It’s often been said the best path to a balanced diet is to hold a cupcake in each hand. Here at the ole’ AML Nation we strive to offer a fair and balanced diet of model railroad podcasting.

In this episode we explore everything from what the July 4th is like in Lebanon, New Jersey, getting notes ready for an appearance on the “Dudes” show in St. Louis, Missouri and then finally discovering what life is like outback in Western Australia.

So grab yourself a big bowl of last summer’s left-over potato salad, some month old Jagerbombs and enjoy !!

This is it, we’ve arrived at our final destination, the last stop on the road to discovering who can best replicate the look of stunned surprise on Martyn Jenkins face as he sets off on another model railroading adventure. With almost a hundred entries we picked the best of the best that the AML Nation has to offer in order to help Martyn pick the best photo.

It’s an exciting episode with plenty of paparazzi, red carpet interviews and a cast of thousands, so grab yourself a big bowl of shredded confetti, a tall glass outback pond water and enjoy !!

This episode features two fantastic young men who found each other through the wonders of social media. Cam models the BNSF’s line over Crawford Hill and Marias Pass while John, who’s layout was planned by Bob Sprague, models the Union Pacific Mainline across the Cascade Subdivision in Oregon. These two young men typify what the next wave of model railroader will look like.

We were so excited to interview these two youthful modelers we couldn't hardly think straight, so bear with us as we talk remote operations, manned helpers, YouTubing and what the next generation of model railroader might look like in the years and decades to come. Enjoy!!

Well we finally did it, two hundred patrons and it didn't take that long at all. There's lots of excitement around the old AML headquarters here in Busted Knuckle, Kentucky with so many folks willing to plunk down their hard-earned cash just for a chance to tune in one more time each week. Bill Sampson from Minnesota wanted to do something special to recognize this momentous event with a special gift and we here at HQ decided to kick in a couple of T-shirts.

So grab yourself a big bowl of shredded raffle tickets, a tall glass of freshly squeezed coleslaw juice and find out who the lucky winner is.

Founded in 2003 the small family business of Otter Valley Railroad served local customers and travelled the circuit of train shows throughout Southern Ontario. In the summer of 2011 a brand new 1,200 square foot retail store was built and packed from the ceiling to the floor with model train products.

Over the years Otter Valley has worked with such manufacturing giants as Bowser and Rapido Trains becoming an important source for individual items as they continue to grow and expand.

Surrounded by a great group of employees, Lorne and his capable staff continues to grow the product line while the future looks more promising with each passing day. This is a great episode as the Evel Overlord reveals his alter-ego Captain Grumblebum, so grab yourself a big bowl of shredded Canadian bacon, a tall glass of Maple syrup and enjoy.

The next generation of hobbyist is here with YouTube videos, Facebook pages and any other kind of social media you can think of this episode is a perfect example of why the argument of “the hobby is dying” needs to be put to rest once and for all. This is a great discussion with an enthusiastic young man who's all about enjoying this great hobby of model railroading.

There's plenty of other fun as Tony Cook and Ron Marsh talk about collaborating on some exciting new projects for model railroad news. Plus we hear from our very own “Mr. Intros” David Start along with the proprietor of everybody's favorite model railroad shop, Midwest Model Railroad.

So grab yourself a big bowl I've shredded videotape, a steaming hot mug of film developer and enjoy !!

More and more we’re finding full-time railroaders just as interested and excited about model railroading as they are with their day jobs. This month's guest is a long time BNSF employee who enjoys spending time at the workbench as much he does behind the controls of an SD40-2.

It's a great story of a dedicated railroader from his early days in the Seattle, Washington area to his present assignment in Temple, Texas and all his adventures in between. So grab yourself a big bowl of shredded air hoses, a tall cool glass of spent diesel fuel and enjoy !!

It's time for another exciting round of the Kelly Questions with one of Conrail's biggest fans, we've all got to know him up and personal from his fabulous Facebook live podcasts featuring operations in upstate New York and now it’s our chance to find out how he holds up under pressure.

It’s our very own “Uncle” Dave, as he dons the tin foil helmet and gets ready to answer some of the most toughest questions in the hobby today. So grab yourself a big bowl of shredded timetables, a tall cool glass of melted aerosol cheese and enjoy!!

What do you get when combine a lifelong model railroader with a doctor and an ex-navy guy?? A great layout built by a dedicated member of the NMRA and someone who has squeezed as much out of the hobby as possible. This is a great episode that follows the journey of a lifelong model railroader that travelled the world while serving his country.

