Walt & Co, I think from reading the answer there may be some misunderstanding. First I find the discussion positive and I think everyone can learn, I don't know how many times I've read these articles and found much easier ways of tackling things I thought I had mastered!!.
I have unfortunately never made it to Diamondhead, but I think there is a difference from Sinsheim. Here the meeting is organized by an exhibition company. We run for free and some even get hotels, transport costs etc paid. The companies offering services to the model railroaders have to pay good money for their stands. Here it is possible to buy a lathe, finished 5" engine, metal, radio parts etc. The success or failure depends on the paying public who pay to enter the exhibition, and we are talking about thousands here. Now when your track is surrounded by kids and mums and dads, who have to explain how everything works and can do this best by burning there fingers, When at the same time someone is driving a traction engine past behind them Who chooses this moment to to give a short pull on the steam klaxon cord, the heavy bump is pre programmed. There is so much interest from the public that we spend most of the day answering questions and helping less experienced newcomers to solve problems. Getting photos from other layouts is is only possible early mornings or late evening, but after 8 hrs on your feet you just want a meal, a beer and hit the sack. I am not suggesting a reenforced concrete portable layout but it has to stand up the pressure of the people in the third row who also want to see and the kids who push their way through to the front. Naturally this is only so bad at the peek periods but.... Another thing we have noticed from the few photos we have seen from the U.S. is that it appears that you tend to run somewhat higher than we do. our layouts are usually about table height. We usually go for an aprrox 4m heating spur, a 4m run out spur via switches to the main single track oval which should have an overtaking siding on the back straight. It is for those of who run our (1) engines as well as the 5" and 7.25" guys (who have about 3 miles of track available) a sort of international family meeting and we often get to see our friends from England, France ,Belgium, Italy, Switzerland etc,od ones from the U.S., Japan, India, only at this annual meeting. The Saturday evening "night run" for the 5" and 7.25" guys who can run in the dark throwing Sparks out of the stack, glowing fireboxes etc a spectacle I would not miss for the world. (no visitors are allowed to the night run) Sorry I'll stop now. I seem to have got carried away by my own enthusiasm. Have a good day Bert ------------------------- Bert & Edmunda [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ SSLiveSteam mailing list Send messages: [email protected] Cancel subscription: http://postfix.45mm.com/mailman/listinfo/sslivesteam Rules: http://www.45mm.com/sslivesteam_guide.html
