I AM STILL AROUND-HOHENWALD

Hi Bob, it's good to read your post. I was wondering what ever became of good old Hohenwald.  I feared that after that little incident in 05 with the MTH Big Boy display smoking out the place and causing the elephant stampede that the local fire marshal has permanently shut the place down. 

Well I guess I know where my next summer vacation will be at. 

Do they still specialize in serving scrapple at the breakfast counter?

Oh well good to read yea!

Bob........good to hear from you.

Peter

Bob, great to hear from you again. I know I speak for many of us, when I say that we hope that you become a permanent fixture of the forum again. 

Your knowledge and wit have been missed.

Wishing you all the best.

Bob,it's great to hear from you. I hope you are in a position to post more often.

Brad

Nice to hear from you again Bob. Stay well.

No one else here keeps us updated on the happenings at the elephant preserve.  Thanks for the update!

And keep them coming for a LONG time, please!  Best of everything to you in your upcoming scary moments.

- walt

During your recent trip to TN, was there a "trunk" sale at the secret O-Gauge train facility? Good to see you back.

It's been quite a long time since you've been in this neck of the woods Bob.  Good to see you back in action again.

Hi Bob. Good to hear from you again.

How are things at Hohenwald? Are they still maintaining the fine Institute of Ferroequine Archeology?

Hi Bob,

Good to see you back again. Hope that all is well with you.

Sincerely

Frank

Glad your back and good luck my old friend!

Bob,

Glad you are back here.

While at Hohenwald, did you notice if the statue of former Lionel CEO Gary Moreau (made out of bad Lionel smoke units) was still there?

If you got a picture, please post it.

Yay, it feels like old times

Welcome back Bob!  Something was missing here for the longest time.

We need to see a photo of Bob with the current issue of OGR to make sure that he is not being held hostage.

Andrew

Yes Craignor that Moreau statue is still there right next to the cutlery concession. You may be surprised but he is still an admired man around the preserve/secret OGR  site.He provides all the dishware for the guys.Not much of a trainman though.

There is a new smoking lounge near the lake where members go to do smoke unit work. They are working toward the holy grail-a smoke unit that works and can give off black smoke. This in physics is equivalent to cracking the Unified Field Theory but work goes on.

Melvini the Italian elephant was suffering from stomach problems but luckily there was an ample supply of mineral oil to cure his troubles.On OCT 8,Melvini raided the funnel cake tent and ate all the cakes.This has led elephant Captain Fred Logan to close down the  concession until better fencing can be installed.

Jimmy Peeks, the Pawnee trainer, fell while working the animals and was unfortunately rolled over by Big Ed and Charise. He is now optically flat and can be mailed flat mail to any location. Postage for Jimmy is 5.98.

Well that's about it for this update.

Take it easy,

Bob C.

Bob,

Glad to hear the Moreau statue is stlll standing, thanks for the update. 

Keep the rails polished.

ROTFL! Now THAT was funny right there! 

Good to see you posting here again, Bob. Best of luck to you with the upcoming surgery.

Forgot to mention, best wishes for your upcoming surgery.

Well, I am still at the OGR secret site, and it is a bit cold this early morning. The elephants are now in their inside corrals and all is well after the goings on last night.

It seems that Elmo and Jolie got together for some fun so to speak and during the act fell over and into the fence on the OGR site where they damaged several Lionel protoypes. The Lion rep was furious  but could do nothing about it except to pick up the parts and try to make another high priced offering out of them. Who knows what will come out of it, but it will be expensive.

In further news,the elephant preserve has installed a feces disposal bin in which you can see the material disappear. The idea comes from some sort of operating toy train coal tender.

Wilton, the  African pachyderm had a tooth abcess worked on today. His mahout, Revelli Melvani sustained a bite during the procedure and now cannot sit down any longer. It is surmised that he will be kept on permanent standing duty as a fence guard. Melvani is highly distraught and is thinking of  becoming a railroad engine man.

I have also received several emails asking about the now optically flat Jimmy Peeks. Once again, postage for Jim is 5.98.

