Pat & Jean Marinari host NJ HiRailers

It looked like a great way to spend a cold northeast afternoon.  You can't beat trains, food and good company. 

A huge thank you to Pat & Jean for inviting us into their beautiful home. The Hodgson Valley RR is a immaculate work of art that is Computer controlled & highly detailed. Pat gave us the nuts & bolts details on how it was designed and constructed. The finished product leaves you in awe of the workmanship that created it.

Pat & Jean were wonderful hosts.
Dinner was fabulous and it was great to spend the day with all our friends in this hobby.

Phew... That's a big layout.... Nice hosts and great company, I'm sure it was fun. Thank you for posting the pictures.

Looks like quite a layout.

What a wonderful way to spend a Saturday, good friends, trains and food.

Again a big thankyou to Pat and Jean, we had a great time. the attention to detail was amazing (meatballs) and the trains were nice also. I have to say though, the wood shop was my favorite except for the meatballs.  I really liked the clear topped roundhouse and football game. did I mention the outstanding meatballs. please note in the last 2 pics there was a standoff between 2 trains that wanted to use the same track, good thing someone had the control in hand.

Beautiful layout, got any pics of the meatballs?  Or the recipe? 

 

Richie

Looked like a great time, I wish I knew about it. Would have loved to see the layout

 

 

Alex

you have to read the club emails

John,

 

  For some reason I don't think I'm getting the club emails anymore 

I just looked back at my old emails and haven't seen one for a long time 

 

Alex

 

 

 

 

Looked like a good time was had by all! Love the clear top round house Pat. 

 

 

A big thank you to Pat and Jean for their hospitality.  What a terrific setup for a train hobbyist.  A nice big basement space that was utilized beautifully, as you can see from the pictures.  And what looks to be a professional grade woodworking shop steps away from the trains.  We were very fortunate that Pat took the time to share these with us.  

 

Thanks again!  

 

- Mike

Such a wonderful layout...wow!  And it looks like a great time was had by all.

Appears to be a world-class layout, beautifully-appointed home, and a lovely couple!  Would like to hear more about the computer-interface when choosing to run trains automatically.  

 

David

What I want to know is why Mike is drinking the wrong Mexican beer??!!!  Where's the XX?

 

Jim

 

Appears to be a world-class layout, beautifully-appointed home, and a lovely couple! 

 

Perfectly stated David.

 

Gerry

 

There is a multi-gauge model railroad open house tour in our greater Southeast Pa., northern Delaware- Northeast Maryland & central Jersey area each weekend in November.   It would be great if Pat would make his layout available for at least one of the openhouse days!  I'm a TCA member living 10 miles away & would love to see it in person.  

Pat and Jean: Two of the most wonderful and gracious people in this great hobby. I truly love those folks!

Thank you all for the kind comments, compliments and great photos.  Hosting this crew was a great pleasure for Jean and me.  After all, the NJ HiRailers always seem to be hosting, we just thought it was time that they be the guests for a change.

 

While I get NO credit for it, the meatballs were as good as John S. said.  I won't embarrass everyone by revealing how many of those meatballs were eaten, or who made them, but we ate a LOT of them.

 

The layout ran pretty well, but this was the first time I ever ran it under independent computer control and let's just say that I found a few places where I need to tweak the wiring and adjust some software settings.  Trying something like this with a crowd present is pretty much a baptism by fire and a great way to find all the things I did wrong while installing the system. And find them I did!  I'll be working on these this week.

 

Thanks to Gerry Morlitz who really did all the work in setting up this visit.

Alex - we'll work out a visit.

 

And Gerry. the car Mike got excited about is an M4, not an M6 (a big distinction for car guys).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looks like a great time with great people.  Sorry I couldn't make it   Some of us still work.  

Alex.   U want to join again

Radio Ron:

 

Our neighborhood and house are not good for having an open house.  You are welcome to visit our layout.  Contact me by email so we can arrange a time, my email is in my profile.

Fantastic pics....looks like a blast!

 

Peter

Pat

Your layout looks more awesome each time I see pictures of it

 

I'd be happy with either one, thank you very much!  

 

What a great event! Few people can do a "NJ HI Railers" style layout in the basement, and Pat and Jean may be the best.

 

 

That looked like an awesome day. That's what it's all about.

Pat and Jean are the best.  I have been a guest in the past.

 

I consider this layout to be the best home layout in the country.  I have seen a few in my time.  Pat is also an excellent train repair person.  I am happy to see the Jersey guys had a great time.

 

Well done.

That looks great, I'm simply going to have to get down there and see that in person soon!  In Pat's defense, he has issued a standing invitation, so there's really no excuse I can offer.

 

Maybe Alex can come down and we'll both see it.

 

Great story with great photos, to tell the story.

Great thread; beautiful layout; and, most especially appreciate the OP identifying the photos--too many serial posts of unidentified "subjects"--special thanks for putting names with faces.

 

Off topic:  Pat, will your bride ship meatballs to 30076 if I pay for shipping?  Hard to find good, O gauge meatballs in Atlanta.

Fantastic layout, looked like great fun. Love the turntable.

Very nice! Amazing layout and I love the tech side of it too.

Beautiful layout.