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a ModelersLife: Daily Summaries Delivered
by Lionel Strang
All modelers have a life but what do we know of it. This podcast is as much about the people in model railroading has it is about the hobby itself. I've met so many interesting people in the hobby over the years I decided it would be fun to share their back stories with everyone else. So come along with me, Lionel Strang as we discover just how many fascinating folks there are in this great hobby of ours.
Latest Episodes
The most recent episodes — sign up to get AI-powered summaries of each one.
- 1 weeks ago56 min
Thirty-Seven Day Ending
This the final installment of Blair Kooistra's thirty-seven-day extensive railroad photography expedition across the United States, undertaken after his retirement from working as a full-time railroad dispatcher. Blair used the trip to continue lifelong passion for railroad photography, documenting freight trains, railroad infrastructure, industrial landscapes, and model railroads along the way. Starting from his home in Texas, he traveled across the Midwest, photographing working railroads, freight trains, and industrial landscapes. He continued eastbound and down through the Appalachians, documenting railroad operations and touring model railroad layouts. The trip combined his professional railroad experience, decades of photography, and ties to the model railroading community, yielding an extensive collection of photographs. So grab yourself a big bowl of shredded film cannisters, a tall cool glass of Kodak D-76 film developer and enjoy!!
- 3 weeks ago1h 0m
Episode 291: Iowa Scaled Engineering
On this edition of "a ModelersLife" we welcome back Michael Petersen one of the co-founders of Iowa Scaled Engineering located somewhere in Colorado. ISE has been bringing engineering innovation mostly through electronics to the hobby of model railroading for several years while helping layout builders create sophisticated railroads that are more fun to operate. Michael founded the company with Nathan Holmes and together their work sits at the intersection of engineering and a passion for the hobby. In this podcast we'll find out what's new and explore some of the challenges behind designing specialized products. Plus, we talk about the ideas, creativity, and engineering decisions that go from concept to a successful product that builders can use on their own layouts. It's a great podcast and one we're sure you'll enjoy!!
- Oct 3, 20261h 11m
Episode 290: Brayden Anderson-Midwest Model Railroad
Right from the beginning the goal of Midwest Model Railroad was to be different, be bold, daring and willing to take chances in order to create one of the most successful model railroad shops in the lower forty-eight. Enter Brayden Anderson a young twenty something who became the general manager of the store at an age when most are still just trying to find their way. For most people Brayden's age being the manager at a large modern model-train store and distribution center near Kansas City, with a 15,000-square-foot facility and more than 100,000 products in stock and a goal to ship orders within one business day could quickly become quite over-whelming even for the most experienced veteran. Store owner Stephen Atwell needed someone who could handle retail management, warehouse operations, customer service, and have some model-railroad expertise. This is a real incite into the retail side of hobby and a podcast we're sure you'll enjoy !!
- Sep 15, 20261h 12m
Episode 289: Steve Goaring
Steve Goaring's Illinois Terminal Railroad, O'Fallon Branch, is a terrific example of prototype-focused HO scale model railroading. It recreates a relatively obscure Southern Illinois branch line and, rather than simply building a generic railroad, Steve researched the prototype and built the layout around how the railroad actually operated. For the basic concept he modeled the Illinois Terminal's Troy Junction–O'Fallon branch in 1961, in HO scale. The layout is approximately 12 × 21 feet, with about 75 feet of mainline. It represents the line from Troy Junction through O'Fallon to the St. Ellen coal mine. The prototype is particularly interesting because this wasn't a big mainline railroad. It was a relatively short branch, but it connected with several important railroads and generated substantial freight traffic. This a great podcast with an experienced modeler that does a nice job of explaining the overall concept.
- Sep 15, 20261h 12m
Episode 289: Steve Goaring
Steve Goaring's Illinois Terminal Railroad, O'Fallon Branch, is a terrific example of prototype-focused HO scale model railroading. It recreates a relatively obscure Southern Illinois branch line and, rather than simply building a generic railroad, Steve researched the prototype and built the layout around how the railroad actually operated. For the basic concept he modeled the Illinois Terminal's Troy Junction–O'Fallon branch in 1961, in HO scale. The layout is approximately 12 × 21 feet, with about 75 feet of mainline. It represents the line from Troy Junction through O'Fallon to the St. Ellen coal mine. The prototype is particularly interesting because this wasn't a big mainline railroad. It was a relatively short branch, but it connected with several important railroads and generated substantial freight traffic. This a great podcast with an experienced modeler that does a nice job of explaining the overall concept.
- Sep 4, 20261h 11m
Episode 288: David Popp
David Popp has brought knowledge and joy to model railroaders around the world for well over two decades, with his deep his enthusiasm for the hobby, and his ability to make even the most complicated modeling subjects approachable, David has become one of the hobby's most recognizable and trusted voices. Whether he's talking about layouts, operations, scenery, locomotives, tools, or the people who make this hobby great, his enthusiasm is contagious. David has a wonderful ability to remind model railroaders that this hobby isn't about building the perfect railroad. It's about having fun, learning something new, sharing ideas, and enjoying the journey. That's why David Popp doesn't just bring knowledge to model railroaders around the world—he brings joy, enthusiasm, and a genuine love for the hobby. So grab yourself a big bowl of unfettered happiness, a tall cool glass of infectious personality and enjoy !!!
- Aug 24, 20261h 46m
America 250 Locomotive Celebration
The N.C. Transportation Museum, Trains Magazine, White River Productions, Scale Trains, Virtual Railfan, and Jack & Audrey Harris are excited to present the America 250 Locomotive Celebration August 28-30 at the N.C. Transportation Museum in Spencer, NC!! And we here at the AML Nation are excited to present our very own Marcus Neubacher (the AML's most eligible bachelor) with a complete run-down of the upcoming events. Experience a once-in-a-generation railroading event as the North Carolina Transportation Museum hosts the first and only gathering of commemorative locomotives from Class One, short lines, and passenger railroads, all specially painted to celebrate America's semi- quincentennial. Set against the iconic Bob Julian Roundhouse, this extraordinary display of red, white, and blue locomotives is expected to create one of the most memorable railroad photography opportunities of the America 250 celebration.
- Aug 14, 20261h 20m
Scott and the Judges
It was a beautiful morning in Chattanooga, Tennessee home of this year's NMRA national convention, the Scenic City Express. The trains were running, the vendors selling and the clinics were filling up. And somewhere inside the Convention headquarters Scott Lister was standing beside his contest entry with the confidence of a man who had just built one of the finest models ever constructed in the history of mankind. Scott had spent months on it with every board carefully weathered and every detail in place on the model with the greatest care. It wasn't long until the judges arrived as Scott stood silent while one judge leaned over the model, another pulled out a flashlight while a third one put on magnifying glasses. The tension in the room was so thick, you could cut it with a knife. This story is epic and most likely be recalled for years by all in the AML Nation, so grab yourself a big bowl of shredded score sheets, a tall cool glass of contest marking ink and enjoy!!
About a ModelersLife
All modelers have a life but what do we know of it. This podcast is as much about the people in model railroading has it is about the hobby itself. I've met so many interesting people in the hobby over the years I decided it would be fun to share their back stories with everyone else. So come along with me, Lionel Strang as we discover just how many fascinating folks there are in this great hobby of ours.
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