2010 Medford Convention Pics and/or videos

zscaler May 4, 2010

  1. JR59

    JR59 TrainBoard Supporter

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    I love those videos! Thanks!
     
  2. ztrack

    ztrack TrainBoard Supporter Advertiser

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    Hi all! I am still trying to catch up form the convention. I had a wonderful time and it was great seeing so many of you as well as making new friends. Our Z community never disappoints. What a fun few days!

    I am working on a report for an upcoming issue of Ztrack. I really could use photos! As always, I never had enough time to photograph as much as I would like. If you have photos that you would like share, please send them my way. I am also looking for comments to include with report. Please email your images and comments directly at: ztrack@aol.com

    Thanks!
    Rob
     
  3. Cleantex

    Cleantex TrainBoard Member

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    I find a pity that there is not more on Lajos Shay :thumbs_down:
    5 second bad quality videos, I think (my opinion)
    that this creation would have merit more attention.
    There are camera stands and cheap enough cams
    with macro. And light is no excuse. On this, guys
    a lot of amelioration is necessary.
     
  4. Joe D'Amato

    Joe D'Amato TrainBoard Member

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    There were no restrictions on who could bring a module, we asked early and often for folks to bring theirs. We focused on the two local clubs, but we had modules from Portland and from San Diego and parts in between.

    Joe
    MTL

     
  5. Joe D'Amato

    Joe D'Amato TrainBoard Member

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    While I agree a larger venue may have pulled in more folks, remember this was the first one we organized and most of the start up came from our pockets. Lots of donations, but not much in the way of seed money from other manufacturers...which was expected. To put this on "off site" would have cost thousands of dollars more...consider the cost of lodging, transportation, parking, food et al. Besides, who wants to see Disneyland when you can hang out at Loren and Karin's house and watch the show he puts on! :eek:) The other issue was a consideration for the pocketbooks of the folks attending. I did NTS in LA and even with lodging and food covered, I still spent less at the show so I could spend more at Disney and other places. Vendors I think felt that...many noted lower than expected sales. On Sunday many were slashing prices significantly to get rid of stock.

    But, the next show is up in the air with regards to location. Any takers?

    Cheers

    Joe
    MTL




     
  6. Loren

    Loren TrainBoard Supporter

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    I"ll have to disagree with you on the lighting issue. There simply wasn't sufficient lighting in the entire room for decent photography.
    That was the failure of the convention center to provide adfequate lighting.

    If convention attendees did not have proper lighting there wasn't much they could do about rectifying the situation. One convention attendee did bring additional lighting, but he is in the practice of filming train shows so he was barely able to compensate.

    Sometimes flash pictures wash out the scene so even with flash capabilities, the options were limited.
     
  7. DPSTRIPE

    DPSTRIPE TrainBoard Supporter

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    Armand,
    Lajos' creation did indeed get a lot of attention. In fact, every time he had crank shaft running, there was a crowd of people lined up to watch. That may be part of the reason for the lack of photos and videos of the Shay. The shay is not yet operational, it does not run. Lajos brought it to demonstrate that a working crank could be done in Z scale. Which is a testament to his machining/ modeling skill.

    Also, I realized, too late that I hadn't photographed a lot of things that I wanted to. I was too distracted by conversation and meeting people. I think that a lot of people were. And , thinking back, I don't regret it. I took a lot of pictures, but most of them are just of details on people's modules. Mostly just for ideas or bits that I liked. I'm sure Lajos will post more progress videos and pictures as he continues his project. Attached is the only picture that I have of Lajos' Shay. I don't shoot video, so this is the best I can do.

    By the way, I used one of Loren's business cards as a difuser over my flash for this picture.

    Dan S.
     

    Attached Files:

  8. Cleantex

    Cleantex TrainBoard Member

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    Thanks Dan,
    thanks for this good picture.
    But concerning illumination, there is a very cheap solution,
    means 1 building construction set of 2x500W Halogen, and the room
    can be dark night. This cost about 40$, I use one set like this by
    myself.
    [​IMG]
     
  9. Garth-H

    Garth-H TrainBoard Supporter

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    While many seemed to comment on the lighting they have not really put it in perspective. The lighting the room was more suited to a dinner dance, wedding dinner with dance, video or slide presentation sort of affair and not for a convention where you wanted to see things and the detail particularly of Z-scale items. Many of the dealers had lamps on their tables to provide more light. I used a Kodak Camera Z915 and I choose to use the available lighting and I did not have a tripod and the stabilization was not good enough at the slow shutter speeds to stop the blur or fuzzy look on some shots. Some shots were great and some not so. Those with cameras with more smarts than point and shoot were able to get some good photos. I probably could have done better with flash but felt that my close up shots went well and the distance shots suffered from slow shutter speed and not being able to hold the camera steady enough in the traffic flow but were still good enough to show a good general look.

