Thank you all!
Spence, Marty and tr18, I hope to have a new video later this month which will be more of a guided tour with me doing the narration.
Peter, it has been a little over 20 years since enterTRAINment. Those were some exciting but difficult times. That layout was also done with the help of others, but to a much greater extent. Back then we got the keys to the space in March, and had to have a working and presentable layout by early August (1992). By the following October (1993) it was all over, but fortunately Tom McComas has allowed it to live on.
Billshoff, for the record, there is only one wallet behind this project. Sadly, I did not win the lottery.
As Bob points out, large layouts like this are built over time. This layout has been under construction for a little over 10 years, though six of those were lost to my cancer encounter, and thus wasted.
All of the track used so far was purchased for enterTRAINment, including most of the switches. The wire was all salvaged as well. A lot of the lumber has been recovered from layouts dating back more than 35 years. I haven't been keeping track, but I would estimate that construction materials ran about $10,000 in 2013. However, I won't have to spend that money again.
I have also picked up 7 cases of Gargraves, but I'm not sure if that will be enough to finish. It may still take a few more to finish the track in 2014.
Landsteiner, visitors are always welcome. A couple weeks advance notice works best, if possible. I'm usually around.
86TA355SR, I understand that very few people have the resources and desire to do something of this magnitude. Sharing the experience and process, makes the time and money spent doing it all worthwhile.
