Re: New Braunfels Model Train Layout Competition

Thanks for your hard work and excellent results, Lorraine.

Ira, I really, really liked the two S curves you put in the layout this time. Excellent!! Everyone's trains, long and short, looked great running through them. Added a lot of interest over just straight runs in my opinion. And a 40' X 40" with S curves gives us lots more room inside the layout than with an L shaped layout in the same rectangular space.

Also, I found it refreshing and a nice change of pace to be in a show where there were layouts only. No train vendors. Just trains of all gauges running everywhere a person looked! Hardcore. And the place was full of layouts to capacity.

Bet we can win first place next year if it works out that more persons with special scenery and trackage modules are able to attend!

Go for the Big Bucks and have more fun in the process!!

Bill

On Sun, Nov 8, 2009 at 10:00 PM, Ira Schneider <ira_schneider@iname.com> wrote:

Hi all,

Many of you don't know the outcome of this weekend's Model Train Layout Competition
in New Braunfels.

There were nine (9) layouts competing for prizes. The prizes were awarded
based on voting by the paid attendees.

We had a large 6 x 5 layout with an S-curve (45 degree module, straight module,
reversed 45 degree module) on two sides. We had little scenery since both
Scott and Steve were out of town. The only scenery we had were the carnival,
the trolleys, and Ricky's train station and city scenes.

Despite the lack of scenery, we took third place. Obviously, the attendees
were impressed with our trains more than the scenery on the other layouts.
It is really impressive to see Rick's 72 car PFE freight train taking up half of
a 40' x 40' layout.

The third place prize was $100.

Also, we ran a raffle at the show. Lorraine, my wife, was at the raffle table most
of the weekend. Even though there didn't seem to be a lot of visitors, she took in
$236 over the weekend. The raffle item, a Lionel Safari set, was donated to the club
by Pal Scully (who won it at a previous raffle before he joined the club).
Our only expense for the raffle item was for some replacement tracks, since
some fell out of the box and were missing. We therefore netted $227 from the
raffle. There will probably be some expense in shipping the set to the winner.

Russell DaMetz towed the trailer to and from New Braunfels, in exchange for his
2009 membership dues.

Therefore, this event netted the club $327 and got us a returning member.
I think it was well worth going to New Braunfels for this event. The organizers
are already talking about running this event again next year, possibly with more space
and additional layouts.

Ira

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TTAT members reflector.