Hi,
I haven't been to a show in a number of years, but used to go to as many as I could. The layouts that caught my attention were typically large and creatively scenicked and "kept up". Having train(s) running around them was the icing on the cake - especially if they were pre 1960 types.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Having club members ready to answer questions is the most important aspect of an open house.
Many years ago my wife was a museum professional and she read an interesting study about the visitor experience. The study concluded that:
The typical museum visitor remembers the guide, not the exhibits.
Another useful approach was to have members of the senior curatorial staff take the public tours and listen to the questions that the guides were asked.
I think the lesson for us is that if we really want to know what works best for the public's enjoyment of the railroad, take off the engineer's cap and mingle with the visitors as they tour the layout.
One nice touch at a recent club show was to have each member wear a name tag.
Some time ago my local club appointed an official greeter as a means of making the public feel welcome.
Kevin
My New layout for train shows is my version of chicago. In time it will be all decked out with all the cool stuff. After building it for less than a month before the show, alot of people liked it. Kids liked that the trains ran underground. The adults liked the direction it was going.
The layouts i take to shows, i make based on if i see them alot at shows. Kids tend to like overall giant cities or military. Parents like that the kids are interested in the layouts. Adults like the amount of details that you put on or how you change it from year to year. The worst thing to me to see at a show is the same layout with little detail year after year with no sign of anything new on it.
I agree with the Animation Comment
Everyone loves to watch my coal tipple operate and the car puller work and the Tyco Cars dump the coal
What Brakie says is also true there are always lots of questions
How did you make the trees ?
What did you use for the water ?
How long did it take to build ?
etc~!
They really don't care if it's prototypical
Sometimes I don't even run trains
I just answer questions
My open house is next weekend
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fl2T_HLBnKk
TerryinTexas
See my Web Site Here
http://conewriversubdivision.yolasite.com/
Over the years I been doing open houses there's three things I found out that's contrary to popular belief.
The general public isn't all that interested in watching that 50 car coal train run laps at Mach speed.
They enjoy asking questions about the hobby/layout so,replace that frown with a warm smile.Don't boast or push your modeling ideals.. Give simple and realistic answers.
They do enjoy watching switching it seems to fascinate them more then anything. I have switch a yard during open houses and had a nice audience watching my every move-even one mother remarked to her child "Look,that's what Grandpa does when he's at work." I never will forget that comment..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
John BusbyWhat do you think should be on a show layout to hold the public interest, for more than 5 minutes.
One simple word ''animation''. Watching a 100 car train, most people will lose interest quickly...especially youngster's....but crossing gates and flashers and bridges going up & down, subways, starting and stopping any type of movement, rather than trains running around, same train...same scenery.
My opinion only!
Take Care!
Frank
When I belonged to a club in Toledo, Ohio we built a modular trolley layout that was over 20' long and we could run 4 cars at a time using the Detroit System. Cars were always always running under wire, we had passing siding controlled by spring switches and over and under section and reverse loops all on 4'x2' modules.
We always had a crown around that layout especially with the one club members old Kemtron Toonerville Trolley with Micky at the helm. By the way always had four cars running to keep the onlookers interested.
Rick Jesionowski
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
narrow gauge nuclearAt shows it is about mindless loop running of long or specialized larger models moving about
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
I agree with Ulrich. One thing at a train show I went to I kinda got a kick out of, they had real water in a small harbor scene. There was a "creature" (fake) under water, like a giant salamander. It was pretty well camoflaged, but a sharp eye would find it. That's a train show thing.
Sir mad dog got it right. At shows, it is about running trains and from what I have observed, that rivets and holds interest is a 100 car train snaking and threading its way along one of the giant modular layouts.
The other draw is the giant G and F layouts with super high scale giant and hyper-expensive engines and cars with fabulous DCC operation and their associated "big sound" and super lighting details.
Most folks who watch for 5 minutes or less are not real model rails.
Ultra boring, formal, real switching in yards or assembling trains or working a car into a siding will usually garner a 30 second glance and a quick move over to long trains running on another layout.
At shows it is about mindless loop running of long or specialized larger models moving about.
Richard
If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed
John,
most people attending train shows like to watch trains run - not necessarily in a prototype fashion, more like a rail fan watching trains in a spectacular scenery. Only a true blooded aficionado will indulge in observing the local spotting a box car at the local industry for more than 20 seconds.
A typical show layout thus incorporates lots of action to be observed - be it trains, be it animated gadgets. To get a feel for that, take a look at the layouts displayed in the ONTRAX! model railroad show, held annually in the railroad museum in Utrecht/The Netherlands. You´ll find plenty of videos of this event on Youtube!
Hi Guys
Haveing been to a few model railway exhibitions and seen a few on Utube.
The layouts fall loosely into two catogories model railroads and show layouts.
Its easy to tell the difference one looks like the layouts we aspire to.
The other one has clear differences meant to create an entertainment experience, and I have noticed that prototypical operating in the yard doesn't hold the public interest for long.
Why is it do you think the differences are so clearly marked.
What do you think should be on a show layout to hold the public interest, for more than 5 minutes.
regards John