Each year the Botanical Gardens has the Luminations Festival. The Gardens are lighted and very beautiful. WAGRS has provided a trains layout the last three years.We have three loops. One is 20x 40 with an elevated ladder section on one end. The second is a 5x12 loop that a newbright Holiday Express animated train will run on. The third loop is up on a knoll with a small lighted passenger consist, decorated by led lights. There is a trolly line provided by member "Reevha." On the main loop we run a Mikado w/6 lighted Aristo Sierras - The Polar Express. There are 10 lighted buildings. We run from 6-9PM on the next three fri/sat nights. The entire Botanica is lighted, with minstral groups, choirs, and other entertainment. It looks like a winter wonderland.Last year a kid came up to me [I was wearing an Engineer's cap] and his comment was that "This is so AWSOME!!" We crank up the volume on the Mikado. You can hear that whistle wailing all over the gardens like a lonesome train passing in the distant darkness.
Pictures to be posted Sat. or Sun. night.
The first night was cold, snowy, windy, and Murphy was in full presence. Altogether we ran four trains. Mikado w/Sierras, Holiday Express train, LGB Stanz w/3 passenger cars [light streaks on top of hill]. and a Bachmann Christmas trolley running on Aristo reversing track.Herb Reeves sets up the trolley as his wife Heather supervises."Pimanjc" JimC, sets up the village lighting.Phil W. and Claudia R. [project leader] set up the transformer and run the track cleaner.The village looks much better at night.The snow began to come down. Overnight there was more than an inch of accumulation even though most of it melted as it hit. Trolley can be seen ahead [different track] of the Mikado.Lights from the Gardens decorations can be seen in the background.There was a steady stream of visitors that came to view the layout. We received many comments about how beautiful the layout was.Other lighting in the GardensGrapes garden
I mentioned that Murphy was present: The original Mikado we started with suddenly stopped. I had to drive home [40min RT] and get my Mikado. The lighting in the Sierras was switched from track power [1st] to batteries in a combine which were MUd to the other cars. Also, the Holiday Express decided to stop working about 15min before quitting time.
Maybe more pics to come next weekend.
JimC.
Like to know what made them poop out?.
Toad
I would like to know what the problems were too. The Motor on the LGB Mikado was tested independent of the track pickups. It works fine. When trying to use the track pickups there is absolutely no response. The Holiday Express will only go about two feet and then unpower. I suspect there is a bad connection somewhere between the tender and loco.
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