What happens when your 11 year old granddaughter takes it upon herself to invite four younger friends to run trains.CHAOSI has assembled a six loco 48 car train on the ALLY. I was in the house working on some couplers when I heard the commotion outside.
I grabbed my camera and set it on a bench to catch some action.I had no idea that we would have visitors. They had separated the big long train and were trying to run them separately. I had to un consist the 5 locos and get separate throttles hooked up.
There were 5 operators. I have four throttle, two with dual control knobs and two singles.Not expecting visitors, the batteries were dead. And of course, I didn't have enough working cables to run four throttles. While the chaos grew, I tried to fix a cable that I had chewed up with a weed whacker, (don't ask.)
I vaguely notice that Ally took over the camera operation and was barking out commands like a movie director. I got two more throttle connected and helped the little girl, Parker, get started. All she wanted to know was which way to turn the knob to make it go.Gradually, they got more trains running, eventually getting FIVE all going at one time.While it stared with these inexpedience operators walking on the track, jumping over the trains, and straddling the rails while the trains ran between their legs...I kept silent, and watched.Sure enough, after a while the challenge became keeping the trains from colliding. They settled down into lawn chairs. Ally asked me to find my buckets of cattle, people, and some more automobiles. The visitors were soon positioning the auto, people and cattle for pickup and delivery on the trains.Without me ever saying a word to the visitors, everything just fell into place. The trains were running, and the railroad seemed safe. Ally seemed to have everything under control, and I found the heat of the mid day a little much and returned to my workbench to continue changing couplers, leaving my grandaughter, Ally, in charge. While at first it looked like total CHAOS, I was surprised, nothing was broken, Nothing trampled. Ally even provided cokes for her guest and they had a grand afternoon.
While some of Allys video is a little jerky, she did grab one of my tripods and got the camera mounted, so a lot of the video was usable. Even some of the hand-held shots.I cringed when I edited this for time. What was I thinking? Here are some highlights of her video.
VIDEO
Great video and it looks like a GOOD time was had by All. You are a CREDIT to the hobby and a SUPER Grampa.
Ron
Been awhile since I smiled like I did while watching your vid.
Les W.
Bob:
From your text and the video, I would say you had a marvolus day! Well done!
Tom Trigg
Bob,
Datsss what it's all about, oh yeah.......
Byron C.
Kids are what its all about. Right now I only have one throttle for one battery powered engine for up to 10 kids at a time. The kids share and have a blast. I show the first one how to run the throttle and then they are off having a blast. I think I have the most fun though just watching them.
Rex
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