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Subject: 
Supertrain Success
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug, lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org
Date: 
Mon, 19 Feb 2001 20:16:20 GMT
Highlighted: 
! (details)
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3847 times
  

The largest LEGO train layout in Canadian history (AFAIK) at Canada's
largest model train exhibit was a huge success.  Overall attendance broke
the previous record by over 30% - 13322 attendees.  The largest "kid's
play area" at a train show (I stand to be corrected on this) was the hit
of the show.  700 square feet filled with three 4'x8' train oval tables
(Two <set:4515>s, two <set:4520>s, four <set:3737>s, and ~10,000
other pieces per table.) and a Duplo train layout on the floor - packed
with kids (and their parents) having a blast.  The organizers said it was
typical for kids to arrive smiling and leave crying - because they were
being dragged away from the play area they didn't want to leave.  A return
trip the second day was not uncommon.  Such popularity was reflected in
the voting.  Of four awards (between several dozen exhibitors) two of them
went to the only two LEGO displays there - ours and that of a local boy
(Nolin) who made an impressive display out of his own personal collection.

The usual questions were asked of course; 1000 copies of a double-sided
FAQ sheet (viewable on our website) turned out to be about 30% "short",
[ http://www.graysage.com/nalug/Handouts/handout-01.html ]   (I had
budgeted for 1 flyer per 10 people) and we also handed out 100 or so
LUGNet flyers to the more interested spectators.  James and I were there
of course, and John rented a car and was able to attend Friday, Saturday
and most of Sunday.  Additionally, Raven (and Kalen) were able to join
us for Friday and Saturday, (James couldn't fit everything in the van)
and Adam was there Saturday and Sunday after John left.  His help with
setup and tear-down made a big difference - Thanks Adam.

Last minute preparations and bridge construction, not to mention a
mountain that partly disintegrated upon being loaded into the van, made
for a rather hectic Friday evening and Saturday morning.  [ Inside joke:
"So _that's_ why I'm missing a base-plate and some track..."  ;-) ]
By show opening only the two smaller loops were running, but within a
couple hours the main loop was going also.  The incline, bridge, and high
speed straight away on the main loop were popular running features.
The crowd was in awe of the mountain of course, and the buildings in the
town were/are great.  Kevin's beautiful 8-wide train was the most
appreciated of the trains - in particular with those whom were obvious
train buffs.  "Where can I buy it?" and "Did he get authorization form CP?"
were two questions I would have loved to hear Kevin answer in person.  8-)

"Where are the pictures?" I can hear you asking.  Well, John took about
eight dozen shots with his SLR and will need time to get them developed
and scanned.  Raven's digital camera filled numerous diskettes with stills
and mpegs - James shot an mpeg of Kevin's train and his mountain that is
quite impressive.  Perhaps he's going to shift from Castle to Movie? :-)
You will of course see a follow-up posting with links once they're
available, and others will probably have additional comments...

SRC
StRuCtures
LUGNet#765

   
         
     
Subject: 
Re: Supertrain Success
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug, lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org
Date: 
Mon, 19 Feb 2001 21:29:12 GMT
Viewed: 
3175 times
  

Congrats on such a big show! Can't wait to see the pictures!

-Frank

ps. did someone also take pictures of Nolin's layout?

    
          
     
Subject: 
Re: Supertrain Success
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug, lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org
Date: 
Mon, 19 Feb 2001 21:49:15 GMT
Viewed: 
3296 times
  

In lugnet.org.ca.nalug, Frank Buiting writes:
Congrats on such a big show! Can't wait to see the pictures!

-Frank

ps. did someone also take pictures of Nolin's layout?

I almost forgot that, but yes, there should be three of them
on one of the ten disks that James is working on...    :-)
(John may have shot a few also - I'm not sure.)

SRC

   
         
     
Subject: 
Re: Supertrain Success
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug, lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org
Followup-To: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug
Date: 
Mon, 19 Feb 2001 22:51:59 GMT
Highlighted: 
(details)
Viewed: 
3248 times
  

In lugnet.org.ca.nalug, Steve Chapple writes:
The largest LEGO train layout in Canadian history (AFAIK) at Canada's
largest model train exhibit was a huge success. • <snip>
"Where are the pictures?" I can hear you asking.  Well, John took about
eight dozen shots with his SLR and will need time to get them developed
and scanned.  Raven's digital camera filled numerous diskettes with stills
and mpegs - James shot an mpeg of Kevin's train and his mountain that is
quite impressive.

