The 2nd Annual Spring Windup was held in Denver on April 25th, 2009. The day was cool and cloudy, with rain threatening (but not materializing). This year there were three times the number of participants (six!) as last year, coming from as far away as Alabama (Chuck and Chad Donovan) and Canada (Jeff Young), making this an international event.

Tables were set up for displays, the track was cleaned, an additional 0-gauge tinplate track was set up on the deck, and the place was generally made ready. Once everyone had arrived and unpacked, a vast array of clockwork trains was on display, from vintage commercial products by Marx, Hafner, Unique Art, Hornby, Bassett-Lowke, and Bing, to retrofitted electric locomotives, to a wonderful assortment of scratchbuilt, spring-driven engines.

We ran trains all day long, including double-headed Hornby locos pulling 26 axles. The disparity between the tinplate wheels and the scale track resulted in some spectacular mishaps -- all part of the fun.

An excellent lunch was served by Barbara Horovitz, at which favors were distributed to all attendees: empty tin cans, a clockwork mechanism, gauge-1 wheelsets, and some band-aids.

A good time was had by all and there was already discussion about next year's event. Stay tuned.

Here's a movie of some of the days proceedings. If it doesn't work, click here to go to YouTube.