Hello everyone. The world has spent the last year in lockdowns and isolation while we’ve been fighting a global pandemic. All our favorite LEGO® Fan Events have either been postponed or moved online. And while we have made the best of the situation and persevered, we are happy to say that in the United State at least, public evens are starting to return. Today we’re going to highlight a few of those coming in the next few weeks.
L Gauge Modular System
Before we get into the events, we wanted to make a quick note of what is going on with the L-Gauge Modular System, LGMS for short, since the standard will be featured in several of the events coming up.
On the LGMS website you will find the latest updates to the standard, information on upcoming events where an LGMS layout is being organized, links to various LGMS resources, and articles on LGMS. Of course we will still cover important LGMS info here on Brick Model Railroader as well, but the LGMS website will be a great tool as the standard continues to grow.
Nebraska Brick Days-Omaha 2021
Brick Days – Omaha is a family friendly event featuring 15,000 square feet of amazing custom creations, games, and interactive activities, all built from LEGO bricks by LEGO enthusiasts from across the Midwest. With this being our flagship event, Brick Days holds nothing back. You will see the newest creations from many different builders, the best prizes, and the newest up-to-date swag from the most popular vendors within LEGO® community.
This year Brick Days-Omaha will be held on July 24th & 25th, at the Mid-America Center in Council Bluffs, IA.
BMR attended this even in 2019 and had a really great time. I will be raveling back there again this year, though I will not have the PennLUG layout coming with me. I still very much look forward to seeing the event, catching up with old friends, and meeting new train fans. Look for me to be hanging around the Northern Illinois LEGO Train Club layout with a few models to show off.
BrickFair Virginia 2021
BrickFair Viginia is one of the premier LEGO® fan events in North America, bringing together hundred of LEGO builders and their creations. Held every year in Chantilly, Virginia, the event returns this year on July 28th to August 1st.
This year will be the first time an L-Gauge Modular Standard (LGMS) collaborative layout make an appearance at the event.
Several clubs and individuals will be participating in this layout, including myself with my Red Lion Station layout. A big shout out goes to Monty Smith for organizing this for the 2021 event. I’m really looking forward to running some trains on this.
Brick Slopes 2021
BrickSlopes is proud to return to the Mountain America Expo Center for their 2021 EVENT. After being forced to cancel the 2020 event, they hope you are too. The event will be held on August 26th- 28th 2021.
Brick Slopes is excited to announce that it is putting on its first LGMS train display this year. Don’t have a train? No worries, buildings, scenery, and just about anything city can be displayed next to some train tracks! Just as long as its made to the LGMS standard.
HOW DO YOU JOIN IN THE FUN!
When you register your MOCs on the BrickSlopes website, select city and train as the theme. Then feel free to reach out to Brad Rowley so they can find the best place to put your layout on the loop! If you have any ideas, suggestions, or just want to share, send Brad a PM! The time is closing fast, so get those MOCs ready!
BMR Store Shipping
One final note. As the BMR Store shipping department (that would be me) is going to be on the road the next two weeks attending Nebraska Brick Days and Brickfair Virginia, I will not be shipping orders until I return. The store will remain open so you can place orders, and download our Knuckle Coupler Cad Models and Knuckle Coupler Conversion Instructions, but any orders requiring shipping will not be shipped until I return on August 2nd.
Thank You, and I hope to see you at Nebraska Brick Days or BrickFair.
Several weeks later, we’re happy to report on the incredible event that was Nebraska Brick Days!
Nebraska Brick Days is a regional Lego show hosted by Lincoln-Omaha LUG, LOLUG. They have been putting together this event since 2017, and have done shows in both Lincoln, Nebraska and Council Bluff, Iowa (the latter is right across the river from Omaha). Don’t ask why event called “Nebraska Brick Days” is held in Iowa.
Brick Model Railroader was present at the event, represented by both Cale and myself (Glenn). We also represented PennLUG, and were joined by Jay Steinhurst. Here’s a record of the fun we had.
Cale met me at my apartment on Wednesday afternoon, and we drove to Jay’s house to spend the night. We got up early the next morning to finish the drive. On Thursday we met up with NILTC at the World’s Largest Truck Stop on I-80 in eastern Iowa and finished the drive together. We got into Council Bluffs that night.
I would elaborate more, but the drive out there was pretty monotonous. Indiana, Illinois, and Iowa look very similar from the interstate.
Setup
The three of us (Cale, Jay, and myself) were responsible for the PennLUG layout that weekend. Having only three people with one massive layout meant we would need some serious help, especially in unloading our 14 foot trailer and setting up tables.
And boy, did we have plenty of help. Thanks to the generous hospitality of LOLUG, no less than eight or nine people were there to help us unload and begin setting up on Friday morning. We had the trailer unloaded completely and were beginning to put up tables in about an hour and a half, which has got to be some kind of record.
After the trailer was parked and the tables were completely set up, layout construction began. Several people stuck around to help out with this phase as well, including Richard Glatter.
