Hope you all saw Mark's and his wife's Christmas layout in December's Classic Toy Trains. Great job !! I really like that combination of O gauge and Department 56 to get you in the holiday spirit.
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Just read the article and thought it was wonderful. Great job Mark & Kim beautiful layout and Well Done. You gave me a great idea on how you used the porch railing balusters I have a huge pile of them after removing the railings and closing in our rear deck.
Way to go, Mark! I don't subscribe to CTT, and as thus haven't seen the article yet. I'll have to go to the book store and pick an issue up as soon as possible! 
Congratulations @Mark Boyce !
Mixed Freight posted:Way to go, Mark! I don't subscribe to CTT, and as thus haven't seen the article yet. I'll have to go to the book store and pick an issue up as soon as possible!
Same here. I'll have to run out to Barnes & Noble for a copy.
**** must have froze over, just a mere mention of CTT used to be taboo around here!
Great article Mark ! Well done.
Thank you everyone!!!
I had talked with Roger before a couple of times; once at York. In April, I thought he would just want to post a photograph. I was totally surprised when he called and asked to do an article. After we talked a while, I finally realized he was looking for an example of Christmas layout that anyone could put together quickly. I had to admit the layout fit the bill. The only three people who knew about the article outside their staff were my wife, me, and Brian @briansilvermustang I wanted to credit Brian for giving me the idea for the extra level of buildings over the upper tunnel which really impressed Roger. So I needed to ask Brian if it was alright to mention him.
I am very pleased how they enhanced the photographs I took with my iPhone 6s and the layout plan drawing. It was a fun project, and Roger is super to work with!! Thank you again!
Big Jim posted:**** must have froze over, just a mere mention of CTT used to be taboo around here!
Well, quite obviously we're not here to promote and sell magazines for the competition, but I don't really mind having a bit of competition around because it helps keep me on my toes. It's certainly nice, and much preferred from my perspective, to see loyal forum members also show the same degree of loyalty to the magazine that makes this forum possible, but CTT has the staff resources to actively "mine" the forum and other sources for prospects, and we do not. My time has to be devoted to preparing the magazine and working with authors and potential authors who contact me and recognize that OGR will invariably give their material more and better display than the competition, no matter who that may be.
Each year I invite forum members who have or who are constructing holiday-theme or winter layouts to provide articles for, in particular, our December issue. I like to use that issue to help remind or even introduce folks--hobbyists and the general public alike--to the long-standing tradition of trains and Christmas. This year is no exception. If you are building or have a layout that you feel is a good candidate for Christmas-season coverage, please let me know because I have already created a file for the Dec. 2020 edition. Ditto for holiday season candidates for our Readers' Rails section. Please keep us in mind. . . always!
I definitely agree with you, Allan! I was fully aware Roger had mined my layout from my posts here on OGR Forum. I also assume that is where he got my phone number. I'm not complaining at all, but I actually sent some Christmas layout photographs in last year after seeing your post looking for submissions. I do subscribe to both magazines, but OGR covers my interests much better than the other magazine. Also, this Forum has been a tremendous resource for me.
This year, I am not building a Christmas layout, as I will be going in for knee replacement surgery next week. I do hope to have more time to get building my 'permanent' layout in the new year, and hope to have some things I believe worthy to submit to OGR. One thing I would like to reiterate from my other post; what I think isn't much, may just be the ticket for something an editor, you being my preference, is looking for. Thank you for being understanding!!
Alan, that is a class answer! Mark, congratulations on your article! I may just go and buy the issue to see the layout.
Andy
Allen your answer does show a lot of class. Mark good luck with the knee surgery had my knees scoped three times before total replacement in 2012. Best move I ever made next to my bride and trains and don’t ask which of those was the best.
Andy, Rick, I wholeheartedly agree that Allan gave a class answer!!
If anyone wants to see my Christmas Layout build, which many of you made suggestions, it pretty much starts near the top of page 609 of What did you do on your layout today Thank you to everyone who commented and made suggestions!!
Rick, Thank you for the encouragement! My wife just had her second knee replaced in July, so I know what I'm in for. 
Mark, congratulations to you and Kim. I always enjoy seeing a genuine down to earth good guy gets well deserved recognition. In this case a good guy and his wife. I will have to make it to the Hobby Shop this week. I like trains and I love Christmas so I have to get the magazine.
