Setup Day-1

Thanks to the dedicated effort of a dozen plus hard working guys it was a great day!   Setup is a fun day and all the track and bridges are in place.  All those little screws!   We are actually getting good at this.  People seem to know what needs to be done and it went very well.  Next step is to bring out the buildings and do some more wiring.

  Special Thanks to:  Peter, Carl, Barry, Terry, Tiny, Mike, Ben, Andy, Walter, Mac, Dick, Dennis,  Hunk, Norm, John and of course Keith & Kevin.  The layout is  looking good, these pictures are incomplete and do not do it justice but take a look anyway.  Thanks, click here:
 

The Iron Horse arrived!

  Thanks go out to Arthur Handman for creating our latest edition of the Iron Horse newsletter.  It is also available on line and you can share it by copying the link and emailing it.  Anyone with the link will be able to read the Newsletter on-line.  Thank you Art!

Iron Horse Sept-Oct 2012

Thank You!!

 As of Thursday 12/13 this is what I know the schedule to be:   Please call Pat or Carl if you need to make a change or you would like to help.  


Thank You! 

  Because we are a non-profit organization the Mall has offered us an excellent opportunity to raise money.  On Dec 14 and 15th we will operate the gift wrapping area which will be setup right next to where we will be running our trains.  The hours are the same as ours. The Mall provides all the supplies.  Paper, tape, bows, boxes. Gift wrapping is free but there is a sign that suggests donation amounts.  Here is the exciting part for us.  Because this is an official fund raising activity we are allowed to keep all the money that is donated for wrapping gifts.  The Mall estimates that we would receive $3,000 per day! We have never conducted a fund raiser like this but the  Board of Directors has recommended that we pursue the opportunity and contact members and family members to help raise volunteers.

Vests are available

   Carl just called to let people know that a new shipment of MGRS vests have arrived.  If you would like to get one call Carl at 929-3655.  The cost is $25 dollars if you can pick it up.   All sizes are available.

Here is the real tree!

Click to enlarge

  Alright!  The Mall has put up the real tree that will be the center of our display.  When the lights are turned on it is going to look very nice.  It stands up high and will draw people in to the display.  Carl has ordered two nice double sided signs that will fit in the Mall advertizing frames that will be used to display our logo.  

Trees and pumpkins - what is going on?

 Click to enlarge picture.

  This is not a real picture, I pasted in a Christmas tree because in my imagination I could not wait to see what one might look like topping off our display.  I am sure whatever tree they put up is going to look very good.  The Mall is doing an exceptional job this year starting with the new circular platform!  Plus I heard that they are also getting us a new fence.  One that they can easily attach our interactive controls to.  We will also have a new larger TV monitor mounted on one of the columns facing our control area.  Our layout is so large that we cannot see the whole display so there will be a camera mounted on the opposite column broadcasting a picture back to a big 60 inch screen!   The platforms for the Circus and Lionel are waiting out back and will be brought in the morning of our setup.   The black cloth in the picture above will  be removed when the pumpkin display is over and the Mall's new professional designer has worked up a plan to cover the base and the risers edges with a "rock pattern" design. Then the snow blanket will be added to the top surface of each level with some of the snow hanging over the "rock" edges.  We are all looking forward to seeing the result.  In fact when the platform was being set up the people were all ready asking "Are the trains coming back this year?"

   Yes they are!  Thanks to two major factors: First, the great cooperative effort and working relationship between the Main Mall and Maine Garden Railway Society and the most important reason the individual members support and participation which makes it all possible! 

  It takes the combined effort of over 50 dedicated members volunteering their time and resources to be able to put on a free annual 7 week long public train display at the Main Mall.

Fall Steam-up Oct 27th in Boxford Mass.

Hi MGRS members,  One of Eric's friends who has a large layout is having a "steam up"  and invited him as well as any of us who might be interested.  Please read the following and Thank you Andy for inviting us.

Hi Eric,

        I am planning to have a Fall steam-up on Oct 27 (28th rain/snow
date) weather permitting. A few have asked if we would have a Fall steam-up
as they could not make this summer for various reasons. We will provide
everything except lunch. Everyone is welcome to stay the day but must bring
own lunch or use local sub shop is very close. We have made some
changes- the double inner reverse is completed and allows more operating
possibilities.
If you know of anyone in Maine that would be interested, please forward this
message. Hope you can make it.

