From the Superintendent’s Desk
By Fred Coleman , Division 15, Superintendent
Now that spring is here, so to speak, we are really into all of the fine details of the Smokey Mountain Rails Convention. We will be working on getting all of the schedules filled in to cover all of the positions we are going to require to have a great convention and train show. Many have already volunteered and we need to cover for each other so that everyone will be able to enjoy the show and convention.Hopefully some of you are planning on attending the Hickory show on the 5th of April. We need some help with our part of that show – taking and running trains on our modules. I understand they will have a few clinics for the first time.
Planning is underway for the addition of an "Industrial District" to be added to the L.O.S.T. RR. This addition will be a significant area of work for our "Ops" sessions and will run parallel to the new staging yard. Dimensions for this area will be approximately 19' long and 24" wide. This area will not be part of the traveling modules, but will connect to be able to share traffic with the modules when they are set up in the barn.
The idea for the "Industrial District" is to add industries not currently represented on the layout, or industries that would exchange with one of the current industries on the layout. Some of those could include the following: grain, livestock (meat packing?), wood products (chipper, paper plant, sawmill), cement products, team track, cold storage (grocery warehouse), and so on.
We want your input on this as it your layout. Before we start working on a track plan, we'll want to know what business will be represented. In other words, your ideas are welcomed. Even better, would be the donations of kits or completed structures once the industries to be represented are chosen. Please contact Wally Brown or me with your ideas and possible donations.
Our LOST RR operating sessions in April are on Saturday, April 12, and Sunday, April 27, at 2 pm.
Bill Seibert has been in the hospital for a knee replacement. He is now in rehab and is doing well.
Hope to see you on April 3rd at our next meeting.
Keep on track.
Fred 
The View from the Caboose
Opinion by Clinton Smoke, Editor
Several notes to accompany this issue - we are getting this out a few days early to let you know of two events occurring in late March: an Operating session on March 29 at the LOST RR starting at 2 pm.; and the South Eastern RPM Spring 2008 Railroad Prototype Modelers Meet in Greensboro, on March 28 and 29. Please see the flyer on the following page for more details on this great event.Also in this issue we are printing the full schedule for the SER Conference in May. We will make some detailed assignments for participation at this conference at our April meeting, and you might want to bring this information with you. We are going to need lots of helpers.
See you at the April meeting!