Feb 2010 Newsletter
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THE FIRST STATE MODEL RAILROAD
CLUB, INC. NEWSLETTER
FEBRUARY 2010
NEXT MEETING:
The next meeting of The First State Model Railroad Club, Inc. will be held on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 7:30 P.
M. at the Jarrell Station at 1282 McKee Road (the Old REA/Magnum Building) in Dover, DE. From Route 1 or 13, go
west on Scarborough Road about two miles and the building is on the right. From Dover, off Route 8, take Salisbury
Road north, which turns into McKee Road and the Building is on the left next to Kenton Child Care Center. Come
early and run some trains. If lost, call 302-222-7552.
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS:
WOW!!! When you think things can’t get any better, just take a trip with The First State Model Railroad Club. With all
details worked out by Joyce Stockslager, Dick Lush and Jim Thompson, things just can’t run more smoothly. With 22
people, six cars and ten rooms planned, the trip to Springfield, Massachusetts on January 29, 30 and 31 was a great
success. It all started on Friday at approximately 8:00 A.M. at Souder’s. Departure time was around 8:30 A.M. Bill
and Kathleen Schrodel had departed a day earlier with Jim and Myrna Valle to visit friends and family in the
Massachusetts area. Larry and Anna Wheeler and Sharon were to meet us at the hotel in Springfield. And Pete
Nickerson who lives in the Boston area was to meet us on Saturday morning at IHOP. The rest of the entourage
traveled as follows: Gary Bryant was to pick up Dick Lush, Richard Stockslager and Kevin Herrmann. Bill and Jean
Benzin were to drive Paul and Paula Buckley and Les and Ann Souder were to drive Paul and Lena Roy and Jim and
Carolyn Thompson in the Beast. We stopped at the first stop on the New Jersey Turnpike (Fenwick) for coffee, etc.
Then around 12:00 noon we stopped at the last stop on the Garden State Parkway for lunch. We all arrived at the
Sheraton Springfield Monarch in Springfield, MA. at about 3:00 P.M. As we were signing in, Jim and Myrna Valle
and Bill and Kathleen Schrodel showed up. And as they were finishing signing in, Larry and Anna Wheeler and
Sharon called and were about to reach the hotel. What a Plan!! We all went to our rooms and then departed at 5:00
P.M. for the Cracker Barrel in Holyoke, MA. for dinner. After a wonderful dinner we all returned to the hotel and went
to Jim and Carolyn Thompson’s room for wine and cheese. Kevin Herrmann had bought several CDs at Cracker
Barrel, “The Best of Carol Burnett” and “Andy Griffith.” Thanks to Kevin we laughed for hours, or was it the wine?
Saturday, the guys were to meet in the Hotel lobby for departure for the new IHOP run by Bob Evans. We had
reservations for 13 guys at 7:00 A.M. It was impressive with 13 of us sporting our yellow jackets. We were asked
numerous times, “Who are you guys?” We also met Pete Nickerson at the IHOP as planned. After breakfast, third year
in a row, Pete picked up the bill for the 13 of us. Thanks a million to Pete. We got to the show at about 8:30 A.M.
(30 minutes before the doors open). With ID bands already acquired, we had no long lines to wait in. There are 4
buildings of trains and layouts. They are the Stroh Building, Young Building, Mallary Complex (which has doubled
in size this year) and the largest building, the Better Living Center. With over 450 vendors, dealers, manufacturers
and layouts to see, it makes for a long day. We were there until 4:30 P.M., at which time we returned to the hotel, a
tired group of shoppers. The ladies also had their day planned with a visit to the Butterfly Conservatory and Gardens
and then the Yankee Candle Company where they shopped and lunched the afternoon away. If you see one of the
ladies just ask them and they will fill you in on their busy and fun day. Saturday evening we all enjoyed dinner in the
hotel at Peter’s Grille. All meals were prearranged and the dinner went very smoothly and the food was great. After
dinner, we all met back at Jim and Carolyn Thompson’s room for more wine and cheese and other goodies. It was
getting late, but we all laughed again at Kevin Herrmann’s CD of the “Carol Burnett Show.” The highlight of the
evening was Bill Benzin: it was his birthday on Sunday, so Dick Lush brought a cake with track and train and we all
sang “Happy Birthday” and enjoyed cake with Bill. We had more wine and cheese and laughed into the late night.
