Archive News Story

LCCA's Roger Farkash's "Layout & Scenery Tips and Techniques" (recap)

On Wednesday, July 17, The Lionel Collectors Club of America (LCCA) hosted a free Special Event "Layout & Scenery Building Tips and Techniques" clinic conducted by newly elected LCCA Director and layout builder Roger Farkash at the historic Chattanooga Choo Choo Hotel during our 43rd Annual convention in Chattanooga TN. Roger Farkash is the Chief Traingineer of TW TrainWorx in Dallas TX.  TW TrainWorx is the renown layout design/build company that is responsible for construction of Lionel's impressive traveling operating layout and display, LCCA's Mini-layout and the two Lionel/LCCA FasTrack Modular Railroad layouts that were operational in the Roosevelt room of the Chattanooga Choo Choo hotel.


Lionel's traveling layout demonstrates current Lionel train products in operation as well as several interactive buttons that operate Lionel animated accessories.  Various levels of modeling skills and scenery techniques are featured in the different areas of this vast layout.  Kids of all ages (both young and old) enjoyed watching the Lionel Trains run on this layout in the beautiful lobby of this historic hotel.


LCCA's Mini-layout which fits inside the footprint of a conventional shipping pallet, demonstrates what can be done with Lionel's O-gauge sectional track in a small space.  Two trains can run on the two loops of Lionel's O-31 & O-27" Radius tubular track (one elevated) at the same time.  One does not need to have a lot of space in their home to enjoy and operate Lionel Trains.

Roger was introducing the new Lionel/LCCA FasTrack Modular Railroad System as well as a new TW TrainWorx Lionel FasTrack Modular Railroad all week long to a steady flow of LCCA conventioneers and local visitors.  Kids of all ages were drawn and encouraged to operate the trains with the conventional Lionel transformers, Lionel's new LionChief controllers and their Legacy command controllers all week long.  This innovative, national standard modular system will allow new people to enter the hobby and enjoy operation of their Lionel toy trains along with other train enthusiasts.  If you do not have space in your home for your own layout, this modular concept will be one way to build a section and enjoy being part of a larger layout.  This will make for a great group project for any Boy Scout, Girl Scout, school, club, company etc.  Any group/team can coordinate a construction project to build their own Lionel/LCCA FasTrack Modular Railroad layout.

Roger's educational and entertaining talk about scenery tips and his weeklong hands-on demonstration at the TW TrainWorx Lionel FasTrack Modular Layout was thoroughly enjoyed by our LCCA conventioneers and guests. I wish you could have seen the faces of all of the youngsters when they took the hand held controllers and ran the trains on TW TrainWorx's layout.  It was priceless!

To listen to Roger Farkash talk about his experience at the LCCA's 43rd Annual Convention, go to www.notch6.com.  LCCA member Derek Thomas hosted a new nightly podcast interview and convention recap every evening during our convention.  We think you will find Roger's interview to be both interesting and fun.  Thank you Roger for help spreading the magic of Lionel trains and your continued support of the club.

Al Kolis
Immediate Past President & Special Events Manager Lionel Collectors Club of America
248-709-4137
agkolis@comcast.net