Due to popular demand, and numerous requests, the Prairie Rail Web Site will be staying on line for the foreseeable future.

Many layout owners will be adding special Prairie Rail photos to their pages, so check back often.

SEND US YOUR STORIES AND PHOTOS!  If you have some special photos of an operating session, please send them to use at prairierail@everestkc.net.  We especially want pictures of layout owners in compromising situations! 
 

The hotel accommodations (location, price, amenities)

Communications (email to PRCs, web site, info packets)

The layout selection process

The process of selecting Prairie Rail participants

Extra activities (Open houses, slide night, CTC training)

Timing of the activities (enough time for lunch?)

Although Sunday dawned a bit cloudy and wet, by noon the weather was beautiful and very warm for a February in Kansas City.  But we're not complaining.  Now that Prairie Rail is nearly over, all us pasty-skinned layout operators can emerge from our basements, blinking in the bright sunlight, and get re-acquainted with our spouses and/or significant other and kids. 

I heard that the Day 3 operating sessions were fun for all.  I was at the Kasper BN session and it was ok....I guess (inside joke)

Bon Voyage to those attendees that are heading home today.  Drive carefully and remember your Kansas City friends when you have an opening to operate your layout!

Could anybody ask for any better weather than this?  Mid-February in Kansas City, are you kidding me?  Almost seem a shame to spend the day in the basement running trains...I said ALMOST!

I've heard many good things about the layout sessions.  Let me rephrase that...I haven't heard any bad things!  It seems that everybody is having a good time and that's what counts.  Two sessions today!  Man, it's an embarrassment of riches!

The pre-departure staging area is a combination cattle call and Las Vegas floor show!  Even the layout info signs are becoming a showcase.  Take Saturday afternoon's session...there was Dave Acheson's hand-lettered sign, and Biddison's pathetic chicken scratch sign (did Zack write that thing for him?)...Overholtzer had his extremely cool and well designed sign, complete with flashing LEDs (sweet).  All was well until Kasper walks in with his gigantic, green Burlington Northern monstrosity.  Hmmm, compensating for something there, Joe????

I heard that all the slots for the CTC training session, sponsored by Steven M. Priest and his lovely wife, were quickly filled, and that the session was a blast for those lucky enough to take a turn.  Steve had his team of sharp as a tack and well-groomed CTC experts give the attendee a turn in the hot seat.  And by hot seat I mean the seat behind the CTC panel.

The slide show, sponsored by Dan Munson, train dude extrordinaire and all-around swell guy (he said "swell"), was attended by a small, but enthusiastic crowd.  Attendance may have suffered a bit by lack of publicity and confusion about which night the slide show was going to occur (Friday or Saturday??), but those that braved the mile and a half to the Community College were treated with some superb photography.  One minor gripe...there was no Sweet Green!!!! And by Sweet Green, I don't mean that icky BN green, but the sweetest of the Sweet Greens....KATY GREEN (hand over heart and facing toward Denison, TX).  Hey Danny-boy, how about some Sweet Green in 2006, OK?

What was that noise I heard coming from the Doubletree bar area tonight?  Just some noisy Prairie Rail attendees debating the merits of covered vs open staging... Railcommand vs DCC... HO vs N vs S vs HOn3 vs O vs Sn3...Kerry vs Bush

Tomorrow promises to be more of the same...Stay tuned!
 

The festivities started early, as those who came into Kansas City last night started mingling around the host hotel, catching up on the latest events.  KC layout hosts and Prairie Rail attendees gathered around the check-in room and the front lobby area chatting and looking at the information packets. 

Thinks really started hopping as more attendees arrived and people drifted out to various lunch places. The nearby Chipotle Mexican restaurant saw a lot of action.

Kansas City made the national news with a train derailment along Southwest Boulevard.  Seven or eight flatcars loaded with military equipment, including some tanks (yes, those kind of tanks), busted the new crossover installed by the BNSF.  I heard it was a UP train.  I drove by about 7:00 pm and there was action galore, with military vehicles and flood lights and cranes and track crews. 

The Friday afternoon operating sessions went well, from what I heard. 

The Open House at Doc's Caboose was well-attended!  Doc and his wife pulled out all stops, with free food, soda and adult beverages, a door prize, and discounted merchandise.  The trains passing by just outside their door was the icing on the cake!
 

A slide presentation will be offered as an additional Saturday evening activity!
 

Dan Munson will host an evening of pure railroading enjoyment at the Johnson County Community College Railroad Center (near the Doubletree Hotel).
 

More information is contained in a PDF.  CLICK HERE for the info (PDF, 320kb)
 

NEWS FLASH!!  350th Prairie Rail SNAFU Goal achieved!  Thanks to all who made this milestone possible!!!

Tired of gabbing with the fellows in the bar? Plane leave late on Sunday and you got nothing to do?  Got the urge to see some layouts that you did get to operate on?  WELL, NOW YOU CAN!
 

Several hosts have made their layouts available for open houses on  Saturday night, October 21 and Sunday afternoon. 
 

Times of the open houses will be posted in the common area at the Double Tree.  The tours will be self-guided and transportation is on your own.
 

Have you ever wanted to learn to run a CTC panel in a pressure-free environment?
 

On Saturday night, CTC dispatching classes will be conducted on Steve Priest's Santa Fe Emporia Sub.
 

Classes to be held Saturday night, Feb 21 from 7-9 pm.  You will receive 15 minutes at the board with an instructor.  Spend the remainder of the time running trains in a stress-free environment.
 

Space is limited to 7 slots, on a first-come, first-served basis.  This is sure to be a popular activity, and space is very limited, so please sign up only if you plan on attending!     'nuff said!
 

News flash!  Major greenage detected on the BN!!  Film at 11!

At last it can be revealed!

The TRUTH behind the Super Bowl Halftime Show Scandal!

No wonder the entire Nation is OUTRAGED!

Kansas City Layout Owners Take Heart! 

There is life after Prairie Rail! 

It will all be over soon and we can then go back to our collegial discussions regarding prototype fidelity, benefits of scenery, and the politics of Model Railroad Operations.

Gosh, I love this hobby!

PRAIRIE RAIL IS UPON US!!  And I just dropped out of the Presidential Race, so I can come to Kansas city and operate on FOUR great layouts!!!

YEEEEEEE-HAAAAAAHHHHHH!!!!!

NEWS FLASH!!  300th Prairie Rail SNAFU Goal achieved!  Thanks to all who made this milestone possible!!!

IT'S OFFICIAL!  All Slots are filled for Prairie Rail!

Our fearless matrix guru (shown at right) even managed to squeeze two more operating slots, so we are welcoming 106 operators to Kansas City for the weekend.  So, if you gotta problem with da matrix...talk to da matrix guru!

NEWS FLASH!!  250th Prairie Rail SNAFU Goal achieved!  Thanks to all who made this milestone possible!!!

Want to be the envy of all who meet you at Prairie Rail?  TOO BAD! 

News flash!!  200^th Prairie Rail SNAFU goal achieved!  Thanks to all who made this milestone possible!

The Doubletree Hotel has been selected at the Official Headquarters of the Prairie Rail Invitational - 2004!  click here for hotel information.