I just wanted to let everyone know that we now have a #NGRC2016 Facebook Page up and running. We will be posting photos of the layouts and when they will be open. We have quite a few up already… Also, use the Facebook page to ask questions and we will do our best to answer them. Please “LIKE” the Facebook page and share it with your friends.

The NGRC 2016 Website has well over 60 pages of information available on the San Francisco Bay Area and on Convention activities. We have been really busy putting the convention together and it looks like it is going to be one of the best National Conventions ever! A group of us are meeting tomorrow at the Santa Clara Convention Center to lock down a few key things to make sure the convention runs smoothly. Our clinic committee has put together over 28 clinics to be held during the convention so far… and they tell me there are more clinics to come! We also have at least 80 layouts scheduled to be open if yo count the North Bay ones that are open before the convention and the 20 Sacramento layouts that are open post convention.

Russ Miller

NGRC 2016 Chairman

2015 BAGRS President

#ngrc2016

Looks great! Wish I could go, looks like a full plate.

If you can attend only one garden railway convention in a very long time, this would be the one. Went to one national convention and one regional (same layouts, but just hosted by the Bay Area bunch), and have to say that the sheer number of top-notch layouts is second to none (sorry, other areas).

I’m going to try to go…

Greg Elmassian said:

I’m going to try to go…

You won’t be sorry Greg…

Many Great tours and if can get up SVGRS in Sacramento, you can join us on July 13 as part of the bay area tours. Looks like our guys that are helping us here is going to go into a night run also.

SVGRS has about 21 layouts planned to be open, and the number continues to grow. Some you may have seen before, but there are several that are new or expanded.

Hope to see you there!

Greg Elmassian said:

I’m going to try to go…

Greg,

Let us know if you’d like to hold a clinic or two… We’d love to have you share your knowledge.

Russ Miller

NGRC 2016 Chairman

#ngrc2016

Russ, I love to help others, but I don’t believe I will have my plans solid in time to commit, I wish I could, there’s a bunch of things that always come up. These are the things I get asked a lot:

1. disassembly of locos without breaking stuff (many quirks and tips)

2. some basics on LEDs vs. Incandescent lamps and how to change one for the other, tied in with Ohms law, voltage and current regulators and basic use of a voltmeter.

3. rebuilding/troubleshooting Aristo motor blocks, both main types

4. rebuilding/troubleshooting USAT motor blocks, especially those nasty little brass bushings.

5. basic DCC “get started” and really an open forum on questions for people considering going there.

etc.

Regards, Greg

It now looks like we will have a total of 90 backyard layouts to tour if you count both the Pre- and post-convention tours. And just a heads up… Our block of rooms at the Hyatt Hotel is over 60% booked.

Russ Miller

NGRC 2016 Chairman

#ngrc2016

Find us on Facebook

Russell Miller said:

It now looks like we will have a total of 90 backyard layouts to tour if you count both the Pre- and post-convention tours. And just a heads up… Our block of rooms at the Hyatt Hotel is over 60% booked.

Russ Miller

NGRC 2016 Chairman

#ngrc2016

Find us on Facebook

Does this mean that they will extend the hours?

Todd Brody said:

Russell Miller said:

It now looks like we will have a total of 90 backyard layouts to tour if you count both the Pre- and post-convention tours. And just a heads up… Our block of rooms at the Hyatt Hotel is over 60% booked.

Russ Miller

NGRC 2016 Chairman

#ngrc2016

Find us on Facebook

Does this mean that they will extend the hours?

We’ve extended the hours of the tours on the pre- and post-convention days. We’ve also increased the hours of the tours on Monday and Tuesday. We have the BBQ and train rides on Wednesday afternoon, Ice Cream Social and the opening of the Exhibit Hall on Thursday afternoon and a full slate of clinics plus the vendor hall on Friday afternoon so we have less open houses on those days as we cannot extend the hours. We recommend that everyone get up early and leave the Convention Center no later than 7:30 am each day if they wish to visit all of the layouts.

Russ Miller

NGRC 2016 Chairman

#ngrc2016

There is a place in these Forums, that is devoted to announcements, and discussions such as this…WHY IS THIS POSTED HERE ?

Fred Mills, BSc, BS, SD (Hons) said:

There is a place in these Forums, that is devoted to announcements, and discussions such as this…WHY IS THIS POSTED HERE ?

It was here posted a month ago, Fred. Why are you worrying about it now?..(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-wink.gif)

Probably because he just read it? (http://largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-cool.gif)

Yes, it should have been in the “right” forum, but for an event this big, I think we can all “forgive” the OP in wanting to be sure everyone sees this.

And yes, I guess Fred just came out of hibernation ha ha!

Greg

Just a update or guess a note as looks like we are adding announcements, and discussions.

We been talking to Russel Miller on the BAGRS 2016 Convention and working on our part of the out of town tour for July 13th. with SVRGS club.

We have a Live Internet Broadcast Channel and will be working on setting it up for our layout. We are open for a day tour run and been working on adding a live evening/night train runs. It will be like we use to do a few year’s ago on a “How To " Live Fri night 2 hr’s. shows.”

Here is our channel link running 24/7 now.

http://original.livestream.com/noelw

We will have the chat box open beside watching trains live. We will try to have some short interviews too. We are going to make up some club video to inset on our channel. They’ll be running off and on beside the live cams.

Talking to Russ Miller, We talked about adding the live evening run that is kind of something difference and this could also, help out more on promoting the hobby for those that can’t get to or see layouts.

Anyway… let us know what your think of our idea and any other suggestions is always helpful.

I was at the BAGRS annual meeting today with a brief slide program (digital, of course) showing the 20 layouts which will be open by the Sacramento Valley Garden Railway Society on July 11-13, between the Convention and the Summer Steam Up at McClellan (ex-AFB) in northeast Sacramento.

If you are going to the Convention and want to see yet more garden railways, or are coming to Sacramento for the Summer Steam Up, consider visiting us between July11 and 13.

SVGRS will be at the Great Train Expo at Cal Expo Feb 27-28 showing that presentation at our modular display. Drop by.

Dick, It was great seeing you at the BAGRS Annual Meeting and at the Great Train Expo in Sacramento. We debuted the HLW Mack prize locos at the show at Cal Expo. Hartland Locomotive Works regrettably can’t attend the 2016 NGRC this year so they graciously donated some HLW Macks in Convention colors for us to give away as prizes during the convention. Here are a couple of photos of the loco set up on a siding for the DPSL modular layout.

Everything is coming together nicely for an outstanding convention! We hope to see you all there…

Russ Miller

NGRC 2016 Chairman

#ngrc2016 @ngrc2016

Just a quick update… The early train at Roaring Camp followed by the 5pm BBQ has sold out! Each train can only take 200 people because of the grades on this Narrow Gauge ride and we have reached capacity… The 3:45 BBQ followed by the 5pm train is about half full so get your registrations in now to be assured of attending the 2016 National Garden Railway Convention BBQ!

Here is hoping we get to ride behind the beautiful Dixiana!

Russ Miller

NGRC 2016 Chairman

#ngrc2016

FaceBook

One Month to go! Everything is coming together nicely… I received the USA Convention Car Reefers and they are gorgeous! The pins arrived… and also great! Bags and badge holders are in production and the 100 page Convention Book has gone to print. This Saturday is the Big BAGRS’ Swap meet in Hayward, CA and we will be handing out convention merchandise to those who placed their order. We have 30 people line up selling their stuff with hundreds of others scheduled to attend.

Russ Miller

NGRC 2016 Chairman