Sunday, we were to all meet in the lobby and travel over to the IHOP for breakfast, all 21 of us. Thank God, it was
prearranged, as the parking lot was full and there was a huge waiting line of people, but we marched right on
through, to a special area set up for us. Again, it was impressive for our yellow jackets to pass by and the people
saying, “Who are those guys and those yellow jackets?” Breakfast was fine and then the guys went back to the show
for more super deals and the ladies went back to the hotel to pack and get ready for our departure. The guys got
back to the hotel by 12:30 P.M. and we were on the road by 1:00 P.M. Our first stop was the Garden State Parkway
and the second stop was the last rest area on the New Jersey Turnpike. We then stopped for dinner at the ChesDel
Restaurant in the Middletown area. We then returned to Les and Ann Souder’s to unpack the cars and travel home. I
remember when packing the cars for the trip up to Springfield, there wasn’t much luggage room. Most of us had
three extra bags to bring home from our shopping at the train show, plus the ladies’ bags from their shopping
excursions. This made for a very, very tight luggage arrangement. But we men can do almost anything. All in all, it
was a great weekend and now we can start planning for next year. My special thanks to all.
A very sorrowful note is that on Thursday before the Springfield trip, John Gray called at 12:15 A.M and said his Dad
had passed away and he could not make the trip. I told him I was sorry and get home as soon as he could. Our
thoughts and prayers go out to John and his family.
See you at the February 9 meeting. Jim Thompson, President
UPCOMING SHOWS:
February 6-7, 2010 Great Scale Train Show, Cow Palace, State Fairgrounds,
Timonium, MD. POC: 410-730-1036.
February 7, 2010 Shrewsbury Fire Hall, Shrewsbury, PA. POC: 410-592-5854.
February 21, 2010 Nur Shrine Temple, Rt. 13, 1985 S. DuPont Hwy.,
New Castle, DE. POC: 856-302-3606.
March 21, 2010 Evesham Fire Station, 26 East Main Street, Marlton,
NJ POC: 856-296-9423.
CLUB, INC. NEWSLETTER
FEBRUARY 2010
NEXT MEETING:
The next meeting of The First State Model Railroad Club, Inc. will be held on Tuesday, February 9, 2010 at 7:30 P.
M. at the Jarrell Station at 1282 McKee Road (the Old REA/Magnum Building) in Dover, DE. From Route 1 or 13, go
west on Scarborough Road about two miles and the building is on the right. From Dover, off Route 8, take Salisbury
Road north, which turns into McKee Road and the Building is on the left next to Kenton Child Care Center. Come
early and run some trains. If lost, call 302-222-7552.
PRESIDENTIAL REMARKS:
WOW!!! When you think things can’t get any better, just take a trip with The First State Model Railroad Club. With all
details worked out by Joyce Stockslager, Dick Lush and Jim Thompson, things just can’t run more smoothly. With 22
people, six cars and ten rooms planned, the trip to Springfield, Massachusetts on January 29, 30 and 31 was a great
success. It all started on Friday at approximately 8:00 A.M. at Souder’s. Departure time was around 8:30 A.M. Bill
and Kathleen Schrodel had departed a day earlier with Jim and Myrna Valle to visit friends and family in the
Massachusetts area. Larry and Anna Wheeler and Sharon were to meet us at the hotel in Springfield. And Pete
Nickerson who lives in the Boston area was to meet us on Saturday morning at IHOP. The rest of the entourage
traveled as follows: Gary Bryant was to pick up Dick Lush, Richard Stockslager and Kevin Herrmann. Bill and Jean
Benzin were to drive Paul and Paula Buckley and Les and Ann Souder were to drive Paul and Lena Roy and Jim and
Carolyn Thompson in the Beast. We stopped at the first stop on the New Jersey Turnpike (Fenwick) for coffee, etc.
