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My layout has been in a retail location now for several weeks and will through the end of January.  I have met lots of people and the trains are a hit.  I have been very vocal through my Facebook Page which has helped boost exposure.  Check out the comments form today.

 

 

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Where this is different is that I am not a museum or a Railroad Club.  I am not a Convention or a Show.  People don't have to make special plans to stop by and see my layout.  Kids have competing activities that hamper their ability to see most train layouts, however mine they are available 7 days a week for this short two month run. The traffic is really good and we get a wide range of Train fans and non Train fans which all seem to enjoy.

No plexiglass, no barriers, I want kids of all ages to get up close and they are even allowed to touch.  I let a few kids re-arrange some of the little people and put a cow and pig on the layout.  99% of every child that has walked through have been very respectful without commands from adults.  Parents are pretty shocked how calm I am with the kids that close to the layout even when some of the kids pat the tops of the rolling stock as the freight train rolls by.  I have put the DCS remote in the hands of many of the kids, they operated the log loader and coal loader with little and no supervision.

Trains are meant to be played with and interacted with.  Those that like to sit back and watch, can sit back and watch and those that like to put their face in the smoke as the train rolls by, can do so.

People love all the details in the scenery and it has been fun to share it with my community.

 

-Ted

Last edited by TMack

I put up a holiday layout at a music teaching studio where I teach one day a week.   Set in the front of the waiting room and in front of a big window that looks out onto the sidewalk, the layout is a a huge hit with adults and kids.... passersby on the side walk always stop and watch the trains .... some even come inside for a closer look.  Smiles break out on everyones faces, as holiday layouts tend to do.  Lots of folks have been genuinely appreciative for my sharing of the hobby.  

 

As a matter of fact one of my young students ( who is also a train fan ) helped me set up the layout.  

 

I hope to make this an annual event.  Happy new year!

Originally Posted by TMack:Great idea.

Where this is different is that I am not a museum or a Railroad Club.  I am not a Convention or a Show.  People don't have to make special plans to stop by and see my layout.  Kids have competing activities that hamper their ability to see most train layouts, however mine they are available 7 days a week for this short two month run. The traffic is really good and we get a wide range of Train fans and non Train fans which all seem to enjoy.

No plexiglass, no barriers, I want kids of all ages to get up close and they are even allowed to touch.  I let a few kids re-arrange some of the little people and put a cow and pig on the layout.  99% of every child that has walked through have been very respectful without commands from adults.  Parents are pretty shocked how calm I am with the kids that close to the layout even when some of the kids pat the tops of the rolling stock as the freight train rolls by.  I have put the DCS remote in the hands of many of the kids, they operated the log loader and coal loader with little and no supervision.

Trains are meant to be played with and interacted with.  Those that like to sit back and watch, can sit back and watch and those that like to put their face in the smoke as the train rolls by, can do so.

People love all the details in the scenery and it has been fun to share it with my community.

 

-Ted

 

Lets see shot of your layout for the kids?

 

I do several a year for events.

bring my own stuff and run it and let kids run the trains when feasible!

And lots of buttons to push to make sounds stuff move etc.

 

Lots of fun and get lots of thanks for doing it from families.

 

But I have learned that I will not let the kids in with free access to the track.

Once had a good sized steam engine running fast and a small kid got through the sectioned off area ran in and grabbed the steam engine. Finger got stuck in the drive rods that pinched him and stopped the train.

I am lucky the parents did not sue me it was my own display? insurance for a lawsuit ??

 

Now have some good fencing and let the kids handle the remotes.

 

In past had a DCS remote dropped on the cement floor by a kid!

 

now sticking to the Lionchief remotes and buttons on the fence that is still good enough!

 

I have always liked show casing and sharing the hobby and the public really enjoys it.

The Thomas themed trains are hit with the little kids.

I've done a static, enclosed, glass case display at a McDonald's store, Beaver/Vanport, PA for the last (6) years.   Surprisingly, I get a call, mid Oct., about the display, Nov 15 through January 15.   I stop occasionally for coffee, and have noted a lot of finger prints on the case.   You would think it has some "draw" value or they wouldn't ask for return displays annually.    Merry Christmas/ Happy New Year   

 

Note that train public is different from general public. IMO.  Displays that are not train public selective tend to be a bit harder on equipment. IMO.    

Last edited by Mike CT

I have been exhibiting my modular layout for 5 years at the train museum and the art gallery of my city ( Check it out in the OGR run 269).

It is so much fun to share the hobby with the crowds. But it will take a good dose of energy to do. Be prepared for tons of questions to respond, to operated all the accesories you have, to keep an eye on all the operations.... It makes a good day of work... But it is worth every minute of it when you have a small kid saying thank you!! And that happens a lot , I can tell you for sure! 

Thank you TMack for this posting. I share the same "opertaus motus" as you: INTERACTION and FUN with the trains and the public.

Like Kj356, I advise people not to put their hands on the tracks... But I no fences or plexiglass... I don't like having a "barrier" between the train and the people. I my father would have put a plexiglass or called me " a kid with pesky little hands", I probably would not be in this hobby.

