A step back...

by Michael J. Pratt, Managing Editor

As you are reading this October edition of Model Railroad News, school is back in session, the leaves are turning, and fall is in the air. Some look forward to this change in the weather, myself included. No more hot days, hot nights, or lawns to mow. It’s a time to reflect, to look back on the past summer’s accomplishments. More importantly, it’s time to play trains. My fellow train buff John Sipple, and those like him, may have to do more playing indoors, but he’s retired and can play anytime.

So what’s on my agenda? I really don’t know. I may dig out some of my old track plans and see if I can remember where I left off. Or I just may start all over. Some interesting items are now available, or soon will be, that have changed my mind about the No Name & Pacific (not to mention a new locale). It appears that I will be going through the wall (literally) and using it as a natural scenery break. I’m not sure how it will all turn out, but I’ll let you know.

John is working on an HO layout. I had the privilege (i.e. shanghaied) of helping with the initial bench work. I was glad to help, and we had most of it up in an afternoon. It’s an oval layout that’s to be operated from the inside. John has made a hinged section that swings up to allow for easier access. He’s also added a photo area to one side that will allow him to take more of his nice review shots. It too swings down out of the way when not in use. I’ll see if we can’t get some photos of the progress on John’s layout in the coming months.

There will be plenty of projects coming in the months ahead for MRN as well. One of them is our annual Train Set report. This article, usually in two parts (Nov. and Dec. issues), covers what’s new in the way of train sets for the coming holiday season. There will be plenty of news, reviews, and feature columns, too. Other things are also in the works, most of which you’ll just have to wait to find out about.

With all that needs to be done to put MRN together every month, it’s a wonder any of us has time to play at all. But, I honestly have to take a step back once and a while to see what it is we are really doing — writing about model trains! Now I can’t think of a better job than that for a bunch of train nuts. Can you?

Stay tuned...

Michael J. Pratt
Managing Editor