Lucile Packard Children's Hospital at Stanford University Medical Center 

Lucile Packard Children's Hospital

(click on a photo for a larger view)

This 8ft x 8ft display layout exists soley for the enjoyment of the young patients of this world renowned pediatric medical care, research, and training facility. A gift to the children, the display  provides a much appreciated fun zone as they deal with an illness. The trains operate 10 hours a day, 365 days per year on two separate track loops, each on it's own level.

Closely following the original concept plan, the train scenes were built at the LayoutBuilders shop as two 4ft x 8ft sections to ease delivery and setup. The various scenes pay homage to Monterey Bay's Cannery Row fishing industry of the 40s and 50s, to the prolific agriculture industry of the nearby coastal communities, and to the magnificient coastal redwood forests of Northern California.

The enclosure takes cues from heavy industrial equipment usually found around railroad yards, and the classic train stations of Europe with their vaulted glass ceilings. On each corner is a replica of railroad equipment: a station clock, two track signal control lights that cycle through green, yellow and red indications, and a steam whistle that can be activated by the push of a button.

Around the perimeter of the display are eight large buttons. Each button activates a different sound which is digitally recorded on sound modules provided by Integrated Train Techonology Co. Two of the sound files were custom made by LayoutBuilders for the display and can be sampled here: Waterfront and Docks and Station Announcement. The remaining six are the steam whistle, two diesel horn sounds, an ocean beach sound, and ringing bell sounds for the two flashing highway crossing signals.

Here are more photos of this successful project.

This overview is from the beach towards the waterfront. The farm is to the right and the redwood forest to the left. The blue water is the top of the 3-D underwater scene built by Dillion Works.

The coastal redwoods are a good place to enjoy hiking, as are the hikers seen on the ridge.

Looking from the fields towards the waterfront, with the Monterey Canning Company dominating the dock structures.

Behind the docks are several industries along Cannery Row. The Monterey Depot is at right center. The Monterey Canning Co. has buildings on both sides of the street. A covered walkway over the street connects the buildings.

These row houses are for seasonal dock workers. The concrete counterweight of a bascule type lift bridge is barely visible at the left center. Part of this bridge extends underneath the long two section bridge over the harbor entrance.

Passengers wait at the Castroville depot. This area represents the prolific agricultural industry along the Northern California coast where artichokes and strawberries are grown year round.

 A closeup of a farm overlooking the ocean and the bay. Cows and the long railroad viaduct over the beach can be seen in the background.

A helicopter view of the beach scene. A whale breaches in the lower left corner, while the seals casually watch from the beach. Kelp and underwater cliffs are just visible through the surface.

A side view of the underwater scene showing the kelp, plants, coral, underwater cliffs and caves.

This is how the 3-D underwater scene is integrated into the layout. The scene, and the enclosure, were constructed by Dillion Works.

More photos are available in the GALLERY section