Paul Catapano's St. Louis Ops Raid

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So what is a guy from Burbank wearing shorts doing in the snow in St. Louis? Click on any photo to run the slide show.
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Paul Catapano watches Bret (from the Mexico Train Works club) run a train at Patrick Pope's layout.
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Paul Frantz working away down one of the long aisles at Patrick's.
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Sighting down the long main line at Patrick's
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Lee reaches out while Rene' thinks, at Patrick Pope's layout. Lee is from the Mexico Train Works club, and is an old friend of Paul Catapano's from California now living in Missouri.
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On Patrick Pope's layout.
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Bill Meyer wanted this picture of the trestle on Pat's.
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Another one for Bill.
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On Pat's.
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Fred Eisenthal way down the line at Patrick's.
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Riley Triggs from Austin, Texas, working at Patrick's. Nice high layout.
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Patrick Pope's layout. Paul Catapano looks like he's getting something ready for Paul Grayless, of Kansas City.
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Patrick Pope's layout.
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Patrick Pope's layout. Great crew lounge. Staging on the right, yard where all the guys are.
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Our rental car that cost more than a hotel room. It snowed while we were at Patrick's layout.
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Paul and Lee in the snow.
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Mike Peters' layout. Red signals. CTC control by dispatcher.
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Mike Peters' layout.
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Mike Peters' layout. Bill Meyers down the line.
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Mike Peters' layout. Mike Peters himself.
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Mike Peters' layout. The big S curve and bridge.
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Mike Peters' layout.
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Mike Peters' layout. CTC board and dispatcher's desk.
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Mike Peters' layout. Paul Catapano works the yard, while Rene' LaVoise beyond runs trains in and out of staging using the TV camera.
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Mike Peters' layout. A cold day.
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Mike Peters' layout. Icicles.
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Mike O'Brien in the snow.
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Len Applebaum's layout. Paul Grayless checking out the benchwork.
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Len Applebaum's layout. Paul Catapano running AutoMax train out of staging.
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Len Applebaum's layout. Look ma, no legs. Just braces.
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Len Applebaum's layout. Fred and Bret at yard.
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Len Applebaum's layout. Paul and Paul out in New Mexico.
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Len Applebaum's layout. Staging back in the furnace room.
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Len Applebaum's layout. An industry.
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Len Applebaum's layout. An industry.
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Len Applebaum's layout. Lots of curves.
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Len Applebaum's layout. Len at center, his friend with the kneepads.
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Len Applebaum's layout. Paul Grayless at work.
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Hank Kraichley's layout. Lineup of power.
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Hank Kraichley's layout. Nice to see M-K-T equipment out there.
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Hank Kraichley's layout. Hanging ut at the bottom of the stairs, Rene' LaVoise at left, Patrick Pope sitting on stool.
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Hank Kraichley's layout. Paul Frantz near, Riley Triggs far.
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Hank Kraichley's layout.
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Hank Kraichley's layout. Train is starting down ramp to lower level.
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Hank Kraichley's layout.
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Hank Kraichley's layout. See what is behind ceiling.
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Hank Kraichley's layout. Ceiling lighting. Also lighting on the underside of upper deck.
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Hank Kraichley's layout. Notice special lighting at major scene, using track lights.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. The "outie" helix. Tracks are screwed and glued to the outside of a masonite circle. Helix is only 3 levels. Bottom level of 4 is actually the branch line going off to other side of layout, just doing its blob thing. 48" radius.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. Double level, very long linear run.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. Mike dispatches.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. Rene' LaVoise works on the upper deck.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. End of one aisle.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. "We don't need no stinking smashboards."
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Mexico Train Works club layout. Paul Catapano demonstrates his new car card sorting technique. "We don't need no stinking car card boxes."
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Mexico Train Works club layout. Rene' works way down the branchline.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. John is a club member, here working the upper level.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. I like the simple turnout control over by the edge of the layout. I may use this design myself at home.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. Riley demonstrates the "Mexico position" which is leaning against the wall.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. Sighting down the main line.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. Nice industrial scene. Very interesting upper deck supports overhead. I LOVE the wiring. TWO WIRES. Period. Let me say it again: COMMAND CONTROL = 2 WIRES.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. Industrial scene on lower deck.
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Mexico Train Works club layout.
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Mexico Train Works club layout.
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Mexico Train Works layout. Terminal yard on lower deck. Accessible from both sides, two different aisles; one aisle dedicated to yard personnel, other aisle for train personnel. Ditto for upper deck. Staging yards are behind the blue background at left.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. The "outie" helix in operation. Paul Frantz kicks back while his train travels about 80 feet up the grade.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. Paul's train comes off the top of the helix. Paul is standing on a milk carton so he can see over the building to the track, where there is a siding.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. Paul Frantz working the upper deck.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. A view behind buildings on the upper deck.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. Rene' and Fred work two of the four areas along the 30" wide aisle.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. Barry, from St. Louis, works the upper terminal yard from the yard operator's aisle, standing on a milk carton.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. The front door. Bill Meyer standing in the snow. He is right at home, being from middle-upper Wisconsin.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. Car cards.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. Paul Frantz at right, Lee at left, and Bill at rear.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. Lee relaxing.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. Mike and John, club members, excellent hosts to the LA crew.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. Crew lounge at capacity. Where's the fire marshal?
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Mexico Train Works club layout.
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Mexico Train Works club layout. Official portrait of Paul Catapano's LA crew with the excellent local hosts. Hey, I'm behind the camera, Mike O'Brien.
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Rene' LaVoise' layout. Bill Meyer works the rock train. I love the dramatic lighting coming from the glass block basement window; it reminds me of Rembrandt.
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Rene' LaVoise' layout. A very laid back scene.
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Rene' LaVoise' layout. Single deck, small towns, short runs, very, very nice.
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Rene' LaVoise' layout.
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Rene' LaVoise' layout.
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Rene' LaVoise' layout. Small steam locos, hand throw turnouts.
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Rene' LaVoise' layout. Bill Meyer wanted this photo.
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Rene' LaVoise' layout. Bill Meyer's steam train is meeting Riley Trigg's doodlebug passenger train.
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Rene' LaVoise' layout. A meet from eye level.
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Rene' LaVoise' layout. Car cards and switchlists. (The switchlist is written from the car card pack) The red push buttons normalize the train order signals, and are pushed at the Dispatcher's instructions.
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Rene' LaVoise' layout. The MK&T interchange car cards are in the red box.
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Rene' LaVoise' layout.
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Rene' LaVoise' layout. The lineup.
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Rene' LaVoise' layout. The speed limit for a steam engine running tender first is 10 mph. We are wasting time here.
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Rene' LaVoise' layout. Riley Triggs and Paul Grayless at the terminal yard.
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Rene' LaVoise' layout. Fred Eisenthal on left, Bill Meyer on right. Limited headroom here.
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Rene' LaVoise' layout. Rene' himself working the main yard.
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Rene' LaVoise' layout. Working a station. Train order board works, is set to stop by dispatcher, is cleared by train crew after they receive and understand orders and clearance.
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Rene' LaVoise' layout. Main yard, showing lighting behind valance.
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Mike Peters creating a Layout Design Journal page layout in QuarkXPress on a Mac, Riley Triggs at right. Mike is Editor, Riley is Associate Editor. Photo by Mike O'Brien, President and Contributing Editor.
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The end.