Andy Brauer
3 King George Drive
Boxford, MA 01921
proseq@earthlink.net



Eric added the following:  If you plan to go and you are interested in sharing a ride, please let him know.  You can contact him at www.shearwater-boats.com

Pumpkin Display

    Click on picture to enlarge

   The Mall is all ready for us.  See you a week from Monday!  Keith said to Carl as they finished up last minute details in preparation for the big day.    I think this year is going to be our best year yet as we continue to work well with the Mall on developing new ideas together.  

Progress as of 10/18

Looking very nice.  All the new risers are in place and everything has been painted.  There are three cut out areas where Tiny's bridges will complete the span.  The only risers to be added are the ones for the Circus and Lionel platforms. 

10/17 Level-1 is set up.

This gives you some idea of the presence the 36 ft diameter base on our layout creates as it sits under the large skylight in the Center Court section of the Main Mall.  It is very impressive.  In a couple of days it will be completed with its upper levels, be painted and holding a thousand pumpkins!  Then they will take away the pumpkins and put up the tree in the center and turn it over to us!   When they add the fence around the edge the diameter grows to 42 feet. The finished layout all decorated with snow blanket and terrain should be a fantastic center piece for public enjoyment.  (And ours too!).

  

You are invited to read the description of this years layout at the bottom of our Website Home Page Click Here:

Oh Boy!

Click to enlarge picture

I am really excited to see our layout this year.  Carl just called from the Mall.  He said they have started to set up our platform. Boy it's big he said, no wonder they moved us! "Hope we have enough track" he said jokenly.   Above is a picture from 10/17 taken about noon time.  They are now adding the upper levels.  Then they will Paint the surfaces off-white.  Awesome!

Here is a short video from Wed 10/17 - Click here:

  

4.5 Magnitude Earthquake from Lake Arrowhead and Hollis Maine about 7:15 tonight

Wow - Carl said his house is OK but he thought it was going to be damaged.  Mac was outside and saw telephone poles swaying.  My son in Buxton said it felt like a sonic boom came through the ground and exploded in the basement! Everyone's OK.

Three big Items from B.O.D. meeting

The MGRS Board of Directors met Sunday and discussed many different items.  Here are 3 big items involving the Mall train display. 

1. Setup - Day has been moved up to Monday Oct 29th.
.   The Mall has confirmed that our layout platform will be ready and available for us to begin the setup on Oct 29th.  The  Board of Directors voted today to go in as soon as we can. Time is still 8am.  That way we take full advantage of all the time available to prepare for opening day on November 10th.   

2. We will sponsor a free Train Drawing.   MGRS plans to give away a new ready to run Thomas Train Set to some lucky person!  The Mall will setup a nice looking display case at a convenient spot around our layout to show off the boxed prize with a professional looking poster explaining what we are doing.   We do not have to handle anything!  The Mall will provide the entry slips and record and pass along the contact information to us.  We expect a large number of people will be interested.  Santa Claus will draw out the winning name.  Some little boy or girl will be excited to receive a great Christmas present and we will benefit from excellent publicity and contact with the public.

3. A Fantastic Fund Raising Opportunity for MGRS.  Because we are a non-profit organization the Mall has offered us and excellent opportunity to raise money.  There is an opening that just occurred that we could fill. It involves either 2 or 3 days (Dec 13, 14  or 15th) that we could run the gift wrapping area which will be setup right next to where we will be running our trains.  The hours are the same as ours, actually 1 hour less.  The Mall provides all the supplies.  Paper, tape, bows, boxes. Gift wrapping is free but there is a sign that suggests donation amounts.  Here is the exciting part for us.  Because this is an official fund raising activity we are allowed to keep all the money that is donated for wrapping gifts.  The Mall estimates that we would receive $3,000 per day! We have never conducted a fund raiser like this but the  Board of Directors has recommended that we pursue the opportunity and contact members and family members to help raise volunteers.

  

Lemax figures

I was in Michaels today and they have a lot of Lemax people for sale.  Prices are not cheap (This was $12)  but I got a 40% off next time.  Anyway my point is, I like the people, they are very well painted and they are G scale 1:29.