Well that is all for this time.

Bob C.

Bob, hopefully the latest version of this car will have the automatic disposal bin.

Lionel Car

Yes Lionel car, I am made to understand by chief facilities engineer, Wilfred Woolf, that consideration is being given to such an addition.Also the lion rep,, Bill Faraday says that such a feature may finally be added to the toy coal tender.

Bob C.

Collin Botts of the"' Game Preserve Inspection Commission" is at Hohenwald today to check up on the elephants. It is a semi yearly occurence.

Botts started right off for the funnel cake concession for early morning breakfast. Unfortunately this attracted the attention of Lester the pachyderm who quickly broke the fence and grabbed a funnel cake right out of Bott's hands. This resulted in a very low score for elephant security, and Captain Fred Logan was put on the case immediately. A new fence will be put in and the funnel cake concession will be moved next to the Gary Moreau memorial. A few free funnel cakes to Botts soon brought the score up to par. Funnel cakes are a big thing at the OGR secret facility.

In other news, Clifton Moore ,the famous elephant man gave a show using Elmo, Tessie, Reginald, Melvini, and Nicholas. It was quite good until Moore discovered that Reginald was in musth and he began to disobey orders. Soon there was a stampede toward the open front gate. Luckily there was a mobile cart of funnel cakes lying around. Optically flat Pawnee Jimmy Peeks was able to roll the cart away from the main gate and the elephants followed thus avoiding an escape. For his quick thinking and heroism the postage on peeks was lowered to 4.98.

Soon, things calmed down and all was in order with Captain Logan putting up a musth warning sign.

Bob C.

It is said that there exists at the secret OGR site, under tight security, an actual working smoke unit. The rare item is said to be derived from Roswell technology and is not available to the general public. Lion rep Mal Stevens claims that Lion could duplicate it for an additional locomotive price of 4000.00 per unit.

Head trainman, Rich Melvin, was  about for his monthly inspection looking for misplaced funnel cakes, spilled mineral oil and ideas for expensive Lion products. He always does his inspections from the back of Maddox the elephant with whom he has a heavy bond.He can be seen always blowing into Maddox's trunk and whispering sweet nothings.

That's it for this time

Bob C.

I am happy to see all is well at Hohenwald. I hope all goes well with your operation as I am sure it will be. Take good care Robert.

John 

Some serious business went down at the secret OGR site. it seems that someone got at  the special smoke unit we mentioned above and took it. Early indictaions were that a Lion rep was involved. With an actual working smoke unit the price of locomotives is likely to go through the roof by an additional 3000 to 4000 dollars each. OGR's detective Elo Biggs is on the case. More on this important news later on.

It has been learned that specially outfitted pachyderms are scouring the area for clues to the theft. They are outfitted with special trunk sensors and can scan effectively with their trunks.

Meantime, optically flat Pawnee Jim has joined the search for clues. Being optically flat, he can get into places nobody else can.

More on this story as it develops.

Bob C.

Trunk inspection day at Hohenwald revealed that Maddox and Ismo had both trunks fillled with smoke units from the Gary Moreau statue which we will remember is made up of non working smoke units. This explains why Gary's head was beginning to tilt downward. Jef Botto of maintenance is fixing the problem as we speak. A bed of funnel cakes is now placed at the foot of the statue to encourage the pachyderms to eat them rather than to strip smoke units off the statue.

Both elephants in question need trunk operations to remove the smoke units. This will put Maddox out of commission so head man R. Melvin will have to ride Bigelo in the daily parade. Melvin went off at the news that Maddox would not be his mount and was seen consuming great quantities of smoke fluid behind the Moreau statue so great is his attachment to Maddox. A trained railroad psychiatrist is being called in. It was reported that in the depths of his grief Melvin tried to swallow a smoke unit himself but was stopped in the nick of time by optically flat Pawnee Jim..

More to come.

Well, things are calm now at the secret OGR site and at the nearby elephant preserve.

