2012 BANTRAK EventsBANTRAK will be taking part in many events in 2012.
April 14-15, 2012 - The Great Scale Model Train Show, Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium, Md.
Show Review
Great Scale Model Train Show - Timonium, Md. April, 2012
Thanks for a great show and our largest ever to date. It was a great success and I hope that you all had a good time. The N_trak and T-Trak layouts went up in fashionably good time, with only a few hiccups (if you call redesigning the N-Trak layout on the fly a hiccup). Rest assured, experience paid off and a small module oversight was rectified on the spot (thanks Skip!).
If you all have any thoughts or recommendations, please let us know. As Jerry Mcquire said: "Help me Help you". And yes, I (Chris) will be willing to scream out at the the next show "Show me the money!".
One tiny bit of housekeeping from a T-Trak perspective. During operations at Timonium, the following observation was noted.
The construction of the clementine box and standard modules may have a slight flaw in construction materials. The use of foam core board may be causing a slight sag in the roadbed. This may be cured by running a brace perpendicular to the surface or using a stiffer material; Gatorboard or thin plywood. The problem with sagging in the middle creates humps at the edges which cause couplers to uncouple. Please check built modules and rectify new construction. Cause no one really likes saggy modules.
Ed H. is picking up DCC outlet boxes which can go on the rear side of modules. This will allow wiring directly from the UP5 to the rear outlet. This will enable setting up the DCC Loconet from module to module without lifting them up and trying to plug them to the UP5's while up in the air. If you have or plan to have a UP5 installed on your module, please let Ed H. know and you guys can discuss the wiring.
See, not a sermon, just a thought.
Thanks again for coming out, here's to future events, and hope to see you all soon.
Chris & Paul
June 23-24, 2012 - The Great Scale Model Train Show, Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium, Md.
Show Review
Great Scale Model Train Show - Timonium, Md. June, 2012
We have always been told the June Sale Show has no layouts. Such is not always the case. Leo and I had put together a layout, measuring more or less 16’ by 5’, and requiring a total space of 20 by 15. We brought it to the April Scale show, but were unable to set it up due to a mix-up over what space we had at the show. Instead of the 50 by 70 foot space we anticipated, BANTRAK ended up with just 50 feet by 50 feet. Our layout, using a combination of Kato track, Kato N scale structures, standard N scale structures, and the (fairly) new Lego architectural series buildings, which are a near perfect 1:160, stayed in its boxes and did not get constructed in April. However, we had asked Howard Zane if he would let us setup the layout, with its Lego components, and when it failed to appear in April, we asked if we could put it up in June. Mr. Zane offered us space at the June Scale show, and we gladly took it.
This layout has a harbor scene on the left side, including an N scale Lego container ship, and a town scene on the right, with N scale Lego structures and a parking lot, previously seen atthe October 2011 Scale Show. In the center front was the two level Kato train station, also seen in October. Running through the train station was the elevated Kato high-speed track, forming a twelve foot double line, on which two trains run simultaneously. On ground level there was a third track, with two sidings for stored trains. This third loop ran in front of the Kato station, and then through a standard‐structure town, installed behind the train station.
Leo and I arrived at Timonium at noon to begin setting up. By 4 PM we had the basic structure up and decided to stop for the day and return early Saturday morning to finish. Working early Saturday, we had the layout up and running by show opening at 9 AM. Everything ran well on the layout all day, and though the crowd was not up to the April or October show “mobs,” there were plenty of visitors all day long. Many were interested in the Japanese bullet train, running at scale speed (250 mph). They could not understand how it held the track on the curves until they learned that the Kato track is banked to handle just that kind of speed.
During the day several people who identified themselves as professional architects stopped to ask about the Lego buildings, modeled after structures designed and built by Frank Lloyd Wright (Falling Water, in WV, and the Robie House in Chicago); and Ludwig Miles van der Rohe (the Farnsworth house in Plano, IL). That these structures are very close to N scale’s 1:160 proportions made them all the more interesting to these architecturally inclined model train buffs.
Of course, the most excited visitors, as usual, were the young people who liked to see the trains running, and running fast. That model train could be linked to another of their favorite hobbies, Lego structures, kept them around the layout for a little longer than usual. All in all it was an exciting and fun two days for us and for those who came to the show. Several pictures of the layout, and of its specific areas are included with the article. See you in Bedford in August and in Timonium in October.
Al & Leo
August 25-26, 2012 - Bedford N Scale Weekend, Bedford, Pa.
Show Review
Bedford N Scale Weekend - Bedford, PA. Aug 2012
Bedford 2012 was a good time, as always. Set-up went smoothly on Friday, with the Club meeting at McDonald’s at noon and being set up and running trains by 4pm. Dinner at Hoss’s was around 6pm and the Hot Tub (note the caps) by 9pm.
Saturday was kicked off with the buffet breakfast (get there early to beat Martin to the bacon) and then trains around 9am at the SportsPlex. A quick inspection of the layout for rail joiners and clean track; and it was go time. Saturday evening was the BBQ and the auction, highlighted by food and friends!
Sunday was a late start (planned) for breakfast and trains, with Club Members scouring the show for last minute deals before breakdown started (around 3:00pm). A quick "pack up the Trailer" and "help everyone get loaded" and we were on the road by 6 for sure (if not earlier).
Now more from Chris.
Eric
T Trak operated a 4 table layout at Bedford. We had modules from many members of our group. The Hylands provided their High Speed Line with the modern apartment buildings and we also rolled out our new inside corners to make the layout a large T formation. There were modules from Leon and David Clyde (who seems to have a thing for cemeteries on his layouts). Mat Chibbarro provided his new mountain module for all to see called Mt. Hubungi. This is his large set of T Trak modules that has a figure eight and a point to point up above the mainline. It was probably one of the most talked about and certainly the most shot layout at the show. Matt Guey-Lee also provided another 4 ft of modules as well as his refurbished tunnel module, with Tom Long putting in his Howard Street street car module to pro-vide a dash of urban scenery. Lots of members also stopped by to run trains during the weekend.
We set up the bare bones of the layout at noon on Friday and got all the layout up and completely running at 9.30 am the next day when everyone was able to get to the show. The layout ran flawlessly for the most part and we sat in our folding chairs partaking in T Trak beach party by watching the trains run by without a care in the world.
Some members were only there for Saturday. Sunday morning we reconfigured the layout and operated it until tear down at 3 pm. We packed it up and loaded it during a rain-storm. Our plastic boxes kept the modules and electrics dry. By the time we had loaded, the main layout was ready to be loaded in the trailer.
Chris
October 27-28, 2012 - The Great Scale Model Train Show, Maryland State Fairgrounds, Timonium, Md.
Show Review
Great Scale Model Train Show - Timonium, Md. October, 2012
December 17, 2011 - January 2, 2012 - Baltimore and Ohio Museum Festival of Trains, Baltimore, Md.