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Can everyone make Nov 23rd?
I can’t really focus on anything but next weekend at the moment.
I thought the theater show was on the following Monday (Nov 25).
I hadn’t done my research, Tim, but you’re right. Looks like at the Waterfront and in Robinson… interesting.
Josh wrote:
Can everyone make Nov 23rd?I can’t really focus on anything but next weekend at the moment.
Amen to that.
OK, now that Greenberg’s over, we gotta get on this one! I gots questions:
1) Are we keeping the track on baseplates, like Greenberg? (I say yes, just clarifying b/c on Laura’s latest map some of the pink track does not appear to be on green squares, which represent 10″ baseplates unless I’m off my rocker.)
2) I agree with the wintry/Christmas theme, so in Laura’s layout, would we still try to have both a town and a Santa’s North Pole village? Maybe have Santa HQ to the far right, near the bigger turn, and have a few squares of forest separating that from the town section, which could be closer to the tree farm. Speaking of, we’d need a lot of Christmas trees for the tree farm, yea? Do we have a standard look / size we’re shooting for? Brick-built like Doug’s, or stock parts like these two: http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=3471 http://www.bricklink.com/catalogItem.asp?P=2435 ?
3)
one thing about the layout is we’re going to want to make room for tim’s 3×3 admin building…
Space might be tight, but yeah, that’d be great to fit in there. As would the forklift warehouse, Santa castle (white bldg), and Greg’s ball contraption, too. Laura, how accurate are your measurements in your sketch? Looks like the red lines (tables) aren’t all the same length or width – is that intentional, based on what you know to be available? Greg, what are the footprints of your buildings, again?
4) I am totally fine with not having a mountain, but IF there’s room and people would like, I can try to revive it (some of it died in transit last night) and make it less full of suckitude. Maybe by making it a bit smaller, and/or rebuilding on a straightaway so the clearances for the trains aren’t so tricky. If we do use the mountain, I’d think either on the bottom left corner (above the word “Control”) or along the straightaway somewhere (as part of the visual break between Santa land and the town) would be the way to go, yinz think?
5) Just to bump Tim’s question:
Is the Museum closed to the public until the November 29th opening? Or will we be setting up in a public space (in which case, what are the security arrangements between set up and the 29th)?
6) Setup = the 23rd would be quite hard for me to make, but I might be able to get there in the late afternoon. If the group chooses that day, I’ll figure something out. Then again, depending on whether the mountain is involved, I may not have much to contribute anyway (guess I could help build some trees, filler baseplates, and whatnot…)
7) Another bump, for the Doodle: http://doodle.com/fb93vfb9827pa3ri – Sign up for a shift or three!
Matt, you are reading my mind. After a great discussion with Laura on Sunday, I have BlueBricked the layout based on her layout proposal and what we may be able to reuse from the Greenberg show. I am assuming that people’s MOCs will be available so, if not, we will need to adjust. Also, this is just a draft so anyone who wants to add, change, subtract, let’s figure it out here. The biggest changes I have made from Laura’s last draft layout are (1) I have added in a second circuit so that we can have two trains running simultaneously, and (2) I have put a siding onto each circuit so that it will be easier to change trains. It appears that it will all fit but if not, we can certainly lose the inner circuit.
I am good with trying to keep the track up on baseplates. I will try to do up some of the track around the winter section in white.
Matt, could you do the mountain in the back corner by the 9-v controlers? It would need to be a smaller footprint than what you had at Greenberg but perhaps you could go for height rather than width.
Saturday, November 23 I can be at the Museum from 9am to 1pm. I think Laura said she could have the room open for us most of the day but she will need to confirm that.
Is the Museum closed to the public until the November 29th opening? Or will we be setting up in a public space (in which case, what are the security arrangements between set up and the 29th)?
The Museum is open; however, the space we are setting up in will not be open to the public until the 29th. There is a security system on the building.
I have BlueBricked the layout based on her layout proposal and what we may be able to reuse from the Greenberg show
Looks like a nice plan Tim, only the small tables are 24×48 so that’s going to constrain the track a little bit more than is shown in your drawing. One other thing is I don’t know if we have enough track, even between the two of us. I contacted a guy on Bricklink that is willing to sell me 72 lengths of straight track for $300, but I don’t have the money at the moment (Christmas coming and all).
Saturday, November 23 I can be at the Museum from 9am to 1pm. I think Laura said she could have the room open for us most of the day but she will need to confirm that.
I have an updated layout plan I’ll be posting in a few…
The 23rd seemed to be popular, but the option is still open for a different day, the 16th, 17th or 24th particularly. Yes I can have the room open all day for as long as we need.
Matt, could you do the mountain in the back corner by the 9-v controllers? It would need to be a smaller footprint than what you had at Greenberg but perhaps you could go for height rather than width.
