(I'm not going to give a full 2010 Unmeeting report, but just a look at the new FWRR engine and display.)

Today Michael Broggie introduced the new FWRR electric engine model at the CPHS 2010 Unmeeting at WDW. I showed up early with my almost finished Gateway Depot and FWRR water tank models. David Leaphart helped me set them up on a card table in the Carolwood Pacific Room.




Once the "meeting" got going, the table served as a centerpiece, with many previous FWRR cast members signing copies of David's books for CPHS members.




Michael arrived with the engine and set it up in the display.




Great care was taken to get it just right!




Michael then spoke about the new engine and available coach models. This photo shows a little water tank detail.




Here's a nice backdrop for Michael's Disney railroads book.




Michael explained the details of the beautiful engine.




Here are a few more shots of the engine, depot and water tank together.











There was much interest in the engine, and everyone had a great FWRR day!

Wow, your models plus the locomotive look fantastic together! Are you planning on getting a FWRR set of a locomotive and cars?

I would love to get a set for myself, but they're just way too expensive at the moment. As with every Accucraft product, I'll just admire the ones in other people's collections.

Thanks, Locoboy5150! Yes, I have ordered a FWRR engine and three coaches. I started building the depot and water tank to go with my new forthcoming train, several weeks ago, and then realized that they would fit in at the Unmeeting if I could get them finished in time. Well, they weren't really finished, but enough to be used. I made the depot three coaches long, since I really couldn't afford to get five coaches. The actual Gateway Depot was five coaches long, but a model for five coaches would be about five feet long!

(Sorry, folks, I somehow posted the same photo twice and didn't realize it until I could no longer edit.)

Excellent work! Hopefully we can get a full report.

Somebody tell Michael that when he was exercising "great care," he knocked a smokebox brace loose!

Knocked one loose and broke the other off ! And the station and water tower look fantastic.

Thank you gentlemen for the positive encouragement. The engine discrepancies were a test to see if you were paying attention! No, actually, no one seemed to notice until Michael started to pack up the engine. Then he found at least one "spare" part in the box. To be honest, most people had one eye shut and the other in their digital SLR viewfinder.

I did not make it to all of the 2010 Unmeeting events, so I thought I would defer giving a more complete report to someone who did. If no one does in a few days, I will report what more that I can.

Here is the other photo that I meant to include when I posted the same one twice in my earlier report.

I've heard from others that are fortunate to have Accucraft products that their locomotives have to be handled *very* carefully, otherwise such mishaps can happen. Having any super detailed scale model does have some limitations if you're not super careful.

That's one of the reasons why my clumsy mitts have always been wrapped around LGB products. They can tolerate very rough handling, even if it's accidental.

If anyone out there does get a FWRR locomotive, please be careful with it and place it where unsupervised kiddie hands can't get to it.

Nice models! The station and water tower compliment the locomotive perfectly.

ARGH!! No pilot wheels!!

Just to be clear: the model does have pilot wheels. It appears that Michael placed it on the track with those off to the side.

Considering the history of the actual FWRR, this seems supremely ironic!