Hi Guys,
I'd like to have an "open house" for some guys to come over and see my layout and maybe run a few trains. As we all know, this hobby is generally one where we work alone, probably because most of us want the layout to be to our own liking and the result of our own creativity. I've built my whole layout without help, except for a couple of guys coming over to help spike down already laid track. However, I'd like to share what I've built with others, especially because it is set up with 6 walk-around throttles.
If anyone is interested, please email me. I live 10 miles south of Hartford, just off Route 91, in Rocky Hill, Connecticut. I'm retired so I can be very flexible as to when we have the "open house". If a few guys email me, we can coordinate a day and time satisfactory to all.
My layout has a double-track mainline with a 5-track, double-ended classification yard. There is an operational turntable with 2-stall engine house. Six-track "staging" allows for through freights and passenger trains to run into my "world" from east and west. There are over 20 industries along the right-of-way where cars are dropped and picked up, including a wharf, complete with a small car ferry. Much of the scenery is complete, so running trains through the various scenes looks really neat.
Here are a couple of photos for your review.
So, please consider coming over....I have a lot to share since I've been model railraoding for over 20 years. I am always happy to help guys new to the hobby and most recently, helped a guy design his layout.
Thanks,
Mondo
Sounds like a groovy layout! Wish I was closer to Conn.!
Just wondering if you had any picts of yr car ferry. Would like to model one myself & would love to take a look at your fab work. Thanks!--Mark
M.C. Fujiwara
My YouTube Channel (How-to's, Layout progress videos)
Silicon Valley Free-moN
Hi,
Here's a photo that includes a car ferry I bought on Ebay.
Mondo,
Always glad to see your posts. Looks just like the areas north of New York City on the way to Connecticut.
Forgive me for sounding like an alarmist But please..........Be very, very careful! These are rough times we're living in, thousands of people are unemployed, morals and ethics among many people are on the decline, and unfortunately there are a number of people (including modelers) that may have malevolent intentions when visiting a fellow modeler's home.
While a number of us here have been forum members for 5 or more years, most of us are still faceless words behind a keyboard. In reality, collectively we don't know each other quite well.
You probably have read forum stories of modelers extending invitations and opening their homes for others to visit, enjoy operating trains, and fellowshipping that winded up being theft victims.
I pray and hope that your sessions will be well and without any problems.
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
Hi Antonio,
Good to hear from you too! I hear what you're saying about inviting people to our house and my wife had the same concerns. However, I'm willing to take the chance because quite frankly, I have nobody to "play trains with" right now and it's frustrating, especially because like I said, I'm set up for several operators. I've tried talking to guys at local hobby shops and it's amazing how when I ask someone to come over, they look as if I've asked them to come over for me to grab a pliars and yank out their wisdom teeth. There was a day when people would be thrilled to be invited over to see a layout....maybe those days went away when the impersonal internet came along.
Oh well, I certainly can run the layout alone if nobody is interested in coming over.
I should tell you that the reason I've been away from trains for the past 1 1/2 years is because I got into radio controlled airplanes. The beauty of that hobby is that any day of the week, when the weather is nice and the wind is down, I can team up with 4-5 fliers at our local club field....out in the fresh air, flying our planes. And afterward, there is always someone to go out for a cup of coffee with. Maybe the fresh air is what does it, versus the dark, dank air of a layout room. All I know is that the comraderie in the RC Airplane hobby is worlds apart from trains.
Regards,
Beautiful layout, I now wish I still lived in Conn. (my dad had a job there for three months when I was 2). Dern, well, obviously, i can't come, but your layout looks really awesome!
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
mondotrainsversus the dark, dank air of a layout room.
Nowadays, layout rooms are not dark or dank; they're fully finished, carpeted, and climate-controlled. You might enjoy yours more if you made it more hospitable.
Beautiful work Mondo, I'd be there in a shot if I didn't live 2500 miles away.
Thanks for the invite though.
Johnboy out. ...............
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
Great pics of a great layout - more please!
Midnight Railroadermondotrainsversus the dark, dank air of a layout room. Nowadays, layout rooms are not dark or dank; they're fully finished, carpeted, and climate-controlled. You might enjoy yours more if you made it more hospitable.
Actually, I've visited, and it's in a finished room with good lighting. Very nice compared to the basement (which does fit the dark, dank air of a stereotypical layout room!) where my layout is located!
I won't be able to get a ride there this time, but to those who are able to come, I recommend it! The layout is well planned out, the scenery that is finished looks great, and fun to operate (I've never operated a cab-control DC layout before, and while I still prefer DCC, it was very neat to see how everyone did it before DCC came along!
Good luck in your quest!
Mondo that is a very nice layout you got there.. I currently live in Upstate NY any other time I would take you up on your very kind offer, but that pesky thing called real life keeps me jumping lately. Good luck on your open House.
Hi Mondo
Thank you for your gracious offer - I would like to visit and see your layout.
I am a TCA Member 08-62654 and also a member of METCA - metro division of TCA. I currently have a 3 Rail O Gauge home layout set up in my basement. I am going back to HO after 20 years and am selling most of my 3 rail to fund the switch to HO (for my home layout). I am keeping my favorite 3 rail for a modular layout that we at METCA are in the process of putting together for area shows. The frame for my layout is built in sections so converting it to HO should be easy. I am currently working on a layout that is walk around (no more duck unders) and that will have a good mainline run, plenty of switching, a decent yard and staging yards. I model the CNJ and PRR. Seeing a home layout that is as finished as your pictures depict will give me a better idea how I can fit my layout to my space (9 x 16).