I don't run fancy trains ( except at the Museum for historical reasons)... Just the basic. The general public dont care if it is a $1000.00 or a $100.00 engine that is running...As long that is FUN to watch.

I place all delicate , fragile or more expensive items out of reach in the layout. The Kids just love the push buttons and blowing the whistles.

With over 15000 over 5 years that have seing the layout, I cannot report anything broken by the crowd. People are very respectfull.

The bottom line for me is the Fun I get to run the train and the Fun the crowd will enjoy.

Happy New Year to All of you

 

Enjoy the Fun of running the trains.

 

Jacques Brouillette

 

That’s really nice what you’re doing, TMack..
I’m sure it takes a lot of effort and time on your part to pull that off every year?
I must say you are promoting the Hobby to the highest degree, with Your "hands on display".
You’re planting the O-Gauge seed….. And that is a Good Thing!!

Have A Great New Year..

K.C.
Awesome. Love all the different scenes. I modeled the industrial section of the Buffalo River in HO with an Oil Refinery Dock, Ore Dock, & a cement dock. I built a tug-barge tanker combination, a fire boat, a dredge rig, & another flat deck barge & tug. I rotate the boats on & off the layout every few weeks. Some times people come over & ask what I did with the tanker when they don't see it at the dock on the layout & I tell them "It went back to Detroit to load again for Buffalo" & they just look at me like I'm crazy & say "Whaaaat?"

I am liling all this.

 

Today I went to take my son to pick up his "Letter" jacket at the sport specialty store.

 

The fella who owns the store is a BIG toy train accumulator!!

In both of his display windows he had )-Gauge layouts set up with a Christmas Tree in the middle.

 

He said the layouts were set up for kids to operate. Over the years he has collected introductory sets really cheap from estate sales, etc and tries to get the parents to by one for the kids. I ended up staying at that fells store well over an hour, the poor dog waited for us in the car it was 9-degrees this morning!!! I did give the dog a few extra treats.

 

But this is great pro-active ways to introduce "youngins" into this most wonderful hobby.

 

He was talking about the same concerns about getting the kids in and also mentioned he also thought what did in model airplanes was to much attention on high end expensive model kits that ignored the young ones.

 

I am glad I saved or picked up a lot of those old cheapie ones as my son has been building them like crazy since Thanksgiving. I kid you not he has built 27 kits so far. He hasn't painted them I told him I would help him do that this Christmas break.

 

He has consistently improved his skills.

 

Since we are tearing down our temporary layout to put up a better one we took time last night and today to run some of the steamers before putting them away for a bit

How do you combat Cranky Geezer Syndrome? 

  1. Give control of your layout to a random 8 year old.
  2. Sit back and Don't worry.
  3. Be a source of encouragement.
  4. Make sure you have an extra 3 year old hanging on to the side of the layout.

This kid was using the uncouple feature and all the sounds and was having ball.  After he left I turned control over to a random 8 year old girl and she was able to run the uncouple feature on the DCS with no problems.

 

 

20131231_172700

 

I wonder how you all think we are going to attract the youngsters to the hobby if we are so wrapped up in "keeping all those pesky little hands off our stuff" 

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Originally Posted by TMack: TMack - I love your kindness and sharing spirit.  Sounds like from the feedback you posted that you are having a huge impact on the younger generation.  Thanks so much for all your time, energy, and most importantly your enthusiastic spirit in sharing the hobby.  Happy new year to you and your family!

 

My layout has been in a retail location now for several weeks and will through the end of January.  I have met lots of people and the trains are a hit.  I have been very vocal through my Facebook Page which has helped boost exposure.  Check out the comments form today.

 

 

Train Comments

 

Originally Posted by TMack:  Great prescription for combating CGS!!!! :-)

How do you combat Cranky Geezer Syndrome? 

  1. Give control of your layout to a random 8 year old.
  2. Sit back and Don't worry.
  3. Be a source of encouragement.
  4. Make sure you have an extra 3 year old hanging on to the side of the layout.

This kid was using the uncouple feature and all the sounds and was having ball.  After he left I turned control over to a random 8 year old girl and she was able to run the uncouple feature on the DCS with no problems.

 

 

20131231_172700

 

I wonder how you all think we are going to attract the youngsters to the hobby if we are so wrapped up in "keeping all those pesky little hands off our stuff" 

 

Happy New Year to all!

Like many posts on the OGR Forum, this one is very encouraging. I decided last year that I would build a modular layout to take the trains to the people. The learning, acquisition of equipment, planning and execution have taken up the whole year. What I decided to do, was set up everything on a temporary layout as a test as I didn't get the modules built.

This post and others about public displays refreshes my energy to reach my goal to take the trains to the people. The enjoyment and smiles are definitely worth the effort!

So, the test has been with a 2 1/2, 4 and 7 year old in various sessions. Not putting out your best engines, seems the safest. Minor laughable incidents and growing my patience as suggested by a few posters. Hyper-speed running of the Polar Express in reverse really made me cringe. Nothing happened. Phew!

 

Again, thanks to TMack and all for the feedback. I'll get a pic or two up. 

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