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In lugnet.loc.us.ca.sf, "David K. Z. Harris" <zonker@gnac.com> writes:
> Don't forget that GATS (the Great American Train Show) may roll
> into the bay area around November...
It depends on the date; I'm producing the West Coast A Cappella Summit on Nov
18/19, so that weekend is out.
> As an example, I think that working the booth all day is hard on a
> person, and we should consider working in shifts. I also think that
> we should have had a few more folks around the booth. (With just two,
> it was too hard to talk to visitors, and still watch for trouble on
> all four sides of the layout...once 3-4 folks were there in the
> afternoon, things seemed to work better, in my opinion.) So, for
> future shows, we probably ought to have more involvement by other
> club members, signing up for booth duty. How many folks would be
> interested in general? How many folks could commit to the Hayward show?
I will volunteer for the Hayward event; I don't mind talking all day, either.
We can figure out what to say....
I have enough track (I think) to al least help recreate the SJ layout, but I
don't have switchable points, if Mike doesn't want to bring up the modules for
January. Where do I get those switchable points, anyway??
>
> So many folks had no idea that LEGO made trains.
That was the number one comment I heard all day Saturday. I hope someone
brought a catalog Sunday?
For future shows, Plexiglass around the outside is a must! On a table layout
like we had in SJ, a 12" high piece around the outside of the trains will keep
the kids from getting at the trains, while allowing BAYLTC members to reach
over and fix things when needed.
I'm sorry that the "play area" got out of hand - I didn't intend for it to
become a general play area, I was just trying to throw together a couple of
cars to add to the display, and things got out of hand. But if we plan for
something like that in the next show, it should be OK. Maybe a couple of Duplo
train sets and extra duplo blocks, so there's no way to confuse the "play"
stuff with the display stuff. I'll start looking for them for use in Hayward.
I grabbed all the (free) catalogs I could for rolling stock and buildings
inspiration. Watch for a "Galloping Goose" to appear soon....
Thoughts for next time, mostly courtesy of Mike P. at dinner (I know I forgot
some)
1) CATALOGS. We should work through Brad to arrange for a couple of cases of
Lego S@H catalogs to be sent to the LTC which is going to the show. Also, one
box of each currently available starter set (4561, 4565, 3225 and Duplo) should
be brought so people know what to look for.
2) Sources. We had a lot of people ask where to buy train sets. The LTCs should
cooperate to put together a FAQ on acquiring Lego trains, specifically
retailers online and by region which are likely to have the standard train
sets.
3) Plexiglass. For a flat table layout like we had, a 12 inch high protector
would be perfect. I'm not sure what will be needed for Mike's modules....
4) Build on-site. I wish I'd had a lot more wheel sets so I could have kept
building cars all during the show. I think one of the most effective "selling
points" of Lego trains is the ability to use any Lego you already have to make
cars. I put together a "King Tut" car using some Desert Adventurer bricks and a
sarcophagus lid --- people GOT IT! They recognized the bricks as being from a
Lego set they had seen in the stores, as opposed to "train" sets.
The water tower had UFO graphics still showing on the top and bottom, as those
were the saucer pieces that got "recycled" - lots of kids, and some adults,
recognized them, and everyone understood about brick re-use when I explained
that our town's water tower was a captured alien spaceship....
5) Talking points - this would be part of a FAQ, perhaps, but the talking
points are: Lego's inherent flexibility (compared to regular model trains) for
creating rolling stock, Lego's imagination-boosting and problem-solving
qualities, and it's sturdyness - unlike regular model trains, if you drop a
Lego car, you just rebuild it...
Cost of entry into the hobby is a little higher than standard trains, but
there's so much more you can do with Lego.
There were others, but I don't remember them.
Paul Sinasohn
LUGNET #115
BAYLUG/BAYLTC
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Message has 1 Reply:
 | | Re: NMRA show (the first of many?)
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| Another "future" point that Mike & I talked about: a "drive-in" featuring a laptop showing a looping presentation of LUGNET train MOCs. This file could easily be created as a Powerpoint "pack & go" executable - it could even run on my Jornada 820, (...) (24 years ago, 7-Aug-00, to lugnet.loc.us.ca.sf, lugnet.trains.org)
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Message is in Reply To:
| | NMRA show (the first of many?)
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| Well, the NMRA show is now behind us. Kudoes to GMLTC and PNLTC who paved the way for LEGO Train Clubs (even if they have set the bar *very high* for those that folllow them.;-). Many 'regulars' from the NMRA circuit remembered them, and commented (...) (24 years ago, 7-Aug-00, to lugnet.loc.us.ca.sf)
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