Category: Construction

Vertical Elements

  Each of us has a defined number of hours we can dedicate to the hobby.  That being the case, it makes sense to focus on things that provide not only the most enjoyment but the most visual impact as well.  Vertical elements, specifically utility poles, if well executed can really elevate the appearance of our scenes. […]

WWII

Decades ago I had a sales trainer that happened to be a former WWII battleship gunner.  He was emphatic in consistently making his point that we should practice our sales technique  BEFORE we were in front of a customer. He made the point at every session and then immediately drew the analogy to his days in […]

Preparing For “The Day”

You’re 55, 60, or 65. You’ve wanted a layout your entire life and you spend hours fantasizing about ‘the day’. By that I mean the day when the kids are out of the nest, retirement final yields some free time, or the necessary space frees up. Fantasizing is one thing but what about effective preparation? […]

A One Turnout Layout

A layout with only one turnout?  One that offers diverse, hour long operating sessions without ‘make work’ complexity?   A layout that could be built in two weekends and then morph into something that provides several years worth of craftsman projects?   A gimmick?  Absolutely not.  It’s all a matter of selecting the right theme, understanding prototype […]