Informal get-together for owners and operators of Minature Train Company park trains:

Our non-profit organization (Gypsy Express, Inc.) runs a G-16 train in a city park (Gypsy Hill Park) in Staunton,VA -- train is owned by the city. We are trying to put together a one day (April 15, 2006) get together with discussions on operations, maintenance issues, etc. with all those persons having the same interests. If you have any interest in attending, or any suggestions as to topics of general interest for the group, please contact me via e-mail at frsjr@verizon.net or call @ (540) 887-8137 or snail mail @ Ralph Sheppard - 402 Marian Place - Staunton, VA 24401

The G16 trains were based on the EMD F3 and streamlined coaches of the late-1940s, and were seen in many public and amusement parks in the 1950s. As they wore out, most were removed, but many have been saved, with a few restored and returned to operation. The G16 trains were approximately one-fifth full size, and could be obtained in gauges from 14-16 inches. The company also made a G12 to operate on 12 inch gauge track, loosely based on the City Of San Francisco streamliner of the late-1930s.

More information may be obtained on these two Yahoo groups, one devoted to MTC trains exclusively, the other to minature park trains in general:

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/M ... =111348323
http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/p ... =111348323

And also Matt Conrad's Park Trains site:

http://www.trainweb.org/parktrains/

While on the subject of park trains, there is an event next weekend at the Swanton Pacific Railroad, north of Santa Cruz, California:

http://www.calpoly.edu/~brae/swanton/sprs.html

This railroad has three of the four 19-inch gauge 4-6-2s (with two operable- the fourth engine is displayed at CSRM in Sacramento) that operated at the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exposition in San Francisco.