Home Page Forums Missouri Pacific Historical Society Company Store Missouri-Illinois Book information and reservations

  • This topic is empty.
Viewing 15 posts - 31 through 45 (of 45 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #9940
    bargetanika
    Participant

    Received my book, it is a beautiful production. It’s going to take a very long time to get through it. I’m just thumbing through and looking at the pictures to start. It has gotten me fired up about modeling the MP again. It’s even made me reactivate the thought of a New Iberia and Northern article for the Eagle although supporting material and documentation is nonexistent.

    Now I know why we haven’t seen Charlie showing us much work on his layout the last couple of years.

    Anyone besides me notice the neat little “detail” slipped in on the top of the book binding? Pretty subtle.

    #9941
    peggyrothschild
    Participant

    Donning Publishing is located in Brookfield, Missouri on Highway 36 while I was working on the Iron Mountain book I stopped at their facility 2-3 times and met the editor and art director to discuss layout on our trips to St. Louis. Due to the coronavirus the editor was working from home and the facility understandably was closed to visitors so everything with the M-I book was by email, Dropbox or phone. I’d emailed the chapters (written in Word) to her with the file names for the photos added in with the captions. I’d initially was pasting in the images and captions but Word after a certain number of photos started to lock up and I’d lose what I’d been typing. The editor suggested I removed all the photos, which reduced the file size, and just enter the file name which took care of the computer problems.

    She’d review a chapter and send back her corrections or questions in red (just like school). She had to learn quite a few RR terms the normal retired English teacher wouldn’t know (‘doubling the hill’ comes to mind). This back and forth exchange took 4-5 months going through the chapters in Word. You have to realize to I had several guys that were M-I historians feeding me information or me asking questions to them while this was going on.

    I was almost finished with the book when the Missouri Pacific Historical Society bought the Collias Collection. David Huelsing had Joe Collias and Wayne Leeman’s M-I negatives scanned first and I spend another month and a half changing out photos due to the wonderful images these two gentlemen had. I made a trip to St. Louis and David and I spend an afternoon pulling negatives so I could document the dates and locations. After all and changes going to Donning I was send a printed hard copy of the book – much to my dismay the art director had cropped off most of the locomotive pilots, tenders, smoke stacks, wheels on freight cars, etc. I then pulled up each original images on my computer to see what I’d sent him and had him redo all of them. I also eliminated about 20-25 images that were poor or redundant shots to make others larger. I then got a second printed hard copy and the images had all been redone as I’d indicated. Even with this second version I had more images moved and enlarged. The third proof was a Dropbox file I could review on my computer it was fine and the page numbers were finally set in stone. This of course meant I had to reread the text and captions again and highlight words in order to build the index. Being from Missouri and coming off the Mopac I’d worked at Bismarck, Ste. Genevieve and Herculaneum while I was in the Stations Department but I’d never been on the east side of the M-I running from Kellogg to Salem so that was fun to research the new territory.

    After the Iron Mountain and M-I book I think I’ve converted the plant manager into a railfan….

    #9942
    Bud Moss
    Participant

    My copy of the Missouri-Illinois Book arrived today in Amarillo! This is going to be a GREAT read. Probably a long night reading tonight. Thanks Charlie! Jerry

    #9943
    peggyrothschild
    Participant

    For those who reserved the M-I books prior to August 26 they were mailed by the printer from Marceline, Missouri on September 1st. Most indications I’ve received is individuals have received their books but if you haven’t – I do have the USPS tracking numbers. You can contact me through MIBook@mopac.org and I’ll provide the number.

    For those who didn’t reserve a book they can still be bought through the company store. http://www.mopac.org/store/books-books-books/item/595-the-missouri-illinois-railroad

    Or off eBay.
    https://www.ebay.com/itm/174430365296

    If you live in the Kansas City area Doc’s Caboose has our inventory of books and other merchandise and you can buy it there as well..

    10 books were mailed to several magazines and state Historical societies with the September mailing so hoping we see a bump in sales through these reviews.

    #9944
    monikabidwill9523
    Participant

    Got it yesterday.

    Marvelous work! I am really looking forward to reading it in detail.

    #9968
    elsaanderson820
    Participant

    I have had my copy for several weeks now.
    Still learning new things about the MI every time I crack open the book.
    Very dense and lots of pictures.

    Thank you Charlie, very well done.

    #9982
    peggyrothschild
    Participant
    #10016
    bargetanika
    Participant

    The corporate history of the predecessor lines was really good. All railroads started like that.
    The more I read the more I love the M-I. I’m into the stations now, slowly going west toward the river, reading everything, and realize what a great prototype to model this road is. No really huge yards or terminals, small engine shops, mostly small carloading on line customers largely Ag branch and small town type stuff, small steam engines, country interchanges. All are things that fit well on a layout. I’m captivated and finding a thousand ideas for my layout. With more to come.

    I really like the super-enlarged photos. You can lose yourself into being in them.

    #10017
    Bud Moss
    Participant

    Pat, isn’t it curious how is seems that detailed studies of small railroads gives us all insights to good modeling? Jerry Michels

    #10018
    amosluettgen1665
    Participant

    As a result of this new book, I modified my layout plans to model the Ste Gen sub rather than the Bonne Terre sub. The transfer boat offers such great operational challenges. Plus, I had already modeled the BT sub in a previous house, so this gave me the opportunity to study a different aspect of the M-I.

    Thanks Charlie!

    …gregg

    #10019
    peggyrothschild
    Participant

    Gregg
    How did you include the ferry in your new layout? It does add a way to cycle cars on and off the layout.

    #10020
    amosluettgen1665
    Participant

    Charlie, here’s the current track plan (staging is built and I just starting adding benchwork to the incline and Mosher today). Obviously, I have incorporated plenty of modeler’s license <g src=

    #10021
    peggyrothschild
    Participant

    Looks like a fun plan to operate. Can you add the track at Weingarten to the POW camp? That would allow for an interesting passenger consist of foreign line cars. I’m not sure how to incorporate the Frisco but you might consider adding their track crossing the track to the boat by the interlocking tower.

    #10023
    jymrpvzdnskxnqtc
    Participant

    Gregg,

    I had started a layout from Thomure to flat River but could not find enough details and got frustrated. The book really answered a lot of those and would make it fun to do.

    Joe

    #10024
    amosluettgen1665
    Participant

    Joe, that’s exactly why I was going to model the BT sub and Festus-Crystal City again – I knew it well and had no idea as to how the rest of the M-I operated elsewhere. All of that has changed now with the release of Charlie’s book.

    Charlie, I like your idea about the POW camp – I may delete the scrap yard or let it do double duty. Both can use a tall fence and a locked gate across the tracks. Just need to make a few scenery pieces replaceable and movable. In all my years, I do not recall seeing a layout with a POW camp – would certainly be unique!

    …gregg

Viewing 15 posts - 31 through 45 (of 45 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.