Celebrate Fairfax 2012 Show Report
We had 23 hours of running time in a three day period during the festival and we ran trains!
This show ran smoothly! A show of this length requires planning and dedication from the Trackmaster, assistants, and the members.
We had 30 Trackers participate in the show from planning through takedown. Trackmaster Joe Helsing laid the foundation with initial planning, coordination, and staffing for the show. A special thanks to assistant Trackmasters Steve Kehn and Chris Herndon for their efforts in setup/takedown, maintenance, troubleshooting, managing the show, and towing the trailer. This is the first time that we used the powerhouse at Celebrate Fairfax and it worked out well.
A Tracker sign-up sheet was used to determine when members were showing up during the festival. This allowed for adjusting run times to meet the ebb and flow. We also used a revised running signup sheet and managed signup to be equitable, so all had plenty of run time. We also made sure that those running conventional engines were easily accommodated.
Dave Bonner provided donuts and coffee, a vital task; he came through with flying colors. A special thanks to Jenna Krause for providing the train-themed cookies! The Trackers received an award from Celebrate Fairfax for 18 years of service to the show. The plaque was prominently displayed on our layout.
This was the first show ever where the club used QR barcodes. These barcodes were placed in various spots around the layout on the Plexiglas. Persons with a smart phone could scan the QR barcode and be taken either to the NCT website or the NCT Facebook page. The response was phenomenal! A special thanks to Chris Herndon and Justin Krause for making this happen!
When not running trains, members could walk outside and enjoy the festival. As always we were located within the Government Center Atrium, a beautiful location. At night on Friday and Saturday we had a great vantage point to watch the fireworks.
Tasks were assigned for setup, running, and take down. In a show of this length and complexity it is a necessity. This included the unloading and reloading of the trailer by qualified persons (Steve Kehn and Rick Eudy) to put items in their assigned places and to minimize any potential damage during transportation.
Thanks to all that provided modules: Scott Bennyhoff, Matthew Kehn, Glenn MacKinnon, Jim McDermott, Kenny & Sandra Warren, and Ed Beaver.
Special thanks to Rich Colton for his three-module smoking geysers (really cool!) and Chris Herndon for providing his yard. Nice to see a few Tracker “old geezers” Dan Danielson, Mike Fistere, and Keith Webb.
Thanks to my son Elias for his help and company. Thanks to all that participated!
What a lot of fun!
George Tsakiris
Acting Trackmaster