Spring Break
Engineering students' model trains to be auctioned for holiday charity
Alison Woodworth
Issue date: 11/21/08 Section: Campus
A year in the making, two model trains made by professor Doug Troy's EAS 101 students will be auctioned off for charity this winter.
In the fall of 2007, Troy asked his class to work together in groups to recreate authentic train lines in their normal geographical environments.
"Some groups did research, some made building plans, some designed the sets to look realistic and some built the models," said Troy, chair and professor of computer science and systems analysis. "The focus was all on (the) engineering process."
The project was a first-time endeavor for more than 200 students in EAS 101, a required class for all first-year engineering and applied science majors, according to Troy.
Troy said each of the eight sections of the class was divided into groups to research, design and construct the trains and their Styrofoam surroundings.
The groups were given train building kits-including the base, glue, trees, paint and other necessities-along with an allowance for them purchase other items to enhance their models, according to Steve Keller, associate professor of paper and chemical engineering.
Keller said the semester-long project was the product of at least 25 hours of work outside of class, but some students spent as many as 70 hours, not including allotted class work time, finishing the project.
"I thought it was a great way to learn about the engineering design process," said sophomore Joseph Carlin, a student in the class. "We could have just read out of a textbook, but this was a fun hands-on project that allowed us to work within a group and learn something new."
After completion, the trains were displayed and judged by local train enthusiasts.
Keller said the most exciting part of the project is that the two best replicas were donated to the (CPAC) Holiday Project to be auctioned off for charity.
The authentic small-scale replicas of the Santa Fe SD545 and Canadian Pacific Holiday Express train lines were donated to the auction, sponsored by the division of university advancement and the department of kinesiology and health, benefiting the CPAC Holiday Project.
The program helps to buy holiday gifts for children who have suffered abuse, neglect or abandonment in Butler and Preble counties, according to Beverly Flaig, the auction coordinator.
The silent auction for the two model train layouts will take place from Nov. 19 to Dec. 2 with starting bids of $50 each.
Each train includes all of the student-built accessories.
The trees, buildings, engines and cars are all included on the layout's Styrofoam bases, measuring 42 inches by 70 inches from end to end, Troy said.
"The students were very proud of their achievement and the teamwork shown throughout the semester," Keller said.
He added that they are also delighted that their hard work can contribute to helping others during the holiday season.
Bids for the silent auction can be submitted to Flaig at flaigbj@muohio.edu.
In the fall of 2007, Troy asked his class to work together in groups to recreate authentic train lines in their normal geographical environments.
"Some groups did research, some made building plans, some designed the sets to look realistic and some built the models," said Troy, chair and professor of computer science and systems analysis. "The focus was all on (the) engineering process."
The project was a first-time endeavor for more than 200 students in EAS 101, a required class for all first-year engineering and applied science majors, according to Troy.
Troy said each of the eight sections of the class was divided into groups to research, design and construct the trains and their Styrofoam surroundings.
The groups were given train building kits-including the base, glue, trees, paint and other necessities-along with an allowance for them purchase other items to enhance their models, according to Steve Keller, associate professor of paper and chemical engineering.
Keller said the semester-long project was the product of at least 25 hours of work outside of class, but some students spent as many as 70 hours, not including allotted class work time, finishing the project.
"I thought it was a great way to learn about the engineering design process," said sophomore Joseph Carlin, a student in the class. "We could have just read out of a textbook, but this was a fun hands-on project that allowed us to work within a group and learn something new."
After completion, the trains were displayed and judged by local train enthusiasts.
Keller said the most exciting part of the project is that the two best replicas were donated to the (CPAC) Holiday Project to be auctioned off for charity.
The authentic small-scale replicas of the Santa Fe SD545 and Canadian Pacific Holiday Express train lines were donated to the auction, sponsored by the division of university advancement and the department of kinesiology and health, benefiting the CPAC Holiday Project.
The program helps to buy holiday gifts for children who have suffered abuse, neglect or abandonment in Butler and Preble counties, according to Beverly Flaig, the auction coordinator.
The silent auction for the two model train layouts will take place from Nov. 19 to Dec. 2 with starting bids of $50 each.
Each train includes all of the student-built accessories.
The trees, buildings, engines and cars are all included on the layout's Styrofoam bases, measuring 42 inches by 70 inches from end to end, Troy said.
"The students were very proud of their achievement and the teamwork shown throughout the semester," Keller said.
He added that they are also delighted that their hard work can contribute to helping others during the holiday season.
Bids for the silent auction can be submitted to Flaig at flaigbj@muohio.edu.
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