When he finally settled down, he decided to preserve the memory the Susquehanna & New York Railroad in HO scale. Mike has also created a great website at: snyrr.com

So sit back and get comfortable for a story that we’re sure won’t disappoint !!

It's election time at the NMRA again and we’ve offered this podcast to anyone running for office in order for them to express their positions and answer questions about the future of this hobby and the organization. John Doehring who’s running for Eastern Director and Gordy Robinson who’s put his name on the ballot for president of the NMRA agreed to answer some questions and tell what they think is store for the future of this hobby.

These two gentlemen were more than to make time to answer our questions covering many areas of concern about where the hobby is headed. Hopefully this episode will help you decide one way or another who to vote for in this critical upcoming election. Enjoy !!

What happens when a guy with lots of enthusiasm for the hobby with a personality as big as Manhattan itself, twelve hundred freight cars, a wobbly car float finally decides to build an operating layout?? You get a place where friendships come first and operating a model railroad in a realistic fashion is a close second.

Welcome to the New York Harbor Railroad on the west of Manhattan set in the year 1947. Serving the Erie Railroad, Lehigh Valley Railroad and the New York Central all jammed into one basement primarily for the pleasure of other modelers to operate. Dave is a fun guy to talk with and this is an episode we’re sure you’ll enjoy !!

Starting a new career can be as exciting as anything you’ll ever do and getting to share the adventure with others might be the next best thing. When we found out our very own George “the Boy Wonder” Taylor (a.k.a. “Teaspoon”) had been hired on by the Canadian National Railway, we jumped at the chance to ride along.

These are the first two installments in a journal of life as we tag along on what we hope will be a long, exciting journey for our intrepid hero as he begins a new chapter in his life. So grab your book of operating rules, radio, some warm boots and hop onboard this train bound for the future.

Backdrops are as important to scenery as any other aspect in the overall appearance of a finished model railroad scene. This month Scott shows us how he created the Rock River on his Milan Branch of the Iowa Interstate Railroad layout. Through a series of experiments, mistakes and successes the finished product turned out beautifully. Ron Marsh is the co-host for this episode and does an excellent job of keeping the conversation on “track.”

So grab yourself a big bowl of course medium green ground foam, a tall cool glass of unfiltered river water and enjoy !!

Since the beginning we’ve checked up on the state of the hobby each year with Joe Fugate editor of the online magazine Model Railroad Hobbyist and this year is no different, but we decided to add our favorite NMRA Director-at-Large Gordy Robinson all the way from the Orkney Islands in the North Atlantic just off the coast of Scotland.

Both of these gentlemen had some interesting information to share about the future of this great hobby and with the kind of enthusiasm Gordy has the future looks very bright for everyone. So grab yourself a bowl of haggis, a pint of Guinness and enjoy !!

Conrail guy, flight attendant and museum curator walk into a bar… Sounds like a great lead in for a joke but instead it’s the lead in for the AML Nation’s Christmas Eve Special featuring our very “Uncle” Dave Abeles, Tracy Boyd the official flight attendant of the AML Network and Michelle Kempema the fastest talking museum curator east of the Rockies !!

This podcast is like the jelly of the month club… it’s the gift that just keeps on giving. So grab yourself a bowl of last year’s butternut squash, a steaming hot mug of leftover gravy and enjoy!!

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that Peter would soon be there. Matt with his tattoo and Andy with his beard had just settled down for a long winter’s podcast when outside the studio there rose such a clatter, I sprang from my chair to see what ‘twas the matter. What to my eyes should there appear but eight tiny boxcars so lively and quick lead a jolly young man with a smile on his face yelling, “come on NMRA, pick up the pace.”

The young man smiled as his ideas they did come and I’m here to tell you, the NMRA is not done. I’m Gordy, I’m Gordy so vote for me now, I’ll be your president and for sure you’ll say wow !! 

Merry Christmas from the AML Nation !!!

If you’re interested in the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad or you’re wondering what sort of choices a Canadian National locomotive engineer from Fort Dodge, Iowa would make under pressure, then you’ve come to the right place. If you’ve ever wonder how elitist hobby manufacturer like Scott Thornton would handle scoring on the Kelly Questions, then you’ve come to the right place.

It’s time once again to don the tinfoil helmet as we take another contestant down the precarious road of providing useless knowledge that no one needs to know. So grab yourself a big bowl of shredded score cards, a steaming hot mug of melted locomotive axle grease and enjoy !!

