About Us...
All modelers have a life but what do we know of it. This podcast is as much about the people in the hobby of model railroading as it is about the hobby itself.
Having always been a fan of the long form conversational interview and having met so many interesting people in the hobby over the years we decided it would be fun to share their back stories with everyone else. So come along with me, Lionel Strang and a strong cast of supporting characters as we discover how life intertwines with this great hobby of ours and helps to strengthen the fabric of who we are as individuals. |
Upcoming Episodes...
Recent Episodes...
Fans of the AML Part #73 -
It’s not very often we introduce a new piece on the AML Network but it’s with great anticipation that we present the very newest segment on ModelersLife… “Hey Dude… Where’s My Shirt!!” As the Evel Overlord tries to compensate for the slow and tedious delivery of shirts owed to some our most devoted Patreon members. While it’s true some members have waited an extraordinary amount of time to receive their coveted AML Shirts available only to those who seek to support the AML Nation in the strongest way possible, rolling the dice to find out if their prized AML shirt will arrive just a few weeks, months or years later, can be very stressful. Plus, on this episode we seek to either enhance or destroy “Mr. Jingles” marriage by giving him travel advice and the best way to slip out of town undetected. So, pack your bags and clean up the spare room, Mr. Jingles may be coming to a town near you!! Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Springfield Report Part Three !! -
It’s part three of the “Springfield Interviews” and this time our very own Queso Cowboy takes to floor to get the latest scoop on what’s happening around the hobby. In this report Queso stops by Mine Mount Models to find out about their first limited edition kit, there’s a visit with Rudy from Garbely Publishing and a great chat with the folks at Valley HO Trak. Plus he checks in on all the latest news from Walthers before stopping by the White Rose Hobbies booth to discuss they’re recent acquisition of Bethlehem Car Works and finally Matt Herman from 3D Central tells us all about this great new company. So sit back with some week-old candy floss, left over soda from your brothers BBQ and enjoy!! Click Here For the Free Download |
"Uncle" Dave's Fireside Chat #17 -
It’s time for another “Fireside” chat with our very own “Uncle” Dave as we cover a virtual kaleidoscope of topics while the Evel Overlord tries to keep up with model railroading’s most excitable participants. “Uncle” Dave tells a very heartwarming story of meeting a family at Springfield that discovered him through his Facebook live series of videos, how much they meant to them and particularly their youngest son. There’s also lively discussion about Conrail hotspots, prototype versus freelance, the value of giving individuals credit for their work, the pros and cons of Barb’s famous butter tarts, the Sherwood Inn in Skaneateles, New York that Scott Lister worked so hard to reproduce. Finally some debate about asking manufacturers to produce rare individual locomotives and freight cars for the model railroad public. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy. Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Springfield Report Part Two -
It’s Part Two of the Springfield Reports with more exciting interviews, more headline grabbing quotes, and an opportunity to hear about some of the exciting action in and around the ModelersLife booth in the Better Living Center. In this episode, we hear from all sorts of different folks in the hobby, including Gordy Robinson the president of the NMRA, Bill Ford an avid AML listener, Matt Stern from Bachman, Kent Carrier from the R.I.T. club in Rochester, Brandon Bolwerk the travelling companion of “Mr. Jingles,” Michelle Kempema from the Colorado Model Railroad Museum, Matt Dawson one of the AML‘s favorite sons, and finally Otto Vondrak, the editor of Railroad Model Craftsman. It’s a great episode and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy. Click Here For the Free Download |
ViewerMail Flight #110 -
Once again, it’s time to enjoy our voluminous ViewerMail and if you missed the last episode of rummaging through the mail bag, you didn’t miss much, and if you’re anxiously waiting to listen to the latest version of rummaging through the mail bag, you can almost be assured that it’s a complete waste of your time. Enjoy!! Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Episode 234: Great Layouts -
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to operate on some of the most famous and greatest model railroads ever built or to be a regular crew member on Tony Koester‘s Allegheny Midland/Nickel Plate railroads or to visit Harold Werthwein’s fantastic Erie Railroad layout. On this podcast we talk with some folks who’ve done just that. Tom, Doug and Ralph have known each for decades operating layouts regularly, operating on layouts throughout the northeast. In part one we lay the foundation for further discussions about what’s expected when visiting such layouts and what’s it’s like to be a regular on some well-known layouts. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy. Click Here For the Free Download |
Fireside Chat: Chris Atkins -
Modeling the Northern Pacific in HO scale can be a rewarding and enjoyable project for any model railroader, but for one modeler living in the heart of Texas this railroad and all it has to offer has become an enjoyable pastime. Add an authentic section house moved to his homestead and Chris Atkins has found himself in the midst of a journey that’s brought hours of pleasure, some head scratching, and the opportunity to include hundreds of friends in operating sessions that continue to spark the modeling bug. However, Chris doesn’t just model the Northern Pacific, he also found time to volunteer his services to the NMRA in many different capacities, create structures for the Northern Pacific Historical Society and still find time to help run the NPRHA Company Store. This is a great “Fireside Chat” between two friends and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!! Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Springfield Report Part One -
Another year has come and gone at the great Amherst Railway Society’s Railroad Hobby Show. With over twenty-six thousand people in attendance it was a roaring success with lots of folks to talk to, bargains to be had, layouts to seen, friends to reconnect with and new friends to be made. In our first series of interviews we talk with folks who stopped by the booth to answer some hard-hitting questions. Ray Persing talks about his son Steve, Cale Leiphart about what’s new in the world of Lego modeling, John Frantz on taking his model railroad in a different direction, Ken McCorry on selling parts of his steel mill to make way for some new structures and Lucy Dormont on becoming the social media manager for the NMRA. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!!! Click Here For the Free Download |
