news – GGMRC, the Golden Gate Model Railroad Club http://ggmrc.org Golden Gate Model Railroaders, Inc. / San Francisco, California Wed, 26 Oct 2016 04:43:39 +0000 en-US hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=4.4.5 An update on the GGMRC Layout http://ggmrc.org/2016/10/24/an-update-on-the-ggmrc-layout/ Mon, 24 Oct 2016 21:42:50 +0000 http://ggmrc.org/?p=1204 Continue reading →]]> About a year ago, on December 2015, the Club formally turned over the layout to Randall Museum Friends – the non-profit Friends organization of Randall Museum.

Randall Museum is currently closed for renovation; as it is a construction site, access to the museum is limited to the renovation team. The train room is thus currently not accessible.

Randall Museum will open early 2017. The railroad layout is remaining and is to be one of the featured exhibits. It is being partially automated to offer some activity whenever the museum is open to the public. A higher glass barrier is being installed to make it safe to have the layout on display whenever the museum is open.

From a model railroading perspective, no significant change is being made to the layout. It retains its original track plan, as listed on this site, and the automation will not affect operations.

After it reopens, Randall Museum looks forward figuring out how to continue participation to run trains and provide an educational and operational value. Nothing specific has been decided yet, except there is a strong desire to coordinate and figure the best way to make this happen.

For further questions, please contact Nathan Robinson from Randall Museum Friends.

]]> GGMRC Turnover to Randall Museum http://ggmrc.org/2015/12/17/ggmrc-turnover/ Thu, 17 Dec 2015 21:30:27 +0000 http://ggmrc.org/?p=1189 Continue reading →]]> To follow up and conclude the ongoing negotiations with the Randall Museum, the GGMRC President and the Chairman of the Negotiating Committee met on December 17th, 2015 with the Randall Museum to deliver the following letter:

December 17, 2015

Golden Gate Model Railroaders, Inc.
P O Box 14933
San Francisco, CA 94114

Cassandra Costello
Chris Boettcher
Nathan Robinson

Re: The Randall Museum/Golden Gate Model Railroaders, Inc.

Dear Cassandra, Chris and Nathan,

This letter is directed to the three of you in your respective capacities of authorized representative of the San Francisco Department of Recreation and Parks, The Randall Museum and the Randall Friends respectively.

After almost two years of negotiations we have been unable to reach an agreement with you regarding our Club, the Museum and continued operation of the existing model train layout that is acceptable to our Membership. It appears that we have come to an end of our 54 year relationship.

Nonetheless, all of us have repeatedly expressed a strong desire that the model train operation remain in the Randall and be open and operating for the public’s enjoyment. To accomplish this goal Golden Gate Model Railroaders, Inc. hereby gives the layout together with the tools, supplies and materials needed to maintain and repair the layout , all of which are in the train room, to the Randall Museum for the enjoyment of the public. Golden Gate Model Railroaders, Inc. hereby disavows any and all responsibility for maintenance, repairs, and operations as well as any changes or improvements to the layout. From this point forward any and all repairs, maintenance, changes, alterations, improvements and operations that the The Museum desires to undertake shall be in its sole discretion and solely at its own expense.

We request two things from the Museum:

  1. That those Club Members who desire to assist the Museum in operations, maintenance, repairs or improvements be allowed to do so and to operate their private trains on the layout; and
  2. That if the Museum for any reason decides not to continue operation of the layout, that Golden Gate Model Railroaders, Inc. be permitted to salvage any usable items from the layout and train room for donation to other model railroad clubs.

As we believe you are aware, all engines, rolling stock, vehicles, power supplies and throttles have been removed from the layout for safekeeping during the Museum’s renovation. Once the Museum re-opens and the layout is up and running Golden Gate Model Railroaders, Inc. will donate the stored engines, rolling stock, vehicles, power supplies and throttles to the Museum to the extent it desires to accept the items.

Please note that we are closing our Post Office Box and all written communications should be addressed to James R. Willcox, P O Box 1382, Ross, CA 94957. You have the email addresses for the Negiotiating Committee.

Very Truly Yours,

Golden Gate Model Railroaders, Inc.
By James R Willcox
Secretary/Treasurer and Chairman of the Negotiating Committee

[PDF Version: GGMRC Turnover to Randall Museum 2015-12-17.]

]]> Negotiations with the Randall Museum http://ggmrc.org/2015/08/04/negotiations-with-the-randall-museum/ Tue, 04 Aug 2015 19:11:39 +0000 http://ggmrc.org/?p=1179 Continue reading →]]> Thanks to those who signed our petition to save the Golden Gate Model Railroad Club layout.  There are over 1,000 of you!  We very much appreciate your support.

Our negotiations with the Randall Museum and the Dept. of Rec & Parks to keep the trains running are approaching a critical point and we may shortly be looking to you to communicate directly with the Dept. of Rec & Parks, the Museum and your appropriate elected officials to voice your support.

Please give us your email using the form in the sidebar to the right so that we can keep you informed of the latest developments.

Thank you again for your support.

Golden Gate Model Railroaders

]]> Museum Closed http://ggmrc.org/2015/06/01/museum-closed/ Mon, 01 Jun 2015 17:00:37 +0000 http://ggmrc.org/?p=1193 Continue reading →]]> As announced previously, the Randall Museum closed for renovations on June 1st, 2015. This means that that you are no longer able to visit the GGMRC’s train layout until the Museum reopens some time in 2017.

For updated information on the Randall Museum, please visit their web site at randallmuseum.org.

]]> Museum Closing http://ggmrc.org/2015/05/01/museum-closing/ Fri, 01 May 2015 23:14:24 +0000 http://ggmrc.org/?p=1148 Continue reading →]]> The Randall Museum closed for renovations on June 1, 2015.  This means that that you will no longer be able to visit the GGMRC’s train layout until the Museum reopens some time in 2017.

Our last Junior Engineer Day was on May 16, and many children came and had a last chance to run a train with us.

We are planning to reopen in 2017 with the layout updated and improved.  We are working with the Museum to provide access the layout any time that the Museum is open and not just on Saturdays.

Keep watch on this web site for further news.

]]> Ringing in the New Year http://ggmrc.org/2012/01/02/ringing-in-the-new-year/ Mon, 02 Jan 2012 16:32:25 +0000 http://ggmrc.org/?p=384 Continue reading →]]> It is now 2013 and the Golden Gate Model Railroad Club is eager to begin a new year with changes, updates, and improvements.  You may have noticed small changes to the layout including platform lighting at Union Station, animated house fire scene, operating crossing signals, and replacement of the trestle bridge at the peak of the mountain during the past year.  This year promises to bring more animation and layout upgrades to train operations, scenery, and visible signals.  These new additions and repairs are made possible by the GGMRC membership and public donations.  Stay tuned for updates and news!

Stockton Fire2

]]> Look, Listen, Live http://ggmrc.org/2010/05/17/look-listen-live/ Mon, 17 May 2010 20:40:22 +0000 http://ggmrc.org/?p=306 Continue reading →]]> Each year, many lives are lost on the railroad tracks both by accidents and suicides.  Operation Lifesaver works with both the railroads and nearby communities to promote awareness and safety around trains and the railroad right-of-way.  The next time you’re around railroad tracks, look, listen, and live.

 

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