I'm not biased or prejudice...nothing like that. You need to be sure you see John A's aka Josta (see above post) his layout in person. I will be waiting to hear your response. We call him Deaf John, and there's a good reason for that. He reads lips so be sure you have his attention. Wait until you meet DGAS, JTE, Run8 and MTR. More on this later. New development: Steve aka Run8, has volunteered to be a contact person. Someone you can call for directions at 909-585-2337 or you can call me, MTR (More Track Rick) at 909-878-3866. GPS and Map Quest are your best bets for finding us. I've already tried it and both will efficiently locate each one of the participants, leading you right to our door. Remember, this is for Model Railroader types and not a public event. Your friends are invited as long as you explain to them visiting etiquette... to a model railroad. Keep you hands off the layout! Grin! Time to visit Big Bear Valley, Ca
Hi Rick and John, these layouts seem fairly close together so can I assume that I should be able to take them all in at a leisure pace with the hours indicated? I plan to dedicate the entire day to it. To everyone else. If you have never been up to the mountain area you are missing out. The scenery and views alone are stellar, and the layouts and company are icing on the cake.
Close proximity of layouts. To John Paulson and of course everyone else tuned in here, Yes, the layouts are fairly close to each other. For a minute think Hwy #38, Big Bear City: Jim Ostrich, John Acosta, Steve Huether, Stubby Ent and Owen Miller are all located within easy driving distance of each other. Think Hwy #330 to Hwy #18, Big Bear Lake: Russ Greek, Greg McGinnis and Rick Howland are within close driving distance of each other. I'm looking for a map small enough to put on a regular sheet of paper with starred locations. The trouble is, the map would be to small and street names difficult to read. We will be looking forward to your visit.
Despite the weather Full Steam Ahead We have the high green from Marceline. Despite the most recent weather we are determined to show off indoor layouts, garaged pikes and our brave hearted unstoppable, outdoor Garden Railways. The owners are determined to stay open. The date hasn't changed it's still October 20, 2013. I suppose in all fairness I ought to alert you and if I do, I don't want to scare you off. We just had our first visit from Mr. Frost and Old Man Winter, it wasn't pleasant. I've heard from our Garden Railway Enthusiast and they are determined to open for you but....I think you get my drift. We have two garaged layouts and one in a tin shed. Almost like being outdoors. We have three indoor layouts that can stay open despite what happens with the weather. Steve's, John's and the Mortuary's O scale and S scale layout. Worst case scenario, in the event things really go sour on us. Plan B calls for: You can depend on the three indoor layouts to stay open. Plan C, I don't expect the roads to be closed...if they are....well.... we won't have a tour. Weather predictions are all good for that weekend and I don't expect we will have any problems opening our Model Railroads. My personnel plan B, I won't show off my plywood central in my little tin shed. To cold. I will move over to the O & S Rail Link. I'm a retired mortician (among other hats I've worn) and see nothing wrong with being in a mortuary, showing off my favorite hobby. Nothing spooky going on there. If so, we have one other layout to add to the list. Details, as we get closer to the scheduled event. Grab your coats and plan sometime in Big Bear Valley.
Apologies for the late response. I missed this entirely. The N-land Pacific freemo group is also having an open house on Oct 19th and 20th. View attachment Open House Flyer 8x11.pdf
John, Glad you threw in here. It's going to be a busy weekend what with all the activities in Banning's Centennial Train Festival, the N-land Pacific Freemo Group and Sunday's Bear Valley Model Railroaders Open House. We will be doing a Round Robin this coming Sunday, which allows those of us who are open a chance to check out the other layouts. Neither one of the two I have responsibility for are ready to open. Time to get'r done.
It's going to be a good day for the layout tour; Weather Channel says zero (as in nada, zilch, nothing) chance of rain or snow between now and the day after the tour. John
Yesterday we had a round-robin of 7 of the 8 layouts that will be open for the tour, for the layout owners. Here are pictures of the featured layouts:
One more picture; the replica Union Pacific passenger car door in the "lobby" of my layout room: John
I have another layout to tell you about. IT's never to late to add a layout to the tour. http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/album.php?albumid=1819&attachmentid=58350 Ivan Cowper's O & S Rail Link. It will be open by appointment after I finish showing my layout. Meet me at Big Bear Mortuary on Big Bear Blvd., next to the Big Bear City Fire Department. Viewing to be held between 5:30 p.m. and 6:00 p.m. Be sure to sign the book. Ken, always glad to hear that you are enjoying this as much as we are. More pictures to come. John, that is one impressive door. I was wondering at first how you got that passenger car into your garage. Never mind me. I saw it layed out in the garage while visiting at the Round-robin. I knew once John got it together it would be something to see. Glad it's up and in time for the Open House/Layout Tour. Awesome! Ken, we need to see if John will tell us where we can get switch stands like his? Yes Sir! All the layouts except mine have seen significant improvements. I have one more day working on Ivan's layout. Seems we had a power bar go out, a PA I fixed is broke down... again (She's old, you can't expect much more from her) and the overhead lights went out AGAIN! Then it will be time to work on mine. I hope! Over one thousand hits here on TB., I don't know what numbers that will translate into for visitors. Still thanks for the interest and tuning in here.
