Modular Group News, Update 3/14/24

The last of the layout pics:

I just love the picture of the team track entering the building.....

Peter

Last weekend the group got together to work on increasing the size of our small portable layout that we take to smaller venues. The layout is 42"X72". Most SUVs have a 48" bay in the back.....making it easy to transport.

Our extension is 40" (the size of a 40" Lionel tinplate straight) X72".

Peter

Peter,

You gents made quick work of that.  I think that will really be a nice addition to an already fine modular layout!  

Congratulation

     Hi Peter - This group knows how to work as a team.

Gary

Cheers from The

Great build on the warehouse with the covered car dock. There used to be a couple on Alameda Blvd. in Downtown Los Angeles years ago (taken out by earthquakes and progress). I recognize the brick panels as Korber. What did you use for the rest of the structure?

Matt......I will bet that the inspiration for the building is Ellison's Oblong Box Company...but I can't be sure. 

Peter

Peter,

Working together with a club is very rewarding. I like the fact that your club has both a large modular layout and a small layout for small venues. Our club open houses are the highlight of our year. It's very rewarding to display to the public and to see the response the trains get from the people. Happy railroading. 

I sure like your extension!

It looks great Peter. Is that green foam between the track and foam board sill seal? How does it perform sound wise? 

Don

The green foam is on Harold's home layout.......I 've only seen the layout in operation once and the sound quality  was fine.

Peter

The 2015 Train Exhibition Season opened this past week with 2 annual events. This year we have an expanded small portable layout 72X92 was expanded by a 72X40 module (the size of a standard Lionel 40" straight). It still needs a little scenery work.

First is a trip to the Goddard School in Midlothian VA.

Next the gang (I wasn't at either venue due to work) went to the Children's Hospital of Richmond which is a chronic care hospital(the great majority of these unfortunate children have severe learning and physical disabilites).

Next stop, the Chesterfield County Fair for 9 days Friday August 28th through Saturday September 5th. Come on down if you're in the area.

http://www.chesterfieldcountyfair.org/default.htm

Peter

Thanks for posting Peter.  It'd nice to see the great work you guys are doing for the community. 

Here's another pic and the crew from a 2nd Goddard School visit.

We still need to ballast the center section.

We also got together to help one of our members build a benchwork for his spare-room layout.

Peter

At our Friday night meeting we finalized our Fall/Winter schedule.

Friday 8/28 through Saturday 9/5: Chesterfield County Fair.

Saturday 10/24: Midlothian Days.

Saturday 11/7: Ashland Rail Days.

Friday 11/20: Ladies Night Out at the Great Big GreenHouse.

Friday 11/27 through Sunday 11/29: Science Museum of VA annual train show.

Friday 12/4 through Saturday 1/16: Great Big GreenHouse (Friday/Saturdays/Sundays in December and Saturday/Sundays in January).

Come on down (or up, if you are from Tidewater or North Carolina). Make a real train layout day trip of it in December....we're only about an hour & 15 minutes from the famous Bevell's Hardware annual layout in Blackstone VA.

More details will appear on our website as the dates get closer.

As always....we are always looking for new members.

Peter

Peter,

I think its great that you guys put on a display at local schools.  It's fun for the kids and promotes the hobby to the younger generation. You may have created a future club member. 

Thanks Peter, I liked your traveling layout used at the school. You certainly have an active group.

I'll say you are an active group!  It is great you are taking the small layout to schools and such!  I'll bet work goes quick when all of you are working on benchwork!

Brian, Mark.....I have to tip my hat to the half of the group that is retired....they carry the ball for these weekday school/hospital visits.

Benchwork is easy when you have skilled wood-workers in the group. I specialize at "gophering". My skill to following instructions on the shopping list on what to get at Lowe's and Home Depot...  

Peter

Last night, at the Chesterfield County fair, we had our biggest train crash ever.  Gilly@N&W and myself are awaiting the investigation.....

