Any other Chicago area modelers interested in forming a casual group?

[Ken Ford]

Hi, Damian - I haven't been active in months due to a family crisis, but I'm still interested!

[Kb4iuj]

If you guys do meet up give me a holler. It would probably make sense to meet up at a place, be it a Japanese resturant and see who wants to talk trains. Maybe do a show & tell. A while back I came across some guys from the UK who were out doing some railfanning of the EL. Since they started putting advertising on the sides of the cars like Jack Daniels, McDonalds and a few other eateries. Well, I guess their trying to spice up their cars.

 

I typically stay at the Hi Hostel and it's great as the EL goes right by my window all night long or atleast til 1AM. If we should ever meet bring your scanners or 2m HT (ham radios with scanners built in). As Chicago is a busy, possibly a dangerious place, thus know where your at and be in bed by 9:30 listening to all the action. On the scanner one can hear what's going on the CTA (EL).

 

http://audio5.broadcastify.com/il_chicago_police2.mp3?nocache=9008338

[enodenlover]

I'm still interested too. And yes, Chicago can be a dangerous place but as long as you know what areas to avoid ( primarily parts of the south side and west side ) you'll probably be okay.

[NB1231]

If you guys do meet up give me a holler. It would probably make sense to meet up at a place, be it a Japanese resturant and see who wants to talk trains. Maybe do a show & tell. A while back I came across some guys from the UK who were out doing some railfanning of the EL. Since they started putting advertising on the sides of the cars like Jack Daniels, McDonalds and a few other eateries. Well, I guess their trying to spice up their cars.

 

I typically stay at the Hi Hostel and it's great as the EL goes right by my window all night long or atleast til 1AM. If we should ever meet bring your scanners or 2m HT (ham radios with scanners built in). As Chicago is a busy, possibly a dangerious place, thus know where your at and be in bed by 9:30 listening to all the action. On the scanner one can hear what's going on the CTA (EL).

 

http://audio5.broadcastify.com/il_chicago_police2.mp3?nocache=9008338

Chicago is a great city for its size, while the south side has a troubled past I wouldn't go so far to say the whole city is dangerous. Any city has parts you would not venture into after dark.

 

Sent from my Samsung Galaxy S6 using Tapatalk

[Kb4iuj]

There is a Japanese Festival coming up. Maybe we should build a few small TTrack moduals. Be it one foot wide by two or three feet long or shorter. Verse a mega layout. Just something that even they will be amazed at seeing.

 

events12.com

Edited November 1, 2015 by Kb4iuj

[cteno4]

Do you mean this one?

 

http://www.ginzachicago.com

 

Events like this are great for model trains as folks always love to model trains and you don't have any competition like you have at train shows! Contact the organizers asap to see what you can get for space, unfortunately some shows will want you to pay to be apart of the event, so that can kill a deal. Also start preparations as far in advance as possible. We started JRM 12 years ago to go to a large national train show, but started a bit too late and missed that show (but started with a local one later).

 

Cheers,

 

Jeff

[Kb4iuj]

No, that's bit far off on the schedule. But, this one is on the 14th of this month.

https://www.facebook.com/events/452853261560972

 

Say the Hi Hostel I stay at often has a few Chinese/Japanese college students who might like to see some stuff and they have ample space in the upstairs lounge area. To setup a layout. To get up stairs you'll have to spend the night and maybe sleep in a bunkbed though the have rooms for couples for $100. The bunkbed twin bed is like $30 and there's like five or seven other guys in there who have to endure your snoring - hence, most know to bring earplugs. It's not so bad. I suspect during the winter months the place is quite empty. I might add parking downtown is not cheap either. So ride the EL in or Metra. Put it this way, Visiting Chicago just has a way of sucking money out of your pocket. So best to find the most economical route in.... Plus, there's a few Japanese resturants not to far away. I might add since this a hostel lots of europeans stay there as well. Hence, this might be a more logical place to have a meet. As these young adults will be amused as to what the hell is going on in the lounge - bunch of old guys with little trains that look like back home. Plus, they'll come over an have a look - like anybody and just talking with them is interesting. There is a Art Supply store down the street, which is handy for people like me who live in the sticks. And to be able to look at the 20 different shades of a set color is handy.

Edited November 3, 2015 by Kb4iuj

[Ken Ford]

A few times over the years I’ve looked for other Japanese prototype modelers in the area to start a modular club. Sadly there don’t appear to be any others that are interested here in the Chicago area. 

