Extra Effort

Well I guess they Like it!   I am referring to all the extra effort that the members are putting in to the Train Show,  We only have to stay to 3pm as far as the official schedule goes on weekdays before Thanksgiving.  But yesterday Carl and Mac came back and ran trains until 8 o'clock.  Andy also stayed late and today Benjamin, Art and Scott all came in to join Carl and Mac.  Dick Rubin is about as far away as you can get in the Netherlands and he checks the Blog every day as do many of us to keep in touch with the train show.  This whole display has been a success because of extra effort and cooperation of many, many people!  Well deserved Thank You to All! Great start, lets keep it going!

Thursday 11-17

 A big Thank you to Norm, Andy, Art and Jim who had everything running real sweet today at the Mall.  It was a nice peaceful day, not a lot of people and parking was good, just the way I enjoy it the best.  Of course the Circus theme was strong today as all those great circus sounds were heard as the train went by.  I can honestly say,  I have not seen anything on display that brings so many smiles to peoples faces as does our train display.  Well done MGRS!  Oh yes, Mike Tarbox and friends were by to visit and had lots of fun playing with the interactive button.  Everything looked good and ran fine, no trouble on the tracks.  I did get a few pictures (need to do better) to view please click here: Thanks!

Thomas Tanks (pictures from Scott)

Thanks Scott,  For the pictures from yesterday when you and Ben where running trains.  I love the way the Lionel display was decorated.  It looks great, just like Christmas morning!   It should bring back a lot of memories.

Picture of Ben saving Thomas!  You said the Club engine derailed twice, but it did not fall off.  Good work Ben for saving Thomas.  I wonder what happened to cause that?

Also, great picture in the middle with all the trains going by.  James looked very good on the main line.  

Busy Tuesday

Click image for larger view

  The Mall was not to busy, in fact it was very pleasant as it was easier to carry on a conversation with people.  But we did have a lot of interesting visitors and many members that stopped by today.   The Hartmann's from Bartlet NH stopped by and took the tour as well as at least a dozen members over the course of the day that either visited, signed up or worked on the display: These were  Mike, Art, Scott, Carl, Mac, Jim H, Dick C, Tiny, John, Hunk, Grace, David B, and Santa himself who donated a nice G scale boxcar diorama of Santa's Workshop to the Club and he is getting another for the Veterans Home!  Thank you Santa, you are the Very Best!

  Tiny and Dick did the operating as Jim and I gabbed with the onlookers. Hunk and I were testing out my Lionel version of Thomas on the Circus loop and we had lot's of fun showing people that as well as the Christmas tree which Scott did a great job on decorating.  It was a very good day.  We have all ready made good friends with several 'regular' visitors and our goal of entertaining kids and adults is definitely being achieved. In fact it is fun just to be there and hang a round for a while. There were lots of trains running also.  As it turns out I only took pictures and videos of some of them, Please click here to take a look:

Monday - Nov 14

   Today Edwin Amerman an MGRS member brought in a contribution in memory of his wife Linda who was also a member and loved G scale model trains and buildings.  She passed away earlier this year and her husband wants the Society to make good use of these items in her memory.  Carl thought we might contribute some buildings to the Veterans who Jeanne had just told him she thought that they would like to have "some buildings" to go with the train set we gave them last year.  However Ed's gifts end up being used we appreciate what  Ed has done and we thank him very much and also extend him our condolences.    

    On some other items, who can identify that distinguished looking visitor with Mac?  (Yes, he is a member). 

    Scott could not resist the temptation to run his Marx train today.  It was very cool looking! I only saw the engine but it looked like the "Bullet Train".

   Thanks to Carl, Mac and David who kept everything operating well today and also thank you ahead of time to Rich Young who will be in this evening on a special PM shift to run his trains.   View larger pictures

Playing with Trains

 Join Eric Schade as he enjoys a nice Fall Saturday playing with trains.  Very well done, thanks for sharing your adventures with us.  Please click here to watch video.

