Personal journal (editorial or commentary)
NMRA Convention, Day 4 (Wednesday, July 16th)
Layouts! Every layout has something about it the owner does well or distinctively, and for the Layout Design SIG layout tour, I find this to be especially true. I'm delighted to report that for the Wednesday LD SIG layout tours here at the 2008 NMRA National Convention in Anahiem, this remains as true as ever!
Mike Kresen's HO freelanced western Pennsylvania layout
We carpooled with Rob Hinkle driving (who as it turned out, has already been to some of the layouts on previous nights as a guest operator - so he drove right to them). We departed the hotel just after 10 am to begin our trek. We stopped first at Mike Kresen's HO scale steam-diesel era freelanced western Pennsylvania layout set in the early 1950s.
The fully scenicked 14x20' layout immediately impressed me - with the level of detail being well above average - although Mike claimed the layout needed still more details (what layout couldn't use more detailing work?)
For instance, the details in the central city scene really dazzled me and caught my eye. I've included a scene here on the left (click the image to enlarge). Notice the realistic street lights, the building billboard light, and the animated neon dental supply sign that plays through a realistic sequence of squeezing the toothpaste out onto the brush. And that wasn't all - Mike also included traffic signals that change, a spinning barber shop pole, and other realistic eye candy. Very nicely done, Mike!
NMRA Convention, Day 3 (Tuesday, July 15th)
As expected, Day 3 of the NMRA National in Anaheim turned out to be especially busy for me. I had three (count them, THREE) clinics to give - all back to back. And as if that wasn't enough to make life interesting, we also videoed all three! Talk about a major hardware and setup scramble ...
NMRA Convention, Day 2 (Monday, July 14th)
I started my day 2 by wandering around the Layout Design SIG/OP SIG room. You can view interesting layout design examples in this room - here's one that's near-and-dear to my heart: a mushroom club layout design! (click image to enlarge)
Thus ends day 1 of the NMRA Convention
As expected, day 1 of the 2008 NMRA Convention was fairly slow, with a few clinics in the evening, and the Layout Design SIG's traditional Meet and Greet. This is my sixth National Convention, and I've been a past editor of the LD SIG's Journal publication, plus I now serve as the LD SIG's webmaster.
Layout Construction back under way
Well, I've finally went back to working on the Joppa Subdivison Layout...After about an 18 month hiatus...due to planning, and capital issues...So, I have invested in layout design software, mainly for having my webpage redone with the layout schematic on it...along with pictures of various areas of the layout and such.
Introduction
Just wanted to take a minute to introduce myself to the group. My name is George Simmons and I live in Central Louisiana. I have been a model railroader since high school and a fan of railroads since a little child. I remember listening to my father a conductor/brakeman for the Missouri Pacific Railroad or "MOP" as he called talking about some of his trips. He along with my grandfather, two uncles and a couple of cousins worked for the MOP while one cousin in law work for years for the L&A. The major boost for me in model railroading was when I fo
At the Convention!
It's Sunday, July 13th, and I'm sitting in my 2008 Convention Hotel room, using my very fast (but not very free) wireless internet connection to post this blog entry. We're fully registered for the convention, have our convention packets (lots of little goodies like free McHenry couplers) and we're flipping through the convention program checking out the coming week's events.
Sunday is pretty slow, mostly just registration - so there's not much happening yet. However, we will be videoing a couple of JMRI clinics this evening! I've included a page from the program on the left - click on it to see a full sized version you can read. I've marked the two clinics we will be videoing in yellow.
Tomorrow is when things really get rolling, with a full day of tours, clinics, and other events. I'll be walking around the convention hall taking photos and be posting more in the days ahead "live" from the convention in my blog!
It's Like Waiting for Christmas!
I guess I dunno whether to be embarassed or pleased that the demo issue seems to be the Charlie and his Bare Creek RR show. I will say that I'm darned impressed by what Joe's doing with MRH magazine. And I've known him for close to 10 years now - but he somehow keeps surprising me.
Portable reading of MRH
So, last night I got to thinking. I have a TON of down time at my job. When I buy a copy of one of the major publications, I usually carry it with me to work for a week or so, and read it on my down time.
Question here in lies, how will I carry my PDF copy of MRH to work!? Its too much to lug my laptop (considering the power cord is buried).
The 2008 NMRA Convention in Anaheim
If you've never been to an NMRA National Convention before, you may be wondering what they're all about. What can you do at one?
The National Convention has become a major annual week-long event loaded with informative, educational and inspiring hobby activities. The convention features prototype tours, tours of local layouts, op sessions on prominent layouts, educational clinics, contests, model displays ... the list goes on and on. There are so many activities it's impossibe to do it all!
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