It’s one of those great opportunities where we have the privilege of meeting a valued friend of a podcast regular. Believe it or not, our very own Chris Wehman, (videographer extraordinaire) does indeed have many friends and in this case, we get to meet one of his valuable operators and someone that’s become a big help operating the Norfolk Southern Heartland Division in N-Scale. 

Nick Kolankiewicz as it turns out met Chris just a few short years ago and has become a treasured member of the crew as well as helping Chris with various duties such as installing decoders and making the sound of each locomotive as accurate as possible, which is not necessarily that easy when it comes to N-Scale. This is a great podcast and a great opportunity to meet one of the younger members of this great hobby.

Blair Kooistra is a well-known railfan and railroad photographer whose work and life revolve around trains and railroading — not just as a hobby but also professionally and creatively and documenting rail operations through images. He’s shared thousands of train photos online, especially on Flickr where his photostream includes rail action from classic lines like the Fort Worth & Western.

Recently after retiring from the railroad, he set-off on a thirty-seven-day road trip to photograph railroading and visit with friends and several model railroads. Originally a photojournalist, Blair turned his lens toward trains early in life and has published many of his railroad photos in magazines. He later became a railroad dispatcher based in Texas, which kept him close to the day-to-day workings of real railroads. This a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

Central Georgia RPM is an annual gathering where model railroad enthusiasts of all ability levels (from beginners to seasoned builders) come together to display their scale models, share skills, and learn from one another. For those who don’t know. RPM stands for Railroad Prototype Modelers and is organized as a friendly, community-focused event where modelers exhibit their work, talk techniques, and swap insights.

This year’s meet is in Macon, Georgia on March 27–28, 2026 at Lundy Chapel Church in Macon. The meet moved from Savannah, where a similar RPM event ran from 1999 until 2023, and now continues that tradition in the Central Georgia region. In short, this RPM is a celebration of model railroading and is a weekend event for enthusiasts to connect, display their craft, and dive deeper into the art and technique of realistic model railroads. Enjoy!!

Another year has come and gone since we last talked to hero Smokin’ Joe D’Amato. For those of you who don’t know Joe’s been a true friend of the podcast since before dinosaurs were born, along with his trusty sidekick, the modeller simply known as “Kelly,” he’s regaled with all sorts of interesting stories and never been afraid to share his knowledge of the hobby.

But’s there’s been some pretty big changes in Joe’s life with the purchase of Micro Trains by the Atlas Model Railroad Company located in Newark, New Jersey. However, the folks at Atlas obviously know talent when the see it and made sure he’d stay on to continue the great tradition and quality that Micro trains is known for. He’s been involved with design, production, and community outreach for decades and stopped by to give the inside scoop on this new chapter in his life. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

Once again, it’s time to chat with John Sacerdote the long time show director of the Amherst Railway Society Railroad Hobby Show featuring many of today’s most popular manufacturers, fabulous layouts, railroad history, photography, art, books, videos, vendors and a whole bunch more stuff for everyone to see and enjoy!!

John has been overseeing the show for almost twenty-five years and still enjoys meeting as many of the exhibitors and show goers as possible. Adult admission is eighteen dollars per day with children under the of fifteen enter free when accompanied by an adult. Maps and exhibitor lists are downloadable in advance from the show website which is strongly recommended. If you’re passionate about model railroads, prototype railroads, or just want to see some of the most ambitious layouts in North America, this show is a must. Enjoy!!

Springfield is just days away which means it’s time for our favorite hobby shop owners, Ryan and Tom to load up the trailer, gas up the truck and head north from York, Pennsylvania to the biggest model railroad show of the year!! This year they’ve got six tables some really cool estate stuff, a whole lot of paint to sell and very little help.

It’s gonna be a challenging year for the boys because they decided to go it alone with any help from the shop staff. Tom has decided to go with very little preparation so when you stop by their both be patient and tell them Lionel said to hurry up. Grab yourself a big bowl of shredded purchase receipts, a tall cool glass of tap water from the restroom in the Better Living Center and enjoy!!    

It’s another first-time guest and this time it’s a Norfolk Southern modeler with lots of talent and ambition, two qualities the crew here at the ole’ AML Headquarters in downtown Busted Knuckle are desperately lacking. Baxter Barnes could be referred to as the new generation of model railroader armed with plenty of knowledge and the skill required to build a model railroad anyone could be proud of.

When not working in the aerospace industry you can find our next guest working on his current layout the Cedartown District of the Norfolk Southern which is representative of the railroading he grew up around.  Baxter has great ideas and skills but isn’t afraid to admit that a lot of his expertise can be attributed to Pelle Soeborg’s books such as “Done in a Day.” This is a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

Based on this our latest cover photo, you may think were concentrating on the lovely little town of Ellicottville, New York, a village in Cattaraugus County about fifty miles south of Buffalo in the Allegheny mountains region. It’s a pretty little town, right out of a Norman Rockwell painting and well known for its festivals, skiing and fall foliage.

But as we close the year of 2025, we’ve also discovered that the owner of one of our favorite model railroad manufacturers, JL Innovative, a popular brand with creative concepts, is owned by one of Ellicottville’s most vocal distracters. Known to the kindhearted people of this little piece of paradise as, “that Costello guy.” It’s an interesting tale of one man’s dislike of giraffes and a sleepy little town not far from the Pennsylvania state line. Enjoy!!

Once again, it’s time for our first annual “Christmas Quiz,” which, based on the response from the listeners could also be called our last annual “Christmas Quiz.” We gathered together a crack staff, the best of the best, from the AML Nation’s, vast and sometimes suspect, talent pool.

We even brought in a special mystery guest who lives just twenty miles from the picturesque town of Ellicottville, New York. Chris Costello and his brother operate JL Innovative in a sprawling manufacturing facility just a few feet north of the Pennsylvania state line. So grab yourself a big bowl of shredded wrapping paper, a tall cool glass last year’s egg nog and enjoy!!

It’s part two of a vision for the new world with John Doehring and Riley Triggs. In its continuing quest to continue the NMRA’s standing as the largest and best organization in model railroading, we invited two of it loveliest, handsomest and finest volunteers to help us understand what’s in store for the future of the NMRA.

Rebranding is at the forefront and some of the goals include, appealing to younger audiences by actively working to engage younger hobbyists. Also as with many organizations today, promoting diversity within the hobby is seen as a key element for further growth and success. But wait, there’s more… Part of the rebranding includes a stronger online presence, with updated websites, social media, and digital platforms to connect with hobbyists. The future looks bright and this a great episode to understand the future of this great organization!!

The Sipping & Switching Society is a modular-railroading group associated with HO-scale railroading and our next guest has a lot of knowledge about the society and we decided he was the one to talk with. The Society is originally based in North Carolina but there also versions in the Ohio Valley and Cincinnati areas.

With a well-defined “module standard,” distinguishing it from other modular approaches the are modules typically 30″ wide and often built in 2-foot length increments but this can vary. Construction uses a “waffle-style” framework to make modules lightweight but stiff enough for transport and repeated assembly. 

There’s alignment pins/holes to ensure that the track ends match up exactly, typical track arrangement is two mainline tracks close to the “public” side plus an inside track for switching/yard operations. The result: very fast setup and teardown compared to less standardized modular systems. It’s a very informative podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

The National Model Railroad Association has been working on a new branding strategy and long-term vision for the future of model railroading, particularly through their Vision 2035 initiative and we here at the ole’ ModelersLife world headquarters thought this topic required a more intense investigation and flew in the NMRA’s Publications Manager Riley Triggs and Eastern Director John Doehring.

