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Dutchman
Administrator
Premium Member
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 Posted - 04/20/2012 : 5:21:24 PM
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Bernie & John,
Welcome to the forum, and thanks for taking the time to introduce yourselves to the rest of the crew.
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Country: USA
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High Desert Flyer
New Hire
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Posted - 04/22/2012 : 10:41:40 AM
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Hello All,
It's good that there are suggestions of what topics deserve my/your attention in this matter of introductions. It doesn't seem like it could be much easier than following the instructions. So here we go.
1) Where do you live?
First, I'm Mark Johnson, a very, very new member of Proto-Layouts. My wife, Laura, and I live in a home/cabin well up in the Sierras of northern California. We're both active in building our layout although this is her first try at planning and building a design, while this layout is my fourth.
2) How long have you been a model railroader, and how did you get started in the hobby?
My folks bought a Lionel set, powered by a Berkshire 726, for my brother and me for Christmas in 1952. At that time we lived in San Diego, one empty field away from the San Diego & Arizona Eastern Railway's branch line (the Orange Line) to El Cajon. Between Lionel and the real thing I never lost interest in railroads of some kind, an interest that has never waned.
3) Do you model a prototype railroad or freelance your layout?
We are proto-lancing the SP narrow gauge line, generally focusing on the part of the line south of Hawthorne, Nevada, down to its connection with the Jawbone branch in Owens Valley.
4) Do you model a certain era and/or geographic region?
Our focus is on the steam/diesel transition era. The setting will encompass western Nevada, Tonopah Junction, Montgomery Pass, and Owens Valley, as well as some gentler, less deserty, landscapes.
5) How large is your layout and what scale do you model?
We're building an HO 12'x35' around-the-walls design, called the Sandia Springs and Mirage. It includes a short branch known as the Laura Lines, an extended wine distributor. ;-) The benchwork should be finished in May or June with a 'Golden Spike' ceremony marking the completion of the first around-the-walls line in July. The remaining track installation is expected to require a schedule lasting well into 2013 or longer. While we're beginning with a single around-the-walls loop, we may later add a second, upper, level if everything works okay.
6) What's your favorite part of the hobby? And what do you enjoy least?
We're most interested in realistic operation of the layout, finding others who share an interest in model railroading (there are surprisingly many), and construction of quality structures and scenery. The least enjoyable part of the railroad has been learning the electronics of DCC, but what can you do?
7) How do you control your trains (DC, DCC, or something else)?
We're installing our first DCC system, an NCE Power Cab. We expect to upgrade it to include an SB3a Smart Booster that should make it easier to handle the extended runs of our layout design.
8) Tell us anything else about yourself you'd like us to know.
Laura and I are enjoying almost twenty-five years of marriage, and she also enjoys trains, especially designing and building scenery. What are the odds you would find someone with such similar interests?
9) Post your picture - if you dare.
I dare, I dare, and would like some help making this shot, or my SP logo, into an avatar.
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| Mark Johnson |
Edited by - High Desert Flyer on 04/23/2012 1:50:18 PM |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 8 |
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Rick
Administrator
Premium Member
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Posted - 04/22/2012 : 11:12:53 AM
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Welcome to all of our recent new members,
Mark, your avatar is all set up for you.
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Country: USA
| Posts: 22749 |
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High Desert Flyer
New Hire
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Posted - 04/22/2012 : 12:09:14 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by Rick
Welcome to all of our recent new members,
Mark, your avatar is all set up for you.
Thank you, Rick. That photo is even less pleasant than I remembered, but the other half of my team says she likes it. A lot.
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| Mark Johnson |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 8 |
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Southwest Chief
New Hire
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Posted - 04/26/2012 : 4:08:28 PM
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Hi all,
Just joined. My name is Matt. I've been active on a few other model railroad sites.
I live most of the time in Anaheim CA. But during the summer I'm usually out in Bayfield, CO.
I model in G, O, and HO scales. In addition to model railroading, I like to collect Santa Fe railroad memorabilia.
The G scale layout (Snowshoe & San Juan) is based on the D&RGW narrow gauge during the late 1940s to early 1950s.
The O scale layout is a generic Santa Fe layout set sometime in the 1950s.
The HO scale layout is a Santa Fe layout set in Southern California during the late 1950s. It goes from orange groves to the Mojave desert.
