Halloween train TR

[FWRR3]

You may remember that I got lucky and booked a last minute site for Halloween. We enlisted our neighbors with a TT and headed to the Fort with my new, unfinished portable train layout, computer-controlled of course. Here was my display, with the custom table and canopy that later disappeared:

There was a static display of my new FWRR electric engine, in front of models of the old Gateway Depot and water tank, which I recently built:

Goofy watched over the operations at the Depot:

The train automatically dumped candy from tipping ore cars into the kids hands or bags:

Mickey rode on the rear of the train:

And the kids seemed to enjoy this new way to receive their treats:

Here are the control electronics, not including the laptop:

And as the sun rose over the FWRR engine at the Gate Depot, kids everywhere were sleeping off their sugar highs:

I've named my portable layout "The Little FWRR", and have many more plans for it later. You can soon see it at "littleFWRR.com" on the web.

 

[stefa70]

Looks great! Wish I had seen it in person.

 

[Lil' Lisa]

That's so cool!!! I bet the kids just loved it!

 

[Tri-circle-D]

Great Job!

I love all of the detail!

I looped around the 800 loop late Saturday night as you were packing up.

I didn't realize that this was a FWRR set up, or I would have stopped and taken a look.

Oh well.

I guess this means that I will need to plan to come back next year.

TCD

 

[rapriebe]

That's a great setup. I'm sure that took alot of work on your part to setup and I bet the kids had a great time watching it. Wish I could have seen it. We are getting ready to purchase some G scale trains so this was very interesting to see.

 

[suevr]

That's great! We somehow missed you on Halloween. I was sure we went through your loop, but I guess not. My boys would have LOVED that! Hopefully next year.

 

[FWRR3]

Thanks, all! TCD, sorry you didn't stop. Would have liked to have met you. Well, maybe next year, or we may try to do a Christmas display in Dec if we can grab a night or two. Right now I'm still cleaning up from the mess I made getting ready for Halloween at the last minute!

 

[doombuqqy]

Great pictures of your display!

 

[FWRR3]

Did you get your engine?

 

[ynottony99]

I'm here. Home computer issues, and returning to work this week has kept me off the Dis most of the time. My engine did arrive on Tuesday. I just have it sitting in the entertainment center right now. It will go back in the box soon until I can get some sort of display case.

Anyway, WOW!!! What a great display you had!!!!! I wish I had been there to see it. If you do go back at Christmas, maybe we can make a day trip over and take a look. I have been kicking around some ideas to build a FW display for my G scale, and I think your Outpost Depot is great! I can't wait to see what else you have in mind.

 

[ntsammy5]

What a great setup. Looks like a labor of love!

 

[FWRR3]

Thanks, doombuggy, ntsammy5 and ynottony99.

Tony, I made the FWRR engine a static display because I am scared of running it off the table. I'm trying to figure out how to put a reasonable looking "fence" around the table, to protect it since the track runs so close to the edge. But I wanted to make the table small so it would be portable. I'll let you know if we get to do another Fort stay! Let me know if you are going to be there too so maybe we can get together.

 

[VACAMPER]

Awesome setup! i can't for the life of me figure out why workers would think you just left that canopy and table. (but as im figuring out today im quite slow at catching on to things so who knows)

 

[ftwildernessrick]

You have way too much talent !!
Love the train.

 

[rapriebe]

To all of you local train enthusiasts, are there any places around Orlando, Tampa or the panhandle that sell or have train setups. We are looking to get some G scale and would really like to go to some shops while in Florida.

 

[FWRR3]

Thanks, Rick and VACAMPER. Are you from Virginia?

Rapriebe, I frequent two stores, Colonial Photo and Hobby, at:

634 North Mills Avenue
Orlando, FL 32803-4675
(407) 841-1485

and H&R Trains at:

6901 US HIGHWAY 19 NORTH (between Clearwater and St. Petersburg)
Pinellas Park, FL 33781
(727) 526-4682

Both have web sites.

Colonial Photo is a pretty large hobby shop with a lot of model railroad building supplies, but not a lot of large scale. H&R claims to be the second largest train store in the country. They have some large scale in the store, but their prices are "retail". You can do MUCH better buying on-line, sometimes saving 50%. Get a Garden Railways magazine and look at the ads.

 

[VACAMPER]

Why yes I am, nestled right in the Blue Ridge Mountains.

 

[rapriebe]

Thanks, Rick and VACAMPER. Are you from Virginia?

Rapriebe, I frequent two stores, Colonial Photo and Hobby, at:

634 North Mills Avenue
Orlando, FL 32803-4675
(407) 841-1485

and H&R Trains at:

6901 US HIGHWAY 19 NORTH (between Clearwater and St. Petersburg)
Pinellas Park, FL 33781
(727) 526-4682

Both have web sites.

Colonial Photo is a pretty large hobby shop with a lot of model railroad building supplies, but not a lot of large scale. H&R claims to be the second largest train store in the country. They have some large scale in the store, but their prices are "retail". You can do MUCH better buying on-line, sometimes saving 50%. Get a Garden Railways magazine and look at the ads.

Thanks for that info. We will be down there next month and are staying for awhile so we will definitely check these places out. Yeah, we have been checking out some of the on-line stores but wanted to visit afew also.

 

[mgsmom]

That looks so awesome!!! I bet the kids really loved it -good for you! I am always in awe of people with the patience and eye for detail to do those kinds of things.
Thanks for posting pics!

 

[FWRR3]

Thanks, mgsmom. It's my wife's patience that should get the praise!

VACAMPER, we retired from NOVA a few years ago to the WDW area, which was my plan since working there in the 70's. But I love the Blue Ridge. We used to drive up there and imagine living there, instead of in the "city".