Around The Layout - A Model Railroad Podcast

Finding your "why" - it's a topic that we talked about with Lance Mindheim, and now one of his biggest fans, Joe Mammay, returns to the show to talk about finding his with a new railroad, location and track plan as the Lamoille Valley gives way for the Norfolk Southern C&F Secondary. Joe shares how he learned of this line and how a recent railfanning trip to it solidified his decision. In addi...

It's like Scott Thornton had just left the ATLP studio after joining Lonnie Bathurst to talk about the St. Louis RPM, and now he's back to talk to Tony Cook and Ray Arnott about Scenic & Weathering Techniques; the book he's edited and compiled as the first entry in the new Railroad Model Craftsman's Master Craftsman Series. Scott shares with us what went into creating this collaboration from o...

We head back to Central New York to hear Bill Brown's amazing story of triumph over tragedy and how a great group of friends helped him recover from disaster. Bill shares his origin story, then tells how becoming a member of the CNY Division of the NMRA provided him with incredible opportunities to further his modeling skills and led to meeting the folks that would become lifelong friends. Bill al...

It's time to talk about the largest railroad prototype modelers meet in the country - the 16th Annual St Louis RPM. Scott Thornton joins host Ray Arnott as they talk to Lonnie Bathurst, one of the many folks who make the St Louis RPM a show that cannot be missed. Lonnie tells us the show's history and how he became involved in an official capacity. This year's show theme is "The Layout - A Weekend...

On this episode of Around The Layout, we head to Central New York State to chat with Drew James. Drew is the owner of the Canada, Spokane and Pacific HO scale model railroad; an outstanding railroad for its amazing scenery and outstanding operations. Drew tells us the events leading up to this current layout and how the NMRA Central New York division is chock full of talented members willing to he...

It's the acquisition that everyone's been talking about. No, not Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern and, no, not CSX / Pan-Am. It's ExactRail becoming a part of the ever growing ScaleTrains family and this is so big that we had to get the head of ScaleTrains, Shane Wilson, to tell us all about it. We learn how this deal came about and what it means for both brands. We also get an exclusive...

After all of the past interrogations and information from informants, we've finally captured the Iowa Interstate Godfather; none other than Joe Atkinson himself. Now that we've beat the dead horse with this mafia thing, we can get down to the business of learning how Joe became such an authority on the Iowa Interstate, leading him to create two versions of the 4th Sub that has inspired fellow IAIS...

It's time to interrogate another member of the Iowa Interstate Mafia as we bring James McNab downtown for a whole line of questioning. Luckliy, James is willing to talk and we learn about his start in the hobby and how a fellow churchgoer's layout inspired him. We also hear how a change of employment led him to the Iowa Interstate and opened up a new world of railroading and friendships. Check out...

They say "Everything is bigger in Texas" and the Supercharged, High Speed Texas Express 2023 NMRA National Convention is setting up to keep that promise. We talk to Riley Triggs and Chris Atkins and get the lowdown on all of the exciting activities happening in the Dallas/Fort Worth area during the week of August 20-27. There's an amazing list of prototype events, layout tours, operating sessions,...

It's that time again - Tony Cook's got a 50' hi-cube load of news from the model railroading world to share with us, including a recent acquisition that's getting more news coverage than CPKC and CSX/Pan Am combined, but first we talk to Curtis Koch, Director of Marketing and Social Media at Broadway Limited. Curtis tells us about their revamped website and a bunch of new releases in HO and N scal...

With Father's Day less than a week away, we got the father/son duo of William Sampson and William Sampson together to share their bond over model railroading. William Sr. tells us how railroad is in the Sampson blood, with ties to railroading in several generations. He then tells us how he got started in the hobby, with influences from his past leading him to model the Great Northern in 1970. He t...

There's good news to deliver on this episode of Around The Layout - progress is being made in Washington DC - but only on the model railroading front. That progress is being made by Marty McGuirk, who joins us to share his model railroading story. Learn how a visit to New London, Connecticut became the precursor to an outstanding career and love for the Central Vermont. Marty also shares how a kit...