The NMRA has been updating its image to reflect a more current era of the hobby, making model railroading more appealing to a broader audience. The new branding is part of a broader effort to rejuvenate the organization, to stay relevant in an increasingly digital and interactive world. This is great discussion and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

The fun part of any hobby is meeting interesting folks with a variety of different talents and Wayman Humphrey is no different. An American artist known for his unique, vibrant approach to many different forms of art, blending geometric shapes, bold colors, and dynamic compositions, that explore both structure and spontaneity.

While not as widely known in mainstream art circles as some of his contemporaries, Humphrey's work is respected for its originality and emotional depth, but more importantly for the listeners of this podcast, Wayman discovered the magic of model railroading just a few short years ago and hobby is far better off with him as a participant. This is a great podcast about a very interesting individual that we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

It’s a return visit to Mine Mount Models and our friend Ron Klaiss who’s always sure to remind his name sounds like “nice.” Things are really humming along and there’s lots of new items on the website. Ron has been producing excellent craftsman structure kits for your railroad or diorama that create unique scenes on any layout for over seven years. 

One of the best things about these kits from are the instructions, it may sound silly, but Ron produces some of the best instructions in the industry. This is a fun podcast as always, so grab yourself a big bowl of shredded strip wood, a tall cool glass of Elmer’s white glue and enjoy.

It doesn’t matter who they are or what they’ve done, or what they model, whether they have a big layout, a small layout, or no layout at all. First time guests are always interesting regardless of the topic or any of the other usual interests that we’ve come to expect from our fellow model railroaders.

Scott Smith fills the bill, he’s lived a very interesting life with an interesting vocation, as we find out everything there is to know about our next victim… Errrr, guest. Whether it’s boat racing, coal dumps, weathering freight cars of all sorts, or selling some of his creations on eBay. It’s all makes for a very thought-provoking and fun podcast!!

There’s a new look on the horizon for the National Model Railroad Association, which was unveiled at Milwaukee’s TrainFest. The new artwork is inspired by locomotives and rail cars symbolizing that the NMRA is on the move and propelling the hobby of model railroading forward into the future.

We here at the old AML Nation wanted to find out as much as we could about this new logo and the plan going forward and who better to help us understand than association president Gordy Robinson and his trustee sidekick Riley Triggs. Both Gordy and Riley were delighted to fill us in on all there is to know about the new logo and an exciting new vision to shape the future of this great hobby.

We often say that this hobby encompasses so many different aspects that there’s always something for everybody to enjoy. Our next guest is all the way from New Mexico and is  excellent example someone who enjoys many different aspects of the hobby including operations, building steam pro throttles, rebuilding brass engines working with Arduino’s and building his own CTC machines, as well as several other, interesting aspects of the hobby.

John Symanski‘s story is an interesting one, especially when you consider what he did for a living most of his adult life and to his credit he was anxious to share many of his adventures both in and around the hobby. It’s a great podcast and one we are sure you’ll enjoy!!!

If your current day to day life is getting you down and you were hoping that ViewerMail would never make a comeback, we can promise you this day is not going to get any better, but we can assure that listening to this latest version of ViewerMail will surely make even the biggest problems seem small. After dealing with catastrophic climate change,  flooded roadbed, improper routing through the transportation museum, the new crew finally caught up to the ViewerMail train just outside downtown Pagosa Springs.

We’d like to bring you some of the finest podcast entertainment the model railroad industry has to offer, but once again the crew at the AML Network reached the lofty goal of chronically disappointing. So grab yourself a big bowl of shredded five cent stamps, a tall cool glass of warm saliva and enjoy!!

For those of you that don’t know our very own Marcus Neubacher is the Director of Administration for the North Carolina Transportation Museum and every few years or so he’ll get the chance to attend a convention for the Heritage Rail Alliance where the free exchange of information among members and working industry professionals is available.

This year the convention was held in Durango Colorado and we hear the ole’ AML Network, decided that we’d need to hear as much of the trip as possible. Of course it took us a while to get there, but eventually we managed to cover a wide range of subjects and produce a podcast well worth listening to. Enjoy!!

Old friends can be the best kind of friends, those folks you haven’t talked to for several years and then strike up a conversation as if you’d seen them yesterday. That’s what this podcast is about, catching up with our old friend Serge Lebel from Sept-Iles Quebec on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River.

We first met Serge several years ago when we discovered his O-Scale two rail layout known as the CN Sanmore Subdivision, a fantastic well detailed model railroad that is slowly developing into one of the finest layouts in North America. It’s a great podcast with lots of information and one more sure you’ll enjoy.

It’s another trip to the “Cow Palace” keeping up to date with all the comings and goings at JL Innovative and who better to do it with than the man himself, Chris Costello. There’s a great discussion about the new world of freight car manufacturing plus owning private rail cars and tearing up rail in beautiful downtown Salamanca, New York, all in one easy to open podcast. Enjoy!!

Located just 10 miles west of Horseshoe Curve the “Station Inn” is a unique bed-and-breakfast alongside the old Pennsylvania Railroad mainline. Built in 1866 only a dozen years after the completion of the “Curve,” it became a sanctuary for weary travelers headed east or west and a summer retreat for many folks that lived in the Pittsburgh area.

Run by Alex Lang and his wife Leah, it’s become their passion of carrying on the tradition of Tom Davis who originally turned the inn into a rail fanning hot-spot in 1993. Tom was a dear family friend of the Langs and when he passed away, it seemed only natural for them to take over and continue on the tradition that had been started so many years earlier. Alex has been on the podcast before, and this episode is just as entertaining and informative as ever. Enjoy!!

N-Scale is alive and well living in North Carolina, not far from the Hickory Motor Speedway. Scott Teague’s previous layout graced the pages of some of the finest model railroad publications out there, but that wasn’t good enough for Scott and not long after that layout was dismantled and a new one started.

Some people just have the knack for getting things done and Scott is certainly one of those folks. The new railroad is well underway and after just two short years of construction, trains are running, and scenery is all but finished with nothing left to do now but add a few details to what is already a beautiful design. This is a great discussion with some of the best N-Scalers in the country and you won’t be disappointed.

There’s plenty of action down at the old “Cow Palace” serving as the world headquarters of Costello Manufacturing and Chris Costello has stopped by to fill us in on all the excitement at the world center of model railroading just north of Bradford, Pennsylvania, and just east of Salamanca, New York.

We spend some time talking about the machine that nobody talks about. Learned how 3-D printing is becoming an important division of the vast Costello empire. Plus we discuss the newest release from JL innovative “the Dunmore Caboose” a steel caboose made for the Erie Railroad. So grab yourself a big bowl of steaming hot cow patties, a tall cool glass of 3-D resin and enjoy!!

This episode started out to check with Wallace Locomotive Works, but before we got a chance to do that, we lost a good friend and longtime supporter of the AML Nation. The one and only Ralph Renzetti a.k.a. the MudFather.

Ralph was a regular on the Wednesday night chats, ready to lend a helping hand to anyone who might have questions about their modeling, especially when it came to paint and weathering. One of the most talented modelers to ever grace the airwaves of the AML. Ralph was truly an artist, and we were fortunate to know him.