Then around 12:00 noon we stopped at the last stop on the Garden State Parkway for lunch. We all arrived at the
Sheraton Springfield Monarch in Springfield, MA. at about 3:00 P.M. As we were signing in, Jim and Myrna Valle
and Bill and Kathleen Schrodel showed up. And as they were finishing signing in, Larry and Anna Wheeler and
Sharon called and were about to reach the hotel. What a Plan!! We all went to our rooms and then departed at 5:00
P.M. for the Cracker Barrel in Holyoke, MA. for dinner. After a wonderful dinner we all returned to the hotel and went
to Jim and Carolyn Thompson’s room for wine and cheese. Kevin Herrmann had bought several CDs at Cracker
Barrel, “The Best of Carol Burnett” and “Andy Griffith.” Thanks to Kevin we laughed for hours, or was it the wine?
Saturday, the guys were to meet in the Hotel lobby for departure for the new IHOP run by Bob Evans. We had
reservations for 13 guys at 7:00 A.M. It was impressive with 13 of us sporting our yellow jackets. We were asked
numerous times, “Who are you guys?” We also met Pete Nickerson at the IHOP as planned. After breakfast, third year
in a row, Pete picked up the bill for the 13 of us. Thanks a million to Pete. We got to the show at about 8:30 A.M.
(30 minutes before the doors open). With ID bands already acquired, we had no long lines to wait in. There are 4
buildings of trains and layouts. They are the Stroh Building, Young Building, Mallary Complex (which has doubled
in size this year) and the largest building, the Better Living Center. With over 450 vendors, dealers, manufacturers
and layouts to see, it makes for a long day. We were there until 4:30 P.M., at which time we returned to the hotel, a
tired group of shoppers. The ladies also had their day planned with a visit to the Butterfly Conservatory and Gardens
and then the Yankee Candle Company where they shopped and lunched the afternoon away. If you see one of the
ladies just ask them and they will fill you in on their busy and fun day. Saturday evening we all enjoyed dinner in the
hotel at Peter’s Grille. All meals were prearranged and the dinner went very smoothly and the food was great. After
dinner, we all met back at Jim and Carolyn Thompson’s room for more wine and cheese and other goodies. It was
getting late, but we all laughed again at Kevin Herrmann’s CD of the “Carol Burnett Show.” The highlight of the
evening was Bill Benzin: it was his birthday on Sunday, so Dick Lush brought a cake with track and train and we all
sang “Happy Birthday” and enjoyed cake with Bill. We had more wine and cheese and laughed into the late night.
Sunday, we were to all meet in the lobby and travel over to the IHOP for breakfast, all 21 of us. Thank God, it was
prearranged, as the parking lot was full and there was a huge waiting line of people, but we marched right on
through, to a special area set up for us. Again, it was impressive for our yellow jackets to pass by and the people
saying, “Who are those guys and those yellow jackets?” Breakfast was fine and then the guys went back to the show
for more super deals and the ladies went back to the hotel to pack and get ready for our departure. The guys got
back to the hotel by 12:30 P.M. and we were on the road by 1:00 P.M. Our first stop was the Garden State Parkway
and the second stop was the last rest area on the New Jersey Turnpike. We then stopped for dinner at the ChesDel
Restaurant in the Middletown area. We then returned to Les and Ann Souder’s to unpack the cars and travel home. I
remember when packing the cars for the trip up to Springfield, there wasn’t much luggage room. Most of us had
three extra bags to bring home from our shopping at the train show, plus the ladies’ bags from their shopping
excursions. This made for a very, very tight luggage arrangement. But we men can do almost anything. All in all, it
was a great weekend and now we can start planning for next year. My special thanks to all.
A very sorrowful note is that on Thursday before the Springfield trip, John Gray called at 12:15 A.M and said his Dad
had passed away and he could not make the trip. I told him I was sorry and get home as soon as he could. Our
thoughts and prayers go out to John and his family.
See you at the February 9 meeting. Jim Thompson, President
UPCOMING SHOWS:
February 6-7, 2010 Great Scale Train Show, Cow Palace, State Fairgrounds,
Timonium, MD. POC: 410-730-1036.
February 7, 2010 Shrewsbury Fire Hall, Shrewsbury, PA. POC: 410-592-5854.
February 21, 2010 Nur Shrine Temple, Rt. 13, 1985 S. DuPont Hwy.,
New Castle, DE. POC: 856-302-3606.
March 21, 2010 Evesham Fire Station, 26 East Main Street, Marlton,
NJ POC: 856-296-9423.