Fans of the AML Part 72 -
Can’t remember if you purchased three or twenty-three locomotives at this year’s Springfield Train Show, still wandering around the parking lot looking for your car?? You’re admiring the N-Scale freight cars you purchased only to realize you been modeling S-scale for the last decade. If you were one of the over twenty-six thousand folks to attend the big Amherst Railway Show you surely didn’t come away disappointed, with so much to see and do it can be overwhelming for first timers. The AML Nation was there in full force occupying hotels, going to dinner, attending the first ever AML “Dance Party” and helping us take a great group photo with almost sixty folks from around the world in attendance. It was non-stop fun, and the AML crew is here to tell you all about it. Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Episode 233: Iron City N-Scale -
What happens when two guys from Pennsylvania who claim to be lone wolfs in the hobby, take over a Facebook page from a third modeler and then realize what they’ve done?? This is the heartwarming tale of Patrick Moore (the other guy) and Bradd Williamson from Crater, Pennsylvania, formerly known as Oval, Pennsylvania nestled in the sleepy valley of Nippenose. From the first time they met until present day, the relationship between Patrick and Bradd reads like the finest “Harlequin” romance novel ever written. Together they created the “Iron City N-Scale” group that’s gone from just two members to well over six hundred and continues growing each day. Fellowship is the name of the game for these two model railroaders, and we’re glad they stopped by to share their story. Click Here For the Free Download |
All-Star Variety Hour #53 -
Variety is the spice of life and we here at the Nation in downtown Busted Knuckle, Kentucky, try to give you the listener, a wide variety of information that often turns out to be useful but sometimes will simply leave you scratching your head. This month we’ve employed the services of Mike Hauk an ex-Navy doctor who has developed some excellent techniques for painting HO scale figures. Next, we talk with our buddy Scott, “Scooter” Lister about what we think is operations on his fantastic Greenville and Northern Railroad. Then after a recommended break, we finally talk to our always pleasant resident signal maintainer Dave Barraza, who explains to us what’s all entailed in creating a new relay machine for the New York subway system it’s a great podcast and one we’re surely appreciate, so sit back with a nice cold bottle of sarsaparilla and enjoy!!! Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Zimmerman: Standards & Conformances -
There are hundreds and hundreds, probably over a thousand volunteers in the National Model Railroad Association. (NMRA) Each one working tirelessly to make this great hobby even better and one of our favorite department heads of the NMRA is Andy Zimmerman. Andy oversees the Standards and Conformance committee guiding an enthusiastic volunteer force of almost a hundred dedicated folks each of whom spend several hours a week making sure manufacturers produce products that will perform well right out of the box. There’s also a lively chat about marketing and selling the NMRA. So grab yourself a big bowl of shredded conformance applications, a tall cool glass of battleship gray paint and enjoy!! Click Here For the Free Download |
ViewerMail Flight #109 -
It’s time once again for our voluminous ViewerMail, without you the valued listener and your occasionally well thought out emails it would be nothing more than listening to “Kelly” read the minutes from the latest Board of Directors meeting at the Medford Railroad Park. On this version of the “Mail” we hear from a wide variety of devoted AMLer’s on a wide variety of subjects. Bill Ford sent in an email discussing sounds emulating from his phone while listening to a recent episode. Matt Millican writes in to update us on what’s been happening in his world plus some other regulars keep us up to date on their whereabouts. It’s another great show and one we are sure you’ll enjoy. Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Episode 232: Peter Borcherds -
Building a model railroad layout is a rewarding hobby and documenting the process on YouTube can be both educational and entertaining for fellow hobbyists. From researching prototype railroads to designing and constructing the layout, there's a lot to cover and share with your audience. Peter Borcherds has an entertaining YouTube channel detailing his build of the BNSF Chicago Sub. As well as being a lifelong model railroader, devoted AML listener, Peter is also the newest president of the NMRA’s British Region a vibrant model railroad community in the United Kingdom that provides valuable support and resources for members and others throughout Great Britain. This is a great podcast with a view of modeling an American prototype from across the pond. So grab yourself a big bowl of shredded seaweed, a tall cool glass of salt water and enjoy. Click Here For the Free Download |
Kelly Questions #73: Nick Santo -
We’ve been cleaning up around the ole’ AML Studios and when we moved out a bookcase in “Kelly’s” office, we found an old set of Kelly questions from more than three years ago. It looked as though Kelly had been using the cassette to hold up one end of his collection of the Bee Gees greatest hits albums or it was on the wrong end of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Either way, we were thrilled to find it and share it with the world. With Kaylee Zheng and Bruce “the Moderately Agitated Mailboy,” we delve into the wonderful world of Nick Santo. Whether he’s sitting with his back to the window at the airport or listening to his favorite Bobby Goldsboro album, Nick is a wonderful treasure of all the things you might have never heard on the “Kelly Questions.” So grab yourself a big bowl of shredded “Quick Reference Guides,” a tall cool glass of airplane fuel and enjoy!! Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
John Sacerdote Springfield Show Director -
