A MODEL ENGINEER’S VIEWPOINT

Ford City, PA. 16226

Another successful Steam Show Season has come to pass and I
would like to give a brief summary of my participation. As I see
it, there is an ever increasing number of model engines steam and
gas being displayed at the shows. The great increase of suppliers
of castings for the modeler is a very good sign that model building
is on the increase.

Most of the shows have changed over from steam to air for
operation of the models. This I wholeheartedly agree with both for
safety’s sake and those men who bring almost priceless engines
appreciate the cleanliness of air operation. I have been going to
shows for over 25 years and have suffered many burns from hot
tubing used to run my engines.

In all my show attendances, I have never received such courtesy,
etc. as I did from the Milton, Ontario, Canada show under the
capable supervision of Jean and Jack Layman. Those people sent me
an invitation to attend their show along with two complimentary
passes. Their model building has a concrete floor which means no
dirt getting into your models. And to top it off Mrs. Layman had a
big coffee urn set up for the modelers’ use at no charge to
them. Nice people, Mr. & Mrs. Layman.

During the activities in the afternoon I sat in the grandstand
for awhile, and as I looked across the track to the demonstration
area, there was the Canadian Maple Leaf Flag in one corner and in
the other corner the Stars and Stripes of our countryif that
don’t give you a little lump in the throat, nothing ever will.
The only two countries in the whole world with unarmed borders.
Canadians are nice people.

I hadn’t visited the Tuscarawas, Ohio show for several years
and I couldn’t believe how the show had developed. The grounds
were jammed with people and machinery. Quite a few model engines,
steam operated.