However, after a good cry for the first twenty minutes or so, we finally managed to get around to chatting with Chris and find out more about his ever-growing company. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

It’s a return to the “Lone Star” state and a visit with locomotive engineer Emory Lehman. We haven’t talked to Emory for a few years since and decided it was about time to check up on what Emory‘s been doing. Things have changed quite a bit with his new job at the BNSF in Temple, Texas, a model railroader living across the street and his friend Mike making major changes to his layout.

We also discuss the possible merger of the Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific railroads, and what are the possible effects it will have on railroading across America. Once again, it’s a podcast with little or no direction, that’s lots of fun with great discussion about everything under the sun. Enjoy!!

It’s part two of the Rob Bennett thirty-two-part trilogy as we try to figure out what makes this modeler tick. Is it the vast array of instructional videos he’s created or his fabulous weathering or maybe it’s just simply a love for the hobby that he’s anxious to share with others.

Rob tries to learn something everybody while not taking the hobby to seriously whilst learning the operations side of things. He enjoys the hobby anyway he can, and you never know what kind of equipment you’ll see running across his layout. He approaches the hobby with a relaxed approach while enjoying the challenge of weathering and scenery. It’s a great follow up podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

After years of travelling about the country working on transformers, not the plastic kind like you’d see in the movies such as “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” but actual transformers that do all sorts of cool electrical things. Our next guest finally settled in Erie, Pennsylvania because like his friend and fellow modeler Mike Hauk his love of shoveling snow seven months of the year bonds these men together.

You can thank Rob Bennett’s son for his current layout which occupies approximately a 12‘ x 50‘ space after satisfying his love of European railroads they started over and now have a beautiful layout that mostly reflects the area of Western Pennsylvania. Rob is one of those guys that works at a feverish pace and after what would take most of us decades to complete he’s enjoying making instructional videos. This is a great discussion with a modeler that some would say, “just gets it done.” Enjoy!!

There’s nothing more fun than a visit down the road to Tillsonburg, Ontario with the sole purpose of a visit to the Otter Valley Railroad shop and visit with our friend Lorne James. You can always be sure that there will be lots of editing, lots of dizzying questions and answers with fun being had by all.

Lorne stopped by the ModelersLife studios to bring us up to date on all the new cars that he’s having manufactured regardless of today’s turmoil in the retail sector of model railroad industry. As always, it’s lots of fun talking to Lorne and finding out what’s happening in Tillsonburg, Ontario. My back still hurts when I hear that word. Enjoy!!

If you live in the Chicago area and a fan of railroading, you will no doubt be well aware of the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad that’s been jointly owned by several railroads over the years. With over 320 miles of track in and around Chicago it’s kind of hard to avoid seeing this famous railroad that began in 1896.

We here at the ole’ AML world headquarters wanted to find out more and it seemed like a natural progression to simply talk to Dave’s dad Herman, who worked as a conductor on “the Belt” for over 30 years. Plus he spent time on the “City of New Orleans” and the “Broadway Limited” during a short stint with Amtrak. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy.

The Pittsburgh, Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad Company was founded in 1897 by Andrew Carnegie to haul iron ore and other products from the port at Conneaut, Ohio on the Great Lakes to Carnegie Steel Company plants in Pittsburgh and the surrounding region. At the end of 1925 B&LE operated 228 miles of road on 631 miles of track; at the end of 1970, mileages were 220 and 489. Enter our next guest who’s carefully modeling the B&LE in the early 50’s.

Ray Brown has worked all over the United States and finally settled just west of Erie, Pennsylvania for two reasons: To experience as much snow fall as possible and to faithfully recreate the Bessemer and Lake Erie in a fifty by thirty-foot basement on a double and triple deck layout. Introduced to us by our in-house medical staff of one, (Mike Hauk) Ray’s story is a great listen and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

Have you ever wondered what happens to all those great model railroad clubs that don’t own their own building or eventually the owner of a private home that houses club passes away?? The most common answer is nothing and so was the case with the Southern Pacific Model Railway club in Rocky Hill, New Jersey. Except in this case a successful TV who also happens to be a lifelong model railroader decided to step in and save the day.

James Murray and his wife, Melyssa, who live a short distance away in Princeton, came to the rescue after an article was published in the Wall Street Journal. This is one of the most heartwarming stories we’ve come across since doing the podcast and James was happy to share the story as he walked us through the adventures of buying the Pacific Southern Railway Club.

It’s a return visit to White Rose Hobbies, in York, Pennsylvania. Only this time we’re talking with the non-model railroad partner get Thomas who apparently is in charge of ordering paint. We still haven’t gotten around to talking about some their great stories from the days of working on the Norfolk Southern but with White Rose agreeing to be the full-time sponsor of the podcast, we’ll look forward to it in the future!!

However, we here at the old AML nation enjoy hearing about the behind-the-scenes world model railroad retail and everything that goes into it along with it. This is just one of those classic ModelersLife conversations with a returning guest that really has no direction other than to enjoy each other‘s company. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy.

While it might seem to the naked eye that the preservation of America’s railroads from the past is sporadic at best, we here at the AML Nation would argue that it’s exactly the opposite. Recently, we had the chance to talk with Bryan Lalevee from the Norfolk and Western Business Car 300 Preservation Society an enthusiastic group of volunteers that’s already completed the restoration of one beautiful car.

No. 300 was built by the Pullman Co. in June of 1917 and served Norfolk & Western for its career before being inherited by Norfolk Southern in 1982. It saw sporadic use during and eventually sold at auction in 1987 to a private individual. It traveled across the United States and Canada behind Amtrak and VIA Rail Canada until 1991 when it was put into a warehouse.

Have you ever stumbled across a website and an hour later realized you’re still looking at it because of how much material was available?? That’s what happened to us at the ole’ AML World Headquarters in downtown Busted Knuckle, Kentucky. Surfin’ the internet we stumbled across “Hawkins Rails” one of the most comprehensive railfanning websites you’ll ever find.

Whether it’s mainline railroading or looking for an obscure shoreline you’ll most likely find it on Hawkins Rails. Starting with Jack Hawkins in the 1940’s it wasn’t to many years until his son Ralph started to enjoy standing trackside with his Dad. These days Ralph and his daughter Ella are carrying on the tradition of Hawkins Rails and the site just grows and grows. This is a great podcast with lots of great information about railfanning for the past seventy plus years.

On this podcast, we welcome back Ralph Renzetti a.k.a. “The Mudfather.” The Evel Overlord had lots of questions about paint, glues and everything else that’s needed to build an award-winning model. There’s plenty of discussion on the mixing of paints, which ones are best suited for each individual application and lots more.

Ralph Renzetti as well-known among his peers as an expert modeler and extremely knowledgeable about everything that’s required to build that prize running model that’s the centerpiece of your layout. He’s always willing to share his thoughts on a wide variety of topics without hesitation. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy.

RPM Meets have created a community for sharing information and experiences about and around the hobby of model railroading, what others are doing in the hobby, why they’re doing and what each individual is trying to accomplish.

There are many RPM events throughout the country. Some are national conferences like the Chicagoland or St. Louis events, while others are one or two-day local meets with a focus on displaying models and sharing a few clinics. Mr. RPM, Eric Hansmann joins us to discuss what’s happening in the world of RPM meets.

Details, details, details, with today’s HO and N-scale locomotive manufactures delivering engines with just about every detail you can imagine, we here at the old AML headquarters have discovered someone that’s producing even more details for every facet of your layout, including locomotives and rolling stock.

