By Ed Ives

This year was the 39th running of the Lynden Train Show with the Hi-Rail modular group participating in this event since the last years of the last century and have witnessed this show grow from strength to strength. The organizers of the show are very welcoming and accommodating.

Our reservations for this show were made many weeks ago on the assumption that something new and different would be created for our layout, whereas it turns out no such a thing took place. Ah well, that’s the way it goes. Anyhow on arrival at the show we were given as requested a space of 25′ x 33′, a bit wider and a bit shorter than was expected. This is the danger of not keeping a copy of the reservation form.  After a bit of fiddling around we settled on a 4 x 6 module layout and this rapidly came together. A quick piece of track cleaning with Scotch Brite and all worked well. 

Running on Saturday and Sunday went well with no trains on the floor, one or two derailments and lots of interaction with the public. We did have one incident that was unique, to this writer at least, a train was running down the track rapidly coming to a stop, reversed for about five inches and then went forwards for about five inches again before reversing again. It repeated this dance and we wondered what the heck was happening?, while contemplating what exotic electrical failure we had. On going over to look at this erant locomotive we noted that a traction tire had come off and got hooked onto one of Gordons French barrier crossings. The traction tire was acting as a rubber spring being stretched and then relaxed. The erant locomotive was replaced for the engineer to effect a tire replacement job. 

Gordon Sandell has produced a very nice overlay for one of the corners, an English theme (and why not) with hedges and fences and a degree of false perspective. Very well done.

Jack Klapwyk has added more to his modules with at least an automobile dealership complete with a 1958 Plymounth on a turntable on the roof. It reminded this writer of his first American car, a similar Plymouth station wagon, two speed push button transmission and no power steering and no power brakes. You had to drive the thing with care. Ah, what times, an old car and a young wife and a new country to live in. Anyhow, well done Jack.

In the event we, or our display, received two awards over the weekend, 2nd place Best Layout and 2nd place People’s Choice Award.

Teardown and packout was completed in 1hr 50 min, an excellent time and a big thanks to Mike Holder who came up to help with the teardown. An excellent weekend indeed.

Ed