Hi,

I just finished the tracklaying on my Clinchfield themed layout in my 8ft x 12ft garden shed, The layout doesn't faithfully follow a particular part of the Clinchfield but does it's best to show what the Clinchfield was

I have decided to get back into model railroading after many years.  To be honest though, I probably didn't really give it a just effort back then.  Like many newbies my early attempts weren't much more than a piece of plywood on which I glued an HO set purchased from a toy store. Add a few Matchbox trucks and a tunnel, then try to figure out why it didn't look like the ones in the magazines.  Well, I know better now.

To all;

As my first benchwork test section nears completion, I'm preparing  for the next stage, laying track.

I've overspent my modeling budget this month, and ordered a point form and turnout jig from Fast Tracks, as well as some bulk ME rail, ties, and connectors from another source, which should give me enough materials for 10 turnouts and just under a hundred feet of track. If you can't guess by now, I'm looking to lay my own track, but use the Fast Tracks based turnouts.

Time for another update on the Hudson and Hartford.

On January 29, 2009 I tooka part time college teaching job. I teach a beginning accounting course at a college in Staten Island, New York and I find it stimulating. Teaching this isn't new to me since I did it full time for 8 years and a college in New Jersey and another in Jamaica, New York. I've also taught as an adjunct for many years as well with last time being in the Fall of 2007.

Back in July at the National Train Show I had the privilege of interviewing some people from Dapol, a British model railroad manufacturer. That interview can be found here. 

Last Saturday I took possession of my own copy of the Dapol Track Cleaning Car, marketed in the US by Atlas Model Railroad Co.

I had an op session Saturday the 28th. Everyone seemed to have a good time and got out to their cars safely afterwards. Today I was looking out the window and saw a kitty in the backyard. Perhaps a good thing this character wasn't prowling around on Saturday! Maybe he was the new negotiator for the union and wanted to add a couple of claws to the contract?

Cheers,

Charlie

I am a new subscriber to the magazine. I have recently been "reintroduced" to HO Scale because of my 5 year old son. I have been a "armchair" modeler for the past 15 years or so. Boy, all the changes in just HO scale alone. I just love the code 83 track products available now! I am really excited about how far DCC has come. It seems as though you can spend more time above, rather than below, the benchwork. I have spent most of those years reading and dreaming about my next layout.

First let me introduce my layout.  I’ve started construction of what has become a “prototype inspired” version of the Hoboken Shore Railroad.  Byron Henderson’s Article in the inaugural issue of MRH spurred me to start sharing my experiences in building my own switching pike.  So before I get to that, a bit on how I got to where I am now:

BACKGROUND

 Here is a link to a video that Craig Martyn (owner of BLMA Models) sent to me. . . Enjoy!:

Take a look at Tim Dickinson's wonderful HO Scale Burlington Northern empire as we follow a grain train, with manned helpers, over the mountain and through numerous yards and staging tracks. 

While the video shows an overall view of the layout, it's difficult to get appreciation for the quality level of this railroad without actually seeing it in person.