# Garden Train Open House - Rules?



## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm interested to hear what others have done if anything about rules and such for their garden train open house?

I know rules can take the fun out of things but I've had a few parents let their young ones run a bit wild and I've suffered damage to my model train and layout.


-Jim


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Jim:

At the Christmas show I help with, when fingers get too close, I say, directed at the offender, "I don't think that your mother/father wants to buy me a new train". That usually gets the job done.

Or you could put up a sign "unruly children will be fed to the neighborhood coyotes".

It is a problem. When I have been on tour, I've had several friends over to help keep an eye out. It is too much for one person to run trains and watch for trouble.

Chuck


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

Jim

Every tour book from a Garden Railway Convention or local club's layout tor weekend event has included a single sheet of "Rules for Visitors". I am sure your friends at the Denver GRS can provide one.

1] Stay OFF the tracks.
2] Do NOT touch the trains.
3] Do NOT step over the tracks, regardless of where the trains are.
4] Stay on obvious paths and walkways.
5] Adults are expected to properly supervise smaller children.
6] Do not monopolize the time of the host, he/she will want to greet everyone.
7] Unless told otherwise, always ask permission before taking video or photos.
8] ALWAYS thank the hosts before departing.

Depending on the size of the group visiting, you may want to state whether restrooms are available and if beverages are available. If you are expecting a large crowd, these items, especially the first, can be problematic.

I have been renting a portable unit to [a] minimize traffic through my house, and * make sure my septic system is not overrun. At my weekend meets I have anywhere between 30 and 50 people for two days. Since these are sessions with guest operators, rule [2] becomes... Do not handle other guest's equipment without their permission.*


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Rule #1 is--unfortunately--no one reads the rules. The "don't touch," "don't step on the tracks," etc. things are common courtesy. The folks who would bend or break those would do so whether there were official "rules" or not. (Adults _and_ kids)

There are some things that we hosts can do to minimize the infractions.

First, if it _looks_ like a path, folks are going to walk on it. I've got roadways on my railroad that cross the tracks and come to the edge of the landscaping. They're wide enough to walk on (by design--it's how I access the railroad), and they're a definite temptation for folks. Consider putting some garden stakes and string or landscaping ribbon across as a deterrent. You don't necessarily want it to detract from the garden, but you do want it to imply "no entry." 

Despite parents' best intentions, kids are going to run around and chase the trains. It's what they do. They're not miniature adults. We can admonish them to walk, stay off the plants, etc.--that's _usually_ enough, but it is a bit of policing that we'd rather not have to do. I know folks have had success with scavenger hunt types of activities. Give the kids a clipboard, pencil, and a check-off sheet with things you've hidden around the railroad for them to look for. If nothing else, it slows them down because they're looking for things instead of running around after the train. True, the parents' job is to keep an eye on their kids, but the parents are also fascinated by the trains, asking questions, and carrying on conversations with the hosts. It's not realistic to expect them to be watching their kids 100% of the time. You might also want to consider having a kids' craft table or something. 

If possible (especially if you're expecting large crowds), have helpers for crowd control. An extra set of eyes or two can help keep things in check. You may want to consider having others run your trains, so you can spend the time socializing and not worrying about whether things are on the tracks or not. 

Don't run anything you wouldn't want to see in pieces on your workbench after the show. Ideally we wouldn't want to see _anything_ in pieces, but it can happen. Broken couplers are an easy fix. A foot through your prize-winning scratchbuilt observation coach, not so much. I've helped my dad during a few of his church summer picnics at his place. The kids get to run the trains. They (generally) do well, but both of us are invariably spending that evening with super glue and soldering irons fixing what got broke. To an extent, it goes with the territory. 

Rules are fine, and as a host, you're well within your rights to correct bad behavior as it arises. Still, these situations are going to arise, so the best offense is a good defense. 

Later,

K


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

Kevin hit the nail on the head. If the parents won't control their kids, the battle will be lost before it starts. The only sure way to avoid damage is to set up a fence to keep the crowd back and even that doesn't always work.