It’s that time of year again, the Amherst Railway Society’s Railroad Hobby Show is about to open and once again we got John Sacerdote the show director for over two decades stops by the studio to tell us all about. We’re also joined by our very own “Uncle” Dave and Northeast RPM coordinator Dave Owens to get all the scoop. From the Lego layout, 1:87 Scale Vehicle club, hundreds of vendors, Rapido Trains, who’s buried in the levy, chalking out the tables and getting the coveted parking pass, it’s all right here. Every year several charities benefit from some of the monies collected from admissions and table rentals, it’s the largest model railroad show in North America. Grab yourself a big bowl of shredded vendors list and a tall cool glass of left-over cola and enjoy!! Click Here For the Free Download |
Fireside with Dave Barraza !! -
Our assignment this week, was to find a model railroader who helps develop signal systems for New York Transit, started building a basement sized layout as a lone-wolf modeler and was then introduced to operations on Phil Monat’s Delaware and Susquehanna Railroad almost a decade ago. Not possible you say?? But alas, not only have we found such a modeler we’d already interviewed him back in March of 2017. Dave Barraza is no longer a lone-wolf, constantly hosts operating sessions on his New York and Atlantic Railroad. (well over seventy sessions now) Attends as many operating sessions as possible, including the Queso Cowboy’s first ever operating session in the barn and whenever possible gets out his saxophone to throw down a couple of tunes. Grab yourself a big bowl of shredded TT&O orders, a tall cool glass of reed juice and enjoy!! Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Fans of the AML Part #71 -
With the Amherst Railway Society’s Railroad Hobby Show in Springfield, Massachusetts just around the corner, we here at the ole’ AML World Headquarters decided it was time to gather the crew together to coordinate all the weekends activities. Of course, the AML offices are a buzz with the with news that the Saturday Night Pizza has been replaced by the AML Dance Party in the same location and the same cast of characters. Also there’s the typical back-and-forth between the Mailboy and the Queso Cowboy about who’s in charge of the jingles, plus the modeler simply known as “Kelly” takes an in-depth look at Keen Boots. Things get heated when the Mailboy and the Queso Cowboy heatedly discuss the value of manufactures giving customers an indication of what data will appear on the side of their next freight car. So grab a big bowl of shredded Bobby Socks, a tall cool glass of liquid boot protectant and enjoy!! Click Here For the Free Download |
Fireside Chat with Rodger Coleman -
There are so many great folks to talk with in the AML Nation, the majority of which have been model railroaders most of their lives and then there’s Rodger Coleman, who is basically new to the hobby, relatively new to rail-fanning and very experienced at life. We here at the ole’ AML World Headquarters in downtown Busted Knuckle, Kentucky knew that travelling to the Nashville area would be time well spent. There’s a great discussion about modern photography equipment, what the hobby means to him and deciding which model railroad to operate first. After extolling the virtues of travelling a few short hours to operate on Chris Wehman’s layout we fell to the floor in a heap. So grab yourself a big bowl of shredded digital film, a tall cool glass of lens cleaning fluid and enjoy. Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
"Uncle" Dave's Fireside Chat #16 -
It’s time to check in once again with our old pal "Uncle” Dave and see what he’s up to. On this episode of the “Fireside Chat,” we talk about instant gratification, and how it pertains to Model Railroading. There’s more discussion about the “Chicago Line” book, plus our in ability to coincide our calendars with each other and how the Buffalo Sabres got involved. There’s nothing more the Evel Overlord enjoys than a chance to chat with Dave about life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. When life is getting you down and the brakes just aren’t going your way, there’s no better medicine than being trackside with the Onondaga Cutoff. So grab yourself a big bowl of shredded hockey tape, a tall cool glass of melted rink water and enjoy!! Click Here For the Free Download |
ViewerMail Flight #108 -
It’s time once again to answer, are voluminous ViewerMail from across the globe and everywhere in between. This is the opportunity for every citizen of the AML Nation to express their views both positive and negative to help the crew at the world headquarters in Busted Knuckle, Kentucky figure out just exactly what it is we’re supposed to be doing. This month we get a special in-depth report from special agent, Jon Myers about snack preparation‘s at Chris Wehman’s latest operating session to find out if each member of the crew got more than half a bottle of warm water. We also hear from Andres, Maturana from Chile, we hear about Jessica Paulson’s, journey to become the official roller Derby Queen of the AML nation, and we even re-read a few emails at the beginning of the show just because. So grab yourself a shredded Chilean roadmap, a tall cool glass of roller derby wheel grease and enjoy!! Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
New Year with the AML Nation - Another year is in the books, and a new one is about to begin. Across the AML Nation there’s hope and optimism, with another chance for all of us to inspire and help each other reach even greater heights. This hobby provides an opportunity for so many folks from diverse backgrounds to come together and enjoy what each of us has to offer. Scott wants to raise his layout up to even greater heights of completion, Peter has taken on the role of the president for the NMRA’s British Region and plans to work feverishly on it for an upcoming convention and Bradd looks froward to installing a signal system on his Railroad. It’s going to be another exciting year for the AML Nation, TomStock here we come. Click Here For the Free Download |
All-Star Variety Hour #52 -
It’s another great edition of the All-Star Variety Hour, featuring two of our regular AML guests Rich “the Wiz” Wisneski from NJ Transit and our very own Marcus Neubacher of the North Carolina Transportation Museum. On this edition of the variety hour, Rich talks about his most recent trip out to the Cumbres and Toltec Railroad where he’s volunteered several times over the years to help rebuild and restore a great part of American railroad history. Our buddy Marcus hosted a group of Clinchfield railroad fans that have been getting together for years now, calling themselves the “Clinchfield Rome” and when not searching for any signs of the old railroad, they stop by long enough for an operating session on Marcus’ Charleston Roanoke and Eastern Railroad. It’s another great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!! Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Christmas Day 2023 -
