The NMRA Train Show, Toronto, Ontatio Canada July 19-20, 2003
Wow what excitement. It was alot of work but well worth the time and effort. It took me five hours to set the layout up by myself on Friday. I did not get all of the one hundred and fifty locomotives on the table, but it was close.
One of the highlight of the layout was the dual
operating bascule bridges. More on the bridges can be found 'bascule
bridges' . Also, we were operating a 63 car train of bethgon
hoppers around the layout, which alot of people were amazed that it
stayed on the track all weekend (am I boasting).
My digital layout is twenty-seven by eight feet. If you
want to know more about the construction of the layout visit the web
page called 'building
my digital layout', here in my web site. A few key items I should
communicate; first, the television monitor was used to show the images
of a wireless camera I have in the led unit of the consist. This gave
patrons a view of what it was like to ride in the cab of a locomotive
on my layout. Second, my laptop computer was used to control the
consists on the layout. This allowed me to spend more time talking with
patrons about the joy of model railroading.
Above you can see Rick, my cousin, helping out with the layout on Saturday.
This shot was taken in the inside of the layout to show you just what is under the table. Alot of boxes and tools used to set up the layout. Just watch your step!
During the show many people got to watch the train operate. Two major consists where operating here.
Although the picture is not very good, the pride of my work is really my software. Here you can see the GUI screen being used to control a consist on the layout. Notice the image on the screen showing the 'cab view' from the wireless camera installed in the lead locomotive of consist #10 (five SD80MAC and one 9-44CW with a camera installed). We were allowing people to operate the train just like and engineer! It was amazing to see where you where operating on your layout. So many people enjoyed it.
Again, if you where here, email me. I would love to hear from you.