 

Something like a T-Trak group would be ideal, I’m sure Japanese modeling is a side interest for most (myself included) and T-Trak would allow for less commitment on the part of the members. 

 

Sigh...

[cteno4]

Ken,

 

i think there are a couple over on the yahoo trams group in Chicago. Also doing a small thing at a local show may find others as well. Maybe do a few modules and run with the local Ttrak club and gather some interest.

 

jeff

[Ken Ford]

That’s pretty much what I’ve been thinking, but momentum works both ways... lol.

[cteno4]

Yeah it is hard to start on your own, but maybe just doing a module or two with a local Ttrak club might get your juices flowing and stumble across at least maybe someone with new interest in Japanese trains. Doing a small strip of dense scented Japanese modules will probably stand out in most American ttrak setups as they tend not to be as dense in scenery. This will get you eyeballs and maybe new interest. Running some interest and different Japanese trains on club Ttrak will also get you some interest.

 

i am surprised there have not been many I’ve seen in the Chicago area on Japanese modeling.

 

i am also surprised we can usually have about 12-18 members in JRM usually here in the DC area. But I think having the established club helps bring folks out of the woodwork and newbies in thru some shows. But again our members are spread out in a 50 mile radius around dc.

 

best of luck! 

 

cheers

 

jeff

[Ken Ford]

You know, we have a big annual Japanese culture fest coming up next weekend at a local temple and community center.  I was planning on going anyways (one of my friends will be performing with her Taiko drum group), I’ll look at what it would take to exhibit next year. We have a *lot* of Japanese expats around here, and I’m sure at least some are modelers.

[cteno4]

Ken,

 

thats perect! We do a similar obon festival here at a local temple Every July. We just do an 8’ standard tram Ttrak loop and the kids love it. The festival loves it as it’s a anther nice way to present Japanese culture and something fun for the kids.

 

yes Chicago does have a big expat community, our next door neighbor for many many decades growing up in California, was issei (as a child). When he was 88 he moved back to the Chicago area as had a lot family there and moved into an assisted living home that had 2 floors of issei and was so tickled to be able to speak Japanese all the time! He got to speak more than in California where lots of Japanese Americans but much more diffuse.

 

jeff

[Need for High Speed]

On ‎5‎/‎27‎/‎2018 at 9:03 PM, cteno4 said:

Yeah it is hard to start on your own, but maybe just doing a module or two with a local Ttrak club might get your juices flowing and stumble across at least maybe someone with new interest in Japanese trains. Doing a small strip of dense scented Japanese modules will probably stand out in most American ttrak setups as they tend not to be as dense in scenery. This will get you eyeballs and maybe new interest. Running some interest and different Japanese trains on club Ttrak will also get you some interest.

 

Sounds similar to what I am planning on doing with HO high speed trains at Timonium this fall.

 

On ‎5‎/‎27‎/‎2018 at 10:14 AM, Ken Ford said:

A few times over the years I’ve looked for other Japanese prototype modelers in the area to start a modular club. Sadly there don’t appear to be any others that are interested here in the Chicago area. 

 

I am very surprised their isn't much in Chicago as they have a ton of trains over their (I rode on an electric METRA train when I visited the city a couple of years ago or maybe it had been the South Shore line, don't remember) and I've heard they have a huge yearly train show its also where Kato USA is based. So I am very surprised their isn't a whole lot of Japanese railway modelers in Chicago. but like what Jeff said got to work to pull them out of the wood work.

[Kb4iuj]

Just now reading your wish... This weekend was the Godzilla Fest Event out at Rosemont.   I think possibly the Crowne Plaza.

I pondered going to it, just to check out the vendors and what they had.

 

(Thus, make a Godzilla movie of your own and preview it there next year....  Hence, ya might of missed your chance on buying a cheap Godzilla figure.   Although, it's suppose to be - what 16 stories tall and most are about half that.)

Edited July 16, 2018 by Kb4iuj

[Kb4iuj]

This weekend is the N Scale Enthusiast Convention.  June 26-30, 2019

 

I thought about going but, I’m holding out for their New Orleans Conventon.

[nscalestation]

On 6/29/2019 at 11:14 AM, Kb4iuj said:

This weekend is the N Scale Enthusiast Convention.  June 26-30, 2019

 

I thought about going but, I’m holding out for their New Orleans Conventon.

When is NSE convention going to be in New Orleans ?  I read that next year is in Nashville.