You’ve had too much egg nog, your dog ate most of the bacon and you keep refreshing the water bowl for your artificial tree but it doesn’t seem to get any greener. Christmas is a time to spend holidays with family and friends, the Queso Cowboy has had major dental work done but stills speaks with the velvet tomes of Mel Torme. After a lively discussion about artificial trees we discover that the TableMaster has a seventeen-foot tree set in the main foyer of his estate. Next was a great discussion about your favorite Christmas movie. Everyone had excellent selections and it was all going along fine until we asked Kelly because little did we know or expect “Kelly’s” favorite movie would be a chick flick starring Hugh Grant, yes that’s correct “Kelly’s” favorite Christmas movie is “Love Actually” a bonafide chick flick, we’re all stunned and still aren’t sure how to react. Enjoy!!! Click Here For the Free Download |
Fans of the AML Part #70 -
Can’t decide how to get to the big Springfield show, not sure whether to take your trailer, still trying to figure out how to pack everything into your suitcase?? Trying to decide whether or not to wear shorts or jeans when you get off the plane, not sure how many copies of “Uncle” Dave’s next book to order?? We gathered together all of the AML Nations regulars and some of the irregulars just six days before Christmas to find out what’s up with everyone. It's a great podcast with one of the great mic checks of all time, as we catch up with each one of the crew, David Heyde becomes “Mr. Jingles”, “His Worship” moves into management, Bradd gets out his shovel, the Evel Overlord buys James a shirt and George tries to fit into a large. The TableMaster gets excited about setting the AML booth at the big show. So, grab yourself a big steaming bowl of shredded exhibitors’ lists, a tall cool glass of axle grease and enjoy!! Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Episode 231: Retail Wars -
The model railroad industry lives and dies on the ability to appeal to the buying public, it seems easy to us consumers that merely have to check out what’s in stock and part with our hard-earned dollars. We take a peek behind the curtain to find out what’s it actually like to own a store dedicated to this great hobby, what to offer, dealing with wholesalers, consumers who just can’t seem to be satisfied no matter the problem and everything in between. Stephen Atwell owns Midwest Model Railroad in Independence, Missouri a successful retail shop that’s becoming a destination, with a large selection of products and a great team ready to help. Lorne James owns Otter Valley Railroad in Tillsonburg, Ontario another wonderful store with an excellent selection of products and some of there own manufactured cars. It’s a great podcast with lots of great info from these leaders in the hobby. Enjoy!! Click Here For the Free Download |
Fireside with Chris Adams -
As we get comfortable in our satin smoking jackets sitting fireside in our big puffy chairs it seems like an ideal time for another one-on-one chat with another fantastic different modeler, whose skills are undeniably some of the best in the hobby. These chats are great for getting to know the person behind the modeling and on this particular day, we revisit with Chris Adams, a.k.a. Mr. Fitness to find out what’s happening on the Valley Local. On this podcast Chris talks about taking over as president of the New Haven Historical Society and how much it means to be entrusted with the position and his excitement of taking the organization forward. We also talk about the pro and cons of social media and how much easier it is to build a high-class layout with the products available today. It’s a great podcast with lots of interesting chatter, enjoy!! Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
"Uncle" Dave's Fireside Chat #15 -
Sports announcers are a breed of their own and few stand out from the rest, such as John Madden in football, Vin Scully known as “Mr. Baseball, Foster Hewitt the long-time announcer of the Toronto Maple Leafs and Dick Vitale who began broadcasting college basketball games in 1979. Each one of these men had a quality you can’t teach, their unbridled passion for what they loved was infectious and so it is with our very own “Uncle” Dave. Dave brings a special kind of enthusiasm that can’t be taught, to this great hobby of model railroading and anyone that tries to keep up with him is almost surely going to fall behind. Just listen to him as he describes his new book from Kalmbach about yard design or his self-published book, Guarding the Chicago Line, and his excitement about refurbishing a couple of Kato SD40-2’s. It’s time well spent with “Uncle” Dave we’re sure you’ll enjoy!! Click Here For the Free Download |
ViewerMail Flight #107 -
Viewer mail provides a direct means for audiences to engage with all the guys and gals in downtown Busted Knuckle, Kentucky at the AML Recording Studios. It allows for a two-way interaction between the creator and the audience, fans can express their appreciation, love, or connection with the modeler simple known as “Kelly.” But but seriously folks this addition of ViewerMail #107 was extremely emotional and very difficult to complete, considering the Evel Overlord managed to cut himself off from civilization for several days until he figured out how to unlock the studio door. This edition ViewerMail comes to you in two parts with a lovely intermission in the middle but please don't be alarmed when you realize part two has a different cast of characters. Grab yourself a big bowl of shredded fan letters, a tall cool glass of “Kelly’s” perspiration and enjoy!! Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Episode 230: Resourced Rails with Matt Dowd -
Brass locomotives are dead. There’s no point in buying them. They’re a bad investment. In fact, we couldn’t understand why anybody would even want to buy and sell them until we met Matt Dowd at Resourced Rail’s. Not only is Matt an avid Model Railroader but he’s been an avid collector and trader of brass locomotives in all scales for decades, and now he’s turned it into a full-time business. We decided to have a return visit to find out how this fledgling company turned into a full-time job for Matt who now employs seven people to help him keep up with demand. Plus he tells us all about his exciting trip to the “Land of the Rising Sun” and what model railroading is like in Japan as he introduces us to some of the great brass locomotive builders of our time. It’s a great episode and one we’re all sure you’ll enjoy!! Click Here For the Free Download |
NJT 40th Anniversary Express -
