I have been in model railroading for 74 years now, first train at age 6 months from my father who was a Santa Fe engineer and wanted a boy to play trains with. He got it. Since then I have never been without a layout except for a few months in college when I had to discover I could slide a sheet of plywood under a dorm bed.
Tony talks about reactions from other model railroaders to his ideas and thoughts, some good and some bad. I have disagreed at times with Tony, but I have been in agreement a larger percent of the time. I picked up a good amount of my layout building ideas from articles by Tony and others in MR and other sources. I was sorry to read about the two gentlemen he mentioned that were on a vendeta against everything he said, but I found that in all the years I served as a pastor, while also working in the computer field, that there were those who agreed with me and those who didn't. I managed to learn a few things from those do didn't including a couple of gentlemen who post on this forum and are "old school" model railroaders.
But my Santa Fe in Oklahoma in 1989 (HO) has served me well since the first track was laid in 1984 and I owe much of it to comments from other modelers like Tony. I have had several of the "well knowns" visit over the years, and I believe my books indicate Tony was here at one time also.
So just want to say to Tony and others on the MR staff who work to provide info, tips, ideas, on the hobby, "THANKS", because through many of your articles, I have been able to build a better railroad.
Robert (Bob) Miller, MMR 138.