I have been in contact with Brian at the BTS he has told me there are a few seats left on the buses for the tours. If you want to try and get a seat show up at least 30 minutes before depature time at the Queen Mary. This is where the buses leave from. Look for the ticket booth, or people waiting around for buses and see if you can get a ticket.

The clinics are very tight and there are a few tickets left for the USA Trains Banquet, with just a few openings left for the special custom car giveaway at the event. You need to check at the "TICKET OFFICE" to try and get seats for the clinics or the Saturday night USA Trains Banquet.

Phoenix to Queen Mary - 7 hours driving - 1:20 minutes by air.
Southwest still has $95 each way tickets to get you there.

Sacramento to Queen Mary - 7 hours driving - 1:20 minutes by air
Southwest still has $103 each way tickets to get you there.

If you need driving directions check out the above link to Google Maps. This will set the Big Train Show as the center point on your map. Just click the To Here text on the middle of the screen, enter your address and see how to get to the show.

If you are driving and you live anywhere in this circle you just might live close enough to drive to the show.

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 10th, 2006 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 10th, 2006. Judging will start at 10:30am Saturday June 10th, 2006. No late entries. Winners will be announced sometime on Sunday at the show. Models may be picked up ONLY after the show closes on Sunday June 11th, 2006 at 4:00pm

GARDEN RAILROAD TOURS AND DINNERS

BUS TOURS

THURSDAY TOUR INFORMATION

THURSDAY TOUR INFORMATION This the first time they will travel south to San Diego. We are making three stops. Starting with Andersen Nursery which has a very large Garden layout size is 4,459 square feet with 1,400 feet of main line track. The layout can operate 5 trains at time running over 15 bridges thorough tunnels and over bridges. Has a cliff dwellers plus rivers and lakes. The nursery has a very large selection of Bonsai plants and other items for garden layouts plus some train items to sell at discount prices. Lunch will be available.

Second stop will be at the Rick Blanks Sierra Blanko Garden Railway. This a excellent operating layout has many very interesting points to see. Most of the building are scratch built. Great water fall and trestles and mountains.

Last Stop will be at Bill Smith’s Fire Mountain Railroad. This layout has many great view points for picture taking. Large oil refinery, water scenic and operate more than one train at a time. This layout is very high in details.

FRIDAY TOUR INFORMATION
FRIDAY TOUR INFORMATION

Riverside Live Steamers & LA Fairplex Tour Approx. 6 hrs - Departs at 9:00 am from Queen Mary

Travel to Hunter park, Riverside. This is the home of Riverside Live Steamers. This Steam layout has 10,000 feet of operating track and has been operating since 1966. They can operate 4 trains at a time and you will all get to ride on them. You will go through the start up area and see them switch locomotive. Visit their web site: http://www.steamonly.org/. Lunch can be purchased at Farmer Boys Restaurant.

The Fairplex Garden Railway has been completely rebuilt since 1997. Having 8,000 feet of operating tracks and many plants. Outstanding features include: Carnival and Circus displays, Castles, Western Old Town, Classification yards, Red Mountain logging and interactive hydraulic mining operation. Layout size is 100’ by 300’. Visit their web site: http://www.fgrr.org/

SATURDAY

#1 LOOK WHAT’S GROWING IN THE GARDEN A quick and easy approach on how to build a garden railroad, including the benefits of using stainless steel track. Free hand out ”Quick and Easy Ways to get Started. By Don Morris, H&R Trains, Inc.

#2 THE MAKING OF A LIVE STEAM LOCO Scott will talk about the manufacturing of Aristo-Craft’s live steam engine. And how easy they are to run. Pictures of the full production line. By Aristo-Craft / Scott Polk

#3 CHOOSING PLANTS FOR THE GARDEN RAILROAD Picking plants for the garden railroad considering sun, shade, heat, cold and other soil conditions. Punning 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

#4 SPLIT JAW’S EXPANDING PRODUCT LINE Jerry covers his extensive line of expanding rail beds, road and bridge crossings and his new walk/drive-on rail beds. Also covered will be the new road bed products acquired from Mainline Enterprise. By Split Jaw/ Jerry Chapman

#5 BACHMANN LOCO RE POWER Demonstrating the conversion from Bachmann 4-6-0 power to Barry’s Big Train power. Showing both 4-8-0 and the BBT 2-8-0 (Two versions). Answering questions raised by attendees about making the conversions. By Barry’e Big Trains / Barry

#6 WEATHERING WITH AN AIRBRUSH Mac “THE AIRBRUSHWIZARD” 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

#7 GARDEN RAILROAD BASICS This clinic is designed for the people interested in building a gardenrailroad from design, track, power decisions and various concepts. This is a great opportunity to ask questions you’ve needed answers for. By Bob Toohey SUNDAY

#8 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

#9 DCS COMMAND CONTROL Learn how easy this Command Control System is to hook up and operate. Marvel at the hundreds of feathers, the ease of programing and the power of two-way communication between engine and the system. By MTH / Rich Foster

#10 WEATHERING & 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

#11 BACHMANN LOCO RE POWER Demonstrating the conversion from Bachmann 4-6-0 power to Barry’s Big Train power. Showing both 4-8-0 and the BBT 2-8-0 (Two versions). Answering questions raised by attendees about making the conversions. By Barry’e Big Trains / Barry