On a cold day January of 1983, New Jersey Transit rail operations began and quickly started to transform an ageing and destroyed railroad into one of the premier passenger railroads in all of North America. To celebrate, NJT along with the United Railroad Historical Society, created the 40th Anniversary Express and two of our very own AML regulars (“Uncle” Dave and “the Wiz”) along with several other dedicated NJT employees were key players in the development of the train. With a limited number of lucky riders boarding at New York’s Penn station or the Newark Penn station, they headed for South Amboy, where passengers witnessed a re-creation of the same famous locomotive swap. Dave Abeles and Rich Wisneski stopped by the ole’ AML studios to give us a firsthand account of how this all came together. It’s a great podcast, and well worth a listen. Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
OVR Pop-Up Event Part Two -
It’s the OVR Pop-Up event #2 with several great guests, a mediocre introduction, and a Marginally Adequate wrap-up show. We’ll hear interviews from Nick Masney of ITLA Models, with lots of great products and is as excited about the future of the hobby as anybody, next up is Andrew Duns, who’s partners with Lorne James in the OVR Trains manufacturing business, then we hear from our old buddy George Bogatiuk from SoundTraxx who can dispense more information in 10 minutes than most people can in an hour. Finally, we meet legendary accordion player Walter Ostanek, a three-time Grammy award winning musician who’s travelled the world and been on just about every show there is such as Johnny, Carson, Lawrence Welk, Don Ho, Phil Donahue etc. etc. Walter is still going strong at the age of 88 and it was a real thrill to meet him and spend quality time chatting about his life. This is a great podcast and one you’re sure you’ll enjoy!! Click Here For the Free Download |
Fans of the AML Part 69 -
The structure kits are piling up and you’re not sure you’ll ever get them finished, there’s a special station you need scratch built for your layout, but you have no idea where to begin. You’re looking to expand the business but not sure where to start or what model railroad business might be for sale. Kelly says he’s stopping by for a visit but you’re afraid of what he might say to the boss when you’re not looking. In this exciting episode of the “Fans” we discover several different solutions to these problems, fortunately Scott “the Tablemaster” Lister our very own award-winning resident structure builder has hit a slow patch and is always willing to build that special station that could be the center piece of your layout. We discover Lorne “Skew” James is on the hunt to purchase a large model railroad manufacturing business and finally we just “Kelly” a pass because nobody’s sure what he’ll do next!! Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Episode 229: Ken McCorry Part Four -
It’s the end of the Ken McCorry forty-seven-part trilogy of one of the best layouts in all of North America, from its humble beginnings in a townhouse to a dedicated thirty-three hundred square foot barn this story about a man and his dream is completed for now. There so much to learn about the Buffalo Line and in this series of podcasts we only managed to scratch the surface. With an actual quarter mile of mainline and eleven different branches, this one of the most extensive and exciting to run model railroads ever built. But don’t be mistaken, operations on this railroad are taken very seriously and you can’t just step into a job of your choosing without being fully qualified as the Evel Overlord found out. Ken was a great guest and after a brief pause due to medical complications, we were able to bring this series to close. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!! Click Here For the Free Download |
"Uncle" Dave's Fireside Chat #14 -
When life is getting you down and the breaks just aren’t going your way there’s always one person, one podcast, one individual that will make you smile. “Uncle” Dave will make you think about some of the bigger questions in life. Having someone or something that brings a smile to your face and prompts you to reflect on life's bigger questions can be a valuable source of support and inspiration. It's a philosophical discussion about what’s needed in the world and taking pride in the job, we’re all tiny cogs in a giant machine trying our best to pull our weight. Dave’s background with his parents working in the peace corps has led him to belief the path forward for everyone is continuous self-improvement while lending a helping hand to our fellow man. There’s also a great discussion about Scott Lister’s skills as a model builder and his desire to lift up those around him. Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Otter Valley Pop-Up Event -
Tillsonburg, Tillsonburg, my back still aches when I hear that word. However, one thing that Tillsonburg does have, is one of the best model railroad shops in all of Canada, ideally located about two hours from Toronto, Buffalo and Detroit. Our very own, Lorne James and his wife Sara are the proud owners of Otter Valley Railroad and decided to host a day long show for some of the best manufacturers in the hobby. The AML Nation decided to send one of its crack reporters to this event for interviews and what’s happening in the hobby. None of those people were available so instead they sent the Evel Overlord, and he got a chance to talk with several of the attendees. It’s a great podcast, so grab yourself a big bowl of shredded sales receipts, all cool glass of left-over soda and enjoy!! Click Here For the Free Download |
ViewerMail Flight #106 -
It’s time once again, to answer are extensive ViewerMail with the most infamous gang of misfits, sleazy and dubious characters ever to sit behind a microphone. On this edition of the “Mail” we discover that Kevin (Hard Part) Marks, couldn’t find even the tiniest bit of space to fit his official AML headset into a suitcase as he jetted off to Portland, Oregon to spend the day with the modeler simply known as “Kelly.” We also find out why Stephen Reiss and Jeremy Reese haven’t been receiving their T-shirts. Bradd fills us in on what it takes to become a regular with the “Iron City N-Scale” guys and find out what “the Junior Wiz” has been up to. It’s another exciting edition of you are male so grab yourself a big bowl of a shredded T-shirts, a tall cool glass of jet fuel and enjoy!! Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Episode 227: Ken McCorry Part 3 -
It’s part three of the Ken McCorry Chronicles, and during this episode, we tried to convince him to let us take the Corvette out for a spin. We also investigate the changing eras and railroads on the three-hundred-mile-long Buffalo Line and what influenced them. We find out how difficult it is, how much different equipment is needed and what’s behind it all. For this podcast were joined by former Conrail employee Doug Watts who’s been operating on Ken‘s layouts before the barn was even built. Plus, there’s plenty of discussion about how to maintain one of the largest layouts in the country. It’s a great podcast and one for sure you’ll enjoy!! Click Here For the Free Download |