Chris Wallace is like almost everyone else in the hobby having been a model railroader for as long as he can remember but here’s the twist, he’s also a full-time 1:1 railroader that’s discovered 3-D printers and a need for many details that haven’t been available up till now.

Whether it’s trash cans, air conditioners, fire hydrants, tiedown chain, runaround hoses, or a whole host of details for specific locomotives Wallace Locomotives Works is your one stop shop. Tell ‘em Lionel sent you and see if that helps!!

One of the great things about this hobby of model railroading is that it’s always there when you need it, like a faithful companion, whether you choose to work on your current project every day, once a week or just a few times a month, it’s always there ready for the next adventure.

Our next guest, Wally Swaitly is typical of folks who revisit the hobby after years or perhaps even decades away, whilst pursuing other interests. But what makes Wally so interesting is how much he’s accomplished in just a few short years since his return and even more amazing are some of the projects he’s decided to tackle strictly for the enjoyment of it. Whether it’s the N-Scale railroad that runs around the ceiling, his beautiful HO-Scale shelf layout or his On-30 fantasy layout, each one is built with enthusiasm and excitement.

Here at the ole’ AML Nation’s world headquarters in downtown Busted Knuckle, Kentucky… It seems increasingly evident to us that RPM meets are becoming more and more popular with each passing year.

On this podcast, we talk with Jerry Britton and Matthew Hurst about the second edition of the Central Pennsylvania Short Lines RPM. There’s going to be plenty to do on Friday with layout visits in Statesville and operating session at the Bricktown Museum in Mt. Union. Friday evening after dinner will feature clinics that continue all day Saturday. Sunday will offer an opportunity to tour the Everett Railroad’s shops, followed by an  excursion for those who are interested. It’s going to be a great event, and this is a great podcast to tell you all about it.

Imagine the excitement of having your model railroad appear on the cover of the hobby’s premier magazine for the first time?? That’s exactly what happened to Mike Hauk When his Susquehanna and New York, Railroad appeared on the cover of the May issue of Railroad Model Craftsman.

This HO scale railroad is based on a short line located in the central Pennsylvania mountains, north of Williamsport and along the West branch of the Susquehanna River. Mike first discovered this railroad while reading Tom Taber’s series on logging railroads, while more inspiration came from the family hunting camp that wasn’t far from an entire freight yard thick with woods after its abandonment years before. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

After a lifetime of serving a higher calling and a lifelong obsession with model railroading, it was time for our next guest to buy a basement with a house on top of it. Robin Montenay spent most of his life with the Lutheran Church and without a permanent site to build a model railroad.

What he ended with is a spectacular shelf layout called the “Barchester” that appeared on the cover of the 2024 December issue of Railroad Model Craftsman. Without ties to the church Robin has become a free to visit train shows and explore what the hobby has to offer other than through the pages of the most popular magazines. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy.

Have you ever wondered what would happen if two guys with beards that worked for the Norfolk Southern joined forces to create a destination hobby shop in York, Pennsylvania?? The same question occurred to us and after an exhaustive search we stumbled across Ryan and Tom who just so happened to own White Rose Hobbies, a full-line hobby shop located at 4401 W Market St. in York, PA.

Ryan has been a life-long model railroader and Tom has been a life-long entrepreneur with a desire to be part of a successful business. Together they turned Ryan original dream of owning a prosperous model railroad store into a full-service hobby shop and e-commerce business that shows no signs of slowing down. This is a great story, so grab yourself a big bowl of shredded beard clippings, a tall cool glass of clipper oil and enjoy!!! www.whiterosehobbies.com

Until recently, most model railroading products were imported from countries like China, Germany, or Japan under a specific harmonized tariff schedule. The tariffs were typically low and often duty-free under most trade agreements. For many imports valued under $800 shipments could often enter the country duty-free

But all that’s changed so we here at the ole’ AML Network decided it was time to find out as much as we could about this new world by visiting our friends Tom and Ryan at White Rose Hobbies in York, Pennsylvania to try and get as much of the inside scoop as possible. We were surprised by some of the answers we got and came away with a little bit better understanding of what’s happening in the world of importing model railroad products. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy.

Getting started in model railroading  can be an overwhelming experience, with questions like what scale to choose, who makes the best products, do I need to be a skilled carpenter, will there be a need for a vast knowledge in electronics?? The questions are endless and in today’s world of social media the places to find answers can be almost as confusing.

But being a woman in model railroading can be both a rewarding and unique experience, though it sometimes comes with challenges due to the hobby’s historical male dominance. The good news is that the landscape is changing, with more women getting involved and making their mark. Our next guest Linda Eskin isn’t afraid to take on a new adventure and decided to jump in with both feet. Join us we discover what the hobby looks like from the perspective of a complete beginner!!

Our next guest may not be well known in the world of model railroading but he’s the son of Larry Wolfe, AMA Hall of Fame member and world-renowned RC jet pioneer. Chris Wolfe grew up in the back room of Jet hanger Hobbies while being exposed to all aspects of the radio control hobby.

His passion for the hobby started at an early age when he began building plastic models, by age eleven he was flying RC aircraft. Chris has built numerous award-winning competition scale aircraft and loves to build as much as he loves to fly. Sharing his knowledge and techniques he’s developed and honed on his own can be found in his series of books available at: artofscalemodeling.com/bookorder 

This is a great podcast, So grab yourself a big bowl of shredded ailerons, a tall cool glass of aviation fuel and enjoy!!

Getting back into the hobby after a long hiatus isn’t as simple as it might sound, things have changed, prices are different, tools are better, the models run so much more smoothly, and the AML Nation is now here to help. 

On this episode, we talk with Bill Ford who’s always been a Model Railroader, but took time off for to pursue his career in punk rock and becoming an licensed electrician. Bill never actually lost his enthusiasm for the hobby but as with so many things, life got in the way and laying track was put on the back burner for a while. This is a great podcast about returning to a hobby that’s seen significant changes over the last three decades. Enjoy!!

Turns out there’s other hobbies besides model railroading, who knew??... So here at the ole’ World Headquarters in downtown Busted Knuckle, Kentucky have decided that for the second decade of “a ModelersLife” we’re going to occasionally explore life outside this great hobby of ours.

The hobby of wargaming has been growing in popularity over the last several decades, and we decided to strike up a conversation with someone that has an excellent website, a great YouTube channel, lots of tutorials and a personality that fits perfectly into the AML Nation. “Spikey Bits” a.k.a. Rob Baer was excited to talk to a couple of model railroaders and tell us all about his hobby of wargaming. So grab yourself a big bowl of shredded Blast Masters, a tall cool glass of air brush cleaner and enjoy!!                 

It’s always fun when we talk to somebody for the very first time and on this episode, we head to the suburbs of Chicago, Illinois to talk with David Lund an avid model railroader, brand new dad of beautiful twin girls, son of a full-time railroader and a man that understands the finer things about hotdogs.

If you’re interested in anything other than model railroads as David has been for most of his life, this is a great discussion about plastic plane modeling and some of the crossover techniques that might be used when working on any model railroad. So grab yourself a big bowl of shredded wing-flaps, a tall cool glass of paint brush cleaner and enjoy!!

One of the great things about this hobby of model railroading is the ability to meet people from all walks of life and while we’ve talked with Andy Zimmerman before, it’s always interesting to start the discussion talking about life on an aircraft carrier and around the world. 