That’s basically what I was thinking, assuming I do it at all. Smaller is better, for sure. Josh may need his gray 15″ baseplates back, anyway, so I could convert to green plates and work with that. Biggest concern is the trains’ turning footprints – as we learned this weekend, the Maersk and Polar Express actually swing wider to the inside (due to long wheelbases) than the Horizon Express. So, perhaps we can do six baseplates, in a 3-2-1 formation (see image), such that it covers that bottom left corner but is big enough to have at least 1 straight track on either end of the curve and the trains can thus enter/exit the tunnel without incident?
One other thing is I don’t know if we have enough track, even between the two of us. I contacted a guy on Bricklink that is willing to sell me 72 lengths of straight track for $300, but I don’t have the money at the moment (Christmas coming and all).
I’m assuming it’s 9V track, not the kind you’d need to modify? I could be convinced to chip in for that purchase – that’s a good price, eh? ~$4.20 / pc?
Looks like a nice plan Tim, only the small tables are 24×48 so that’s going to constrain the track a little bit more than is shown in your drawing. One other thing is I don’t know if we have enough track, even between the two of us. I contacted a guy on Bricklink that is willing to sell me 72 lengths of straight track for $300, but I don’t have the money at the moment (Christmas coming and all).
BlueBrick does not have 24×48 tables in its parts library so I “blacked out” (with black baseplates) the extra space and adjusted the draft layout. This layout would require 178 pieces of 9-v straight track. I just counted and I have 113 pieces of straight track. We would need 65 more pieces of straight track to complete both circuits as I have drafted them.
Matt, I added the mountain module to the layout using tan baseplates.
Matt, I added the mountain module to the layout using tan baseplates.
Cool; I only have 2 tan baseplates, though. Can I use my red one?!
But seriously, that’s mostly for visual distinction in the layout diagram, I’m guessing. Most of it will be covered in rocks, anyway. Unless I have a nervous breakdown and can’t get a rework done… in which case, at worst, I could provide mostly bare baseplates with track on them (or for Tim’s or Laura’s track to go on) and a little bit of foliage or something.
Thoughts on the $4.20/pc lot of 72 tracks @ $300 total? On Bricklink, it looks like that’s not the cheapest one can buy a straight track, but it’s right in the range for people who have any sort of quantity (and are in the States, presumably, for quick shipping?) Sounds like Tim and Laura might have enough for this display, but I’d still consider making the investment in some 9V track to help us out on future displays with greater ambitions… and it’s only gonna increase in value over time, right? Just like Monorail straight track! 😉
But seriously, that’s mostly for visual distinction in the layout diagram, I’m guessing.
Correct. I find it easier to use different color baseplates for different areas than to use the color layering function in BlueBrick.
Thoughts on the $4.20/pc lot of 72 tracks @ $300 total? On Bricklink, it looks like that’s not the cheapest one can buy a straight track, but it’s right in the range for people who have any sort of quantity (and are in the States, presumably, for quick shipping?) Sounds like Tim and Laura might have enough for this display, but I’d still consider making the investment in some 9V track to help us out on future displays with greater ambitions… and it’s only gonna increase in value over time, right? Just like Monorail straight track
The guy’s in Canada and said that shipping for a parcel of that size is going to run around $40. With the number Tim has indicated we do have enough track to cover this display, but I do think it would be worth the investment to get some more. Like you said, future displays are likely to be even more ambitions, and it would be best if we prepare now while we can still get 9v track.
The guy’s in Canada and said that shipping for a parcel of that size is going to run around $40.
I recently bought 40 tall pine trees and it cost less to get them from Germany than from Canada, even though the Canadian price for the parts themselves was about $4 less in Canada. On the bricklink forum, people generally agree that Germany has the best shipping prices in Europe.
On the bricklink forum, people generally agree that Germany has the best shipping prices in Europe.
In that case, this is our guy:
http://www.bricklink.com/store.asp?p=Alvi&bindID=30927
60 pcs straight 9V track @ ~$3.04 US (so $182.40 total, roughly, sans shipping. For 12 fewer sections than Laura’s guy, but still not bad, and less than the $340 that guy would charge.)
But Josh is right, Andrew also has some track. Still may not be a bad idea to snag some. I’d consider dropping the cash myself, but if anyone else wanted to chip in, that’d be even better.
Matt, I added the mountain module to the layout using tan baseplates.
I can has hi-res image / Bluebrick file to see exactly which studs get the tracks? Or are we not too concerned with the baseplates lining up back there?
I can has hi-res image / Bluebrick file to see exactly which studs get the tracks? Or are we not too concerned with the baseplates lining up back there?
There appears to be enough “wiggle room” in the layout that an exact stud count should not matter. Try to make it as close as possible to what it appears to be on the BlueBrick.
How high off the baseplate should the track be? Are we using the PennLUG track standard of two plates above the baseplate? Or something else?
Alright, just so we can begin to bring everything together and finalize the layout plan here’s what we need to know.
1. Are you contributing to the layout and if so what do you plan to contribute?
2. Are you willing to participate in the set up of this event? If so, what day (Nov 16, 17, 23 or 24) would be best for you?
