Yesterday my club, the VTCA had what we’re hoping to make a regular event, an open-house display of various layouts of all scales and sizes. We had a ball! And quite a few people stopped in to admire the trains and layouts. A number of young families too, which was quite gratifying. Here’s some shots I took of the going’s on.
The front door. “Come on in!”
Guess who showed up?
Pre-War, Post-War, Modern Era, we’ve got it all!
From Standard Gauge…
Down to N Gauge
The N Gauge layout’s one I built back in the 90’s and donated to the club. Here’s a couple of close-ups…
One of my own trains on a run.
A superb donated HO layout.
And some assorted shots of the various layouts.
Quite a turnout!
And if any of you reading these words stopped by yesterday thanks for coming!
And for those of you living in the Richmond VA area our next open house will be February 22d from 10:00 AM to 3:00 PM. Location is Westchester Commons Mall, 313 Perimeter Drive (Left of Target) Midlothian VA. Admission is free so come and join the fun!
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Wish I didn’t live so far away. Great photos!
Rich
thank you for sharing, there are no train clubs or train shows in my area closes one is 2hr. away.
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You’re welcome, and my sympathies about your living in a club desert.
I can understand, there’s some shows I’d like to go to like the Amherst Society show up in Massachusetts or the Greenberg Edison NJ show but I just can’t justify the travel. The TCA York show is pretty much my limit.
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Thanks for sharing. It looks like a good time was had…
David
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We did! And I’m amazed how fast the day went by. I was there at 9:00 for the show prep and the next thing I knew it was 3:00! The hours just flew past!
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We had our second open house yesterday and it was a great success with 200 people walking in to enjoy the trains! Not too much different as to the layouts but here’s a few shots for everyone.
Some PCC action:
A Standard Gauge standout:
A “Frozen” train! I guess you open the throttle and “Let It Go!”
We’re looking forward to doing it again next month, March 22d!
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Great photos. I absolutely love that streetcar in the first photo. Reminds me of the streetcars that once ran in Chicago.
Rich
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I agree with Rich; great photographs. All excellent. Granddaughters love the ‘Frozen Train’.
David
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Thanks! I lucked into that one at the York show in October. It’s an MTH product that’s a replica of the Philadelphia Transportation Company’s PCC from 1947. The thing is if I hadn’t read an article in “Railpace” magazine concerning the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority (SEPTA) restoring their PCC’s to the “as delivered” configuration I’d have had no idea of what I was looking at. Needless to say this is one I didn’t let get away!
And you are correct, the Chicago PCC’s had a very similar paint scheme. I think trainz has an MTH one of them for sale if you’re interested.
That it is! It’s kind of gimmicky with flashing lights in the tender’s woodpile but little girls like it.
I guess Lionel finally came up with a “Girls Train” that sells! 
Just to add a bit, since I posted those photos we’ve lost that location BUT we’ve moved to a new one at another mall. Presently it’s a work in progress with a targeted opening date of 11/22. So far, so good. I’ll post pictures in a new thread when it happens.
It’s been awhile since we heard about this . Looking forward to further updates.
Rich
Now you need to do one for Small World, with all the dolls in the cars and the theme playing over and over and over and over and no way to mute it.
(In the interest of fair disclosure: I rode the original ride at the 1964 Fair, loved that song all the way through and wasn’t tired of it, and loved singing it later. Of course, I was only seven at the time. But perhaps appallingly I still love it…)