First Weekend Wraps up Nicely

Hard to believe, one weekend gone already!  First a big Thank You to Art Handman, Mike Tarbox and Preston Chadwick for handling the first Sunday of the 2011 Train Show in great style!  Mike an experienced Circus Division man and Preston a new member teamed up together with Art and his Lionel experience make up a great team.  It should be noted 3 people is a perfect number of people to work on the display.  All members are encouraged to invite a friend or another member to join them.  Today Mike brought in his own circus train to run the lower trestle line which handled the circus wagons nicely.  The crowd was very good.  I have some video of a little girl just jumping up an down having a ball pressing the Rudolph Interactive Sign!  Same with the Lionel.  Everything was nice and quiet today (no bands playing) and many people were complementing the display.

To view more pictures and videos from today: Please click here and select 'Slideshow'.

Today was MGRS Opening Day at the Maine Mall

Santa Claus arrived at 10am and the 2011 MGRS Train Exhibit officially began!  Thanks to Barry and Ralph who helped kick off the event, run trains and entertain the crowd!  The kids and adults were back in force and very glad to see us.  Terry's crossing gate and Mikes signs to operate the trains worked very well.  The layout looked great.  Carl and Mac were there to help and will be there until 8pm tonight.  James also helped a lot and will have more pictures of his own to add.  For now please click here to see some pictures and video clips of what it looked like.  I heard the Portland Press Herald was there too.

Happy Veterans Day !

 

MGRS salutes all Veterans.

We are proud of you and what you have done!

The photo above is from one year go when the Maine Veterans of Scarborough visited us at the Maine Mall.  We are happy to announce that the Veterans will return again this Christmas Season to visit us and Santa Claus.  Today is a special day to remember our veterans.  We  join in honoring them and all of the other men and women who have served this Country. Please accept a sincere Thank You, from the Maine Garden Railway Society and all its members.

Thurs 11-10-11

   It has been a lot of work.  But, the results are worth it.  Together MGRS and the Maine Mall have produced an excellent looking model train display.

  If you click here:  then select 'SLIDESHOW'  you can see all the items that have blended together to make this an outstanding exhibit.

Ralph & Dick in the News

 

 

Samantha Stephens photo Trains pull up to the station.

By Samantha Stephens

yorkweekly@seacoastonline.com

November 09, 2011 2:00 AM

 

Bridging the generation gap with brightly colored "Thomas and Friends" model trains, Ralph Luby has been busier than Santa's elves while finishing a Christmas display for the Maine Mall.

Luby, a York resident, along with two of his friends and fellow model train enthusiasts, Dick Rubin, of York, and Dick Serreyn, of Michigan, created a six-train course.

"There will be the three Thomas trains, a Lionel train, a Circus train, and a big freight train with probably 25 cars," Luby said.

Rubin explained that the trains will run around the rotunda at the mall and offer children a mystical world to explore as they wait to see Santa.

"They have a live Santa Claus and he sits in the display. When they have all of these kids waiting to see Santa, they're not crying because they're happy watching the trains," Rubin said.

Capitalizing on Thomas the Tank Engine and his friends, Luby said younger generations are becoming interested in model trains through the popular cartoon and children's book character.

But for Luby, who has been interested in model trains since childhood, he most enjoys building.

 

"For me, it's the building part of it that's the fun. I never run the trains by myself unless I'm trying to find something wrong," Luby admitted. "The appeal of trains is no matter how many you have, you can run them all on the same track. You can't do that with model airplanes, you can only fly one at the same time. Or model cars, it's the same thing."

Taking his love of building model train tracks and applying it to the festivities of the holiday season, Luby also created a candy train for Halloween that served six-packs of peanut butter crackers to kids.

"This is all about fun," Rubin said. "It's all about candy, fun and local kids."

But Rubin said at the Maine Mall, and other displays, there's an element of teaching incorporated into model train displays.

"We try to show some of Maine life. Farming, a quarry, maybe a timber operation, so (viewers) can better understand what's going on in the state," Rubin said. "It's an involving process."

As for Serreyn, who flew from Michigan to help assist Luby and Rubin, he said he best enjoys the escapism of model train building.

