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Ah, that was you next to the PennLUG display! I was displaying there that year.
My username has little to do with Santa Claus but I’ll help with the trains if need be.
bring your tablecloths so we can drape the front of the perimeter tables
Yes, I will plan to do this in case the SC tables are unadorned.
@greg We definitely have room for a static train display. If you tell me about how long it is I will add it to the BlueBrick layout. Does anyone else have things they want to add?
I am getting very excited about this display. I can’t wait to see all the trains and get inspired on what to build next. The Polar Express is really cool, I would love to see the plans for that if anyone has them.
I was looking at Tony Sava’s site and it is a bit hard to follow as a beginner. I dont know what 2-4-0+0-4-2 means. I also suspect that I have some general train lingo that I need to learn. But his stuff looks super cool.
One idea I had was the Pittsburgher, an overnight service connecting the Steel City with New York. The attached image is what inspired me to look into this train.
Mac
It would definitely be a good idea to have many display tracks, I could fill a table with the extra stuff I’d like to bring.
@greg One idea I had was the Pittsburgher, an overnight service connecting the Steel City with New York. The attached image is what inspired me to look into this train.
Mac
You just gave me something to research. I could probably find a typical consist of this train.
I second @emperorofthenorthpole motion. I likewise have some beautiful P.R.R., industrial, and unusual (but historically true) cars that could be displayed on the side when not in motion.
Update: Last of my brinklink orders came in this week so just waiting on some remaining parts from Lego’s PAB to get that 4foot Schnabel car built…. if successful, you guys get to see it rolling first. XD
FYI, I have just sent a message to Nicole at the Science Center asking for specific Load-In times for Friday, January 13 as well as confirming the hours for Saturday and Sunday (I am presuming for the moment that it will mirror the Center’s general hours of 10:00 am to 5:00 pm). I will confirm once I hear back from her.
This morning I worked on restoring my L-gauge Polar Express. The locomotive itself would occupy about 14 inches of siding. The tender and three passenger cars will require another 52 inches of track space. Is there going to be enough siding for the entire train or should I plan to bring only the engine?
Please keep us posted, Tim. I’ll have two boxes of my trains ready by that Friday for load-in and setup help. And I will gladly be present all day Sunday to help run the trains and help with after the show, if anyone is planning out crew shifts for Sat/Sun.
I also found my stock of card sized 1/40″ veneer sheets if you think we need to level out between uneven tables. I remember long time ago someone mentioning about a train show where his team had to level the base plates around a corner. My stuff is articulated and should be fine but if anyone has a super sensitive train, I can bring the pack of veneer sheets for quick adjustments.
Please keep us posted, Tim.
I received a brief email from Nicole stating that she would provide final details for Load-in this coming week. The show hours are 10-4 on Saturday and Sunday and she said we could get in at 9:00 am each day to prepare.
Here is the information message I have received from the Science Center. I hope the attachments post OK. Comments will follow in the next post.
“As in previous years, all groups will load in and set up on Friday 1/13. I would like the first group to begin loading in at 9 am so we can move through this quickly and have enough time for all groups to finish with the loading dock by 3pm. This way we can all be out of here and headed home by 5pm when the Science Center closes. Last year it seemed to work well staggering the arrival times on the hour. Please let me know your preferred arrival time, and I will try to coordinate fairly.
Our building event planning/operations crew would really prefer that all groups use the newer Point View Hall loading dock on the side of the building. This is especially important because we are open to the public that day and you won’t have to haul your equipment/carts through the crowded exhibit areas to load in. HOWEVER, if you are a smaller group (such as South Hills) or you arrive BEFORE 10 AM, you may use the old loading dock by the security entrance.
Here are instructions from our special events department:
DROP OFF DIRECTIONS
*The best option for drop off is the PointView Hall loading dock. There is direct access to the freight elevator that loads directly into PointView Hall.
*To get to this loading dock from North Shore Drive, you will go past our main entrance.
*The first right turn (after the main entrance) is the entrance for the loading dock. It will come up quickly on your right immediately after our main entrance. If you are traveling from the south on North Shore Drive, the entrance is on your left.
* Please buzz in at the door as a staff member will have to meet you at the loading dock and escort you to your space.
*You are welcome to load and unload but may not leave any vehicles in the dock for an extended amount of time without arranging this with a staff member prior to arriving. Vehicles may not remain running while in the loading dock.
*Sometimes there are carts available to help you load into the hall, but they are not guaranteed.
*You will need to move your vehicle into a parking spot after you load in. Please ask a Special Events staff member for the best place for you to park.
As mentioned above, we cannot guarantee we will have carts available. Please make sure you plan accordingly. We also won’t have staff available to help you unload your equipment, so please keep that in mind when planning your volunteer schedules.