The theft of the rare Roswell technology working smoke unit has indeed been traced to the Lion rep and Lion has been fined one million dollars for the transgression.It is expected that this will result in new high prices for Lion items. The original working smoke unit has been returned to a secure place at the OGR facility where it now rests. Lion did not have time to copy the thing so their smoke units will remain as they have been.

Rich Melvin did get to ride Maddox after a few days but is prevented from further riding until Maddox comes out of musth, Melvin is distraught and under psychiatric care at this time. He is being kept away from smoke fluid and smoke units until further notice.

Optically flat Pawnee Jim can be mailed for 5.98 at this time.

More news to follow, especially that concerning the horrific fire in the funnel cake tent.

Bob C.

As we know, funnel cakes are a big part of life at the Hohenwald facility. In order to fill the need, funnel cakes by the thousands are made fresh every day in the funnel cook tent which is laid out near the smoke lab. It is run by Dilo Martin who used to be a cook on the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier so he knows how to move food. As a matter of fact, optically flat Pawnee Jim has a job there serving as a form for the funnel cakes.

At 1:45 PM two elephants in musth broke free and battered their way into the funnel tent. Well with 2 hungry pachyderms in musth loose in the cook tent all **** broke loose-got to be afraid when those elephants are in musth!

Elmo, one of the two elephants, ran into a cooking kettle and knocked it over with result that a fire broke out. The blaze burnt up approximately 500 cakes. The OGR site fire department quickly got the blaze under control.

Next Rich Melvin, mounted on his beloved Maddox came  to get the musth pachyderms under control which they soon did. You should see Melvin and Maddox working together-it is a thing of beauty. Rich had musth fluid all over his jacket but to hid surprise he found that smoke fluid removes elephant musth fluid.

More next time.

As we know, funnel cakes are a big part of life at the Hohenwald facility. In order to fill the need, funnel cakes by the thousands are made fresh every day in the funnel cook tent which is laid out near the smoke lab. It is run by Dilo Martin who used to be a cook on the USS Nimitz aircraft carrier so he knows how to move food. As a matter of fact, optically flat Pawnee Jim has a job there serving as a form for the funnel cakes.

At 1:45 PM two elephants in musth broke free and battered their way into the funnel tent. Well with 2 hungry pachyderms in musth loose in the cook tent all **** broke loose-got to be afraid when those elephants are in musth!

Elmo, one of the two elephants, ran into a cooking kettle and knocked it over with the result that a fire broke out. The blaze burnt up approximately 5000 cakes. The OGR site fire department quickly got the blaze under control.

Next Rich Melvin, mounted on his beloved Maddox, came  to get the musth pachyderms under control which they soon did. You should see Melvin and Maddox working together-it is a thing of beauty. Rich had musth fluid all over his jacket but to his surprise he found that smoke fluid removes elephant musth .

Al Jacks, the lion rep,said that they may make an expensive action operating accessory based upon the incident.

More next time.

Bob C.

A fight broke out in the OGR site test shed over the new Lionel H7 as to whether to run using the Vanderbilt version or the regular UP version. Things got very heated until moderator Allan Bell stepped in and quieted the mob. he pointed out that both the UP and C&O versions are expensive and both will work equally well.He pointed out that both are beauties and that both have the same old smoke unit technology. Things calmed down after a serving of funnel cakes and coffee.

The musth condition continues in Maddox so Rich Melvin is still distraught and under special care. Hopefully, this musth condition will clear up soon  and Rich can be back with his beloved Maddox.

Well, word has it that Lion is coming out with a funnel cake operating accessory. The high priced item will be able to cook up 20 cakes per minute.

Bob C.

As always, its good to hear from Bob and Hohenwold!  Best wishes for a speedy and complete recovery!

Jon

Thank you KOOLJOCK.

