It is hard to believe it has been that long. After studying the Lynn Westcott book on L-Girder bench work for about a year, I was ready to start. I used all L-Girder bench work covered with 5/8 plywood then covered that with 1/2 inch Homosote that was glued and screwed. I had the bench work done and the first main line ready to run a train Christmas eve 1982. The first train to run was my Eliot Welz Metroliner. I still have that train. My goal was to have a toy train layout with tubular track. I started with old Lionel switches and soon replaced them with K-Line. Later those were replaced with Ross switches. My goal was to run Pennsylvania and New York Central equipment. We all know how long that lasts. At this time, Williams and Weaver were making beautiful scale trains and I was in for all roadnames.
I was in TCA and TTOS at this time. My layout first appeared in OGR in 1991. It has been in many magazines over the years and I have hosted TCA and Lots convention tours. In the early 90's,Lionel used my layout to test a new thing they called TMCC. When TMCC was ready to be released, Barry Lewis and I did an article for OGR on what TMCC is. Years later, Mike Wolf used my layout for testing of DCS. Early on in testing, MTH did not have the handheld made at that point and we had a photo of a handheld on a laptop with a touch screen and that is how we ran DCS. Yes, trains ran by a computer back then. My layout is a buss wired common ground layout and Mike Wolf told me to tear out all my wiring and do it his way. I told him I would make it work and I did. Barry and I had the job to find out how it works and have an article ready for OGR when DCS hit the market. We were ready and did so. It was on my layout that the (now known as) magic light bulb signal assist was discovered. I still have that same tester with the same 18 volt bulb. I plan on presenting it Barry Broskowitz this October at York. He has done so much for all of us, I feel he should have it.
In later years, my layout is still a toy train layout but I run scale trains only. Mostly MTH and I do run some Lionel. I do like Legacy. About 14 years ago I installed live catenary using Marklin wire and home made poles. I wanted the poles to look like something Lionel might have made in the 50's. Today the layout has TMCC, Legacy and DCS. The one thing I demand is perfect operation. I have that.
I am thankful for all the great friends I have made and all the great people who have visited my layout. It has been a great run and last October while at York I got health news that I thought was going to pull down the final curtain. I am up and running and hope to have more years with great train friends. Anyone who finds themselves in my area is always welcome to stop by. Below are just a few of my friends who have signed my wall.
Thank you all for sharing this great hobby with me. I am very thankful for Dotty and Ralph who enjoy the layout with me. I will always be thankful for my good friends at OGR.
