A Community centered layout design

Classic Toy Trains Forum
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I worked as a volunteer on the Vicksburg Historical Society’s O Gauge Christmas or Winter Layout from 2000 to 2006.

There was never a clear goal in mind of what the Train Layout was supposed to represent by some of the Museum’s full time staff.

A building project that the whole community can visit would be a great goal.

The Vicksburg Historical Society staff and volunteers have attempted it and have made a fair, small version of the exhibit.

The progression of quality has stalled and the exhibits are not thoroughly designed or completed.

Compressed space models of Southwest Michigan villages, cities, and the railroads that connect them. Put them in a multiple story building that is either 70’ x 70’ or 20’ x 300’. What would be created is a slice of the countryside that follows the railroad and connects the communities in Southwestern Michigan and Northern Indiana.

Recreate the Grand Trunk Western Railroad in compressed space from Battle Creek to Climax-Scotts to Pavilion to Vicksburg to Schoolcraft to Edwardsburg to South Bend

Recreate the Pennsylvania Railroad and New York Central from around Elkhart to Schoolcraft and Vicksburg to Kalamazoo to Grand Rapids.

Need builders that have designers and drafters with the proper computer programs, so the whole concept can be precisely planned before construction.

Skilled contractors can build and wire these exhibits with the same materials and techniques used to build homes. They can be built much better by large groups of coordinated workers than a few volunteers.

Lumber, extruded polystyrene, paint, stain, screening, wires, and electrical connections are the material needed to build these interactive exhibits. Building Contractors have used these materials and can expertly assemble anything .

Charge admission to the visitors or guests.

3-Rail O Scale Models and 3-Rail O Gauge Track

MTH Premier ScaleTrax is one of the bett

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Andrew, though other such public displays have been built by individuals and have been successful attractions, what you are talking about takes tremendous amounts of time and money. It’s difficult to build something on a grand scale with limited funds and relying on volunteers to make it happen. Not to mention that many of the products you mention in your listing are top line products, and therefore costly.

"Need builders that have designers and drafters with the proper computer programs, so the whole concept can be precisely planned before construction … Skilled contractors can build and wire these exhibits with the same materials and techniques used to build homes. They can be built much better by large groups of coordinated workers than a few volunteers."

Again, you either have the budget to pay people (and qualifed professionals tend to want to be paid as such) or you rely on volunteers. Granted, you may have very qualified volunteers, but you are still limited as to when they have free time to donate to the project.

I have found from doing train shows, that some of the most popular and talked about displays are the ones that are simple, small and practical. I myself had built a portable door layout that was made almost entirely of scavanged, free, used, donated, or very affordable materials. The purpose of this was to show potential newcomers to the hobby just how possible it is to do the hobby on a budget without spending tons of money and time.

I still get comments as to why I don’t do that anymore? I remember a TCA guy, real money-oriented collector, telling me he missed my display and thought it was one of the best he’d ever seen. I took that as a real compliment as I didn’t think he would have noticed. He went on to say it was the practicality and size of my layout that was so appealing… this was the kind of layout that was attainable for most folks.

So while big layouts with impressive vistas and the very best of 3-ra

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That might be a case of putting all the eggs in one basket.

You do have a point that the other way to go is to make 10 less expensive 4’ x 8’ layouts, most with starter set level equipment, and spread them throughout the community.

Andrew