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Last evening, my buddy Mark B and I hosted the Glancy Modular Trains volunteers, members of the Detroit 3 Railers, Redford Theatre Volunteers and many other local train friends at the Redford Theatre for an evening of fun.  The Glancy Modular layout was set up on the stage and our Christmas display was doing it's thing in the orchestra pit.  Two of our organists from the theater attended and took several opportunities to show off the theatre's original 1928 Barton Theatre Pipe organ which included a brief pause in train running for Laurel and Hardy's "The Battle of the Century" accompanied by the organ.

As always, it was nice seeing everybody and it was great seeing everybody having a good time.  It's a nice way to wrap up our train season at the Theatre since the layout will be coming down in a couple weeks in preparation for a live show that is being put on at the end of February.

 

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The Glancy layout on stage was approximately 16'x40' and our Christmas display is 8'x26'.

If you're ever back up in the area, check the theater out.  It's been under restoration by an all volunteer group, the Motor City Theatre Organ Society, since 1974 and once again looks very much like it did between it's construction in 1928 and when the Japanese decor was painted over during WW2 in the 1940's.

My mom and dad were seniors at Redford High School probably around 1941-42, and although I don't recall them ever talking about the Redford theater, I feel certain they must have gone there on dates. My mom was a HUGE movie buff. I'll have to stop by next time I'm in the area - how would I get a hold of someone to catch a tour?

George 

Anyone who has any connection to the Redford area [Detroit Mi]  or just likes old movie theater's you need to take advantage of Jake and Mark's hospitality. They are EXCELLENT tour guides and will leave you totally impressed!

This was my show when growing up in the 1950's. I lived about a mile away.

On Dec. 15, 2017 some life long friends and I got the tour. We still get excited talking about it. 

Thank you again,   Jake and Mark

Gary in TucsonIMG_20171215_170940448_HDR [2)

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GeoPeg posted:

My mom and dad were seniors at Redford High School probably around 1941-42, and although I don't recall them ever talking about the Redford theater, I feel certain they must have gone there on dates. My mom was a HUGE movie buff. I'll have to stop by next time I'm in the area - how would I get a hold of someone to catch a tour?

George 

Just shoot me an email (listed in my profile) and we can probably set something up as long as there's nothing going on there and I'm available to go.

The Redford was THE theater of that neighborhood, so your parents probably at least knew of it if they didn't actually go there.  Redford High was right around the corner from the theater, now the location of a Meijer store.

AZGARY posted:

Anyone who has any connection to the Redford area [Detroit Mi]  or just likes old movie theater's you need to take advantage of Jake and Mark's hospitality. They are EXCELLENT tour guides and will leave you totally impressed!

This was my show when growing up in the 1950's. I lived about a mile away.

On Dec. 15, 2017 some life long friends and I got the tour. We still get excited talking about it. 

Thank you again,   Jake and Mark

Gary in Tucson

 

Thanks again for coming by!  We had a lot of fun giving you a tour and getting a tour from you too with all your stories about the theater back in the day.

It was nice to have you as always Jim!  And thanks for the recommendation Gary!

 

My dad posted some nice photos of the event that he took throughout the evening.

 

Guests checking out our holiday display.

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Guests chatting at the Glancy layout on stage

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My older TMCC CN 2-6-0 pulling a CN passenger train

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Southern 4501 at the head of a freight train

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CN 2-6-0

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An overview of the layouts from the balcony

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Glancy Modular president Victor checking out his new CN passenger cars as they roll by behind my Lionel 2-6-0

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Lionel Chessie SD-40

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My Lionel PRR Mikado pulling a short commuter train

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Dave Calendine, one of our two organists present at the event and most recent past president of the Motor City Theatre Organ Society, treated us to a short concert and a silent Laurel and Hardy film on the Redford Theatre's original Barton pipe organ.  Dave is one of the two organists at the new "Little Caesars Arena" home of the Detroit Red Wings.

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Talking trains.

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Southern 4501 pulling its freight train

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Last edited by SantaFe158

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