By Tom Fedor
Our website is back up (along with this blog). Currently the web page includes just the basics and serves as a landing page for those interested in reaching the SMD. Links to documents like our by laws and archived newsletters will function as the data is migrated to the new server. Additionally the Winter Wheel Report has been published. Visit the website and locate the newsletters page to download this and archived editions. The “Train Rides” page is not included in the current edition. I made the decision to cut it due to space concerns and the fact that it’s content is readily accessible on line.
Rich Randall and friends have been very busy working on his Gettysburg, PA layout. I photographed Rich’s O scale Milwaukee Road for current the cover. Rich writes, “I am finally calling Avery East Yard finished, although there are still a few more small items to place. I received a lot of help with this project, especially from Leonard (Lee) Davis, master structure builder and scenery artist, and Tim Edwards who built the bunkhouse out of a San Francisco “Painted Lady” kit, and the depot addition out of a couple Ameri-Town track side sheds. Lee built the depot and other structures from scratch. Stu Gralnik of Model Building Services built the substation, which had to be 85% scale size to fit my space. It is amusing to me that after I crammed all the buildings into the scene, Tony Koester gave a clinic at the 2018 O Scale National Convention advising that the best way to compress a scene is to select a few key elements and space them so as to avoid cramming. Oh well! The catenary bents are made by Dave Hikel of Hikel Layouts & Trains. He assisted me in the construction of the catenary system. Tim Edwards made poles and sockets for installation in my various terrain. I still have a long way to go on the rest of my “Milwaukee Road Avery Division Point” O scale layout.”