Have you ever felt that sometimes your scale locomotives get lonely and need a little support in order to make it through another operating session or maybe on those long dark nights when there’s no action on the railroad at all?? Well fear not, now there’s Decoder Buddy from Nick Santo, a former chemist turned flight instructor from New England.

Model railroaders are an inventive bunch to be sure, often times out of necessity and often times just simply looking to build a better mouse trap, making the hobby more enjoyable for everyone. The Decoder Buddy helps simplify the installation on a variety of different DCC decoders, it’s a product that’s sure revolutionize an already exciting part of the hobby. It’s a great podcast we’re sure you’ll enjoy !!

There’s a new locomotive manufacturer coming to town and they’re called Aurora Miniatures, but here’s the twist. They’re based in China and have been selling high quality models to the Chinese model railroad market for several years. Now with a good foundation of creating exquisite HO scale models, the release of their first locomotive based on a North American prototype is about to hit the market.

Canadian National’s SD60F will be the first model offered by Aurora Miniatures along with several beautifully crafted HO scale containers. Ben Wang is the lead man on this side of the Pacific and he’s here to bring the AML Nation up to speed. Enjoy !!

The train set is a time-honored tradition every Christmas morning with boys and girls of all ages from one to a hundred delighted by the sights and sounds of a train set around the tree. Once again, we’ve called on Model Railroad news editor Tony Cook to tell us about some the best options available for this Christmas season.

These days the choices range form the very simple to the very expensive and everything in between and if you listen long enough, you’ll get a chance to revisit those great airport movies of the seventies with George Kennedy and Charleton Heston. So grab yourself some stale

in-flight peanuts, your favorite flat soda and enjoy !!

The train set is a time-honored tradition every Christmas morning with boys and girls of all ages from one to a hundred delighted by the sights and sounds of a train set around the tree. Once again, we’ve called on Model Railroad news editor Tony Cook to tell us about some the best options available for this Christmas season.

These days the choices range form the very simple to the very expensive and everything in between and if you listen long enough, you’ll get a chance to revisit those great airport movies of the seventies with George Kennedy and Charleton Heston. So grab yourself some stale in-flight peanuts, your favorite flat soda and enjoy !!

This a great interview with a lifelong railroader that work at several different levels with Canadian National Railway while always learning and improving as he went along his journey. It’s also a great story of a full-time railroader who’s devoted to the hobby of model railroading and the friends he’s made along the way. Our friend Rob Arsenault introduced us, and we’re glad he did.

Just like any great recipe we added a touch of “Spoon” to liven things up. So, grab yourself a cup of steaming hot cocoa, get comfy in your favorite chair and enjoy!!

Well poop, this isn’t any fun at all. The Amherst Railway Society Railroad Hobby Show has been cancelled and all hope has been lost, we’re not even sure there’s a reason to get up tomorrow. But wait, all is not lost, who’s that we see off in the distance leading the charge against sadness and despair?? It’s none other than everyone’s train show hero, John Sacerdote who’s been show director for the past 16 years.

John has all sorts of news about what’s going take the place in lieu of this year’s cancellation and some pretty exciting events will be happening. So sit right down in your lawn chair with some left over hot dogs and enjoy !!

Still trying to recover from the “Fans #28” the introductions, get figure out why your dill pickle scented body wash isn’t driving the girls wild. The Nicholas Cage pillowcases you ordered from Amazon were the wrong size but when you tried to exchange them for autographed Doris Day bath towels you found out she’s longer available for after dinner speaking engagements.

None of this makes sense which is the perfect introduction to “Fans of the AML Part #2.” This time our fearless heroes did manage to read five days of posts falling even further behind in their never-ending quest to catch up. So, grab yourself a big bowl of shredded  8X10 glossy’s, a steaming hot mug of stale bath water and enjoy !!

One of the best parts of having a world-famous podcast is all the folks we meet along the way and today’s episode is no exception. Buried deep in the hills of South Carolina, we found ourselves a gem of a modeler who’s built several layouts on his way to finally settling down in S-scale and twelve miles of railroad between Greenville and Travellers Rest known as the Greenville and Northern Railway.

We here at the ‘ole AML Nation enjoyed recording this edition of “a ModelerLife” and look forward to sharing it with all of you. So find yourself a comfortable spot on the porch with a refreshing cold beverage, loosen your belt after a hearty meal and enjoy !!

