January 2011 Issue - Page 1 Tehachapi Loop Railroad Club s Newsletter A TLRC Christmas Dinner at the Village Grill From the photos above you can readily see that the TLRC dinner was a tremendous success. Thanks to George Noriega (he is the one in the lower left picture with the suit coat on!) for coordinating the event. The food was plentiful and the White Elephant gift exchange was a hit with all of those in attendance. Events like this are a great opportunity to get to know your fellow TLRC members and to have some good food and fun. I am sure that everyone is looking forward to the 2011 version.it will be here before we realize it.ok there ARE still a few more months of the current season to get thru but you know what I mean.time flies when your running and chasing trains!!!
January 2011 Issue - Page 2 2010 Christmas Dinner Photos by Phil and Maureen Cornyn Phil Cornyn on the left and Mario Terrazas on right are holding their White Elephant drawing numbers hoping that they each hold a ticket to a special railroad gift John Bell in the lower right of the picture to the right and seated to the right of him is Dennis Keck. The photographer told me that that red shirt was some form of statement concerning a football game that your editor was attending. Ok. I get it SCOREBOARD, maybe next year for my UCLA Bruins!!! In the next picture is that same guy, but joined by Louise Bailey as they display the results of what their tickets brought them from the TLRC Santa. Thanks for the pictures Phil and Maureen!
January 2011 Issue - Page 3 TLRC Business Meeting Stationmaster s Report December 4th, 2010 at The Village Grill The Stationmaster did not submit a report for December due to their being no formal business meeting, instead the meeting consisted of the annual TRLC Christmas party. Since your editor was not in attendance, I can only assume that what was said at the party stays at the party. So everyone is safe! In an email the Stationmaster informed me of the passing of Russ Tidd our event coordinator. Then our Membership Chairman, Theresa Bruno, informed me that Robert Woodrum, our former Historian, had also passed away. And then if that was not enough Charles Dodd emailed the TLRC Officers that he was selling his house and moving to Santa Rosa, California. All three members will be sorely missed and contributed much to the club activities over the years. (Apologies for the untimely notices of these events, as I was out of town and the newsletter is only a monthly publication. I guess keeping an active email list and phoning each other can still be used.) While we pause to reflect on these three members, it causes you to think about how a club such as ours is a rich mixture of experiences from the youngest to the oldest members. When ever we have a club event, take time to get to know more of the members and have them regale you with stories from past club events or from their life experiences. Being a member of a club is ALL ABOUT sharing experiences whether they be train adventures or sharing techniques on how to do some model railroading activity or learn about some aspect of the real railroads. Often times we can learn more about other areas of the country and about things that are no longer around. Those cab forward stories told by Charles Dodd, the TLRC History updates and the moving tribute that Robert Woodrum gave at the celebration of life ceremony for his wife Kathleen Woodrum who preceded him in passing, and Russ Tidd s coordination of past TLRC show events and attendance at the Grand Opening of the Tehachapi Depot are just a few things that come to my mind. Last MINUTE additions to ACTIVITIES Whenever you learn of events that may be of interest to our members let me know, like the following: Lynn McCurdy gave the following; Great Train Expo: Jan 22 & 23 Anaheim Convention Center More show info will be posted in coming weeks so check the website at: http://www.trainexpoinc.com Mike Bruno gave the following; Train Days: Jan 15 and 16 at the San Bernardino County Museum, Redlands California from 9am to 5pm both days The San Bernardino County Museum is at the California Street exit from Interstate 10 in Redlands. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for seniors and military personnel, $5 for students, and $4 for children ages 5 to 12. Children under 5 and Museum Association members are admitted free. Food will be available and there is no charge for parking. For more information, visit the web site at: www.sbcountymuseum.org and for an event flyer: www.sbcounty.gov/museum/pdf/2011 Train Days.pdf
January 2011 Issue - Page 4 From the desk of the Paymaster Mike Schmitt, the following reports are provided for your review and approval FINANCIAL REPORTS Balance Sheet - As of 12/16/2010 (Includes unrealized gains) This is a special edition of the Tehachapi Loop Railroad Club Newsletter. The financial information that normally appears on this page is to be viewed only by dues paying members. So if the information provided in the rest of the newsletter appeals to you, why don t you join the club and help us further promote the wonderful hobby of railroading and model railroading. We endeavor to pursue all aspects of the prototype railroads and the miniature scale modeling side of this fascinating hobby.
January 2011 Issue - Page 5 A Tribute to Robert Woodrum Story and Photos by Marlan Woodside On 22 Dec 2010, Theresa Bruno forwarded an email she received from Sharon Cornelison of the Tehachapi Humane Society informing us of the passing of Robert Woodrum. Both Robert and his wife Kathleen were long time members of the TLRC. The picture at left depicts Kathleen and Robert in the lower right attending the December 2007 TLRC Christmas dinner at the Veterans Hall. Kathleen preceded Robert in passing. Most of us remember them both attending the monthly meetings and always assuring us that the history books were in order. The picture below and to the right depicts Kathleen supporting Robert in the April 2009 ceremony to award Robert his long over due Army service medals from California Congressman Kevin McCarthy at the Bakersfield Veterans Memorial (which just happens to be across from the Amtrak Depot parking lot). Robert and Kathleen proudly brought the medals back to show us at the next monthly meeting. It was not too long after this that Robert lost Kathleen. Robert conducted a moving celebration of life ceremony for Kathleen at the local Holiday Inn Express and after a period of mourning returned to attending TLRC meetings and dutifully coordinated a handing off of the Historian binders to Rex Welker. Robert was in WWII campaigns from Luxembourg to the Czech border. Mention was made of Robert in a Nov 2009 Tehachapi News article regarding the Summit Singers, he was one of the oldest active members. He and Kathleen were also active in the Tehachapi Humane Society. It is obvious that they were both active members of the community and we shared in Robert s grief of losing Kathleen and now we miss Robert as well, but find solace in knowing that they are both together now for eternity. Godspeed Robert and Kathleen.
