Steve (and all the “brothers”), Good job on exposing our scale! Next to those who do all the hard work of carting S portable layouts to train shows, I think that having our S layouts open at NMRA conventions is the best way to show the model railroading public the size benefits that we enjoy, and to overcome the myth that everything must be scratchbuilt in S.
While I can’t come close to matching your numbers, this last weekend I had 15 visitors from our NMRA 4th Division. I also gave a clinic on modeling the prototype that featured many of my RTR models and kits to show what’s available in S if you look for it. The clinic was attended by about 35 non-S modelers. Another advantage of having the layout open (maybe!) is to get inspired to complete things. I have posted a photo of my new warehouse at Ames Junction that got “planted” quickly to be presentable for the open house. It can be viewed in my “Monon Route” photo album: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/photos/album/135944245/pic/647239785/view?picmode=large&mode=tn&order=ordinal&start=1&dir=asc Mid-States Steel + Wire Co. was serviced by the Monon, the NYC and the PRR back in the late ‘40’s. Roger Nulton From: Steve Doyle Sent: Monday, May 20, 2013 11:47 AM To: s-scale Subject: {S-Scale List} Weekend Fun This past weekend, the Thousand Lakes region (TLR) of the NMRA held its annual convention in Bloomington, Minnesota and attracted folks from all over the upper Midwest and Canada for some many interesting clinics and more than two dozen layout open houses. Brothers Ken Zieska and Dave Hamilton made sure S-Scale was well-represented in the planning. Ken helped organize the clinics which included Monster Model Works, Clever Brothers and several excellent sessions on realistic scenery, weathering, vital tools for the modeler and others. Dave hosted an operating session on his huge CB&Q HO layout, but his visitors also could see his really cool S-Scale switching layout. The Mighty Q was also on display as I hosted nearly 60 visitors to my Chicago and Illinois-region CB&Q layout. For those of you who attended the picnic and layout tour before the start of the Duluth National Convention in 2010, there have been lots of additions in scenery and trackage. The transfer yard below the Chicago skyline now is full functional with freight house, Bordens creamery, Marigold Foods Cold Storage, freighthouse, scale house, TOFC ramp and two team tracks. The 3-set Burlington bi-level commuter cars behind an E-8 roll out from under the massive Old Federal Post Office for suburban stops west to Aurora, with the inbound and outbound California Zephyrs rolling past the transfer yard which represents one of 500 (!) such yards in Chicago in the '40s-'50s. The farmland scene on the banks of the Spoon River spanned by the Pratt truss, covered bridge and 2-arch concrete bridge is all finished. And the village of Wataga on the reverse side of the viewblock is now virtually complete, just awaiting Rt 66 weathering and telephone wires. The comments overheard from the largely HO visitors was that they couldn't believe so much was available in S in buildings, rolling stock and motive power. While the skyline is pretty unique in this area, they were asking questions about several of our better known building manufacturers which comprise many of my structures, such as Pine Canyon, Monster Model Works, Bar Mills, Imagine That Laser Art, Downtown Deco and DSL. They also enjoyed the custom-made structures including the Old Federal Post Office and Lift Bridge from Custom Model Railroad, historic Stone Avenue station by Gerry Evans and LaGrange Post Office by Monroe Models. River Raisin's many locomotives such as the Pioneer Zephyr and 0-6-0 worked flawlessly and drew accolades. We also had some families with their kids who were tugging at the sleeves to get their parents to buy some S Scale for them! All in all, it's been a great month here for visitors with another 50+ guys who were in town for the Sn3 Symposium in late-April. I know it's been mentioned before, but there's nothing like layout tours to focus one's attention, build structures and scenery like crazy and probably most important - get the layout cleaned off and running trains! I hadn't turned track power on since early November and I held my breath when I powered up with a week to go before the Sn3-ers arrived, but everything went well and the winter climate hadn't magically closed or opened any gaps or kinks. Was a hectic month and am gratified it's over but now have to fight the letdown and keep on an easier schedule to complete areas or projects. Now that his heavy workload getting ready for the TLR is over, Brother Zieska swears that all the bickering and tail-chasing on this list has caused him to go over to the Dark Side of lobster-claw couplers and cookie-cutter wheelsets. We hope to do a laying-on of hands or at least a séance to rid him of the Aliens, so there's at least some hope you'll hear wry and cynical observations from him again in the not-too-distant future. That's all from the Northland where the layouts are all above average and the ice was off Crystal Bay just two weeks ago! Our first chance of snow begins again in three weeks, so we're all trying to enjoy summer while it lasts. Steve (Doyle) Twin Cities
