What I Did On My Summer Vacation.

There are two seasons…summer and model railroading.
     Welcome to model railroading season!
     And, welcome to all the folks receiving this newsletter for the first time. I know it’s been a while since I’ve published a newsletter, but those of you that have been following along with the Podcast, (http://www.scottymason.com/podcast/podcast.htm) and the day-to-day news on the Railroad Line Forum (www.railroad-line.com), know what I’ve been up to, and understand my absence.
     For those of you who rely on this newsletter to keep track of my escapades, I’ll describe them in essay form.

     What I did on my Summer Vacation
     By Scott Mason
     5 th Grade, Mrs. Blasejewski (really, that was her name)

This summer was a very busy time for me. While most kids my age were sleeping late and watching cartoons, I had to work. In fact, I had to work between 12 and 14 hours a day. Aren’t there child-labor laws being broken here?
     But while all the other kids in the neighborhood were lying around getting fat and lazy, I was being exceptionally productive. I finished producing two DVD’s on weathering freight cars, appropriately entitled “Weathering Freight Cars, Volume 1, and “Weathering Freight Cars, Volume 2”. “Volume 1” features the talents of my new friend, Mike Rose. I get back in front of the camera on “Volume 2”
     Johnny Hammann and I took the camera up to Mr. Dick Elwell’s house this summer and shot a two-hour feature on Mr. Elwell and the Hoosac Valley Lines. We decided to make it a two-DVD set. The first disc features trains running on the Hoosac Valley. Disc Two is an in-depth interview with Mr. Elwell and several of his friends, and features many scenes from his incredible model railroad. This is our sixth DVD, and I think the best work we’ve ever done. See for yourself.
     When I wasn’t hamming it up in front of the camera, I was working on a very large project for my friend, Mr. Dick Pashley of Granite Bay, California. Mr. Pashley asked me to build a couple of South River Modelworks’ Brick Roundhouses for his new model railroad based on the Southern Pacific Donner Pass Subdivision. The roundhouses are seven stalls and 18 stalls each. It’s been a lot of work, but they’re almost done. I’ll be taking a field trip to California to deliver them during April Vacation next year.

     My buddy Jimmy Corcoran also had a busy summer. When he wasn’t goofin’ around on the golf course, he was in my workshop building a couple of South River kits for Mr. Michael Varley of Ogdensberg, NY. Mr. Varley asked us to build a Martin Machine and a Delabarre Tap & Die for his layout. Jimmy built the structures, and I’m making the scenery.

     Another friend, Doug Foscale, (www.foslimited.com) is helping me finish up a model railroad in my garage for Mr. Stephen Levin of West Palm Beach, FL. We’re having a great time building scenery. I’ll be taking another field trip in the next month or so to deliver that to him.
     Back in April, I go the idea to produce a podcast for model railroaders. I asked my friend Jimmy Deignan if he could engineer this, and we were off to the races. Jimmy (www.craftsmankits.com), Dave Frary (www.mrscenery.com), Doug and I co-host this monthly discussion (a podcast is an Internet-based radio program) called “The Scotty Mason Show”. Each month we interview interesting people in the hobby. We’ve been averaging over 17,000 downloads a month! Go figure.
     All you need to do to listen to the Podcast is click on the link above. If you have computer speakers, you’re all set. You can also subscribe to it (it’s free) through the I-Tunes Store (http://www.apple.com/itunes/store/podcasts.html). Just type in “model railroads” into the search box, and “The Scotty Mason Show” pops up. By the way, we’re currently up to the fourth page of the I-Tunes Podcast search engine.
     Doug, Jimmy and I are also putting the finishing touches on the preparations for the first-ever Craftsman Structure Show, which will take place in a few weeks In Mansfield, MA (www.css07.com). You should go. It’ll be a great time.
     I did manage to do a couple of “fun” things. My friends, Bud Smiley and Mario Rappinet came by for a visit on their way to the National Narrow Gauge Convention in Portland, Maine in August. We met in Scranton, PA at Steamtown. Jim Corcoran knows some folks there that arranged for a special tour. We also visited Mr. Elwell, Jimmy D and the Pennsy layout, South River Modelworks, and the Hoosac Tunnel.

     My wife and I took a trip to Baltimore to see the Boston Red Sox play the Baltimore Orioles. While we were there, we visited the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Museum. Baltimore is still a great railroad city.
     I spent several days with Dave Frary and Doug and his wife Anna Maria, at the NNGC. I met many folks who have been listening to the Podcast, and did a clinic to a packed room.
     Well, even with all that work stuff, I managed to get my fanny to the gym every day. I’ve lost about 20 pounds. I want to lose another 15 or so.
     I had a very productive summer, and I hope you did too. I’m looking forward to next summer. Maybe I can actually take a vacation. Now that will be something to write about!

Jimmy Deignan Becomes a Dad

Jimmy Deignan (www.craftsmankits.com), webmaster, podcast engineer, and my right-hand man, is now a dad! His wife Jacynta gave birth to a beautiful baby girl, Reaghan Mauread Deignan on September 12 th. She clocked in at 11:20 a.m. and weighed a healthy eight-pounds, six-ounces, and 21-inches long. See her here. (http://www.reaghan.com/)
     Reaghan has been busy developing her lungs, and Jimmy is becoming accustomed to sleep deprivation!