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Mike Hamer
Engineer
9343 Posts |
 Posted - 05/07/2012 : 7:56:26 PM
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The inaugural Ottawa Train Expo was a huge success thanks to the tremendous work put forth in the preceding year by the organizing committee, many who are forum members such as Fred, Gilbert, Chris, Ron and Mike R. to name a few. In this shot we see Fred in the light coloured shirt with the red lanyard cutting the ribbon at the opening ceremonies with such dignitaries as our local city councillor, David Chernushenko, the Mayor of Ottawa, Mr. Jim Watson (directly in front of the ribbon) and Max Keeping, a well-known television personality in the region. Fred and his team did us proud by inviting members of the forces to assist in the ceremonies. In fact, a large group of cadets helped with the setup, tear-down and various others tasks required. Again, great job, Fred and the entire team!
I was thrilled to work at a modelling table with my good buddy, Brad (chooch41). Brad is a master modeller and a great guy.
Brad brought out many models such as his rendition of this well-known FSM kit. The general public was in awe of the number of hours Brad put into this one display...200+.
You'll recognize Brad's rendition of this South River Modelworks kit.
Being a school teacher, I was thrilled to watch Brad explain all the nuances of modelling to the general public.
While Brad sat to my right, Barry sat to my left. He spent the weekend working on the construction of this rather detailed bridge.
Further down the modelling table is my friend, Bill, another master modeller.
Bill brought along this wonderful display case he made many years ago.
I brought along my diorama I call "Berrigan Boatworks".
The thrill in the eyes of this father/son tandem tell it all...life in miniature finds the child in all of us!
I also brought along my "Gillespie Street" diorama, the one I had built for the 10th Anniversary two-month challenge here on the forum.
I was thrilled to finally see Joel Friedman's dioramas "in person". I've drooled over the images of Joel's fine work throughout the pages of the forum for some time now.
"Wow" is all that I can say! Beautiful modelling, Joel!
If I had this lad's good looks, I'd have the ladies chasing after me! Jimmy, it was a thrill to finally get to meet you. Almost every friend of mine was carrying a bag with a kit or two from your booth!
One of my best buddies on the planet is Kaz, seen here on the left. With Kaz are other good friends, Scotty, Dario and Terry. Dario, it was an honour and a thrill finally getting to meet you. We sure had a blast this weekend!
What can I say about this awesome kit that hasn't been said already! Delwin's is simply awesome. Hi Joy, hiding back there in the background.
Another great thrill for me was to finally meet these two on-line friends, both of whom I have such tremendous respect for as people and modellers. And, bonus to learn that they're a fun tandem to chum around with. Joe and Greg, I had so much fun sitting near your booth at the show and taking you, Dario, Ralph and Kenny around to all of the layouts Saturday evening with my good buddy, Chris. If we could bottle up the laughter in the truck as we drove around Ottawa, man, we would have an elixir for all that ails the world!
My biggest thrill of the weekend was being the first purchaser of Joe's new kit, "Black Cove Harbor". This kit is a real beauty and a must-have. (A couple of other friends headed over Joe's way immediately after seeing me cradling my new kit!) 
Blue Ridge Coal was another Full Steam Ahead kit that really caught my eye...a wonderful scene.
I told the students in my class about the show and it was nice to see a bunch come out with their families like this little girl from grade three in my grade 2/3 class. She and her mom and dad loved the event!
A great big note of thanks to Clark who shared some fun stories with my little friend and her family. Clark, you are a natural teacher!
Another lad that I was thrilled to meet was Ralph Renzetti, also a forum member. Ralph drove to Ottawa from his home in Toronto. He is pictured with me outside my layout room. Chris and I organized a layout tour for a group of folks from out of town and we began at my place where we enjoyed supper in the crew lounge and ran the layout.
When Ralph placed his beautifully weathered CN diesel on the mainline in North Dover, my Boston and Maine layout morphed from the 1950's to a more modern date. What a gorgeous locomotive, Ralph!
She's passing the interlocking tower at Lowell Junction by the duckunder at the entrance of the room.
