Model Train Journal

Hey everybody, it's been awhile since I've visited here due to the hectic life I've been living recently. Things have finally calmed a bit and I came back to peruse the forum last night.

I thought you guys might like to see this years incarnation of my annual Christmas train and village display at the historic Redford Theatre in Detroit. The layout is 8'x20' and located in the orchestra pit. It operates prior to each show, during intermission and for a period of time after the show.












A brief video of the layout operating
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vk590mQg9nk

Very nice. Thanks for posting the stills and the video. Great job!!!

chuck wrote:Very nice. Thanks for posting the stills and the video. Great job!!!

Thanks Chuck!

Gets better every year,
How many years has it been now?

How many people do you think look at it each show?
Probably know way to know. I would probably look before during and after.
Three views from one person.

rogruth wrote:Gets better every year,
How many years has it been now?

How many people do you think look at it each show?
Probably know way to know. I would probably look before during and after.
Three views from one person.

Thanks! I think it's been 8, maybe 9 years that I've been doing the display at the theater.

I don't really have a way of knowing how many come down to view the layout up close. In the three months that it was up a couple years ago, we brought in just over 16,000 people for our own shows (excludes special rental events) and I would assume they all saw it one way or another. Generally each show has between 250 and 500 people depending on the popularity of the movie.

Those lights really make for a show! Great work, Jake.

Are you still helping out at the Henry Ford Museum?

Roy wrote:Those lights really make for a show! Great work, Jake.

Are you still helping out at the Henry Ford Museum?

Thanks Roy.

Yes I'm still at The Henry Ford, Greenfield Village. Sometime in March or April will mark my 5th year as an employee. I was a fireman for a season, then an engineer for three, and got hired a little under a year ago as a full time locomotive mechanic. This past semester of full time at school and work simultaneously has been hectic, but I wrapped up my Bachelors degree in Industrial Management a few days ago. Now I can enjoy my time off work a little more

SantaFe158 wrote:

Roy wrote:Those lights really make for a show! Great work, Jake.

Are you still helping out at the Henry Ford Museum?

Thanks Roy.

Yes I'm still at The Henry Ford, Greenfield Village. Sometime in March or April will mark my 5th year as an employee. I was a fireman for a season, then an engineer for three, and got hired a little under a year ago as a full time locomotive mechanic. This past semester of full time at school and work simultaneously has been hectic, but I wrapped up my Bachelors degree in Industrial Management a few days ago. Now I can enjoy my time off work a little more

Very good.
You work at something you really like.
I had a similar situation.

rogruth wrote:Very good.
You work at something you really like.
I had a similar situation.

It's definitely a good situation to be in. While it does just become another job to a point, I do really enjoy the things we get to do at work.

SantaFe158 wrote:...I wrapped up my Bachelors degree in Industrial Management a few days ago.

I've never heard of Industrial Management. I studied Mechanical Engineering, but didn't finish a Bachelor's degree. I knew some others who started a B.S. in M.E., but switched over to Industrial Engineering. They said it was easier. They did finish their degrees.

I remember you saying you wanted to be an architect. Does this degree get you any closer to that? It occurs to me that perhaps you'd like to stay on with The Henry Ford. What could you do with your degree there?

Roy wrote:I've never heard of Industrial Management. I studied Mechanical Engineering, but didn't finish a Bachelor's degree. I knew some others who started a B.S. in M.E., but switched over to Industrial Engineering. They said it was easier. They did finish their degrees.

I remember you saying you wanted to be an architect. Does this degree get you any closer to that? It occurs to me that perhaps you'd like to stay on with The Henry Ford. What could you do with your degree there?

When I finished high school I went to Lawrence Tech University to study Architectural Engineering. After a year of that I just wasn't feeling passionate about the field. I enjoy studying architecture as a hobby, but it didn't seem right as a career path for me. I went to the local community college and recieved my associates degree in Manufacturing Engineering Technology, then heard about a local program at the CC put on by Ferris State University for Industrial Management. It covers a fairly broad range of subjects as its sort of heavily a management degree but also an engineering degree to some extent. It could potentially help me in the future with moving up from my current job or I could use it elsewhere. My program had a pretty good record of hiring upon completion for its graduates, so it seemed like a good way to go.

Wow some nice photos. Love the layout and I suspect many look forward to seeing it every year.

The Barn is Beautiful

Nice layout as usual.

Contact me please.
Andre.

AG wrote:The Barn is Beautiful

Nice layout as usual.

Contact me please.
Andre.

Thanks Andre, glad to see you back to posting!

The theater you designed for me is a constantly commented on item as well when it's on display.