I've just finished uploading 11 disks of pictures & mpegs, and you'll find them
on Brickshelf here:
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=3371

A couple things I wanted to single out:

The other Lego layout at the show was also very cool; he did a good job of
blending Lego models and "traditional" scenery that worked really well:
  http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=3377

The play area.  Wow, was that popular!  Many thanks to LEGO Direct for
providing the LEGO elements (including track & train bases) for this, and the
Supertrain 2001 organizers for provided the supervision.
  http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=3378

Enjoy!

James
(I'm off to unload my van now...)

    
          
     
Subject: 
Re: Supertrain Success
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug
Date: 
Tue, 20 Feb 2001 00:53:53 GMT
Viewed: 
3251 times
  

In lugnet.org.ca.nalug, James Brown writes:
In lugnet.org.ca.nalug, Steve Chapple writes:
The largest LEGO train layout in Canadian history (AFAIK) at Canada's
largest model train exhibit was a huge success.
<snip>
you'll find them
on Brickshelf here:
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?f=3371


Thanks for posting these pictures; I was heavy impressed by your mountain!
Kids area looks as if they (and you?) had much of fun.

Regards,

Ben

   
         
     
Subject: 
Re: Supertrain Success
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug, lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org
Date: 
Tue, 20 Feb 2001 03:55:53 GMT
Viewed: 
3070 times
  

In lugnet.trains, Steve Chapple writes:
The largest LEGO train layout in Canadian history (AFAIK) at Canada's
largest model train exhibit was a huge success.  <snip>

Congrats. VERY well done! And the pics rock...

++Lar

   
         
     
Subject: 
Re: Supertrain Success
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug, lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org
Date: 
Tue, 20 Feb 2001 18:57:17 GMT
Viewed: 
3368 times
  

  The mountain was incredible (coming from someone who spent a few hours
working on a couple GMLTC-like modules, and then sorting and stacking
bricks for others to use to continue after me... ;-)

  It was also very cool to see my models on display! I think the stripes
on all of the blue VIA coaches lined up well, considering they were built
by two folks, working independantly, and without coordination! :-)

  The CP engine, and matching caboose were awe-inspiring! (Seeing the
nice one next to mine was a striking contrast! Someone said that was
an 8-wide train, right? OK, now I don't feel so bad. ;-)

  It's been very difficult to find CP, CN, and VIA decals in California.
I'm going to start looking for adds in the modeling magazines. Does anyone
have recommendations for particular decal makers, or for which scale(s)
look best on "L-Guage" trains (6- or 8-wide)?

    Zonker    http://www.baylug.org/zonker/

    
          
      
Subject: 
Re: Supertrain Success
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug, lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org
Date: 
Tue, 20 Feb 2001 19:11:28 GMT
Reply-To: 
johnneal@uswest.net+nomorespam+
Viewed: 
3687 times
  

David Zonker Harris wrote:

  The mountain was incredible (coming from someone who spent a few hours
working on a couple GMLTC-like modules, and then sorting and stacking
bricks for others to use to continue after me... ;-)

  It was also very cool to see my models on display! I think the stripes
on all of the blue VIA coaches lined up well, considering they were built
by two folks, working independantly, and without coordination! :-)

  The CP engine, and matching caboose were awe-inspiring! (Seeing the
nice one next to mine was a striking contrast! Someone said that was
an 8-wide train, right? OK, now I don't feel so bad. ;-)

  It's been very difficult to find CP, CN, and VIA decals in California.
I'm going to start looking for adds in the modeling magazines. Does anyone
have recommendations for particular decal makers, or for which scale(s)
look best on "L-Guage" trains (6- or 8-wide)?

Zonker-

You probably want "O" scale decals, although "S" will work (but they are
smaller and variety is more limited).  Check out:

http://www.microscale.com/  or:

http://www.minot.com/~champ/

-John



    Zonker    http://www.baylug.org/zonker/

    
          
      
Subject: 
Re: Supertrain Success
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug, lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org
Date: 
Tue, 20 Feb 2001 19:18:16 GMT
Viewed: 
3501 times
  

In lugnet.org.ca.nalug, David K. Z. Harris writes:
The mountain was incredible (coming from someone who spent a few hours
working on a couple GMLTC-like modules, and then sorting and stacking
bricks for others to use to continue after me... ;-)

