Early History of Our Club - 2005-2009
Our club was founded in January, 2005, by Dick Joyce (our first president), Bob Port, Bruce Smiley, and Marty Umanoff. Shannondell agreed to build a room for our use on the lower level of the clubhouse, near the wood-working room.
After Shannondell's completion of the 25' x 30' room, construction of the train platform started in early August 2005. The group of carpenters was led by Carmen Molinaro who was assisted by Bob Port, Stan Leitsch, Pat Hughes, and John Bubser. The platform was completed in September of 2005.
The design of the train platform was formally laid out by Bob Port with suggestions from Dick Joyce and many of the other club members.
Most of the cork roadbed and track was laid by Bruce Smiley, Bob Port, and Tom Thiermann. The first sections of the track were ceremonially nailed together by Jim Sorom using a gold-painted real railroad spike on September 28, 2005. Additional sections of track were laid at a later date by this group with the help of Joe Fulton and John Bubser.
Marty Umanoff designed the scenery for the platform and was assisted by Skip Fredericks, Pat Hughes and Colin Tant in laying out mountains and rivers. He has instructed several other club members in making trees and other scenery projects and this group has included Isabelle Guernsey, Pat Barthmaier, Sara Rao, Bob Sprau, Doris Karpinski, and Skip and Phyllis Fredericks.
Assembly of the model kits of houses and buildings has been done by John Fledderjohn, Jim Mullin, Tom Thiermann, and Skip Fredericks.
The electrical work, consisting of power to the track and the lighting of the buildings, street lamps, and amusements, has been handled by Bob Port, Paul Tartar and Bob Epping.
Many donations of rolling stock have been made to the Club and the items have been inventoried by Pat Hughes. Working to repair or modify these items are Jim Mullin, Harry Cyphers, Colin Tant, and John Bubser. Donations of structures have been inventoried by Stan Leitsch. All of these donations have been gratefully accepted by the Club.
A special mention should be made of all of the work and dedication put into starting the SMRRC by Dick Joyce, our first club president, who passed away in March of 2006. He played an active part in every phase of the start-up of this project.
Pictures from the Early Years.
After Shannondell's completion of the 25' x 30' room, construction of the train platform started in early August 2005. The group of carpenters was led by Carmen Molinaro who was assisted by Bob Port, Stan Leitsch, Pat Hughes, and John Bubser. The platform was completed in September of 2005.
The design of the train platform was formally laid out by Bob Port with suggestions from Dick Joyce and many of the other club members.
Most of the cork roadbed and track was laid by Bruce Smiley, Bob Port, and Tom Thiermann. The first sections of the track were ceremonially nailed together by Jim Sorom using a gold-painted real railroad spike on September 28, 2005. Additional sections of track were laid at a later date by this group with the help of Joe Fulton and John Bubser.
Marty Umanoff designed the scenery for the platform and was assisted by Skip Fredericks, Pat Hughes and Colin Tant in laying out mountains and rivers. He has instructed several other club members in making trees and other scenery projects and this group has included Isabelle Guernsey, Pat Barthmaier, Sara Rao, Bob Sprau, Doris Karpinski, and Skip and Phyllis Fredericks.
Assembly of the model kits of houses and buildings has been done by John Fledderjohn, Jim Mullin, Tom Thiermann, and Skip Fredericks.
The electrical work, consisting of power to the track and the lighting of the buildings, street lamps, and amusements, has been handled by Bob Port, Paul Tartar and Bob Epping.
Many donations of rolling stock have been made to the Club and the items have been inventoried by Pat Hughes. Working to repair or modify these items are Jim Mullin, Harry Cyphers, Colin Tant, and John Bubser. Donations of structures have been inventoried by Stan Leitsch. All of these donations have been gratefully accepted by the Club.
A special mention should be made of all of the work and dedication put into starting the SMRRC by Dick Joyce, our first club president, who passed away in March of 2006. He played an active part in every phase of the start-up of this project.
Pictures from the Early Years.
2010-2014
Under Construction
2015-2019
2015 was the 10th Anniversary of the Shannondell Model Railroad Club.
Layout Changes in 2018
Layout Changes in 2019
Railroad Operations History, as seen on the Shannondell Model Railroad
2020-