She's stepping out onto the New England Bridge at Haney Cut, the cover shot location for the 2004 issue of Great Model Railroads by MR.
Exiting Marshall Cut named for my good friend, Trevor Marshall.
Departing the state of Maine, crossing the Salmon River and entering NH.
It was really nice to have Joel and Ellis Friedman take the time away from other social activities on the Saturday evening to make their way over to my place to see the layout. Thanks so much for coming out!
And...I thought that most people considered my profession of teaching to be one of the more stressful ones. Joe's "two" professions can be stressful...he's a teacher too - and a kit manufacturer! Joe, you should be the lad with the grey hair, not me!
I don't think this lad has the stress gene anywhere in his body! Greg's sense of humour kept us laughing throughout the entire evening!
Dario, it was so great to see you make the trip all the way across this vast nation of ours for the show. It was wonderful meeting both you and Joy!
Chris introduced me to Kenny a number of years ago and it is always a great time when we get together on yet another of his trips down east. Kenny (hoggerken) is a locomotive engineer for CN and his run takes him through the Canadian Rockies. Here, Kenny is signing my guest book while telling my wife Lisa one of his many interesting stories from the cab. It was great meeting Kenny's wife, Gail.
From my place, we headed off to Tommy Hood's fabulous Canadian Northern layout. Here's Tommy!
This room is but a fraction of the overall layout. The room is located below Tommy's two-car garage!
The passenger area.
Just one of many from Tommy's massive stable of steam locomotives.
From Tommy's home, we crossed the Ottawa River (crossing the provincial border) into the province of Quebec to visit Michel Boucher's D&H layout. In the picture, from left to right you see Michel, Joe, Kenny, Dario and Greg.
I followed a moving train around the layout. Here it is at a (newer) beautiful location in the crew lounge area of the layout.
Two bears are hustled away from the trackside area as the diesel tandem barrels down upon them.
The unit train explodes out of the tunnel. I moved my camera to follow the moving train...thus, the interesting "speed" effect.
Another duo ready in the yard for their next assignment.
One locomotive engineer meets another. Kenny shares stories from the cab with Mike, a retired D&H engineer. Mike manned the LokSound booth at the show. We are now at Bill Scobie's Sn3 Colorado based layout just a few blocks away from Michel's home in Aylmer, Quebec.
Meanwhile, this train is spotted climbing the grade out of Ophir.
A large group of happy faces!
Then it was back into the vehicle for a drive back into Ontario where we met at Chris Lyon's LVN layout in the eastern suburb of Ottawa known as Orleans.
Ralph and Chris's wife, Lela, watch the action.
When I get time later in the week, I'll post more pictures from both days of the show! I hope you've enjoyed the trip so far. Again, big thanks to the hard-working organizing committee for putting together a fabulous show! [:-apple][:-apple]
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All the best, Mike Hamer
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
http://craftsmanstructures.blogspot.com
http://bostonandmaine.blogspot.com
http://fridaynightgroup.blogspot.com |
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danpickard
Fireman
Australia
1100 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2012 : 8:13:28 PM
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Great photo journal Mike...well captured and well told account of the weekend. Looks like it was a successful show, well organised and well appreciated. Plenty of smiling faces usually tells of a pretty good result.
Cheers,
Dan Pickard |
http://danpickard.blogspot.com/
http://www.lauriegreensweb.com/ |
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Ensign
Fireman
Canada
3697 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2012 : 8:24:37 PM
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HI Mike,what a great collection of photo's!
You & the guys really made us all feel like we were visiting royalty!
The layout tour that you arranged for us on Saturday night was really FUN!!!
The fact that you guys took the time to do this for us on this very busy weekend for you all, was simply the icing on the "Ottawa Train Expo" cake!
When I returned home, I told my wife I want to move too Ottawa.
Just so I don't have to drive 8 hours to be near to such a bunch of great guys!
Thanks to all who were involved, in organizing such a wonderful event!
