A Memo --- from the desk of Yrag Sleachim
Date: April 1st, 1998
To: Richard L "Dick" Fountain, Propaganda Minister - Michigan Transit Gazette
Subject: LoofLirpa
Nothing this Year! How's that for a Reversal ??!?
Amid all the doom and gloom,
the naysayers, death and taxes, El Ninio, the Edward Hines Waterway
(Drive?), good witches and bad witches and sandwitches (sandwiches?),
The Michigan Transit Museum shall rise up like a gleaming star
and conquer all doubts!!!! Well, most of them, anyway! Yes, I
admit alot of things have happened in the past Year that could
have slowed us down materially. But, I think if we consider some
of the "GOOD THINGS" that have happened, or are happening
now, I think we can rise above all the negativism and make this
thing work! See above, even Yrag Sleachim is leaving me alone
this year! I know that at the last meeting, the head of our Transportation
Department - Karl Joost, laid out a MASSIVE plan to recover our
passenger business with the use of a new loading site, and to
recover some of our trackage that was lost when the Range Road
crossing was removed several years ago. Please consider the following
under the name of "GOOD THINGS" happening at/to the
Michigan Transit Museum:
1) The contractor
hired by Selfridge Base to clear the area on the east side where
the new firehouse is to be built, was told by the Base to bring
all the usable railroad materials in that area, over to our site
on the west side of the Base - as a donation to M.T.M.! Indeed,
a flatbed truck with a hydraulic lift has been used to bring usable
ties, switchpoints, etc. over to the "GATES" area. Thank
you, Selfridge & Contractor!
2) We voted to proceed
with the reinstallation of the Range Road crossing even though
the up-front money was basically in our ballpark. The reasoning
here was/is that we can offer our regular riders a longer ride
and show them more of the Base and the airfield. BUT, the even
better reason is to be able to offer our "V.I.P." service
to Base personnel at the up-coming Air Show, this summer. This
service was one of the "GOOD THINGS" that got the M.T.M.
on to the Base in the beginning! Another "GOOD THING"
that just occurred is that the material ordered for the crossing
will come to us at a much-reduced price than what was expected.
I have also heard that our friends in the Marine Corps Reserve
will help where they can.
3) The Clinton Township Board voted to allow
us to use Joy Blvd. Park (located between Joy Blvd. and our track,
just east of Gratiot Ave.) as a loading site for our "Trolley
Train". They have already helped clear an area for a temporary
loading site next to our track, and are preparing a sidewalk to
run from their parking lot to the track. Later plans call for
actually building a spur track into the park and creating a "permanent"
loading site much closer to the parking lot. Thank you, Clinton
Township, for this "GOOD THING"!
4) One of our newer members, Sandra Hamlet,
gave me 12 potholders (RR theme) to sell for M.T.M. at a recent
RR Swap. We asked $2.50 ea. - sold all 12 - ended up with check
for $30! She made 18 more and gave them to Gary for the Gift Shop.
Her main deal though, was to remove and/or rescue our poor young
mannequin (with paisley shirt and modern GT uniform, and damaged
face)! Sandra has done much research on "young" Tom
Edison, and will repair the face, and design period clothes for
a representation of young Thomas A. Edison, as he would have looked
when he was actually in our Depot! Thank you, Sandra Hamlet, for
helping us with this "GOOD THING" to fulfill yet another
goal of the Michigan Transit Museum!
5) We recently received a letter from Mrs.
Katheryn Seestedt, who heard about the Sam Williams Memorial Library,
at our Depot Museum, and that it was becoming a good research
source for the dedicated railfan and rail historian. Her husband,
Emery, had been active for years with the Michigan RR Club, but
now has Alzheimer's and is in a care facility. Katheryn will donate
his collection of almost 40,00 RR slides, in barrister bookcases,
3 years ('72,'73,'74) RR Model Craftsman in binders, the Bulletin
of the RR Station Historical Society 1969-1997, TRAINS Magazine,
a complete 50 year run (1948-1997) in binders except for last
5 years. This donation is another "GOOD THING" that
will help M.T.M. to satisfy another of its stated goals!
6) Another "GOOD THING" is the
"extra" support from some of our members. Richard Glaze,
Katherine Stone, Mayme Stone, Hugh Hales II, each donated $100.
Beverly Tansky, Chuck McKinney, each $25. Donald Koch, $20. I
know I have missed some, I'm sorry! Many others bought the video
tapes offered by Bill Henning in the January '98 Gazette. Those
tapes made over $300 at the Ann Arbor Train Show! A special thank
you to these folks!