This one is a group scene with a sign that say Photos with Santa and I thought it was pretty neat!

Yes, I don't know where it will go but I do plan to bring it into the Mall.  

Festival of Tree Schedule for 2012

  General Schedule - Open to the Public - Free

  Paul thought you might like to see all the different companies that sponsor a tree.   They are a beautiful sight.  Please plan to stop by and enjoy them this year and of course stop in the train room and say hello.   Below is the basic schedule for the hours the Festival of Trees will be open this year.  When Paul Corbett makes up his individual train display schedule we will post that information also.

Please Click here to see  Festival of Trees schedule

Nice Looking Buildings

 

  If you have a favorite building on your layout and you would like to display it this holiday season at the Mall, you can!  There will be plenty of room on our layout this year.  Just contact Carl.  Today he and Mac drove in a truck full of buildings, followed by Norm and James with another truck full and backed up by Mike and Moreen in their car.   All this was off loaded along with my drawbridge and is now safely in the Mall storage area awaiting for the setup day to arrive. 

  Tomorrow the Board of Directors meet and check back on the Blog for any news on latest developments.

Authentic Railroad Items - AUCTION

Please click here for info on over 400 authentic railroad items on auction this Saturday. 

Sent to us by Tiny.  Thank you!

All scales can work together

I think any scale can be used on a train display as long as you arrange them from the perspective of the viewer.  Our minds automatically "adjust" to visualize smaller objects as being in the distance and fit them in their proper place.  Here is the same image as below re-arranged to take advantage of what we naturally do.  In fact without this ability we could never model any 3 dimensional scene.

The Rocket Man

I apologize ahead of time because I know it is very improper to laugh at what someone else takes seriously.  But, there was something about the last 5 seconds of this video that just triggered my laughing mechanism!   Dr. Strangelove came to mind!   Please Click here:

Different Scales

  I know we have seen this before,  But here are some general ratios as to what each of these scales represent.
  

G     1 to 24  
O     1 to 48  
S      1 to 64  
HO  1 to 87  
N     1 to 160     
Z      1 to 220   

OK Here is Worlds Record the scale is 1 to 35,200

Click here to view:
 (The original video said the N scale layout was 44 inches long.  160 x 220 = 35,200)

The "Old Layout"

The picture is not to clear, but then neither is my memory.  But, I know I was a lucky child and I do remember we had a train layout typical of the 1950's style shown above.  Our's was on a piece of plywood that simply laid flat on the floor. 

I am still a lucky guy.  The old layout looked big to me and it was 32 square feet, but in a few weeks we will be looking at something that is over 1,000 square feet!  I guess we all are pretty darn lucky, thank you MGRS, we can't wait to see this years layout!

Amtrak Station Freeport Maine

Station opens for service on November 1, 2012

Open Station structure.  Free Parking

Night view                                             Under construction








Some pictures from the Internet.  Click on images to  enlarge.

The story of Big Boy

 One of the best steam railroading film of the 1950's this was made by Union Pacific RR

This is a little lengthy but very good.  I think you learn something when you watch it and feel the emotion of railroad past. To view please click here:

"Scenes"

 I hope we end up with lots of diorama scenes this year.  I think one possibility is the Chairlift.  I can imagine a smaller ski hill with the chairlift connecting to a larger ski hill which just happens to cross our main line as it works its way up the display.  We can have all sorts of related snow scenes and maybe even a ski station stop on one of the elevated levels.

I just took a quick look at some of the people on my layout and I can imagine  them fitting into such a scene.   Join me and take a look at what you may have.  It's fun to use your imagination and help bring the layout to life.   I hope we do try and emphasis diorama scenes as this years layout  particularly lends itself to displaying close up scenes.   Also remember Barry's sawmill and we will have maple sugar shacks and farms and sleigh rides plus many other good old fashioned possibilities!  Please be thinking about what you might be able to add.

CN Freight Train

Maybe someone is familiar with a "defect detector" and how it gives a reading.  Here is a video of a CN freight going through a crossing that is monitored.  Take a look and listen to readout at the end: click here
   

A train is space

Here is a cute video that Eric found.  Please take a look; Click here: