Who has experience setting up PC, DVD or VCR based exhibits? I would like to set up a short (two minute) video presentation to be viewed through the (closed) window of a stationary coach. There is an existing walkway used by visitors running several car lengths to allow them to view interiors and some signage related to individual cr histories. The video exhibit I envision could run perpetually on a loop or (preferably) be activated by a motion detector. Since I'm inept at minor tasks like programing my own VCR, I'm looking to farm-out most of the work. That would include having a local college multi-media class produce the audio-visual work. There is the potential to produce several shorts on various subjects and to show them at five-minute intervals on the same hardware. Perhaps one short would detail the history of passenger car construction while others would cover the oft neglected human side of train travel--Pullman Porters or the pre-Depression rise in vacation travel. My theory is that the cost of technology is now relatively low, that our visitors are comfortable with this type of instruction and that it provides a different "experience" than other rail museum offerings. Comments are appreciated.

Illinois Historic Structures
fred_ash@bankone.com

There are several options for running looping type exhibits using a PC. One would be a powerpoint presentation using photos as power point "slides." Another option could be some of the photo software that is out there. There are millions of used PCs out there sitting in basements that could be set up as a dedicated display tool. I donated my old computer to the Museum of Transport. So, I know that there are obsolete computers laying around that could do the job.

jim1522@aol.com

At National Capital Trolley Museum we converted our old automated slide show (used silent advance feature on a cassette linked to a Kodak carousel projector) to Power Point on a CD ROM. The 10 minute show is on continuous loop with a 10 minute rest between shows. It works well. We bought a new PC for the display and use a flat thin screen montor mounted in a cabinet.



http://www.dctrolley.org

My experience with exhibits is to keep it simple. Simply put, too much technical gadgetry and electronic wizardry can be very expensive and hard to maintain over time. I can think of one history museum in particular who spent millions on exhibits, only to have their skilled exhibits technician (i.e. the curator) laid off when times got tough, taking all of the skills and know-how of maintaining the exhibit with him. Now the museum's video monitors and push-button activated hands-on components are sitting cold and lifeless, rendering a large portion of the exhibit uneven in presentation and ineffective. Go the route of formica panels with good graphics, imagery, and artifacts, say less with more in an engaging, evocative manner, and rest assured your visitors will respond positively. The temptation with the latest technology is to go full guns on implementing it everywhere but always proceed with caution. Also, it has been my experience working in a large railroad museum that visitors want to see "real" artifacts, not reproductions or electronic substitutes. Folks can spot a fake a mile away and will demand more value for their buck. Just a few things based on real life experience in the museum business that may be of some benefit to others.

K.R. Bell

> Who has experience setting up PC, DVD or VCR
> based exhibits? I would like to set up a
> short (two minute) video presentation to be
> viewed through the (closed) window of a
> stationary coach. There is an existing
> walkway used by visitors running several car
> lengths to allow them to view interiors and
> some signage related to individual cr
> histories. The video exhibit I envision
> could run perpetually on a loop or
> (preferably) be activated by a motion
> detector. Since I'm inept at minor tasks
> like programing my own VCR, I'm looking to
> farm-out most of the work. That would
> include having a local college multi-media
> class produce the audio-visual work. There
> is the potential to produce several shorts
> on various subjects and to show them at
> five-minute intervals on the same hardware.
> Perhaps one short would detail the history
> of passenger car construction while others
> would cover the oft neglected human side of
> train travel--Pullman Porters or the
> pre-Depression rise in vacation travel. My
> theory is that the cost of technology is now
> relatively low, that our visitors are
> comfortable with this type of instruction
> and that it provides a different
> "experience" than other rail
> museum offerings. Comments are appreciated.


http://rrmuseumpa.org

I agree with Mr. Bell, to a point. There is a place for the actual artifact. However, to show the people that were involved, or the artifact in actual use, or the people's stories connected with an artifact, visual aids are the best way to go. Having signs around an artifact is a good first step. But, most museums have a good library of photos, papers etc. that are much too valuable for putting out where the public can see and touch. The only way to show this material is via a copy of some sort. Whether xerox, photos, slides, computer screen is not important. Content, accuracy and presentation are very important.

jim1522@aol.com

What Fred originally asked about is a good idea and at IRM we have over 400 "artifacts" in the form of full sized rail cars and equipment. What we need are more exhibit based items to fill out the visitor experience. For example, many visitors ask about going inside the cars, but experience has shown that cars cannot be left open without an attendant, (and sometimes even attended cars fall victim to souveneir hunters or vandalism). Something as simple as a well produced video walkthrough of a car with appropriate commentary should go a long way to filling that gap, and the other more ambitious interpretive ideas posed by Fred are a worthy goal indeed, for IRM or for any of several other preservation sites.

