This venture into a front yard layout has been a blast. I finished up the upper line connection to the helix yesterday so I’m at about 300’ of track. People stop and talk while I’m working on the line so I get to meet lots of people. Yesterday I put the Connie on the track and instantly had several kids watching. When I asked them if they wanted to run the train I had lots of takers. R/C battery is easy so the kids had a ball. I just sat back and watched. Pretty soon I had about 30 kids taking turns running the train. Their moms and grandmothers brought even more kids to watch. When I had to return to Gold Cayon I had lots of help carrying cars back to the garage too. G scale is great. The kids can play with them and not really hurt anything. I can’t think of a time when I had more fun with my layouts.
Rex I have had my layout in my front yard for several years now. It is great. You can really have fun at Christmas. My neighbors start asking me around October when I will start with my Christmas setup. Enjoy.
Fruit of your labor is now very sweet! Feels very good. Just wait till the kids ask the parents for trains LOL.
William,
Don’t wanna change the topic here, but he’s gonna need some aspirin before long, ya think. All that bobb’ins gonna give’im a headache…
Byron
Hi Rex, Glad to see things are going to plan, can I just make one comment as to people knowing you keep the locos and rolling stock in the garage. Have you got good insurance cover in case the worst happens and it gets stolen. Here in England ive got my rolling stock on the house contents insurance this is covered as the layout is with in my boundries.My locos come in doors so they are safe. I know no body wants to loose any thing put to replace rolling stock is cheaper than locos[:)]
Part of my devious security plan is to enlist the kids in watching out for possible problems as was suggested by our Canadian forum friend. Yes I do have insurance, the garage locks, the locos go into my shop inside the house at night, and I have a big German shepard named Patton and a “killer” minature wiener dog named Kasey. I plan to leave the buildings out most of the year and as you all know those generally cost more than the rolling stock. Oh and the local patrolling police also stop by to see how the layout is progressing.
It was really fun to have kids ask if they can try another car on the train. I say sure just go find one you like and off they go. Kids can be polite when they want to be. I hope to have enough going on that there won’t be any fights - lots of parents there anyway as I think they are just bigger kids and want to see the trains run too. Maybe I’ll need that aspirn in the future but right now there is a big ole grin on my face.
Rex
Byron
Yeah [:D] he going to need a aspirn as the “big” kids and “small” kids have a all out fight [:-,]
As of something more intense is insurance, you know $$$$ insurance on the land. I have it here just incase, never know!?
Ready to buy kid train mans hats?
Maybe off topic but I made a house alarm out of a car alarm system, it works and still works today! Just a thought?! [C):-)]
Great idea for a house alarm but as mentioned above I have a pretty effective one - a German Shepard.
That said we do have a serious problem with home intrusions here in AZ from all the illegal aliens coming across the border. We had an attempted breakin here in our Gold Canyon home (the Phoenix, AZ area). We were not home at the time but it sure scared the chief of staff. Patton must have gotten the intruder as there was blood left in the laundry room and garage door as the guy made his exit. Patton mangaled the door handle where he continued to try and get the guy. The police didn’t think the guy would file a dog bite report though.
I don’t think the illegals are after well used model train rolling stock. They are more interested in things like food or TV’s and stereos they can sell for a fast buck. The police in Pinetop know about my layout so if anything is taken for attempted resale they will have a pretty good idea where it came from.
Rex
Not knocking your dog, foam mace would put him down.
Taser, .22 cal pistol, etc… I just can not help but think of the worst Rex! Being a ex-cop and going to wrecks and all I guess you just have to.
Anyways…I am yapping again [banghead]
The illlegals can recyle the track. My parents have had their house broken into and the burglars have stolen all the copper piping.
Yeah Rex,
I know what you mean about killer Wiener,
Mine is named Pepper, an she’s 13 years old and you still best not just reach out at her just anytime you want too, if you don’t know her.