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## Tom Parkins (Jan 2, 2008)

Tom's Rules:

The Open House is for the guest. Not for Me. 

Have plenty of cookies, tea, cider, lemonade, water etc.

Be careful around the fire. It will burn. 

Let a kid, or even adult, take a turn running trains. Here you go young man. This is how you control the train. 

If a kid wants some little people to ride the gon, go ahead. Stop at the "station" and put them on board. 

Please don't try to walk across the bridge. You might fall in the pond.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

Randy, my point isn't so much that parents _won't_ control their kids, just that it's unrealistic to expect them to do so 100% of the time even under the best of circumstances. 

Most of the parents I have visit my back yard with young kids are actually quite jittery when it comes to their kids and my trains. They're often paranoid their kids are going to break something, sometimes to the point where I have to reassure them that it's okay for the kids to do certain "kid" things. Kids and adults get excited about the trains, though, and when that happens, we "forget" a lot of stuff that would otherwise seem academic--like not stepping on the track, etc.


Tom, funny you should mention putting loads in cars. That's probably the #1 activity my kids do with my trains when I host open houses. I've got stacks of logs I sit out at various sidings, as was prototypical. Invariably by the end of the day, all the logs have been "delivered" someplace else. Alas, it's a freight agent's nightmare trying to figure out _where_, but someplace. But that's part of the appeal of large scale--that the trains are big enough and durable enough to where kids _can_ play with them. I like being able to demonstrate that, especially to folks who are new to the hobby. 


Later,

K


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

ALL

At my meets, which are mostly live steam, the "don't touch" is to prevent burned fingers. Kids are often invited to operate an RC locomotive, either steam or battery.

Also, I believe the rules DO CHANGE when you have an "invitation only" event where you know almost everyone, as opposed to an open house on a public layout tour where many of the people are ones you do not know.


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## Chris Scott (Jan 2, 2008)

Live Steam Get Together;

This is a short list I've collected from attending Diamondhead, the Nat. Summer SteamUp and various other steamups over the years. I will finally have my own layout finished in a couple of months with steamups to follow. I hope these will be guest practices.  I wouldn't call these rules rather just good manners.

1. If you happen to accidentally melt a few ties, tell your host, apologize and offer to pay for replacing the ties. In the presence of honesty and good manners your host can be gracious, forgive and likely decline the offer of compensation. This will duly polish your good guy image. 

It's really poor form to leave melted ties as a surprise  gift for your host to discover. 

2. If using coal fuel before you leave clean up the coal droppings where you fired up. Carrying a small dust pan and brush would make this much easier than tweezers. 

If there are more than just you using coal, don't try to figure out which col deposits are yours, be a good guy, take a little extra time to clean up more than what you think is just your part. If you clean up after each run, "what's yours" never comes up.  

_(Come to think of it there's an idea, I'll make sure a dust pan and brush coal clean up kit is available for guest who forget theirs.)_ 

3. Bring a couple or three old rags to mop up water and or particularly steam or lube oil from the layout deck and particularly oil off the track. Particular attention to this if your loco sprays lots of that nice caramel colored gunk out the stack. 

If your loco does spray lots of nice caramel colored gunk  cover the stack or hold a cloth just above the stack to catch or limit the gunk spray. Anyone standing near by will thank you. 

 Thanks
Chris


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Chris

I appreciate your "rules". I help a friend with his events, by prepping the track before the event. I am always surprised by the frequency of melted ties. It a fair amount of work to replace a tie strip in the middle of 5 or 6' sections of staggered rails.

I think that the host has had a kitty can for track care. Whether it is successful, I have no idea. But all I know is that it is a lot more fun running trains, than replacing ties.

I'm thinking about giving an engineer an aluminum bar that would fit between the rails and fit under engines when the engine stops. Aluminum has a high thermal conductivity. It should absorb heat and spread it out over a longer distance. Hopefully to limit the local heat to the ties directly under the engine. Usually there are about four or five melted ties. A 12" piece of aluminum might spread the heat and minimize the damage, or melt more ties. Further thought and tests are necessary, but it is a thought.

