Description

by Chester Freedenthal

Nothing gives me more pleasure out of my hobby then the expressions I see on kids (both real kids and adult “kids”) when they see one of my modules. My first two, Peaceful Valley and BRAC Flats, have lots of scenery, buildings, people and “things to find”. And oh yes, my favorite, sound (courtesy of QSI Sound Blocks), much to the dismay of those unfortunate enough to be set up next to me in a layout. They both have a loop so I can run trains independently of the layout. But as nice as they, are I wanted something different, something no one else has, something that will grab the kids’ attention… and so Alien Landing was born!

I purchased two partially complete modules from one of our members that left the hobby. They were originally built in 1991! I sold one and used the other, a plywood plains, for Alien Landing. Alien Landing depicts a prototype landing of an alien space ship on earth. The time of the year is fall and the ship has landed at the edge of a forest near a power substation. The space ship carries an eclectic crew of space invaders, some familiar, some not, and the local citizenry is throwing everything they can at them. It also has some “surprises”. >It’s a standard four-foot by two-foot module with the RYB lines out in front. Its original owner used a lighter wood so the weight is a little less, but it has stood up for almost 10 years very well. The legs are detachable.

Alien Landing scenery, while not fancy, is impressive. Two-thirds of the module is a forest of over 100 autumn color trees in various sizes (courtesy of Woodland Scenic). The other third is a flat area with bushes and weeds and burnt ground where the spacecraft sits. In back of the forest is an abandoned house that, oh no!, Godzilla is attacking. He has a person in his paw and part of the house in his jaw. The military and Men in Black have cut a path through the forest and are digging in with lots of vehicles, soldiers, men in black suits and construction equipment. Along the front edge, between the tracks and the forest, almost two dozen emergency vehicles, police equipment, news trucks and helicopters wait patiently for action. A few tourists can be seen waiting in their vehicles hidden by the trees. Most of the vehicles are Micro-Machines or Planet Micro. The hardest vehicles to find are fire engines.

The spacecraft is a giant flying saucer, silver, with spatters of ash covering it. (an actual model of the Area 51 spacecraft from Testors). In N scale I guess it is about 1300 feet in diameter. It sits on tripod legs with an elevator shaft (tube for wires from sound and lights) down the center. A strange looking robot animal (AT-AT from Star Wars) is spinning out of control as it is being unloaded (Christmas tree ornament turner) and scores of different aliens and vehicles surround the area where the ship has left its burn marks. A giant Robbie the Robot is connecting the ship to the power substation, complete with power generating wind machine, while the aliens set up a defense against the encroaching citizenry. A strange glow comes from within the saucer (constant blue and blinking red Christmas lights) and it emits eerie noises (from a speaker in the saucer connected to a CD and amplifier playing flying saucer music). Alien figures are from Micro Machines, Planet Micro, and scores of other manufacturers. Many are Star Wars recognizable, but I also have Alien, Lost in Space, Power Rangers, and some I don’t recognize, but the kids do. All total I have over 100 vehicles and people on this module.

I had a lot of fun building the module (took me about a year) and as I said earlier, get even more pleasure as I watch folks get as close as they can to see what they can find. The lights, sound and action just add to the enjoyment. While some of my more conservative ( prototype phreaks?) friends in the club scoff at the module (hmm… have they ever seen a real alien landing?), I am glad I’ve been able to add this to our clubs every growing arsenal of public pleasing modules. The module has been in numerous local malls and train shows and was at the 1999 Richmond uNconvention.

Next in line are my end loops, Haunted Hill, complete with erie sounds and burning house, and Nuclear Loop, a nuclear power plant on the verge of melt down. I even have plans for a oNeTrack module, Narrow Gulch, an old west town with a stage coach robbery and gunfight at the KO Corral. So for you new to the club, or those who just want another module, let yourself go and build what you want. It is a FUN hobby you know!