Eagle Scout Project - Success!

Sounds great good chance to go back and look at some of the older pics also thanks for the update.

El Classico,

Any flats? Rich and Joe have been working on some creations. Their collaboration with the Minions has resulted in the this deadly prototype Flatulence Cannon Rail Car. And the German's thought they had some powerful cannons on rail cars in WWII. Testing resulted in the building being evacuated. More powerful than the York crop dusters! Kind of like when they tested Trinity-that was more powerful than we thought it would be!

I have three flats, a 16372, a 16315 (both MPC), and a 1887 from 1960.

email Rich, from his profile. He and Luke run the show.

El Classico posted:

I have three flats, a 16372, a 16315 (both MPC), and a 1887 from 1960.

We would love your contribution.

Luke's email is on the first page of this post.

Please contact him.  Thanks again!!

Well. Snowed out for a second week in a row.  UHG!

We went to the National Collectors Club Train Show in Toms River.

Scored stuff for the project: a Lionel, Orange work caboose, Plasticville Diner and Railroad Accessories and a towable, two axle Camper.

Next Toms River show is in March.

Disassembled the layout today getting ready to move it to the display location in InfoAge Science Center.

Best Father's Day present arrived yesterday.  With family, friends Boy Scouts and volunteers we moved the layout to its permanent home.  

Wow Rich!!  It looks great in that space!!

Finally! We have been waiting almost a year to clear regulations and get the room ready. Digging in Saturday to get it reassembled and get trains running.

Working with a museum can be frustrating, but the CWRR will become a nice attraction very quickly. We have had all of this time to prepare and plan. Time to empty some boxes!

I do have to say that working in one of the buildings where the U.S Army was testing lasers in the '40's was pretty neat. The secret stuff that they developed in the main building is cool. This site was a communications link for the Apollo moon missions.

OK, the Level 1 base went back together well. We repositioned it, leveled it and put some splice supports in that we didn't do before. These supported flexing joints of the deck from the original cut-up.

reconnected the track wiring, made a few adjustments on track alignment and had engines running around Level 1 (11' x 17') at slow speed smoothly. This is 95% original MTH RealTrax.

It's a lot nicer working in it's new home than it was in the old outbuildings.

It appears that we'll have a complete crew for the next work session and be able to reassemble the remaining levels.

We'll add some photos/videos then.

If you want to score some good stuff. Go to Greenberg's train show in August. Edison NJ. Otherwise the train shows in Brick/Toms River are usually adequate.

RaritanRiverRailroadFan4 posted:

If you want to score some good stuff. Go to Greenberg's train show in August. Edison NJ. Otherwise the train shows in Brick/Toms River are usually adequate.

Thanks. Rich O has been doing that as he is in the area. We are pushing to complete reassembly and get the layout running. Luke needs to get his Eagle this year.

We will be looking for railroadiana to hang on the chain link walls (fire code issues prevented standard walls), which will hide the fact that it is fencing and look cool.

Thanks for looking!

I found some metal signs on sale at Hobby Lobby.  Adds a little whimsy.

We had a surprise turnout of friends today for our work session.  They were able to reassemble levels 3 and 4 and get three trains running.  On to scenery and operating accessory wiring!

Looking great. thanks for the updates, really enjoy them. 

Is that the new hotbox cars sounds?

Ha! That's the sound of a cell phone recording overwhelming noise.

Looks good!

Rich,

Congratulations on getting trains running!  The layout is looking good!

...and the cell phone died permanently, shortly thereafter.

RichO posted:

...and the cell phone died permanently, shortly thereafter.

 Not even warning clanks of death, eh?

What did you do?, try to charge it with a ZW ?

Ha! Finally, all reassembled in it's new home!  It's nice to go away and return to pleasant surprises!

I can't wait to start hooking up all of the fun stuff and finishing the display.

More turnout adjustments and scenery today.  Moonman brought the Polar Express for some run time.

Hey,

We haven't updated in a while. We have been working on accessory installation and wiring as well as reinstalling and repairing the scenery. We don't have climate control in the basement of Marconi's ( yes, the one who developed trans-Atlantic wireless there) old house, so the east coast heat wave and humidity have made it a sweat fest.

We're pushing hard to get it completed. The cool thing is that after 14 years in storage all of the MTH accessories are lighting up and operating. The plan is to get all of the power wiring and connections made and then install the visitor interactive buttons. Visitors will be able to operate most of the accessories and trains with push buttons of various types. Typical museum or public display stuff. Some are just on/off, the trains will be on timed runs and the action accessories will have momentary switches and relays like the trains so the visitors can't stay on the switches and burn things out.

We'll post some photos or videos after this weekend's session. I think we'll have some time and expect slightly less trying working conditions.

We keep on thinking about how cool of a layout Christopher had for a 6 year old in 2003. We're like little kids as it gets closer to completion. Yes, we always run some trains.

Has he already received his Eagle Scout rank or is he currently working this project to completion prior to his Eagle? I can get him a certificate from the Sons of the American Revolution once he achieves that rank. My son is still a few years away from his. Great Project!

KarlW posted:

Has he already received his Eagle Scout rank or is he currently working this project to completion prior to his Eagle? I can get him a certificate from the Sons of the American Revolution once he achieves that rank. My son is still a few years away from his. Great Project!

