NEW BERN, MARCH 4. The North Carolina Lego Train Club (NCLTC), a part of the North Carolina Lego User’s Group (NCLUG) has completed its fifth year of participating in the Coastal Carolina Model Railroading Show at the local Convention Center.
Five members of the NCLTC, Scott, Rob, Dan, Crystal, and Hayes, participated in the two day event, setting up and operating their largest layout to date.
The layout, designed by Scott, was configured in an L-shape design and measured 35 by 20 feet. It featured three main loops with two double crossover junctions for moving trains between tracks, and the ability to reverse train directions. A large yard was available to house the three dozen model Lego railroad cars that were brought to the show.
Several scenes were available to wow the show visitors around the layout. A carnival complete with moving merry-go-rounds, ferris-wheels, and roller coasters really mesmerized the guests. A stonework railroad bridge crossing over a waterway complete with boats caught many an eye. The yard came complete with a passenger station and repair shop with enough room for four locomotives. A large town with dozens of structures, vehicles, and inhabitants gathered quite a crowd as they paused to take in all the details and to look for where Rob had hidden a mini-figure version of Waldo of “Where’s Waldo?” fame. A working monorail traversed from the carnival and wound its way through the town, crossing streets and railroad tracks. Farmed land dotted the landscape where it wasn’t forested with trees.
Locomotives and rolling stock of all types were operated. Two steam-era locomotives, a Mikado 2-8-2 and a Kanawha 2-8-4 took turns running passenger cars around. Freight was pulled by the iconic F-7 in 4 different road names: Denver & Rio Grande Western, Soo line, Santa Fe and Conrail. Dan debuted his new Soo Line RS-3 complete with DCC sound and lights. The classic Lego set Emerald Night made an appearance pulling a spooky load of ghost and ghouls. To the amusement of all ages, Rob’s Wiley Coyote astride an ACME rocket, fruitlessly pursued the Roadrunner around the track. At one point, a 25 car freight consist was running, and spanned nearly the entire long-run of track at the back of the layout.
Given the NCLTC’s prominent location in the atrium section of the convention center, it is likely that nearly all of the show’s estimated 2,470 participants stopped by at some point during their visit. The NCLTC team left on Sunday evening after the show’s closure tired but well-satisfied and looking forward to the next event.
Come see the NCLTC layout next in October at NCLUG Bricksboro show at the Greensboro Science Center!