Post Chattanooga Update(s)!

Christine didn't think we'd sell any of the CV boxcar decals, we ended up selling out of the 1940-63 decals we brought with us! 

We're back from the National Train Show in Chattanooga and we certainly had a great time!

Christine's prize winning entry into the contest - "Hometown Crossing"

I have some other thoughts on Chattanooga that I may share at some point - after all this was the first NMRA National I've attended since 2015 so I'm bound to have some opinions. 

But in this post I want to cover two (actually three!) highlights for the Artisan Rail Media team - We were really excited to announce our second book, Modeling Civil War Railroads by Bernard Kempinski, and the other (better!) half of the Artisan Rail team took first place in the People's Choice Awad in the Arts and Crafts category with her quilt "Hometown Crossing." That makes one NMRA prize winner in the family, and it isn't me ... !!!

Modeling Civil War Railroads, Artisan Rail Media's second book!

About Bernie's book - it will be 120 pages, landscape (horizontal) format, all color (with the exception of a few b&w Civil War era prototype shots) and a ton of new line drawings, plans, and tables and charts. 

Bernie is putting the final touches on the manuscript and photography, and we are on track for a November 2026 release. Check this blog, my Southern New England Railway Facebook page, or the artisanrailmedia.com website to preorder. Look for the web site to go live for preorders sometime later this month - in the meantime we have Modeling Autumn Scenery available.  https://www.artisanrailmedia.com/

Meanwhile, just down the road from Chattanooga ...

Our youngest son Matt, who some of you may remember as a little tyke at train shows or a teenager at some of our operating sessions over the years, took time out of visiting the Atlanta Aquarium to ask his girlfriend the big question. She's a big shark fan, which makes no sense to this old sailor, but I guess it takes all kinds. 

They went to Atlanta supposedly as a birthday trip to see a whale shark - Matt had all this planned and even flew Amanda's sister in from Colorado (she's a professional photographer) to capture the moment. I have no idea how he got the shark to cooperate, but I have to give the boy credit - and Amanda's sister certainly got a great photo for them to remember the moment! 

To answer the inevitable questions:

1. She said "Yes!"

2. We absolutely ADORE her!!

Congratulations Matt and Amanda!!

Hitting the Road - Clinics, National Train Show, and Big News!

If you're going to be attending the NMRA National Convention in Chattanooga, TN next week be sure to look for me, and if you see me be sure to say hello! I'm excited to be presenting my Modeling Autumn Scenery clinc, which includes some updated information on the layout scattered in among the scenery tips. 

And, we will have a table at the National Train Show, look for Artisan Rail Media inside the Craftsman Courtyard. 

We'll have copies of Modeling Autumn Scenery available of course, as well as some of the Central Vermont boxcar decals and Southern New England Railway decals. I also hope to have a selection of Alkem Scale Models 3d printed figures - including the new transition-era train crews and civilian workers. 

We're also going to be making a majot announcement regarding the next Artisan Rail Media book project while we're at the show. 

If you can't make the trip to Tennessee don't worry, be sure to check back here the week of August 3 for all the exciting details. 

In the meantime, we might try to upload some video content from the show - sharing whatever catches my eye while I'm there. Nothing too formal, but keep your eye on the Southern New England Railway YouTube channel. 

RPM EAST 2023

I'm heading up to Youngwood, PA tomorrow to attend the Railroad Prototype Modelers Meet (for more details on the meet see http://www.hansmanns.org/rpm_east/. 

I'll be premiering a new clinic - an overview of my HO scale Richford Branch, on Saturday morning. 

In preparation for the clinic I got enough of the Sheldon Junction river crossing done to take a photo. 

Hope to see some blog readers there - and if you're at the meet be sure to say hi! 

MARPM 2022 Open House

The current state of the Richford Branch

Well, the Mid Atlantic Railroad Prototype Modelers (MARPM) meet is in the books. 

And that was but one part of a whirlwind of stuff going on both in "real life" and model railroading over the last month. 

I managed to:

• Get a fair amount of scenery to "Phase 1" completion on the layout
• Stic Harris came by the week before the meet to at long last wire up the turntable and get some lighting installed in a couple of buildings. 
• Clean up the basement and layout (an almost overwhelming task considering the fact that I haven't had any kind of formal layout visits since pre-Covid!
• Finished up my Getting Real column for Model Railroad Hobbyist
• And that doesn't even include cleaning the garage, fall yard work, etc...!!!

