June 29, 2015
  • The layout is scheduled to be open for the National Narrow Gage Convention Sept 2-5, 2015
  • Fixed photos on Electric models page.  They did not open
  • Posted new pictures to the layout progress page
  • Finally updated the for sale page still has quite a few HO items listed. Make an offer!

 

February 10, 2015
  • The big news is after 10 years with the same hosting site, I have switched to a different host.  Servioce and rates are better.
  • The layout is scheduled to be open for the National Narrow Gage Convention Sept 2-5, 2015
  • I'm building a new page covering the 8,000 boxcars built before WWII. No reference sheet has ever been done for this boxcar group.
  • the for sale page still has HO items listed. Soon remaining models will be seriously marked down.

 

June 14, 2014
  • While This site has gone unattended for the last 18 months or so there has been work on the layout, locos and rolling stock. See progress Picutes page.
  • I've finally finished painting five locos. Besides a fresh coat of paint, they all have sound decoders, lights and a crew.
  • the for sale page still has HO items listed.  Some HO gage stuff will be on sale at the GNRHS convention in Helena. After that it will be seriously marked down to reflect the current market.
January 15, 2013
  • New layout progress pictures showing recent work at the Staging yard, Blaine and Bellingham.
  • Added a new page in artwork section called matchbooks
  • Updated the for sale page.  The HO gage stuff is moving about as fast as I anticipated.

 

 May 18, 2012 

  • Added BONEYARD page for selling my excess models and GN stuff. Just the book page is up.  More pages for O Scale and HO gage will be added by the end of the month.
  • Today is the 32nd anniversary of Mt. St Helens blowing up and the 42nd anniversary of my joining the late great U.S. Customs Service

 

 April 6, 2012 

  • Added page for the 2012 OSW showing several new layouts and the presentation of a special award. OSW page
  • added a new page for NormB. Friends page
  • Added more material for the Mainline in '49 page GNlines page
  • Added progress pictures of Phil's Gila Mountain layout on Friends page
  • Added New layout progress pictures on layout page
  • Added more material to'50s Coast line on GNlines page

 

September 15, 2001

I continue to update pages with about 75% done now. However the website has not been a priority over the summer.

 

June 20, 2011

I am completely rebuilding the site using the more modern Cascading Sheets Style.  It has taken a long while to learn the program and I'm still not that proficient, but this change will allow better layout and graphics.  As you go through the site, starting with the home page you will notice a new heading and menu bar.  The home page side menu now has a direct link to every page. At this time I'm only planning a limited menu for the other pages but that may change. If you don't see a new heading, I have not up dated the page yet, but I'm working on it!

May 11 , 2011 

  • Added new pictures showing my recently completed work Layout page.
  • Added New page called Coast Line '50 pictures in the diesel era on the Vancouver-Seattle line at the GNLINES stop
  • Added new pictures on Friends page for several layouts.
  • Added new section to artwork page covering GN issued stamps c.1915.

 

February 2 , 2011
  • Added new pictures showing my recently completed work Layout page.
  • Added pictures from OSW 2011 on OSW page
  • Added two new layouts, Rod's and Gary's, to OSW Grand Tour on OSW page
  • Added pictures of five locomotives on Models page
  • Added new pictures of Kyle's layout Layout page

 

January 11 , 2011
  • Revised the layout page with separate parts for former pikes Layout page.
  • Added a new page for GN Electric locos and Revised the Y-1 and Z-1 parts on models page

 

January 1 , 2011
  • Added new layout pages for Kyle and Duane on the Friends page.
  • Fixed glitches and added pix on Charlie's page Friends and the 1949 Mainline GNLines
  • Added pictures for four layouts visited as part of the Grand Tour to O Scale West. See OSW page.
  • Added pictures from OSW 2010 See OSW page.
  • Revised home page and Locos of the Empire Builder on models page
  • Pictures of my new layout will be posted soon to show work done this year. See Layout page
  • Up dated the Links page

Pictures from five of the layouts visited on the OSW Grand Tour

 

November 28 , 2010
  • Added Pictures of the Mt Vernon Depot to Coast line page.
  • Added more pictures in the Friends section . See Charlie and Victor pages.

 

June 15 , 2010
  • Reconfigured opening page, adding an OSW stop and moving Links to a new button below.
  • Added New Grand Tour Page having pictures of layouts visited. See OSW Page
  • Added a complete new page on painting G.N. diesels. See Models Page
  • Added pictures of my GN O gage locomotives and the corresponding GN prototype on the Models Page
  • Added to the GNLINES Page
  • Added more pictures in the Friends section after the March Meet in Chicago. See Gary E, Charlie, Victor, Phil and Lee pages.

 

February 14 , 2010

  • Added a complete new section called BONEYARD to list excess items I have to sell at great prices home Page
  • Added pictures of my unique GN O gage locomotives and the corresponding GN prototype on the Models Page
  • Added a link to prototype GN structures on the GNLINES Page
  • Added much more prototype information, and pictures to the VANCOUVER LINE page. There is enough information now to do a reference sheet. I'm sharing the information I gathered while research zing this line for my current model railway. There are links between this prototype info on the GNLINES page and the current O gage layout plan on the Layout page
  • Reorganized may pages are took down obsolete pages.
  • Added an HO track plan and comments to the KETTLE FALLS page GNLINES
  • Added two entirely new sections GNLINES and Models. Both are accessible from the home page 'track plan' menu bar

 

February 3 , 2010

.

Back on track

I'm staying on O gage after briefly considering a change to HO.

Little has been posted in the last several months. But things are getting back to normal. regular updates will be posted.

June 6 , 2009

There have been changes to the layout plan. As mentioned in March, I decided the current layout was not meeting my expectations. I drew up a new plan that was posted on the layout page. It now seems that the City feels that their silly utility easement is more important that the requirement to expand the train room. I have therefore decided to keep most of my O scale models but to build a new layout in HO scale. This will permit an operating railroad that would like to run. In the process I've decided to sell my excess O and HO stuff on eBay. After reading so many eBay listings whinnying about Paypal I now understand the reason for the complaints and added a new page to rant about Paypal . In the future I may list the stuff I want to thin on a separate page before it goes on eBay.

  • Added New HO track plan. LAYOUT Page
  • Added a new page on Paypal at the at Layout Page - for lack of a better place to post it

Click here for the HO track plan

  • This is a June 1969 picture of the International stopping at Blaine on the International border with Canada. The square white object to the left of the locomotives is the Peace Arch located on the boundary. The roof of the depot can be seen above the 4th passenger car.
  • GN's coast line around 1939-1941 between Seattle and Vancouver is the setting for my new HO layout See the Layout page for more information.