Blog

I spend my weekends wrestling with a garden railway in Golden, Colorado, where the altitude, UV exposure, and temperature swings actively conspire to destroy anything smaller than a breadbox. My background in wildlife biology taught me one thing that applies directly to model railroading: you have t …

I spent 28 years wrenching on CTA cars at the Skokie Shops, so when I tell you that understanding your rolling stock matters, I'm not just blowing smoke. Whether you're moving passengers on the L or coal on a model railroad, the fundamentals stay the same: know your equipment, respect the standards, …

I bought my first N scale locomotive in 1989, and I chose poorly. The thing stuttered at slow speeds, stalled on every turnout, and eventually developed that dreaded "clicking" noise that signals a cracked gear. Three months of frustration later, it sat in a box while I questioned whether this hobby …

I bought my first Broadway Limited locomotive in 1989 and immediately realized I had a problem: I had no idea what an actual Pennsylvania Railroad freight train looked like. That single question sent me down a research path that, frankly, I never came back from. Now I spend my days as an archivist a …