Planned Changes

 I was not in the Mall yesterday, but I talked to Carl who knows of some improvements about to be made.  First is that today we may add sound to the Sawmill display!  Next, we should get a new display case very soon that we can safely display our Thomas drawing train set in.  And last, Santa complained about the sun light in the background and they put up a big curtain that did not look that good.  So, Carl had a suggested change that will be implemented to solve the problem.

  And THANK YOU to all the members and family that are helping to run trains and to wrap gifts.  Great Job!  If you have not signed up to help, please do - we are almost out of openings! 

First Tuesday at the Mall

Tuesdays are nice and quiet days.  Tiny, Dave, Art and John handled the morning shift.  We took off the Amtrak and gave it a rest.  We ran Tiny's Canadian National F3 Freight with my ME Central GP9 Freight on the main lines and Tiny's B&M RDC on the middle loop.  Carl's nice little Sandy River 0-6-0 Steam engine with it's terrific sound system ran the upper level stopping at the Gorham Station.  Art did some maintenance on the Lionel loops and had everything running great. Dave learned all the controls and did a great job talking to folks, in fact we all talked to lots of interesting people, That is for sure! 

Quick video clip-1

Quick video clip-2


Note: this does not show the fan favorites on the Interactive buttons!  There is a total of 7 buttons that control  the  Sawmill, Two Lionel trains, Signal/Crossing Gates, Circus train, Ski Lift and Thomas the Tank Engine.  

True Statement:  I have had several people say "This is the best display yet!".   All I can say is we are glad that they enjoy it.  Thank you, we hope each new season will be the best! 

 When I left Tiny was still there and Mac, Norm & Suzanne and James had arrived with Carl on the way.  I haven't  seen the layout at night yet but, I bet it looks great!  The big screen TV is on and the overview shot is very good.  See below:  Good luck to the evening crew and have a great time!

Could be Maine

It looks like Maine.  A nice little steam engine working in the forest.  But a long ways away.  Sent in by Eric:  Thanks, click here.


I have not seen them yet but here are some more:
http://youtu.be/pLj0_oISUz4
and
http://youtu.be/rKTmwtKbQ54

Downeaster Blast By Mile Post 185

WOW,  I got to see the Downeaster speed toward Freeport Me. today about 12:10pm on the Greely Rd Crossing in North Yarmouth.  It is only about a mile from our house.  Luckily, I still had Carl's camera handy so we can all enjoy it!

It took a lot longer to come into view then it did to go by.  It really was a Blast!  Please take a look: click here:

Mall Visit

My daughter and grandson stopped over to visit the display at the Mall.  Here are the pictures she took of the visit.   please click here;

Day-2 at the Maine Mall

   The Maine Mall marquee sign is up and announcing the 2012 Train Display!  . Please click here to take a look:  Thank you!

We sent this video to Nancy Norris to use for Garden Railway Magazine to help describe the event which will continue for the next 7 weeks.

Happy Veterans Day!

  A very happy Veterans Day to all especially our friends in the Maine Veterans Home in Scarborough, Me.  We received a very nice card from Jeannine Lessard  who thanked us so much in behalf of the veterans that come to visit us at Carls.  She said how much they enjoy the outings, the trains, flowers, the wooded trail rides.  It is a great enjoyment to them.  Thank you MGRS members for what  you do.

 Several members, I believe Carl. Dennis, and Paul, Mac and Walter and perhaps others have been to visit recently, solve problems with their train transformers (I think we bought them a new transformer) and helped with the layout.  Again, they are very appreciative.

  Also, another pretty neat gift which Carl made on behalf of the Club was his 4 foot long model of a World War II fighter plane.  It may have been a P51 Mustang.  In any event it is proudly hung from a wire and being displayed in an area where many will enjoy it.  A nice looking model and as Jeannine told us in her card, it is appreciated by the veterans.

But, all the thanks should come from us as we appreciate what they have done.  Happy Veterans Day and Thank You!

Nancy Norris Video - Take-1

This is for Garden Railway Magazine -  I may try one more tomorrow and then pick one to send to Nancy.
Video from Opening Day MGRS 2012 Maine Mall - please click here:

The 2012 MGRS Train Show has begun!

  It has been hard work but it has been rewarding as we all pitched in to get everything operating the way we want it.  Saturday Nov 10th is here and Santa Claus has arrived and all the trains have begun to run!  We instantly draw a crow!  It is going to be a good year,  there is a lot of activity at Center Court and we are right in the center of it all!  The nice big tree which is 4 levels high plus all the snow and new designs have come together well.  Later tonight I will upload a longer video.  But for now please enjoy a few pictures on the following slide show.
Please click  here to watch:

plus some short videos:

We are almost ready to Open

Click on images to enlarge

  Just two days to go,  and the 2012 Maine Garden Railway Society Train Display will be under way!  The 3rd consecutive year at the Maine Mall in So. Portland will continue with a group of over 50 active volunteers hosting a 50 day train show which has delighted hundreds of thousands of public viewers. 

Please click here for a test video describing the event.

  Note:  I wanted to test how long,  (it took 77 mins to upload this video clip).  Not to bad I guess, the video runs 4min 40 sec.  We promised Nancy Norris a U-tube Video of Opening Day for a publishing deadline she has.  I never made a video where I tried to narrate it.  I hope this helps me make the real one come out  better. (If anyone wants to volunteer to make one, she needs it by Nov 15th).  In any event we hope you will stop by and sign up to participate in this exceptional event that is truly the highlight of our annual activities and our most significant fund raiser.  Thank you.

Free Train Drawing - G-scale Thomas Train Set.

   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.

Eric's Steamup - Nov 10th

I have scheduled a steamup for the 10^th of November.  MGRS folks are invited if they can make it.   I will serve soup and snacks.   Folks are welcome to bring their live steam or battery powered engines and trains.

Plus I have made a video of a new section of my railway…the mountain division.  3% ruling grade.  Great fun with radio control on the live steamers.

http://youtu.be/cZY8llmQ2KM

http://youtu.be/Ay0mVi0_vJA

here is a link to Andy’s steamup in Mass.  We had a good time, three Mainers headed down to run trains.  Obviously most people were from Mass and there were quite a few trains running during the day!

Note from John:  Thank you Eric, those are great videos.

Setup Continued

CLICK on image for a larger view.

 1.  Picture of our new transformer which is Very nice!  2.  The mini Mall which Mac is installing street lights on.  3. The new Castle Drawbridge,  4. Tiny finishing up ballasting the 200 ft of main lines. Barry's Sawmill is just to his right which will be 1 of 6 Interactive Displays the public can operate.  5.  North Conway Station always a favorite 6. Norm's Circus display has expanded to 60 square ft. 7. Center, one of two new double sided Display Signs that are new this year.  Plus we will have a display area for our free Thomas train drawing.

Sunday Morning the Mall will take over and start to decorate with the "Snow Blanket" and the  "Rock" design and build storage shelves for us as well as adding the new fence and big screen monitor.   

The Mall will also install all those really nice Interactive signs Mike Silsby has made which they will attach to the new split rail fence.   

We will be done by election day and looking forward to opening the display on Nov 10th.

 

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