"Auctioneer Fred" presents our special guest speaker Ed Dickens, Senior Manager of Union Pacific's Heritage Operations, with an S-gauge replica of a Union Pacific hopper car. Following the banquet dinner Dickens regaled the attendees with photos and commentary of the Big Boy 4014 restoration process. His talk included unpublished behind-the-scenes information and the many challenges the team encountered when rebuilding the Big Boy since replacement parts were not available and had to be fabricated in the Cheyenne facility or contracted to outside foundries and forge shops.
Club News
S FEST WEST 2023
SCSGC's fifth triennial S Fest West show and banquet are now history. The following photos document a few of the activities during the banquet and the train tour at Knott's Berry Farm park the next day.
These lucky Fest attendees signed up for the Sunday tour and train ride at Knott's Berry Farm Park and were rewarded with visit in the shop where Knott's trains are maintained.
Shop Talk
Ed Dickens and two of the Knott's railroad team trade "war stories" of the trials and tribulations involved in restoring, maintaining, and operating historic steam engines.
SCSGC extends a big thanks to these two gentlemen who came to work at the park well before their normal shift schedule in order to host our tour before regular park hours.
2023 NASG National Convention
Several SCSGC club members and spouses attended the 2023 NASG national convention in Pennsylvania. Treasurer Richard Rowe and wife Carol are about to board a tour bus to Gettysburg.
We Have a Trailer!
After many monthly meeting discussions the club has purchased a trailer. The trailer solves two problems facing the club:
(1) where to store the bulky layout corners and bridge, and
(2) how to get all these modules to the various train shows that the club participates in.
The trailer is large enough to store additional modules in the future as well as the power supplies and other items needed for layout setups. Congratulations to the club members who determined the club's requirements and found a trailer that fulfills current and future needs.
The club's trailer is taking shape. SCSGC Treasurer Richard Rowe shows the first rack to be built and installed. It is loaded with the club's rail yard modules. Note other features that now have been added to the trailer.
2021 marks the 75th Anniversary of American Flyer S-gauge trains. To celebrate this milestone Lionel has produced several commemorative items. Click on the RESOURCES icon for a list of local and national dealers where you can order these products.
Congratulations to SCSGC club member James McAuliffe as the incoming Chairman of the NASG Promotions Committee.
SCSGC club member Dave Trephan is a real American Flyer aficionado. These two photos are just partial views of his extensive AF layout.

In the July-August 2020 Dispatch NASG President Will Holt wondered if anyone used the COVID-19 lockdown time to work on layouts and rolling stock. Our own SCSGC member and club secretary Jeff Kruger did just that to kit build a boxcar and station.
Big Boy !
On October 7th, 2019 the newly restored Union Pacific 4014 "Big Boy" arrived in Colton, CA as part of its western United States tour. Avid collector and SCSGC club member Tony Alamia brought his American Flyer S-Gauge 4-8-8-4 to the Colton yard where he met up with Ed Dickens, senior manager of Union Pacific's Heritage Operations and Big Boy engineer. Ed graciously autographed the "little Big Boy" for Tony.
S FEST WEST 2019 Recap
If you didn't make it to the club's S FEST WEST 2019
event on May 18 and 19, here is a collection of photos of what you missed, courtesy club photographer Chuck Sweeney.
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SCSGC participated in The Great Train Show in Costa Mesa, California on March 2-3, 2019. Here are some photos taken at the show of our S-gauge modular layout.
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SCSGC accepted an invitation and displayed a modular layout at the annual NMRA South Coast Botanic Garden show in Palos Verdes, California on October 27-28, 2018.
Below are some photos taken of the club's participation in a previous show at this location.
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SCSGC displayed a large modular layout at the Cal-Stewart Southern California model train meet, Glendale Civic Auditorium in Glendale, California on November 17-18, 2018.