My experience with the trains being stolen is they want a quick turnover item for the ol’ drug money. Ain’t no one interested in these big trains, especially the ol’ pawn shops.
I’ve even had different ones ask, arn’t you afraid somone will steal’em. My response has been, walk over there a bit, an the motion light comes on, than I say, now the alarms goin off in my bedroom, an that shot gun is a pointing out the window shortly.
I live in a pretty high crime area, here in the Hurricane Alley of Florida, and as yet haven’t never been bothered, cause they don’t have any source to get rid of these things quickly. Even if they did steal them, and I told the ones asking, that if you do steal them, just to have one, who else has any of these here in town ?? I’d know it was mine and you’d be in jail shortly.
Ended that line of questioning real quick, and as I say I’ve never been bothered by any of the surrounding people.
As it is everyone enjoys seeing them also, so it’s kind’a like a certain respect for the fact that you allow them to enjoy them along with you. Know what I mean…
Byron
If they come in armed a house alarm isn’t going to do much to stop them either. Response time for the police in Pinetop or Gold Canyon is more than a half hour even with a house alarm service. Its better closer into town but we chose to live out a ways. If they want my trains enough to kill my dog, me, and my family well there is not much I could do baring arming myself which I suppose I should do these days. What is this world coming to???
Anyway I started this thread on a happy note about how much fun I was having with the neighborhood kids. I hope it stays that way.
Rex
Yeah, I think it will pretty much…
Byron
my experiance has been that most kids are pretty sharp, once they develop the friendship with you and gain confidence in you they will let you know who to watch out for; and often warn you if something’s planned! Now if they didn’t like or respect you, all bets are off!
This is where what they call “street smarts” comes into play, if you indicate you wanna be a friend, in most cases they will be a friend too…
Byron
For a while I had seven little neighbor girls plus my granddaughter who hung out in my back yard. All around age five. Many have moved away now, but it was very entertaining to watch what little girls do when presented with small dolls, doll furniture, a hundred plastic farm animals, and several trains with gondolas. They stayed occupied for 5 hours at a stretch.
Since there is only my granddaughter and one neighbor girl now, the excitement has died down. I find myself pondering a hole in the fence to run a branch line into the front.
My only concern is, since the low life’s are invading back yards in our neighborhood to rip the copper coils out of our heat pumps, and the wiring from the accent lights, how long before they discover the rails?
Still, I might risk a venture to the front yard, just to build up a new group of visitors.
DID YOU KNOW?
Did you know Wall-Mart sells plastic bags of cowboys, Indians, horses, army guys, farm animals.
Yea, the little plastic ones we used to shoot with BB guns and blow up with firecrackers. They are still cheap. A couple bucks for a bag of a dozen or so. Ten bags of them cost less than a flat car.
AGES FOUR TO SIX>
Speaking of flat cars, Hart land gondolas and flats are great for kids. Let them move real loads of cattle, cowboys and horses. Be sure to watch which animals or cowboys each child picks out as his or her favorite. Ask the child what the (horse , Indian, etc)'s name is.
When the moms come to collect their kids, ask the mom if it is OK if her child keeps the animal or figure safe at her house for next time, and then hand it to the child and explain, “Keep this at your house so he (it’s name) won’t get lost the next time you come to play.” I’m bad with names so, keep a pad handy and make notes.
Some of us have gotten old, having raised teenagers, we forget how to play. In case you forgot what 5 year olds are like.
ROFLMAO…oh I am hurtn and cryn to hard, twis a good one!
How to prepare for little visitors:
This is great stuff. You obviously have had a lot of experience. I’ve printed your advice out and will keep it in my shop just to remind me of the cardinal rules for little visitors. Hopefully there is more similar advice out there from those who have been through it.
Rene,
This kind of advice is worth an article in your great magazine.
Rex
Bob’s stuff was very well written! Humorous, yet factual! Got many often forgotten points across without lecturing! Awesome writing skill, and a lot of people skill shows through!