I had a great time at the meet itself taking in some great clinics, looking at some great models in the display room, and reconnecting with old friends and making new ones. I even managed to run over to the Great Scale Model Train Show at Timonium and purchase a couple of goodies. 

I gave my Building and Researching Prototype Structures clinic on Saturday afternoon. It seemed well attended although I didn't get a head count. 

Once my clinic was completed I headed back home to make final preps for the open house on Sunday. For example, I remembered on the drive home that I had taken every piece of rolling stock off the layout. So I spent 30 minutes Sunday morning setting up a display train... I also needed to finish cleaning the track - and with all the scenery work I'd been doing there was a fair amount of dirt on the rails... 

I'd heard Iain Rice had passed away a week or so before the meet. So it seemed appropriate to have this locomotive on display. 

I didn't take any photos of people looking at the layout - but according to our guest book we had about 15 folks stop by - exceeding my expectations (we are, after all, located more than 70 miles from the hotel where the meet was held!) 

I really enjoyed visiting with everyone who stopped by here and the folks I spoke with at the meet. 

And thanks to Stic Harris for all his help both before and during the open house! 

LaFramboise Implement dealer needs some tractors and other farm equipment to display! 

The next goal is to keep the layout in its current state until after the next open house - scheduled for November 19. 

I'm pleased with how well the cannery fits in this spot (compared with the feed mill). 

Wordless Wednesday #247

 

Schedule for the Year

I have several clinics already booked for this year, with the potential of a couple of more. 
Here are the ones that have been confirmed so far:

14 March: NMRA James River Division March Meet. I'll be doing a clinic on Scratchbuilding Prototype Structures

26-29 March: Valley Forge RPM Meet, (http://www.rpmvalleyforge.com/), Scratchbuilding Prototype Structures

04 April: NMRA Potomac Division MiniCon (http://potomac-nmra.org/PDnewsite/Minicon/Minicon.php), Live demo in the morning on Building Foreground Trees, followed by a TBD afternoon clinic 

10-13 September, Mid Atlantic Railroad Prototype Modelers Meet (MARPM), I've signed up to a do a clinic, topic and time TBD. Check the website for updates: https://www.marpm.org/

These events are all fairly local - but I am working through some logistics for other, further ranging, events. I'll keep this post updated. 

Wordless Wednesday #220 - Vacation Over - Back to Work!

Wordless Wednesday #212 - Stick a Fork in this one - It's Done!

Finescale Expo 2018 Trip Report

Our "dinner club" at the FineScale Expo. 

Rolled back into town late last night (but still in time to see the second half of the Pats vs. Packers) after spending an enjoyable weekend in Albany NY and environs attending the Fine Scale Expo. 
Stic Harris and I have attended several of these. We departed early - very early - Friday morning and as has become a tradition the weather for the drive to the Expo was miserable. Stic wasn't familiar with model railroad podcasts so we listened to a couple of episodes of Todd and Brett Wiley's "Benchtime" podcast on the way up to Albany. 
The weekend was fairly low key, with an agenda familiar to anyone who's ever attended any model railroad related event. This event is always a little different since the emphasis is most assuredly NOT on "trains" - but instead on structures, scenery, and details. There's a vendor room, clinics (both hands-on extra fare clinics, and "standard" clinics). Those run Thursday through Saturday. Sunday is devoted to self-drive layout tours. 
We didn't attend the hands on clinics, but did attend several regular clinics - including  one on LED lighting and another where we learned it was important to think like a tree when planning a scene. 

A quick side trip to Lake George prior
to visiting Kip Grant. 

I managed to spend some money in the vendor room - including getting some interesting AK Interactive finishing products for making asphalt and concrete that I want to try since the results on the sample dioramas looked pretty impressive. 
Saturday afternoon was bright and sunny so after getting a recommendation from Kip Grant (the closest thing we had to a "local") on the best hobby shops in the area we hit two of them Saturday afternoon. Both were well stocked, but one of them was like a trip to hobby shops of the past, with the shelves stacked high with a variety of new, old, and somewhat shelf worn merchandise and the owners and the local gang solving all the world's problems (model railroad-related and otherwise!) behind the counter. 
My plan had been to take pictures of the fall foliage on this trip. The foliage looked great through the rain on Friday. Saturday it also looked great - but most of it was on the ground or swirling around in 40-50 mph wind gusts. Better luck next year. 
Sunday morning we left the hotel bright and early and headed north to visit Kip Grant's D&H railroad - which has long been one of my favorites. 