But after that, there was plenty of talk about T-Trak, the evolution of Kato Precision Railroad Models, advancements in DCC decoders over the years and some of the best model railroad benchwork money can buy. So grab yourself a big bowl of shredded locomotive wheels, a tall cool glass of warm sea water and enjoy!!

It’s part two of the Joe Desmond chronicles, and in this episode we discover some very cool 3-D printed pick-up truck models at Showcase Miniatures, from the original Mad About Cars series. 

There’s also a great discussion and some excellent instruction on how to paint these particular models while Joe introduces us to the Army Painter series of paints and supplies. Joe also tells us how he learned to curve wood and make his fabulous control panels look like they were built directly into the layout facia. So grab a big bowl of shredded paint brushes, a tall cool glass of thinned Radiation Glow paint and enjoy.

It’s been a while since we checked in with our friend Joe Desmond, an N- Scale modeler with a passion for the hobby, Conrail and connecting with other hobbyists through social media. There’s a great discussion about the pros and cons of spending valuable modeling time making YouTube videos versus working on the layout.

Joe has for some years now publicized his Central Jersey Conrail layout on TikTok and other social media avenues. There’s some good discussion on why the layout isn’t finished yet, life’s curveballs and never sacrificing quality for speed or getting the layout finished, as well as a variety of other topics. It’s a great podcast and we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

Bad behaviour or making hurtful statements can often be an insight into one’s soul, sometimes showcasing the dark and often unexpected sides of our personalities. It challenges traditional notions of morality and explores the complexity of human spirit.

Bad behavior can help analyze the intricacies of the human thought process, showcasing how past traumas and insecurities can shape individuals' particular actions and decision-making. Creating a ripple effect of damage to not only ourselves but those around us. This podcast is about bad behavior, life lessons, course directions, and most of all, how to go forward being a better person.

We’ve interviewed so many folks over the last decade sometimes it’s hard to remember who we’ve missed over the last little while, but thanks to the modeler simply known as “Kelly,” we’ve once again teamed up with one of the most prolific and imaginative folks we’ve ever met on our travels throughout the model railroad world.

Smokin’ Joe D’Amato has for over two decades been a key element in the design and production of the fabulous N-Scale line from Micro-Trains in Talent, Oregon. Never at a loss for words or ideas, Smokin’ Joe has been a big of N-Scale scene since the early 2000’s. Lately he’s even helped the company branch out into HO-Scale with a great line of weathered cars from Accurail. It’s a great podcast and as always, Joe doesn’t disappoint!!

On this episode of who has the Evel Overlord managed to lure into the studio, the story about three guys who’ve taken it upon themselves to move the Savannah RPM to a new location is revealed, continuing a tradition in the great state of Georgia, and making it bigger and better than ever.

Paul Spilman, Stephen Floyd, and Ken Preston have taken it upon themselves to keep the tradition of what many have known as “the Savannah RPM’ going strong. Since 1999, from their roots in Port Wentworth, GA until today, in Macon, GA the Central Georgia Railroad Prototype Modelers Meet has been focused on providing a space for modelers to meet, display their work, and most importantly, engage with each other.

Paul tells us all about this great RPM meet new facilities and they found, great local railfanning, abundance of hotels plus everything else need to make this a great even. If you’re in the area this is a definite must see and you can check out their website here:

https://www.centralgarpm.com/

It’s that time of year again, the best train show in all of North America (and maybe the world) is just a few days away, and has become our yearly tradition, John Sacerdote the show Director has stopped by the AML World Headquarters in Busted Knuckle, Kentucky to tell us all the latest news that’ll get us so excited we won’t be able to sleep until the doors open.

The Amherst Railway Society’s Railroad Hobby Show has been going for decades and since it’s humble beginnings as a swap meet, the show moved to the exposition grounds in 1982. Twice, the show received the Walther’s Showmanship Award in recognition of our efforts to promote interest in railroads and model railroads. Plus, the show supports the work of many railroad-related non-profit organizations. Since 1991, they’ve donated $829,252 to railroad preservation and restoration projects all over the country. Once again it was a great pleasure to speak with John. Enjoy!!

It’s an all new “All-Star Variety Hour” without much variety. We’ve got just one guest for this show and Daniel Banks is just starting his initial term as the Superintendent of the Central Indiana Division after serving three years as train master. When he’s not busy trying to make the NMEA grow he can be found pursuing his favorite favorite parts of the hobby, building and operations. 

Dan has recently begun a new laser kit business called Wabash Model Works, modeling primarily 1875 Old West. It’s somewhat Disney-fied, much romanticized, just plausible enough to be believable kits and scenes that will draw you in, like a good paperback western full of adventure. There’s plenty of chat with this modeler and a podcast we hope you enjoy.

What does Harry Potter and railfanning have in common, well nothing really, unless of course you add in an Ohio native named Adam Matthews, railroad preservationist, photographer and model railroader who was inspired by his grandfather, a retired vice superintendent of shipping at US steel in Lorain, Ohio.

We’ve been wanting to interview Adam for quite sometime now, after stumbling across his website “Train Wizard Productions,” a must see for anyone even remotely interested in trains, model railroading and great photography. With more than 150,000 followers on Instagram, Adam is a preservationist heavily involved with the Nickel Plate Historical Society, Mad River and NKP Museum, plus the Fort Wayne Railroad Historical Society. He’s also got a great O-Gauge 3-Rail layout. There’s so much information in this podcast by the time you’re finished you’ll be dizzier than a trout in a blender. Enjoy!!

Started in 1971 as a one day show in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Trainfest grew as the decades rolled by into a two-day show sponsored by the Wisconsin Southeastern division of the NMRA. Eventually the show moved to the Wisconsin State Fair Park and for decades was a huge success but as with everything, changes happened and those who took over were unable to maintain it’s popularity.

Over the last few years, the shows doors have only been open sporadically with those in charge unable to keep a successful show running. Fortunately, this year a group of individuals more capable took over and the show was held at the Baird Center in downtown Milwaukee. We sent two of the AML’s crack reporters to mingle and schmooze with the attendees. The show was a great success this year, with many familiar faces in attendance. So, grab yourself a big bowl of shredded floor plans, a tall cool glass of half-finished coffee and enjoy!!

Christmas stories bring a special warmth and magic to the season. From heartwarming tales of kindness and family to the whimsical adventures of Santa Claus and his reindeer, they capture the joy and wonder of the holidays. Nothing can bring the spirit of the holidays to life quicker than two grown men dressed in polar bear costumes.

This is the heartwarming story of the AML Nation coming together to share the magic of the season with each other and all those around them. Our very own Seth “Doc” Gartner and Kevin “Hard Part” Marks decided to pay a visit to Marcus Neubacher at the North Carolina Transportation Museum. Find out what happens when our two intrepid heroes decide to see how much fun could be packed into twelve minutes. It’s an exciting adventure and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

It’s time once again to check in with “Uncle” Dave and find out what’s happening in the Abeles clan.  Whether it’s dealing with day-to-day life, unboxing of Rapido Trains fabulous new E8 locomotives or the trials and tribulations of day-to-day life. It’s always an interesting discussion while throwing another log on the fire and sitting back with your favorite wobbly pop.

In this installment, Dave shows his new enthusiasm for Conrail’s Office Car Special and how much fun he’s having learning all about passenger cars, plus some modelling tips about stripping paint from a Union Pacific sleeper car. But that’s not all, if you listen close enough, you might even get a hint about the next book he’s planning. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy.