Bob Kutella


68trolley@attbi.com

> My experience with exhibits is to keep it
> simple.

While Mr. Bell and I disagree on many things in railroad preservation, on this one I have to say he's dead on.

SCRM has a couple video-based exhibits. I've quit bothering to turn them on, because almost nobody ever stops to view them. I'll probably pull them both out entirely next time I do a major exhibit overhaul.

I've found that people respond best to two kinds of exhibits: ones they can play with and operating models. The two most popular permanent exibits we've got are the ex-SAL CTC panels and the operating HO quarry railroad. People admire the modeling on the quarry railroad and learn something about our railroad's history in spite of themselves. Nearly everyone has to throw a lever on the CTC panel and ask the docent, "What does this do?"

There's no substitute for hands-on interactivity, but always remember the two most important rules in the Universe -- the KISS principle and Murphy's Law! :o)

The South Carolina RR Museum
mconrad@compuzone.net

> For example, many
> visitors ask about going inside the cars,
> but experience has shown that cars cannot be
> left open without an attendant, (and
> sometimes even attended cars fall victim to
> souveneir hunters or vandalism).

Maybe it's location, but we've never had any problems with people going through our passenger train. Several members have talked about going the "big museum" route and putting a walkway alongside the train so people can peek through the windows but not go inside. I've resisted this because I believe there's no substitute for being able to actually walk through a passenger car. One of my long-term goals at SCRM is to set up a complete, authentic passenger consist that people can walk through from RPO to observation.

I "steal" ideas from all over the place. Sacramento had a great idea for displaying their diner -- they built plexiglas boxes over the tables so people could see but not fuss with the table settings. I saw another neat idea at Steamtown -- they bolted plexiglas panels over the ladders and stirrups to keep people from climbing on equipment. I'm planning to do something similar in our SAL caboose to keep the kiddies out of the cupola once the restoration is finished.

It is possible to make a car safe and secure for people to walk through. It just takes a bit of thought and planning.

The South Carolina RR Museum
mconrad@compuzone.net

A few years ago I managed a project for the local history/art museum. In the history area the visitors walk by exhibits showing our cities history. For example there is the facade of an old fort. When the visitor walks by it activates a sound track of an Indian war battle. In another the visitor walks into an old army tent. The motion activates a recording we made of a drill sergent at the army base and the tent lights go from dim to full bright. Well you get the idea. The visitors enjoy seeing real artifacts that come alive just for them.

karenandray@bellsouth.net

We are using a Power point "slide" system these days. You ca even run it off a lap top computer, if you want to. Or as has been pointed out an older computer can do the job for you.

Ask your members if they have a used computer to donate and keep it out of the landfill a bit longer.

ted_miles@nps.gov

Hello

We had quite a bit of success with laser disks at Steamtown, although the technology has since moved towards the DVD format, in general the principals are the same. There were very few problems during my tenure as a park ranger, and they made for very effective presentations overall. The digital presentations were usually the only automated exhibits that worked on any given day, as anything with mechanical parts (i.e. the model railroad, whistle demo game, semaphore exhibit, gravity railroad) tended to break down daily, or not work to begin with. In short the automated digital format really worked well, while anything mechanical was a nightmare.

Another thing to think of is placement of the exhibit, particularly if it has audio. I always thought the close proximity of several a/v presentations was a problem at Steamtown. The sound tended to "blend" together. Also, make sure you're exhibit isn't in the general flow of foot traffic as with a few at Steamtown, otherwise you'll have some some people cutting in front of others just to get by the exhibit, which diminishes the experience of those actually watching the presentation.

If you set anything up in your museum, my advice is to train several, if not all of your folks, so that it isnÂ’t just one person who has the know-how to reset/repair the machine of need be. If a breakdown occurs, you donÂ’t want it to be on "someone's day off".

Just a few thoughts.

Dave Crosby


bing@epix.net

The History Center in Cedar Rapids, Iowa has an exhibit called "Time Quest". Visitors sit in a car and manually "drive" through a computer generated presentation of downtown Cedar Rapids circa 1900. The exhibit also includes city background noise in the form of automobiles, horses and train. When the visitor "stops" in front of a particular building, a narration begins discussing the structure, occupants, activities etc. This option is turned off when a docent is available.

