Around The Layout - A Model Railroad Podcast

If you're looking for proof that it's never too late to get started in model railroading, look no further than Marty Jenkins. Contrary to the stories we typically hear, Marty got his start in the hobby in his 40's and has seemingly made up for lost time, diving head first down the rabbit holes of the ever expanding technology. Marty shares with us how model railroading has led him to several trips to the United States and talks about his involvement in development of NMRAx. Check out Marty's Train Shed on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@martyn1107 Support the podcast and get yourself signed up for free giveaways by becoming a member of the ATLP Operating Crew! patreon.com/AroundTheLayoutPodcast Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

ATLP Rewind - Originally Released July 4, 2023 On this episode of Around The Layout, we head to Central New York State to chat with Drew James. Drew is the owner of the Canada, Spokane and Pacific HO scale model railroad; an outstanding railroad for its amazing scenery and outstanding operations. Drew tells us the events leading up to this current layout and how the NMRA Central New York division is chock full of talented members willing to help each other create awesome layouts. Check out this CNY Division produced video of Drew's incredible layout: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QOvXbgCH_Q Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

They say "It's all in the details" and that's what Kevin Norman from Notch 8 Customs is all about. Kevin stops by to tell us how he developed an interest in DCC installs and customizing locomotives and rolling stock into a growing part-time side hustle. Additionally, he shares his dream for a layout that captures the rich history of railroading in the Chicagoland area in the 1960's. Check out Kevin's work and schedule your next project with Notch 8 Customs on their website: https://www.facebook.com/notch8customs Thank you to our show sponsor, Weather My Trains: https://weathermytrains.com/ Support the podcast and get yourself signed up for free giveaways by becoming a member of the ATLP Operating Crew! patreon.com/AroundTheLayoutPodcast Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

ATLP Rewind - Originally Released December 5, 2023 What does it take to start a model railroad company and lead it to the position of the "Cadillac" of the industry? On this episode, we get to hear from ScaleTrains president Shane Wilson as he tells us about his model railroading journey that led to entrepreneurship at a young age and set the trajectory to a career in the hobby business. Learn the reasons why Shane and his team took the risk to create a new, innovative approach, taking lessons from his past and combining it with their passion for creating an exceptional customer experience. Shane then previews some up and coming projects at ScaleTrains and explains their recent acquisition of Virtual Railfan. Check out all of the great product offerings from ScaleTrains: https://www.scaletrains.com/ Watch the ScaleTrains, Big Dreams documentary on YouTube: https://youtu.be/41Ge5rr7p4M?si=t9F8I98Sf0Xouvgd Support the podcast and get yourself signed up for free giveaways by becoming a member of the ATLP Operating Crew! patreon.com/AroundTheLayoutPodcast Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

Stephen Priest is our guest on this month's What's Happening In Model Railroading and we get to hear about Class One Model Works and the process behind creating the highly detailed and prototype accurate models they produce. Stephen gives us some insight into the selection process for these projects and hints at some upcoming announcements. Later, Tony and Ray talk about news from Rapido, Walthers, Smokebox Graphics and more. Check out all the offerings from Class One Model Works on their website: https://classonemodelworks.com/ Be sure to check out Ray's interview on TSG Multimedia's Live Talking Trains: https://www.youtube.com/live/NXezMjU0p18?si=0cUDFy4oPEzFgxIG If you're in the Northeast US, catch the ScaleTrains Road Trip event near you! https://www.scaletrains.com/roadtrip Ask Tony your question for next month's What's Happening In Model Railroading Show: https://www.aroundthelayout.com/asktony Take a trip through model railroad history on Tony's Model Train Resource: https://modeltrainresource.com/ Subscribe to Model Railroad News and keep up with all that's happening in model railroading: https://modelrailroadnews.com/ Support the podcast and get yourself signed up for free giveaways by becoming a member of the ATLP Operating Crew! patreon.com/AroundTheLayoutPodcast Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

ATLP Rewind - Originally Released October 11, 2022 There are some folks who aren’t afraid to take on a challenge, and Scott Thornton is one of them. Join us as Scott tells how he’s not only building his first layout, but also writing about it in an ongoing series in the hobby’s leading publication, Railroad Model Craftsman. Scott also shares his passion for enhancing operations with takeaways from the fantasy board gamer world and how he’s developing a theatre aspect to his layout. From his involvement with Iowa Scaled Engineering and his own Scotty’s Model Shop, this is one interesting guy with a lot to share. Check out more on the Milan Branch here: http://milanbranch.com/ Take your operations to the next level with a ProtoThrottle and check out the other creations from Iowa Scaled Engineering. https://www.iascaled.com/store/ Subscribe to Railroad Model Craftsman to catch Scott’s ongoing "Branch Line on a Shelf” series. https://rrmodelcraftsman.com/ Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

