A Club Layout For Tinplate?

Our organization, the Gadsden Pacific Toy Train Museum in Tucson, Arizona, has a tinplate layout as one of our exhibits. While we own and operate a number of (mostly repro) trains, the vast majority of what is run at our public open houses is owned by individual members. Our layout is on two levels, with Standard Gauge on the lower level and 0 gauge on the upper. Each level has two main lines, with an additional visitor-operated trolley loop on the lower (Standard Gauge) level. The visitor pushes a button and a trolley appears from the tunnel and then goes back into the tunnel. We also have quite a few prewar tinplate items on display in museum cases along the walls. There is also a separate Marx layout housed in a mock-up wooden trolley built by a couple of the members.

The layout is a work in progress; we just got the second 0 gauge main line installed a couple of weeks ago. I'd post some pictures, but unfortunately I had a computer problem and cannot currently access my files. 

Here's the Gadsden Pacific website:

Gadsden Pacific Toy Train Museum

Unfortunately, the website does not have any pictures of the tinplate layout in its current configuration. 

While the club I attend is TTOS-SP division, a group of us came up with the All Aboard Fastracker squares and we purposely designed in loops of O31 tubular on the interior to run tinplate and we often have a tinplate only theme a some meets. Some group members are also working on train running nights once a month where some people bring their trains to run and just hang out together. What about trying something like that?

On the TTOS layout in Vallco mall Cupertino, California, we have two separate O-72 tracks with no switches that are especially dedicated to tinplate, old, foreign, Marx, and any other train that does not like modern switches.

Over the years a few folks have suggested converting those tracks to modern tracks with switches and whatnot, but the operators who use them like them the way they are.

Bruce,

Since the Standard Gauge Module Association was formed, it has been a standard practice of SGMA to allow anyone, be he/she a SGMA member or not, to operate their Standard Gauge trains on any SGMA layout erected at a train show.  This practice has proven to be a lot of fun for all.  Not only does it help to promote the Standard Gauge hobby, but it also attracts potential new members to SGMA by affording them the opportunity to run their Standard Gauge trains on what could well be the largest Standard Gauge layout on which their trains will ever operate.    

Chances are there may not be enough O gauge tinplate enthusiasts in your area to support construction and operation of a permanent club layout strictly for tinplate.  Therefore, you should definite consider going modular instead.  It's been my experience as a charter member of SGMA that a modular tinplate club can be a successful way to bring tinplate enthusiasts together regardless of how far apart they live.   All it takes is development by members of some module construction standards, which are designed specifically for the operation of "tinplate" trains.  For example, SGMA's original modular construction standards required the outside mainline on all SGMA modules to remain "switchless".  This was mandated so as to accommodate the running of all types of Standard Gauge locomotives regardless of their age or gearing.  This was critical since several historically important Standard Gauge locomotives in various member's collections had large geared driver wheels, which would derail when run through the new tinplates switches available at the time when SGMG's original standards were adopted.  

My recommendation to you would be to definitely consider starting a tinplate O gauge module club!  For Standard Gauge, join SGMA!

Bob

I appreciate the time time and energy spent on the comments and it seems that outside of temporary, modular set ups for shows, that what I was referring to is pretty much non existent, which is a permanent club layout. It makes me wonder if this is just the nature of the tinplate collector or that the ranks of tinplate enthusiasts are spread fairly thin over the country..but it would be a kick to see a large permanent layout of tinplate outside of the purview of a handful of private collectors with the cash in hand to make them possible. Thanks for the suggestions and comments.

The next time you visit the San Francisco - San Jose area, come by Vallco mall at 280 and Wolf road in Cupertino and visit the TTOS layouts. We have Standard gauge, O gauge, S gauge, G gauge and HO gauge layouts. We operate every Wednesday and Saturday afternoon.