As one of the Canadian Prairie LEGO Train Clubs,
the Northern Alberta LEGO Users Group
(NALUG)
regularly appears at local model railroad events.
NALUG organized a 35-foot by 22-foot LEGO train display at the Great Edmonton
Train Show on Sept 18-19, 2004. NALUG was one of twenty-one model
train clubs at the Mayfield Inn Trade Center in Edmonton, Alberta,
Canada. The new LEGO creations that appeared at this show included:
Mike Kollross coordinated the NALUG layout for GETS 2004. The layout consisted of groups of tables in each corner that were connected by bridges of various lengths. The layout required a total of 35 tables that were covered with either baseplates or structures. For the first time, NALUG used the concrete floor of the hall for the valleys of the North Saskatchewan River and the Pacific Ocean.
Our focus was on bridges this year: NALUG members created a total of seven bridges with spans that ranged from 8 inches to 21 feet. The historic High-Level Bridge in Edmonton was completed in 1913 by Canadian Pacific Railways. Our recreation of the High-Level Bridge was 28 inches high and 21 feet long and included a river valley landscaped with LEGO trees and bricks. The modern Light Rail Transit (LRT) bridge crosses the North Saskatchewan River one block to the west of the High Level Bridge. Our model of the LRT bridge uses LEGO monorail track to create a 20-foot double-tracked bridge.
The display included many other Edmonton and Alberta landmarks. A number of creations were replicas of real-life buildings, including the Enbridge Tower and the Peace Hills Trust Tower. About two-hundred thousand pieces are used in the highrises in this display. Other structures, such as the Tim Horton's and a bank, reflect the various architectural styles of buildings found in Edmonton.
