# MANY PICS!!! 10th Annual Eaglewings Open House - SDRR style



## Duncan (Jan 2, 2008)

Here's what went on over here today - Sunday...
Not a lot of visitors (probably 100), but a nice crowd.










































































































































































































































No animals were injured in thepreformance ofthis open house, although there was one child that was about to be strangled (or be given that infamous cup of esspresso and a puppy...)

Nice day all around, except for it being almost 100, hence the conductor's outfit stayed in the closet...


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## Henson (Jan 2, 2008)

Man O' Man so much more green than the last pictures that I saw. Really looks nice Duncan.


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

Duncan I'm VERY impressed with these photos. As Henson said WOW! The green is overwhelming! Considering where you started from and your location it does not look 100 out with the greenery in place. Nice shots of the trains too. Few visitors showing in the shots but sometimes gettign shots of what you want is tough. Want to show the crowds? nver are any when you want tehm or are too many. Want to show the trains off? Too many folks in the way. You've shown a good balance. 

Looked like fun in spite of the temps! 

Chas


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

Duncan
Looks very nice, brings back memories of a year ago, the trains looked very impressive, wow it sure is green for the desert, and most impressive is the bibs on Sir Duncan.
Dennis


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes, Duncan, there seems to be ONE that needs the puppy and a triple expresso. Had 2 of them a couple of weeks ago. Derailed trains, kicked rocks on the train and Grandma just stood there smiling until the Chief Operatiing Engineer barked real loud. They left in a huff.....   

It was a good weekend at Dan's. Lots of folks and great train running. Mark Johhson did a super job with the Live Steam track, Jerry McKenzie had is Children's Layout and Tim Csabanyi ran a 4 track electric. Dan's layout is always super busy. 

Trust all the battery stuff worked well for you. Looks like Ralph was having a great time with the F units....   

Great images and report on the day...


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## Duncan (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks for the nice comments. 

Yeah, the green is happening, some quicker than others. One of the tricks we found is to get a covering (cat's claw vines) on the cinder block wall, in order to absorb some of the radiant heat that just COOKS some of the other stuff. Once that little bit of temperature control is in place, the other stuff flourishes. If those shrubs that look "dead" in the 15th photo had been planted out in the open, they'd have done pretty well by now. The wall just stores (and reflects) too much heat for planting smallish (young) foliage. We learn... 

I should post up a long ago "before" shot for comaprison... /DesktopModules/NTForums/themes/mls/emoticons/shocked.gif 

Dennis, we (Ralph & Lu, Debbie & I) were wearing our convention badges, and when you try and stuff too much "baloney" into said bibs, it truly *IS* an impressive feat!!  

Stan, Didn't have any huffing leavers, and almost to the contrary, I had two different parties that came in, looked around some, asked some questions, and then left, only to return with their famililes. One lady stumbled onto the event purely by accident, was pleasantly surprised, and came back with her nephews (and dropped a $20 check to Make-A-Wish in the donation container). Guess she liked it... 

Most all of the battery stuff worked just fine. Had some issues with the new SD-45 (keeps lifting drivers - front, rear, leading, trailing) which made it a table queen for most of the day, and Debbie's Pacific refused to cooperate (after perfroming flawlessly last week), so it is now undergoing surgery. Late Saturday night, I felt compelled to add another loco to the battery fleet, so I tore into the center cab switcher and neutered it (cut track feed and soldered in a power lead for a trailing battery car. Threw it on the track Sunday morning, hooked up a battery car, and synced up the on-board TE. It worked fine. Don't know if the MGD had anything to do with it, but obviously didn't hurt... 

Actually, there weren't any issues with the battery cars, or the installations, just your typical "Showtime" gremlins. And I have the process down on building the battery cars so it only takes about three hours from start to finish (building one at a time). 

We did have a pretty good time.


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## Dwight Ennis (Jan 2, 2008)

The layout's looking real good Duncan! Wish I could have been there!


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## tmejia (Jan 2, 2008)

Duncan,

Layout looks good. Ralph is only holding 2 remotes? 

Glad you all (y'allll) had a good time.

Tommy








Rio Gracie


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## bottino (Feb 7, 2008)

Duncan, Your layout was one of my favorite last year at the convention, and the addition of all the greenery really adds to this really outstanding layout. You really had it going good. I am very jealous over the warm temperature, and the shorts. 
Paul


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## barnmichael (Jan 2, 2008)

Absolutely beautiful. Very nicely done. If you fill in that pool, you'll have more room for trains  

I guess I'm just gonna have to get back out to Arizona some time.


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