An Overhead View of my layout

[C&O Fan]

Yesterday i spent some time tweaking my internet security camera settings

to take snapshots every 20 minutes during my open house

tomorrow and Sunday

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[rrinker]

 As much as I hate to even have to say this, given that the vast majority of us a decent, honest people - I think I would set the cameras to do more frequent than 20 minute snaps if you are hosting an open house, at least if it's a general public type of open house. 

 Not that this is a new problem - there were always mentions in (usually the Bull Session column) MR even back in the 50's reporting stolen locos and rolling stock. 

                               --Randy

 

[C&O Fan]

rrinker

 As much as I hate to even have to say this, given that the vast majority of us a decent, honest people - I think I would set the cameras to do more frequent than 20 minute snaps if you are hosting an open house, at least if it's a general public type of open house. 

 Not that this is a new problem - there were always mentions in (usually the Bull Session column) MR even back in the 50's reporting stolen locos and rolling stock. 

                               --Randy

 

 

There is limited space on the SD card So 20 min per shot per  day is about all it can handel

[riogrande5761]

C&O Fan

There is limited space on the SD card So 20 min per shot per  day is about all it can handel

Then you need to invest in new hardware if you want to catch a thief at an open house.  You can get relatively cheap cameras now that continuously record video at hi-res and constantly loop so it keeps the past X number of minutes depending on resolution and storage.  Probably for the cost of a decent quality engine you could get a camera like this and it might be worth it if you have open houses.

 

I know you can get them for automobile dash cams that do the same thing - probably easily adaptable to a layout room.  A co-worker had one operating in his car one night when he was sitting at a stop light in late at night in Washington DC - someone ran into him from behind.  That driver lied and blamed the accident on my co-worker, but since he had the dash cam recording clearly showing the time, the event and he as sitting stopped at a stop light - it proved the perpetrator was lying and he was found guilty. 

 

It isn't a bad idea for folks to have a dash cam as a form of insurance, at home or in a car - I tell I see almost daily people blatently breaking the on the roads here in northern Virgnia far more than any place I live - and all because there aren't any police and people know they can get away with almost anything.  Hi-res footage of these "clowns" caught in the act and turned into police would probably eventually the brakes on some of this insanity - but I digress.

[C&O Fan]

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Then you need to invest in new hardware if you want to catch a thief at an open house.  You can get relatively cheap cameras now that continuously record video at hi-res and constantly loop so it keeps the past X number of minutes depending on resolution and storage.

 

 

Living on Social Security gives me a very limited train budget

This camera is 4 Years old But still gets the job done

 

Besides i'm just not that worried about theft

[riogrande5761]

C&O Fan

 

Living on Social Security gives me a very limited train budget

This camera is 4 Years old But still gets the job done

 

Besides i'm just not that worried about theft

 

Ok.  But whats the point of installing camera's above to take a photo every 20 minutes if it isn't going to catch a thief?  You might as well just stand on a step ladder and take a few photo's and your good to go.

 

 

[SeeYou190]

The cameras alone should do the trick. If people know camera are there, they should be mounted conspicuously, they will alter their behaviour.

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The sign for the security system is a bigger deterent then the security system itself.

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The quality of the images is impressive.

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Theft is not a new thing at all. John Allen said he had a locomotive stolen by a visitor back in the 1950s.

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-Kevin

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[riogrande5761]

There is the deterent effect.  I suppose it's like posting signs on the road that there are speed camera's.  Of course there are daft sods who still speed and get busted because the camera's actually catch them!

[C&O Fan]

riogrande5761

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Ok.  But whats the point of installing camera's above to take a photo every 20 minutes if it isn't going to catch a thief?  You might as well just stand on a step ladder and take a few photo's and your good to go.

 

 

 

The cameras Primary Purpose is to allow my out of town RR buddies

A chance to view the layout They can operate it remotely panning left /right

up/down and follow locos around the layout

They can even operate a loco remotely using their cell phone as a wifi throttle as long as they allow for the 4 second delay

We found that its best to only have one train tunning on the main at a time

(Less Wrecks)

It also allows them to look in on the open house and see the guests

The camera can live stream or take a Jpeg every 4 seconds and transmit it

(I use the Jpegs because the photo quality is better)

Recording a photo every 20 min is not to catch a thief but to have a record of visitors

It has night vision and motion detection if i wanted to use it as a security camera once motion is detected it will shoot a 2 min video and auto upload it to utube  then notify me via text to my cell phone of the intruder

[richhotrain]

First of all, great looking layout, C&O Fan. And very good overhead shots with the camera.  Nice perspective here.

Regarding security, I understand that. But, at the risk of sounding naive, how likely is it that someone will steal something like a locomotive? Not to suggest that everyone is well intentioned, but where do you put it and how do you handle it and how do you conceal it.

What other security techniques are employed in an open house?  Does one require visitors to register? Does someone "check out" each visitor as he/she leaves? Do you require visitors to hang coats away from the layout so they cannot easily hide stolen items?  Do you disallow back packs or other types of bags where stolen items can be concealed?

Just wondering.

Rich

[C&O Fan]

Thanks for the kind words Rich

I do ask guests to sign a guest book

given i'm with them the all while they are in the train room so I've never worried about theft

The temps here in Houston will be mid 80s so no coats

Some do bring their own cameras but never bags

this is my 7th year on the tour and i was also on the NMRA Divison Tour

never had a problem

My Cocker Spaniel is in charge of guest security but she can't hold her licker

I do have a not touch sign but they just can't resist touching the water in the rivers ?????

others in the thread seem to be concerned with theft but not me

[Graham Line]

Friend of mine who works in animation has made a couple of fun videos by doing time lapse photos of yards and junctions on a local model rr.

[C&O Fan]

A Random capture of todays openhouse

My C&O friend Art in the fore ground and me in the back ground

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[richhotrain]

C&O Fan, be sure to give us a full report on that two-day open house.

Is your Cocker Spaniel's tongue exhausted?

Rich

[C&O Fan]

A couple of Guest shots