What was awe-inspiring to me is that the mountain is only about 2/3's of a
GMLTC module!  I have a new respect (not that I didn't before, but...) for
the guys doing that style of modular layout.  (I say 2/3's because while my
mountain is taller, the GMLTC lattice is only for about the same height of
bricks worth(~25), and it is across 4 large gray baseplates, not 6)



It was also very cool to see my models on display! I think the stripes
on all of the blue VIA coaches lined up well, considering they were built
by two folks, working independantly, and without coordination! :-)

I was really impressed with both yours & James P's Via trains.  Fortunately,
I'm a castle guy, so I'm not, repeat NOT planning to duplicate them in
8-wide.  The drool marks on the coaches must be someone else's, too.  ;)

The CP engine, and matching caboose were awe-inspiring! (Seeing the
nice one next to mine was a striking contrast! Someone said that was
an 8-wide train, right? OK, now I don't feel so bad. ;-)

Yup, 'tis 8-wide.  Kevin Maynes is our local 8-wide modeler, and gets credit
for that whole train.  If I were interested in trains (which I'm not,
honest) I would be thinking about doing a couple tankers on his design, and
making some covered 4-chamber hoppers.  Fortunately, I'm not hooked on trains.

It's been very difficult to find CP, CN, and VIA decals in California.
I'm going to start looking for adds in the modeling magazines. Does anyone
have recommendations for particular decal makers, or for which scale(s)
look best on "L-Guage" trains (6- or 8-wide)?

I believe Kevin did all the stickers himself for those.  Beyond that, I have
no idea.

James

     
           
      
Subject: 
Re: Supertrain Success
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug, lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org
Date: 
Tue, 20 Feb 2001 21:18:15 GMT
Viewed: 
3688 times
  

I believe Kevin did all the stickers himself for those.  Beyond that, I have
no idea.


For my Via engine (which Steve told me did not survive the trip...funny, I
would have figured it more sturdy than the Class 25), I just used the same
yellow tape I had.  As regards where the lines go, it is kind of dictated by
the design...they have to go under the windows, and that means that they go
into the space of the 2nd brick off the plate, therefore they should be in
about the right place.  I found the tape quite annoying to put on, and no, the
2nd blue engine was not intended to be a model of a via engine (It is intended
for use with the green one the same as a double headed Tyne Dock-Consett train,
seeing how I still have most of my Tyne dock hopper cars :)

James

     
           
      
Subject: 
Re: Supertrain Success
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug, lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org
Date: 
Wed, 21 Feb 2001 00:16:40 GMT
Viewed: 
3833 times
  

In lugnet.org.ca.nalug, David K. Z. Harris writes:
It was also very cool to see my models on display! I think the stripes
on all of the blue VIA coaches lined up well, considering they were built
by two folks, working independantly, and without coordination! :-)

In lugnet.org.ca.nalug, James Powell writes:
For my Via engine (which Steve told me did not survive the trip...funny,
I would have figured it more sturdy than the Class 25), I just used the
same yellow tape I had.  As regards where the lines go, it is kind of
dictated by the design...they have to go under the windows, and that
means that they go into the space of the 2nd brick off the plate,
therefore they should be in about the right place.  I found the tape
quite annoying to put on, and no, the 2nd blue engine was not intended
to be a model of a via engine (It is intended for use with the green
one the same as a double headed Tyne Dock-Consett train, seeing how
I still have most of my Tyne dock hopper cars :)

Many thanks to you two for sending your trains.  I don't suppose
you'd like me to "store" them for you on a permanent basis?   8-)

I too was pleasantly surprised that the VIA stripes lined up, but then
I realized what JamesP said - it's a fortunate natural outcome of the
brick and window spacing/sizing.  I didn't think JamesP's blue engine
quite looked like a VIA engine, but it was the only blue engine we
had, so...   As for surviving the trip, very little of it did survive intact,
(similar with Zonker's, but not as bad) but I was able to reconstruct
almost everything.  (I'm sure glad you used all those zip-lock bags.)
That all-SNOT VIA engine was beyond me though - especially without
an idea of what the intact engine looked like.  :-)    It's too bad Kai
didn't send his VIA engine.  http://news.lugnet.com/org/ca/nalug/?n=556

I'm just hoping Steven thinks I've done his UnionPacific design justice
with "Little Red". http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=33742
(That shot is one of two that I specifically wanted to get - thanks James.)

