In this episode, we talk with members of the Minnesota FreeMo group.

Bob Sterner and John Zacharias join us to discuss modular model railroading.

We talk about the start of Minnesota FreeMo and some stories from past setups. We discuss the standards, plus what it takes to join a local FreeMo group. The podcast is only part 1 of a series. We hope to chat with the Minnesota FreeMo N scalers soon. Look for a FreeMo set up at the following train show.

The crew for this podcast is Davis Hamilton MMR, Mike Jordan, Bob Sterner, John Zacharias, and Thomas Gasior MMR.

# BlameHeath sponsors this episode 

The Humanity Junction YouTube channel. Where if anything can go wrong, it will happen during a Livestream. 
https://www.youtube.com/c/HumancityJunction

Plus, our usual outtakes. 

In this episode, the Crew discusses the advantages of virtual meetings and clinics. 
From YouTube to Zoom, model railroading has changed for the better. 
Layout tours, clinics, conferences, and even entire conventions are online.
What does the future hold, and can these events be held and make a profit?

This episode is sponsored by: How many engines do you have?

The Crew in this episode is Larry Eggering, David Hamilton MMR, Mike Jordan, Ken Zieska, and Thomas Gasior MMR.

This episode, we dive into the world of Resin Car Kits. We invited fellow TCD member and Master Model Railroader Lester Breuer to answer our many questions about these unique kits. So if you are thinking of trying a resin kit, or an old veteran in prototype-specific specific rolling stock, take a listen. We discuss many tips and ideas as well as tools and adhesives. Lester and Joe created hundreds of these kits and shared their expertise during this discussion.
Lester's Blog address.
http://mnrailroadcab100.blogspot.com/

Crew members are Joe Binish, Lester Breuer MMR, Ken Zieska and hosted by Thomas Gasior MMR.
Our sponsor for this episode is the Tunnel, the same size as the mountain scenery.

The TCD and Crossing Gate crew also take a moment to remember our friend Craig Bisgeier. 

We talk about layout design versus a track plan. We list some solid points for creating a layout with a life beyond the construction phase. If you want to get into operations or plan a design for operations, our crew has some life lessons to help you in this endeavor.   

Crew members for this episode include Joe Binish, Greg Dahl, Dan Dossa, Larry Eggering, David Hamilton MMR, Mike Jordan, Ken Zieska, and Thomas Gasior MMR.

The Helix sponsors this episode. 

The crew discusses Staging yards. The ones they built and the ones they used on other layouts. What makes a good staging yard, and what are some things to avoid when designing a staging yard. Do staging yards even matter anymore in modern layout designs? 

The Angry Railfan sponsors this episode. Plus the usual bloopers.

The crew includes Joe Binish, Larry Eggering, David Hamilton MMR, Mike Jordan, Ken Zieska, and Thomas Gasior MMR.

 

The crew discusses the projects and things they like to do during the summer months.  Attending conventions, maintaining the layout, and cleaning the workbench are all ideas to keep the model train mojo going. 

The cast of this episode: Dan Dossa, Larry Eggering, Milt Spanton, Ken Zieska, and Thomas Gasior MMR.

Our friends at The Second Section Podcast sponsor this episode. 

The crew discusses what is on their workbench, plus moving a project from start to completion. 

Cast of episode is Joe Binish, Larry Eggering, Mike Jordan, William Sampson, Ken Zieska and Thomas Gasior MMR

This episode is sponsored by the Model Railroading Bus.
Plus the Curmudgeon drops by to gripe and the usual outtakes and sound bites after.

What makes operation so interesting?

Does it keep people in the hobby?
Does it improve your layout?
Does having a small layout limit the size of your enjoyment?

Join the crew as we discuss what we like about operations and how we try to encourage others to operate their layouts and join operating groups.

Joe Binish
Larry Eggering
David Hamilton MMR
Mike Jordan
Ken Zieska
Thomas Gasior MMR

Magic Blue Smoke sponsors this episode.
Plus, the Curmudgeon stops by to gripe about Blue Box kits.

Recorded live before an audience at the end of the Modelers Retreat.  Our crew looks back on the fun weekend and discusses the events that took place. 

The crew spent a weekend in March celebrating the hobby of model railroading at the Twin Cities Division RPM meet. It was an amazing two days of socializing, model building, clinics, operations, history, and more. 
Clinics featured our own Mike Jordan, Clark Probst, Bob Rivard, and Scott Thorton from Iowa Scaled Engineering. 
There were demonstrations on all types of modeling and even a FreeMo setup. 
This episode is sponsored by Panel Line Wash. A great product with seemingly endless uses.
Plus the Curmudgeon actually found something to gripe about at the event.

This episode features Joe Binish, Greg Dahl, Dan Dossa, David Hamilton, William Sampson, Ken Zieska, Diana Gasior, and Thomas Gasior MMR.

This episode looks into how a story helps a layout achieve believability. If you model a prototype or freelance railroad, a story can help your modeling. A story keeps you on the path to creating a better layout. Listen to how our panel uses its stories to tell the tale of various layouts. From Northern Minnesota ore mines to the chemical industries of Florida. Moving perishables out of the fertile California Valley to hustling freight along the Mississippi River and back alleys of Minneapolis.

Many ways to achieve the correct story and tell it well include sound, scenery, rolling stock, structures, automobiles, and operating schemes. So what's your story, and do you explain it well.

We are featuring Dan Dossa, Larry Eggering, David Hamilton, Mike Jordan, Ken Zieska, and Thomas Gasior MMR.
The Operations Day Glitch sponsors this episode, and the Curmudgeon stops by for a gripe about Java and not the coffee.