Switching to O was great for a while but I miss operation. It was fun for a while to run the larger stuff but those 072 curves - they take up a lot of space! Doesn't leave a lot for decent mainline, yards etc.
Based on your photos you have a beautifully crafted model layout. I will need to check with my wife and kids schedules - in most cases Monday, Thursday and Friday are good days. I live about 50 minutes from the TZ Bridge so I guess a late mornin/early afternoon would be best. Please let me know if this works for you - again thank you for the invite - look forward to meeting with you and seeing your layout.
Bill Osbun
New Jersey - Land of high taxes and toll booths
Thank you for your kind offer. Living 20 min north of Hartford, a trip to Rocky Hill is not a big deal. It would likely have to be a weekend thing, unless I left from work in E. Htfd and went down directly.
Alan
Co-owner of the proposed CT River Valley RR (HO scale) http://home.comcast.net/~docinct/CTRiverValleyRR/
Hi Allen,
Email me and we'll talk about a day/time.
I wish I lived closer. Your layout looks incredible. I like your scenery very much. Looks like the middle of summer on a hot, lazy day. That last picture needs to be submitted to MR's Trackside photos right away. If they don't use it, they are mental. I hope you continue to post photos for the rest of us who are too far away.
Looks great! Reminds me of Rte. 8 through Ansonia, Derby, Naugatuck up to Waterbury, Torrington.
Thank you again for being a gracious host and inviting me to visit you and your NH layout. The pictures on the forum do not do it justice. And thank you also for sharing many of your techniques and thoughts. It was a very enjoyable afternoon watching trains run through the many towns, industrial areas and countyside.
Folks, if you live near Mondo please give him a ring. You will not be disappointed. Mondo has so much to share and he is a gracious host. I circled the layout many times and each time found something new that I missed the previous time. If you are in the planning stages of your layout (as I am) you will come away with some great ideas for your own layout. Want to see how your trains will look on 24 and 26 radius curves? How much space to leave for an aisle? Wiring? Scenery? How back drops separate the scenes and make the layout look so much bigger? No better way to see these than to visit someone who has done it and made it work. I thought 48 inches was high enough - Mondo built his benchwork at 54 inches. Guess what my benchwork will be - wouldn't have even thought about it until my visit.
This is what the hobby is all about. Once I have my layout up and running I plan on inviting folks over to operate and have some fun and to share the experiences that I went through.
Mondo again thank you - it was worth the drive from Joisey
Bill
M.......
Your layout looks indeed impressive. I'm equally impressed with your desire to share your work with others. Art really has no meaning unless it is shared.........but do use caution!!!
99.9% of the folks in this hobby are wonderful, but it is that .1% that can real spoil your day.Over the last 20 years, I have had somewhere between 15,000 and 20,000 visitors to see my Piermont Division layout, and from experience I would like to share some simple steps that could help your open houses remain open.
1. Do have all visitors sign a guest register with address, etc.
2. Do not allow the following in your train room....bags ( including camera bags). boxes. coats or loose clothing.
If an unknown person brings his wife or girl friend, under no circumstance allow her to bring her handbag into the train room.
3.Have friends assist if possible.
4. It is really best to know your visitors
5. Young kids must be self propelled...otherwise do not allow little tykes to be held unless their arms are duct taped to their sides. This is a tough one, as personally I hate not to allow small children to see the choo choos, knowing how important it is to inspire and hoping that someday these children will enter our hobby.
Good luck and again your work looks great!
HZ
I'm new here, but I just had to agree with others who posted that know you. Your layout is excellent, I don't model that area, but I have family up there and even seeing the pictures of your layout here, your detail of that region is superb, it brings back memories.
Thanks for sharing, its an inspiration to us all.
Hi Bill,
Thanks for the posting and maybe others will want to come over, after reading about your experiences at my home. It was my pleasure sharing my layout with you....you were an interested guest and like I said, if someone is interested in "how to's", I can certainly go on and on explaining whatever they want to know.
I look forward to helping you with your layout design and providing additional guidance as you go forward. With the internet and digital cameras, we can communicate easily without having to get in the car and travel.
Hello Howard,
Thanks for the tips on how to prevent problems. Obviously, it will be diffecult to avoid having strangers come over because nobody that I know personally is interested in trains. However, I will keep in mind the precautions you mentioned.
Thanks again,
Hi Howard
Some great tips - I am sorry to hear that you have had some issues with visitors to your layout. I would like to thank you for the many years that you have shared your modeling through magazine articles, book and videos. I can understand your concern and dissapointment that unfortunately when you are dealing with people you get the good and bad.
I have been very fortunate to have attended and been a part of open houses in G outdoor garden railroading, O gauge 3 Rail and HO over the last several years. For the most part model railroaders are a great bunch of folks who love their hobby and are eager and willing to share their talents. I have learned so much from these folks when I switched scales. There is only so much you can learn from books, magazines and videos. There is nothing like actuall seeing a layout in person. So much has changed in HO since I went to O Gauge. Now coming back to HO there are so many choices in track, locomotives, rolling stock, control systems etc. All the books, magazine articles, videos cannot compare to the afternoon that I spent with Mondo. He has designed a layout that has all of the features that I want to incorporate into my layout. Being in the design stage it was a great time to visit an HO Layout - again thank you Mondo.
I look forward to the day that I have a layout that is complete enough to invite folks over to operate. Who knows, it may inspire the next little tyke to be the next John Allen, George Selios or Howard Zane.
Happy Model Railroading
And Mondo I cannot thank you enough for a very enjoyable afternoon.
Bill in North "Jersey"