"It's a good pastime. I get to share my layout with a couple of autistic kids who come over and play with them," Serreyn said. "You have a bad day, you go downstairs and play with the trains, and your worries go away."

 

And after a year of planning and a summer hard at work with the model train display, Luby is ready to carry on a tradition he enjoyed experiencing as a child.

"Years ago in Boston, Macy's had a big train display. That was the big thing at Christmas, you all went out to see the trains," Luby said. "A lot of people have trains they only bring out at Christmas. For some reason Christmas and trains mix, don't ask me why."

But whether it's a Halloween display for local York kids or constructing an elaborate six-train track for the Maine Mall, all three agree what constructing model trains is all about.

"It's all built around a smile," they said.

 

A Letter from Nancy Norris

Hello MGRS,

I visited some of your layouts this summer -- had a great time and was inspired! I also shared (the online version with the other board members of another club I'm a director in, the Bay Area Garden Railway Society (www.bagrs.org).

Some of our BAGRS members are jealous that we don't send out as nice a newsletter as MGRS sends out. They don't like digital newsletters. When I showed the directors your newsletter, they assumed that someone subsidizes the cost of publishing The Iron Horse. Not to pry into personal business, could you confirm or deny this assumption? What's your secret in producing such a high quality hardcopy newsletter and sending many copies through the US Mail for only $12 annual dues? 

Thanks and hope to see you all soon, maybe next summer.

Nancy

Nancy Norris

Garden Lines

Wed 11-9

   I talked to Carl today while he was at the Mall. Carl said everything looks great.  The expected visit  was delayed until after Santa arrives.  Scott finished his work on the Lionel Christmas tree and Carl & Mac worked on the control table and power supplies as the Airbrush artist finished her work.  If you thought last years display looked good, then you will think this years display is Fantastic!  No hype necessary, it is the simple truth, FANTASTIC.  And, it will be easy to run. (Just press the "ON" switch on the power strip).  Plus, someone familiar with the layout will be there to answer any questions and make sure you get started OK.

Saturday, at 10am We begin.  Everyone is invited to stop by and take a look. Spend a few minutes or stay as long as you wish.  I think you will like what you see!  

Tues 11-8

Today the professional Mall artist decorated our snow banks.  They look fantastic!  I will post pictures tomorrow. (Sorry, I thought I had taken some).  Mike tested and improved the Interactive signs,  We tested on the Circus loop as Scott was transforming the Mall Christmas tree on the Lionel loop into a 1950's retro style complete with big colored bulbs! We test ran trains and neatened up the Control Center.  The Mall was installing the white 'picket' fence around the edge of the layout as I was leaving.  Tiny brought back in the padding for the floor of the control area which he provided last year.  It makes it very comfortable to stand on.  Mac, Walter, and I played with the lights and wiring as Carl was working with Keith & Kevin to finish up items for tomorrow when the General Growth Properties Executives are stopping by to see the display. Rich Young stopped by and provided us with a transformer which we needed.  Also Rich and a friend  will work an "off schedule" in the evening hours.  If anyone else would also like to setup their own hours, No Problem, just let us know what works best for your convenience. Dennis Farrell stopped by and he signed up for Tuesday evenings which we appreciate.  We are also starting to run more trains, here is short video from earlier today - Click here:  (Notice how well Paul's G scale Flag is blowing in the wind!).  He added lots of People, details and cars yesterday to the layout. We are shaping up and looking very good,  Thanks to lots of good help and support.  Thank you, please keep it rolling strong.

Good Video from Eric

All Aboard for a HiDef Narrow Gauge Steam Spectacular as the Cumbres and Toltec Scenic RR Repaints the equipment for a rare photo freight. First we top off the mighty K-36 tender of # 487 at the historic Osier, CO watertower Before charging up the Rocky mountains to Tanglefoot curve and the 10,015' Cumbres Pass and several crossings as the Last Freight Train to Chama, in 2008 but if you want to take a ride see:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LG9AiIrP7yw&feature=related

11/7 Looking better and better!