If you'd like to see some photos of our model railroads, here is a link:
Photos of our layouts
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Matt
Click Here for photos of our train layouts |
Edited by - Southwest Chief on 04/26/2012 6:03:03 PM |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 6 |
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dean_1230
New Hire
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Posted - 04/27/2012 : 07:50:40 AM
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Good morning.
Dean P. here, from the northeast side of Cleveland, but grew up in Florida. I've been involved (off-n-on) for about a decade. I am definitely freelance, but focuses on the southeast railroads.
Currently I have the "dreaded" 4x8, HO scale layout. I'm currently using DC but am about to convince myself to switch to DCC (can't decide between the Zephyr and it's built in IR capability) or NCE PowerCab (and it's ease of use).
While I enjoy "running" trains, I get as much out of building the models - both on and off the rails.
Other hobbies include amateur astronomy (when it's not cloudy) and hex-n-counter wargaming. I've been married for 16 years and have two kids: our son about to start high school and our daughter now finishing up 4th grade.
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Country: USA
| Posts: 1 |
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DELCRR
New Hire
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Posted - 04/27/2012 : 09:10:11 AM
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Hello my name is Matthew Curll and im from Eastern Pennsylvania. I came over to here because of the atlas forum's closing down. I model a freelanced HO Delmarva Central that operates all of the NS secondary, Bay Coast, and Delaware Coastal railways. My railroad also has trackage rights up the Port Road and down to Baltimore. I also model the 1950s PRR & Reading. I am a member of the GATSME model railroad club. And have Modules of a fictional steel mill in Salisbury, Maryland. Besides model railroading and rail fanning, I am a Volunteer Firefighter.
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espeenut51
New Hire
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Posted - 04/27/2012 : 5:52:58 PM
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...hello everyone, I'm actually not a 'new' member, as I've been lurking on many of these forums for years. I've been a regular on the Atlas forum for the last 14 years and now it's closing, I've also been a regular participant over at Train Orders but with my daily fix at Atlas disappearing I need to find another source of information...
...my model railroad habit goes back to when I was eight years old, although I received my first model train when I was not yet three. I grew up Portland Oregon, and also lived on the Oregon coast for awhile. My main interests are all thing to do with the SP and I also dabble with any railroad that came into Portland. Hope to hear from all of you a lot more now...
cheers,
Lorne Miller
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| ...the Espee will live forever...!! |
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Country: Canada
| Posts: 2 |
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BNCR78
New Hire
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Posted - 04/27/2012 : 6:03:21 PM
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Hi everyone! I'm another Atlas refugee. I've been in HO model railroading since 1977, with particular interest in the BN/BNSF. I'm also an avid scratchbuilder and kitbasher of modern rolling stock. Looking forward to participating here.
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| Jim |
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Country:
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areibel
New Hire
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Posted - 04/27/2012 : 6:50:27 PM
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Hello!
I'm Al Reibel, I live in Cambridge Springs PA and I've been a model rairoader for about 40 of my 50 years. I did take a couple extended vacations but it was alway HO until about 10 years ago. Then I went crazy and got into TT Scale! I don't have a proper layout (yet), but I have a 4x6 test loop and our club is building a 12 by 4 TT display layout (yeah, I'm not the only crazy one!) along with HO and N scale layouts.
I am hoping to be pretty true to my favorite road, the Erie Lackawanna in the early 70's in NW PA. It's a little hard right now in TT but it's getting a little easier as we're slowly starting to grow. Thanks to today's technology we're getting more modern equipment and we're getting closer to RTR. It's still a builders scale, but I really enjoy it.
I'm a little different, I'm not an Atlas refugee! I've visited it a couple times but for the most part I watch our forum (www.ttnut.com) along with a couple of Yahoo groups, Diesel Detailer and the D list.
Al
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Country: USA
| Posts: 6 |
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DHTRR
New Hire
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Posted - 04/27/2012 : 7:00:53 PM
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I am glad that this form is here so we can keep looking and posting at all the great modeling out there. I been modeling since 1978 and hope to do so for many years to come. If you have gone to the Amherst train show then you have seen me at the Dry Hill Model Railroad Club.Thanks again Railroad-Line Forums for being here.
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http://www.amherstrail.org/DHMRRC/index.html
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Country: USA
| Posts: 5 |
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rsn48
Section Hand
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Posted - 04/27/2012 : 8:38:48 PM
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I'm a new immigrant from the soon to be defunct Atlas forum. I was one of the original forum members many years back so to be honest there will be some sadness to see it close. I live in North Vancouver and have a house also in Qualicum Beach. I model in N scale contemporary CP and CN, with interchanging with Soo and BNSF (out of Emerson).
