PHILADELPHIA DIVISION MEMBER
Sadly Hal passed away in 2011. He was a member of the Philadelphia Division for many years. Confined to a wheelchair for most of his life, Hal built this impressive, freelanced N scale layout in the attic of his home with his wife Pat. The curved trestle was scratchbuilt by Hal. Most of the buildings were put together and painted by Pat. Control was DC routed to blocks from stationary cabs.
The layout featured sophisticated electronics–a working signal system with automated train control. In auto mode, power to short blocks in advance of the signals would be cut if the signal was red, forcing the train to stop. The division members were treated to a visit in the Fall of 2012, after which the layout was dismantled.
Video by Bill FaganCab View GALLERY NAVIGATION: Click on thumbnail. Slideshow controls at bottom of screen. Click on X or photo to exit. Photos from 2012 by Howard Kaplan
R.I.P. Hal Godwin, he was extinct by 2011 and his cool N scale layout was demolished the year after his death. Luckily, his wife Pat survived, but Hal and his layout have now become a thing of the past.
Yes, sadly Hal died. I helped Pat prepare the layout for an open house for our September 2012 meet, and then other division members helped her dismantle it.