Introductions

[mighalpern]

I have been in Bilbao:
My mother was spanish from Cataluna and my father Costa Rican/German and when my parents retired from the states about 30 years ago, they went to Tossa  My brother went with them and got into the Bar business
sadly my father and mother have both since passed away ( 3 and 2 years ago )  and my brother is getting ready to retire from the Bar,  Just me  stuck here
oh well still got my trains 
Happy modeling
Miguel

[Albersala]

I have been in Bilbao:
My mother was spanish from Cataluna and my father Costa Rican/German and when my parents retired from the states about 30 years ago, they went to Tossa  My brother went with them and got into the Bar business
sadly my father and mother have both since passed away ( 3 and 2 years ago )  and my brother is getting ready to retire from the Bar,  Just me  stuck here
oh well still got my trains 
Happy modeling
Miguel

I´m very sorry for the bad news about your parents.  You´re right, you still have your trains which can be comforting... although sometimes exasperating as well. Let me know if you ever come by here and may be I could show you my trains.

[Albersala]

Alberto,
 I was in San Sebastion and Logrono last summer. It is very beautiful there and the wine a food are to die for.  My wife and I loved our time in Spain and hope to visit again in the future.

David

Hi David,
Logroño and especially San Sebastián are very close to Bilbao. San Sebastián is a very beautiful small city by the Cantabrian Sea that you must enjoy in summer with good weather. You´re right about the food and wine: we have a reputation for being quite gluttonuos around here
I hope you´ll come back to Spain soon.
Alberto

[rs3freak]

Hello all. My name is Bill Green. I'm retired and living here in Funny Slorida. I just completed my last custom motorcycle build (1969 Triumph Bonneville) and am working to get my last project boat in the water. I grew up in a housing project in North Hartford, Ct.  The New Haven has a classification yard there and I would go there to watch the activity to keep my head clear. Kinda therapy. There were a bunch of raggedy rs-3s and once in a while a crew would ask me aboard. This was 1958--1961ish. On a whim I bought an n-scale used atlas (Japan) rs-3 dressed in NH orange. I studied the model and saw that it had some substance. After the boat stuff mebbe I'll dig a little deeper into this craft. I like the attitude on here and I've got pretty thick skin. Thanks for the welcome.

[Philip H]

Hi David,
Logroño and especially San Sebastián are very close to Bilbao. San Sebastián is a very beautiful small city by the Cantabrian Sea that you must enjoy in summer with good weather. You´re right about the food and wine: we have a reputation for being quite gluttonuos around here
I hope you´ll come back to Spain soon.
Alberto

Yo no se ... the Tapas bars in the Triana section of Sevilla probably give San Sebastian a run for its money taste wise - though the food is different with different local ingredients. Frankly I'd kill for a Cruz Campo most hot summer days here, but no one I know of imports them to the US.

I lived in Sevilla as a kid - my dad did a lot of his academic work at the Archivo Generale de las Indias, but we got as far north as San Sebastian in the 1980's. 

[Philip H]

Hello all. My name is Bill Green. I'm retired and living here in Funny Slorida. I just completed my last custom motorcycle build (1969 Triumph Bonneville) and am working to get my last project boat in the water. I grew up in a housing project in North Hartford, Ct.  The New Haven has a classification yard there and I would go there to watch the activity to keep my head clear. Kinda therapy. There were a bunch of raggedy rs-3s and once in a while a crew would ask me aboard. This was 1958--1961ish. On a whim I bought an n-scale used atlas (Japan) rs-3 dressed in NH orange. I studied the model and saw that it had some substance. After the boat stuff mebbe I'll dig a little deeper into this craft. I like the attitude on here and I've got pretty thick skin. Thanks for the welcome.

Some of us will be equally interested in your boat and motorcycle builds.  Get to 25 posts and you can start sharing them in the Crew Lounge

[Cajonpassfan]

Not a new introduction, but a re-introduction!  I have been out of the hobby for about 6 years due to raising a young family and moving.  Finally am settled down, the kids are older, and am starting a new N-scale layout this summer.  I used to post here frequently, but just did not have time.  Look forward to being with everyone again!

Welcome back Mike!
Otto K.

[CharlesW]

Hi, my name is Charles. I have a last name too, but it can be hard to pronounce, so I usually just got by Charles W. I live in eastern Michigan, in fact, you can't go much farther east in Michigan than this area. Consequently our local modeling community seems to be about half American and half Canadian.

I've gotten my modeling fix in N scale for the past twenty years or so, mostly as a lone wlof model railroader. About 7 years or so ago (it's hard to believe that it's been 7 years already) I got involved with a local Ntrak group. The opportunity to learn from others nearby gave me the push I needed to improve my skills and abilities in this hobby, not to mention an outlet to help others with the hobby as well.