We're off to Scotland to get to know Alan Aitken, the owner of the Buffalo & Pittsburgh Scottish Division Model Railroad and the creater of the YouTube channel of the same name with an amazing amount of subscribers. We learn how Alan gets his start in the hobby and why he left the British prototype for an American railroad with a quick detour though the Alps. Alan also shares his experiences with modular clubs and gives advice on how to better engage with show attendees. Check out the Buffalo & Pittsburgh Model Railroad on YouTube: youtube.com/@BPSDMRR Follow the Buffalo & Pittsburgh Model Railroad on Facebook: facebook.com/BuffaloPittsburghMRR Thank you to our show sponsor, Weather My Trains: https://weathermytrains.com/ Support the podcast and get yourself signed up for free giveaways by becoming a member of the ATLP Operating Crew! patreon.com/AroundTheLayoutPodcast Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

ALTP Rewind - Originally Released December 20, 2022 On this episode, we head down to Decatur, Texas and head above the garage to check out Dean Ferris’ Oregon Joint Line in N scale. Dean tells us how railfanning as a youth and as a college student played a major role in his decision to model the Pacific Northwest. He also discusses how his current layout has changed and the lessons he’s learned along the way. Additionally, Dean shares how he’s met Chris Atkins, Greg McComas, Chris Palmieri and many others that have become regulars at his operating sessions. Subscribe to the Oregon Joint Line Model Railroad YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@oregonjointlinemodelrailro4125 Visit the Oregon Joint Line group on Facebook. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1361988240533232 Check out Dean’s article in the October 2021 Railroad Model Craftsman https://shop.whiteriverproductions.com/products/rmc-202110 Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

On this episode of Around The Layout, we meet Bruce Ryan, who grew up in New York City and now finds himself in the Finger Lakes region of New York recreating railroading in the West Side of Manhattan where he grew up in the 1960's. Bruce shares how early influences led him to model Albany before a trip to Baltimore resparked an interest in the marine and railroad history of the Big Apple. Check out more on Bruce Ryan's Manhattan Terminal Railroad on his YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@manhattanterminalrailroadh9776 Thank you to our show sponsor, Weather My Trains: https://weathermytrains.com/ Support the podcast and get yourself signed up for free giveaways by becoming a member of the ATLP Operating Crew! patreon.com/AroundTheLayoutPodcast Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

ATLP Rewind - Originally Released April 1, 2023 Welcome to another dimmension, where Joe Mammay is the host of Around The Layout and is interviewing Ray Arnott. Come along as we hear about Ray's start in model railroading, from a TYCO set to an attempt at N scale. Ray tells us how the prototype led him back to the hobby, and how joining a club introduced him to his mentor who helped open his eyes to the concept of operations. Thank you to Joe Mammay who did an outstanding job hosting this April Fools edition of Around The Layout. We hope you enjoy! Check out Ray's P&W & NECR Interchange Model Railroad on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PWNECRMR Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

On this episode of Around The Layout, we head down under and to the other side of the International Date Line to talk to Darren Lee in Queensland, Australia. Darren tells us about his start in the hobby and how he went from modeling North American railroads to one a lot closer to home thanks to some incredible access to the prototype. Additionally, Darren tells us about the Wattle Flat proto-freelance railroad he's created and how he's using his layout to introduce his model railroad "mates" to the wonderful world of operations. See more on the Wattle Flat on Darren's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@darrenlee737 Check out Darren's Blog on the Wattle Flat: https://nimmitabelextension.blogspot.com/ Thank you to our show sponsor, Highball Graphics: https://highballgraphics.com/ Support the podcast and get yourself signed up for free giveaways by becoming a member of the ATLP Operating Crew! patreon.com/AroundTheLayoutPodcast Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

ATLP Rewind - Originally Released November 22, 2022 What do you get when you combine an art teacher with a love of model railroading? You get Tom Johnson and a spectacular layout filled with super detailed scenes that tell the story of the late 70's in northern Indiana. Listen as Tom tells about growing up around the prototype and how it has influenced him to create a freelance story of his own on a layout perfectly sized for simple, yet realistic operations. Tom also shares the backstory of his recent article in the October 2022 Railroad Model Craftsman and how taking the photographs was a family affair. Read more about Tom Johnson's Cass County HO Scale Layout in Railroad Model Craftsman: https://rrmodelcraftsman.com/ Join the Facebook HO Scale Shelf Modelers Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/484711889437745 Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

It's been way too long since we've heard Christopher Palmieri on Around The Layout, and with all the projects he's been working on at Home Shops, it was high time we got him on What's Happening In Model Railroading to get us up to speed. Tony Cook and Ray Arnott learn about his project selection process, what goes into creating a great freelance model railroad logo, and how Home Shops is expanding beyond freight cars with a locomotive project honoring a legendary freelance railroad that's inspired so many. Later, Tony brings us the latest news from Rapido, Jacksonville Terminal Company, Walthers, South Platte Press, Funaro & Camerlengo and Broadway Limted, and Ray finally brings something to the table with news from AA Hobbies in Warwick, Rhode Island. Check out all the great offerings from Home Shops: https://homeshops.net/ Ask Tony your question for next month's What's Happening In Model Railroading Show: https://www.aroundthelayout.com/asktony Subscribe to Model Railroad News and keep up with all that's happening in model railroading: https://modelrailroadnews.com/ Take a trip through model railroad history on Tony's Model Train Resource: https://modeltrainresource.com/ Support the podcast and get yourself signed up for free giveaways by becoming a member of the ATLP Operating Crew! patreon.com/AroundTheLayoutPodcast Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

