Sandy Ridge & Clear Lake Railway
Railroad Crew: while Jack started this railroad on his property, various others have contributed over the
years. From regularly coming to work on projects, to working on projects at home for the railroad. The Crew
consists of a number of people, some often others when they can. This is just a summary of people…
John
Ozanich
(Johnny
O,
JNO
or
Jack)
is
the
owner
and
General
Manager.
JNO
was
a
locomotive
engineer
for
the
Grand
Trunk
in
Battle
Creek,
MI.
for
over
30
years.
He
is
Mr.
Railroad
as
he
eats,
sleeps,
&
breathes
railroads.
The
SR&CL
reflects
this,
because,
it
was
built
not
as
a
model
but
as
a
working
railroad.
He
thinks
of
it
as
a
7
1/2"
narrow
gauge
railroad
similar
to
the
Maine
Two
Footers.
If
compromises are made, they are made so it will be a better running railroad.
Jack
has
also
been
a
model
railroader,
I
think
since
birth
or
shortly
after
(materials
were
short
during
W.W.II).
His
HO
railroad,
the
AGE,
has
been
in
the
model
press
and
is
operated
with
people
from
all
over
the
world.
Now
the
operating
sessions
can
be
run
inside
or
out.
Jacks
thing
on
the
SR&CL
is
building
roadbed
and
track,
then
operations.
He
is
the
happiest
with
a
spike
maul
(Milwaukee
drill)
in
his
hands,
then
driving
the
tractor
shaping
the
roadbed.
Building
the
railroad
has
been
a
7
day
a
week
operation
most
of
the
time
since
we
started
in
93.
When
he
isn't
working
on
the
railroad,
he
is
dreaming
of
the next thing for us to build.
(decreased)
John
Korstange
(Mel)
was
the
Master
Mechanic.
He
built
or
designed
the
things
J.O.
dreams
up.
He
worked
on
standard
gauge
locomotives
for
the
last
20
or
so
years
for
the
GT
and
C&O.
He
was
in
on
the construction of the AGE (Jack’s HO layout) back in the early 80's. Mel got into computers a few years ago, then went to school to learn AutoCAD and created the first website.
(decreased)
Tom
Casper
is
our
Communications
Officer.
He
worked
for
Nortel
as
a
telephone
installer/
repair
person,
until
the
summer
of
2001.
Tom
lives
west
of
Chicago
but
has
been
coming
to
Battle
Creek,
first
to
operate
the
AGE,
and
now
to
build
the
SR&CL.
The
last
few
years
he
has
made
the
trip
at
least
once
a
month,
most
months
more
than
once.
Johnny
O
tried
to
work
him
to
death
pounding
sand
the
first
few
years,
but
he
survived.
Tom
has
gotten
fired
up
on
this
railroading
and
even
contracted
with
Jim
Small
for
a
steam
engine
to
run
on
the
SR&CL.
Tom
has
also
let
Mel
off-load
some
of
the
car
building.
He
built
a
flat
car
and
a
boxcar
in
recent
years.
Tom
has
been
corresponding
with
other
people
in
the
hobby
and
also
looking
for
parts
and
supplies
when
he
is
home
in
Chicago.
To
discuss
the
railroad
and
operations, email Tom at Tom @ SRCLRY . com (without the spaces).
The
Boys:
We
have
been
blessed
with
a
fairly
large,
but
far
flung
group
of
eager
and
able
helpers.
A
project
as
large
as
the
SR&CL
can't
be
done
without
the
help
of
many
people.
Bruce
Phillips
of
Battle
Creek
is
JNO's
main
man
to
ask
for
help.
He
is
a
local
realtor
and
knows
EVERYBODY.
He
finds
us
contacts
and
lends
a
hand
with
many
chores.
He
even
is
interested
in
funding
a
depot
for
us
in
Phelps.
We
probably
would
change
the
name
to
reflect
his
if
he
does.
Marty
Knox
of
Ridge
Locomotive
Works
is
the
official
boilermaker
of
the
SR&CL
Ry.
Steve
Lorenz
and
John
Bauer
from
the
far
western
burbs
of
Chicago
are
always
a
lot
of
help
when
they
can
make
it.
Jim
Small
has
built
many
things
in
addition
to
bringing
No.
7
to
stay
in
Battle
Creek.
He
has
a
great
time
whenever
he
can
come
from
Brampton
for
a
few
days
of
running
or
working.
There
also
are
many
people,
both
local,
and
from
far
away
who
have
been
a
great
help.
Roger
K
is
our
master
Machinist
who
lends
a
big
hand
when
we
can't do something. He has become our go to man for steel when we run out. We always are grateful for any help, as this is a large and never ending project.
We
can
give
a
shout
out
to
a
few
of
the
faithful
who
have
given
their
time
to
make
things
better...
David
R,
Wes
H,
Maynard
M,
Tom
W,
Mike
P,
Larry
B,
Jack
T,
Roger
K,
Connor
K,
Mark
P,
Jack
S,
Bob
G,
Bob
M,
Frolin
M,
Eli
M,
Gordon
W,
Chris
C,
Zoe
T,
Chuck
G,
Mike
D,
Doug
F,
John
&
Mary
P,
Scott
N,
Kirk
A,
Marty
K,
Mike
A,
Craig
W,
George
F,
Big
Jim
P,
Dave
K.