SRC
Who - after this weekend - is having an even harder time
resisting joining Kevin on "the dark 8ide.    ;-)

     
           
       
Subject: 
Re: Supertrain Success
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug, lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org
Date: 
Wed, 21 Feb 2001 01:09:27 GMT
Viewed: 
4011 times
  

Yes, I spotted that, looks great, you did a fine job (and the best type of
compliment, thanks). Are you going to decal it? That would look great as well.
SteveB
PNLTC

I'm just hoping Steven thinks I've done his UnionPacific design justice
with "Little Red". http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=33742
(That shot is one of two that I specifically wanted to get - thanks James.)

      
            
       
Subject: 
Re: Supertrain Success
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug, lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org
Date: 
Wed, 21 Feb 2001 03:10:59 GMT
Viewed: 
4281 times
  

..."Little Red". http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=33742

In lugnet.org.ca.nalug, Steven Barile writes:
Are you going to decal it? That would look great as well.

I intend to - I ran out of time.  (That's why my bridge isn't finished.)

SRC

      
            
       
Subject: 
Re: Supertrain Success
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug, lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org
Date: 
Wed, 21 Feb 2001 04:42:10 GMT
Reply-To: 
CMASI@CMASI.CHEM.TULANE.nospamEDU
Viewed: 
4517 times
  

SRC wrote:

..."Little Red". http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=33742

In lugnet.org.ca.nalug, Steven Barile writes:
Are you going to decal it? That would look great as well.

I intend to - I ran out of time.  (That's why my bridge isn't finished.)

SRC

Goodness that is pretty. Are you using the "hook handed railing technique"? Are
there some closer pictures of this creation?

Thanks,
Chris

Are we supposed to be looking at the 8-wide CP engine or are we supposed to be
looking at the GP in the middle?

      
            
       
Subject: 
Re: Supertrain Success
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug, lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org
Date: 
Wed, 21 Feb 2001 17:07:50 GMT
Viewed: 
4684 times
  

In lugnet.org.ca.nalug, Christopher Masi writes:
SRC wrote:
..."Little Red". http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=33742

In lugnet.org.ca.nalug, Steven Barile writes:
Are you going to decal it? That would look great as well.

I intend to - I ran out of time.  (That's why my bridge isn't finished.)

I did some "creative editing" - Here's my favorite "show photo":
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=34097

Goodness that is pretty. Are you using the "hook handed railing
technique"? Are there some closer pictures of this creation?

Are we supposed to be looking at the 8-wide CP engine or are we
supposed to be looking at the GP in the middle?

KevinM's 8wide back-row/left-side does use minifig hands IIRC.
SteveB and SteveC were talking about the engine in the middle.
The front-row/right-side CP engine belongs to DavidH aka Zonker.

SRC

      
            
       
Subject: 
Re: Supertrain Success
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug
Date: 
Mon, 26 Feb 2001 21:20:32 GMT
Viewed: 
4925 times
  

OK, The yellow one with a Z on the bottom is already accounted for,
they're not an Octan color scheme for Michel, and JamesP doesn't
think they're his.  Perhaps if I show you guys a couple of pics...
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=35414
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=35415

SRC
StRuCtures

      
            
       
Subject: 
Re: Supertrain Success
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug
Date: 
Mon, 26 Feb 2001 22:23:00 GMT
Viewed: 
4989 times
  

In lugnet.org.ca.nalug, Steve Chapple writes:
OK, The yellow one with a Z on the bottom is already accounted for,
they're not an Octan color scheme for Michel, and JamesP doesn't
think they're his.  Perhaps if I show you guys a couple of pics...
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=35414
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=35415

I can't be certain, but I think those are Michel's.

James

      
            
       
Subject: 
Re: Supertrain Success
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug
Date: 
Thu, 1 Mar 2001 20:34:11 GMT
Viewed: 
5111 times
  

In lugnet.org.ca.nalug, James Brown writes:
In lugnet.org.ca.nalug, Steve Chapple writes:
OK, The yellow one with a Z on the bottom is already accounted for,
they're not an Octan color scheme for Michel, and JamesP doesn't
think they're his.  Perhaps if I show you guys a couple of pics...
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=35414
http://www.brickshelf.com/cgi-bin/gallery.cgi?i=35415

I can't be certain, but I think those are Michel's.

Well Michel thought they might be his,  [ Ah - the pains of having
such a large collection you can't remember parts of it...  :-) ]
but Zonker and JamesP are both sure they're not theirs, so...

SRC

     
           
      
Subject: 
Re: Supertrain Success
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug, lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org
Date: 
Wed, 21 Feb 2001 01:56:56 GMT
Viewed: 
4046 times
  

Many thanks to you two for sending your trains.  I don't suppose
you'd like me to "store" them for you on a permanent basis?   8-)

You can have them until about ~20th May or so :).