TIME TO MEET THE ELEPHANTS OF HOHENWALD

Jary, Gertrude, Smokey, Fallucia, Finnigen, Lestera, Melvini, Calibose, Mrs.Mac Tavish, Willoe, Joshine, Eunit,  Colonogue ,Francis, Kitty, Alice, Betty, Sheba, Balboa, Tinker, Jimine , Melrose, Teega, Penelope,Judas, Carmina,Barrett, Boylee,

Shamdo,Elton,Caboose,Steamer,Wilfreda,Bello, Bonanza,Kartoom, Jonas,Philomena,Victoria, and Northrop,

All the elephants are females, (except for about 5 bulls kept separated)with about one third being African elephants. All bull elephants can go into an excited state called musth ( an Indian word for intoxicated ) and care must be taken when that happens as they are very dangerous to handle at that time. As we know elephant feet have a thick pad behind the foot bones making the elephants essentially walk on their toes. This is why they are so quiet and sure footed when walking..

The Africans are a bit larger than the Indian species and have a different body form with no head humps as in the Indian elephants The Africans have two nose lips at trunks end while the Asian has only one. Their strong and agile trunks are powered by 100,000 muscles. Then there is the forest elephant which is only about 2/3 the size of the African Savannah elephant. There are no forest elephants at the preserve.

An elephant's ears are used for fly swatting, threat display in a showdown, and also as a cooling radiator when needed. The Africans see more sun and their ears are thereby bigger than those of the Asians to provide more cooling action..

The girls are equipped with heavy grinding teeth and they get several sets through life. When the last set wears out, they cannot eat and they die.

SO that is a few brief words about the girls.

Bob C.

NOW IT IS TIME TO MEET THE MEN OF THE OGR SITE:

Rich Melvn ---------------President (Loves Maddox the elephant dearly)

Pawnee jim-------------- General help (optically flat due to elephant accident)

Rhett Hellar------------- carpenter

Sammy silvia------------ grounds keeper

Buck Houghten--------- entertainment director

Phil Quako-------------- security

Harry Teal-------------- elephant security

Barry Jones------------  gateman

Philbrick Stoner-------  mechanic

Penny Peiser ---------  secretary

Jimmy Belton----------  railroad psychiatrist

Milo Boggs------------   food cook

That's the whole bunch in service at the ogr facility at this time.

Personnel at the nearby elephant facility:

CAPTAIN Fred Logan---------------Head Elephant Man

Wilfred Mann-----------------------Assistant to Captain Logan

Johhny Oatsground---------------grounds keeper

Reese  mcCoy----------------------doctor

DAnny botts------------------------fence keeper

Malcom Wilkins--------------------elephant keeper

June Haze -------------------------elephant keeper

THESE ARE THE PEOPLE IN SERVICE AT THE ELEPHANT FACILITY

Well, now that we've met the elephants and the people of the secret OGR facility and the elephant preserve we can get on to other news.

Optically flat Pawnee Jim has been hired by MTH to serve as a shim for locomotive tooling. He will be gone awhile on this assignment and God bless him in this.

Meanwhile, Maddox is now out of musth so he can be ridden by Rich Melvin again.Melvin, as we know, was under railroad psychiatric care while he was away from Maddox. Melvin's mood has improved and he is ready to go back to work. Thank goodness that crisis has passed.

Lion has gained legal access to the working Roswell technology smoke unit. It is estimated that it will take Lion a year to build a copy. The cost per locomotive will be an added $2000. So Lion fans can look forward to better ,but very

expensive ,smoke.

Sammy Seno, MTH tech, has developed a way to take the entire smoke unit from a steam loco without opening it up. The idea is to change smoke units when smoke flow runs low instead of hoping for the best by adding more fluid. This feature will NOT go into Lionel engines as they now have the working unit design from Roswell technology.

Well, more next time.

Bob C.

Bob, with all of your interesting posts, you motivated me to do some research on Hohenwald. I would guess that most do not know this facility exists, but it is a wonderful resource for magnificent animals who deserve the best during their retirement.

You have also blended a mixture of good humor to this topic. I look forward to your reports on the secret OGR facility.

Thank you. I appreciate the nice words. It is easy to write about because the secret OGR site is a "real"place as is the Hohenwald elephant preserve. I tried to tie in some real elephant facts a post or so above.

Bob C.