Peter

And before anyone else chimes-in, NO this wasn't staged!

The Engineer of the Leigh locomotive hit his own caboose! Drug testing results of both engine crews will not be back until Friday. The C&O rolling stock was not damaged and was soon returned to service. An NTSB investigation has been initiated. Cell phones have been confiscated and will be examined to determine if Texting or Inappropriate Websites were accessed during the time of the incident.

Serious stuff here for RC3R. As you can see in the picture, there were numerous witnesses adjacent to the switch tower at the time. None have made comment, yet. They are all behaving like their mouths are painted shut.

Thanks for the pictures Peter. At my club's open houses we have had some notable crashes too. The crowd loves it. No serious damage that I can recollect. Hope your trains survived the crash OK. 

Love the boy's t-shirt in the background!

AG.

Now THIS is a REAL Korber Kit I would LOVe to SEE and purchase more of!

Industries that take freight cars inside! Something that is missing in O gauge for sure!

Hi Peter

     Excellent traveling layout - Well done at Goddard School in Midlothian VA. "Cool" 

Gary

• Cheers from The Detroit and Mackinac Railway

Peter and Tom

follow-up investigation tonight / assuming no emails deleted and server still in bathroom

j

***ALERT*** Preliminary toxicology results are in:

All members of both train crews tested positive for excessive levels of Toluene and Polystyrene. There are accusations of substance abuse directed at, and by both crews! The four affected individuals have been suspended without pay pending termination. Upon notification, an altercation ensued. This resulted in the engine crews literally having to be pried from their seats!

This is getting ugly, folks!

Our 2015 run at the Chesterfield County Fair......this is our 7th year as an incorporated group with it being the 6th year with our current layout.

Fair attendance usually runs about to 25-30 thousand yearly. We sold lots of raffle tickets (our primary fund raiser).

Here are some pics:

Here is a video:

Take down is always bittersweet.

Peter

Nice job!!

Peter,

Thanks for posting the pics and the video. The layout looks good.  Sounds like you had a good turnout.

Just found this video of the annual Science Museum of VA show from 2014.....a great video done by a professional featuring another 3 rail layout, the Lego layout and our modular layout. We're from 8:30 till the end.

Peter

The month of October months was very busy for the River City 3 Railers. We met several times to get ready for our Fall season....

We worked on our Small Venue layout.

We extended the freight yard on the mail modular layout.

We displayed the small layout at Midlothian Days (the town in the western Richmond suburbs where the group got started)

We started work on our movable bridge section.

Food and fellowship are always paramount. Here are some pics.

Too many pics for one thread.....

Peter

More pics from my garage......

The yard will afford us to change trains easier than before.

Peter

Now for the bridge modules......Tom (Gilly @N&W) owns some Kreig tools for cabinet and furniture construction.

Day 2 of module building....at Tom's house......some of these pics were previously posted in the "Bridge Over Geezer Gorge" pics...

Looking forward to finishing it......we purchased a custom-sized bridge for the top from BridgeBoss.

Peter

Good stuff Peter; looks Like you have a great group of dedicated members. Are these for scenery?

Donlike a great group of dedicated members.

Don........buttermilk on the left and pumpkin on the right.......

Hey, eatable scenery.....now that's an exciting new concept!  

Peter

The bridge module looks like a fine piece of furniture!  Great job!  I need to get one of those Kreig tools.

Let me see if I can get the bridge video to load....

Peter

That is some very nice craftsmanship on the bridge module. WOW!! 

Great pictures Peter.  Thanks for posting. I'm sure that staging yard will come in handy. 

"All members of both train crews tested positive for excessive levels of Toluene and Polystyrene. There are accusations of substance abuse directed at, and by both crews! The four affected individuals have been suspended without pay pending termination. Upon notification, an altercation ensued. This resulted in the engine crews literally having to be pried from their seats!

This is getting ugly, folks!"

What I want to know is: How do you guys hit those O-gauge specimen bottles?