ATLP Rewind - Originally Released September 27, 2022 In this episode of Around The Layout, we go deep into the vivid imagination of Chris Palmieri and learn about the alternate railroading reality he has created in the freelance world of "The Meridian Speedway." Chris talks about the how he, from an early age, has been developing his own model railroad story based on his deep and growing knowledge of prototype operations. You'll learn how this has led to the creation of Home Shops, LLC and how his new venture helps spread not only his story but those of fellow freelance modelers across the planet. Check out The Meridian Speedway website: https://www.meridianspeedway.net/ Shop Home Shops LLC for freelance model railroad cars: https://homeshops.net/ Support the podcast and get yourself signed up for free giveaways by becoming a member of the ATLP Operating Crew! patreon.com/AroundTheLayoutPodcast Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

Keeping a long family tradition of railroading, Allen Whitaker comes by to tell us about how, from a young age, he was exposed to the prototype, particularly the Southern Railway which inspired his freelance Tennessee Southern Railway. Allen shares how his career as a railroader has affected operations on his layout, and how knowing too much can be a challenge as a model railroader. Later, Allen shares his experience with having the Tennessee Southern included in a Home Shops run that features some of his model railroading idols. Check out more on the Tennessee Southern Railway on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/149336988442313 Support the podcast and get yourself signed up for free giveaways by becoming a member of the ATLP Operating Crew! aroundthelayout.com/atlpoc Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

ATLP Rewind - Originally Released January 3, 2023 We’re off to the Sunshine State for a visit to Sebastian, the town that might become the capital of model railroading in Florida, and meet up with John Farrington. We learn how his grandfather helped light his youthful passion for model trains and how he rediscovered the hobby through content on YouTube. John talks about creating his own YouTube channel and by doing so, is paying forward the knowledge he’s obtained. Additionally, we learn how John met fellow resident Don Irace and the role he’s played in designing and building John’s Somerset Industrial layout. And be sure to listen carefully for a special guest appearance from Merlin The Cat. See more on John’s layout and get great modeling tips on his YouTube channel. https://www.youtube.com/@RailserveJohn Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

Around The Layout is where model railroaders and, in this case, podcasters come to tell their story. A pioneer of model railroad podcasts, Tom Barbalet, comes by to tell us about how Model Rail Radio was started. Tom talks about how the live radio call-in format for his long-running podcast was developed and how he has built an amazing community of friends from around the world. Check out Model Rail Radio: https://www.modelrailradio.com/ Join the Model Rail Radio Facebook group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/367613092344 Support the podcast and get yourself signed up for free giveaways by becoming a member of the ATLP Operating Crew! patreon.com/AroundTheLayoutPodcast Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

ATLP Rewind - Originally Released January 17, 2023 We give Streamyard the night off as Mark Herrick does an in-person visit to the Around The Layout studio and tells us about his model railroading journey that has led to the BNSF Montana Division. Listen as Mark tells us about how trips to Montana in his teenage years formed his love of the Burlington Northern and how a trip to “The Mall” sparked his interest in model railroading. Mark also shares how membership in the NMRA led him to a network of great model railroaders and even greater friends. Check out the BNSF Montana Division Facebook page. https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100080157977768 Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

In our past interviews, we've found that freelance model railroaders have amazing stories to tell and Tim Garland is no exception. On this episode, Tim tells us how he got started in the hobby and how at 14 years old, his mind was made up about becoming a railroader. Tim shares how the story of the Seaboard Central was developed, how it's a form of protest against changes he's observed in the railroad industry, and how the second version of the layout is being built differently from the first and in a way that keeps the flywheel turning without being overwhelming. Check out more on the Seaboard Central on Tim's YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@SeaboardCentral Follow updates on the Seaboard Central on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SCModelRailroad/ We mention our love for Home Shops, LLC. Check them out here: https://homeshops.net/ Support the podcast and get yourself signed up for free giveaways by becoming a member of the ATLP Operating Crew! patreon.com/AroundTheLayoutPodcast Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

After getting to meet the NMRA Social Media guru Lucy Dormont in person at the Amherst Railway Society's Railroad Hobby Show, I wanted to hear about her first trip to Springfield and her event filled weekend. Lucy shares the details on the events she participated in, including the NMRA Board of Directors meeting and the Women In Model Railroading meet and greet and operating session. I also find out what purchases made Lucy's suitcase and give her some (probably bad) advice on how to get more stuff home with her next year. Check out all of the exciting changes with the NMRA, starting with their website: https://www.nmra.org/ Support the podcast and get yourself signed up for free giveaways by becoming a member of the ATLP Operating Crew! patreon.com/AroundTheLayoutPodcast Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com Thank you to our show sponsor, Weather My Trains: https://weathermytrains.com/