For those of you who live in the Northeast, it might not be as unusual to meet one or more Forumites from time to time, But out here in west Texas, we are very few in number, as well as being separated by rather large distances. So, when Rob Leese (who posts on several of the OGR Forums) had to come to Amarillo on business, we seized the day for a west Texas howdy and shake, and had a chicken fried steak lunch.
You might recall that Rob once worked as a Trainman on the Frisco in Oklahoma, and is one of a small number of men who worked on the Quanah, Acme & Pacific -- a subsidiary of the Frisco that once forwarded the QLA and LAQ, a very hot freight train that ran between Memphis and Los Angeles via Frisco-QA&P-Santa Fe. The QA&P has been gone for years now, but it is fond in the memories of many of us in Texas. Rob recently posted photos of a still-active Santa Fe cantilever searchlight signal, his QA&P refrigerator car and his Santa Fe FT's on his O-gauge Slaton Division.
As has been the case with the small number of other Forumites I have been able to meet, Rob is a really good guy, and he and I shared war stories as we got acquainted over lunch. He had to take care of business and then head 275 miles over the plains, back to the ranch, but we had the opportunity to begin what I am sure will become a lasting friendship.
A tip of the hat goes to Rich Melvin for moderating these Forums, where so many O gaugers help each other and even get to know each other. These Forums are almost unique ninth way they connect those who post on them.