Fireside with Tom Schmieder -
It’s been a few months since we first checked in with Tom Schmieder as he works diligently to complete his basement sized empire replicating the Lackawanna Cut-off from Port Morris, New Jersey to Slateford, Pennsylvania. Trains are finally running on the layout as it progresses nicely with the help of many friends who regularly come over to volunteer their time and energy with one simple goal in mind. Operations!! Tom also fills us in about the United Railroad Historical Society and riding in some of their restored cars along the Hudson River to Albany, New York. This is a great discussion about what it takes to build a basement sized railroad as quickly and as efficiently as possible. So, grab yourself a big bowl of shredded feeder wire, a tall cool glass of refreshing Hudson River water and enjoy!! Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Northbound Model Works-
Back in the studio is a newly discovered AML talent with a resume that would impress any railfan, modeler or locomotive engineer in just about any generation. Mike May has been a railfan his whole life, a steam and diesel engineer for about half his life, the guy in charge of the “Polar Expess” Christmas extravaganza and now has decided to dip his toe into model railroad manufacturing. About ten years ago Mike began building my third layout, the White Pass & Yukon Route. The railroad is an unusual prototype which led to many challenges and solutions along the way. This turned into an idea to start offering high quality kits of prototypes that haven’t been available for this unique railroad. Hopefully these kits can help others start modeling the WP&YR or find great freelance homes for them as well. Click Here For the Free Download |
Fans of the AML #68 -
It’s time for another edition of the “Fans” with our ragtag crew of ne’er-do-wells as they fumble about trying to describe what other uninteresting things have happened in the past months. Of course we hear from our buddy Lorne James at Otter Valley Railroad with another installment of “As the Trash car Turns,” and some of the trials and tribulations of a successful model railroad store in North America. Our pal Bradd Williamson checks in to tell us about all the excitement at the latest N-Scale extravaganza in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Once again, the boys try to explain T-Track to the Evel Overlord and finally we are brought up to speed about something called Zoom Track. It’s another great podcast, so grab yourself a big bowl of shredded fiber ties, a tall cool glass of rail cleaner and enjoy!! Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
All-Star Variety Hour #51 -
It’s another great edition of the always popular All-Star Variety Hour, and there’s plenty of good discussion with two people who are involved in the manufacturing and retail side of the hobby. First up, we talk with Jordan Smith of Rapido while attending Dealer Daze at their world headquarters just north of Toronto, Canada. It was a very busy event and Jeremy the video guy even gets involved. We also chat with Chris Palmieri of Home Shops who has stopped by the ‘ole AML studios many times, this is a model railroad company that specializing in custom painted quality freelance equipment. It’s an interesting story and we catch Chris as he travels from show to show trying to sell all sorts of distinctive freight cars from various manufacturers painted and lettered for many different freelanced railroads. It's a great podcast and one we're sure you'll enjoy!! Click Here For the Free Download |
Fireside with the "TableMaster -
What can you say about someone who goes about the country entering model railroad contests and walking away with all the hardware. (more than a dozen awards so far to this point) If it was anybody else other than our very own TableMaster you might say he’s showing off, but in this case, we’re talking about someone who is more interested in giving back to the hobby then taking away from it. Kelly and the Evel Overlord decided to get Scott “the TableMaster” Lister into the studio and find out just what makes this guy tick, but it quickly becomes more of an intervention, because the “TableMaster” tends to speak of himself in a negative light and we decided to put a stop to all that. It’s a fun podcast with lots of information about somebody that we’ve all come to know and love here at the old AML headquarters in downtown Busted Knuckle, Kentucky. Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Episode 226: Ken McCorry -
It’s part two of our thirty-seven, four-part trilogy featuring the life and times of Ken McCorry. In this episode we try to find out just exactly how Ken ever managed to develop such a superb track plan with an HO-scale mainline that’s one-quarter mile long for his magnificent Buffalo Line model railroad. There’s also great discussion about the care and feeding of the operators for this fine railroad. You can’t just walk into the Buffalo Line, pick-up a throttle and choose whichever job you’d like on any day, many of the jobs on this model railroad are highly skilled and can take quite some time to learn. It’s a great podcast with all sorts of interesting information about operating a thirty-two hundred square-foot layout. Enjoy!! Click Here For the Free Download |
ViewerMail Flight #105 -
Not far from the Little League World Series in Williamsport, Pennsylvania is the town of Oval, encompassing an area of 1.1 square miles in the eastern part of the Jefferson Valley along the beautiful Antes Creek. With a rapidly ageing population of just over three hundred, Oval is neither important, nor significant to the surrounding area. In fact, truth be known about the only thing Oval, Pennsylvania was known for, is cows and a rather slow-moving high school physics teacher. Unfortunately due to a series of unexplainable events the town is gone, only to be replaced by Crator, Pennsylvania. We’re not exactly sure what happened but if you listen closely to this podcast, you might hear an encounter of the third kind whose origins have yet to be determined. But aside from that, it’s another excellent edition of ViewerMail. Enjoy!! Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Gordy Robinson and the NMRA -