Chuck


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Chuck;

Our two foot gauge Crown Metal Products 4-4-0 at Hershey Park (mid-1960s) had no ash pan. There was a 1/4 inch steel plate about three feet long and about the same width as the gauge over the section of track where the locomotive was always spotted for train loading and locomotive servicing. It did its job, and one of my first duties once steam was raised was to back up the train and shovel the ashes from the plate into ash buckets.

Not sure how the laws of physics work out for our much smaller scale, but my experience indicates that what you suggest should work. You probably need to make sure the aluminum plate is reasonably thick.

Best,
David Meashey


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

Dave,

I think that the host has code 250 rail. So the bar could be 1/4 inch thick.

Chuck


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## John Allman (Jan 2, 2008)

I use a piece of aluminum foil about 6 inches long. Put it right over the tracks and run the loco over it until the ash pan is directly over the foil. Works every time, and is cheap and disposable.
Oh and I never get melted ties over the foil. I do often manage to get melted ties other places, but that seems to come mostly from alcohol overflow fires.


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## John J (Dec 29, 2007)

I didn't see this rule....

NO PETS. Don't bring your pets. The owner may have pets of his own and your pet may be a problem 

JJ


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## pete (Jan 2, 2008)

What jj said.


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## Pete Chimney (Jan 12, 2008)

Another idea, if your open house is published in a club newsletter or at hobby stores where the general public may see the notice, note if the layout is handicapped accessible and what are the limitations, e.g.. stairs, duck under, layout on backyard lawn. 

This will help those who cannot move about quite as easily as many, to decide if they want to spend the time being driven to a layout and then finding they cannot gain access


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## tmejia (Jan 2, 2008)

Just wondering. Why this rule? What happened?

_"7. Unless told otherwise, always ask permission before taking video or photos."
_

Tommy
Rio Gracie


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

tmejia said:


> Just wondering. Why this rule? What happened?
> 
> _"7. Unless told otherwise, always ask permission before taking video or photos."_
> 
> ...


Some folk object to having their photo taken and some object to photos of their handiwork in their yard/property. Somewhat a Paranoid attitude, but there is a fear of publicity about their hobby. Would it bring unwanted visitors at other times?

Seems strange to have an open-house and then worry about adverse advertising of the location, but there are those that worry about it.

Remember, you are on Private Property, not Public Property and so photography can be limited by the owner of the property.

I have been in museums that prohibit photography of the displays/artifacts. It is often stated that the flash might damage the artifacts, but it is also often just because they want to control what is presented to the outside world of their property.


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

In this day and age many people post photos to Facebook and Twitter without any consideration of the fact that unless they have adjusted their phone settings the date/time/GPS coordinates of the phone location are publicly displayed in the posting. That is way more information than many people want out on the Internet.


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

> date/time/GPS coordinates of the phone location are publicly displayed in the posting


Time & date, yes, but I didn't know that GPS info might be printed on the photo?? Boy, am I behind the times.

JackM

Yeah, I wouldn't want my stuff published with exactly where to get them.


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

JackM

I found out about the GPS location datawhen someone posted a 'selfie' taken at my layout on Facebook. Next to the photo was date, time, town, state, and coordinates.


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## Pete Thornton (Jan 2, 2008)

Dr Rivet said:


> JackM
> 
> I found out about the GPS location datawhen someone posted a 'selfie' taken at my layout on Facebook. Next to the photo was date, time, town, state, and coordinates.


Yeah - some muslim terrorist recently posted on twitter and forgot to turn his phone GPS off. His actual location was revealed to the rest of the world.


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## tmejia (Jan 2, 2008)

Jim,

Thanks for the info about the GPS. Didn't even think about that. I take most pictures with a camera that isn't smart enough to know where I am. 

Tommy
Rio Gracie


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## JackM (Jul 29, 2008)

Seems like one should revisit his security system before putting out the "Open House" sign. 

JackM


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## Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

We had kids run right threw our layout a train show before and parents didn't say a thing!


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