JRM Unveils It's Club Layout at the October 9-10th
Train Show in Timonimum, Maryland

JRM unveiled its first try at a group layout at the Great Scale Model Train Show and The All-American Hi-Rail & Collectors Train Show in Timonium, Maryland this weekend. The group decided to create a temporary layout to show off Japanese train modeling to US model railroaders. The layout is 62 square feet in size (see our layout page) and was created as a demonstration of what could be thrown together out of KATO unitrack and the great operations that could be achieved with minimal wiring. The show attendees were amazed at the amount of operations and the layout's density that could be achieved very quickly. The 'suggestive' scenery approach also wowed many visitors, giving them a view of little used technique in US model railroading. Kids were especially enthralled by the bullet trains zipping around the viaduct course at scale 230 KPH and the variety of trains that the group's members brought to the show to display. The large 12 track yard allowed the kids to choose which train they would like to see next. DR Yellow trains (series O and 700), a 16 car series 0 train, and a 14 car series 500 were big eye catchers.

The layout took a couple of months to plan and set up for a test run, then about 2.5 hours to assemble at the show. We started assembling the layout near opening time so the first hour or two of the show had the early birds walking buy scratching their heads as we were furiously snapping track together and running wires. We think they were pleasantly surprised when they came back by later in the morning to see a fully functional layout with two shinkansen lines, two local lines, a large storage yard, and scenery!

Even Tokyo's mascot (and ours) Godzilla made a showing. Each day we had a bit of a where's waldo (well, Godzilla) along with him munching the local McDonald's!

See our Photo Section for more pictures of the event.