As I have done in the past couple of years, I offer to bring trains during the Holiday Season to some special events taking place in my area, As an example I just put a loop of track around the Christmas Tree at our towns Senior Citizen Center. To keep the train that runs on the loop as trouble free as possible I chose one of my Lionel DC Engines, 8001, NKP, 2-6-4, and a string of 3 freight cars, plus a K-Line LIRR Caboose. The seniors love it, and it runs 8 to 9 hours a day without trouble. Next week, I’ll switch out the 8001, for my 8007 New Haven, and then my 8008 Chessie. If I let them use an AC engine, I would have locked it in the forward direction, as I do with a set that will go around the tree at work. My point being that setting up these type of small train displays, is an easy way to share the joy, and remind people of our hobby. However, if you also decide to do this, PLEASE make sure you use equipment that runs as smoothly, and trouble free as possible. This past weekend, an in town agency sposored a pre-Christmas Party for famalies in need, and already had a offer from someone to set up a train display. We were away for the day, but when I checked my voice mail, I had 3 messages from this agency asking if I could still bring a train over as the person who offered brought 2 different sets that did not work, and they wound up with a lot of disapointed kids. Granted this person made the offer with all good intentions, BUT PLEASE check out what you want to bring ahead of time !! I remember a train and toy show in Pennsylvania about 8 years ago, where a local model train brought a pretty large layout, and 4 hours into the show, NOTHING was running, and the club members stood around and argued over who brought the worse trains. NOT GOOD ! SO PLEASE, share the joy, just make sure what you set up runs !! and…once again to the Parents of America, if you pass a train display, and your kids show an interest, DON"T RUSH THEM AWAY, it’s a great hobby !! Ken PS
I myself getting ready to take a layout to the CLC (Comunity living center (nursing home) at the VA were I work . I’m trying to figure which is best to take. I would like to take a lionel set but would like to hook up TMCC if I do so each of them could blow the whistle from the remote vise trying to get them ( most wheel chair bound) close enough to transformer and then pick up the transformer. What I was thinking maybe just set up a circle of G and put a steam set with 2 passenger cars behind it that way they could just plug it in or unplug it and it would go (or stop depending plugging in or unplugging lol)
Good points! In public settings, I have used a basic Lionel set - with 027 track and a loco, tender, and open cars, like flats and gons - all running off a simple transformer with a direction button, whistle button and throttle. It was 'bullet-proofed" with just two wires to the track. The loco smoked, the whistle blew, kids could put things in the cars. When someone inadvertently knocked it off the track, it was easy to put back on even for the youngest. With just seniors or grown-ups, we added 2 manual switches which could be thrown to all the train to go into a passing track.
For me, I push the Take a Train to Work idea to Christmastime. I teach and for the last four years I have set up a simple loop of track on my desk in my classroom. A number of my students have never seen a model train in person. They are absolutely glued to it–and they’re eighth graders. One boy just yesterday asked if he could find a set like mine so he could put it around his tree at home. There is just something magical about the clack-clack of the wheels, the puffs of smoke filling the room, and the smell of ozone from the transformer. One day maybe I will hook up the tmcc and let the students take turns controlling the engine.
Anyway, I guess in my little way I’m trying to share the love I have of model trains–and give my students an experience they might not have anywhere else–an indelible moment they will carry with them into adulthood.