Greg Shinnie |
Edited by - Ensign on 05/07/2012 8:49:11 PM |
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halrey
Engine Wiper
USA
120 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2012 : 8:28:29 PM
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Great photos! I wish I could have been there, lots of good people and lots of fine! modeling.
Hal |
Edited by - halrey on 05/07/2012 8:34:24 PM |
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Orionvp17
Fireman
USA
2805 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2012 : 8:30:55 PM
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Mike,
This looks like a great show and wonderful weekend in the bargain! Many thanks for the photo tour!
I need to figure out how to get up for Volume Two next year.... [:-boggled]
Pete
in Michigan |
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wvrr
Fireman
5014 Posts |
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BigLars
Fireman
USA
7358 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2012 : 9:52:57 PM
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| Mike, it looks like so much fun. Great to put some more faces with names. |
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chooch41
Crew Chief
Canada
792 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2012 : 07:28:29 AM
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Hey Mike. Great photos. I had a great time at my first ( participation ) Model Train Show. If the show is a go next year, I would love to be your wing man again. I met some great guys, talked about trains, learned about some new techniques, saw some very nice layouts, and of course, HAD FUN! Looking forward to next year...........
Brad |
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sncf141r
Engine Wiper
Canada
178 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2012 : 08:14:22 AM
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When those guys and gals said they were planning "the biggest train show in Eastern Canada" they were right!
I manned the booth with the "Live Steamers" - we had some people up from Kingston and Montreal, as well as us Ottawa natives.
My better half did make it out on a whirlwind tour of craftsman kit buying first thing Sunday AM - it turned out to be a work weekend for her.
Small world story - I met Greg @ full steam ahead - seems like we both hung around the same live steam track as kids; if I look carefully, I might have some pictures of him. Small world! (no, we did not recognize him, nor did Greg recognize me; I think we both have changed a bit since we were young teenagers!)
JohnS. |
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mabloodhound
Fireman
USA
4610 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2012 : 08:25:00 AM
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Great photos. I couldn't make the show so these give me a chance to see what I missed.
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Dave Mason
D&G RR (Dunstead & Granford) in On30
“Those who would give up essential liberty to purchase a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.”~Benjamin Franklin
The 2nd Amendment, America’s 1st Homeland Security
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Dutchman
Administrator
USA
23229 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2012 : 08:25:48 AM
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| Thanks for the fantastic photo summary, Mike. |
Bruce
Modeling the railroads of the Jersey Highlands in HO and the logging railroads of Pennsylvania in HOn3 |
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k27rgs
Fireman
Australia
4257 Posts |
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Rick
Administrator
USA
17724 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2012 : 08:56:55 AM
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Mike, thank you very much for all the wonderful pictures and show narrative.
Looks like you had a very successful show.
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ETinBH
Fireman
USA
4239 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2012 : 09:43:26 AM
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| great shots thanks |
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Mike Hamer
Engineer
9343 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2012 : 11:51:27 AM
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Thanks so much, everyone, for the great comments on the show. I know Chris, Ron, Fred, Joel & Mike R. will be reading them. They certainly should be proud of creating the biggest show in Eastern Ontario, as John mentioned.
I'm playing with my band tonight, but will post further pics later in the week.
Mario, I'll try to post more images of those two models. The FSM kit was built by Brad (chooch41). He put in over 200 hours on it. The great scene with the marine vessels is Joel Friedman's handiwork. He is pictured in one of the images above with his son in my train room. I snapped tons of pics of Joel's many dioramas and will be sure to post more of his work as well! [:-apple][:-apple] |
All the best, Mike Hamer
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
http://craftsmanstructures.blogspot.com
http://bostonandmaine.blogspot.com
http://fridaynightgroup.blogspot.com |
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northern6400
Fireman
Canada
3079 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2012 : 2:13:37 PM
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| Looks like it was a great day. I wish I could have been there. Thanks for sharing the pictures. |
Chuck Faist
Burlington, Ontario
Enjoy yourself it is later than you think! |
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Ottawa Train Expo - Great Recollections and Pics
