Great Opportunity

And you have time to itemize all the various aspects of it that makers would have interest in. Electronics, construction, design, modeling, 3D printing, 3D CAD, painting, etc. 

Will be very interested in how this progresses.

Just a caution...

Just a caution, as a former teacher and school board member... Be prepared to have someone challenge why you're using public funds and space to further your personal hobby.

Have your lesson plans availble to show them how it fits into the curriculum, and the skills and concepts being taught. Get some of your kids (This years, and perhaps past, too...) to actually operate it while you talk with the adults. Let THEM explain what they're doing... and how the went about building it themselves.

We know the value of what you've been doing...  but there will be nay-sayers. Be ready to blow them out of the water.

You’ll need helpers ...

... at least two. If you want to run trains, you won’t be able to do that and interact (and monitor) dozens of people walking through. In most public displays one person needs to do nothing but explain and answer questions, while one or two others keep trains running. NMRA members may be able to help as we know you already. Contact me off the forum.

Chris

Great Idea and ideal situation

Especially if you can display how 3D Printing can be used in Model Railroading, perhaps display a diorama size shoe box layout.

Bob

Great Idea and ideal situation

Especially if you can display how 3D Printing can be used in Model Railroading, perhaps display a diorama size shoe box layout.

Bob

make some things for the layout

and display the unbuilt kit next to the finished item to show how you made the stuff. Maybe have a few simple kits on hand for interested folks to play with?....DaveB

Great feedback

Once a year the school does a "Math and Science Night" for parents where I set up "booths" within the room to feature how we use the layout for learning about math. I'm imagining something similar for the Maker Faire, but skewing the topics in the directions Bud, Bob and DaveB suggest. Hands-on activities are a must at the Maker Faire. 

Chris, I will definitely be in touch. My students have been fortunate enough to have a couple of visits from NMRA folks and I'd like to have a mix of students and "experts" available to represent the hobby. Your perspectives on how best to promote the organization in this setting will be much appreciated! A handful of my Coast Division operating friends have even been over to run the railroad and I think they'd be great co-hosts. 

Barr_ceo, I totally hear you and blowing the nay-sayers out of the water is a fait accompli. The school is private and the board is very strongly behind the railroad as they've seen first hand how powerful it is for motivating the students. Great math outcomes speak volumes. And, it has been a very potent recruiting tool: families really get excited when they visit and see how engaged the students are. Exposing more prospective families to it at the Maker Faire is a big deal for the school. 

Thanks, I will definitely post updates as plans coalesce. This kind of feedback is wonderful, keep it coming.

Jeff Allen

Laser cutting and assembling a wood car kit?

I'm sure someone will have a laser cutter at the maker faire.   Perhaps you could work with them ahead of time to cut out the parts for a simple wood boxcar, but save the sides for cutting at the fair.  Maybe custom-print  the sides (with their name?) during the faire and then let the attendees assemble the cars with guidance from your friend(s).

Frankly, I think the relative simplicity of circa-1900 freight cars construction-wise is a reason I'm seeing some of the younger folks in the hobby.  The more colorful and fancy paint and lettering is another draw, something they can replicate fairly easily on computers and printers.  I'm seeing a return to cardstock sides too, shades of the old NMRA Bulletin when I was a kid.

Scott Chatfield 

What can we do to help?

What can we do to help? Would something like some giveaway cards with the MRH mag website URL on it, and a note that there's over 20,000 pages of free model railroading how-to info in our back issues be useful? We could also throw in a 20% off coupon code for TMTV and the Store on the side.

"This looks cool, how can I get started?"

Yes, collateral handouts would be very appropriate Joe, thanks! There are several active clubs in the Bay Area, it occurs to me that their brochures would be good to have as well. 

Scott, very cool idea to have folks produce personalized models. I find another reason to favor early-era rolling stock is that short cars pack more operating options in a smaller space. 

I will probably set up my Inglenook as an additional operating/teaching station as well. It is exceedingly effective at revealing the hidden fun of simple switching. 

Jeff Allen

How About Custom Printed Decals Onsite!

Have someone graphically gifted turning out custom decals of people's names that they could apply to the personalized models. May be too much trouble, but would be neat!

Maker's Faire and model railroading

Jeff,

My modular group was invited to the mini-Maker's Faire at the Akron (OH) public library. The response from the public was one of pleased surprise. Most of our visitors had some exposure to model railroading in their past.

The modules formed a straight layout about 50 feet long with only a few sidings for switching. People loved that we ran the trains via smart phones and tablets! A son of a friend (11 yrs old!) helped keep things running while we talked. He even invited a couple of young people to run a train back and forth. Lots of smiles on the children's and parent's faces.