Kip (foreground) shows Stic his recessed turnout toggles. This view shows perhaps 2/3rds of Kip's wonderful D&H 

branch. Goes to show you 

don't need a massive railroad to end up with a great model railroad!

Check out the windows in the elementary school! 

 On the way south we stopped in and visited the NEB&W in Troy - and then started back towards Virginia. Although the sheer size and scope of this railroad is impressive, frankly it's looking tired and ragged in sections and in need of a good cleaning. But we still enjoyed our visit there. 

All in all, a great weekend with good friends. 

Best kept secret in Washington DC?

There's certainly no lack of secrets in Washington, D.C. Perhaps the best kept secret in DC has nothing to do with politics, politicians, spies. 
That secret is the Museum of the United States Navy, located on the grounds of the Washington Navy Yard - itself a historic landmark. 
Frankly I think it's one of the better museums in a city with no lack of museums. And while visitors to the museum will learn lots of interesting facts about the sea service and the role it's played in American culture and history, the highlights for any modeler has to be the impressive collection of ship models on display. 

Ever wonder how big an O scale WWII aircraft carrier would be? Wonder no more. 

USS LEYTE, CV 32. This model is an actual 19'-8" long. (sorry about the reflections of the glass cases)

Closeup of Leyte's flight deck. 

USS Constitution, 1/8"=1 foot (1:96 scale). This particular model was in the Oval Office during JFK's administration and was removed immediately after his assassination. It was later in the office of James Brady, White House Press Secretary when he was severely wounded during the attempt on President Reagan's life. At that point the Executive Branch transferred the model to the Navy Museum. 

Some of the ships from the Great White Fleet display. Personally, I find these pre-Dreadnaught ships to be far more interesting than the Civil War ironclads that preceded them. 

Fascinating cutaway model showing the interior of an English 120-gun man-o-war. 1:64 scale model ("S" in model railroad lingo). This is not an official "Admiralty" model but instead was likely made by a sailor. One of my favorite models in the museum if only for the fascinating details that capture life aboard an 18th century ship. 

USS Crosley - a destroyer transport. If you've ever seen the film "Mr. Roberts" you're familiar with life aboard these ships. 

Can't think of a more appropriate ship to show on this blog than this one - USS Vermont.  

Today I had a chance to stop by the museum in order to pick up a set of drawings for a project I'm getting ready to start on. But as I had a few minutes before I had to head over to the Humphrey's Building for a meeting I took a quick look around. 

Although some of the ship models are "permanent" some of the models on display rotate from time to time. Currently there's a display with models showing the ships of the Great White Fleet and another "semi-permanent" WWI exhibit display featuring several models of WWI-era vessels. 
Most of the WWI and WWII era models were contracted by the shipyards building the vessels at the time the actual ships were built. They are constructed to specifications intended to make sure the models endure. With the exception of the model of Old Ironsides,  all these models have served the Navy longer than their prototypes. 
So, if you're in DC and think  you've seen everything the Smithsonian or Mount Vernon have to offer, spend a half day at the US Navy Museum. It's well worth it. 

Catching Up and a Quick Side Trip to "The Curve"

Perhaps I should title this post “Catching my breath” – since it’s been a whirlwind three weeks or so since my 14 October update. (Well, I have done a couple of Wordless Wednesday posts, including one showing exciting shots of basement walls without a house attached!). Happily that's changed - see photo below. 

Out with the old
As I’ve mentioned previously we moved into a small apartment at the end of September, and put the house on the market fully intending for it to be a few months, at least, before it sold. We had an offer in less than two weeks, from a couple who wanted – no needed – to close on 15 November. Naturally, we accepted the offer but we've had to go from the "we have 3 or 4 months" mindset we were in to "we have less than a month!" 
It’s been a whirlwind of negotiations, inspections, dealing with the items we hadn’t moved out of the house – yet – and the like. Some of which have gone smoothly, others... let's just say I'll have to tell you over a cold one some time. 
I’m thrilled to report as of today everything is still on track to close on the 15th – and fingers crossed – once we get past that milestone we can focus on the new house. Which is a good thing since ....

