Around The Layout - A Model Railroad Podcast

Around The Layout is where model railroaders and, in this case, podcasters come to tell their story. A pioneer of model railroad podcasts, Tom Barbalet, comes by to tell us about how Model Rail Radio was started. Tom talks about how the live radio call-in format for his long-running podcast was developed and how he has built an amazing community of friends from around the world.
Check out Model Rail Radio:
https://www.modelrailradio.com/
Join the Model Rail Radio Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/367613092344
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]

ATLP Rewind - Originally Released January 17, 2023
We give Streamyard the night off as Mark Herrick does an in-person visit to the Around The Layout studio and tells us about his model railroading journey that has led to the BNSF Montana Division. Listen as Mark tells us about how trips to Montana in his teenage years formed his love of the Burlington Northern and how a trip to “The Mall” sparked his interest in model railroading. Mark also shares how membership in the NMRA led him to a network of great model railroaders and even greater friends.
Check out the BNSF Montana Division Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100080157977768
Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com
Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout
Send us an email: [email protected]

In our past interviews, we've found that freelance model railroaders have amazing stories to tell and Tim Garland is no exception. On this episode, Tim tells us how he got started in the hobby and how at 14 years old, his mind was made up about becoming a railroader. Tim shares how the story of the Seaboard Central was developed, how it's a form of protest against changes he's observed in the railroad industry, and how the second version of the layout is being built differently from the first and in a way that keeps the flywheel turning without being overwhelming.
Check out more on the Seaboard Central on Tim's YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@SeaboardCentral
Follow updates on the Seaboard Central on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/SCModelRailroad/
We mention our love for Home Shops, LLC. Check them out here:
https://homeshops.net/
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]

After getting to meet the NMRA Social Media guru Lucy Dormont in person at the Amherst Railway Society's Railroad Hobby Show, I wanted to hear about her first trip to Springfield and her event filled weekend. Lucy shares the details on the events she participated in, including the NMRA Board of Directors meeting and the Women In Model Railroading meet and greet and operating session. I also find out what purchases made Lucy's suitcase and give her some (probably bad) advice on how to get more stuff home with her next year.
Check out all of the exciting changes with the NMRA, starting with their website:
https://www.nmra.org/
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/

ATLP Rewind - Originally Released January 31, 2023
He’s been talked about a lot on Around The Layout, but now it’s time to hear from Don Irace himself. Don’s original Providence & Worcester layout in Scituate, Rhode Island was known by many as the layout to see in southern New England, and he gives us the backstory on it’s creation. He shares how he developed operations on this layout, and how lessons from Scituate guided the second version after his move to Sebastian, Florida. Don has inspired many to create their own layouts, and he talks about the role of mentor and how the hobby has created a group of great friends, both in New England and Florida.
Like the Providence & Worcester Model Railroad Facebook page.
https://www.facebook.com/ProvidenceWorcesterModelRailroad
Check out the PWMRR YouTube channel for videos of both layouts.
https://www.youtube.com/@ThePWMRR
Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com
Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout
Send us an email: [email protected]

It's just me, asking you to take a few minutes to take the ATLP 2024 Listener Survey.
aroundthelayout.com/survey
Your honest feedback is appreciated!

Just a few weeks removed from the Amherst Railway Society's Railroad Hobby Show, Broadway Limited's Curtis Koch stops by to tell us about the exciting announcements and releases from BLI, including the new Conductors Club, GP35's, die-cast diesels and a device you can use not only in the layout room, but throughout your home and garage too. Later, Tony brings us the industry news from ScaleTrains, Atlas, Walthers, Rapido, Kato, Home Shops LLC and more.
Learn more about Broadway Limited and sign up for the Conductors Club:
https://broadway-limited.com/
Subscribe to Model Railroad 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
Subscribe to the Model Train Resource YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@ModelTrainResource
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]

ATLP Rewind - Originally released April 25, 2023
Seven days a week, Weather My Trains' Rob Arsenault is producing some of the most realistic and jaw-dropping weathering in the hobby. In this episode of Around The Layout, Rob puts down the brush and tells how a childhood spent on Prince Edward Island and railfanning the PEI sparked his lifelong love for trains. He shares how time spent in the Royal Canadian Air Force provided rare opportunities to witness railroading history and get closer to the action than most. You'll also get an in-depth lesson in paints as Rob guides us to making better product selections; the same ones he's made that produce high quality results.
Learn more about the services offered by Weather My Trains:
https://weathermytrains.com/
Stay up to date with Rob's work on his Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/WeatherMyTrains
Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com
Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout
Send us an email: [email protected]

How did a Brit decide to model an American railroad? Blame it on Budweiser! That's one of the things we learn on this episode of Around The Layout as we chat with Steve McEwen about his model railroading journey and how his trips to the United States influenced his choice to model the New York & Atlantic Railway in a freelance way that addresses his wants in an operating layout. We also learn the why behind Steve's YouTube channel, The British Railroader.
Check out The British Railroader on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/@thebritishrailroader
Follow all of Steve's railroading adventures on his Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/the.british.railroader
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/

ATLP Rewind - Originally aired February 14, 2023
There are no shortage of topics when Thomas Klimoski comes to the Around The Layout studio. A retired firefighter, author, trainman and accomplished model railroader, Tom tells us about his beginnings in the hobby and how a letter written to a well-known model railroader changed his tragectory in model railroading and led to amazing opportunities and great friendships.Tom discusses how his personal experiences influenced his book "Building The Right Sized Layout" and how you can ensure you're building the right layout for you.
Check out Tom's website, full of excellent resources at https://www.thomasklimoski.com/
Thanks to our episode sponsor, Highball Graphics. Check out their website at https://highballgraphics.com/
Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com
Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout
Send us an email: [email protected]