I will let the pictures do the talking.  There is still a little left to do but the display is looking Great!  Tomorrow the black skirting will go around the stage and finishing touches will be made.  Please check out the following picture Click here to view. ( Then Select 'Slideshow').  There are two video clips on the end that show Percy and James engines automatically stopping at the station.  Those are especially for Dick Rubin.  Hope you enjoy!

End of Setup 11/4

It was a good week of activity as we finished off the final items of our part of the display.  Progress was a little slower than expected.  We did not count on all the happy onlookers who love to talk to us!   They were very glad to see us returning.   We have really ramped up the display with lots of additional features and we have expanded the track, trains, buildings, bridges, tunnels, trestles, electronics,and lighting.  Plus we have added the Thomas,  Lionel and Circus displays.   Today Mac was doing a lot of wiring, Dick Rubin brought in a forest of very nice looking artificial trees!  We added an automatic Station stop on the Maine line for the Downeaster.  The audio is much better in person but take a look at the Amtrak as it pulls into the station, pauses and starts back up without any intervention by the operator.   It is easy to run also (If you put a magnet on the bottom of your engine it would do the same thing).  Without a magnet it will just go around  the loop normally. Now, that is keeping it simple!  Take a quick look:   Please click here:  
Note how nice and easy it pulls out of the station.

Wed ~ 11-03-11

Today Ben and I wired up the 'Station Master' module to run Thomas and his friends around the 'High Trestle Line' which goes past several buildings, some are pictured above.   Dick Rubin loves the 'funky' colors as he calls them which are featured on this loop.  So do we!

 Norm Waycott was hard at work decorating his Circus display.  The kids of all ages are going to love this one!

Art and Scott had a tree delivered today.  They will bring back the look of the Lionel Christmas train around the tree.  There is more to come including presents and more accessories.
I think the Mall decorator will stop by tomorrow and go over the plans for that.   Lots of progress today as Ralph put the finishing touches on his  trestle and bridge work.  Carl and Tiny did all the main line ballast.  Mac and  Walter and Carl worked on lighting and transformer wiring.  Plus, the the visitors and on lookers were steady.   James Boynton was there and he may become our official Club photographer for the Mall this year!   It was a great day and its good to be back!  
Note: all images can be opened in a new tab and viewed as enlargements

Day-2

Today was Ralph's Day!   He has worked very hard to build bridges and trestle towers as well as track roadbed.  Plus a lot of items for Dick Rubin and the Thomas line.  Today along with Dick and his friend  from Michigan they worked hard to install it all! He did a great job! Everything came out very well.  I even heard Channel 8 News came by and took some pictures.   My pictures are more random shots but they show all the items in various phases of installation.   Take a look at the following and you can see lots of different activities including Terry installing his (interactive) signal crossings, Ben testing his Christmas train, Art and Scott wiring Lionel action and Carl and Mac bringing in more buildings, etc!   Click here:

Setup Day-1

Ooops -  No camera, my wife found it in the driveway!   But the day improved as I got to the Mall on time and met a bunch of the guys already there.  Carl, Paul, Andy, Art, Dennis, Tiny, Barry and more quickly arrived.  Scott, Ben, Mac, Norm, John, Plus Dick, Ralph and his friend from Michigan (Dick) dropped off track and trestles and bridges. Mike dropped of the Interactive control signs.  Keith from Mall Operations had the main deck all ready to go and brought out all the risers and did the final assembly on them.  The Mall has added some nice spot lighting which will really enhance the layout at night!  The larger main deck looked awesome!

  We all went to work like a bunch of elves and by 3:30pm we had all of the double main line installed.  All the tunnels and risers in place,  The major buildings positioned and the Circus and the Lionel Line laid down.

  Connecting all the track with those little screws is tedious and I truly thank the people who worked hard to do that!  Tomorrow, Dick and Ralph will return to connect up the elevated lines on all the low and high trestles and install the Thomas Line!  By tomorrow afternoon we should see the general shape of the whole layout  fall into place!   Today we did run a train all the way around the main line.  But the first train to run was the Lionel loop!  Congratulations you guys!

There is still much to do including wiring, lighting, electronics, structures and lots of detailing and decorating  but we got off to a very good start and tomorrow I promise to take a couple of pictures to show the progress to date.