I too was pleasantly surprised that the VIA stripes lined up, but then
I realized what JamesP said - it's a fortunate natural outcome of the
brick and window spacing/sizing.  I didn't think JamesP's blue engine
quite looked like a VIA engine, but it was the only blue engine we
had, so...   As for surviving the trip, very little of it did survive intact,
(similar with Zonker's, but not as bad) but I was able to reconstruct
almost everything.  (I'm sure glad you used all those zip-lock bags.)
That all-SNOT VIA engine was beyond me though - especially without
an idea of what the intact engine looked like.  :-)    It's too bad Kai
didn't send his VIA engine.  http://news.lugnet.com/org/ca/nalug/?n=556

_bad_ experience taught me to use the Ziplock bags.  The first show I went to
(hey, the only one I _have_ been to :(  ) I took a bunch of stuff, including my
passenger train (based on Metroliner)...unfortunatly, it didn't survive the
trip over in the Turbo Beaver to Seattle very well.  I spent ~3 hrs rebuilding
everything from an assortment of pieces, that I didn't know what belonged to
what.  Fortunately, I was about to dismantle most of the stuff anyway...

As for a photo, I thought I had posted some...(goes and checks)
(http://www.geocities.com/MotorCity/Speedway/2049/LegoJPG/VIA/VIA.html)

I normally include a bunch of photos with stuff like that...doh!

(and yes, because it is SNOT, it is not a intuative design at _ALL_.  A lot of
it does not make sense, until you realize that it is indeed SNOT construction.
It is a shame that there is no way to make the compound nose shape out of Lego
(or at least, I didn't come up with a decent way :)

(that's for the FP7, the Class 25 is far more normal in its construction, and
has quite a rigid body.  The FP lacks a real rigid body, and it shows...I could
flex in the sides a ways, and there was no easy way to cure that problem once I
had built it.  Next time, I have some ideas I will incorporate into it, and I
can Ldraw it up)

James

    
          
     
Subject: 
Re: Supertrain Success
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug, lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org
Date: 
Tue, 20 Feb 2001 20:51:02 GMT
Viewed: 
3319 times
  

  Wow! I found 4 MPEG movies, and my trains were in two of them! :-)
Nice job behind the camera! I'm glad to see they actually got on
the loops. :-)

  I've been looking at the Town area as well, and I like many of the
houses, and the street light design.

  One of my favorite touches, though, is the James Jessiman Memorial
Park, and the details around that! Nicely done.

    -Z-    http://www.baylug.org/zonker/

   
         
   
Subject: 
Re: Supertrain Success - more pics
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug, lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org
Date: 
Thu, 22 Feb 2001 03:07:25 GMT
Viewed: 
3537 times
  

SRC wrote in message ...
"Where are the pictures?" I can hear you asking.  Well, John took about
eight dozen shots with his SLR and will need time to get them developed
and scanned.

I've scanned more shots of the NALUG layout at Supertrain:

http://plaza.powersurfr.com/acme/supertrain2001/

As you can see, the layout was quite large.  We were fortunate
that we managed to get everthing reasonably presentable in
time.  Let us know what you think.

--
John
(remove the obvious to reply)

   
         
   
Subject: 
Re: Supertrain Success - more pics
Newsgroups: 
lugnet.org.ca.nalug, lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org
Date: 
Thu, 22 Feb 2001 22:01:02 GMT
Viewed: 
4050 times
  

In lugnet.org.ca.nalug, John Koob writes:

SRC wrote in message ...
"Where are the pictures?" I can hear you asking.  Well, John took about
eight dozen shots with his SLR and will need time to get them developed
and scanned.

I've scanned more shots of the NALUG layout at Supertrain:

http://plaza.powersurfr.com/acme/supertrain2001/

As you can see, the layout was quite large.  We were fortunate
that we managed to get everthing reasonably presentable in
time.  Let us know what you think.

Nice job on the long shots... that's one thing the Mavica doesn't go a great
job on; it tends to pixilate too much for good long focus shots.

You also got a shot that I didn't think to grab - the mountain in pieces:
  http://plaza.powersurfr.com/acme/supertrain2001/layout_empty3.jpg

One large chunk in the distance, a chunk of mountain & a couple bags of
loose mountain bits in the foreground, and just a hint of a corner in the
right side of the frame.  It didn't travel well, but at least I know how to
fix that for next time.

Thanks,

James

 

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