Torque Power Live Steam Models Hyattstown, Box 144-D R. F. D.,
Ijamsville, Maryland 21754
Hi There Young Engineers:
This past summer I was invited to the Rough & Tumble Show to
give a demonstration of foundry work. I had already given one at
the Eastern Shore Show. I had planned to be there for the entire
show but was only able to make it for part of one day. I arrived
late on the last day of the show accompanied by my girlfriend, Miss
Karen Keibler. Karen had traveled to most of the shows with me this
past summer.
Even though I arrived late, Mr. Brubaker, President of R &
T, managed to take time to see that I had a place to operate my
portable foundry. A table with a sun shade and a hole in the ground
for the furnace was provided for me in less than an hour. I would
like to thank Mr. Brubaker and the R & T Club for their
assistance.
Many people don’t think about this but the presidents of
steam clubs often don’t have time to even enjoy their own
shows. As I have been told by several presidents of clubs, many
members think that it is a fun job. I guess it must be fun though,
otherwise no one would want it. But is is a lot of hard work. Not
only does the president have to see that everything is ready for
the show, but, also, that everything runs smoothly during the show.
Often he is needed in three places at once which is pretty hard to
do. It is mostly the little things that take up his time, such as:
seeing that there is plenty of coal and cylinder oil for the
engines or managing to get a table for someone’s display which
some times requires having one built. At times he has to find an
electric cord for someone who needs power for his display. This
goes on all day long and every day of the show. The presidents of
clubs and their directors need all the help they can get. This is
often what makes the difference between a good or poor show.
From the people whom I have talked with and the letters I have
received, it seems that the Young Peoples Page is bringing some
needed new life to this hobby. This is what the Young Peoples Page
is for to promote youth interest in the hobby. I have been told
that the Young Peoples Page is starting to change the way of
thinking of many people as to the future of the hobby. The interest
it has created among the young people has been better than I
expected. Mr. Ritzman told me not to expect anything big to happen
all at once as it took him 25 years to build up what he has. I have
been encouraged to write about what is going on in the hobby, the
thoughts and feelings of the many hundreds of people I meet at
shows. To do this I have to write not only about the good things
that go on in the hobby but the problems with which we are faced.
Since the young people are the future of the hobby, it is important
that they know not only of the good things but of the problems
which they can help solve. One of my friends told me that I would
be treading on dangerous ground if I wrote about the problems as
many of the older people might resent the young people telling them
what is wrong. I certainly hope that this is not the case. The
young people want to be part of the hobby and to work with the
older people who started it in order to make it bigger and better
for everyone.
Not all opinions I hear are from the young but from the young at
heart who want to see the hobby grow and have the youth take an
interest in it. I am very pleased to have these people, the young
at heart, promoting the Young Peoples Page.
I wrote earlier in this article about the work that the
presidents of clubs and their directors are faced with. These
people cannot run a show all by themselves; it takes team work,
everyone helping by doing his part. I know of too many shows across
our country that are suffering from lack of cooperation. I will not
mention any particular clubs but I know that the presidents and
directors who seem to keep these shows going year after year all by
themselves would appreciate help from you young people out there.
Here is a good chance for you to become an active part of a
club.
It seems that when you get a group of people together there will
always be a difference of opinion. This is all right as long as it
doesn t interfere with the operation of the club. I have traveled
to shows for four years and during this time I have found that some
years were better than others. Being new to the hobby, I wondered
why. So, I asked many people. I found out that some people
couldn’t make it because of their work or health which is
understandable. But many times people got mad because they
weren’t treated right one year. Sometimes they have trouble
getting their engines hauled. The coal wasn’t the right kind.
They didn’t have a good place to display the engines or the
show wasn’t run the right way. in order for people to get along
in any club it has to be a give and take situation, everyone doing
his part. I sometimes don’t get the best place to display my
models but
I figure my turn will come. Our steam shows put on by clubs are
a very important part of the hobby and we should all support them
as best we can. I hope that all of you will keep this in mind as
our 1970 show season will be coming up before you know it.
It seems that every time I get ready to write one of these
articles something happens to interfere with it. It is mostly my
work which lakes up my time. I produce hardware for my Father’s
guitars. His guitars are now considered the finest in the world.
They are used on the Johnny Cash TV Show. This work keeps me pretty
busy. I worked for a while at his place of business this past fall
but am now back in my own shop making hardware for him.
Sometimes my articles are delayed in getting to the Iron-Men
Album for publication. I must say that Mr. Ritzman is a very
patient man which I appreciate very much. Not all of you know this
but these articles have to be typed double-spaced. This is done for
me by my sister, Mrs. Marilyn Arney. Marilyn, her husband Harold,
and my two nephews, Timothy and Matthew, live next door to me.
Without her help in typing the articles and correcting my poor
spelling, it would not be possible for me to write these articles.
I really appreciate her help as she works as a secretary in my
Father’s business along with being a housewife and mother.
I would like to announce that Miss Karen Keibler and I are
engaged to be married as of this past Christmas. No wedding date
has been set since Karen has 1 years to finish at the University of
Maryland. Karen has become a steam engine fan. This past summer we
operated several traction engines together at the eastern shore on
Jim Lay ton’s farm. We hope to be operating more engines next
summer.