We were told we've got an invite to this years event, so I'm planning some additional interactive items. I'll bring a couple of "sample boards" with static grass and other scenery for people to touch and examine without having to touch the modules. Will do the same with some "paper" models both in "kit" form and assembled for people to examine.

One of the module sets I'm thinking about bringing to this year's event is a model of a belt line that ran less than a mile from the library. Some might not know that there was a rail line there "years ago".

Thanks for sharing this opportunity to share ideas!

Tim Moran Akron, OH

These ideas definitely go on the list

Bud, I figured taking this on would drive me to get some things done on the railroad, but it might also take me down paths I hadn't considered, like custom decals! 

Tim, your experience is just what I'm looking for! I have a rather large hillside that will be ready for static grass by October. I've found that my students burn out after doing a few square inches but that with careful organization and supervision they can create a chain of apprentice/skilled worker/supervisor assignments that give everyone a chance to try it. I'll have to think about how to adapt that approach to the variability of a public venue, but static grass (especially with the hacked fly-swatter I use) is an excellent activity.

I will also plan to have some smartphone throttles just to show the possibilities - wonderful suggestion. One thing I'll almost certainly do that makes me a little bit sad is to have some of the locomotives set to very low momentum. I find that learning to deal with momentum is like learning to play the piano - frustrating at first but extremely satisfying if you relax and stick with it. I don't want folks to be frustrated when they try it for the first time, but I'm also reluctant to reinforce their perception of "toy trains." 

I have two ProtoThrottles, set up so locomotives drift almost infinitely until you apply the brakes. Perhaps I can establish some kind of explicit demonstration of the range of simulation possible. 

Jeff Allen

Great ideas

With the rebuild of our club we plan to make the layouts more interactive and STE(A)M oriented so these ideas being shared here are great. I definitely will be interested in how the event turns out.

Matching Maker's Faire goals with model railroading

Hi Jeff,

One of the things I did when approached for the mini-Maker's Faire was to look at all the categories they were promoting and try to match some aspect of model railroading to the category. I'm attaching some of the information I shared in our application for the event:

You can see how these items are easy to show regarding model railroading. They might give you some ideas of your own to tie into your lesson plans.

I'm looking forward to more of this discussion with an eye on our local event this fall.

Thanks for your reply!

Tim Moran Akron, OH

Don't forget

some of the simple Arduino projects, like Dr. Geoff's, to add that segment in.  Some people love the electronics side of it as much as anything.

Arduino

Last year I bought one of those $50 Arduino starter kits (kind of like the old Radio Shack 5000-in-one project kits), and have had a great time with it. Quite a few of my students have experimented with them either at home or in classes, so this is a great opportunity to show some clever implementations. 

I've got two crucial locations on my railroad where "interlockings" are appropriate and I'm planning to use Arduinos to manage the logic. (I'm a long-time follower of Bruce Chubb's CMRI but haven't taken the plunge yet). If I get busy this summer I should be able to offer a narrow-focus Arduino application clinic at the Maker Faire.  

Tim, you probably found (as I did) that none of the established Maker Faire categories quite fits our traditional view of the hobby, but I agree that "Kinetic Art" is pretty close. I want to put a lot of emphasis on the "art" side too, including the aspects of stagecraft that inform our operations.

Jeff Allen

Just FYI - Marker Media, the

Just FYI - Marker Media, the guys who run Maker-Faires laid everyone off on Monday and closed their doors...

https://www.kqed.org/news/11753411/company-behind-popular-maker-faire-closing-down-due-to-financial-struggles

https://www.mercurynews.com/2019/06/08/san-mateos-maker-faire-make-magazine-calls-it-quits/

https://deadline.com/2019/06/maker-media-home-of-maker-faire-magazine-ceases-operations-1202629661/

Well, doesn't that just put sand in the gears

We shall see...

Fascinating development! I have no idea how this might affect our regional event. I know there is a very energetic group of volunteers that organize it, but it could be dependent on the home office for some coordination. I'll be very disappointed if the Faire gets cancelled.

Jeff Allen

Hopefully not a problem. From

Hopefully not a problem. From the first linked article

Helpers??

Why not get some of your experienced middle school kids to help you.  They will draw other kids in more readily than will grown-ups.  Using them might also reduce the possible perception that you are using school resources your for personal layout.

helpers for sure!

MtRR75,

You're right, helpers are essential! I'll certainly be calling on my students to host, primarily because the underlying theme of the project is the impact on their enthusiasm and engagement, but I think there are also some really significant opportunities to have them collaborate with some of my pals from our local round-robin operating group - mostly folks 50 or more years their senior. I think there will be rewards for both cohorts! 

Jeff Allen

Bumping this topic

Jeff,

Would love to hear your developments on how this event is unfolding. Your event should be happening in 4-6 weeks. The Akron, OH event is scheduled for Oct, 12th.

Please share an update at your convenience.

Tim Moran Akron, OH