Model railroading and Spring don't go together

As we approach the month of May here in Virginia, it seems winter is still holding on by a thread.  I've spent several evening baseball practices this month watching my boys, freezing from the wind.  Looks as if we will finally be past that this week as Thursday is calling for temps near 90.  The good thing is that I just cut grass for the first time last weekend!  So, that gets me to model railroading.  For most of us, it takes a back seat this time of year.  We have so many things to do around the house after winter, there is hardly any free time.  Throw in three kids 12 and under, and you time is very limited.  I have not accomplished a whole lot, but mainly have gotten started on a few things.  I finally have figured out my favorite part of the hobby, building locomotives.  It seems that I am always in the middle of one of those projects.  You will see, I am actually in the middle of several.  Plus I have a few in the my storage drawers that are about 80% done!  Plus with a train show just about every month, that gets me shopping and thinking of future loco projects. Anyways, on with my pictures:

Should have seen my work desk before I cleaned it.  Just got the big stuff off.

My RS3M "Dewitt Geep" project.  Not happy with the color or the hand railings.  I will paint this Conrail blue and patch it for VMID

This a Proto 2000 chop nose Geep I got from a good friend.  The hard work is done, just have to check the drive (Proto crack gear issues) and decide on a paint job.  

An Intermountain GP10 painted in the MidSouth scheme.  I will patch this for the VMID.  Already has Lok sound installed and in VMID colors

Bad habit: For me, piling up stuff on unfinished scenery is a norm.  As you can see, not much time in the office tends to add more piling up.  I need to get the scenery done on the lower level!

Valley Forge RPM meet recap

A recap on the Valley Forge RPM meet is finally here.  I'm on spring break this week but here it is Tuesday night and I'm been going nonstop since the weekend.  I hope to get some work done in the layout room and have gotten a few things accomplished.  Want to do this write up last week but did not have the time.  So here we are.  The Valley Forge meet is a every 2 year meet.  They do the odd years near Pittsburgh.  This one was near Philly.  Good drive up on Saturday morning and did not realize it was $16 in tolls to get up there.  I'm sorry, but a $8 toll is ridiculous!  It was somewhere up there by the Susquehanna River on I-95.  My presentation went well and was about 30-35 people in attendance.   Lots of top notch and who's who presenters like Lance Mindheim, Mike Rose and Ramon Rhodes.  Great location and hotel.  Well worth the trip.  I recommend attending a RPM meet.  It will definitely get the juices flowing.  I'm helping out with one coming up in September near Baltimore.

The Mid Atlantic RPM meet
www.marpm.org

Lance Mindheim's presentation

Mike Rose's presentation

Eric Hansmann's presentation

Ted Dilorio

Ted Dilorio's GRS and Ramon Rhodes BNSF

Kenny Corden

Even vehicles do make the display room.  Lots of them this year.

My stuff crammed into a small space.  

Even some half completed items

More great looking vehicles

Butch Eyler's amazing work!

More Butch Eyler

Interesting switcher

Scale Trains made an appearance.  My do those C39-8's look good!

NMRA Layout Tour in January

My local NMRA division is the James River Division here in Virginia.  I've been a member for a few years now.  We get together 6 times a year and have a publication sent out between meets.  My layout was opened up for the meet nearby in January.  Here is our Crossties publication featuring the Virginia Midland Railroad and a bunch of other things.  I'm also head of the modeling theme contest for each meet.

Check it out!

Crossties February2018

Presentation at the Valley Forge RPM meet next weekend

I will give a presentation on building my Virginia Midland model railroad next weekend at the Valley Forge RPM meet up near Philadelphia, PA.  It's a good time with so many talented modelers and great presenters.  My presentation is at 1PM on Saturday in the private dining room on the first floor.  The meet starts on Friday evening, all day Saturday and Sunday morning.  They're layout tours on Sunday afternoon.  I've attended the one in 2014 with Norm Wolf and it was a great time. 

Info on the meet can be found here: 2018 Valley Forge RPM Meet Info

Clinic schedule is here: 2018 Schedule

Wordless Wednesday March 7th 2018

February update video

Newest video is out!  We will take a look at the new OSB plant on the lower level at Parker and a depot in the works for the same area.  I'll also take share my train show "finds" from the recent show at Timonium.

Post Timonium Show

Had a great time at the Great Scale Model Train Show this past weekend.  We had over 5000+ people through the doors on Saturday and Sunday was slower (freezing rain/cold heavy rain) but still it was a great show.  I sold lots of stuff and the the show was a great success.  I did manage to snap a few pics on Saturday.  In all, it was a great time with friends and the others who run this show.  Glad to be a part of it!

Next show is April 14th and 15th
Great Scale Model Train Show

Here's Mike and Paul of Makin Tracks.  Mike is the owner of the show.  Jerry on the left is a long time staff member.

Kevin (in the brown jacket) selling some of his items.