3. Are you willing and able to staff this event on any of the weekends? (If so please see DOODLE)If for any reason you want to contribute but cannot make it to the set up day, you can drop stuff off at the museum, I will be available on the weekends to accept drop offs and Lynne Thompson the museum’s educator/volunteer coordinator will be there on weekdays til 4pm, she’ll put anything that is dropped off in the store room until set up day.
For those that don’t know where the Trolley Museum is, it is about 35 minutes south of Pittsburgh in Washington, PA across from the Washington County Fairgrounds. From Pittsburgh you simply take I-79 south to exit 43 (Race Track Rd) and follow the blue signs. If you’re coming from the South Hills follow Rt-19 south and either get on 79 or follow it all the way to Race Track Rd. where you would turn right and go past the Meadows Casino.
For more information about Santa Trolley or to see the directions on a map go to pa-trolley.org
In that case, this is our guy:
http://www.bricklink.com/store.asp?p=Alvi&bindID=30927
60 pcs straight 9V track @ ~$3.04 US (so $182.40 total, roughly, sans shipping. For 12 fewer sections than Laura’s guy, but still not bad, and less than the $340 that guy would charge.)
The track is part of a superlot so you we couldn’t just buy it alone, biggest problem is after looking through the store terms it It doesn’t appear they ship to the U.S.
Are you contributing to the layout and if so what do you plan to contribute?
I am hoping that Tim and I can coordinate delivery of the warehouse and associated robot with his contributions.
Alright, just so we can begin to bring everything together and finalize the layout plan here’s what we need to know.
1. Are you contributing to the layout and if so what do you plan to contribute?<br>
2. Are you willing to participate in the set up of this event? If so, what day (Nov 16, 17, 23 or 24) would be best for you?<br>
3. Are you willing and able to staff this event on any of the weekends? (If so please see DOODLE)1. Santa Admin Building (approx. 3×3 32 stud baseplates); Track and Controlers; Trains as needed. I can also contribute several town buildings as needed.
2. I can do set up on Saturday, November 23 from 9am to 1pm.
3. I will not be able to staff this event. All three weekends are booked with family related events.The track is part of a superlot so you we couldn’t just buy it alone, biggest problem is after looking through the store terms it It doesn’t appear they ship to the U.S.
Bugger. I was “at work”, so I didn’t spend time paying attention to details. However, that’s quite disappointing, since his tagline is “… will ship to you!…” Anyway, I guess we won’t buy from that guy, then.
As for my contributions, I’m going with *probably* a mountain, and staffing a few shifts. Possibly some foliage and random filler as well, but we’ll have to see if that’s needed and if I have time. I could *probably* come to WashPA for setup on the 23rd, but that day is already fairly busy for me, so if I made it at all, it’d likely be for an hour or two mid-afternoon. Better would be the 24th. I could conceivably do this weekend (16th/17th), but that drastically reduces the chances of me having something built that’s worth displaying…
Bugger. I was “at work”, so I didn’t spend time paying attention to details. However, that’s quite disappointing, since his tagline is “… will ship to you!…” Anyway, I guess we won’t buy from that guy, then.
This guy on the other hand…
http://www.bricklink.com/store.asp?p=sucram75&itemID=45449211
Says on the tag line that shipping for up to 45 track is only 7€.
This guy on the other hand…
http://www.bricklink.com/store.asp?p=sucram75&itemID=45449211
Says on the tag line that shipping for up to 45 track is only 7€.
Not bad. I see he charges a 3% fee for PayPal transactions, though. If my math is correct, 45 pcs. straight track @ 2.69€ is 121.05€, plus 7€ shipping is 128.05€, plus 3% PayPal fee is 131.89€. And based on the exchange rate shown in Bricklink (2.69€ = $3.62), that works out to $177.32, which is $3.94 per pc. Still a bargain? I don’t see any other obvious options to score a lot of straight track in one convenient order…
I’ve put on open order in for the track, if we want to order more we can add to it. I’ve asked the guy how much more it would cost in shipping to purchase all 62 pieces of track.
Radical. Just to be clear: we do NOT need this track order for the Santa Trolley display, correct? It’s simply an investment for future displays, no?
I’m fine with chipping in for some of the track costs, and in fact, depending on the shipping costs, I might go ahead and get some curves and whatnot as well. How do yinz feel about dark bluish gray 9V track – sacrilege? or ok? He has 6 of those – not many, but if we’re already ordering and shipping isn’t gonna go up, why not add them too?
Was anyone else trying to get in on this track order, or should Laura and I just take it off line to finish up the bizniss details?
Just to be clear: we do NOT need this track order for the Santa Trolley display, correct?
That’s my understanding – we have enough to do the Trolley Museum display. I’m good on the track I have for now, so I am going to pass on this order. Dark Blay is ok by me (we can always greeble over it with ballast anyways).
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