Christmas Display: PA Trolley Museum 'Santa Trolley'

Home Forums LUG discussions Christmas Display: PA Trolley Museum 'Santa Trolley'

  • This topic has 104 replies, 11 voices, and was last updated 11 years ago by Tim.
Viewing 25 posts - 76 through 100 (of 105 total)
  • Author
    Posts
  • #4279
    Matt Redfield
    Keymaster

    I can add my houses in there first thing Friday morning.

    would love to include them somewhere if there’s room

    Looks like you two may be fighting for the same real estate. TO THE DEATH!

    Or, I dunno, compromise or something lame and unentertaining like that.

    As to putting another row behind the modulars that are already set up, there’s some space (once we clear out the clutter / WIP) but obviously stuff won’t be super visible, especially behind the genetically modified Town Hall, Fire Brigade, and Grand Emporium.

    #4280
    Benjamin C Good
    Participant

    Sweet! It looks good, I’ll get to see it in person in 12 days or so.

    It looks like Doug’s three buildings, or at least two of them, should fit to the right of the Palace Cinema, that should be pretty cool.

    Tim, I’m all for another row of modular buildings, but before you haul all your stuff down there, you might wanna discuss it with Laura. There’s three sets of train track running behind the existing row of modular buildings. I’m looking at Matt’s 1470 photo, and if you look at the gap b/n the Santa 57 factory and Greg’s warehouse, you can sort of see that the track’s taking up a lot of space back there. So maybe she can get a more definite answer/measurement for you.

    The extra tall modulars are courtesy of Laura, Joe, and Susie (and me for hauling them and setting them up, you’re welcome) and they do look pds (pretty darn sweet) in person.

    #4282
    Benjamin C Good
    Participant

    PS – sorry, Matt is right, I also noticed that my observation platform is inconveniently at shoulder/head height and sticking out into the monitor space. At Brickfair, they put stanchions with chains about 18-24″ from the tables, and I had that setup in mind when I designed the bridge and setup (and it also ended up sticking out way farther than originally planned cause it looked best that way), and I failed to anticipate that there might be other stanchion-less setups where it could be a problem. I’ve been brainstorming ideas for adjusting things so it’s not a problem, but that won’t happen until 2014, so in the meantime hopefully nobody takes it out. If it does go down hopefully whoever’s there can retrieve all my pieces and guys into some kind of container til I get there.

    #4285
    Tim
    Moderator

    No fighting here. Doug’s townhouses look way cool so I vote top put those up front by the Cinema. I can put my houses in the background as they are the same houses displayed at both KidsFest and Greenberg (MOCs, not Modulars). Ben, you are right, they will not be very visible. But they will help add depth to the display – that sense of there being “more” just out of sight. Plus, they are already there (I brought them down on Saturday morning) so no worries about hauling more stuff. There is one additional tall building that I will probably bring but it works great as a “background” building and will help add more height to the middle of the display.

    #4303
    Tim
    Moderator

    The display is in full swing. It looks awesome. Great work everyone!

    We had a great turnout this morning including a cameraman from WPXI. He took some footage, conducted a brief interview, and said a small news item about the Santa Trolley and the Lego display would probably air tonight between 5:00-6:30 pm.

    Also, if anyone is able to help out tomorrow, that would be great. Right now, it is just Laura signed up for all day.

    #4308
    Josh
    Keymaster

    I’ll be out tomorrow at some point to help staff.

    I was working, but we got an email in from someone who said they just saw us on the news – Did anyone catch it? DVR?

    #4314
    Tim
    Moderator

    It does not come up in a search of the WPXI website. But it may take them a few days to upload and archive it.

    #4325
    Zemata
    Participant

    Sorry for the inactivity friends. I’ll bring some stuff in on saturday (7th). Do yinz need any more modulars or floors? Is there a spot I can put my robots?

    #4350
    Dan Efran
    Participant

    I revised my schedule on Doodle based on my latest guesses about my holiday season plans.

    #4351
    Matt Redfield
    Keymaster

    Laura / whoever, just a question (and it may have been answered, but let’s restate it if that’s the case):

    Are we trying to tear down on the 15th after the museum closes? Just trying to get a handle on that day / when we would tear down if not then.

    #4352
    Benjamin C Good
    Participant

    That’s a good question, I guess I had just assumed I’d start tearing down right at 5pm that sunday.

    Anybody take new pics yet? I saw Matt’s “it’s 95% set up pics” but I know there were additional plans to get everything just so, I still won’t be down there before Sunday afternoon.

    #4358
    Tim
    Moderator

    In a previous discussion with Laura, she mentioned that we might have the option to also tear down on the following Saturday, December 21 (in addition to after 5:00 pm on December 15). Laura, can you verify whether that would still be an option for anyone who might not be able to make December 15?

    #4365
    Doug
    Participant

    As far as teardown goes, I’d prefer the earlier option. I want to minimize the number of times I need to drive to WashPa. Also, regarding this Sunday, Dec 8. I am signed up for the full day, but actually need to leave at 3 sharp to make it to a volleyball game. I want to confirm that someone (and I think Ben is signed up) will be there for the remainder of the evening.

