# "09 BTS Vendors Pt. 2, At Last!



## Gary Woolard (Jan 2, 2008)

Sorry about the delay... had to go get a new round tuit before we leave for Denver..

So continuing...

There seemed to be good traffic at Jonathan Bliese's booth Saturday morning. Jonathan teased me once about not remembering the name of his business -- I was confused because his website is "*rctrains.com*." I'm gonna' get in trouble again, because I thought he was doing business as "Electric Modelworks." But I see that the name is now "*Electric Steam Modelworks*." That name, new or not, is most appropriate, since Jonathan will make you a great deal on a live steamer -- he'll even R.C. it for you!










The boxes were piled high around *Gold Coast Station*, attracting garden railroaders like pheremones attract moths!











Phil Jensen at *Hartland* gives Carla a casual wave while he talks to a customer.










Hartland has refitted many of its steamers recently with more period-looking brightwork and pipework. This Big John is one example, but I was surprised that there weren't any of the new 'old' American 4-4-0's on the table. Turns out that there had been a fire at Hartland's west coast warehouse just the previous week, and they'd lost a lot of product! Phil said they'd have distribution re-balanced in a few weeks. 










*House of Balsa* has been coming to the Big Train Show for several years now. They specialize in facades for inside layouts, and their pieces have been getting more sophisticated and better detailed, IMHO. Wish they made full built stuff for the outside!










Every year *J.S. Woodcrafts* has delighted the crowd with a few new pieces of animation, and they maintained the tradition this year! As you approach "Green Valley Tire's" the first thing you notice (aside from the misplaced apostrophe) are the rotating tires on the roof.










Hang around for just a moment, however. and you'll see a fork lift come out and deposit a pallet of tires on a flatbed truck.










At the Evergreen Motor Works, engines on an assembly line move past the window.










J.S. was also showing a moving mine elevator, and a barbershop.

The rumors have been flying. Where is LGB? Who is LGB? IS LGB?!! If you want the straight poop on these, and just about any other questions about the industry, Ron Gibson is the man to talk to! After years in the industry representing LGB and then Bachmann, Ron is back fronting the Walthers distribution deal with *Marklin/LGB*. Ron thinks there's too much of value for the Marklin/LGB package to be 'sold off for parts', but he hopes that after the the German bankruptcy courts have had their say, LGB will once again emerge as a healthy, independent company.










Dave at *Ozark Miniatures* told me that he packaged up about thirty of his new Climax kits to bring to the show, and had hoped to sell ten. When I talked to him Saturday afternoon, he'd sold 27 of them, and I was the 28th! He's hoping to get some more ready for the Denver convention, but in the meantime he has to pack up and move *Precision Products*, the maker of those textured plastic veneers -- Ozark just bought them!










While their 'big stuff' makes the news & reviews, I'm always delighted to see what's new in Ozark's small kits. Here's the niftiest moonshiner's still I've ever seen!










I've always considered Randy Bryie over at *Pacific Coast Garden Railway Supply* to be one of the finest practitioners of the art and craft of modelling in wood. I've seen Randy get excited after discovering that a support beam for a prototype water tank was actually 10" X 12", rather than the 10" X 10" called out out in published drawings! Here he's showing Pacific Coast's classic turntable based on the one that the Pacific Coast Railway used in San Luis Obispo.










But for those who want a more modern turntable, Randy's built a D&RGW steel-girded turntable. Here he's showing me one of the 'steel' side girders he uses for this project. (I snapped this with my camcorder in 'photo-mode', and unfortunately it's a bit soft to show all the rivet detail.) Like the old-fashioned gallows turntable, this one can be modified to fit a variety of scales and lengths.










Y'know, this fellow who runs *Railstocks* has been showing up at the BTS since the old 'Rusty Bucket' days. I've gone over to his booth a few times to inspect the stock and bond certificates he sells. Most of them are railroad related, and some of them date back to the 19th century. There's some really exquisite lithography on some of of his 'railroad paper', and I've left without buying a piece because it's very, very tempting, and the last thing I need right now is another hobby. But if you have an office or hobby room that you'd like to dress up and make more 'official' looking, this is the place to come.










Ross and Sue Piper of *Rainbow Ridge* have been making buildings and building kits out of 'precision board' for several years now, and their product has acquired a reputation for being able to withstand the extremes of the Southern California environment while many other materials eventually fall apart. I believe that their latest offering is that two-story mission-style adobe you see halfway down the right-hand shelf. They call it 'the winery', but I think it would make a great mission church!










