A blurred year

Like many modelers, I enjoy taking a moment in January to review the projects of the previous year. It often gives me comfort to know that I’m actually moving models toward completion. 2020 was a very strange year as the Covid-19 pandemic upset our lives and routines. I also completed several models that had sat idle for months and years. It makes it harder to define what was actually started and finished in 2020, making it all seem like a blurred year.

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Looking forward

As a new year opens, sometimes I look at my workbench and am disappointed with the unfinished projects. I was hoping to decal three boxcars in November and only finished one. It’s been a busy time of year with a couple trips to visit kids and grand kids, and prepping articles for Model Railroad Hobbyist. I must remind myself that it’s about balance and perspective as I review a busy 2019 and look forward to another trip around the sun.

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Housecleaning

Vachon, John, photographer. Yardman polishing light on railroad switch. Elkins, West Virginia, 1939, June. Photograph. Retrieved from the Library of Congress, www.loc.gov/item/2017718091/.

A couple blog features have been updated with new information. This happens periodically and it’s important to keep these resources up to date.

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A few changes

If you are a regular visitor here, you have probably noticed a format change. I started this blog in May of 2009 just after moving to Chagrin Falls, Ohio. The earliest posts were lost after a hiccup at the ISP host so the archives do not extend back to the beginning. The same template had been used for nearly ten years and some elements were not functioning well anymore. A refresh had been on my mind for a few years but I was uncertain how different templates would affect the presentation. Every now and then this past year, I’ve played around testing various templates with the content and finally found one I like. I hope you do, too.

I found a statement or purpose among the text of the very first post May 27, 2009. Reviewing it nearly ten years later, I think it’s a bit wordy but the sentiment remains the same.

This website is dedicated to documenting model railroad projects with a focus on building, designing and operating model railroads. The target audience consists of other model railroad enthusiasts who are eager to learn and expand their skills and knowledge. I will work towards weekly posts to update current personal projects. On occasion, there may be more than one post per week. I enjoy this hobby on many diverse levels and want to share my experiences with others. It is a great reward to pass along techniques and knowledge so others may find similar enjoyment of a great hobby.

Onward we go into the next decade!

Eric Hansmann