    Also, I’m going to be alone from 10-1 on Sunday Dec. 8, and I’m not 100% comfortable with that, given the vigilance that this display has required. Can anyone come and keep me company? I’m such a good conversationalist…

    #4366
    Zemata
    Participant

    As far as teardown goes, I’d prefer the earlier option. I want to minimize the number of times I need to drive to WashPa. Also, regarding this Sunday, Dec 8. I am signed up for the full day, but actually need to leave at 3 sharp to make it to a volleyball game. I want to confirm that someone (and I think Ben is signed up) will be there for the remainder of the evening.

    Also, I’m going to be alone from 10-1 on Sunday Dec. 8, and I’m not 100% comfortable with that, given the vigilance that this display has required. Can anyone come and keep me company? I’m such a good conversationalist…

    I’ll come out and babysit you lol.

    #4367
    Matt Redfield
    Keymaster

    As fun as WashPA is, I agree with Doug – I’d probably rather tear down that evening (the 15th) than drive down again. But for those who can’t make the 15th, if the option of the next weekend is available, that’s understandable.

    My main reason to not sign up for a shift on Sunday the 8th was the AFOL day – but since I’m wavering on whether it’s worth the 300 mile drive for 15% off excluding the biggest sets (and since I’ve been buying all the things with Amazon and Toys R Us deals), I might be available… but Evan and Doug makes for a fine pair that morning if I don’t make it.

    #4368
    Benjamin C Good
    Participant

    I also don’t need to make a separate trip to Washington for teardown, so I hope to do it the last day. I do still plan to be there at 1pm on Sunday, Susie is planning on coming with me to help out. I do not expect to arrive earlier than 1 though.

    I wasn’t planning on doing anything for AFOL day this time around either, unless you want something exclusive or hard to find or pick-a-brick, the AFOL 15% is somewhat moot in light of everything on sale on amazon and elsewhere.

    #4419
    Tim
    Moderator

    I was just wondering how this past weekend went (December 7-8). Was there a lot of traffic? Any problems with the display?

    I still have not been able to find the video clip that WPXI shot of our display but I did hear from several people who saw it run on the news on November 29.

    #4420
    Matt Redfield
    Keymaster

    Saturday went pretty well; the traffic came in waves, as people gathered to await their trolley time slot, then it would be sparse for a few minutes, then start to build again. I think some people lingered after their ride, as well. The only issue was that the Horizon Express wore down a bit in the afternoon; we should have switched to different trains earlier in the day. Well, there were a few grabby kids reaching for the cement trucks and such, and someone put a car through the front doors of Doug’s church… but nothing too damaging…

    #4431
    Josh
    Keymaster

    if anyone wants to pick up the lego movie schwag for saturday, let me know. http://www.steelcitylug.com/forum/topic/lug-display-with-warner-bros-for-lego-movie/page/2/#post-4430

    we want to make sure we take a good picture of a bunch of people getting the handouts.

    #4441
    Dan
    Participant

    … and someone put a car through the front doors of Doug’s church… but nothing too damaging…

    Probably the only time you’ll hear that sentence and laugh

    #4445
    Benjamin C Good
    Participant

    Sunday was fine also. Apparently terrible driving weather and a Steelers home game do not deter people from coming to ride the train and see Legos. Some kids needed to be told they shouldn’t pick up trucks on the display on lean on the stanchion ropes. People would hang in the room til it was time for their trolley ride, then go on the ride, then come back in for hot chocolate and to look at Legos again. Around 4:30 the workers started cleaning up the room and told us we could leave.

    Before Doug & Evan left we switched out trains again, the old-school Metroliner was getting slower and slower while we were there. I don’t know enough about the electric trains to understand why this happens. I forget what train was running on the smaller track (not the HE) but we pulled that too, they were replaced with the Maersk train and street trolley respectively.

    I took some pics Sunday but not tons like I did at Greenberg. I’m not sure when I’ll get to post them to flickr though, maybe not til next week. Plus I might take more this coming Sunday, I failed to get a pic of the plane hanging from the ceiling cause I suck.

    #4461
    Doug
    Participant

    Just FYI, I won’t be there tomorrow. At one point the doodle said I would. Both shifts look to be covered without me.

    #4472
    Benjamin C Good
    Participant

    We’re running late today so we won’t be there right at 1, although it looks like the afternoon should be covered just fine anyway. We’re definitely coming though. Joe sent me a message that he’ll be there at some point to tear down.

    #4479
    Tim
    Moderator

    Laura, thanks again for organizing a great event! If you can find it out, I’d be very interested to know to the overall number of visitors for the three weekends.

    #4481
    Laura
    Participant

    Thank you to everyone who participated! I know I had a great time and got a lot of positive feedback from visitors and volunteers alike. Everyone from the museum said they’d love to have us back next year (give us something to think about.) As far as numbers go it’s probably somewhere around 2,500. I emailed Lynne for the exact numbers and will have them soon.

Viewing 25 posts - 76 through 100 (of 105 total)
  • You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
Skip to toolbar