I have attached a copy of the floorplan with each group labeled so you will all have an idea how the room will be set up. You don’t have to keep your tables in that configuration, that’s just the amount of space you have.
The event will be 10am-4pm both Saturday and Sunday. You can feel free to arrive before 10am, but you will need to come in through the security entrance. I don’t plan to be onsite until 9am both days, but you can come earlier if you want to.
We will host parking as in previous years, but we recently got new parking tickets so it will look different. Please make sure you bring your ticket into the building with you. Instead of getting a chaser ticket, I will give you a barcode sticker to scan on your way out. REMEMBER, we only have a limited number of parking vouchers. Please, please, please carpool if you’re able so I don’t have to disappoint anyone!”
Excellent. Thank you @timf for that useful information.
@joshhall is hosting the MILS build day this Saturday – I will drop off the remainder of my curve track so it will be ready to go come Friday. It should be as easy as placing the MILS baseplates down, then the track on top.I will not be able to help until Saturday morning – planning to be there as early as possible with my trains – thankfully this is usually the last thing that gets set out on a display.
Looking forward.
OK, it appears the attachments came thru ok. The most urgent item is that they want a set time for each group to come in to set up on Friday, January 13. Would 1:00 pm or 2:00 pm work for everyone? I am not available that morning. Let me know so I can respond to her by tomorrow with a time.
Also note that they are encouraging car pooling as they only have a limited number of parking passes. Anyone from the north want to car pool?
The hours for the show are Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. So we can divide this into 6 shifts:
– Friday – Set up (time TBD)
– Saturday 10-1 and 1-4
– Sunday 10-1 and 1-4
– Sunday Take Down 4-5Can someone make a Google sign up sheet? Doddle.com doesn’t really work very very well anymore for this. Or just reply here with what shifts you plan to cover. As of now, I am planning on staffing the 10-1 shift on Saturday and the 1-4 shift on Sunday (along with Set up and Take down).
I’ll post a google sheet for shift sign up in a few minutes.
I will not be around for set up unfortunately. Hopefully someone can take everything this saturday or I can get anything to someone next week during the week.
@timf
I happened to be working on one for the mall, so pulled one together for you too:Josh beat me to it!Do you want the table banners? I can either get them to you ahead of time or bring them down to CSC for you.
I will not be around for set up unfortunately. Hopefully someone can take everything this saturday or I can get anything to someone next week during the week.
I should be able to take some stuff Saturday.
Do you want the table banners? I can either get them to you ahead of time or bring them down to CSC for you.
Yes, the black banners would be great. Thank you.
Thank you @rcgrier3406. We also need the “Do Not Touch” signs. Not sure if Krista has those or they are back at Josh’s.
I will go ahead and put in for 1:00 pm set up on Friday January 13. I just received an email from Nicole. Most of the other groups have selected morning times for set up. No one had yet claimed any of the afternoon hours. So while those other groups will likely still be continuing set up, elevators, etc. should be pretty open that afternoon.
Looks like I’m in the same boat as Glenn. I will also be there early Sat morning to unload my ready-to-run trains and industrial / P.R.R. themed rolling stock. They will be in a couple specially made large boxes for quick set up on the outer track within minutes. I can do the first shift Sat morning and second shift / pack-up on Sun afternoon (I updated my slots on the spreadsheet as much). I will have my steamers set to last channel red/blue to avoid interfering with @emperorofthenorthpole steamers as I believe we both use the same IR control system and I don’t want to accidentally affect his mid run. Croc is Powered UP so I’ll have my phone/control for it ready.
@playingwithechoes that sounds great. We can get in at 9:00 am on Saturday morning to do any final set up prior to opening at 10:00 am. The great thing about Lego displays is that we can continue to tinker throughout the event!
Priorities on Friday will be to get the tables and banners set up, make sure we have sufficient power as needed (for 9v, etc.), lay out the track and roads, and then set up any buildings and scenery, etc. that are on hand.
Nicole at the Science Center has confirmed our load in time will be 1:00 pm next Friday.
@jupdyke – any update on the wiring / transformer situation ahead of this weekend?
I’m really excited to see how this display goes! I know we’ll have to make some adjustments to the bluebrick file to match what we got done Saturday, but I think it will really come together well. Being the first time we’re display with ~100 new MILS sections of track and road, we’re going to have some lessons learned and adjustments on the fly or at least to make for next time.
I threw in a few bags of small green plates for anyone to throw some dynamic ‘bumps’/terrain on some modules so it’s not all just a sterile blank canvas.
good luck and enjoy all those trains!
@emperorofthenorthpole – do you want me to send up one of those tiny bluetooth speakers to put in/on a train for “choo choo noises” fun?
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