Large Scale Central

A sad event

General Discussion
#21

Hey Rick,

Thank you for posting this about the POC. I’m sorry to hear about the railroad, but very happy that Richard and Helen are still around. Richard and I used to exchange many emails when he first started the POC. He always had great ideas. He was my inspiration as I planned a narrow gauge railroad very similar to the POC. I still have the HUGE POC build file safely embedded in my various hard drives.

Rick, if you find something of the POC that you think might appeal to me (you know my narrow gauge background :slight_smile: ), please let me know.

Even as an abandoned NG railroad, the skill and craftsmanship is very much in evidence :). Sad, but it has Richard’s signature all over it.

#22

Mark Betlem said:

The PDF of Dick"s Port Orford Coast Railroad immediately became my bible as I was developing my large scale railroad. In such a fun reading kind of way he meticulously documented his entire build which proved invaluable to me. Thank you Steve Featherkile for forwarding to me the link to the POCRR years ago. This LSC link now works: http://lsc.cvsry.com/POC_Elevated_Benchwork.pdf In my mind his POCRR set the standard for bench top outdoor railroading. For me to own a piece of the POCRR would be like having a moon rock from the Apollo Eleven mission for s space enthusiast but there are so many others much more worthy.

According to Rick Marty it sounds like Dick joked about the current condition of the POCRR looking so realistic in it’s abandoned condition. It’s a shame that it is going to be torn down… In it’s abandoned condition it still remains awesome to look at. That is what I see. But I imagine Dick gets too frustrated not being able to maintain it to his standards that it would be better for him just to have it removed.

If you are reading this Dick I would like to thank you for sharing your fantastic railroad with all of us and for being my inspiration. I wish you good health. Mark Betlem

…

Mark B… You took the words right out of my mouth… Dick and I use to joke a lot. When he build something on his R.R… sometime it was a contest to see who’s was a larger, difference type or longer structure… His layout was up off the ground and added dirt on to it, and mine was on the ground in the dirt. lol.
We both drove trucks for the same trucking company. ( DiSalvo Trucking Co.) Then i quite and went in partners at the Hexagon House Lodge on the Russian River and Dick quite to then drove for Western Auto Supply pulling Dbl’s. We lost contact when LSC changed programs and Light House disappeared. We also lost our e-mail addressed. So sure nice to hear they are ok. Sure miss the old times we had .

Thanks Rick Marty for the post.

Noel & Jane

Santa fe & Butthead Cove R.R.

Just a added note: (3/24/2020) Just been talkng to Richard and Blabber mouth is tell me how young he is and is one year behind me and getting around ok… lol…

#23

Very sorry to hear of the POC’s abandonment; but when I first saw fallen flag I thought you were referring to Dick. I too have had many conversations with him over the years, and when my son was living in Portland we discussed a visit. Life happened and my son moved out of Oregon; so that trip never happened. I still I get a chance to meet Dick face-to-face some day.

Perhaps he will leave the roadbed and buildings for a while. They still are very photogenic; even without track or trains.

#24

Wasn’t there an article in Garden Railway magazine on this railroad?

#25

Ron Hill said:

Wasn’t there an article in Garden Railway magazine on this railroad?

…

Don’t think it was in Garden R.R. Maz. Least I couldn’t find anything on back issues, but Steve C. over on MLS did the grunt work of putting most of the build log in a PDF for Richard Smith…

Like Rick Marty posted… The link has lots of details on how it was built. the http://lsc.cvsry.com/POC_Elevated_Benchwork.pdf

Richard remarked over a six year period (2002-2008), Richard said it still wasn’t finished and kept adding on down the drive way as a point to point R.R… Coarse like most all Railroads, there never really finished, now just fade away.

“It was one of a kind and Richard posted a lot updates of the POC on here( LSC.com ) with his animated Lighthouse Logo.” Noel

Note Last year… He told me he would buy me a steak dinner if Jane and I made it up there, and then show this. He know i don’t like fish… lol

#26

Sorry to see a great railroad come to an end. (At least I got my plow back before the tracks were ripped up.) Wonder if that Farmer ever married off those daughters…

Take Care

Scott