So what is the Big Train Show? It is one huge Large Scale Train Show. There is over 60,000 square feet located on 3-levels on the boat, the Queen Mary. There are exhibitors, modular layouts, clinics, tours, and special dinners. There is also the biggest raffle of any show that I know about. There are hundreds of prizes donated by dozens and dozens of manufacturers.

MODEL CONTEST

Get your models ready for the model contest. LSOL.com sponsors this event each year with prizes and ribbons. You can print out an entry form HERE

Bring your models to the Big Train Show entrance on Saturday June 11th, 2005 at 9:00am and get a pass to take them to the model contest booth. ALL models must be entered BEFORE 10:00am on June 11th, 2005. Judging will start at 10:15am Saturday June 11th, 2005. No late entries. Winners will be announced sometime on Saturday at the show. Models may be picked up ONLY after the show closes on Sunday June 12th, 2005 at 4:00pm

THURSDAY TOURS
Tour (Thur-9a) 8:00am - 7 hrs.
"The Living Desert Wildlife & Botanical Park"
Located in the Palm Desert/Indian Wells area. The Living Desert attraction has the largest outdoor "G" scale garden railroad in the State of California. It is 150' by 350' consisting of a working Grand Canyon, Cliff dwellers, 208' trestle and 25' mountain with operating cable cars. The Living Desert has many areas to explore while visiting the park. Walking guides and Trams are available. No host lunch is served at the Torn Tree Grill or Meerkat Café located on the site.

Tour (Thur-9b) 9:00am - 5 hrs.
"Corona, Yucaipa Tour"
First stop will be to see Ken and Deanna Maxell's "Volcanic Mountain Railroad". 600' of main line operation on a 14' by 40' layout. 5 trains can be operated at the same time. New is the next stop at Jerry and Joyce White's (2) operating layouts. White's Garden and Georgetown Railroad. They feature the Wild West scenic and lumber at its best. Next we will be viewing the great waterfall of the Mike and Gail Stewart, "Stewart and Santa Fe Railroad." This layout has been raised up off the ground as much as four feet in some places.

FRIDAY TOURS
Tour (Fri-10c) 9:00am - 6 hrs.
"West Garden Grove Homes and Live Steam"
We will be stopping at Steve Dodge's "Wilton and Lake View RR" It is a 4' by 20' European style railroad. Small and compact. James Kruger's "J.K. & P. RR" will be featuring over and under operation to help maximize the amount of railroading that can be accomplished in a small space. Trains appear and disappear traveling through tunnels, cuts and over bridges. 5 trains can operate at once, featuring DCC operation. Next is the home of Bruce and Theora Morse. The "B &T RR" has approximately 1000' of main line operation. 8 trains will be running around and through waterfalls, 153 trees and towns. This is a big back yard layout. Final stop will be the Orange County Model Engineers live steam and a fine BBQ lunch, plus riding on 1-1/2, 2-1/2 & 3-3/4 scale live steam trains. The "Goat Hill Jct." Railroad is very exciting.

Tour (Fri-10d) 5:00pm - 6 hrs.
FRIDAY DINNER
"Clarkson RR Night Tour and BBQ Dinner"
Evening at the Clarkson's Park. See Roger and Faith Clarkson's very large garden layout under the lights. This is a "must" to see. You will be fed and entertained plus see model railroading at it's best. Train sheds (40' in length), water falls, a hydroelectric plant and oil refinery will be seen on the outdoor layout along with many great buildings. Indoors is an excellent H.O. layout that is very large and finely detailed.

SATURDAY DINNER
USA Trains Hobo Banquet
The Hand is Quicker than the Eye! This is the big dinner of the show. Great food, great friends and a special limited edition Hobo party car. $48.00 per person.

1 FIVE STEPS TO MAKING A RELIABLE RUNNING RAILROAD. Jerry covers everything from roadbed preparation to things to look out for to reduce derailment problems. Jerry has used these steps in his own railroad, and they have proven to work with great success. By Split Jaw Railclamps/Jerry Chapman Saturday 9:00 to 10:00 FREE

2 CHOOSING PLANTS FOR THE GARDEN RAILROAD. Picking plants for the garden railroad considering sun, shade, heat, cold and other soil conditions. Pruning for health and beauty. Making forests, desert and other scenes. Disease and pest control. Understanding pH and how it affects plant growth. By Miniature Plant Kingdom/Don Herzog Saturday 12:00 - 2:00 FREE

3 GREAT ACCESSORIES AND WHERE TO FIND THEM. Where to find great accessories for the garden railroad in many scales. How to use different scales for special effects. By Miniature Plant Kingdom/Don Herzog Sunday 7:45 - 8:45 FREE

4 MOLD MAKING WITH SILICONE RTV. Come see what you have been missing from Silpak. We will discuss silicone and mold making. Watch a video on process and demo - Brush-on system, Silpak hand putty mold making and pourable RTV type. The Question and Answer session will aid in the future projects. By Silpak/Jerry Gelameau Saturday 7:45 - 10:00 FREE

5 LOOK WHAT'S GROWING IN THE GARDEN. "A quick and easy guide to building an outdoor garden railroad". Everything you will need to know in order to build a fun and trouble free railroad in your garden. By H&R Trains/Don Morris Saturday 12:00 - 2:00 FREE

6 LANDSCAPING YOUR GARDEN RAILROAD. Dwight will do a slab planting complete with a house. This unique demonstration will show you how to do a group planting, using 3 to 5 trees and shrubs, making a complete scene. Choosing the right types of plants, how to care and feed them. The final scene will be put into the show raffle on Saturday. Saturday 7:45 to 10:00 FREE

7 GARDEN RAILROAD A TO Z. This is a 2-part clinic. PART 1 - Introduction to the hobby of garden railroads. (Video and lecture) PART 2 - Q & A Any aspect of the hobby of garden railroads. By Bob Toohey Saturday 2:00 - 4:00 FREE

8 LIVE STEAM FOR EVERYONE. How to run Aristo-Craft's new live steam system without a lot of "fiddling". By Aristo-Craft/Lewis Polk Saturday 7:45 - 8:45 FREE

9 WEATHERING WITH AN AIRBRUSH. Mac "The Airbrush Wizard" will weather, detail and age many different model railroad equipment, rolling stock, and die cast vehicles, using his skills in airbrushing. Warning! Hi subjects will never be the same again. By Mac McCalla Saturday 2:00 - 4:00 $5.00

10 WEATHERING AND ENHANCING. Mac will weather, detail and age many different model railroad equipment, rolling stock, and die cast vehicles, using his skills in airbrushing. Warning! His subjects will never be the same again. By Mac McCalla. Sunday 12:00 - 2:00 $5.00

11/12 BACHMANN LOCO RE POWER. Re power conversion's for Bachmann's 4-6-0 and 2-8-0. Barry describes the advantages of these conversion kits. Descriptions of equalized suspension, counter shaft drive. New products, Mason Bagie will address problems and questions. By Barry's Big Trains. Saturday 7:45 - 8:45 FREE Sunday 9:00 - 10:00 FREE

13 THE ROUND TABLE - INTRODUCTION OF LIVE STEAM. Subjects to cover: How they work and what it takes to operate one. Radio control vs. non-radio control. Who makes them and the relative cost/performance. Where to purchase one. Where can you run them. Local and National events. Publications about the hobby. Saturday 9:00 - 10:00 FREE

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