Around The Layout - A Model Railroad Podcast

Want proof that the hobby isn't dying and young folks are into model railroading? Allow us to present, once again, Issac Fabris and his CN/IC Heyworth Spur. It's been quite a while, so we were overdue for an update and Isaac brings us up to speed on the changes he's made on his layout and how changing his era has allowed him to narrow his focus, keep what he loves, but set up guardrails that keeps him from buying all of the latest locomotive releases. Isaac's biggest news is that he's an expectant father, and after hearing bad parenting advice from Ray, he shares how his growing family will eventually yield a bigger home and a bigger layout and the plan he already has to expand upon his current layout.
Check out the CN/IC Heyworth Spur on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/607099757235527
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/

Neil Schofield and his CP Rail's Newport & Lyndonville Subdivision has been our guest wish list since the start of the podcast, so when Neil reached out to be on the podcast, there was quite the celebration! Before telling us about his amazing layout, Neil tells us about his start in model railroading and forcing the transition era on his dad's steam era layout and how road trips to the northernmost parts of New England planted the seed for his Vermont based layout.
See the layout for yourself on Neil's YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@NRS8400
Check out the MRH Forum blog on CP Rail's Newport & Lyndonville Subdivision:
https://forum.mrhmag.com/post/cp-rails-newport-lyndonville-subdivision-12218893
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]

West Springfield, Springfield, The Big E Show, Amherst - call it what you'd like, just make sure you get there! The Amherst Railway Society's Railroad Hobby Show has become the bucket list event for model railroaders around the globe and leading this destination event is the highly dedicated and super enthusiastic Show Director John Sacerdote. John gives us a brief history of the show, then tells us what we can expect to see within the four buildings and 350,000 square feet of all things railroading.
Don't miss the Railroad Hobby Show - January 27-28, 2024!
https://www.railroadhobbyshow.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]

Shane Wilson, President of ScaleTrains, returns to Around The Layout Podcast to talk about the latest somewhat controversial announcement of the new Hypotypical line. Shane clears up some concerns and shares with us the benefits of adding a new line and how it positively impacts their ability to produce additional offerings. Later, Tony and I discuss more news pouring in from Broadway Limited, Bachmann, Lionel, Marklin and more.
Check out all of the offerings from ScaleTrains on their website:
https://www.scaletrains.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
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]

On this episode of Around The Layout, we check in with Paul Cassar. Paul's not only the Executive Producer of Around The Layout; he's quite the modeler and he provides us with updates on his River Belt Line HO scale layout located in his garage in New South Wales, Australia. Paul talks about scratchbuilding, weathering, and super detailing the layout and how his choice to keep the layout relatively small has provided the time to drill into the details. Additionally, Ray and Paul talk about working together on the podcast and how it has become another aspect of the hobby to enjoy.
Check out Paul's River Belt Line on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100063610810340
Join the HO Scale Shelf Modelers Group on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/484711889437745
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 aired May 30, 2023
On this episode of Around The Layout, we head back to Texas to chat with yet another freelance model railroader, Joe Bohannon. Joe shares his start in the hobby and the many influences, from California to Washington State to Texas that led to him creating the Chinook Lines. He also tells us about his involvement in historical societies and how the knowledge he gained there provided content for his freelace story.
Check out the Chinook Lines Model Railroad Facebook group:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/517011158314309
Learn more about the Cascade Rail Foundation:
https://www.milwelectric.org/
Thank you to our show sponsor, Weather My Trains:
https://weathermytrains.com/
Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com
Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout
Send us an email: [email protected]

After hosting myself and fellow podcasters Andy Dorsch and Tom Gasior on his TSG Live Talking Trains, it was great to have John Abatecola stop by the Around The Layout studio. John tells us about his hobby within the hobby; creating videos to share his model railroading and prototype adventures with the masses. He talks about his work with Jack Burgess and how filming trains is so much better than a funeral!
Check out TSG Multimedia's YouTube channel:
https://www.youtube.com/@tsgmultimedia
You can join TSG Multimedia on these social media channels:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tsgmultimediaface
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/tsg_multimedia/
Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/TSGMultimedia
Thank you to our show sponsor, Weather My Trains:
https://weathermytrains.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]

ATLP Rewind - Originally aired September 19, 2023
There's something really cool when you find out that someone you watched on television and in movies is a fellow model railroader. On this podcast, we get to learn more about Michael Gross, the man who, among many acting accomplishments, portrayed TV dad Steven Keaton on Family Ties for seven seasons. It becomes clear early on that he's no actor when it comes to being a model railroader; he's the real deal with a wealth of knowledge and a passion for all things railroading. Michael also tells us about his family roots in railroading, and how his grandfather's career in railroading inspired him to become a modeler and a railroader himself.
Michael's appearance in Rapido's "The Drop" is not to be missed! Check it out here:
https://youtu.be/m_bNmLVjZ54?si=MqBkwuaeQpdExYnF
Thank you to our show sponsor, Weather My Trains:
https://weathermytrains.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]

Author and professional model railroad builder Lance Mindheim returns to Around The Layout with a couple of new books tucked under his arm. Since the last time he appeared, he's released two new "how and why" books, 8 Track Plans For Modern Era Switching Layouts and Scenery For Modern Switching Layouts. Lance shares with us the motivation for writing and takes an opportunity to tell us more about his former East Rail layout, The Downtown Spur, and how he is recreating the East Rail layout with the appropriately named East Rail 2, using improved techniques learned in 50 years of model railroading.
Check out more on Lance Mindheim, including his blog on his website:
https://lancemindheim.com/
Pick up a copy of Lance's recent books and see his entire library:
https://lancemindheim.com/book-store/
Watch Tolga Erbora switch The Downtown Spur:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYEGQhkk6gs
Thank you to our show sponsor, Weather My Trains:
https://weathermytrains.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]

ATLP Rewind - Originally aired April 11, 2023
Why. It's the question every model railroader should know the answer to, and Lance Mindheim has prided himself in helping model railroaders find their own why. In this episode, we find out how Lance found his own "why" as he shares his own model railroading journey. He also shares how studying the arts has made him a better modeler and how you too can begin to see your layout from a whole new angle. The author of a multitude of how-to books and his own blog, Lance tells us about writing and sharing the lessons he's learned.
Check out Lance Mindheim's website:
https://www.shelflayouts.com/
Follow Lance on Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/lance.mindheim
Watch videos from Lance on YouTube:
https://www.youtube.com/user/LanceMindheim
Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com
Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout
Send us an email: [email protected]