Sue thought they ought to have some kind of movement going on at their display; maybe, she suggested to Ross, just a small circle of track with an engine? Ross took that suggestion and came up with this! The entire thing, from culvert bridge to water-filled pond, is made from precision board.










"*Somethin' Different*" is another one of those vendors who's been around since Queen Mary days. Basically, he's developed a series of battery-powered 'kerosene' lanterns which exhibit a very realistic 'flicker.' In the last few years he's gone on from there to develop lanterns with surprisingly good sound effects concealed in the base; everything from night-time cricket sounds to "Fire in the Hole." This year's newest item -- genuine cattle horns!










*Split-Jaw Rail Products* has taken the concept of elevated roadbed and run with it! Here a rep demonstrates the standard way of mounting their roadbed modules on sections of PVC pipe.










They've expanded their offerings to include everything from tunnel portals to plate-girder bridges!










I've mentioned Bruce Hebron and *The Metal Shed* before. He gained "Big Trains" cred by fabricating in metal (and often designing!) the whimsical line of yearly "AW-NUTS" cars. These "No. 3" Cabeese are Bruce's latest along that line.










Bruce also makes military models, aircraft, and even Dreadnoughts out of metal. But he also knocks me out with these incredible three-dimensional dioramas designed as wall hangings!










Axel Tilman at *Train-Li USA* was doing so much business that I couldn't squeeze in to chat with him. I think folks are pretty interested in his new line of track and switches.










Here was the most intriguing sign at his booth, however. Laser controlled coupling? I didn't see anything beeing demo'ed, but apparently the system only supports hook & loop couplers right now. Knuckle coupler control is coming -- we'll see what Axel has to show us in Denver!












Last but not least, the gang at *USA Trains* put up a great display of their 1/29 mainline engines and rolling stock. I'd drool if I weren't commited to narrow gauge!










The U.P. version of this Big Boy, btw, is based on the engine that sits right outside the Fairplex gates. Aw, what the heck -- drool is cheap!


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

As usual...another fantastic photo spread with explanation. See ya in Denver....


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

*RE: "09 BTS Vendors Pt. 2, At Last!*

Gary and Carla, who I suspect does all the heavy lifting (the photography), thanks for the photos. Product, that's what I like to see from a show I didn't have a chance to attend.


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Gary,
Did you happen to get shots of the two new modern tank cars at the USA booth? They were right in front of the Big Boy in your last photo.


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## tmejia (Jan 2, 2008)

Gary,
Great pictures and narratives.

Paul,
Is this one of them?











Tommy








Rio Gracie


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Tommy,
Nice photo but not one of the new cars. This is a repaint of their existing 10000 tank car. USA says they will have them at the convention so maybe someone will get some photos. I can't believe how the three new cars that they were showing slipped under the radar like they have.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

The MLS Whistle Award (Pulitzer Prize) to Gary and Carla once again for their wonderful coverage of yet another show! Kudos!


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## Gary Woolard (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks everybody for all the nice words -- for both me _and_ SWMTP!  (But gee, Joe, you don't think she carries her own extra lenses, do you?  And I gotta' tell you, that big Canon glass gets heavy!) 


 Paul, here's the best shot Carla got of those tank cars -- nothing straight on, I'm afraid.  (Carla thinks she heard somebody call them 'Shorty' tank cars.)  Hope it helps.  If so, tell us what's so great about this rolling stock, will you please?  I must admit that I'm a total ignoramus about the modern stuff! 


-gw2-


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## Paul Burch (Jan 2, 2008)

Gary,
Those are the ones. Modern two bay hopper. and two short modern tank cars. A couple things make these good, all three are new type cars. And , for those that like modern cars but can't run real long cars due to track limitations should make these hot sellers when released. Thanks for the photos. Also,in the background you can see the drawing for the auto carrier.


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## Nicholas Savatgy (Dec 17, 2008)

Nice, thanks for the pictures.........


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

*RE: "09 BTS Vendors Pt. 2, At Last!*

Hey Carla and Gary Great Pic's as usual. I am always glad to see you two at the show. Bruce does make great diorams with all the lights in them. I keep wanting to get one but there is always some major financial disaster just before the show. I end up short. This year is was a poor dog I hit doing 80 MPH that took the bottom off the radiator that sucked 1k out of the coffers.


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Carla & Gary 

Thank you both very much for the great photos and the stories for each photo. For those of us that are unable to get to these shows, your pictures and stories are extremely interesting, helpfull and appreciated. 

Thank you again 

Randy


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