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| 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!
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| 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 ... !!!
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| 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!!
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| Congratulations Matt and Amanda!! |
