I picked up this spectacular gem of an image on eBay for a surprisingly nominal sum. I then had it scanned, uploaded it to Flickr, and made it available to all for download. By doing so, its existence is safeguarded for the foreseeable future. It was an all-too-common scenario, and just heartbreaking. One of the […]
Category: Opinion
Storm Chasers
Railfanning can be a lot like storm chasing. Lot’s of whiffs, dry holes, and hours of getting nothing. Then, a window of opportunity opens up, often for just a few seconds, making the entire outing worth it. Canton SW1500 number 1501 blasts a column of exhaust skyward as it blocks recently pulled cars in Penn […]
“Have” A Layout or “Build” A Layout?
A view of the LAJ layout room. The new extension module is on the far right. I didn’t realize until after the fact how much of a role ergonomics plays in my enjoyment of the railroad. Having an open, cleanly finished presentation on the main floor of the house is very inviting and contributes to […]
Setting Priorities On A Freight Car Upgrade
When I upgrade a freight car, I split the work into two groups and prioritize accordingly. The first (and most important) group consists of upgrades that contribute the most to visual impact. I start with these. They are the things you notice when you first walk into the room and view the cars from five […]
LAJ 1/21/26 Update
Overall view of the 54-inch-long extension with mockups in place. Sometimes you need to thrash around for a while to find a path forward that motivates you. For me, answers come from “doing” and testing in 3D. Spending months (or years) drawing sketches isn’t particularly productive. Two-dimensional drawings tell you very little. Testing in 3D […]