Gene had some Panther Beer decals made up, as I believe Bill Boucher has a Panther Beer reefer.
Ben Perry Drive like A railroad engineer Take it easy When the road's Not clear Burma~Shave -----Original Message----- From: raleigh Sent: Friday, October 5, 2007 1:31 AM To: ed_loizeaux, [email protected] Subject: Re: {S-Scale List} Re: Roll out the barrel... and he recalls - Drinking beer and running trains in a circle - Hah - That brings back memories. Back in the 60s I had a small layout and more 0 Gauge than track. There was one hobby shop in town and the owner had a ton of it in his own collection with the idea that he's build a layout in the shop's basement but slot cars were becoming the rage and he decided to sell the 0 Gauge and build slot tracks to attract business. Since he knew I was into 0 he made me a deal and I picked up a more than I would ever have track to run it on. There was a Lobaugh Greenbriar, All Nation's Pacific and Ten-wheeler, F Units, Walthers Passenger cars, Globe freight cars and more than I can remember now. Needless to say news of the sale got around and I got a number of calls about selling some of it. One particular caller (named Paule DeQuoy) talked me into letting him come and see what was in the lot as he had some items he might want to trade. Oh yes and he hoped I wouldn't mind if he brought a friend. I didn't mind and we scheduled the visit for a Friday evening. For the appointed evening, I bought a few quarts of beer and snacks and sent the wife off to a movie. Paul showed up with his buddy and after introductions, I didn't have to twist anyone's arm to crack a bottle of beer as we opened boxes and looked over the stuff. As the evening grew late, nothing came of a trade, but Paul's friend noticed that I had a few S Gauge items on the work bench and mentioned that he was into S and invited me to his house another evening. Since he lived about 10 minutes from my place, we made a tentative date and said goodnight. I traveled a lot for work back then and a month or so passed before I could get a free night and called. I remember asking if I should bring beer and he said I didn't as he had plenty - and I found out he was telling the truth - he made his own! The one visit grew into more frequent meets and then a regular Friday night session - most of the time it was just the two of us, drinking home made suds and running trains (in a circle of course). Quite often Paul was there and another fellow (named Ron Koch) and sometimes Tom Coughlan, Win Blake and Don Riley. I already knew Tom as he was a Salesman for a wire company and I was a Purchasing Manager for a printed circuit house. (Never made the connection though) The layout didn't have any scenery, just open bench work and very well laid track on TruScale roadbed. When the Bristol Club showed up for a meeting, I met Bob Blois and Bill Boucher. Bill would set up his circus train and back 80' cars through the switches without batting an eye! Needless to say I was hooked on S Gauge and over the years, the 0 Gauge was sold and I acquired crates of S stuff. I even converted my AF Atlantic to scale and still have it. By now some of you may have guessed that the host was Gene Fletcher and the friendship lasted for more than forty years. Over those years I bought and sold just about everything in just about every scale at conventions, mail and then eBay. (Don Heimburger used t' call me "The Money Shredder!). But I stayed with S Gauge and at my age will probably never have to worry about its future! Now with time creeping up on me, I still have an occasional drink as I work on a video or (though rarely) a model and think back to those "golden days of yesteryear" swilling down a glass of Panther Brew (Gene's name for his home made stuff) and running trains on the Great Eastern (Gene's railroad). He had a slogan (actually two) - "Try A Panther - That's The Anther" and "Take One Six Pack And Get Hold Of Yourself!" Most of the old crowd are gone now - Jim Smith, Ron Koch, Don Riley, Paul DeQuoy, Bob Blois, Tom Coughlan and a long list of fellow S Gaugers I have known over the years. I have a few souvenir items packed away and some day I'll dig 'em out and run 'em in a circle and have a beer. Diabetes, high blood pressure, and a few nagging complaints that come with age will limit me to one or maybe two glasses of suds but every swallow will remind me of the good times had in Gene's basement. I hope all of you will find such pleasant memories t' carry with you. Modeling is fun but a glass o' beer and running trains in a circle with old friends is funner! Raleigh in Maine www.emporiumpictures.com At 11:59 PM 10/4/2007, ed_loizeaux wrote: > > Let's see, a layout with beer... Well, first you need <snip> > > Jim K. > >Jim...How about an RDC full of S scale modelers on a fan trip to the >local beer factory? By the way, were those plumbing fittings on the >vats made from zamac or brass? Gotta make sure my model is accurate. >Burp...Ed L. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
