This past weekend at the Carnegie Science Center in Pittsburgh was home to what is called Locomotion Weekend. This is an event that usually takes place the first weekend in December. The program was delayed this year and it was unknown as to whether the people would attend in large numbers as they had in the past. This event is created around volunteers bringing in layouts and displays creating four floors of trains to peruse. Ll gauges were represented except z-scale. Other groups were operation lifesaver, the PA Trolley Museum, the Duquesne Incline, modular layouts in S, HO, N, and O scales. The omnimax theatre was running a movie of trains traveling through the Canadian Rockies. The Miniature Railroad and Village as always was an attraction. This is the background info...now for the news.
The Fort Pitt Division, Inc. of the TCA, had over 60 volunteers over the two day event. Loco Doc, Joe Mania, and a crew of volunteers assisted the public with General maintainance on trains they brought in to our table. Pamphlets, Author signed books, magazines, catalogs, applications, lists of local hobby shops, were passed out freely. Door prizes were passed out every half hour and at the end of the event a drawing was held to give away an O gauge Polar Express Remote set.
Today, I received an email from Patty, Director of Displays at CSC. The note thanked us all and stated that the number of attendees was over 5000 and the notes that she had received from patrons were very positive...better than the past events.
In closing, if we want to promote our hobby, more events like this in locations all over the country can and do make an impact. In most instances, you probably started into the hobby the same way...exposure and experiencing trains...and talking. This post is long but it is necessary if we want to have a hobby to talk about in future years.