Karl with a K,

Hi. This is his project to complete to receive it. He has had to learned to manage Boy Scouts, volunteers and pains like us that give him a hard time. He has also learned about things that become out of control, like the museum taking way too long to approve and prepare space for the display. he has also learned about estimating timelines for a project. Taking a pile of pieces and boxes of stuff to make it a layout again took much more work and time than he anticipated... of course, we just let these things smack him in the face.

He's a much better planner and manager now.

Email Rich O and/or Luke O with your offer.

Thanks for your interest.

Carl with a C

We made great progress last Saturday.  Most of the accessories are wired and operational.  Scenery is nearly complete on half of level four.  It will be installed this Saturday.  Work on Veteran's Park makes that possible.

I caught this thread from something else that Carl posted. What a great project. I have some questions. On the website for the museum it lists the Garden State Central Model Railroad Club (HO) as an exhibit. But the link takes you off the museum site to another site for the club and it seems to imply they are not located in the museum. Is there another train display in the museum with this one (when it is done and open)?

I am also interested in the backstory of the little boy (I think I saw the name Christopher). Did the mom donate his layout to the museum for the purpose of a display? Then did Luke (Scout) find out from the museum that they were looking for someone to take on this project? I saw that you referenced that the mom was still involved with this memorial.

I myself am a cub scout leader (Cub Scout Pack 82 - Den 7 - Rainbow Council) and have a group of Webelos who I like showing examples of Eagle projects like this one. I have gotten help on the forum for a "Timesaver" module that the boys have run and we also researched and modeled New Mexico and I strongly encouraged that we have the ATSF RR running around our display for our last Blue & Gold ceremony.

Great work everyone, and I thank all of you.

AtoZ Lewis posted:

I caught this thread from something else that Carl posted. What a great project. I have some questions. On the website for the museum it lists the Garden State Central Model Railroad Club (HO) as an exhibit. But the link takes you off the museum site to another site for the club and it seems to imply they are not located in the museum. Is there another train display in the museum with this one (when it is done and open)?

The HO club rents space in an out building. There are museum exhibits in the outbuildings near the main building, but there's space is not one of them. it is a private club.

Only temporary displays come in during the holiday season. (see the activity calendar of the museum) The CWRR will be the only permanent display.

I am also interested in the backstory of the little boy (I think I saw the name Christopher). Did the mom donate his layout to the museum for the purpose of a display? Then did Luke (Scout) find out from the museum that they were looking for someone to take on this project? I saw that you referenced that the mom was still involved with this memorial.

A successful Dad and his family lived on a large estate in Princeton, NJ proper. This was custom built for Christopher and occupied an entire large room. Not too long after, in the summer, the father was working and the family and some friends were enjoying the swimming pool. The mother went to pick up some pizza. No one kept an eye on Christopher, 6 years old and he was found in the pool, drowned. It broke up the family. Mom had the layout removed from the house. It was cut-up and labeled and stored in the attic of a large garage for 12 years. Rich heard about it through a mutual friend of the mom and he and Luke came up with the idea for the project. It was moved to an outbuilding at the Museum site.

Mom and one or two of the grown siblings saw it last fall. She found some other items when moving out of the family home in Princeton. Rich updates her from time to time.

I myself am a cub scout leader (Cub Scout Pack 82 - Den 7 - Rainbow Council) and have a group of Webelos who I like showing examples of Eagle projects like this one. I have gotten help on the forum for a "Timesaver" module that the boys have run and we also researched and modeled New Mexico and I strongly encouraged that we have the ATSF RR running around our display for our last Blue & Gold ceremony.

This project has taught Luke many valuable lessons for life as the Eagle project should. We are excited that it will finally be completed and dedicated this fall.

Great work everyone, and I thank all of you.

Thank you for your dedication to developing the youth of today.

Here are some photos and videos that I shot on 11/12. Almost there!

Running three trains with timers.  Push buttons restart the trains for approximately three laps.  This will keep the kids hopping.

I just came across this thread for the first time.  I can't wait to see the layout on my next visit to Infoage.

Chris

Its still not officially open.  Waiting for code required lighting.  If you want to visit on a Saturday, email me and I should be able to give you a tour.

Hey Rich, can you guys use an RK six car 027/031 size passenger set? I have both a Southern Crescent and a Milwaukee Road set on the for sale forum that aren't seeing much action. I would donate either set if you can use it, and if you have some way of paying the shipping cost? I am in Arizona.  You can see them both on the for sale forum.

Rod

The bridge in the front of the video is available at Michael's Craft stores. "The Sparrow Innovations Miniatures garden bridge" is $8.49.  they regularly have 40% off coupons.  It looks very good in O gauge and people can stand on the bridge.

Eagle Scout:

With memories of my scouting experience in the early 1950s in mind, I'll gladly contribute gently used sections of Lionel FasTrack to the project.  I have:  10-inch straights, 5-inch straights, O36 curves, O48 curves, two O48 RC switches (LH), 90-degree crossovers, 10-inch straight terminal sections, and combo accessory activator & uncoupler track sections with controllers.

If these would be useful the the project, let me know the type and number of track sections you can use. I'll send them to you via USPS.  If a tax deduction is available for the contributions, all to the good. but if not, I'd send the anyway.

All the best

Mike Mottler  LCCA #12394
(ritrainguy)
22 Water Oak Drive
Conway, AR  72034
501-327-8747
mottlerm@conwaycorp.net

Prison railroad workers on Strike!

Cute Rich!

Rod