Oh Matt,  While you were toiling away at the Library of Congress
[before retirement!] I was busy building a calliope wagon for
a local businessman, Andrew Wolfe, to use as a trade attraction for
his business.  Andy published the many local papers in the area around
Rochester, New York, as well as things like the "Antique Trader".

Wolfe's calliope played 'A' rolls, most of them recuts from the Clark
Orchestra Roll Company.  That's fortunate because it allowed me to
"play" it in parades for many years.  I got pretty good at faking it
so most people didn't suspect that it was really a player calliope.

I tried to arrange it so that the calliope was the last item in the
parade.  That way I could wait near the beginning of the route and
watch the whole parade and then jump in the calliope as it went by and
start "playing".  This worked pretty well until I played in Honeoye
Falls and the parade stopped for about five minutes on a narrow street
where people could watch me from about eight feet away.  I had quite
a time convincing them that I was really playing the keyboard when they
were watching that closely.  As we finally pulled away, I waved to them
with both hands so I could see the expression on their faces when they
realized that I wasn't really playing at all.

Over the years I got Mr. Wolfe to buy quite a few 'A' rolls so I could
play things the spectators and I liked.  I hesitate to mention the time
I forgot my earplugs and "played" for 1/2-hour with only tissue paper
in my ears.

When Mr. Wolfe died, his family wanted to sell the calliope.  They
advertised all over but they wanted too much money for it.  I suggested
that they donate it instead, so it's been at the New York State Museum
of Transportation, along with the trains and trolleys, for quite a few
years.  Unfortunately, they don't use it so the trailer is slowly dying
outside, but I got them to bring the calliope itself inside so it is
still in pretty good shape.  I don't have a recording of my calliopedic
artistry, but I'll send a picture of the Wolfe Calliope with me tickling
the ivories (or in this case, plastics).

Regards from Upstate New York,
Craig Smith

P.S.:  Matt, on occasion I played the calliope in the Sea Breeze Fire
Department parade as it went right past your house on Culver Road.
I'm surprised that you can't still hear it -- it was rather loud!

 [ Watch at http://www.mmdigest.com/Gallery/Pictures/index.html 
 [ for a picture of Craig and the calliope.  Robbie