What was your first train set (or locomotive)?
Before the age of 10, I received a basic Lionel set along with a couple of turnouts for Christmas. I liked it, except for that middle electrical pickup rail on the track sections. I lived with that until I discovered you could have a two-rail railroad. Later I went with my parents to a downtown Washington, D.C., hobby shop to purchase two-rail flextrack sections. The owner/clerk asked my age. I said 13, to which he stated that I might be a bit young to handle flextrack. Nevertheless, my parents supported the purchase, and I was on my way to building my first railroad.
Describe your model railroading philosophy in 6 words.
Read about and watch prototype railroading.
Or:
Modeling? Get to know the prototype.
What has been your biggest modeling success?
It’s been very satisfying hobby, building a number of model railroads and finding so many good friends in the hobby.
What was your biggest modeling mistake?
Nothing so serious that I couldn’t find a solution to the problem. It’s a hobby, so I put mistakes out of my mind unless it’s interesting or funny enough to talk about later.
What’s your least favorite modeling task?
No thoughts about that. If it’s a real problem for me, I probably either avoid the task or find someone who can help me.
What project(s) have you been working on recently?
Having finished my current railroad, the Baltimore Harbor District layout, I spend some time maintaining the railroad. But while recently looking for something new to do, I’m building a structure that I don’t really need but I may end up finding a home for it on the layout. The structure is being built using only with parts I already have, so if nothing else, it’s a good way to clean out some drawers.
Watch a video of Paul’s Baltimore Harbor District.
Download a desktop image of a photo taken by Paul.
Don’t miss this special issue, which includes modeling by Paul.
What advice would you give to a new hobbyist?
As you undertake new projects, talk to modeler friends to bounce ideas off them and avoid the mistakes we all experience.
Awesome article. Please pass my appreciation along to Paul for his work over the years, and let him know that I think his early trolley layout is pretty cool!