You’ve got to watch them… 
Like a hawk. Builders that is. 
When we signed the contract for the new house we included a finished basement (it was an option at a price that would be impossible to meet if we’d waited to have it done by another contractor after we moved in). The builder has a “standard” way he finishes the basement, but you can (for a price) add to the finished square footage. The standard basement includes three unfinished “storage areas” – I opted to use one of these for household storage, one that will become my model building shop and the third – well, the third seem superfluous so I paid the extra coin to have it finished, specifying that it not be a separate room but instead should be part of the main “family room.” And, since there no wall between the storage room and powder room the basement powder room wall was supposed to shift about 12 feet to the right. 
All was well and good – until last week when I stopped by and noticed the rough plumbing for the powder room was located in the same place as that wall that we'd eliminated. Meaning a few pipes would just be jutting up into the middle of the finished basement. 
A quick call to the sales agent produced a run around about how they knew what they we’re doing, the pipes were in the right place, etc… I might not know much, but I can look at a diagram and walk off basic measurements. 
I called them since I figured it was something they’d want to fix now as the basement floor hadn’t been poured. 
A message was delivered to the site supervisor, who was on vacation that day. Turned out that later that same day a cement truck poured the basement floor. 
The next day the builder acknowledged the error – it was a case of the plumbers coming in and putting the pipes “where they always go…” 
A jackhammer and a second visit from the plumber fixed the problem… but you really need to watch these guys…sometimes they seem to go so fast they get ahead of themselves. 

A Little Time Off
Despite the craziness I managed to take a couple of days this past weekend and Stic and I headed up to the Finescale Modelers Expo in Altoona, Pa. Although there were some fine models on display, I would have to say the clinics as a whole were not as good as other meets I've attended (I might have more to say on that at some point in the future). The models on display, even those a little fanciful for my taste, were outstanding examples of craftsmanship - I especially liked this O scale diorama - the various elevations and the way the buildings and trees were arranged created some neat vignettes. 

I even managed to find a couple of things to purchase in the dealer room - most significant of which was a couple of BEST Trains kits. I have a number of these, including the now famous "barn in the curve" from the previous layout. I like them because I think they are reflective of typical New England architecture (mostly because they are based on real structures) and are only minimally "compressed."

Highlight of the trip was a visit to the Altoona Railroaders Museum, followed with a visit to the Horseshoe Curve. The weather was outstanding and the colors were just at or slightly past peak - and Norfolk Southern was keeping the rails polished. Well worth the trip. 

Wordless Wednesday #163

Wordless Wednesday #156

Wordless Wednesday #148

I've been sick on and off for several weeks. But the fascia is complete (Thanks Stic!). And pictures of me laying track aren't that interesting....so here's a treat from Dick Ewell's magnificent Hoosac Valley. 

Trip Report - Going 'round the Southern New England Loop

Long post, but an action-packed weekend!

Stop #1: Jim DuFour's HO B&M

Stic Harris, Bernie Kempinski and I flew from DC to Hartford, Conn. early last Friday morning to attend the Springfield show and visit some layouts. We arrived back in town late last night after having a great time visiting some of the best layouts I’ve ever seen and sampling some of the local grub. 
The trip hit an early glitch when the airline decided we had everything we needed to take off, loaded everybody onto the shuttle to ride out to the plane, until someone remembered that a pilot would come in handy. So it was back to the terminal while we waited for the flight crew to be united with the aircraft. Then it was off to Springfield. 
We got a rental car “upgrade” – which apparently means “Here’s a Passat with high mileage and not-so-great brakes.” But we survived. Thanks to Bernie for driving. 

Jim DuFour's B&M Cheshire Branch

The Friday marathon continued as we bypassed the hotel and headed directly to Jim DuFour’s to visit his HO scale Boston & Maine Cheshire branch. When we arrived the sign on the door said “Come in” so we did. As I turned the corner I overheard Jim and Don Janes talking about me behind my back (happily it was all good!). I think I gave Jim a heart attack when he turned around and saw me standing in his kitchen. We headed to the basement where I got to run some trains (his steam locomotives are some of the best running, and sounding, I’ve heard). 

Also had a chance to visit with George Corey (above), whose prototype photos have provided Jim, myself, and countless others with lots of inspiration. George is not only a fantastic photographer he has a real Yankee sense of humor (translation, he’s a wise-Alek – though he uses a different term!). 