Recognizing our changing demographics, this type of exhibit has a greater interpretation/entertainment impact of a disappeared historical environment versus your standard signage attempts of explaining an "open" field. In addition, computer graphics are more economical than rebuilding and maintaining an entire historical setting.


http://www.historycenter.org/scripts/exhibits_timequest.asp

> A few years ago I managed a project for the
> local history/art museum. In the history
> area the visitors walk by exhibits showing
> our cities history. For example there is the
> facade of an old fort. When the visitor
> walks by it activates a sound track of an
> Indian war battle. In another the visitor
> walks into an old army tent. The motion
> activates a recording we made of a drill
> sergent at the army base and the tent lights
> go from dim to full bright. Well you get the
> idea. The visitors enjoy seeing real
> artifacts that come alive just for them.

I've considered something like that for one situation in "my" gallery. When The Great Train Store went under, I was working for them. I was able to get the Thomas fixture. Kids love to climb on it, which bothers me because the fixture isn't in that great shape (it bothered me at the store, too, but I had to put up with it there because I wasn't the boss). I'm thinking about coming up with some sort of "jiggle switch" that would activate a recorded, "Hi, little one, please don't climb on me, it hurts," or some such. And yes, I *AM* sadistic enough to actually do that to some "poor innocent!" :o)

The South Carolina Railroad Museum
mconrad@compuzone.net

I see many fine suggestions and comments on this thread. As an audio-visual technician, I’ll offer up a “quick and dirty” solution to Fred’s challenge, cheap too! (We use this cost effective method at the Greenport site of the Railroad Museum of Long Island)

Have your local college or high school AV Club/Class videotape, edit and package your two-minute presentation. They get the experience and you get a finished product for a very good price, hopefully free!

This next part is a little tedious, but remember the operative word, “cheap”! Take a good quality, 120 minute VHS videotape, sit down and record your two-minute “short” onto the tape, time after time after time. That will be in the neighborhood of 60 times. Important, make all your recordings on Standard Play (SP) mode, this is no place to use Extended Play (EP) or Super Long Playing (SLP) modes. You want the best quality transfer from the player to the recorder, and that will be accomplished at SP - real time, (T-120 cassette equals two hours), that’s it!

Put the master two-minute “short” away in a safe, fireproof, climate controlled place, (I’m serious, video tape will rust), if and when you wear out your two-hour “exhibit” tape, you will go back to the master and make another one.

Now that you have your two-minute “short” duplicated 60 times on a T-120 VHS cassette, locate a good quality VHS player that will automatically rewind and restart the cassette once you have turned it on. Most all of the Panasonic “AG” series machines will do this, the function is turned on via the remote control. Load your cassette in, play it for two hours, it rewinds automatically, and begins showing the cassette again for two hours, and so on until you close for the day.

The Panasonic “AG” machines run between $250.00 and $350.00 and they are “industrial grade” machines. Better than the “consumer machines” you get at the appliance store but a step below the “broadcast quality” machines at a TV station. The machine will perform well for you, a high quality cassette tape will last thousands of plays, and your visitor’s will enjoy the show. BTW, do not clean the machine with a tape head-cleaning cassette, don’t even clean the heads until you actually see degradation in the picture on the TV, and that could literally be years! When that happens, take the machine to your AV tech and he will clean it with a chamois and some denatured alcohol, he’ll get you goin’ in a jiffy!

Digital presentations are wonderful. You can do a lot with them, as long as you have the hardware and the expertise to use the software. It’s a remarkable medium, but, it’s not “cheap”, and let’s not forget, hard drives and CD-ROMS are mechanical widgets that can break as easily as a VHS videocassette machine.

Good luck Fred.

de Don, N2QHV


n2qhv@arrl.net

Is VERY SOUND!!!
Especially if you are on a budget. On that same idea you could have it mastered on something better than VHS(say Mini-DV, or other), then keep the master locked away until you need to make a new VHS copy to run as he suggested. Better yet, have 2-3 VHS copies made from the original before socking it(master)away.

If you want to step up from that, you can have a DVD made in the same manner, that is have the 2-3 minute piece put on there multiple times. If someone is doing it on a non-linear editing system once you make the 2-3 minutes you simply add it into the timeline over and over, and burn the all to one DVD. Make a few extra DVD's, or have someone make a few extras (DVD-R) that you can copy if you need to. In some instances you could even go over 2 hours perhaps.

Thinking beyond these lines, I have always thought museums and tourist operations should have their own video to sell. Here would be a way to do that. Make up a video of your place, then add in to it, some of these little 2-3 minute shorts as a bonus on your VHS or DVD item you are going to sell. The point being you could kill two birds with one stone by making a display video and a museum video, that in the long run would be not only a gift shop item, but a good advertisement! All free food for thought!
Greg Scholl



Videos
sales@gregschollvideo.com