There’s no way a guy living in the North Atlantic off the coast of Scotland on a tiny rock could have any sort of significant impact on an organization such as the NMRA with the majority of its membership located in the lower forty-eight. Turns out nothing could be farther from the truth, not only has our next guest’s hard work resulted in major changes, but in reality, his leadership has helped to improve the hobby of model railroading for everyone involved. As the NMRA continues to struggle with declining membership lack of renewals and a younger generation that sees no immediate benefit from belonging, one man stands alone against almost insurmountable odds, with a single-minded goal of making the NMRA and all its members get as much from the hobby of model railroading as possible. So grab yourself a big bowl of haggis, a tall cool glass of lukewarm sea water and enjoy!!! Click Here For the Free Download |
Mike May and Puffing Billy -
This is the story of a young man in search of the ultimate steam locomotive experience halfway around the world, just outside Melbourne, Australia. Of course if you live in Australia, this is the story of a young man who stopped by your local tourist railroad to soak up as much of the down under experience as he could. Mike May, who works for American Heritage Railways as a locomotive engineer, snow removal specialist, rodeo clown, polar bear trainer, and generally all-around good guy travelled to Australia to supervise and expand the Polar Express as the vice-president of production. While there he decided to partake in the Puffing Billy volunteer program and decided to stop by the AML Studios to tell us all about it. This is a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy. Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Episode 225: Ken McCorry Part One -
What would happen if you grew up in the 1960s alongside the four track Pennsylvania Railroad main line in Berwyn, Pennsylvania?? There’d be a good chance you’d end up becoming a lifelong model railroader and that’s exactly what happened to our next guest Ken McCorry. But that’s not where the story ends, an American Flyer train set, a short stent in the Navy, a couple of N-scale layouts followed by an introduction to model railroad operations, and the rest is history. After the switch to HO scale Ken decided to model the Buffalo Line based on an article, he’d read in the Penn Central Railroader magazine. Early retirement at the age of forty-six, allowed for the opportunity to build a specially designed building behind his home that would eventually house a thirty-two-hundred square foot multi-deck layout. This great podcast is the first part of a fascinating story and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy. Click Here For the Free Download |
Fans of the AML Part #67 -
You’ve been entering the NMRA model contests for years now, and still haven’t been able to win anything, so we here at the ole’ AML World Headquarters decided to have our very own Scott “the TableMaster” Lister quickly build a model structure and enter it into the contest for the very first time at the national convention in Dallas and relay the entire experience to the AML Nation. He rushed through it and just three weeks later Only to find out he’d found out be a day late unless he flew first class from Greenville, South Carolina to Dallas, Texas. Follow along with us on this exciting journey to find out what it’s like to enter your first NMRA national contest and all that goes with it. Oh yeah, we also induct SuperFan number forty-six, our very own David “Horn-Boy” Heyde into the coveted AML SuperFan, Hall of Honor. Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Cresson Chronicles Part Two -
Let’s head back down to the Station Inn on the Norfolk Southern mainline at Cresson, Pennsylvania for some words of wisdom from “Uncle” Dave and “the Wiz.” In part two of the “Chronicles” Rich Wisneski gives us some detailed background about the grades heading east and west as the tracks cross the summit near Gallitzin, Pennsylvania. We find out more about a seventeen-year-old Dave that’s made the same trek every year for the last three decades and how he managed to keep going. Much has changed at the Station Inn over the last couple of years as Alex Lang along with his lovely wife have purchased this historic property, Alex describes some of the challenges they’ve faced running the Inn while making some major improvements. Several trains pass while conducting interviews on the porch which just adds to the excitement of sitting just a few feet away from a busy mainline. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy!! Click Here For the Free Download |
Fireside Chat with Chris Wehman -
For those of us, who work long hours with sleepless nights for little or no pay, some of the best memories of this podcast come from all the folks that have travelled through the hallowed halls of our studios right here in downtown Busted Knuckle, Kentucky. This week on the back porch of the Stewart Sterling building we chat with Chris Wehman who might give ”Uncle” Dave a run for his money when it comes to enthusiasm for all things trains. Chris has been on the podcast a few times and his passion for the hobby of model railroading or being trackside with his buddy Andrew while creating another Green Frog video could only be described as infectious. There’s a wide range of topics discussed as the Evel Overlord and Chris spend over ninety minutes interrupting each other to see who can talk the most. So grab yourself a big bowl of shredded DVD cases a tall cool glass of lens cleaner and enjoy!! Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Episode 224: Joshua Barton -
So you’re asking yourself, who’s that guy sitting beside the “Dude” each time you watch “What’s Neat This Week” featuring Ken “the Dude” Patterson?? Why it’s none other than Joshua Barton, a man of many skills including to help keep the “Dude” on track so to speak, with product announcements, guest line-ups and looking after the always popular Mike Budde. Joshua has had a very interesting life as a chef, musician, video tech to name just a few of his talents. He’s also currently building a layout featuring the area around Desoto, Missouri in a friend’s basement, with benchwork that could support an M1 Abrams tank from the U.S. Military. Most of us know him as Joshua “SugarFire” Barton but he’s moved on from that career and for now is concentrating on the hobby of model railroading. It’s an interesting episode and one we’re sure you’ll leave with more questions than answers. Enjoy!! Click Here For the Free Download |
Fireside with the "Queso Cowboy" -
It’s time once again to answer our voluminous ViewerMail, with some of the most recognizable voices in model railroad podcasting today, like the sound fingernails make on a chalkboard. While you may find this edition of ViewerMail to be a complete waste of time, we’re confident that you won’t glean any information that is even remotely useful. Roger Coleman writes in with a great discussion about the pros and cons of train hopping and we finally decide that the AML Nation should take an official stand. Bradd Williamson gives his opinion on the Allen Keller interview and whether or not the Evel Overlord is actually a total goober plus we decide that if the ladies can’t find you handsome, they should at least find you handy, all in all it was a complete waste of your time. So grab a big bowl of shredded video tape, a tall cool glass of processing fluids and enjoy. Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Buzz and Lorne Visit St. Louis -
