Olympia June Clinic Report: How To Rid Your Lawn Of Gophers (send them to Ballard!)

Story and Photos by Jim Sabol

Just where you’d expect to find G.O.P.H.E.R.S. On the lawn!

As per tradition, once a year the members of the Olympia monthly get-together become G.O.P.H.E.R.S. (Greater Olympia Prototype History & Engineering Research Society.) In previous years, members and their spouses and friends and grandchildren have journeyed to Longview to visit the inner workings of a paper mill, have traced old logging grade in Thurston County, and have helped fire up the last working narrow gauge locomotive in Washington at DuPont.

Wiener-Tongs Jim and Salad-Spoon Mary wield their BBQ tools

Welcoming several members of the Bellevue and Tacoma clinics to join us in the fun, we chose this year to visit the Ballard Locks to watch BNSF and Amtrak trains traverse the giant ex-GN bascule bridge, and to gaze up-close at the thousands of migrating salmon chased by hungry seals. Also per tradition, Jim and Mary Sabol fired up double grills to serve heaping helpings of humongously tasty kosher hot dogs (“Would you like two or three?”). Pitching in with condiments, salads, desserts, and soft drinks, Carol Beghin, Kathy Halliday, Michael Posner, Sheri Howe, Chuck Ricketts, Jim Elder, Jerry Julian, Jerry Barnes, Wendy Yadock, Linda Stickney, Scott Buckley, Greg Wright, and Ted Egglesgton made sure that no one went hungry. Topping it off, Robert Grove invited us to participate in the nationwide tribute to the late John Allen with ice cream and strawberry topping.

Our locomotive for a day, venerable Ballard Terminal RR #1

Now here’s the rich part: to summon ”our” locomotive after lunch, Jim Sabol simply dialed up the engineer’s cell phone per prior arrangement, and the next sound you hear is the locomotive on its way to a rendezvous with twenty-six well fed and eager model railroaders. (Do not try this at home; we have connections!) For the next two hours we enjoyed taking photos and riding on the Ballard Terminal Railroad, courtesy of General Manager and railfan-friendly Byron Cole. Engineer Aaron Gregory and Conductor Bryan Johnson patiently and safely piloted the ex-Milwaukee SW-1 back and forth from the Locks to the interchange until everyone had enjoyed a trip in the cab or on the “porch” of ancient but still capable diesel locomotive #1. “It’s a muracle!” exclaimed Ted Eggleston.

There’s no such thing as too much modeling fun. Watch the Grab Iron and join us next year! You’d like us. We’d like you.