I prefer modern era modeling because that's what I see and what I've seen. My two major passions in this hobby are (N scale) vehicle modeling and running long trains, with grain trains being a close third.

I'm currently in my mid thirties. One of the secondary topics affecting our hobby that's beginning to draw my attention is how to bring the next generation into the hobby. For instance, I know there are teens in my area with an interest in trains and model railroading, but our local group is aging fairly quickly and the passion for improving and bringing new people aboard has been dying for some time. I know there are teens in the area who have an interest in the hobby, but the challenge is reorganizing our local group to embrace the next generation, while finding ways to reach that generation. This is one of the various topics I've branched into that isn't modeling specific, but I believe will have a direct impact on the hobby in the future.

I actually applied/joined the site several weeks ago, but hadn't had time to put together a coherent introduction until now. I've been reading through the threads on the site for the past couple years as time permits and figured that joining would be a good way to learn from those far more skilled than myself. Thanks for allowing me to be part of your community.

[DeltaBravo]

Hi, my name is Charles. I have a last name too, but it can be hard to pronounce, so I usually just got by Charles W. I live in eastern Michigan, in fact, you can't go much farther east in Michigan than this area. Consequently our local modeling community seems to be about half American and half Canadian.

I've gotten my modeling fix in N scale for the past twenty years or so, mostly as a lone wlof model railroader. About 7 years or so ago (it's hard to believe that it's been 7 years already) I got involved with a local Ntrak group. The opportunity to learn from others nearby gave me the push I needed to improve my skills and abilities in this hobby, not to mention an outlet to help others with the hobby as well.

I prefer modern era modeling because that's what I see and what I've seen. My two major passions in this hobby are (N scale) vehicle modeling and running long trains, with grain trains being a close third.

I'm currently in my mid thirties. One of the secondary topics affecting our hobby that's beginning to draw my attention is how to bring the next generation into the hobby. For instance, I know there are teens in my area with an interest in trains and model railroading, but our local group is aging fairly quickly and the passion for improving and bringing new people aboard has been dying for some time. I know there are teens in the area who have an interest in the hobby, but the challenge is reorganizing our local group to embrace the next generation, while finding ways to reach that generation. This is one of the various topics I've branched into that isn't modeling specific, but I believe will have a direct impact on the hobby in the future.

I actually applied/joined the site several weeks ago, but hadn't had time to put together a coherent introduction until now. I've been reading through the threads on the site for the past couple years as time permits and figured that joining would be a good way to learn from those far more skilled than myself. Thanks for allowing me to be part of your community.

Welcome Charles, as a member of a local N-Trak club facing a simular situation as your's. I would be interested in what your group does to attract new and younger members. 

[vidro]

Thanks for letting me join.

I'm an Italian model railway enthusiast, and together with my wife Franca, always fond of American trains of the period 1945/59 on "N" scale.
Unfortunately, to follow my hobby, I have to contact U.S. vendors, because in Italy there is little stuff, almost only German, French, Swiss or Italian items.
If any friend in U.S.A. is interested in European products, I am available ...

[DeltaBravo]

Thanks for letting me join.

I'm an Italian model railway enthusiast, and together with my wife Franca, always fond of American trains of the period 1945/59 on "N" scale.
Unfortunately, to follow my hobby, I have to contact U.S. vendors, because in Italy there is little stuff, almost only German, French, Swiss or Italian items.
If any friend in U.S.A. is interested in European products, I am available ...

Welcome aboard @vidro, is there a particular railroad you model?

[vidro]

thanks DELTABRAVO,

No, he idea of my wife and mine is to make a continuous layout set somewhere in the U.S.A., in a rural-industrial area, with a couple of small cities, I would say better villages.

[Hatchet]

Hi- Mark here, in sunny and cold Colorado. Retired USAf, flew A-10s, T-38s and F-5s for 26 years. Started N scale with my son in 1986, put it away until my grandson became interested in trains. Working on my 4x10 Kato unitrack layout now ( modern era). Other interests- flying (CFII, single engine land, ATP) and almost all k8nds of modeling- figures, armor, aircraft- you name it, it’s on my shelf.

[peteski]

Good to have you on-board Mark - sounds like you are one of those people who's  never bored!  It also sounds like your "daytime" job was also quite an adventure.  Much more exciting that what I do for a living.  I'm also always amazed at the wide range of people connected by a common hobby.

[Hatchet]

Thanks, happy to be here- learning a lot from everyone!

Mark