Have you ever stood on the shores of Lake Erie looking wistfully across towards Canada only to wish you had more foreigners use your bathroom. Have you ever stared at the photos from the Collinsville Railroad Prototype Modelers wondering what it would be like if Buzz and Lorne went?? Well, then this is the podcast for you. On this addition of “a ModelersLife,” we learn about such things as using a hovercraft to get across Lake Erie, burying assorted model railroad train supplies on a farm, heat stroke at the St. Louis Cardinals game, and what to do if you’re Canadian and you like trains. So grab yourself a big bowl of shredded marine maps and a tall cool glass of Cleveland Harbor sludge and enjoy. Click Here For the Free Download |
Fireside with the "Queso Cowboy" -
What would you do if you just had one hour a day to work on your layout, it’s an interesting thought so we decided to turn to the man himself when it comes to #anhouraday in model railroading. Besides travelling around the globe on his quest to find the perfect Queso, regular crewmember of the AML Nation, Tom Jacobs has also started a revolution in the hobby with his hour a day investment. Tom’s 1970’s Reading Company Reading Division in HO Scale in a dedicated building, is now nearing its first decade of existence, so we thought it might be a good time for a one-on-one chat and find out what his philosophy on building such an empire might be. From wiring to JMRI to maintaining an extensive signal system it’s a fireside chat packed with lots of good conversation and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy. Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Episode 223: John Frantz -
What do you say to somebody that tells you they’re building a four-deck model railroad, we weren’t sure either, but were determined to find out. John’s love of railroads in the Chesapeake Bay area during the 1970s has led him to create a model railroad with multiple helixes several decks creating what believe will be in layout for the ages. Our next guest is a lifelong modeler, who recently joined the Rapido Trains team as project manager number 347. But wait, there’s more, after a short stent at Custom Model Railroads in Baltimore and creating laser cut acrylic structure kits. John moved on to producing accurate decals for all major scales of the hobby, as well as stenciling for the restoration of some full-size railroad equipment with his Mount Vernon Shops becoming a growing concern since the early 2000’s. It’s a great interview with tons of interesting info, enjoy!! Click Here For the Free Download |
North Carolina Transportation Museum -
The North Carolina Transportation Museum is a historic site once home to the southern railways largest steam locomotive facility in the southeast, and now a museum featuring all types of transportation with railroading being the centerpiece. The roundhouse is the largest remaining structure of its kind in North America and is home to various locomotives, passenger cars and a full-size replica of the Wright flyer. Our man on the spot Marcus Neubacher is the Director of Administration and we decided to find out as much about the museum as we could with our conversation centered around the annual fire truck show. This year Norfolk Southern brought in their NS 9-1-1, a colorful red, white, and gold SD60E locomotive, painted at the Juniata Locomotive Shop featuring the Maltese cross of fire services, the Emergency Medical Services’ “Star of Life,” and the Police shield. This a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy. Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Cresson Chronicles Part One -
Time has passed, a year has gone by, and another visit to the Station Inn in Cresson, Pennsylvania has produced more great interviews with some very interesting characters. Situated beside the Norfolk Southern’s main line from Altoona to Johnstown, Pennsylvania fighting over some of the steepest mainline grades east of the Mississippi. It’s a busy helper district with high-volume traffic. In part, one of the Cresson Chronicles, we interviewed a delightful fellow known as John Zelehoski with a plethora of unfinished stories. We talked to Doug Watts, a former Conrail employee, lifelong railroader and finally someone that’s becoming a fan favorite with his cheerful personality, Ralph Heiss, or we like to refer to him as Ralphie Boy. This is a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy. Click Here For the Free Download |
ViewerMail Flight #103 -
You went to the mailbox only to find that your Cap’n Crunch bubblegum ring was last years edition, you tried to cut your grass for the first time in three years only to find that the lawnmower had rusted shut, your dog chewed your slippers because he’d already digested your sneakers the night before?? Well fear not because once again, it’s time for our voluminous ViewerMail from listeners in every corner of the AML nation. Whether it’s Rich “the Wiz” Wisneski talking about Gene Rayburn’s funniest moments on “Match Game 77”, Matt Dawson’s ecstatic response to the fact that Kelly actually asked a question or Laughlin Jones telling us how much he enjoys working for R.J. Corman. The motley crew of the AML Nation is sure to put a smile on your face and a spring in your step, so grab yourself a big bowl of shredded TV guides and a tall cool glass of fermented diesel fuel and enjoy!! Download This Podcast at: patreon.com/ModelersLife |
Episode 222: Garden State Modelworks -
The hobby is dying, there’s nothing but old guys in it, and soon there won’t be anything left of model railroading. We here at the old AML Nation don’t believe that for a second and this podcast is solid proof that the hobby is alive and well. John McGuire is a 22 year old enthusiastic modeler with a talent for installing LED lights and DCC decoders. Installing LED lights in model railroad locomotives can add a realistic touch to your layout, making the trains more visually appealing and immersive. John decided to start Garden State Modelworks and is quickly becoming known as a master craftsman with installations. When “Uncle” Dave found out that all he had to do was meet John with a box of locomotives at a gas station on the interstate he was sold on the idea and seeds of this of this podcast were planted. Enjoy!! Click Here For the Free Download |