On this episode of Around The Layout, we head back to Texas to chat with yet another freelance model railroader, Joe Bohannon. Joe shares his start in the hobby and the many influences, from California to Washington State to Texas that led to him creating the Chinook Lines. He also tells us about his involvement in historical societies and how the knowledge he gained there provided content for his...

From a young age, John Doehring was destined to be a part of the National Model Railroad Association. In this episode, we learn how that journey began and how it has led John to leadership roles at the division, region and now national level. John also tells us about his personal enjoyment of the hobby through N scale modulars and how discovering operations deepened his love for model railroading....

On this month's What's Happening In Model Railroading, Editior of Model Railroad News' Tony Cook and I get the opportunity to talk to Matt Stern, Communications Manager at Bachmann Trains. Matt tells us about his role at Bachmann and shares some of the latest product releases. Later on, Tony brings us the latest product releases from around the hobby, including one that lets Ray show off some of h...

We all know Andy Dorsch as the co-host of the wildly popular Second Section Podcast, but how much do you know about Andy the modeler? We find out in this episode of Around The Layout as Andy takes us back to his childhood railfanning the Chicago and North Western that planted the railroad seed, then on to adulthood as he developed his freelance Mascoutin Valley Railroad. Andy then shares how he me...

It's fun to have an episode of Around The Layout with a guy who's built a train that's gone around many layouts. John Rezuke has become known for his traveling HO scale Ringling Bros and Barnum & Bailey Circus train and he tells us all about how he chose this project and the massive amount of research he has put in to accurately pay tribute to a train that means so much to so many. John shares...

Seven days a week, Weather My Trains' Rob Arsenault is producing some of the most realistic and jaw-dropping weathering in the hobby. In this episode of Around The Layout, Rob puts down the brush and tells how a childhood spent on Prince Edward Island and railfanning the PEI sparked his lifelong love for trains. He shares how time spent in the Royal Canadian Air Force provided rare opportunities t...

On this month's What's Happening In Model Railroading, Editor of Model Railroad News' Tony Cook returns to bring us the latest announcements in the hobby. One of the leading announcements is the completely revamped Athearn website and Jim Wiggin, Associate Brand Manager from Athearn stops by to tell us all about it. Later, Tony and Ray talk about annoucements from Athearn, Rapido, Jacksonville Ter...

This is the audio from the live Facebook and YouTube event on April 16, 2023. On this special we announced: Around The Layout is now a weekly show! Tony Cook returns to What's Happening In Model Railroading with a regular monthly schedule and a new format. The launch of the Around The Layout Operators Group. Show your support for the podcast by becoming a member at patreon.com/AroundTheLayoutPodca...

Why. It's the question every model railroader should know the answer to, and Lance Mindheim has prided himself in helping model railroaders find their own why. In this episode, we find out how Lance found his own "why" as he shares his own model railroading journey. He also shares how studying the arts has made him a better modeler and how you too can begin to see your layout from a whole new angl...

Welcome to another dimmension, where Joe Mammay is the host of Around The Layout and is interviewing Ray Arnott. Come along as we hear about Ray's start in model railroading, from a TYCO set to an attempt at N scale. Ray tells us how the prototype led him back to the hobby, and how joining a club introduced him to his mentor who helped open his eyes to the concept of operations. Thank you to Joe M...

The Around The Layout (less than) six degrees of separation has led us to Matt Freix. A friend of past guests Dave Oppensano and Isaac Fabris, Matt joins us and tells his model railroading story; from his childhood modeling with a shovel of dirt on a 4x8 sheet of plywood to a beautifully finished basement where his Gateway Western's Subdivision 6 resides. Matt tells us about the prototype of his c...

It's nice to know that people in the model railroading industry are modelers just like us, and that's exactly what we do on this episode of Around The Layout. Jim Wiggin, Associate Brand Manager for Athearn, takes us back to his childhood in central New Hampshire and tells us how an interaction with a Boston & Maine employee boosted his desire to model the prototype. We also learn the influenc...

It's the largest show west of the Mississippi - The Rocky Mountain Train Show - and Co-Chair John Gardberg and the multitasker that needs no title, Michelle Kempema are here to tell us all about it. John and Michelle tell us about their passion for this show that has had a major impact on both. The Rocky Mountain Train Show has something for everyone of all ages and skill levels, with a focus on b...