At the next session the kids were excited but leery – aren’t we ever going to make that train go?

There was a list of operating roles on the blackboard. My classroom has three beautiful gray slate blackboards along one wall. They are unusual today, and the kids are fascinated with the whole idea of writing and drawing with chalk, though they also find the experience a little bit “edgy” and uncomfortable because of the squeaks when they push the chalk instead of pull it.

Switchperson (two required)

Flagperson

The activity on the testing of HO model locos has been stalled for a while because of life and other issues.  I have been “working” around the project, but progress has been slow.  A segment has been completed to the point where testing of the test layout has begun. 

If you give a kid some sectional track, a power pack, an engine and some cars of course the first thing most of them will do is make a circle of track and see how fast the train will go. That’s the natural order of things.

My intention with the Inglenook was to disrupt the natural order enough so that the kids would sense that there’s something else going on.

In a new series, Keith Hayes describes how he modeled a forced perspective scene on his layout. If you're interested, check it out on the C&Sn3 blog at:

http://coloradosouthern.blogspot.com/

Well I have started my back drop and painting track. What a dramatic difference in the way the track looks. Really stunned by it. And I was also stunned at how well/smooth the back drop came out. Just followed the instructions from the books.

Jim

PS. That is primer on the back drop. It is no done.

I've toyed with the idea of building a working pike in my classroom since I started teaching about six years ago (I'm 58, I've had several other careers). A lot of it has been a selfish desire to increase my own opportunities to enjoy model railroading, so I've been cautious about making sure the academic value was appropriate. 

**** UPDATED 8-16-14 - Today I harvested about 30 gallons (6 five gallon buckets full) of crepe myrtle branches from our community trees - and yes, it was O.K. for me to do so.  I just did the rough prep on a 5 gallon bucket full and temporarily stuck them in my benchtop to let them dry.  You can see the picture of my hour's worth of work near the bottom of this thread.

A great railroad with more space than owner knows what to do with.  I am sure this will change over time.