Free Tickets at the NMRA Convention
Visitors to the NMRA National Convention in Chattanooga, Tennessee this past weekend, August 1-2, 2026, had an opportunity to experience model railroading in a very different way — by actually taking control of an HO-scale locomotive hundreds of miles away.
George Bogatiuk was handing out special “FREE TICKETS” that invited convention attendees to become the engineer and remotely operate a real HO-scale locomotive.
The tickets provided access to #LocoCabCam Remote Operations, developed by Canadian Locomotive Logistics. Instead of simply watching a model railroad, participants could take control of a locomotive operating on one of three different model railroad layouts.
Model Railroading — From the Engineer’s Point of View
What makes the experience different is #LocoCabCam.
A miniature onboard camera provides a live view from the locomotive while the operator uses an online control interface to operate the train. From a computer, tablet, or smartphone, the operator can control the locomotive and experience the railroad from the perspective of the engineer.
And the operator doesn’t have to be standing beside the layout — or even in the same city.
The three participating layouts demonstrate one of the most exciting possibilities of remote model railroad operations: a model railroad can now be shared with people almost anywhere.
George Bogatiuk Hands Out the Tickets
During the NMRA National Convention, George Bogatiuk helped introduce convention attendees to the technology by handing out the free operating tickets.
Each ticket was more than just a giveaway. It was an invitation to go online, enter the virtual cab and discover what it is like to remotely operate an HO-scale locomotive.
For many model railroaders, we’re accustomed to controlling trains while standing only a few feet from the layout. #LocoCabCam turns that idea around — the layout comes to you.
Three Layouts. One Internet Connection. Engineers From Anywhere.
The demonstration also showed what remote operations could mean for the future of the hobby.
Model railroad clubs and private layout owners can potentially make their railroads accessible to operators who otherwise could never visit them in person. Someone hundreds or even thousands of miles away can experience a layout and participate in operations through the Internet.
For Canadian Locomotive Logistics, that’s exactly what the #LocoCabCam project is about: combining model railroading, live video and Internet technology to create a new way for people to experience the hobby.
A special thank-you to George Bogatiuk for helping put those free tickets into the hands of fellow model railroaders at the NMRA National Convention in Chattanooga!
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Photo from the NMRA National Convention.
