@PRRMP54 posted:I have been meaning to ask, what is that red brick(?) building on the left upper level? TIA
It’s actually red siding, but it is a custom model of the William Ford (Henry Ford’s father) Barn at Greenfield Village in Dearborn, MI
I saw Gone With the Wind there forty years ago when we lived on Auburn near Grand River. Nice to see theater is still open and even nicer to hear there is a layout. I might have to come check you out. Thank you for sharing.
@NeophyteMRR posted:I saw Gone With the Wind there forty years ago when we lived on Auburn near Grand River. Nice to see theater is still open and even nicer to hear there is a layout. I might have to come check you out. Thank you for sharing.
The theater has come a very long way in 40 years and the neighborhood directly around it has seen slow but steady improvements over the past decade. Definitely come check it out!
The layout made its first public runs for our patrons last night. It definitely wasn't a big crowd (our crowd sizes have taken quite a hit during the pandemic) but everybody that was there seemed to thoroughly enjoy the display. Even more folks that weren't there have been inquiring about its presence, so I'm sure we'll see more for our upcoming Christmas shows. There are still a couple of minor accessory things that I plan to wire in when time allows, but aside from that it was pretty much fully finished with a couple hours to spare before the show. It was nice getting to sit back and enjoy it for awhile before the doors opened for once. Typically I'm rushing right up until the last minute to wrap things up. 😁
Here's a bit of an overview video of the layout that I put together, although the little details don't show up very well.
Looks great Jake. Nice to see your back in action.
Bob
That's one good looking Christmas display! And I really like your choice of music for the video.
Perry
@SantaFe158 posted:The layout made its first public runs for our patrons last night. It definitely wasn't a big crowd (our crowd sizes have taken quite a hit during the pandemic) but everybody that was there seemed to thoroughly enjoy the display. Even more folks that weren't there have been inquiring about its presence, so I'm sure we'll see more for our upcoming Christmas shows. There are still a couple of minor accessory things that I plan to wire in when time allows, but aside from that it was pretty much fully finished with a couple hours to spare before the show. It was nice getting to sit back and enjoy it for awhile before the doors opened for once. Typically I'm rushing right up until the last minute to wrap things up. 😁
I lived nearby in the early 1950s; my father taught at Redford High School. I think I saw "The Creature from the Black Lagoon" at the Redford Theater—scared the crap out of me. (I was maybe 6 or 7, went with my older brother).
I really enjoyed the article about the movie house and the train setup in Classic Toy Trains for January, 2020. I've lived in NYC since 1956, no way I could ever see the layout now, but thanks for the videos! Here's the Redford Theater I remember:
Attachments
Images (1)
Excellent job once again, Jake!!!
@Andrew-Porter posted:I lived nearby in the early 1950s; my father taught at Redford High School. I think I saw "The Creature from the Black Lagoon" at the Redford Theater—scared the crap out of me. (I was maybe 6 or 7, went with my older brother).
I really enjoyed the article about the movie house and the train setup in Classic Toy Trains for January, 2020. I've lived in NYC since 1956, no way I could ever see the layout now, but thanks for the videos! Here's the Redford Theater I remember:
Thanks! The exterior of the theater is still more or less as your picture shows it although improvements through restoration are slowly being made as money allows. The interior thankfully is no longer as you likely recall and has been returned back to pretty close to its original state. "Updates" during and after World War Two had done a number on the place and it wasn't even a shadow of its former self when our group began restoration efforts 35 years ago.
@SantaFe158 posted:Thanks! The exterior of the theater is still more or less as your picture shows it although improvements through restoration are slowly being made as money allows. The interior thankfully is no longer as you likely recall and has been returned back to pretty close to its original state. "Updates" during and after World War Two had done a number on the place and it wasn't even a shadow of its former self when our group began restoration efforts 35 years ago.
I understand all the supposedly hateful Japanese-themed interiors were covered over and/or demolished during WW2. I can barely remember what the place looked like. I was in SE Michigan to see my brother and visit my father's gravesite, I think in 1976. And my last visit to the area was maybe 5-6 years ago, when plans were announced to demolish Redford High School and replace it with a Meier's. Here's a photo of my Dad at Redford—he was a teacher and coach, when the school was whites only:
Attachments
Images (1)
@Andrew-Porter posted:I understand all the supposedly hateful Japanese-themed interiors were covered over and/or demolished during WW2. I can barely remember what the place looked like. I was in SE Michigan to see my brother and visit my father's gravesite, I think in 1976. And my last visit to the area was maybe 5-6 years ago, when plans were announced to demolish Redford High School and replace it with a Meier's. Here's a photo of my Dad at Redford—he was a teacher and coach, when the school was whites only:
Unfortunately it was the other way around. Hatred towards Japanese culture during WW2 led to the owners of the theater painting over or covering everything within the theater to avoid a loss of business. The Motor City Theater Organ Society members have been painstakingly restoring it back to the pre-WW2 condition ever since the mid-1980s.