January 2011 Issue - Page 6 On 26 Nov 2010, Russell Tidd passed away in Palm Springs while staying with relatives in an attempt to recover from his illnesses. Phil Bailey notified me in an email stating that John Bell made the announcement of Russ s passing at the Dec 2010 TLRC Christmas Dinner. I knew Russ mainly from his serving as the TLRC Event Coordinator. The picture to the right depicts Russ in the blue jacket at the December 2007 TLRC Christmas dinner. Of note also in this picture is another former member, Larry Morris, who passed earlier in the year 2010. He is wearing the gray jacket. Russ had been suffering with his illnesses and spending time between Tehachapi and Palm Springs for more than a year. He was always faithful to serving the TLRC and helping where ever help was needed. A Tribute to Russell Tidd Story and Photos by Marlan Woodside I remember Russ making a special effort to attend the June 2010 grand opening of the restored Tehachapi Depot. The picture to the left depicts him amongst all of the other townspeople that attended that day. Russ was as proud as the rest of us that TLRC members played a significant role in the depot journey to becoming the gem that it is today. I could not resist taking a picture of Russ s hat that day. I believe the motto depicted below is how we all feel about our hobby. Russ never sweated the details he enjoyed his hobbies and life and being a member of the Tehachapi Loop Railroad Club. We will all miss you Russ, but we are glad that your earthly suffering has faded and now you can enjoy watching from above how the place you once called home is carrying forward the passions that you shared with us for trains and model railroading. May your eternal journeys be on smooth rails our good friend. Editors Note: While the new year is a promise of new beginnings and fresh starts, this Loop edition contains words of sadness. I am sure that those that are remembered here would encourage us to move our throttles to the next notch and move on down the rail line. That would make them proud!!
January 2011 Issue - Page 7 Old TLRC Member Doesn t Die, He Just Moves to Santa Rosa by Marlan Woodside Charles Frost Dodds informed us on 26 Dec 2010, that he sold his house in Tehachapi and will be moving to Santa Rosa. While Charles is a TLRC member he was also in the Army, so the title tries to paraphrase General Douglas MacArthur s 1951 farewell speech to congress old soldiers never die; they just fade away. Well Charles, thanks for all the wonderful stories and memories of being a significant part of the TLRC. The picture on the left has Charles Dodds sandwiched between Wilson James on the left and former member Dan Wirth on the right from an April 2006 TLRC show at the Tehachapi Veterans hall. How appropriate! The picture on the right depicts Charles Dodds on the left and Mario Terrazas on the right. Charles still looks the same, however Mario has gotten a little older looking! Note Charles eye glass wearing techniques. The picture on the left is a Southern Pacific Cab Forward steam locomotive. Listening to Charles speak of having paced these several times on the highway leading up to Tehachapi was always an entertaining story. I believe Charles purchased a similar model at the 2010 Bakersfield train show and has chosen to take that model with him to Santa Rosa. He is sharing the rest of his rolling stock and books with the TLRC. The picture on the right is from our November 2010 TLRC show at the West Park Center. Charles always felt welcome to come in and bring out his rolling stock and cab forward to run on the HO modular layout. As you can see, Charles has his traveling tool box at the ready and a coupler adjuster in hand to ensure that his rolling stock meets the exacting standards of running on the TLRC HO modular rails. We will miss you Charles and hope that you can come back to visit us down the line, happy trails to you!!!
TLRC OFFICERS January 2011 Issue - Page 8 Superintendent John Bell 661-300-0932 Dispatcher George Noriega 661-822-8547 Stationmaster Philip Bailey 661-823-1853 Paymaster Mike Schmitt 661-821-5271 1st. Inspector Wilson James 661-823-1665 2nd. Inspector Marlan Woodside 760-373-4765 ADMINISTRATORS/CHAIRPERSONS Activities: Scale Chairs: Conductor Ann Tuma N Rex Welker Education Doug Pickard HO Mike Bruno Historian Rex Welker Toy Trains Steve Pruitt Hospitality Ann Tuma O John Holmes Loop Editor Marlan Woodside G John Bell Membership Theresa Bruno Webmaster Jack Fowler Promotions Louise Bailey Publicity Mike Schmitt Mtn. Xng Layout Wilson James Ways & Means Dan Steinberg Event Coordinator OPEN Website Address: www.tehachapilooprailroadclub.org TLRC Email Address: tlrc_club@hotmail.com I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year and that all share in the blessings of family and friends during the holidays and all year round. With the New Year comes New Year s resolutions, you probably know mine: Try to get the newsletter out sooner so it can be an early reminder to members of the next TLRC meeting and to keep people informed of what s been happening with the club. Now that football and the holidays are over...maybe!!!! Editor s Note: While I will attempt to have someone proof read and correct any spelling, grammatical errors and mislabeling, I apologize in advance for any errors that may have gone to print. Tehachapi Loop Railroad Club Monthly Newsletter of the Tehachapi Loop Railroad Club Post Office Box 876 Next Meeting Date: January 8, 2011 at 10 AM Location: The Village Grill