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.

Have you ever attended an RPM Meet? RPM stands for Railroad prototype Modelers. The Twin Cities Division host an annual RPM meet called The Modelers Retreat. It is  March 11 and 12th and is two days of modeling and social activities.

Ken Zieska is the chairman, and he joins with the cast to describe all the clinics and demonstrations that will offer. The crew chimes in with their experience as clinicians and attending clinics. Plus, reasons why you should follow and make friends. Bring your models as well. 

Lawrence Eggering, David Hamilton, Mike Jordan, Ken Zieska, and Thomas Gasior MMR

The Model Railroad Flea Market sponsors this episode.

The Curmudgeon stops by to gripe about Too Much Reading at Operation sessions.
Outtakes and more.

This episode is hosted ( refereed?) By William Sampson. He asks the question: Are we loyal to certain brands, and why. We look at motive power, rolling stock, and caboose fleets. Do you have a favorite brand? Are you loyal because of the price, detail,  service from the manufacturer,  or ease of workability? 

Joe Binsh, Greg Dahl, Lawrence Eggering,  David Hamilton, Mike Jordan,  William Sampson, Ken Zieska, and Thomas Gasior MMR

This episode is sponsored by The Car Parade
Curmudgeon gripes about Museum Quality Rolling Stock
Plus outtakes at the end.

What are you doing differently, have your modeling skills evolved?
What are you doing differently or better than when you started model railroading? The crew gives their responses and discusses skills versus technology improvements. Also, knowing your skills will improve with practice time and mentoring, as not to be so tough open yourself and your early efforts.

Joe Binish, Dan Dossa, Larry Eggering, Mike Jordan, William Sampson, Ken Zieska, and Thomas Gasior MMR.

The Vest Full of Railroad Pins sponsor this episode.
Plus, the Curmudgeon drops by to gripe about donuts.

What's on your workbench?
The crew talks about current and future projects. We talk tools, techniques, overcoming issues that can derail a project. 

Joe Binish, Eric Boone, Greg Dahl, Larry Eggering, David Hamilton, Mike Jordan, and Thomas Gasior MMR.

The Arduino Drinking Games sponsor this episode of the Crossing Gate.
The Curmudgeon stops by to gripe about Model Railroading acronyms. 

Can you actually learn something by throwing it away? Can you learn when to throw a project away?  Experience is what you get when you didn't get what you wanted. Join the crew as they tell some of their tales of despair while fighting bad switches, engines, wiring, and more.  Sometimes selling a bad project is the only way out. But maybe you should just trash it and save the next modeler.  When do you decide to walk away and use your energy, talent, time, and money on something more worthwhile?
The Crew in this episode is Greg Dahl, Larry Eggering, David Hamilton, Mike Jordan, Luke Lemmens, and Thomas Gasior MMR. 

The crew discusses some of their favorite tools, tips, and techniques when working at the bench.  Do you have a favorite tool, or paintbrush, or soldering iron? We all do. We hope we can pass along some of the knowledge that we have acquired from many years of working on model railroads.   
The crew of this episode is Joe Binish, Larry Eggering, David Hamilton, Mike Jordan, ken Zieska, William Sampson,  and Thomas Gasior MMR.

Modeling things that are not trains, tracks, or rail-served industries.

What details, scenes, structures, and more do you use to make your layout more cohesive? What can you do that is beyond fifty feet of the centerline of the main. Do you have any non-rail-served industries? How do you model vehicles for your era and location? The crew discusses the periphery of layouts and how not to fill every blank part with more track. Dealing with backgrounds, structures, vehicles, and the importance of editing your modeling. Can you separate your layout from the emotional attachment of certain equipment? 

The crew in this episode is Joe Binish, Greg Dahl, Dan Dossa, David Hamilton, Mike Jordan, Ken Zieska, and Thomas Gasior MMR.

Switch Lists. JMRI, The Switch list Program, and even handwritten notes.  Do you use them and what do you think of them? How have they evolved? How does the JMRI program help you create a better switch list? William and his father use them for their layouts, Dan Dossa uses them for his small industrial line, and Larry uses the JMRI program at the local club. 

Is this an upgrade to running with car cards? What are the benefits of using a switch list rather than other forms of operation paperwork?

Crew this episode is Dan Dossa,  Larry Eggering , David Hamilton, Mike Jordan, William Sampson, Ken Zieska, and Thomas Gasior MMR

The simple concept of where do you look? How do we apply this to our layouts and create scenes or places that draw the eye? How do we design and keep a scene from being cluttered? 

Do you design the background, the foreground, and a signature scene for your layout? Planning and working on this visualization can make a layout really come to life.

 This episode of the Crossing gate is sponsored by The Firehouse.

The crew on this discussion includes Joe Binish, Eric Boone, Greg Dahl, Dan Dossa, Lawrence Eggering, and Thomas Gasior MMR.