Thanks O Scale National National Convention Guests

[Bob]

I'm not the A&O grand Poobah.

Still, thanks to every one of the many guests and visitors who toured the A&O this week during the O Scale National Convention!  This was all about you, our treasured visitors. I sincerely hope that your expectations were met or exceeded, and that you enjoyed your visit. If not, please let me apologize.

Also thanks to the A&O crew members who served during 3 days as layout tour hosts. I look forward to seeing you again at operating sessions this fall, Lord willing.

Bob

[Junior]

Yes, many thanks all around for an event that felt pretty normal after 15 months of not normal! With one exception, everyone I could tell had a great time. I even heard one guy mention as he was leaving that, "I'm not even into model trains and this was one of the most fascinating things I've ever seen." That speaks volumes to me!

I'm also looking forward to when we get a full operating crew and get some coal and locals going. You know, really get in the dispatcher's head! 
~wko

[Bob]

The A&O was slammed on Thursday afternoon with 75 guests, roughly half of those who registered for the convention! Most of these visitors spent the morning at the Colorado Model Railroad Museum at a special event thanks to Michelle.

By Sunday the crowds abated. This gave Bill a chance to sit in during a calmer time as Dispatcher, his first solo at the Grande Wurlitzer (tip of the hat to Joe Kasper in KC.)



Dispatching during an open house often offers a more relaxed introduction to the job with less pressure.

[Bob]

The July/August 2021 issue of Dan and Amy Dawdy's O Scale Resource contains two short articles about the convention. There's also a video link showing more of the convention and a couple of the layout tours.

Free e-magazine:
https://oscaleresource.com/WP/

Video at:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q7k8xGCyP40

Note that the videos of layout run-bys have very low sound levels so crank it up after the music fades out (and since these are layout tours, there's a lot of background chatter.) Also I have no clue who's dispatching the A&O in the vid shot on Thursday. I don't recognize him.

The banquet was not shown in Dan and Amy's convention coverage. Some folks in the photo below had to decide whether to watch all of David's presentation or turn around occasionally to finish their cheesecake desserts.



And a correction in an earlier post of mine in this thread: David informed me that it wasn't Bill's first rodeo as dispatcher. My error. Regardless, anyone who wants to operate regularly is welcome to sit down with myself or another dispatcher to learn how to play the Grande Wurlitzer.

Bob