    Lajos' Shay, I have some video also of its motion. How much do you want 20 seconds shows all there is to see of the motion. What I can tell you about it is Lajos has built a small gear box and uses a small 4mm or 3mm page motor as power under the floor of the model and the gears drive the main crank. He does not have gears on the drive line yet so there is no drive to the wheels. He was not sure if the small motor would need to be twinned to get enough horsepower to drive both trucks or not and this was a test of concept to drive the crank shaft. Whether the wheels will be driven from the crank shaft or not is another question. Regardless very fine craftsmanship on Lajos part to build the gear box and drive the crank at this point in Z.

    Pricing was lower than normal for most things and varied from 5 to 20 off list. I was not there on Sunday as I though Saturday was the last day so maybe there were room sales on Sunday.
    The door prizes were plentiful and many people got some nice stuff. AZL put a convention car in the grab bag at registration. It was a NS excess height 50 Gunderson Box. If anyone is interested in one I have a couple and you can contact me of list. Those going on the MTL factory tour got a car (and there were several styles and road names in the variety passed out) in the grab bag at the plant plus there were deatil parts, a railer ramp for putting cars on the track, and a laser cut items as well as the May release flyer and catalog.

    It was a quiet show with the focus on Z and it achieved that in spades. No it was not Anaheim or an NTS but for me the main attraction was MTL factory tour and the great modeling of the BAYZ Boys and the Southern Oregon Z groups. While the west coast is attractive, for many easterners it is prohibitive. I feel fortunate to have attended 3 over shows in the west in the last 10 years but am not sure I will do another. Mid Continent might have a bigger draw, but somehow the east needs to see western Z and visa versa. There is a perceived gap there in my estimation of the level of modeling. The success at Anaheim was due to the level and vastness of the modeling being done on the west coast in Z. We have seen lots of Z in the east but nothing to compare to Cincinnati in 2002 in my estimation.

    I'll be interested to see what Milwaukee brings to the show in Z.

    As for Z, I am more interested in a convention that is focused on Z rather than piggy backed with the NMRA or Great Train Show. Might bring in more if it preceded the NMRA in the same area or close too such a venue. I am working on 12 feet modules but my limits of travel with modules is north of the Mason Dixon line and east of the Mississippi. Which means places that are a days drive from Niagara Falls and it will be 2012 before they are ready at the current rate of progress.

    Just one mans ramblings. I enjoyed the convention, the company, and meeting many who's names were all e-mail addresses prior to the show.

    cheerz Garth - Nn3 and Z but all still 6.5mm track -
     
  10. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    I was so busy, that the time flew by! Busy having fun, and I have lots of great memories, and all the fantastic Z Scale modeling shown will be remembered for a long time to come! :D
     
  11. animek

    animek TrainBoard Member

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    Hey Robert, did anyone recorded on video your presentation?

    Ben
     
  12. Garth-H

    Garth-H TrainBoard Supporter

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    Ben
    I believe MTL hired a College Student to record all the presentations and that they will be presented on a CD at some point. I could be wrong but that is what I heard. I also saw someone transcribing the seminars to computer and I am not sure whether that person was a media type or just doing it for personal interest.

    Anyway there was a camera present and set up but unattended and it was running according to the red light on the camera.

    cheerz Garth
     
  13. animek

    animek TrainBoard Member

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    That's very cool, thanks Garth for the info.

    Ben
     
  14. zscaler

    zscaler TrainBoard Member

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    Sade from her Soldier of Love album
     
  15. rray

    rray Staff Member

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    Added to collection! :D
     
  16. Don A

    Don A TrainBoard Supporter

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    I talked with Eric at the Amherst Train show in January and suggested he do the recording. I thought MTL could make a few bucks - the video person also make a few - and the whole Z community could see the convention - especially the ones who could not make it. Joe told me he planned to also add some of the stills to the disk and he was also planning to put a "ton" of photos on his website. ...don
     
  17. Don A

    Don A TrainBoard Supporter

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    If someone will explain IN DETAIL how to upload a short video, 22K, I can show you the Shay in action -- and I think Lajos explain a little to some folks standing beside me.

    ...don
     
  18. zscaler

    zscaler TrainBoard Member

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    You can't download videos here. But you can link to it. You can download videos for free to Vimeo.com. 500 woo woo woo a week. One HD video a week too. Then link from here.
     
  19. kimvellore

    kimvellore TrainBoard Member

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    or youtube and post the link here

    Kim
     
  20. Torsja

    Torsja TrainBoard Member

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    Thank you all for this cool time we had on the Medford show that weekend. It was so nice to meet up with allot off the fellow Z-Scaler’s that I have gotten to know a bit here on the internet and to talk and se how you are doing stuff in the states.

    I did not take many pictures on the show but here are some poor quality pictures from my IPhone.

    [​IMG]
    The Baz gang need no introduction I would guess.

    [​IMG]
    Hans and Lajos

    [​IMG]
    Offcourse Rob's layout.

    [​IMG]

    Riding the rails at the outing on Saturday
     

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