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Kent, I have several ideas about your presentation. Forgive me if I am stating obvious stuff. First a few givens and druthers: 1. Two hours is a long time. Try to break things up and definately feed the audience if possible (at the end). Make a plan and try not to get too distracted from the overall timing. Watch the crowd, if something isn't hitting, move on to the next thing. You can always add more at the end. 2. You won't hit the mark with all of them, so keep the presentation centered on an introductory point of view, that is broad enough to be interesting to the non- trainnuts in the crowd. Keep it simple. 3. Get a helper or two to help you while you are giving your presentation. 4. Provide some hands on stuff for them to do. 5. Try to break up the lecture format with videos, pictures, demonstrations etc... 6. Prepare everything in advance. Nothing kills the mood like waiting for five minutes while the presenter works out some technical issue that could have been cued in advance. This would include: cueing videos, staging trains, bookmarking any books or and materials you will use, getting any demonstrations set up in advance, so all you have to do is roll em' out and get started. Some ideas for your presentation: 1. An operating module would be great. Have an assistant run it for you. If the kids will be able to operate it, figure out how you are going to allot time to the participants running trains. 2. Videos of steam and diesel would be great. Keep em' short and cue them in advance. 3. Pictures from Model Railroader of awesome layouts are good. 4. I presented to 3rd grade class once and brought a board with track on it which I let class members scenic during the presentation. It was a big hit. The kids loved putting grass and dirt on the board. When it was done I set a couple of structures on it and a couple of cars on the track and we all admired the handiwork. 5. Prepare a page that you can hand out with some specific recommendations as far as a starter trainset and local hobby shops in the area where they can get started. 6. Don't worry about dealing with the cost issue. Many hobbies are expensive. I doubt that aspiring trainnuts are going to spend more than kids who want computers or any of the other myriads of expensive hobbies and activities kids are involved in. Deal with the affordability issue privately when it comes up. 7. I think the idea is to inspire. To get them to say "this is really cool". Then you can talk details.... Hope that this helps, Guy
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