New DVD Coming Soon

Our newest and 10th DVD will be available around October 1st. This latest DVD, Robert Seckler's Dutchess & Hudson Valley Railroads, features the layout of an accomplished modeler and a good friend. Rob's approach to modeling is fairly straight forward - just have fun. Ultimately, that's the goal of any hobby - we're dedicating our time and effort for sheer enjoyment. Sure there are plenty of other motivating factors for spending hours and dollars building models but it's all rather useless if what you are doing doesn't bring you happiness.

Rob builds much of the layout with a group of his friends. Along the way his family has gotten involved as well. In the end it's been something friends and family can be a part of, share ideas, measure progress, sharpen skills and laugh their way through it.

Hopefully all of us can extract that kind of satisfaction from our modeling. If you feel you're falling short in that department, this DVD might inspire you get to your workbench and have a good time building and creating.

New Fos Work Shop

It's taken a while but the new Fos Scale Models workshop is nearing completion. Stay tuned for more updates...

Watch The Closing Doors

As I'm in between layouts right now, the theme, era and subject matter for a new layout are all up for grabs. Concurrently my basement is about to be available as our new workshop nears completion; a stand alone structure converted from a garage will house Fos Scale Models -leaving the basement wide open for a number of uses; one of which could be a large model railroad.

The dilemma as always is what to model as my interests vary from Brooklyn waterfront circa 1955 to modern day BNSF across Iowa to the NYC Subway. In fact my ideal layout is one that would be less than half a foot deep and only feature a cutaway view of the subway tunnels, perhaps with the occasional street level entrances to stations. Additionally a section of elevated subway would be on the list as well.

Of all the choices the NYC subway is at the top of my list for numerous reasons. One of which is that it's seldom modeled. Even with all the new subway cars available from Life Like; I've yet to see a subway layout grace the pages of the RMC or MR. Second to that, is that for me, the subway represents a home away from home; I've spent most of my life using the subway for one reason or another - from one of my first childhood memories at the age of three, on a street that was completely dug up as they built the subway in the open, to be covered when completed by the street to my high school years on Second Avenue & 57th and then later in life at various city jobs.

Of late, living in Connecticut for the last 6 years, my trips to NY are sporadic, about every three weeks, so I'm not using the subway as much - but it's even more apparent when I'm back on the Downtown 6 or the cross town shuttle, I feel right at home. It's like a good friend who even if you don't see in a while, you pick up right where you left off.

And I like modeling things that have meaning to me. The modeling becomes an extension of my life; a three dimensional, sentimental photo album. So, the more substantive the meaning, the more likely I'll be motivated to work on it.

But as usual my modeling habits can turn on a dime, subject to change. In the meantime, I'll be considering how I might make HO scale turnstiles and token booths.

New Kit Coming Soon

Some door detail from our next kit due out in mid-June; stay tuned...

Almost there...

The final details are being added to the diorama of our next kit...The _____ ______. We should have some more finished pics ready by the weekend, stay tuned...

New Kit In Progress

The pilot model for our next kit is nearly complete. This kit features 4 individual businesses all in one structure to form a small mini block, about 4" x 9". We're looking at a mid-March release and will post more photos soon.

Also in the works for April, 2 new DVD's from our Model Railroad Masters series...stay tuned.

The Curse

As it is with many established towns and cities, there are always a few structures worthy of inspiration that you can take back to your modeling workbench. Living here in New England provides frequent opportunities to discover some great old building that would make a great structure or at the very least a part of the structure could find it's way into my modeling or into a new kit.

Other treasures include simply a nicely weathered brick wall or cobblestone street. But once a discovery like this has been made, I somehow curse these finds with my ambition, " I should get a picture of this."

Invariably I will tell myself that I've found a really interesting building, maybe it's sitting precariously on the waters edge, clapboards peeling, shingles all askew...or maybe it's an old gas station, closed years ago but completely left as it was ten or even 30 years ago. All that I ask of myself is to take a simple picture. Easy enough; if I remember to bring my camera - which I almost never have.

So my curse is one of three scenarios; the building in question is simply demolished before I can take a photo. Or, the building, with it's peeling paint and sagging walls, is fixed up and repainted or it's stripped of any details like trim and corbels and smothered in vinyl siding.

Many an awesome structure have been condemned, destroyed or disfigured and I will take the blame simply because I uttered, " I should take a picture of that."

Case in point: the Mystic River Drawbridge. If you know Mystic, CT, you know the bridge. It's paint has been peeling for a longtime, often more rust than paint covers the bridge. I've been meaning to photograph it in it's deteriorating state. For one thing, a rusty bridge makes for a nice photo subject. For another, it's got some great examples of what rust and peeling paint should look like.

The town of Mystic has been planning to rehabilitate the bridge for some time, and now that time has come. One lane has now been closed as repairs have begun. I suspect they are interested in the bridge not falling into the river. Damn them and their safety concerns. Who wants to take pictures of a clean, well maintained bridge?

I'm kidding of course, as both a driver and boater who goes over and under the bridge I'd prefer it didn't fall on my head or fall into the murky river. And since my phone takes better pictures than my point and shoot camera, that I never remember to take with me, I now have a few photos of the rusty bridge. And if I discover any old relics that look like they'd make a good structure or kit, I won't hesitate to take out the phone and snap away.

Space Train

As a both a big fan of trains and the space shuttle, it's a thrill to see them converge. The pic above is NASA's railroad carrying segments of the solid rocket boosters - the only way to move 150 ton pieces of rockets. It's interesting to see one of our oldest technologies come to the aid of one of the most modern. The trip starts out in Utah where they're manufactured and traverses more than a few rights of way to get to Florida, including Union Pacific and CSX. Track speeds are kept at a minimum, due to the fact that they are towing 5 million pounds of explosives. If you're interested in more details about this, read about it here:

http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/flyout/railroad.html