Boomer operator – Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern

I attended an operating session on Perry Squier’s HO scale Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern layout earlier in January. I had participated in several sessions a dozen years ago, before moving to El Paso. It’s a thrill to see all of Perry’s smooth-running steam power and equipment set in 1923. Additionally, it was great to see many familiar faces among the crew and meet a few new members.

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2022 hobby review

I’ve been thinking about the last year and my hobby activities. I clicked through many project photos to refresh my thoughts. The lead photo jogged my memory on the snowfall we had at our Tennessee home to kick off 2022. We tend to forget things once an event has passed or project is completed. Since I didn’t have a layout in 2022, the completed models went into a storage box.

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Shawmut freight car update

Dave Ramos photo

I was recently searching for something on my blog and I came across Perry Squier’s posts on Shawmut freight cars he was building. After reviewing his posts again, I realized the final appearance of some models had not been shared. It’s time for project closure!

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RPM update

As we turn the corner into the last few months of 2022, the RPM calendar has several events scheduled through October. Check the calendar for an RPM near you and make plans to attend.

The joint convention of the L&N and Southern historical groups was recently added. Several RPM presentations and a model display area are part of the Chattanooga event. The convention will be held at the Tennessee Valley Railroad Museum, which will also host a couple events.

A few 2023 events have been announced, too. For your long term planning, save the October 27 & 28 dates for the Naperville RPM! It will be held in the Northern Illinois University conference center just mile or so from previous locations of this long running Chicago event. More details will be shared coming in early 2023.


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