Anyone take their layout to retirement homes, children's hospitals, or anything similar?

FCTT-Hirailers have done this a few times. At least twice to a local senior living center and believe once or twice to a local children's hospital.

Pictures can be found here. Click on the links for Chapel Oaks (Senior Living). Any pics taken at the hospital have not been published I suspect to protect the privacy of the patients..

I was not involved with the negotiations so can't comment on pitfalls. 

Pete

Main issues in the hospital were track electrical + / - being exposed, of course depends upon where you go, their policies, and what the patients have connected.

JD2035RR posted:

I think taking a layout up to a retirement home or children's hospital around the holidays might be a fun way to share a layout with some folks who might not be able to have a layout, but would enjoy seeing and operating one. 

My general idea is to schedule a few days to operate. Promote the event in advance through flyers in the building etc, and to offer residents a chance to run their own equipment if they have it.  Offer free general maintenance (oil, grease) to help get things going.

For those of you who have done this, what tips do you have? Any pitfalls to avoid?

Thanks in advance,

JD

GREAT idea! No real reason to take a HUGE layout, either. Kids of all ages just love to see Lionels in motion! Make it easy on yourself by taking something smaller and simpler than you originally plan on. One thing that has worked well for me is just seeing if you can "borrow" some 6-foot banquet tables that the facility already has on hand, and set up a quick & dirty FasTrack layout - maybe 3 or 4 concentric loops. Set up is quick, tear down even quicker, and you'll have more time for actual running. TMCC or DCS is highly recommended - let onlookers share in the fun. And if you are part of a club, have applications or other PR materials handy. You might recruit some younger relatives of the old folks you're visiting, or parents if it's in a kids hospital !!  Best wishes, you are on the right track :-)

We have, as a club, brought layouts to a fellow member who was restricted to a home, it is one of our foster kid layouts, built on a 36 hollow core door. The hardest problem was making it so they could watch it, most were wheelchair bound and very unsteady but really enjoyed the trains and visit. 

My modular club,the Lower Susquehanna Valley Modular Railroaders, sets up the Monday after Thanksgiving every year at the Ronald McDonald house outside Hershey PA. It's a ton of work because we have to set up and tear down the same day, but it's worth it to help out the kids and family members that are there.

The San Diego All Gauge Toy Train Association (AGTTA) has had a layout at the San Diego Rady's Children's Hospital for the past few years.  We decorate it for a winter scene in this picture.

 link to more pictures;  http://www.agtta.com/rady/rady.html

We've got a layout in storage at the local children's hospice that gets brought out around Christmas.

Mitch

A while back there was a fellow participating on some of the boards who built a layout that fit onto a gurney, and would bring it to hospitals.

C W Burfle posted:

A while back there was a fellow participating on some of the boards who built a layout that fit onto a gurney, and would bring it to hospitals.

Yeah, I think that was Jere Pugh. I haven't seen him on the internet recently. I used to "follow" him, going back to the AOL Boards. He always struck me as a nice guy, although I never met or spoke to him.

bigdodgetrain posted:

The San Diego All Gauge Toy Train Association (AGTTA) has had a layout at the San Diego Rady's Children's Hospital for the past few years.  We decorate it for a winter scene in this picture.

 link to more pictures;  http://www.agtta.com/rady/rady.html

 

 

The San Diego 3Railers also participated in this project.

All great ideas and kudos to all that participate. A hollow core door can be carriage bolted down to 4 five gallon paint cans turned upside down to get a height Ok for little kids or wheelchair bound folks.

Ron_S posted:

We have, as a club, brought layouts to a fellow member who was restricted to a home, it is one of our foster kid layouts, built on a 36 hollow core door. The hardest problem was making it so they could watch it, most were wheelchair bound and very unsteady but really enjoyed the trains and visit. 

Sweet!

jhz563 posted:

My modular club,the Lower Susquehanna Valley Modular Railroaders, sets up the Monday after Thanksgiving every year at the Ronald McDonald house outside Hershey PA. It's a ton of work because we have to set up and tear down the same day, but it's worth it to help out the kids and family members that are there.

I'm quite sure you have found out that it's a real "labor of love" to show trains to kids that wouldn't see them otherwise.

A club I belonged to took some of my Lionels out of a locked display case to a nearby retirement home without my knowledge and there was cosmetic damage done. To say the least, I was not happy.   Took my toys home so, I would not take the best you have but some "beaters". 

BurlingtonBill posted:

jhz563 posted:

My modular club,the Lower Susquehanna Valley Modular Railroaders, sets up the Monday after Thanksgiving every year at the Ronald McDonald house outside Hershey PA. It's a ton of work because we have to set up and tear down the same day, but it's worth it to help out the kids and family members that are there.

I'm quite sure you have found out that it's a real "labor of love" to show trains to kids that wouldn't see them otherwise.

A fantastic effort! Attempted to build a permanent layout at one with a group but too many big egos killed the project and another group came in and did it. Left some trains there.

jim pastorius posted:

A club I belonged to took some of my Lionels out of a locked display case to a nearby retirement home without my knowledge and there was cosmetic damage done. To say the least, I was not happy.   Took my toys home so, I would not take the best you have but some "beaters". 

Been there, done that. Was running with a modular group and had a Lionel Santa Fe Northern and the 7 cars running. Parked it in the yard and went to lunch. Came back to look it over and oil if needed. It's not there! After panic and no one knowing where it is, I see it coming around the far corner on the layout. Seems another member just decided he was going to run it. Sadly for the public never brought another nice piece to run and display. 

YES ! The TMB club also has a modular layout that we take on the road and our stops include the VA hospital, Special Ed schools and Nursing homes. Very rewarding and these institutions want the attention and welcome us with open arms, especially the special ed schools where the kids are in most cases VERY Handicapped

Steve

BobbyD posted:

Main issues in the hospital were track electrical + / - being exposed, of course depends upon where you go, their policies, and what the patients have connected.

Good point, Bobby D.  Probably want to keep the oxygen tanks away from the sparks!  That's definitely a consideration. Thanks!

Joe

My wife ws a Sr. VP at the home where my trains went so I am well aware of the patients/residents needs. I don't blame them, I blame the stupid club members. One  caboose involved was a mint Lionel standard  gauge #217, orange with a red roof. There wasn't a mark on it when I put it in a locked case.  Over the past several years dealing with my antique dealer/friend, he has given me some Marx  and Lionel Scout sets because he knows they don't bring in the $$. I clean them, get them running and give them away with track & a transformer to a kid who will enjoy it.  Got a 5 yr old started this past spring and now the boy and father are planning a layout.

My son has done this for 10+ years now.

Several more years/videos HERE.

Here is a time lapse of the set up I did one year.

Really neat, Rob. This is along the lines that I was thinking. It looks like it drew a crowd and was enjoyed! Thanks for sharing. 

JD

We do invite them here..... special running sessions just for them....

Steve........ 

I LOVE seeing the responses! Keep it simple, don't take valuable trains to run, and just HAVE FUN! You really are blessing the lives of others in ways you likely have no idea. Keep it going!