Download as a PDF: 2013_MCMuseum_Show
NATIONAL CAPITAL TRACKERS
“O” GAUGE TRAIN CLUB
US MARINE SHOW REPORT, FEBRUARY 9-10, 2013
As a gracious invited guest, the Trackers showed up on time at 6:30 a.m. David Fair, our host and Education Specialist for the Marine Museum, greeted us at the loading dock.
Thanks to Regis who hauled the VA trailer, the equipment for the show was quickly unloaded and placed on the showroom floor.
The floor was taped for the 16 X 48 ft. layout by John Zampino and Zach Gibson (guest of Matt Flanagan). Lynn Gaines came all the way from Mineral, VA to help with the set. It was great to see him. Also Glen MacKinnon arrived to help with the setup.
By 7:15 a.m. the tables were going up. Regis was securing electric lines for the power module and making the necessary connections to the layout. Zach Gibson was a great help setting up and expressed an interest in joining the club.
The two crossover modules made by Justin Krause were placed at both ends of a 3-track module system. This design allowed trains on the inner and outer loops to crossover to a center track. The trains could be taken off and put back on without disrupting train movement. It was an excellent design allowing for non-stop operation. We ran like a real railroad!! Oops—except for the occasional rear end train wrecks by George Tsakiris. The NTSB was called in and found several engineers had come down with a distraction disease—“talkitis”. Fortunately it wasn’t texting or there would have been an engineer suspension. The assembly went well and by 9:30 a.m., the trains were running. Throughout the day there was never a problem with DCS or TMCC. The electrical system and train operations ran without a hitch.
He was most helpful in setup and take down. He was the go-to man when we needed to bring the club trailer to Bill Creech the following day. He had Caterpillar heavy equipment on his modules. Harold Palvelka brought his new module which displayed an automobile roadway under the tressle.
Matt Flanagan brought his two Union Pacific Big Boys. Also a beautiful Lionel Legacy B&O E-7 engines with scale B&O Heavy Weight passenger cars—a great looking set. Dave Bonner brought his MTH Northern Pacific F-3’s ABA to pull 32 freight cars and a wood sided caboose. Also an MTH Milwaukee Road F-7 ABA with 40 freight cars and a bay window caboose.
Richard Colton displayed 3 modules at the show. This Statue of Liberty module is a tribute to the Twin Towers of New York City. The other two modules are famous US landmarks—Mount Rushmore and Yosemite National Park. The mountain ranges featured hikers, campers and various wildlife such as mountain goats and black bears. Ken Warren brought his two module Dept. 56 Christmas village snow scene. He ran his Western Maryland Legacy AC 6000 engine with matching caboose and 17 freight cars. Jim McDermott displayed two modules with three tracks and a passenger station with people.
Chuck Pestacchi brought his two modules that displayed a McDonald’s operating food stand with sounds and a moving car, a Christmas carousel, and a 1930’s ice skating rink with skaters. He also had a series of classic cars on his modules. He ran an Erie Tri/Plex steam engine pulling custom Caterpillar heavy equipment flat cars, and an RF&P Berkshire engine with a full set of 19th century woodsided passenger cars.
George Tsakiris put up a bump and go trolley, passenger station and Montrose flour warehouse. He ran a Pennsy Atlantic B&O engine and a Mikado freight engine pulling Pennsy passenger cars. Justin Krause brought his famous triple crossover modules, a Lionel 4-12-2 engine and 36 reefer cars; also an MTH New York Central Mohawk engine and passenger cars.
John Zampino brought his modules sporting the nightlife of the Baltimore strip clubs complete with the Gaiety Theater and the local police station. John ran an MTH class “A” N&W 4-6-6-4 engine #1218 and a leatherneck beer freight car with an end of the train device light. Rich Colton kept the tracks clean with a daily wipedown. Thanks, great job!! Bill Robbins, Lynn Gaines and Ken Warren’s guest helped in takedown at the end of the show. The show was a great success. DCS and TMCC operated flawlessly and the trains never stopped running. Attendance on Saturday was 1,662 people and Sunday was 494 with a total attendance of 2,156.
Our thanks to the US Marine Museum and David Fair for hosting us. When all vehicles were loaded we headed to Dixie Bones Restaurant in Woodbridge, VA for a celebration dinner of ribs. Thirteen members and guests attended.
Submitted by Mike Fistere, Trackmaster and George Tsakiris, Assistant Trackmaster.