The Crossing Gate. Model railroad discussion.

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.

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.