Setup went extremely well and the first train completed a lap of the layout at 4:50 PM on Friday. Details were added and the layout was complete (minus the plexiglass and skirting) at roughly 9 PM that night, a little over twelve hours after the trailer first rolled through the door of the convention hall.
Our gracious hosts provided us dinner on Friday & Saturday. Everyone hung out and enjoyed each others company. Of course, the train nerds congregated in one area.
The Show
The show ran from 10-6 on Saturday and 10-5 on Sunday. Saturday began with some regular train running (set and forget locomotives) while Cale and I assembled the 80 Premium Instructions kits we had brought (Brickmania delivered our books the night before). Once that was done, we could really enjoy the show.
I feel it necessary to state here that Nebraska Brick Days is a small show. By my estimates it is about half the floor space of Brickworld Chicago. However, attendance records, as I was told, have rivaled Brickworld. There was seemingly no end to the friendly visitors who wanted to know more about the displays. I was fortunate enough to walk around for about twenty or thirty minutes on Sunday to check out some of the other displays, and I was definitely impressed.
It almost seemed that train-oriented displays took up nearly a third of the show. PennLUG’s layout was present, as was the NILTC layout and of course LOLUG’s layout. Brian Williams was also present with his Indiana Jones display (with a dash of Lawrence of Arabia), and was running two themed trains around the perimeter. Having seen a very limited amount of Brian’s work in person, this was one of the highlights of the show for me.
After a pizza dinner on Saturday, some guest train running, and plenty of talking, we were forced out of the hall at 9 PM.
Sunday was just like the day day before; more train running and talking to friends and the public. I was also able to hang out with Dan Siskind of Brickmania for a little while (sorry, no cool news on that front right now).
PennLUG’s main rules for layout operation is that the trains must run until the end of the public hours. We began packing up extra trains beforehand, and at 5 PM, after the final lap was complete, tear-down began. Again, LOLUG had an army of people waiting to help. The layout was dismantled and properly packed into the trailer in record time. Starting from a complete layout at 5 PM, we were saying our final goodbyes and driving out the door a little over three and a half hours later.
The Aftermath
PennLUG was on a pretty tight schedule, needing to be back at my apartment by the end of the day on Monday. We drove (safely) into the early hours on Monday morning, put down for the night, and were back on the road by 9 AM. We reached Jay’s house around 6 PM, and my apartment around 10. Cale made it home around noon on Tuesday.
Brick Model Railroader Staff Pick Awards
BMR awarded it’s second round of “Golden Driver” staff pick awards on Sunday morning before public hours. Instead of gathering everyone together, we presented the awards individually. This is only the second time we’ve given out awards but it certainly will not be the last.
Best Steam Locomotive – Union Pacific “Big Boy” #4014 – Nathan Flood
Okay, so Cale and I both think the Big Boy is a bit overrated, but that doesn’t mean we don’t enjoy them to some degree. Nate’s model of 4014 certainly captures the presence of the largest successful articulated steam locomotive ever built. It ran pretty well, too, pulling Jay’s military train easily.
Best Diesel Locomotive – Kansas City Southern F Unit – Shawn Kelley
This was pretty much a no-brainer. There was some deliberation on whether or not to award this model at NMRA last year, so it made sense to give it to Shawn this time, as it’s still a very deserving model. Shawn’s model presents well and is cleanly put together. While using modified parts, it still captures the iconic F unit style while using a much different technique than Tony Sava. It’s always nice to watch two good builders tackle the same problem and produce different results.
Best Rolling Stock – Pancho Villa Raid Train – Brian Williams
Rolling stock was a touch pick this year, but we ultimately had to give it to Brian Williams. Brian is well known for building excellent models, and his rolling stock is no exception. The level of detail is second to none, even considering the use of structural stickers. We almost couldn’t choose a single piece of Brian’s fleet to award, but I convinced Cale to give it to the boxcar/stock car on his Pancho Villa Raid train. It’s been a personal favorite of mine since I first saw it.
Best Landscaping – Cornfield Module – Jim Pirzyk
Of course, what would a train layout be without landscaping? Jim Pirzyk of NILTC has built an excellent corner module for their layout which includes a cornfield, farmhouse, and sunflowers overlooking a railroad cutting. We especially like the rolling hills look of the cornfield.
Best Structure – Grain Elevator – Justin Chrisp
There were a few contenders for this award, but Justin’s excellent grain elevator won in the end. Justin took special care to model the surrounding buildings in full and also put lights everywhere. It was an impressive building, and even more so with the lights on.
Wrap-Up
I have to say in full honesty that Nebraska Brick Days is probably my new favorite event, and this particular event is probably my favorite one I’ve ever had the privilege of being at. LOLUG welcomed us with open arms, and so many of them were willing to help us out when we needed it. If anyone from LOLUG is reading this, let me be the first to say that you guys made this event incredible, and I’d be ready to come back in an instant. It was a blast.
I’d also like to thank Nate Flood specifically for convincing Cale and I to make the journey. I’m certainly hoping I can go next year.
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