couple SD45's is headed downgrade. Dynamic brakes on of course. The yard at the bottom is at
Sierra and is about 25' long.








Mike's mallet is holding until the S.P. freight clears the yard at Sierra.








A long freight leaving Marysville heading north.








My S.P. train passing a short W.P. local with a cattle ranch in the background. The single track in the foreground is part of the
spur to Burch Creek.


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Dang Paul! I wish I could get up there to see you guys and the railroad! Very nice pictures-they give a whole new perspective to the layout.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Some really nice flowing trackwork there... sorry I can't attend. 

Looking good! 

Regards, Greg


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Paul 
Thanks for the invite, my wife Martha and I would love to come by. 
Thanks 
Dennis


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Oh by the way your layout looks awesome really looking forward to see it 
Dennis


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

VERY NICE! Wish I could be there.


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## John Corradini (Jan 2, 2008)

Good looking layout Paul. 
The pictures male me wish I could be there.


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## SteveF (Jan 2, 2008)

Paul, I'm planning on being there for part of the event. I should be able to make it. Count me and my lovely bride in. I'm not sure what I'll bring to run, though. Decisions, decisions.


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## R.W. Marty (Jan 2, 2008)

Paul,
The wife and I would love to come by and meet you and enjoy your railroad.
Rick Marty


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## bottino (Feb 7, 2008)

That's a fine looking layout Paul. Thanks for the great pictures for those of us who can't make it.
Paul B too!


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## benshell (Oct 1, 2008)

Looks like a great railroad! I'd love to come by.


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## Rod Fearnley (Jan 2, 2008)

Paul, what a beautiful, realistic looking RR. Unfortunately we shall not be able to make it Stateside this year, but I'd love to come by in the future sometime.
Those pictures are going into my "For Reference" folder.

Rod


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks to those who have responded and the kind words. For those that need directions,just e-mail me for my address. Using mapquest will probably the best way to get directions.


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Fabulous, Paul. Thanks for posting images of the layout. WOW. 

Don't know if I can get there, though. Love to come but the convention falls at a time when we're super busy here.


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Man!! I wish I could make it, now knowing how close you are.......


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Marty,
Mary and I will be coming to your place this year. Just booked a flight to KC last week. I need to get the names of a couiple good barbeque places there.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

That't it,....Keep it up,,,,, show us that beautiful rail road so those of us who can't make it will feel even worse.









See you at Marty's









You Bringing Mike with you ?


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Paul, 
Can I send my neice and her 2 trainboys over there sometime this fall? 
I always get to hold the fort down this time of year! 
That is one fine looking Railroad. I love the smooth trackwork. 

John


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Paul 
We have a new Parkers steak house which has good BBQ and the old Embers is open to a steak house again. As for KS, I just don't know. 
I have lots of work to do by then.


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Marty,
It's barbeque restaurants in KC that I'm looking for. We will have Thursday night before your shindig and then Sunday and Monday nights back in KC. By the way,I will be sending you a car to use as one of your door prizes.


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## jlcop (Jan 2, 2008)

Sorry Paul, I'll be helping out at Morrison's layout on Thursday (and Rose's on Saturday). Otherwise it would be nice to meetup with MLSers durring the convention. 
John


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## Bill Swindell (Jan 2, 2008)

I forgot how to find you. please e-mail to [email protected].


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Bill,
I sent my address to your e-mail.


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Oh man! Now I'm _really_ bummed about missing this year's nationals! That's a really beautiful layout Paul! Someday I hope to be able to visit it!


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## Richard Weatherby (Jan 3, 2008)

Judy and I will try to make it. Please provide address. Many thanks. We are driving from the East Coast.


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## Ironton (Jan 2, 2008)

My wife and I would like to try to stop by on Thursday. Could you please send info to hnrblack AT comcast.net ? Thanks for the invite.


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## up9018 (Jan 4, 2008)

Great looking Railroad Paul. 

Chris


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## R.W. Marty (Jan 2, 2008)

Paul,
Would you please send your address so I can find you.
Thanks
Rick Marty


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## Gary Woolard (Jan 2, 2008)

Paul, Carla & I would love to come visit! I'm guessing I can send you a P.M for the address? (Or are you on the tours? And if not, why not, with a beautiful layout like that?!)


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## dgtaylor (Feb 16, 2008)

Paul, my wife and I would love to attend. We will see you there. Thanks. Denny & SJ Taylor


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Denny,
Send me an e-mail and I will get you directions
Paul


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

I think everyone who says they would like to visit on Thursday has directions. If not, just e-mail me. Hope to see lots of you tomorrow.


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks to all who came by yesterday. It was a good time with lots of trains running. There were lots of photos so anyone who wants to post,feel free free to do so.


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## Bill Swindell (Jan 2, 2008)

It was very nice to see you and your layout again. One question though, what happens if you have one engine on the front of a train and two on the rear and then stop just the front engine? I thought it was very exciting.


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## Ironton (Jan 2, 2008)

Paul, 

Thank you for the wonderful time visiting your layout. I was very impressed. Sorry I and my wife stayed so long, but it was hard to say goodbye.


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## R.W. Marty (Jan 2, 2008)

Paul,
A big thanks to you and Mary for graciously hosting the open house and inviting us to run on your wonderful railroad. 
I can only imagine what fortitude it must have taken to allow 1:20 scale steam to run on your beautifully detailed 1:29 scale diesel railroad







. I do appreciate the chance to have done so. 
I will post a couple of pictures in a seperate thread
Thanks again
Rick Marty


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Rick, 

I'm glad you were able to run on Paul's layout. Paul and Mary are good people. We go back over 45-50 years!


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