I'm building a double decker in a smaller room. I did moderate a number of years ago at Trainboard in the Layout design forum there, which I helped establish. I was also the one who started (invented) the layout parties at Trainboard that were thrown for the first 4 or 5 years. Due to medical problems and severe hobby burnout I wasn't active for roughly 5 years after that.
A friend recently bugged me to work on my layout last fall and came over to help; it was like a light switch went off in my head and my interest in the hobby returned - I'm very happy to report.
I also take RRing photos and other genre's as I'm a big photo buff back from 1973 with a Konica T3 purchased at the camera store on Government street in Victoria, while I was a Naval Officer out of Esquimalt. I'm currently active, but winding down a long career in the Cadet Instructor's Cadre (Army) as I will age out next February.
I already will be familiar with some of the members who are active on more than one board.
I also enjoy writing which I will be doing more of around model railroading shortly, and perhaps putting out some short stories around model railroading soon.
Boooooaaaaaaaaaaard!
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| Model railroading is fun, sometimes. |
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Country: Canada
| Posts: 83 |
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dmitzel
New Hire
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Posted - 04/27/2012 : 8:49:32 PM
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I sort of identified myself in the "Welcome New Thursday members" thread, so rather than repeat everything lets just give the bullets:
* HO scale, standard gauge, UP, former CNW in the Midwest - somewhere north and west of Chicago, yet still in Metra territory
* 13'x17' basement layout space, starting with a narrow shelf along one 20' wall - may extend to an L-shape clockwise 13' to the right
* Analog DC control, TWC with yard limits, some control points as CTC-islands/interlockings
* focus on yard switching and local industrial jobs - passenger runs simple push-pull inbound from the big metropolis, and outbound back
* NMRA member since '90, trains in the blood since age 2, four decades later still train-crazy ;)
More about me on my blog.
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D.M. Mitzel
Div. 8-NCR-NMRA
Oxford, Mich.
Visit my blog at http://danmitzel.blogspot.com/
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Country: USA
| Posts: 12 |
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nberpa
Engine Wiper
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Posted - 04/27/2012 : 9:22:26 PM
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Another Atlas "refugee".
1) Where do you live?
Pennsylvania
2) How long have you been a model railroader, and how did you get started in the hobby?
A few years. I haven't gotten serious with the hobby until just recently. The Atlas forum kind of got me started after seeing pics of the nice layouts.
3) Do you model a prototype railroad or freelance your layout?
Prototype as in my signature.
4) Do you model a certain era and/or geographic region?
Modern in Central Penna.
5) How large is your layout and what scale do you model?
12 ft. x 12ft. U shaped. HO scale.
6) What's your favorite part of the hobby? And what do you enjoy least?
I'm not sure yet!?
7) How do you control your trains (DC, DCC, or something else)?
DCC w/NCE powercab.
9) Post your picture - if you dare.
I figured this one would depict me best:
 
Looking forward to posting ,
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Cody
Modelling the modern day Central Pennsylvania "shortline" Nittany and Bald Eagle Railroad
from Bellefonte, PA to Pleasant Gap, PA. |
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Country: USA
| Posts: 176 |
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AustralianTerrier
New Hire
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Posted - 04/28/2012 : 08:58:26 AM
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I like three things very much in life. My dogs, 1960's full-size Chevy's and trains.
My interest in modeling lies in Chicago, Wisconsin and Minnesota, I lived in the Chicago area for nearly 40 years before coming the land of cheese and milk. I like to say that Wisconsin has more cows than people.
My railroads of choice are:
The "Hill Lines" CB&Q-GN-NP-SP&S and of course BN
CNW
Milwaukee Road
My era is the early 70's. I totally love the Bicentennial. The special paint schemes the railroads used were fantastic.
I have a strong interest in in Chicago commuter operations. You can't ignore the beauty of railroading along the upper Mississippi and I've done exhaustive research into the former Great Northern Mainline from the Twin Cities to Willmar, Minnesota.
I like the 70's because a lot of the 50's and 60's still remained like depots, telegraph poles and certain diesels.
Dogs,
May I introduce.......
It is from left to right - Helen, Trudy, Mary and Tommy. They are Australian Terriers
This next photo is Helen's first liter of puppies
I can also say I am one LOUSY photographer....
The evidence of my lack of skills....
This was taken in Willmar, Minnesota during October 1998.
Some of my God-awful model photography
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Jim
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