# Tortoise & Lizard Bash Open House, June 11th, 2016



## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

We are in Orange County, CA in the North Tustin area. PM or e-mail me at [email protected]
for address.

Todd and Linda Brody invite you to our first open house of 2016. The railroad won the Garden Railways Magazine 2013 competition has been featured in numerous publications and videos. 

The landscape covers about 1,200 square feet with about 600 feet of track and six bridges, including a 14-foot long trestle. All vegetation is real and the miniature garden is completely to scale. The entire layout is detailed with dozens of structures, over 300 people and animals, cars, motorcycles, etc. all at a scale of ½ inch per foot.

Animation is a big feature of the railroad. Using simple track power, the railroad can run itself fully automated with up to seven trains that slow and/or wait for each other as necessary to avoid collisions at crossing points. While watching the automated trains, see the Alligator Lizards in the Air aerial tram, the Terrapin Tar Pits where dinosaur bones are being excavated, and operations at the Bear Whiz Beer Icing Facility. Also see the loco cholos try to hoist their beer on the townsfolk. The layout also has active volcanoes with water and steam!!

New for this year are the fueling facility located along Lizard Lane, the Alligator Lizard Crater meteor strike, and the natural stone "Concerts in the Cave" amphitheater. Word has it the Oaxaca Lougi and the Lowered Lizards are to perform that night, which will definitely bring in the "Low Rider Train."

Don’t forget to bring your camera! The following link will take you to our web site showing the railroad and its history. 

http://tortoiseandlizardbash.com/

See the railroad run itself at the video:


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

great video of great layout


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

I spent the last couple months getting the vegetation ready, the last couple weeks getting the vingettes set and equipment ready for operation, including installing new sound systems, the last couple days cleaning track...

And of all days..., it decided to rain all day.

Starting at 9:00 AM with a drizzle, often turing to light rain, that just would not let up until about 1:00 PM, then intermittent throughout the rest of the day and evening. Every time I'd put trains out, it would just rain harder and I'd bring them back in. 

Still, we had the open house and even without trains running, the garde looks spectacular, everything else was out there, and people were still impressed and really spent just as much, and maybe more time, looking at the detail and garden. I kept appologizing throughout the day that trains weren't running and one lady said "No trains? I hadn't even noticed." "Train people" could appreciate the level of effort even without the trains running and say they glad they didn't miss it, regardless.

Anyway, the upshot is that the weather man said that next weekend would be hot (mid 80s,) and we will do this again on Saturday, June 18th from 1:00 - 5:00 PM.


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

That is some serious automation! I hope to get there someday 

-Jim


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Open house was postponed until today between 1:00 and 5:00 PM.

Come on by if you are going to be in the Orange County, CA area and sit under the shade of our tree as you take in the railroad.


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