Train Show Pictures Pictures from the 2003 Hostler's Model Railroad Festival Held February 28th - March 2nd, 2003 at the Ogden Union Staion.

The Utah Free-mo group set up at 2003 Hostler's Model Railroad Festival. Since the cancellation of the OT&W show in January this was our first show this year. This was our second year at the Hostler's Festival. We were set up in the "Old Timer's Room" on the second floor of the south side of the station. Hauling the modules up the stairs was challenging. But we had everything hauled up and set up pretty quickly. Last year we were the only layout in the room and the routing of show attendees was via an outside doorway. Hence, it was quite and slow paced. This year attendees were routed via the art gallery and photo contest. There were also two additional layouts in the space. A small 12' by 12' N scale bend track layout and a Lionel layout. Needless to say with the addition of the latter we had some noisy neighbors. Our view out the windows to the yard was still appreciated. It is much easier to see the trains moving through when you can see over the trains parked directly behind the station.

Participating in the show were group members Adam Eastman, Bill Schlotthauer, Jim Moore, Mike Hansen, and Mike Nelson. The layout utilized the same modules as the layout at the Wasatch Rails show in November. However, there had been some significant work done by Mike Hansen, and Mike Nelson adding scenery to their modules. Given the space, and to break up the linear feel of the layout it was decided at the show to rotate Mike Hansen's Branchline and to place Mike Nelson's Turnville Loop on the end of the branch. This small change made a big difference in the way the layout looked and operated.

The layout ran very well. We did have a few minor glitches that took us some time to figure out. But they were minor and only slowed us down a little. Our biggest challenge to a good operating session was we really didn't have enough operators to run the layout at maximum capacity. A few of us also got busy with other projects we had brought to the show. There were also something like 43 vendors at 150 tables spread around the station. The temptation to go shopping was to tempting for several. For our next show we plan on scheduling more round robins before the meet to finish projects before the show. We also plan on scheduling specific times for op sessions on the layout. This should help alleviate the problem somewhat.

Also, we hope to have added a few more members to the group. We had several people who were very intrigued by the Free-mo concept. This was in part because the show was so well attended and because there were many more people who came up to see the layout.

The Layout

The layout also saw the introduction of several other new "true" Free-mo modules. Bill Schlotthauer brought his new pair of four foot modules. Mike Hansen surprised us by having his set of Jct Modules ready for the show. Mike has built a set of three, three foot modules with a short siding and a branch line. He has completed three additional modules to extend the branch about seven feet. Mike took advantage of the Free-mo concept and built shorter modules that he could easily load and unload by himself. Not to mention that they are also easier to haul and store.

Finishing out the layout was the converted East Moore Yard. The set of four eight foot modules that make up the yard proper had some extensive work done to upgrade them before this show. The modules were formerly 36" wide and were cut down to 28 to make them lighter. They were built using a solid sheet of plywood topped with a sheet of ½" homasote. The modules had also been stored vertically on their ends for a period of several years and were badly bowed. After the modules were cut down a new side of 3/4" birch plywood was attached under the plywood, rather than to the side. This helped straiten the modules considerably. The four yard modules and the eight foot stand alone diesel shop module are jointly owned by Jim Moore and Adam Eastman.

I did not take pictures of all the modules. I also neglected to take pictures during setup and tear-down that show some of the construction ideas. Thank goodness Al Barnes had his nifty new digital along, only problem is that he is learning to use his camera just like me. So the image quatlity wasn't that good to start with, and then I compressed the files which didn't help any either. But at least they load faster! Anway, a promise is a promise after all, and I did promise to post pictures. So enjoy these.

Setup. Friday 12:52 p.m. The hard part is done, everything has been brought up the stairs.	Setup. 12:57 p.m. Q. "Will this still work if we move the loop to the end of the branch line?" A. "Yes, of course it will, it's Free-mo! We'll just make the branch the main and the main the brach."	The official club "Bolt Boy," Mike Hansen's son Carson.	"Which legs did you need? We need some Lee Valley hardware!" Adam Eastman sorts legs during setup.
Tighten those bolts up Jim.	The "Color Country Club" from St. George didn't like all the noise it made, but the laser level sure makes the leveling go faster. That is as long as you don't move it!	Just before opening, the layout is up and ready to go. Total setup time, approx 5 hours.	The crowds (at least as far as the Old Thymers Room is concerned) were bigger in the first few hours than the whole weekend last year.
New scenery on Mike Nelson's Turnville loop.	Sante Fe E9s pull a passenger extra past the new gravel pit.	Another shot of the same train, passing under the overpass.
The 9's work their way past Happy Valley Canning Company, Turnville.	View from "Sky 2" of Nelson Farms, Turnville.	Train wreck Sunday at Turnville	This special shelf that Mike has on the back of Turnville houses a booster, test track and radio reciever.
A view of Turnville and the Utah Sugar Company plant near Hansen Jct.	Utah Sugar Company	Utah Sugar Compay	A good view of interchange at Hansen Jct. The grain elevator on Bill's Knight Jct is visable. The windows letting in the light on the right look out over the Union Pacific Yard in Ogden.
A good view of Bill Schlotthauer's Knight Jct.	Further west down the mainline, Santa Fe 2438 idles away outside the East Moore Shops.	D&RGW 3005 passes in the background as coustomers buy some gas at Steve's Texaco.	A couple of trucks wait at the REA.
A destination of some of that Utah Sugar, the Belmont Candy Company.	A look at the trains outside at the Eccles Rail Museum. UP turbine #26 and SP SD45 2457(?). Ogden railyard in the background looking south.	A look at the east side of Eccles Pavillion. UP 484 FEF-3, 833 and Centenial 69??
A view of Turnville (left side)	A view of Turnville (right side)	Tear down Sunday afternoon. Let the fun begin. "Damn, I hate this part!"	Tear down Sunday afternoon continues....
Photos by Adam Eastman and Mike Nelson