Remembering the MudFather
a ModelersLife
This episode started out to check with Wallace Locomotive Works, but before we got a chance to do that, we lost a good friend and longtime supporter of the AML Nation. The one and only Ralph Renzetti a.k.a. the MudFather. Ralph was a regular on the Wednesday night chats, ready to lend a helping hand to anyone who might have questions about their modeling, especially when it came to paint and weathering. One of the most talented modelers to ever grace the airwaves of the AML. Ralph was truly an artist, and we were fortunate to know him. However, after a good cry for the first twenty minutes...
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Return to Texas - Emory Lehman
a ModelersLife
It’s a return to the “Lone Star” state and a visit with locomotive engineer Emory Lehman. We haven’t talked to Emory for a few years since and decided it was about time to check up on what Emory‘s been doing. Things have changed quite a bit with his new job at the BNSF in Temple, Texas, a model railroader living across the street and his friend Mike making major changes to his layout. We also discuss the possible merger of the Norfolk Southern and Union Pacific railroads, and what are the possible effects it will have on railroading across America. Once again, it’s a podcast with...
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Episode 269: Peter Stempel Returns
a ModelersLife
It’s part two of the Rob Bennett thirty-two-part trilogy as we try to figure out what makes this modeler tick. Is it the vast array of instructional videos he’s created or his fabulous weathering or maybe it’s just simply a love for the hobby that he’s anxious to share with others. Rob tries to learn something everybody while not taking the hobby to seriously whilst learning the operations side of things. He enjoys the hobby anyway he can, and you never know what kind of equipment you’ll see running across his layout. He approaches the hobby with a relaxed approach while enjoying...
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Episode 268: Rob Bennett
a ModelersLife
After years of travelling about the country working on transformers, not the plastic kind like you’d see in the movies such as “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” but actual transformers that do all sorts of cool electrical things. Our next guest finally settled in Erie, Pennsylvania because like his friend and fellow modeler Mike Hauk his love of shoveling snow seven months of the year bonds these men together. You can thank Rob Bennett’s son for his current layout which occupies approximately a 12‘ x 50‘ space after satisfying his love of European railroads they started over...
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Lorne and Otter Valley
a ModelersLife
There’s nothing more fun than a visit down the road to Tillsonburg, Ontario with the sole purpose of a visit to the Otter Valley Railroad shop and visit with our friend Lorne James. You can always be sure that there will be lots of editing, lots of dizzying questions and answers with fun being had by all. Lorne stopped by the ModelersLife studios to bring us up to date on all the new cars that he’s having manufactured regardless of today’s turmoil in the retail sector of model railroad industry. As always, it’s lots of fun talking to Lorne and finding out what’s happening in...
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Episode 267: Dave's Dad - Herman
a ModelersLife
If you live in the Chicago area and a fan of railroading, you will no doubt be well aware of the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad that’s been jointly owned by several railroads over the years. With over 320 miles of track in and around Chicago it’s kind of hard to avoid seeing this famous railroad that began in 1896. We here at the ole’ AML world headquarters wanted to find out more and it seemed like a natural progression to simply talk to Dave’s dad Herman, who worked as a conductor on “the Belt” for over 30 years. Plus he spent time on the “City of New Orleans” and the...
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Episode 266: Ray Brown and the B&LE
a ModelersLife
The Pittsburgh, Bessemer & Lake Erie Railroad Company was founded in 1897 by Andrew Carnegie to haul iron ore and other products from the port at Conneaut, Ohio on the Great Lakes to Carnegie Steel Company plants in Pittsburgh and the surrounding region. At the end of 1925 B&LE operated 228 miles of road on 631 miles of track; at the end of 1970, mileages were 220 and 489. Enter our next guest who’s carefully modeling the B&LE in the early 50’s. Ray Brown has worked all over the United States and finally settled just west of Erie, Pennsylvania for two reasons: To experience as...
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Episode 265: James "Murr" Murray
a ModelersLife
Have you ever wondered what happens to all those great model railroad clubs that don’t own their own building or eventually the owner of a private home that houses club passes away?? The most common answer is nothing and so was the case with the Southern Pacific Model Railway club in Rocky Hill, New Jersey. Except in this case a successful TV who also happens to be a lifelong model railroader decided to step in and save the day. James Murray and his wife, Melyssa, who live a short distance away in Princeton, came to the rescue after an article was published in the Wall Street Journal. This...
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It's Just Thomas
a ModelersLife
It’s a return visit to White Rose Hobbies, in York, Pennsylvania. Only this time we’re talking with the non-model railroad partner get Thomas who apparently is in charge of ordering paint. We still haven’t gotten around to talking about some their great stories from the days of working on the Norfolk Southern but with White Rose agreeing to be the full-time sponsor of the podcast, we’ll look forward to it in the future!! However, we here at the old AML nation enjoy hearing about the behind-the-scenes world model railroad retail and everything that goes into it along with it. This is...
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Episode 264: N&W 300 Restoration
a ModelersLife
While it might seem to the naked eye that the preservation of America’s railroads from the past is sporadic at best, we here at the AML Nation would argue that it’s exactly the opposite. Recently, we had the chance to talk with Bryan Lalevee from the Norfolk and Western Business Car 300 Preservation Society an enthusiastic group of volunteers that’s already completed the restoration of one beautiful car. No. 300 was built by the Pullman Co. in June of 1917 and served Norfolk & Western for its career before being inherited by Norfolk Southern in 1982. It saw sporadic use during and...
info_outlineIf you live in the Chicago area and a fan of railroading, you will no doubt be well aware of the Indiana Harbor Belt Railroad that’s been jointly owned by several railroads over the years. With over 320 miles of track in and around Chicago it’s kind of hard to avoid seeing this famous railroad that began in 1896.
We here at the ole’ AML world headquarters wanted to find out more and it seemed like a natural progression to simply talk to Dave’s dad Herman, who worked as a conductor on “the Belt” for over 30 years. Plus he spent time on the “City of New Orleans” and the “Broadway Limited” during a short stint with Amtrak. It’s a great podcast and one we’re sure you’ll enjoy.