There aren't too many places where O gauge trains run in a Japanese garden beneath a "starry night sky" 
Really cool Jake, great display. Love the night running with all the lights, that's fantastic!
I have a suggestion for next year. I suspect these are all running conventional mode, right? You might add a little automation to occasionally honk the horns occasionally, it would be pretty easy to accomplish. 
Another idea might be to add a decorated Christmas car or two with lights.
Looks beautiful Jake!!!! You've captured one of the best aspects of our hobby, sharing it with pride!
@Andrew-Porter posted:I understand all the supposedly hateful Japanese-themed interiors were covered over and/or demolished during WW2. I can barely remember what the place looked like. I was in SE Michigan to see my brother and visit my father's gravesite, I think in 1976. And my last visit to the area was maybe 5-6 years ago, when plans were announced to demolish Redford High School and replace it with a Meier's. Here's a photo of my Dad at Redford—he was a teacher and coach, when the school was whites only:
In the early 70's and for many years thereafter I lived in that area. So I know the school and theater very well. Your statement about whites only isn't 100% accurate as there were many non whites attending. It was a public school so it simply reflected the neighborhood at the time. Shame that the building was torn down as it had been added onto with a new wing.
My barber Paul was next door to the theater and I'd see him every few weeks for a great hair cut. He is still cutting hair I understand though I believe he's well into his eighties.
The restoration team at the theater has done a stupendous job. The layout is great. Hope to see it this season as I'm not that far away. They have some great shows lined up.
Thanks guys!
John, an automated horn wouldn't be a bad idea for the future. I'll have to add it to my long list of future plans . The layout generally runs in a sort of "auto" mode where the power is turned on and off through the theater's light board. As a result, everything is indeed conventional under normal conditions. We do have a Legacy Base wired in for when we decide to put it into "manual mode" and run trains ourselves during the shows. That's typically the only time we run anything with sound.
I have a couple of the great MTH Christmas flat cars with the lit trees on either end, but I'm a bit greedy and enjoy running them under my tree at home too much to leave them there. I generally bring them along if I take anything to run in person though. I definitely wouldn't mind picking up a couple more of those at some point as they're some of my favorites.
Skip, thanks for the compliment. That's certainly one of the things I like most about doing this display. Although I enjoy the comments/compliments received when I share progress reports on various forums and social media, the true satisfaction is seeing the enjoyment our patrons get out of seeing it. We've had people asking for weeks as to whether or not we'd be resurrecting the display this year after taking last year off. Although we're not out of the woods with Covid yet, I think it's been nice to have at least one aspect of our normal life back for a little while.
Kazar, please feel free to swing by for a show. The layout is generally up well past Christmas also so you'll have some time to see it yet. Paul unfortunately was finally forced into retirement due to his declining health a couple of years ago. He was certainly an institution in the neighborhood. We're now renting the space his shop was in to a young woman who is continuing to run it as a barber/salon type of business.
@SantaFe158 posted:Kazar, please feel free to swing by for a show. The layout is generally up well past Christmas also so you'll have some time to see it yet. Paul unfortunately was finally forced into retirement due to his declining health a couple of years ago. He was certainly an institution in the neighborhood. We're now renting the space his shop was in to a young woman who is continuing to run it as a barber/salon type of business.
Jake thanks for the update. I haven't been to the theater since Christmas of 2019.
Didn't realize Paul was retired. I hope he is enjoying his place as he had a large piece of acreage (from what I recall him telling me). As you know he was a bit ornery at times as it had to be his way or else!!!
My friend Tony (formerly of Tony's Mower Shop and Trains) will swing by to say hello. Just let me know when you'll be around and we'll try to make down there while you are in.
The layout looks great a usual. Keep up the good work.
@SantaFe158 posted:Thanks! This would have been the 10th one I've done had it not been for our unexpected season off last year.
Wow! I love it. Thanks for sharing!
This is great to see Jake! Can't wait to see it in person! 
