Many view me as a champion of small model railroads. I’m really not. They’re just a means to an end. What I am is a strong believer in is finding ways to get those not actively engaged in the hobby actually in the game. Small, easy to achieve, layouts are just the most practical way […]
Category: Construction
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 […]
Walthers Crossing Flasher Upgrade
Cantilever crossing signals are such a common feature of the modern rail scene that they are likely to be needed on any layout based in the present era. At the current time the only model of these signals is the Walthers product. Although not terrible, there was always something that seemed a bit off with […]
Modeling When You Have No Free Time
We’ve all been there, or are there now. You look at your kid’s school and sports schedule, your work schedule, family obligations, and yard work and realize the amount of free time available for modeling is measured in minutes not hours. It’s not just the absence of free time, such time periods in ones life […]
Virtuosity and Model Railroading
“Black Ice” Virtuoso model and photo by Bob Springs Virtuosity: Masterly skill or technique in the arts. Many years ago I attended a talk at a sales convention given by motivational speaker Peter Vidmar, the highest scoring American gymnast in Olympic history. The subject of the talk centered on what it took to be […]