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The N Scale
White River and Northern

Model Railroad
 

Frequently Asked Questions

How did you get started in model railroading?
You can read all about how I got started in the "world's greatest hobby" beginning here.

How long have you been modeling?
I've been in this great hobby since 1965. Although I've worked in O, HO, N and Z, my preference is N, and I've been modeling in that scale for nearly as long as it's been commercially available in the United States.

Are you a Master Modeler?
Funny, I'm not even a member of the NMRA. I used to be a member in the 70s, back when a lifetime membership cost only $100! (Now it's almost that much for just two years, and they don't even offer a lifetime membership option any more.) It seemed as though the NMRA was more about politics than modeling, so I let my membership lapse after a few years.

Many modelers have suggested that I get certified as a "Master Modeler," but honestly I'm not inclined; the process is so horrendously complex and steeped in bureaucracy that it just doesn't seem to be worth the effort. For what it's worth, I have:

  • scratchbuilt and super-detailed locomotives and rolling stock;
  • scratchbuilt and super-detailed bridges and structures;
  • designed many track plans and handlaid track and turnouts;
  • designed and built my own throttles and many other complex analog and digital electronic control devices;
  • designed and built numerous mechanisms and micro-mechanisms for animated scenes and special effects;
  • employed a substantial variety of scenery-building methods, including hot-wire-carved foam and rubber-mold rockwork;
  • painted backdrops and built sophisticated layout lighting systems;
  • developed completely novel benchwork and tracklaying approaches;
  • photographed models using a wide array of equipment and techniques, from hand-made pinholes and film that I processed and printed to digital SLR work including advanced image manipulation and effects;
  • NTrak 5th Anniversary convention carpublished articles on a broad range of topics and produced multiple modeling-related websites;
  • created the artwork for the NTRAK 5th Anniversary convention car.

But one thing that I have not done—and never will do—is operation. I have zero interest in running a railroad; it's far too much like work. I've heard stories about model railroad operating sessions that would frequently break down into all-out screaming matches—who's idea of "fun" is this? I have coined a phrase that exactly describes me: I'm a model railfan (a.k.a. a "roundy-rounder"). I am perfectly content to simply observe model trains in action.

Also, I am quite shy and not very social, so I don't attend conventions, and I would not choose to participate in the organization or operation of a club or division—I have a particularly strong aversion to politics. I've presented exactly one clinic, on tracklaying, and that was a harrowing experience I do not wish to repeat. So, essentially I do not have all that it takes to be a true Master Modeler, and frankly, the status symbol of a title does nothing for me. My specific accomplishments are really only meaningful to me.

What articles have you published?
I've published the following articles in Model Railroader magazine:

I would have published a great deal more, but getting things into print can be very frustrating. You'll notice a long "dry spell" between 1975 and 1992: This was due in part to a disagreement over a three-part article I had prepared on a hot topic—building hidden staging yards—that left me decidedly discouraged about the editorial management of the magazine. They insisted I cut it down to one part, which would have reduced it from a good, meaty how-to article to a worthless, gee-whiz fluff piece. Then, the magazine turned around and published a seven-part article on how to build a synthesizer that mimicked the sound of one specific diesel locomotive. Excuse me? When hidden staging yards are all the rage and featured in three out of four track plans, how could anyone possibly think that modelers would be more interested in building an expensive, limited-application diesel sound generator? Or am I on the wrong planet?

Eventually I got over it and started submitting articles again, only to have some of them mangled almost beyond recognition by ham-handed editors. They've done everything from introducing gross grammatical errors (which made me look like I can't write—I'm embarrassed to have my name as the author on some of them) to omitting crucial information. I can understand the need for editors—I used to work at a magazine—but to make things worse instead of better is simply beyond comprehension. And with the one exception of the Great Model Railroads article, they changed every single title. Why do editors always have to change things?

But now, with the advent of internet publishing, my words can at last be read exactly as I wrote them, and now I am publishing many articles and editorials online. Granted, I don't make any money publishing online, but for me, the point of writing isn't to make money, it's to share information.

If I sound like a grumpy old curmudgeon, it's probably because I'm a grumpy old curmudgeon. (insert winking thingy here)

What awards have you won?
None. This is because I have not submitted anything to any contests. Perhaps I will someday build a model board-for-board just for the heck of it, perhaps I won't; my "thing" is creating evocative scenes, not contest-grade models. If the passenger car in my photograph is eight feet too short, I'm not bothered, because I'm not a rivet-counter. That said, I would not build an "impossible bridge" (one that could never support a train if built that way in real life)—I am keenly sensitive to what is technically feasible. A passenger coach that's too short could have been modified in a shop; but a bridge with no abutments could not remain standing, and this would severely compromise the realism of a scene. We all have our idiosyncrasies, right?

You've got a great looking website—what do you use to build it?
Thanks, I appreciate the compliments! Everything on this website I hand-code myself using no special software—the programming equivalent to scratch-building structures using only hand tools. I build high-tech websites for a living, so it comes naturally. And, I take the same pride and care in building websites as I do in building models.

Given my vocation, some visitors are probably curious why the website is so simple and plain-looking. My philosophy: Content is king. Everything else is just useless window dressing. Eye candy is for kids, whereas professional, tasteful presentation of quality content will ultimately win the greatest award: readership. I learned this after running my Avengers website for over ten years.

Do you have any of that Code 25 rail left?
Sorry, no, it proved so popular that I sold thousands of feet in a matter of weeks, quite unexpectedly.

This all sounds familiar. Do you have another website?
Yes, it's the James River Branch Model Railroad, which details the construction of my Z scale shelf layout.

How can I get in touch with you?
Just click my name at the bottom of any page to email me.

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