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.

You are invited to the best Train Show MGRS can produce

This will be a fantastic display with 450 feet of track operating seven or eight trains on 3 levels.  Interactive and exciting.  The way a Train Display was meant to be!

  

Think about What We Can do!

• We can introduce G scale railroading to thousands and thousands of new people!

• We can help bring back the stories and memories of good times and past experiences with trains. 

• We can create good memories that will last for a lifetime.  Children will remember the day that they made the trains run!

• We can continue to enjoy trains, have fun and share experiences with each other and we can meet and make new friends. 

• Our combined effort can help raise a substantial contribution from the Mall to help support MGRS. 

This is a magnificent event in a clean, bright, comfortable environment and it is in the best location that we could  ever hope to have.  There is only one thing that could go wrong. . . Don't let THAT Happen.  We need You, I repeat, YOU to show up at least ONE day.   One day out of Fifty is all that we are asking to those who are available and able.  Please see the sign up form at top of the Blog or call Carl at 929-3655 and offer to help.  Your support is greatly appreciated, Thank you.

~ Maine Garden Railway Society ~

Two Train Operation

Here is another short video which shows the operation of two trains at the same station stop.   Please take a look:

(Note:  This was just a test and a power supply was used that did not have a rheostat which is why the test train is moving at top speed.)

Recent video NS train crossings

I don't even know how I got this (some Google email alert?)  Anyway, shows Eastern Ohio region, several trains blowing through crossings.  Makes me glad I don't drive around there at night!  Good sounds also. 
Take a look: Click here:

PS:  REMEMBER ERIC'S STEAM-UP.

Automatic Station Stop

Here is a short video demonstrating an electronic device we plan to use as part of the Maine Mall train display this year.  To take a look, click here:

Steamup in Phippsburg

I will host a steamup here at my Winnegance and Quebec Railway on Saturday the 22nd. You are welcome to stop by. If you have a steamer, by all means bring it along. If you run battery power, you can run on my line too!
If you would like to come by, please give me a call 3860128. I plan to have soup and snacks, additions are welcome.

--Eric Schade

Ein Tag bei Andi Engi

OK what am I saying?   Here is a video from Garden Railway magazine that anyone can see on You Tube.
It is from Switzerland.  Take a look.  Click here:

A new video from Eric.

  Eric is getting good!  He come's up with something new each time he creates a video.  I can see he is about to launch a career as a movie maker.    As Eric said " I had a good run today on the Winnegance and Quebec.  As I do, I made another little video of the run: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBZZdrjIO1I

We had a nice fall day which made for good steam scenery.  Keep an eye out for the moose along the trackside!"

Thank you Eric - Very well done and fun to watch! 

Yes, The board did meet and we are "Good to Go".

A lot is going on:   Dick Rubin is putting in lots of effort to get the Thomas display ready, Ralph is helping him as well as finishing all the trestles, bridges and roadbed,  I do know that Pat has cleaned up Carl's Conway Station and did you know the roof has real copper on it just like the original.  I heard now it is really  Nice and Shiny!  Tunnels are done,  all the track is in.  Buildings are being electrified.  The Mall is working on special enhancements that we asked for.  Mike has made a big improvement on our interactive sign.   Scott, Norm, Art and lots of others are getting things ready to display.  Walter is making up some items and lots of people have signed up to help run trains, setup and contribute items.  Tiny has his heavy bridges and John has his billboard. Our MGRS area will be bigger this year and I think we need 3 nice heavy bar stools to sit on. (I don't think we have anything).  Carl has taken care of things like Vests, Name Tags and even some Electronic modules.     The BOD met Oct 16th to go over plans for final approach as we get ready to touch down on Nov 1st.    Not that far away!
PS: I do have another scoop: I heard that Pat got a call from Santa Claus himself and everything is 'on track' for his arrival.  Yes, she did get a call from Santa Claus. Santa is returning and planning on another day with the Vet's.
Please - Plan to be there!
Also please show your support by contributing a little time to the event.

New Haven Rail car

Here is another video about an interestin rail car...this time steam powered...lots of details:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=17QZhv0aUfc&feature=relmfu

Looking Good!

It is such a beautiful day today, I snapped a picture as the sun was making the foliage shine bright.  

 

Web wandering.

 

 I was looking up the Pullman Palace Cars and I ended up on the  Central Pacific Railroad Photographic History Museum site and liked the old pictures I found.  I am not sure how many picture there are:  Take a look: Click here to start:

Here is another picture; I just called it "New to me".
Another very good site to explore Click here: It included details on something Scott remembers (California Zephyr). 

Going, Going, Gone!

Deneth Lee is very good at finding and bidding at Rail Road Auctions.  Here is information that he sent in to tell us about another auction coming up in a couple of weeks.  I think there are lots of items.  Take a look by clicking here:
Thanks Tiny!  (I liked #157 and #221)

Hello October

  Wow, time is rolling by fast.  I am getting excited about this years train show.  I do know that lots of people are working hard to prepare for "A Really Big Show"  like Ed Sullivan used to say!   Also,  Thank you to the people that are signing up early.  It is a big help and I encourage many others of you that I know plan to go to do the same thing.  Thanks and Enjoy!