7) Last - BUT NOT LEAST - is the consistent
help from that loyal group of working M.T.M. members, especially
during the winter! This is a "GOOD THING", because without
these people, there would be NO museum! Tim Backhurst, Bill Henning,
Bill Zombory, Gary Michaels, Craig Harris, Karl Joost, Dick Fountain
(how vain), Mike Light, Fred Wiles, Jr., Fred Wunnenberg, Dan
Cameron, John Jamison III, John Ericksen, Vern Gomez, Dave Sutter,
Rudy Perales, Jayson Gustaw, Dieter Wenzel, Rob Hall, Rod Zona,
and many others! These people can use YOUR HELP though - if you
can, VOLUNTEER! 'Become part of the "GOOD THINGS HAPPENING
AT M.T.M.!"
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Beware of the Freight Train Riders Association By Gary J Michaels |
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Once upon a time .... there was a kind of romance associated
with riding the rails. Tramps and hoboes would simply hop a freight
train and travel across the vast expanse of our beautiful country.
Even my own grandfather 'rode the rods' with his two older brothers,
some 90 years ago. Alas, however, reality has struck - even on
our railroads. Organized, vicious gangs have made our railroads
and freight yards a far too violent, dangerous and deadly place. The group deemed responsible is known as the Freight Train
Riders Association. Formed approximately a dozen years ago as
a benevolent association, the FTRA has apparently evolved into
quite a sinister organization. According to law enforcement authorities, the FTRA is said
to be very much into drug running, robbery, threats, intimidation,
and even murder. Police sources estimate total nationwide membership
between 2,500 and 5,000 members. However, many law enforcement
authorities have never even heard of the FTRA. Numerous police agencies are just coming to grips with a major
nationwide (urban, suburban and rural) youth gang epidemic. They
show colors of either red & black or blue & green (gang
members would never wear red and blue together). Indvidual urban
gangs, loosely affiliated into one of two major organizations,
have their own special names, personal identities, handsigns,
and cryptic writing. They show their colors and gang indentification
in very specific ways. Urban youth gang members are often initiated
by being beaten into the gang (they are not allowed to resist).
They mark their territory and presence with various gang symbols
and writing. Police consider them to be dangerous in the extreme.
It is said, they wouldn't think twice about killing an innocent
bystander. The FTRA is, by nature, slightly less organized, but is considered
equally as dangerous. They appear to be normal, shabbily dressed
tramps. Members from the southern and west coast states are considered
to be more violent and sport red bandanas as their colors. FTRA
members from Washington state to Minnesota are generally thought
to be slightliy less violent and sport black or blue bandanas
as their colors. Police caution many are thought to be alcoholics,
drug addicts or mentally ill. Authorities state, they should
be considered to be extremely dangerous. Other transients are most often their victims. A mere name,
birth certificate or social security number can be used to acquire
food stamps or other public assistance. One FTRA member is presently
facing trail and a possible death sentence, after confessing
to the murder of 10 individuals - from Florida to California
to Oregon. The suspect was captured after a nationwide alert,
in the former SP Roseville yards outside of Sacramento, California.
At least two of his victims were innocent bystanders who just
liked to ride trains. Much like other transients, FTRA members are most often on
the move. In cities or towns, they seldom stray far from the
tracks, often living in or near hoboe jungles. There are no phones,
computers or fax machines. Communication is via cryptic messages
left on walls. As the transients prefer to either flee the scene
quietly or seek revenge on their own, crimes are seldom reported.
Either the criminal or victim can be hundreds of miles away,
before the crime is discovered (if ever). All of this being very
frustrating to the police. FBI statistics confirm 60 homicides took place on or near
railroad property, between 1991 and 1995. The FRA reports 472
pedestrians killed by trains in 1995 and 1996. Just how many,
if any, were actuaUy victims of the FTRA, is unknown. The police
often seem to find the railroad to be a strange, unfamiliar territory. The CN/GTW Police are a different story. They have been most
courteous and professional, in their several dealings with the
MTM. We have found them to be both friendly and knowledgable.
Their presence has been of great help to this museum, on at least
one occasion. There just aren't enough of them ! All too many of us are attracted to large rail yards, at odd
hours of the day and night. We seldom give safety a second thought,
when we're just "railfanning". We give excusses to
cover our obvious risks. Perhaps, it's about time to consider
our own safety. I've survived too many friends, recently. I don't
want to attend another funeral. Be Careful !! Sources: Police; November1997, Pp. 14-18. -gjm |