Around The Layout - A Model Railroad Podcast

We first met Matt Stern on the May 2023 What's Happening In Model Railroading episode where he represented Bachmann as their Communications Manager. During the recording of that show, we spotted a layout behind him, and we knew we had to get Matt back to tell his model railroading story. Well, that time has come, and Matt has an incredible story to share. He tells us about living in the United Kingdom at a young age, an influential uncle back in the United States, and how his passion for model railroading and an ability to chart his own course led to his profession within the hobby. We also learn that his current layout, used to stage some of the Bachmann promotional photos, doesn't have a name, hence the title of this episode!
Check out the work of Matt and his colleagues at Bachmann Trains:
https://www.bachmanntrains.com
Support the podcast and get yourself signed up for free giveaways by becoming a member of the ATLP Operating Crew!
patreon.com/AroundTheLayoutPodcast
Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com
Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout
Send us an email: [email protected]
Thank you to our show sponsor, Weather My Trains:
https://weathermytrains.com/

On this special episode of Around The Layout, we talk to Art Dutra and Mike Wheeler of the Nutmeg Division of the NMRA and learn what's new and exciting from the division covering Connecticut and portions of Massachusetts. We often hear about the big changes happening at the national level; now hear how those changes are making positive impacts locally, and how Art, Mike and the rest of the Nutmeg Division leadership are putting in the work to attract new members and add to the value proposition of being a member of the NMRA.
Check out the Nutmeg Division's Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/nutmegnmra
Follow the Nutmeg Division on Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/nutmegnmra/
Subscribe to the Nutmeg Division on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@nutmegdivisionnmra8046
Support the podcast and get yourself signed up for free giveaways by becoming a member of the ATLP Operating Crew!
patreon.com/AroundTheLayoutPodcast
Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com
Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout
Send us an email: [email protected]
Thank you to our show sponsor, Weather My Trains:
https://weathermytrains.com/

One of the most memorable stops during the whirlwind week of the Texas Express 2023 NMRA National Convention was the visit to Devin Jackson & Family's Mesquite Belt, located about 2 hours south of Fort Worth in the town of Palestine. Joining me on the trip were Don Irace and Mark Herrick and on arrival, we were amazed to see a depot building in the backyard containing a large and well done HO scale layout. On this episode, we talk about that visit and how the depot building, name and layout came to be. We also learn how this project has been a family affair and how all Jacksons have benefited from the hobby.
Check out the Mesquite Belt on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/79388438443
Learn more about the Mesquite Belt Railroad on their website:
https://www.mesquitebelt.com/
Pre-order your Home Shops Mesquite Belt Tangent PS-4427 Covered Hopper today!
https://homeshops.net/pages/home-shops-pre-order-page
Support the podcast and get yourself signed up for free giveaways by becoming a member of the ATLP Operating Crew!
patreon.com/AroundTheLayoutPodcast
Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com
Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout
Send us an email: [email protected]
Thank you to our show sponsor, Weather My Trains:
https://weathermytrains.com/

The growth of technology in model railroading has brought a whole new level to the hobby. On this episode, Tony Cook brings along Chuck Stancil of Logic Rail Technologies to tell us about the amazing products he has created that bring life to layouts. Chuck tells us how his products can help add theatrics to your layout and reveals a new product that will provide amazing lighting effects in a number of ways. Later, Tony tells us about the latest releases from Rapido, Intermountain, Walthers, Sylvan, and many more, then we debut the new "Ask Tony" segment with questions about Tony's top 3 locomotives and C30-7A locomotives.
Bring your layout to life with Logic Rail Technologies products!
https://www.logicrailtech.com/
Subscribe to Model Railorad News and keep up with all that's happening in model railroading:
https://modelrailroadnews.com/
Take a trip through model railroad history on Tony's Model Train Resource:
https://modeltrainresource.com/
Ask Tony your question for next month's What's Happening In Model Railroading Show:
https://www.aroundthelayout.com/asktony
Support the podcast and get yourself signed up for free giveaways by becoming a member of the ATLP Operating Crew!
patreon.com/AroundTheLayoutPodcast
Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com
Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout
Send us an email: [email protected]

It's late November, but we're still talking about late August and the 2023 NMRA National Convention in Texas. During that week, I was fortunate enough to visit the outstanding layout of Mike Armstrong and it was a thrill to talk to him tonight about how his Rock Island Mid-Continent Route came to fruition. Mike shares the story of growing up in Iowa and the many influences during his youth that led to a successful prototype and model railroad journey. If you're a fan of big layouts and negative space, this episode is for you!
Check out the Rock Island Mid-Continent Route on YouTube!
https://www.youtube.com/@rimodeler7963
Find more about this outstanding layout in the June 2023 Railroad Model Craftsman:
https://rrmodelcraftsman.com/rock-island-mid-continent-route/
Support the podcast and get yourself signed up for free giveaways by becoming a member of the ATLP Operating Crew!
patreon.com/AroundTheLayoutPodcast
Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com
Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout
Send us an email: [email protected]