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Here we are another year older.  Thirty five years ago today I started the construction of my layout.  I had a dream/goal and stuck with it and as long as I am running, hopefully the layout will be running.  I have always shared the layout with anyone who wants to visit.  I have hosted TCA, LOTS, and LCCA convention tours.  When Lionel was developing TMCC, they would send people to me to use my layout as it has tinplate track.  A bit later Mike Wolf came to the layout to experiment with his DCS.  I had DCS a year before it was released and had to learn how to make it work.    Working with Barry Lewis, we authored the first articles on both TMCC and DCS for OGR.    Many folks have stopped by and all  OGR Forum members have an open invitation to visit at any time.  In recent years with the help of Dotty, we have done some scenery work as well as a few stations.  

Before I started, I read the Linn Westcott benchwork book cover to cover.  My layout is all L Girder benchwork with 5/8 plywood on top.  On top of that is 1/2 inch Homosote that is glued and screwed.  Like anything you want to last, do it right and do it one time.  My track is tinplate, Ross switches,  with scale trains and hundreds of feet of operating catenary.  I have buildings made by many with the most recent and best built by my friend Alex Malliae.  I run TMCC, Legacy, and DCS.  The layout is outfitted with Wi-Fi by both Lionel and MTH.  I am an MTH Wi-Fi beta tester.   I have had great support from the OGR Forum members as well as the OGR Staff.  

Remember, anytime a member finds themselves in my neighborhood, they are all welcome.

Thanks everyone,

Marty

Last edited by Marty Fitzhenry
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  Wel, I was looking for a "Happy Birthday Canada" thread and struck out, but this is a inice consolation prize! ..again; Ive caught this in years past the same way .....and will just basically repeat myself....

 If only I could travel Marty; I really can't think of any other layout I'd rather see first. 

   I had always wanted catenaries from the first time I asked about that "spider thingy" on a GG-1, and found out they could really be powered that way too.

  You've pulled off a top notch dream, thanks again for the vicarious moments to say the least  

My son and I were fortunate enough to see Marty's layout for the first time last year when we brought an engine to him for repair.  Besides getting a chance to see his awesome layout, we were treated like long-time friends!  

Marty invited me into his workshop area as he diagnosed the problem with my Legacy engine, while Dotty spent that time with my son, showing/demonstrating the then fairly new MTH wifi app to him and listening to all his "stories".

After Marty figured out what was wrong with my engine, he and Dotty asked us to just sit down and talk for a while.  What nice people and great hosts they are...true ambassadors to this hobby!  I've been thinking about intentionally breaking another engine just to go visit them and the layout again...LOL!

Happy 35th birthday to your great layout, Marty!

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