Show & Tell

WB&A members are invited share their train hobby interests such as:

• Train Collecting
• Scale Modelling
• Model Train Operating
• Railfanning

The format for contribution is one photograph and a short description.

The Times and Travels of Toy Trains is a book authored by Carol Redman McGinnis, daughter of Lou Redman, TCA #CM3. The book features information that everyone in our hobby will find both interesting and invaluable. The book can be downloaded with the link below and includes:

• 55 pages in an exceptional Timeline format
• Historical facts relating to toy trains
• Begins in 1838 and continues to 2024 (room to add info)
• More than 300 toy train manufacturers
• Unique source of a wide range of information
• Brief snippet for each manufacturer 
• Gauge descriptor list and Chart of manufacturers by gauge
• A quite thorough look at toy trains
• Inventions relevant to toy trains
• Prior and current Hobby shops 
• Online version has links that can be followed to more details on the manufacturer.

A print version available from Carol.McGinnis74@verizon.net. (Reduced to $16)

One senior WB&A member laments about not finishing his train layout.  He says, “The problem with me is I have a great imagination for detail compared to what I actually accomplish when left alone with wood and tools and time.” 

This fellow hobbyist reports that his nearly 5 sheets of 8'x4' plywood had sat for one year lying on the floor of his upstairs "train room".  All his many streets are proudly routed down 1/8 an inch to create sidewalks, etc., along with his deeper 13' future creek.  His free standing screwed-together benchwork is 36" high and so far, it is only 8 feet wide and 11 feet long, so there's an 8’ x 8’ section left to assemble."  He says, “I do have all the needed remaining lumber and track.  I also have over 25 years’ worth of trains, more buildings and other railroad  treasures ready to place on the layout."  In the meantime, he can dream. Perhaps, we might hope that this project never really gets finished.

Wb&A member Bob Gray scratch-built this model of the historic Hill Top House Hotel located just over an hour outside of Washington, D.C. by auto or train, atop a hill that overlooks the confluence of the Potomac and Shenandoah Rivers. The model is 1:87 scale and is part of Bob's Christmas layout.