Balancing a hobby with the responsibilities of raising a family can feel a lot like a well-practiced juggling act, but it’s definitely possible and even beneficial, for both the modeler and the family!! The hobby of model railroading can provide an outlet for creativity and stress relief, which can make you a more patient partner and parent. Finding ways to involve your family in your hobby or setting aside dedicated "you" time can help strike that balance.

So, we here at the ole’ AML Network in downtown Busted Knuckle, Kentucky gathered together three of our favorite Dads to find out their secrets to enjoying the hobby while at the same time fulfilling their obligations to their kids and even more importantly, life partner. Model railroading is a great way to teach kids about craftsmanship, history, and in some cases involve everyone in the layout building process. Enjoy!!

The Station Inn located in Cresson, Pennsylvania was built in 1866, situated just ten miles west of the famous Horseshoe Curve, it was originally built as a hotel for weary travelers heading east or west on the Pennsy Railroad. Over the last hundred and fifty years it’s gone through many changes including the early 90’s when it was purchased by Tom Davis and turned into the place railfans of all kinds from across the globe would come to stay.

Fast forward to present day, after Tom passed away in 2021 it was purchased by Alex Lang and his wife Leah who over the years had built a deep friendship with innkeeper and decided they wanted to keep the tradition and memory of Tom alive. It’s been an adventure for the couple who reside an hour and a half away but as you listen to this podcast, you’ll quickly realize their passion for the Station Inn is something we can all be truly thankful for. Enjoy!!

It’s time once again for our courageous crew of confused modelers to gather around the studio to discuss the latest happenings. Originally this podcast was intended to be about Bradd Williamson’s new talking detector, but it quickly morphed into a loosely produced edition of the “Fans.”

“the TableMaster” talks about ripping out his current layout and replacing it with something of lessor quality while the “the Queso Cowboy” describes his latest freight car model he purchased from 3D Central. In 1973, the Norfolk & Western Railroad converted a number of their F-20 53′ Flatcars to haul cab assemblies for Mack trucks from supplier to assembly plant.

And then finally “the stubby Professor” his talking detector he purchased on E-Bay from DJHayes electronics. It’s a speedometer kit measuring the speed of your train and doubles as a detector and works in any scale. It’s a fun podcast backed with tons of info and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

Is the hobby growing or shrinking??  If you hang around the AML Studios long enough, there will be no doubt in your mind that we here in Busted Knuckle, Kentucky are convinced the hobby is growing rapidly day after day. But the age-old question remains, how we entice the younger generation to join the old guard in the never-ending quest of introducing model railroading to the world!!

This is a continuation of our discussion with Derrick Magnotta, a lifelong model railroader who as he approaches his mid-thirties can’t find any reason to join the NMRA. However, Derrick is definitely open to new ideas and there’s even a great discussion about the possibility of an entry level free membership. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

So, you’re wondering what’s neat this week?? That’s easy just check out what Ken Patterson and his gang are doing over there on YouTube with the show that’s got its finger on the pulse of the hobby. We wanted to find out more about “the Dude,” Joshua Barton, Mike Budde and James Reiger, so we sat them down in front of a microphone and let the magic happen!!

This is a fun podcast that goes in all sorts of directions, and we find out all about the guys just before they’re about to record another show. Ken is an accomplished, professional photographer, featured in numerous model railroad publications and marketing material over the years and is happy to share some of his secrets. Enjoy!!

John Doehring might be the most enthusiastic man in the National Model Railroad Association, as the Eastern Director he is obviously putting his heart and soul into figuring out how to make the organization and the hobby of model railroading grow. This is part two of a response and discussion about his email pointing out his view of what direction to take the NMRA.

In these changing times of social media, video games and a myriad of distractions in today’s world, John along with his fellow directors want to keep up with changing times. The podcast is a mix of ideas and discussion with plans to double the size of the membership over the coming years. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

It’s time once again for another exciting episode of “Uncle” Dave’s Fireside Chat. On this edition of the “chat” Dave tells the history of the latest New Jersey Transit Heritage unit, a replica of Conrail’s 4208 and the behind-the-scenes story of how it came to be, all the folks involved, and the excitement felt around the railroad as it was rolled out during a very special ceremony.

Plus we talk about Dave’s excitement with the release of his newest book “Designing and Operating Yards,” which is an update on Andy Sperandeo’s original yard book published some years ago. We find out if there’s plans for another book and what the topic or topics might be. As always, it’s a busy time in the Abeles household and fun to be along for the ride. Enjoy!!  

It’s the wonder from down under, visiting from the land of Oz, throwing another shrimp on the barbie, Australia where everything happens tomorrow and home to the one and only NMRA Worldwide Director at Large, Martyn Jenkins. Fresh from his time in the lower forty-eight having a walk-a-bout and here to give us a full report on what was accomplished at the latest Board of Directors meeting at the NMRA’s national convention in Long Beach, California. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

The NMRA has long been the flag ship organization of model railroading, originally being organized in the mid 1930’s serving a critical role through the years in the growth of the hobby. But with everything times change, people change and in today’s world organizations like the NMRA struggle to maintain their membership.

Our next guest Derrick Magnotta who belongs to a generation that’s never known life without the internet, wrote a very insightful email about how people his age and younger struggled to see what value there is in belonging to the NMRA. So we here at the old AML Network decided to gather together in the studio some of our most knowledgeable old guys to understand the problem and perhaps offer some solutions. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

The NMRA Achievement Program also known as the “AP” is a guide to help you master the many crafts and skills necessary in the hobby of model railroading. As you get more proficient in of each of the skills, you can through various means have your work judged by others and if certain standards are met, will be issued a certificate acknowledging your achievement and work towards becoming a Master Model Railroader. 

Getting involved in the AP program is incredibly easy and recently a good friend of the AML Nation was announced as the new chairman of the Achievement Program. Ray Persing, a lifelong model railroader and all-round good guy stepped up to the plate to take over this important role from his predecessor Frank Koch who’d held the position for many years. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

Just like that old bean casserole that you found in the back of the freezer from your Aunt Mildred at Thanksgiving four years ago, or the twenty bucks you find in an old pair of jeans, this version of the “Kelly Questions” has aged like a fine wine.

Emory Lehman III is a locomotive engineer for the BNSF and a longtime member of the AML Nation. After stopping by to remind us we’d forgotten about his attempt at the hobby’s most hard-hitting collection of questions, he tries on the tin-foil hat. There’s also a brief discussion about an upcoming showcase on the Iron City N-Scalers Facebook page. It’s a fun podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

Hey “yinz,” this is a really good podcast but unless you understand Pittsburgh slang you might not understand it all. Fortunately while our next guest is a lifelong resident of the area where three rivers converge to create the once hallowed ground known as “Three Rivers Stadium,” home to the “Immaculate Reception.” Ron Bohin is an avid O-Scale three rail modeler who graduated from school qualified to be aircraft mechanic, which of course explains how he ended up working for U.S. Steel and eventually became a locomotive engineer.

Then after that successful career, it was time to move on to the Port Authority of Allegheny County, now known as Pittsburgh Regional Transit. They needed signal maintainers and when Ron submitted his resume it seemed as though, no one else  could be better qualified. If you’re as confused as we are, it’s time to fire up the Motorola and give a listen to this podcast, it’s actually pretty good!!