Stop #2: Old Saybrook, Conn., on Chris Adam's HO Scale New Haven Valley Branch

After we left Jim’s we headed for the coast and Chris Adam’s New Haven Valley Line in Old Saybrook. After Bernie managed to almost get us trapped by a 53-foot tractor trailer behind a mini-mart (he was hungry and wanted to stop for chips....) we arrived in Old Saybrook. 
Despite the chips, Bernie and Stic complained about being hungry, so we went to a sandwich shop in Old Saybrook and Bernie ate a five-pound Cuban sandwich (constantly commenting about how big it was as he continued devouring the thing). 
We then headed over to Chris’, but not before we met his  next door neighbor (Stic went to the wrong house…). When we got to the correct door Chris immediately reminded us that pizza was on the way. For the record, Chris had told us about the pizza, and though Bernie and Stic got the same email it was somehow my fault they chose to eat sandwiches instead of waiting 30 minutes to have some pizza. 
We had a great time meeting Chris’ operating crew, and enjoyed running his layout. He’s just getting started on scenery, but the scenes that are finished (including Old Saybook proper, above) are excellent. I look forward to returning – if Chris will let us back in. Apparently, there’s still leftover pizza. I blame Bernie. 
We left Old Saybrook and headed to Springfield and arrived at the hotel just in the nick of time to avoid turning into pumpkins at midnight. We then retired for the evening. 
Saturday was taken up at the train show. I bought some things – luckily most of what I bought was pre-order (including a Bethlehem Car Works upcoming model of the CN Café Car – the one car needed to fill out the Ambassador consist!) so I didn’t have to figure out how to take a bunch of stuff back on the airplane! Saturday night dinner was in an old parlor car alongside the Palmer, Mass., former CV and Boston & Albany station. 

Stop #3: Jason Fontaine's Southern New England Railroad

Sunday morning we headed to Charlton to visit the next two layouts. Although they represent two different approaches to the hobby, they are both outstanding. 

Now there's something you don't see everyday on a model railroad! 

Our first stop was to see Jason Fontaine’s Southern New England. Like my prototype freelance roadname, Jason’s railroad is based on the famed “Titanic Railroad” of New England rail lore. Jason’s layout is populated with wonderful craftsman kits, has some excellent photo backdrops, and two things I’ve never seen on a layout – a lift up lake (for access) and a stock car track. 

Bernie is wondering where the lake went. 

Presently he’s working on installing touch toggle switch motor controls (we got a rundown on how they work and how easy they are to install) and finishing up a staging yard (he expanded the railroad a few years ago) in order to start hosting operating sessions. 
We left Jason's a little later than we planned, meaning we had to postpone lunch and headed for Neil Schofield’s layout. Neil's layout accurately represents railroading in and around Richford and Newport Vermont circa 1980.

Stop #4: Stic made a new friend (for the record, so did I!). Left to right: Finn and Stic. 

Neil has truly and accurately captured the structures, scenery, and rolling stock. Although the layout is only about 1/3rd done compared with the final grand scheme, what is there is outstanding. 

After leaving Neil’s we stopped for a late lunch. I forgot what Bernie ordered, but he ate all of it, once again complaining about how it was too much food. For the record, Stic and I ate everything as well, we just didn't discuss it. 

Stop #5: Dick Ewell's Hoosac Valley

Monday morning we checked out of the hotel, and since our flight wasn’t until 1930 and it was a beautiful (cold, but sunny) day we headed west to visit Dick Elwell’s Hoosac Valley. I’ve always been a fan of Dick’s layout and it never fails to disappoint. I think we each took 100 photos...Dick is simply one of the nicest people I’ve ever met – in the hobby or otherwise – and we really appreciated him hosting us on relatively short notice.  I even ended up leaving Dick’s with something truly special – a beautifully painted and great-running Central Vermont 2-8-0. Gosh, I hope he doesn't look for it any time soon. 
We stopped at a UPS Store so I could ship my newest acquisition to myself. The guys working there recommended a place called Local Burger – best burgers and fries in town. They were right – the burgers were excellent (Bernie complained about big his meal was, and proceeded to eat all of it in record time…okay, he left 3 or 4 fries in the basket). We did consider splitting the “Captain Crunch Hot Dog” just to say we tried it but we weren’t that daring. 

We drew the line at the Captain Crunch deep-fried hotdog....

The flight home was uneventful (pilot showed up this time…) and I arrived home before 2200 last night tired, but having spent a wonderful weekend with some great friends.
Thanks to all of our wonderful hosts - Jim, Chris, Jason, Neil and Dick. Y'all are welcome to visit us any time!