My office has a trick or treat afternoon for families of employees (on Oct 30 this year). We are encouraged to decorate for the event; I've decided I want to do a simple train layout with some Halloween decorations. We'll probably have 100+ kids of all ages through the office that afternoon, plus all of the adult kids that work there...
Here's what I have:
* Two 60" wide desks back-to-back with a low divider between them (divider does not reach the end, so there's room for track to pass around the ends. Desks are about 30" deep (have not been at the office since I decided to do this, will measure on Monday). The "east" end of the desks have a file cabinet the same height as the desks centered giving an additional 18" or so. The area is open and well-lit with no option to change the lighting.
* A 40"x60" Fastrack loop, plus a few additional straight pieces.
* Various engines and rolling stock, passenger and freight, including enough glow in the dark AEC trains for a small consist.
* A 6-37036 Halloween Jack-O-Lantern globe car
* Various power, TMCC gear, two CAB-1s, ASC1 borrowed from my layout (if needed)
* A couple evenings with 2-3 hours each for planning and at-home prep
* A couple hours next weekend to set up.
* Some 1" and 2" foam & a hot wire cutter.
* A garage full of paint, lumber, and "stuff"
* A modest budget for supplies
So far, what I'm thinking is covering the desks with black felt (my wife has some in her craft stockpile), and building a plain oval. Running a 5412 Hudson pulling the AEC cars. A ghost of some sort (white sheet on a stick with something to stuff it for shape?), possibly draping over the track creating a tunnel on one side. Possibly a gondola or hopper carrying candy (with a larger bowl for candy to hand out). A pumpkin and some gourds for general decoration.
Possibly having the globe car as a powered static display (especially if there's a tunnel on the loop).
I will probably use TMCC so I can control the train from my (adjacent) desk and so kids can blow the whistle and start/stop the train.
Ideas that include some quick-to-build geeky ideas (flashing LEDs, etc.) would be great.
I'd love some quick-to-build ideas for making this extra cool.