This podcast is a great discussion between two railroaders about railroading over Soldier Summit, a sixty-nine mile stretch of rail through a broad valley pass joining the communities of Helper and Provo, Utah. Adam Pinales tells some great stories of running trains for the Utah Railway over the Summit.

It’s also the first AML podcast in history with two… Count ‘em two introductions. It’s a long story and not necessarily one you’re gonna want to share with the grandkids. So, get comfy on the couch and get ready for the podcast of your life.

Tangent Scale Models has been producing and selling high quality, HO scale freight car replicas since 2007. Tangent’s owner and creator David Lehlbach is an avid model railroader that wanted to create exquisite models for everyone in the hobby to enjoy. All of Tangent’s cars are produced with the same enthusiasm that David has for the hobby.

If you’ve wanted to know more about the man behind the models this is a great interview with very open and honest conversation about our great hobby and an in-depth look at what goes into each and every car. So get comfortable in from of the Motorola with a steaming hot cup of cocoa and enjoy!!

When it comes to model railroad podcasts there's only one that really counts, there's been others of course, plenty of others as a matter of fact but only one can declare itself the grandfather of them all. Of course, we speak of the AML Network’s original spinoff show, Model Rail Radio that's been gracing the airways of every self-respecting hobbyist for over a decade.

Since its inception model rail radio has set a high standard of podcasting delivering quality episodes and historic specials for old and new listeners alike. So grab yourself a big plate of shredded woofer's and tweeters, a steaming hot mug of melted copper wire and enjoy !!

There are far more people earning their living from railroading in this hobby then anyone realises, of course we have our very own Spoon but this episode clearly displays how one man can love his job as a locomotive engineer as much as he loves the hobby of model railroading. Turns out operating 240 car unit trains by yourself on the Québec North Shore and Labrador railroad can be just as challenging as building a truly magnificent O-scale layout.

Find out more about on Facebook at CN Sanmore Subdivision in this great episode of “a ModelersLife.” Also check out the YouTube channel at: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCyjuCVikYlaZrkAhq6rGpkA

There's nothing better than finding an opportunity in the basement to expand your current layout and that’s what happened to the AML’s very own how to guy Ron Marsh. After his layout demolition video turned out to be so popular we decided to find out what the future holds for Ron’s Trains N’ Things.

Along with co-host Scott Thornton we try to find out which of the “Things” will be part of this exciting new adventure. So grab your favorite sledge hammer, dump out the shop-vac and get ready for a fun filled ninety minutes of railroading and stories about Scott’s pet hamsters.

Bob’s Track Plans.com is probably the most comprehensive track planning website on the internet with almost a hundred different plans to view, enjoy and get ideas from. Bob simply takes pleasure from trying to replicate the appearance and operations of real railroads as faithfully as possible in miniature while applying this philosophy to his lifelong passion of track planning.

Recently Bob entered the world of 3D printing with great success and there’s many items available for purchase listed on his website. He’s lifelong model railroader with a passion for the hobby that’s easily recognizable in this episode. Enjoy. 

We don’t use the term All-Stars lightly here at the ole’ AML Network but this episode of the “Stars” is truly out of this universe. Everything is covered, Tracy our Official Flight Attendant tells us about learning to identify locomotives using flash cards, Kaylee fills us in on what it’s like to stuff a decoder into a HO-Scale track mobile and finally MRN editor Tony Cook shares some product news.

After all that we still find time to discuss the stellar acting career of Charlton Heston and disaster movies of the 70’s. So grab yourself a big bowl of airline pretzels, a steaming hot mug of spilled jet fuel and enjoy !!

Fabulous N-Scale layout, tools that will make your next model stand out from the rest, a dedicated model railroad store that’s growing like an over watered Chia Pet and much, much more all in one handy to use podcast.

On this version of the Variety Hour we visit with Walker Embry-Texas Ranger, Tim Warris of FastTracks fame and visit with Lorne James the owner of Otter Valley Railroad, a very successful hobby shop in Southwestern Ontario.

So sit right down in your favorite podcast chair with a cool refreshing beverage and enjoy!!

In this episode of a ModelersLife we venture into the life of maybe the most energetic person we’ve met here at the ole’ AML network. Whether she’s busy being the executive director at one of the best model railroad experiences in the country or helping expand the knowledge of an enthusiastic child, Michelle can rarely be seen sitting still.

So put down your jar of queso, strap yourself into the fastest coffee cup racer you can find and be prepared to enjoy a podcast full of twists and turns!!