It
helps
to
have
many
hands
to make projects move along or just keep us company.
Thanks Guys, and to their wives for letting them come over!
This
website
is
maintained
by
Frolin
Marek
in
Texas.
He
found
the
SR&CL
in
1999
when
getting
in
to
outdoor
railroading.
He
took
over
hosting
and
created
the
second
website
in
2006.
Now
20
years
later
and
many
technology
changes,
he
is
building
the
third
website
from
scratch.
This
will
take
time
(months).
If
you
have
creative
feedback
or
website
questions,
email
him
(me)
at
Info
@
MarekMountain
.
Com (no spaces) or click the icon...
Railroad Crew: while Jack started this railroad on his
property, various others have contributed over the years.
From regularly coming to work on projects, to working on
projects at home for the railroad. The Crew consists of a
number of people, some often others when they can. This is
just a summary of people…
John Ozanich (Johnny O, JNO or Jack) is the owner and General Manager. JNO was a locomotive
engineer for the Grand Trunk in Battle Creek, MI. for over 30 years. He is Mr. Railroad as he eats,
sleeps, & breathes railroads. The SR&CL reflects this, because, it was built not as a model but as a
working railroad. He thinks of it as a 7 1/2" narrow gauge railroad similar to the Maine Two Footers.
If compromises are made, they are made so it will be a better running railroad.
Jack has also been a model railroader, I think since birth or shortly after (materials were short during
W.W.II). His HO railroad, the AGE, has been in the model press and is operated with people from all
over the world. Now the operating sessions can be run inside or out. Jacks thing on the SR&CL is
building roadbed and track, then operations. He is the happiest with a spike maul (Milwaukee drill)
in his hands, then driving the tractor shaping the roadbed. Building the railroad has been a 7 day a
week operation most of the time since we started in 93. When he isn't working on the railroad, he is
dreaming of the next thing for us to build. (decreased)
John Korstange (Mel) was the Master Mechanic. He built or designed the things J.O. dreams up. He
worked on standard gauge locomotives for the last 20 or so years for the GT and C&O. He was in on
the construction of the AGE (Jack’s HO layout) back in the early 80's. Mel got into computers a few
years ago, then went to school to learn AutoCAD and created the first website. (decreased)
Tom Casper is our Communications Officer. He worked for Nortel as a telephone installer/ repair
person, until the summer of 2001. Tom lives west of Chicago but has been coming to Battle Creek,
first to operate the AGE, and now to build the SR&CL. The last few years he has made the trip at
least once a month, most months more than once. Johnny O tried to work him to death pounding
sand the first few years, but he survived. Tom has gotten fired up on this railroading and even
contracted with Jim Small for a steam engine to run on the SR&CL. Tom has also let Mel off-load
some of the car building. He built a flat car and a boxcar in recent years. Tom has been
corresponding with other people in the hobby and also looking for parts and supplies when he is
home in Chicago. To discuss the railroad and operations, email Tom at Tom @ SRCLRY . com
(without the spaces).
The Boys: We have been blessed with a fairly large, but far flung group of eager and able helpers. A
project as large as the SR&CL can't be done without the help of many people. Bruce Phillips of
Battle Creek is JNO's main man to ask for help. He is a local realtor and knows EVERYBODY. He finds
us contacts and lends a hand with many chores. He even is interested in funding a depot for us in
Phelps. We probably would change the name to reflect his if he does. Marty Knox of Ridge
Locomotive Works is the official boilermaker of the SR&CL Ry. Steve Lorenz and John Bauer from the
far western burbs of Chicago are always a lot of help when they can make it. Jim Small has built
many things in addition to bringing No. 7 to stay in Battle Creek. He has a great time whenever he
can come from Brampton for a few days of running or working. There also are many people, both
local, and from far away who have been a great help. Roger K is our master Machinist who lends a
big hand when we can't do something. He has become our go to man for steel when we run out. We
always are grateful for any help, as this is a large and never ending project.
We can give a shout out to a few of the faithful who have given their time to make things better...
David R, Wes H, Maynard M, Tom W, Mike P, Larry B, Jack T, Roger K, Connor K, Mark P, Jack S, Bob
G, Bob M, Frolin M, Eli M, Gordon W, Chris C, Zoe T, Chuck G, Mike D, Doug F, John & Mary P, Scott
N, Kirk A, Marty K, Mike A, Craig W, George F, Big Jim P, Dave K. It helps to have many hands to make
projects move along or just keep us company.
Thanks Guys, and to their wives for letting them come over!
This website is maintained by Frolin Marek in Texas. He found the SR&CL in 1999 when getting in to
outdoor railroading. He took over hosting and created the second website in 2006. Now 20 years
later and many technology changes, he is building the third website from scratch. This will take time
(months). If you have creative feedback or website questions, email him (me)
at Info @ MarekMountain . Com (no spaces) or click the icon...
Sandy Ridge
&
Clear Lake
Railway