Best of luck on your upcoming knee surgery. I will send up a prayer to the man in charge asking that he guide the surgeon and support staff during your procedure.
Allan,
It is nice to see that something has changed. It wasn't that long ago that this thread would have been axed before it hardly got started.
SantaFeJim posted:Mark, congratulations to you and Kim. I always enjoy seeing a genuine down to earth good guy gets well deserved recognition. In this case a good guy and his wife. I will have to make it to the Hobby Shop this week. I like trains and I love Christmas so I have to get the magazine.
Best of luck on your upcoming knee surgery. I will send up a prayer to the man in charge asking that he guide the surgeon and support staff during your procedure.
Thank you very much, Jim! Prayers always help!!
Congrats!
Peter
Balshis posted:Mixed Freight posted:Way to go, Mark! I don't subscribe to CTT, and as thus haven't seen the article yet. I'll have to go to the book store and pick an issue up as soon as possible!
Same here. I'll have to run out to Barnes & Noble for a copy.
Rats!!! Ran into town for a few errands, but the Dec. issue isn't on the rack yet at Barnes & Noble. 
Well done Mark 👍. I enjoyed your Christmas layout story.
I haven't seen it, but will have to take a look over on what did you do on your layout today on page 609. Congrats @Mark Boyce.
Thank you everyone! Dave it goes off and on for several pages.
Mark Boyce posted:Thank you everyone! Dave it goes off and on for several pages.
Yeah, I took a quick look and after going a page I thought exactly that. I believe I have seen it complete, but I'll take a further look.
Yes Dave, I didn’t go to see how many pages until it was completed.
Congrats!
Mark,
Congratulations! 
Jim
Congrats Mark! Very cool! -Ken
Congrats Mark. I remember your posts of the build on the forum last year. Gotta go get a hard copy.
Best of luck with the knee replacement. You'll be up and around in no time.
Bob
Congrats Mark, I remember the start of your build, Now I am going to have to go see if our local store carries CTT so I can see and read the whole article ! Very cool and I am Happy for you. Hope you recover from the knee operation quickly so you can get started on your new in progress layout!
Mark,
Best of luck and prayers for your knee replacement. My dad had both done, the first over 40 years ago, and he is still getting around great! He's up and down stairs at his house every day.
George
Nice job, Mark, and good luck with the surgery !
Congratulations Mark and good luck on the impending surgery.
Okay, found it over on page 622 I think. I also think you may have posted this on FB as I believe I saw it there unless it was in Weekend Photo Fun. Regardless of where, it is one heck of a Christmas Layout Mark.
Mark Boyce posted:Thank you everyone!!!
I had talked with Roger before a couple of times; once at York. In April, I thought he would just want to post a photograph. I was totally surprised when he called and asked to do an article. After we talked a while, I finally realized he was looking for an example of Christmas layout that anyone could put together quickly. I had to admit the layout fit the bill. The only three people who knew about the article outside their staff were my wife, me, and Brian @briansilvermustang I wanted to credit Brian for giving me the idea for the extra level of buildings over the upper tunnel which really impressed Roger. So I needed to ask Brian if it was alright to mention him.
I am very pleased how they enhanced the photographs I took with my iPhone 6s and the layout plan drawing. It was a fun project, and Roger is super to work with!! Thank you again!
Mark, that was a wonderful project. I'll bet you both had a lot of fun putting it all together. It was fun for me just to go through the thread and see how the whole thing evolved right here.
Congratulations, Mark, it is an excellent article. I certainly agree with all the comments about you being a fine gentleman and about Allen's classy comments. I had just received my issue in the mail today and was very pleasantly surprised to see it. ( I do subscribe to ALL the model magazines and have for as long as I can remember.)
Art
Congrats on the article, Mark, and good luck with the surgery.
Mark
Congratulations you deserve it!! and also I will remember you in my prayers I know what knee pain is all about.
Very nice article Mark. Well done. Good luck with your upcoming surgery.
Congratulations Mark!!!
Yes! Nice article about Mark's layout in new issue of CTT I received today. Yes, best of fortune with the knee surgery, sir. I may have to get around to it, someday. But, I still get around, and with the CBD capsules and Osteo-Bi Flex...……..
Jesse TCA
Thank you everyone on the article and the well wishes!!!
