We tell people it's 99.9% LEGO.  We've used decals in a few places to add some realism, and we're using non-LEGO lights in places.  Other that that, it's all LEGO!  Ideally we want kids to be able to see the layout and think, "I could do that!"  (You'd be suprised how many kids think they can.)

No.  The entire collection is privately held.  We spend a LOT of money on LEGO toys every year!  If you've ever wondered why Target stores in the Minneapolis/St.Paul area never have the good sets on sale... well, that's us.  We'll call around and buy out entire stocks of some stores when LEGO goes on sale.  (You can see why we wanted to be a reseller ourselves.  We laughed at the requirement of an inital $1000 stocking order.)  If there was a toy store that wanted to sponsor us, we'd be interested in talking.  This stuff is expensive!

Updated 02-21-01:

Lego Direct has begun to help various Lego train clubs with playareas and some shop@home cards. They also helped us get the layout out to California so we could display it at the Lego theme park. It was great time for us. It's nice to not have to steal shop@home cards from the Mall of America Lego Imagination Center.

Chuck and his nephew Conan own the bricks.  We all sometimes donate stuff to the collection, as informal 'payment' for being able to come over and build.  The thought is that when we run out of Conan and Chuck's bricks, we'll start using our own.  Hasn't happened yet. <g>

Yes, we build each section with a 'grid and tower' system so that each one is about 90% air.  This saves on weight, and also on the number of bricks each section uses.

Each section is about 40" deep by 60" across (8 of the big grey baseplates plus 6 of the smaller baseplates).  Each section sits on a plywood table with a custom built aluminum frame and folding legs, and has professional-quality electrical connections on the back.  (Conan is an Electrician by trade, and only uses top-quality stuff.).  This allows us a fairly rapid set-up and tear-down time when we do shows.

No one knows!  We estimate somewhere around 400,000 in our current layout (so far!).  There's really no way to know, however.  Of course we're always adding new stuff too!

We don't have enough room to set up the entire layout at once.  We will work on two or three sections at a time, the rest stay in the trailer we use to transport everything.

Whenever we feel like it!  We usually get to four or five shows a year.  But, we get invited to do a lot more!

Yes.  Every individual LEGO employee we have ever approached has been nothing but impressed with our layout.

Yes, they basically said "That's great!  Keep buying LEGO toys!" and once they sent us an Idea book and two keychains. 

Recently we sent LEGO a letter and a copy of the St.Paul Pioneer Press article on the National Model Railroaders Association show. The article included two nice pictures of kids looking at our layout.  We asked LEGO for some extra 2x2x3 and 2x1x3 roof bricks to replace the ones that were damaged when the red and yellow passenger train was derailed by curious 7 year olds.  They did oblige us with about a dozen bricks.  Our feeling is that it would be a difficult line to draw where LEGO should support a club and where they shouldn't.  As a result, they don't support any LEGO clubs.  Yet.

Updated 02-21-01:

Lego Direct has begun to help various Lego train clubs with playareas and some shop@home cards. They recently held a Lego train club meeting where we sent three representatives. With the advent of some of the bulk ordering options, we should be able to build the new layout without making all of the ground red.

The last layout (3rd layout) probably had 3000 - 4000 'man hours' of work on it.  We've been working on the current layout for around three years.

Nope.  Only a couple of things on the entire layout are built directly from LEGO sets.  We like to do original creations, because we think that's more fun!  We sometimes tell people "we don't follow directions well..." <grin>

Unlikely.  LEGO has people working for them, it's their job to come up with new themes and sets.  As a general rule, LEGO does not accept any submissions for a specific design as that could cause some legal problems for them.  No to mention that we will have model designs that would be unfeasible to market do to the cost of the detailing that we put in.

Several of us had been building together for a couple of years.  Once we decided we needed to be on the 'net, we needed a name.  GMLTC was originally registered to represent the 'Greater Minnesota LEGO Train Club', because we're based in Minneapolis.  When our 'roster' expanded to include a few non-Minnesotans, we just changed the name to 'Midwest', rather than registering another .com address.

We get this question a lot at shows. Right now we are considering accepting new members. Details can be found here.

Conan and Chuck were showing LEGO 12volt trains back in the mid 80's. When the 9volt system came out, they converted most of their layout to 9volt.  This is actually the third 9volt layout they've had, the first one was dismantled, the second suffered a transportation accident on its way to its first show.  The last layout was started in 1997 and destroyed in 2000.  Check our our 'history' page for more information.

Conan and Chuck are related, so that part is obvious.  Most of the rest of us met while working at the LEGO Imagination Center^® at the Mall Of America.  There are about 8 of us that build on a fairly regular basis.  The club size is larger than that, but that's probably the core group.

Actually, most of us aren't.  We were at one point, but everyday life got in the way of working at the mall.  To reiterate, LEGO has never sponsored this layout or helped us to develop it.

If you're in the United States, your best bet is to call the LEGO Shop at Home Service^® at 1-800-453-4652  LEGO is on the Internet at www.lego.com. We tried to get a reseller's contract from LEGO but they turned us down.  Otherwise, you'll have to check with your local LEGO retailer.

Updated February, 2003:  We hope to have some train sets for sale here on our website soon.  Look for a 'for sale' sign on the front page, whenver we get organized.

We just call it "L-gauge" or "LEGO-Gauge"! It's close to 'O', but not exactly.

Updated February, 2003:  LEGO has started running ads in "Model Railroader" magazine, calling the trains "L-Gauge".  So, I guess that name is 'official'.