Here is the link to the layout description with addresses. Scroll left/right to see the others (6 pages total), and use the "print" button on the right side if you'd like copies. John http://s584.photobucket.com/user/jo...iptions21_001_zps04634631.jpg.html?sort=3&o=4
Just in, hot off the press. Another picture added to the album: http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/album.php?albumid=1819&attachmentid=58351 Also, attached are layout descriptions. Just a reminder in case you missed it: (See post above.) John has provided a link to a PDF that has the address's and layout descriptions for the main event Sunday, October 20, 2013. You can find pictures he took of some of the layouts when scrolling to the right. Feel free to scroll through, copy and print any information you need. A GPS or Map Quest will bring you directly to our door. The only layout we haven't been able to feature by providing a picture of, is Owen Miller's. Some things are just worth waiting for....to see. Looking forward to your visit. Nothing but loads of fun to be had with the Bear Valley Model Railroaders.
Last Minute Changes You can always expect changes that effect the outcome of any Open House - Layout Tour. I learned just last night that I will only have this last opportunity to show the O & S Rail Link. The family that owns the layout and the mortuary it resides in are planning on retiring. I have their permission to open the O & S Rail Link for viewing, between the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m, Sunday, October 20, 2013. Be sure to sign the book. I will then open my personal layout to anyone interested between the hours of 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Just the opposite of something I announced earlier. Sorry about that. You will need to keep in mind that access to the mortuary layout is by a pull down attic ladder. The mortuary itself is handicap accessible however, the attic is not. I realize we've stretched out the announcements here adding pictures here and/or additional information there. John and I have worked hard to make a favorable presentation. Stumbling along, working this from the ground-up unsure at every step as to how we can get our message across. The next time we do this I'd like to see all the information gathered together and presented at the same time one month away from the event. That may be asking the impossible but at least it gives us something to shoot for.
O & S Rail Link You will get to see a train station Doug Parcell assembled and detailed, on the O & S Rail Link. In case you miss getting to see my layout, the H & P Railroad, due to the late hours I'm opening it. Sunday, 5:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. [video=youtube;ZjTxDRg5kYU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZjTxDRg5kYU[/video] Photo courtesy of Rick Howland, Video courtesy of John Acosta.
Layout Tour You haven't missed it.... yet. Open House / Layout Tour, October 20, 2013, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Nine (9) layouts promised to open. A self guided tour. For pictures and layout descriptions: http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/album.php?albumid=1819 For Address's, with layout descriptions, a printable option: http://api.viglink.com/api/click?fo...rt=3&o=4&jsonp=vglnk_jsonp_13821490943818 For address's that you can copy and paste to notepad, page 2. Post #18: http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine...Bear-Valley-Model-Railroaders-Announces/page2 Do note, changes that have taken place by reviewing above Post #36. No R.S.V.P. necessary and we will look forward to your visit. Use Map Quest or GPS to find us. I've already tried and it will guide you right to our front doors. One address that didn't make it on any of the lists. The O & S Rail Link resides in the attic of the Big Bear Mortuary, 321 W Big Bear Blvd., Big Bear City, Ca., next door to the Big Bear City Fire Department. Do not call the office phone number. Contact person for questions regarding the tour: Steve Huether, 909-585-2337. He will assist you with directions. One last reminder this is not a public event for model railroaders, friends and family only. Remember the model railroad etiquette: Keep hands and arms off the layout. Exception being if invited by the owner to run a train, re-rail a train car and/or assist with security. Do you know where your model railroad friend will be Sunday?
LOL Some days it doesn't pay to get up in the morning. Correction: This is not a public event. Invitation is extended only to model railroaders, their families and friends. The way it reads above without the proper punctuation sounds like I said, it isn't open to model railroaders. Quote, "One last reminder this is not a public event for model railroaders", I said shaking my head in dismay. What? What? Did I really say/write that? The edit feature ran out before I noted my bad. Yep, you model railroaders can all go home now....grin....after the event. Oh well, it is what it is. I never claimed to be perfect. Not e ven close @#%! Thanks John A. for alerting me to the oop's. Time to hit the hay.
