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Maybe I'm taking this the wrong way.
See comments below
Larry Pieniazek wrote:
> Mike Poindexter wrote:
> >
> > John,
> >
> > Is there some reason to put 20 levels of bricks other than to use up all those
> > bricks in colors nobody likes?
>
> There are two competing philosophies here...
>
> PNLTC has tables. They put their tables together and they build the
> layout "from scratch" each time, putting track together and buildings
> down, etc. onto a brown or green colored table. At least that is what I
> understand (especially since I have seen a video of them setting up).
> This makes for a highly flexible, but long time to set up, layout. Every
> show is different! It can take all day to set up and 1/2 day to tear
> down
Well, it's almost from scratch. We work on a table arrangement and a track plan for
each show so we have a "schematic" to work from to ease on setup. Some of us have
pre-built modules, not a set number of bricks deep. We just make sure the track
height is going to line up at the height that is needed. We've trimmed our setup
time down tremendously. We've been able to do most setups in under 5 hours, and
that's at a leisurely pace because we're chatting the whole time. Now tear down has
improved dramatically, an hour to two.
Last night we had a show at my kids school carnival. Dan Parker and myself set up a
little on Thursday night, 1 1/2 hours on Friday by myself, then Dan P. and Dave
VinZant showed up and an hour and half later we were fully up and running. So it
was roughly 3 people 3 hours set-up.
Now it wasn't one of our biggest layouts, but it was complex to a certain extent.
We had to design the layout for the stage, and because we didn't want kids to stand
to the steps, we built part of it over the steps. It was a two level layout, one
at a 36" height (covering the steps), the other on the stage at a 30" height (18"
above the first), 2 lower loops 2 upper loops and 4 kids loops (500 to 600 sections
of track). There was 5 bridges: 60", 45", two 30", and a new 25". For tables we
had 13 30x60's, 1 30x45, 1 30x30, and 2 15x30.
There was 5 people for tear down, we were on our way home in less than an hour and a
half.
> GMLTC has modules. Each module is a completely scenicked environment and
> the track is permanently affixed to the lego below. Only the very large
> buildings that otherwise would make the module too tall to transport
> effectively are removed, and they always go back in the same place.
> GMLTC modules are more like model railroad modules in that they are
> pre-built.
I'll admit GMLTC's modules look nice, lots of nice scenery.
> This makes for a fairly rigid (you can vary the number of modules you
> bring, and the order in which you arrange them, but a module has what it
> has on it unless you tear down and build again, something that N-trak
> can't do as easily, LOL) but fast to set up. Modules are brought in on
> wheeled racks, out of the custom trailer, deployed onto the folddown
> tables, and you're up and running in 1/2 hour, and you can tear down in
> about the same time.
I was wondering how may ways you could arrange those modules. As I understand the
tables are 30x45 (or larger), does the track come out in the same place on *each*
module? It didn't look that way but just wondering.
> Now, you COULD make modules out of something else than Lego and just
> affix the track via nails or whatever.
>
> But given that they are Lego, and given that they are 30 to 50 or so
> inches wide, you NEED to be 15 bricks high. Think about what a 30 inch
> wide, 45 inch long 5 brick high module would be like. It would be too
> fragile to live without a sheet of plywood always underneath it. These
> modules can be lifted up, flipped over, stacked on top of each other,
> etc.
>
> Now, as it turns out, the modules DO live in wooden carriers that have
> power strips on them etc. once they are done, but during construction
> they do not.
As I saw in another post by John N. that stated modules have to stay on plywood. So
yes there is quite a bit of lego there, but it still has to sit on wooden tables
maybe similar to the ones we use.
> Given that they have to mostly be 15 bricks high for structural
> integrity, that has been taken advantage of. There IS a subway in one
> module, and the features such as the Ore Dock and some of the bridges
> are built in at track level instead of elevated.
>
> PNLTC approach is much much cheaper. GMLTC is much much more purist.
> GMLTC is lucky to have a fanatic such as Conan who has millions of
> bricks to build modules with. He is the entire reason the club exists.
Cheaper? Huh? Not-as-pure? I'm sorry but I don't understand, maybe I'm just taking
this wrong. I know you have alot of bricks, probably far more than me, but we both
know their cost. At PNLTC we have some members with very small collections that do
want they can with what they've got, and some with collections that make the others
short circuit. :-)
If Conan has millions of bricks to build modules with, is there much cost to other
members? Sounds like a really great person to share Lego like that.
Now mind you this is all coming from the guy that uses burps for mountains and Duplo
for backing support, all from Lego. I wish I had a million gray, brown, green, and
tan bricks and plates to make my scenery in, but hey I do what I can with what I've
got. :-)
Well I've got some new sets to go get that a friend brought from Norway.
I think I'm going to go build, later.
Tom
--
Thomas's & Kristin's Home Page
http://home1.gte.net/trafert1/
PNLTC Member
http://www.pnltc.org/
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Message has 3 Replies:
 | | Re: Train tables
|
| It seems to me that there are two fundamental differences between the PNLTC and the GMLTC. Even though I live within I hour of the GMLTC, it would be almost impossible for me to build my own module and just show up at some of the GMLTC train shows (...) (25 years ago, 5-Jun-99, to lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org, lugnet.loc.us.mn.msp)
| | | Re: Train tables
|
| (...) Actually, yes the track pops out at exactly the same place on every module, 2 studs in for the outside loop, and another 4 studs in after that for the second loop. (...) Well, they don't *have* to, it's just much easier that way. If y'all are (...) (25 years ago, 5-Jun-99, to lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org, lugnet.loc.us.mn.msp)
| | | Re: Train tables
|
| (...) Naa. Neither approach is **better**. They are just different. (...) Sure. To do a PNLTC module base takes some wood, some paint, some hardware. 100 bucks at most, and that's no doubt high. Then there is the track itself, as well as the (...) (25 years ago, 6-Jun-99, to lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org, lugnet.loc.us.mn.msp)
|
Message is in Reply To:
| | Re: Train tables
|
| (...) There are two competing philosophies here... PNLTC has tables. They put their tables together and they build the layout "from scratch" each time, putting track together and buildings down, etc. onto a brown or green colored table. At least (...) (25 years ago, 4-Jun-99, to lugnet.trains, lugnet.trains.org, lugnet.loc.us.mn.msp)
|
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