Once again, it’s time for another great discussion with “Uncle” Dave, so warm up the Motorola, get comfortable with a warm cup of cocoa as we settle in for a “Fireside Chat” with one of the hobby’s most interesting personalities. There’s lots to talk about and even some friendly fire as “Uncle” Dave takes exception with some of the Evel Overlord’s opinions about the NMRA

Plus, we pay homage to one of the great model railroaders of the modern era, Paul Dolkos whose contribution to the hobby has been extensive over the last fifty years. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure enjoy.

Have ever wanted to see one of the best model railroads in the world, one that will take your breath away, one that seems so real it could easily be used a movie set. Well after an exhaustive search by our crack investigative reporters here at the ole’ AML Network, we’ve discovered just such a model railroad not from Detroit or as we like to refer to… HockeyTown U.S.A.

One of the greatest assets of this hobby is the ability to express oneself artistically, while still be able to enjoy so much more and our next guest Norm Charbonneau has managed to squeeze every last ounce out of what this hobby has to offer. His YouTube channel about his 3-Rail O Gauge layout is full of beautiful scenes of glamorous Pennsy steamers running through magnificent scenery plus tons of how-to’s about all sorts of interesting projects. This is a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

T-Trak is one of the easiest ways for any individual to get started in the hobby of model railroading. Building a small one-foot square module can easily help speed up the learning process of building a layout of any size, plus there’s numerous groups to join where you can join with others to create sizeable layouts to run your favorite equipment.

One of the most prolific T-Trak modelers is Andy Zimmerman who when he’s not busy being head of the Standards and Conformance Department for the NMRA has built dozens of modules strictly for the enjoyment of participating.  Now he’s here to tell us all about the T-Trak world record attempt at the NMRA’s national convention coming up in 2026 in Chattanooga, Tennessee. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

Model railroading, or railway modeling, in Switzerland is alive and well, with many of the country’s hobbyists focusing on North American prototypes. We first met our guest several years ago as he was wrapping up a career as a locomotive engineer and beginning a new career as a police officer.

Our guest Robin Felder is a big fan of Norfolk Southern Railroad and brass locomotives in general, plus weathering HO scale equipment for himself and others is what keeps him busy when he’s not in training to become one of Switzerland’s finest. There’s also a philosophical discussion about the hobby and where it’s headed plus information about the local hobby scene. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

Answering ViewerMail is one of our favorites here at the ole’ AML studios, whether it's pro or con, it’s a chance to connect with your audience, hear their thoughts, and engage in meaningful dialogue, even when the feedback is critical. Recently John Doehring the Eastern of  representative the NMRA’s board of directors took exception to some our views about the way the organization is being run and sent us a very thoughtful and insightful email stating his concerns.

This is a special edition of ViewerMail with John and some of the regular AML crew to discuss some of those concerns. It’s a great podcast with plenty of back and forth, in fact the discussion was so interesting we only managed to get halfway through and invited John back for a second episode. It’s a great podcast and one I’m sure you’ll enjoy!!

What happens when you take two guys who are excited about the hobby of model railroading, add some raw talent with electronics and over the top details?? You get John McGuire of Garden State Modelworks LLC and Scott Lupia of KV Models with his specialty, etched detail parts.

Aside from yelling at people across the aisle from their booth at the Springfield Train Show it’s been a very successful union between these two friends. Scotts foray into the world of 3-D printing, has also created some new possibilities for his friend John, and we discover some new ways of doing business in the model railroad industry. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy.

Go west young man, these were the words that our next guest followed, leaving behind a beautiful model railroad that had been started in his parent’s mid-western basement. After spending several years refining his weathering techniques our next guest is thinking about the next great layout.

With law school successfully behind him, we decided here at the ole’ AML Network it was time to catch up with John Cafarelli and find out what he’s been up to. It’s a great podcast with some weathering techniques. Suggestions of other, YouTube channels to watch and plenty of interesting conversation.

It’s time for another healthy chat with your favorite “Uncle Dave.” Whether it’s discussing Scandinavian model railroaders, or the future of journalism in this great hobby of ours, you can be sure, that “Uncle Dave” has some well thought out opinions.

This chat features a great story about visiting the home Tony Koester one of the most iconic names in the hobby. “Uncle” Dave took his sons Teddy and Pete to see Tony’s wonderful Nickel Plate layout and by all accounts everyone had a great time. Dave also discusses his excitement of purchasing a couple TOFC cars from Rapido Trains. Plus somebody pushed the wrong button and there’s Rapido commercials where you’d never expect them. Enjoy!!

It’s time for another thrilling episode of what’s happening at Rapido Trains?? This time our intrepid hero Jason Shron is all hot and sweaty having just arrived from a family outing with his restored fishbowl TTC bus. (Toronto Transit Commission)

On this addition of what’s “Jason Doing Now??” The only man to have a licensing agreement with Conrail, (“Uncle” Dave) his on knees with hands clasped asking for a C30-7a, while Jason is trying to find enough customers that are desperate for a MLW S13 switcher. It’s another exciting podcast, so grab yourself a big bowl of shredded handrails, a tall cool glass of left-over soda found on the Rapido bus and enjoy!!

It’s part two of the Todd Treaster, twenty-seven-part trilogy, and in this episode, aside from learning that our guest is single-handedly keeping the N-Scale industry alive, we also learn how to build big city backdrops.

Todd details how he re-created downtown Pittsburgh in a very realistic manner, and we try to talk him into writing up an article for Railroad Model Craftsman. This is a great podcast and one that we’re sure you’ll enjoy.

With a commitment to quality and the customers they serve ScaleTrains has become one of the leading manufacturers in the model railroad industry. Shane Wilson has been the captain of the ship since the beginning and has faithfully led his team and the company through some stormy weather, but always with a smile and a determination to make his product one of the best.

After the podcast entitled, “Retail Wars,” Shane didn’t necessarily agree with everything that was said and asked if he could have a chance to rebut some of the comments and give his point of view which, which we were happy to do, and that’s what this podcast is, an honest discussion about the industry, retail sales and the future. Enjoy!!

So you’re asking yourself what do Henry Mancini, West Aliquippa, Pennsylvania, Tony Dorsett, the Conway Yard and the Norfolk Southern have in common with our next guest?? Well basically nothing other than all these people and places were mentioned on this podcast as we discovered the secret of hollow core door layouts.

Richard Shirey has been working for the Norfolk Southern for over a decade and has a vast knowledge of all things railroading and in particular, railroading in the Western Pennsylvania area. We were introduced to Richard by our good friend Bradd “the Professor” Williamson who claimed to have a vast knowledge of our guest. So grab a big bowl of shredded sheet music, a tall cool glass of horn spit and enjoy!!

Almost everybody has a favourite relative, whether it’s cousin Eddie who borrows your favorite HO scale SD70ACE, or Aunt Sally who’s always ready with a plate of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies. Here at the ole’ AML Nation, our favorite relative is none other than “Uncle” Dave who’s always ready with a story or helping hand, as we travel through the hills and valleys of our model railroad experience.

This month Dave talks about his desire for Rapido Trains to finally make his beloved C30-7a and talk about all the trials and tribulations of his new yard book from Kalmbach. (or somebody) As always, it’s a fun chat with our favorite relative, so sit back with a big bowl of shredded Conrail schedules, a tall cool glass of writer’s ink and enjoy!!

Everybody’s got a YouTube channel nowadays, whether it’s Larry showing you how to change that all important sprinkler head, Jennie taking the family dog for a walk, or dinner at Aunt Martha’s house. There isn’t much you can find you can’t find on YouTube.

