a ModelersLife

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!!