Still need help getting that old John Deere tractor running, can’t decide which crops to plant this season, you’ve planted an acre of garlic but don’t have enough lettuce to make a salad??

You went down to the local Ace Hardware looking for expert advice from the manager about renovating your grandma‘s bedroom and all he wanted to do was sell you a Palzer’s Plumbing Supply kit and some HO scale industrial storage racking??

Fortunately it’s time for another All-Star Variety Hour which will be of no actual use but may help to relieve the pain of day to day life. So grab yourself a big bowl of moist potting soil, a tall cool glass of Benjamin Moore’s exterior primer and enjoy!!

If there’s an award to be given out for the most enthusiastic person in this hobby, surely our next guest would be at the top of the list. George has been working for SoundTraxx over ten years and you’ve probably seen him at a train show or clinic somewhere in your area during that time. He’s a fan of the Missouri Pacific Railroad and willing to help any modeler with any questions.

When he’s not out on the road promoting the hobby you can usually find him between the pipes at the local arena making glove saves in rapier like fashion. George is a true ambassador to the hobby and a pleasure to be with, so put on your favorite Dallas Stars jersey, your Eddie the Eagle mask and enjoy !!

Here at the ol' AML Network, there’s two things we always strive to achieve, hard hitting journalism, and ignore the facts whenever possible. So when the Evil Overlord visited Rapido Trains, it seemed only fitting to get the scoop on Jason Shron's crack team of model slingin' miracle workers.

It’s a whistle stop tour of the folks behind the scenes at Rapido, we get the lowdown on how Janet, Joshua, Jordan & Dan arrived at Rapido and what the hobby means to them.

So grab yourself a big bowl of shredded scale model flyers, a hot steaming mug of gearbox oil and enjoy!!

We know what you’re thinking right now, what’s happening at the Medford Railroad Park right this minute. Not long ago we decided to install a direct line from AML headquarters in Busted Knuckle, Kentucky to the park so that we could stay in constant contact find with the modeler is simply known as “Kelly.”

Whether he’s spray painting the inside of his garage or pulling weeds down at the park, our little buddy is always up to something. So grab your safety vest, a handful of train club rule pamphlets and enjoy!!

This episode of the Kelly Questions is so old we thought they’d gone bad but fortunately the Moderately Agitated Mailboy stuck them in the fridge behind his ample supply of guacamole.

Let’s not kid ourselves, you’ve been anxious to hear another round of the questions so you could test your skills against some of brightest minds in hobby. Unfortunately none of those people listen to ModelersLife so all we have to offer is our buddy Chris from ExactRail. Enjoy !!

Turns out there’s all kinds of fascinating people working at New Jersey Transit and our next guest insists he’s not one of them. As a long time fan of the of the Susquehanna Railroad and regular operator of Dave Abeles’ Onondaga Cutoff he’s got plenty of interesting insights to share.

He’s also a operator on several layouts in the New Jersey area, works in a department with only two people and a very accomplished photographer.

So grab yourself a giant bowl of shredded waybills, frosty cold glass of Susquehanna railroad yellow paint and enjoy!!

So many aspects of model railroading and can be considered an art form and weathering your locomotives and freight cars is no exception. This aspect of the hobby continues to grow in popularity as the search for realism seems endless.

We’re checking in with one of the hobby’s premier grime creators to find out what he’s been up to lately. So grab yourself a bowl of shredded dee-cals, a tall cool glass of splattered engine grease and enjoy.

We know what you’re asking yourself, what’s happening in Plattsburgh, Missouri right now?? The AML Nation reaches out to every corner of the globe and a sleepy little town north of Kansas City is no different.

This is the podcast you’ve been waiting for, an in-depth look into a fast-paced world of model railroad news. It’s non-stop action for this magazine editor, keeping his finger on the pulse of the world.

So grab yourself a big bowl of shredded set up sheets, a tall cool glass of printing ink and enjoy!!

It’s time to fly the friendly skies of the AML Nation with our very own flight attendant Ms. Boyd. It’s another emergency podcast about those folks so easily forgotten while they do their job tirelessly, so we here at HQ in Busted Knuckle, decided to find out more about one of our loyal listeners.

It can be tough deciding which scale you’re best suited for and our next guest is no different. Everything from experimenting with Arduino‘s, giving N scale a try and then ending up back where she started.

So grab yourself a big bowl of stale airline pretzels, I’ll tall glass complementary warm water and enjoy.