However in our never-ending quest to make each moment of our listeners life’s better than the last, we’ve scoured the internet and found one of the best railfanning channels on the world wide web. Delay in Block Productions was started by Drayton Blackgrove in 2011 and along with our very own Chris Wehman, we find out what it’s like to be a premier track-side railroad videographer in North America. This is a great episode and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy.

So what exactly is an RPM meet and where’s the best place to find a comprehensive listing of all the events in the coming year? That’s easy, just head over to Eric Hansmann’s blog to find a listing of all the meets during the calendar year.

Dave Owens is the head poo bah of a Northeast Railroad Prototype Modelers Meet, running this event with his crew for two decades. So it seemed like a good idea to bring these two gentlemen together to talk about Eric’s event calendar and all things RPM. So get yourself a big bowl of shredded calendars, a tall cool glass of New England stream water and enjoy!!

The world is changing and so is the hobby of model railroading with an ever-increasing number of people whose primary interaction with the hobby has been via the world wide web. This is part two of talking with a twenty-six-year-old hobbyist who’s built a fantastic layout, with a countless number of incredibly well done instructional and operational videos.

Kelly stops the show with one good question and Cam Nealy, takes us through the construction of his Marias Pass railroad and why he changed from Crawford Hill. The hobby is indeed changing with a tsunami of new modelers coming and sooner or later, will all be covered in model railroad goo. Enjoy!!

It’s time once again for another edition of “Uncle” Dave’s Fireside chat and as usual no topic is left uncovered from improvements to the Onondaga Cutoff blog, witnessing the eclipse in full darkness to model railroad operations with his two boys Teddy and Pete on Ted Pamperin’s exquisite C&O Hinton Division in HO scale. Plus, we hear about being the keynote speaker at this year’s Island Ops.

But wait there’s more, what happens when the epicenter of a 4.8 earthquake is less three miles from your home in Lebanon, New Jersey and you’re at work in at Newark’s Penn Station. Aside from your family being on the local Fox News Station and being part of the earthquake protocol for the rail side of New Jersey Transit, it’s just another typical day in the life of “Uncle” Dave. So, grab yourself a big bowl of shredded safety forms, a tall cool glass of Passaic River water and enjoy!!

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Have you ever wondered what it would be like to own one of the most complete collections of N-Scale in the world and a beautifully completed basement sized layout to run all that equipment on?? Well, here’s your chance to hear from the man himself Todd Treaster, with 22,000 freight cars, 2,300 passenger cars and 2,800 locomotives on a 35 x 38’ layout.

But wait there’s more, Todd has been a locomotive engineer with the Norfolk Southern for almost thirty years and is about to retire. Aside from telling us about his great layout he regales with stories of running helpers across Horseshoe Curve and operating the Norfolk Southern’s office car special to places like Latrobe, Pennsylvania. This is a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

Are you ready for TomStock 2024?? The Queso Cowboy’s Birthday Round Up?? Of course we’ve brought together some of your favorite AML regulars from across the nation to talk about this year’s great events.

We’ll kick off with ceremonial leaving the Evel Overlord behind for Wednesday’s dinner at the Shady Maple, then ride the Reading and Northerns RDC to Jim Thorpe PA. Friday will be Jerry Britton‘s fabulous cheese ball run across Pennsylvania and then finally the great barbecue with and the golden spike ceremony on Queso’s fabulous Reading layout. It’s going to be another fabulous AML gathering and here with all the details is that affable crew you’ve come to know and love. Enjoy!!

On this episode of a ModelersLife, our friend, the always popular Dave Owens returns to the AML studios to bring us up to date on the latest happenings in NERPM. (Excuse me) As can be expected since last year, the gang of the Northeast/New England Railroad Prototype Modeler‘s Meet, have a closed down another hotel, and have moved on to better digs with the help of the Amherst Railway Society.

Dave of course is once again his fun-loving self, with lots of information about this months this year’s event, plus we discuss all the clinics and after the Evel Overlord screws up again, Ted DiIorio’s name is officially changed to Teddy Dee!! Enjoy.

Here’s a question for everyone in the AML Nation, how many times is too many times to chat with our illustrious NMRA President, Gordy Robinson?? Not sure of the answer?? None of us here at the old AML headquarters know the answer either, but we’re thinking it’s probably something like, to infinity and beyond!!  

The crew was lucky enough to catch up with Gordy Robinson at his parents’ home just before heading to the local infirmary for some surgery and finding out how many of the doctors and nurses he could sign up for memberships to the NMRA. Also Gordy tells us about another great way to save on your NMRA membership. It’s another excellent Gordy Robinson interview. Enjoy.

It’s time for “Great Layouts Part Two” and in this episode, we cover everything from how important snacks are and if snacks are important at all. Obviously, we must all agree that abundant and plentiful snacks make for great model railroad operations, but even more importantly, when visiting one of the fabulous layouts that populate the North American landscape layout, you must approach with the attitude that you are there to bring the layout owners model railroad to life and make him feel rewarded for a job well done.

There’s plenty of discussion on how and where to get experience operating model railroads and that makes for some great back and forth chatter amongst the panel members. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

Chris Wehman is becoming an increasingly popular guest on ModelersLife with a fabulous N-Scale layout, tons of enthusiasm for the hobby, unparalleled railfanning videographer skills, devoted to replicating model railroad operations and a burning desire to make this hobby of model railroading, as much fun for every around him as it is for himself.

Well, it turns out he’s now a bona fide, YouTube influencer in the hobby of model railroading featuring Scale Trains N-Scale, SD 40–2 on his layout and while hosting a very informative video with tons of great information about the locomotive. This podcast was lots of fun to record, and it’ll be even more fun to listen to. Thanks for Listening!!

It’s time for another star studded, All-Star Variety Hour with some of the biggest names in the hobby, and some of the nicest people you’ll ever meet. John Sacerdote the Director of the big Springfield Model Train Show held each year at the end of January and YouTube sensation Ron Marsh, who’s channel Ron’s Trains N’ Things continues to grow each week, are both interesting enough to for their own one-on one interview.

We had meant to include John‘s interview in one of our previous Springfield Reports, but got distracted by Ron Marsh who kept pestering us about stopping by the ModelersLife Studios for another interview. Dave Owens gives us some great insight into what goes on behind the scenes at Springfield while Ron Marsh talks about what it takes to create an awesome YouTube channel. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!

It’s always fun to revisit old friends from the AML Nation and we’ve travelled all the way to Missoula, Montana for a catch-up with Cam Nealy. There’s been big changes since our last visit, a new job is just underway, and the railroad has a new emphasis on Marias Pass in the western portion of Montana.

Staging yards have been removed. Track arrangements changed, and the whole layout has a new meaning with helper districts being the emphasis of operations. Cam has built a beautiful layout and in this first installment he explains why the changes were made and what the future holds. It’s a great layout it’s a great podcast and one more sure you’ll enjoy.

It’s Springfield Report number four where the action is exciting, and the interviews leave you hanging on every word. Once again, we sent out our intrepid reporter, the “Queso Cowboy” to find all the latest gossip in model railroading.

In this episode, we talk with the Four County Society of Model Engineers, there’s another visit with Matt Stern from Bachman, Jim Wiggin with all the latest news from Athearn, and a visit with one of our favorite freight car manufacturers, David Leilbach of Tangent Scale Models.

And if that’s not enough, some of the regular gang stop by to give their opinions on everything from the world cricket championships and travelling the highways and byways of America. It’s a great podcast and we’re sure you’ll enjoy.