I'm currently
serving in the U.S. Army as a Logistics Officer. I'll hit
the 18 year mark this coming July and will have to make a
decision at the end of my tour in Germany. Do I stay or
retire. It will be a difficult decision to make, but I'm
sure we will weigh every aspect of leaving versus staying.
Until then, we will enjoy our time in Germany!
My modeling hobby started in
the late 70's when my parents introduced me to HO scale trains.
My mom built my first layout that conveniently fit under my bed.
I had that layout until we moved in 1984. Those memories
have stuck with me for a long time! Thanks Mom!
I moved to modeling in N Scale
in 1986 when I bought
my first Life-Like train set at the ripe old age of 14. I started
working on a simple 3x6 layout in our basement, but moved on to
attempt the Atlas N-8 track plan. It ended up being sold
when I graduated high school and left for college. I took
a break at that point and didn't pick it up again for another 7
years. I started detailing and custom painting engines
while I was station at Fort hood, TX in 1997. So far, I've custom painted
and detailed approximately 150 units and have developed a
friendship with a small, core group of fellow modelers that send
me stuff to work on from time to time.
I had to tear down my last
shelf layout in 2005 prior to moving overseas. I haven't
had one since, so I'm focusing my efforts on detailing, painting,
and weathering my engines and rolling stock. I use detail
parts made by BLMA, Atlas, Gold Medal Models, Sunrise, MV Lenses,
and Detail Associates. I've used decals from MicroScale,
Oddball Decals, and Highball Graphics with great success. At some
point I may build a page that explains how I paint and detail
engines. The hardest part is remembering to take in progress
pictures while I'm working.
The tag below is all of the awards and badges
that I've earned since joining the military. The two-stars
represent the number of family members currently serving in the
military; my brother-in-law being the other (also Army).
