Christmas Display

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The Gratiot Valley Railroad Club bi-annual train show and sale March 7, 2004, at the Macomb Community College Sports and Expo Center. Macomb County Michigan. Please visit our Web Site at:

Our model railroad club rents a basement from an area business. We were asked to set up a Christmas display in the front window for the holidays. We set up a small HO layout, set to run more or less continuously, with periodic 15 min "rest" breaks. Apparently we made a mistake in our choice of track. We use Bachman EZ track because it didn't need much to fasten it down, and would operate reliably. Unfortunately, we were only able to get the steel version, rather than nickel-silver. We have cleaned the track repeatedly, using a track cleaning car and Wahl clipper oil, but we have had trouble with a black deposit forming almost overnight. If any other groups have had experience with similar holiday displays, we would like to hear about your methods of dealing with a long running layout. We hope to learn from our mistakes, and mount an improved display next year.

Jeff Stanton

Our model railroad club rents a basement from an area business. We were asked to set up a Christmas display in the front window for the holidays. We set up a small HO layout, set to run more or less continuously, with periodic 15 min "rest" breaks. Apparently we made a mistake in our choice of track. We use Bachman EZ track because it didn't need much to fasten it down, and would operate reliably. Unfortunately, we were only able to get the steel version, rather than nickel-silver. We have cleaned the track repeatedly, using a track cleaning car and Wahl clipper oil, but we have had trouble with a black deposit forming almost overnight. If any other groups have had experience with similar holiday displays, we would like to hear about your methods of dealing with a long running layout. We hope to learn from our mistakes, and mount an improved display next year.

Jeff Stanton

Jeff,

If at all possible, get rid of the steel rail track and get the nickle silver. I work at a train store in the Philadelphia suburbs and we do mail order. If you are interested, we carry the line of Bachmann EZ track and do NOT sell the black roadbed, steel rail. Contact me off this forum and I will try to help you out.

Bob Rule, Jr. Hatboro, Pa.

Christmas has been outlawed. It is now 'holiday' or 'season' or 'kwanza' but any mention for the word Christ is not politically correct and to be punished by having to watch CNN for an hour.