Around The Layout - A Model Railroad Podcast – Détails, épisodes et analyse

ATLP Rewind - Originally Released October 24, 2023

Coming to us from northern Colorado - seemingly a hotbed of model railroading, is the creator of the BNSF Fall River Division, John Parker. John shares his model railroading story with us, from humble 4x8 beginnings to the beautiful empire he has today. We learn that he's had a lot of help along the way, and he shares how that dedicated group of friends helped him achieve the goal of a railroad empire in his basement that hosts 18 to 22 operators per session.

Learn more about this episode on our website:
aroundthelayout.com/rewind

Thank you to our episode sponsor, Oak Hill Model Railroad Track Supply:
https://ohrtracksupply.com/

Visit our website at aroundthelayout.com

Become a member of our Operating Crew for chances to win and much more!
aroundthelayout.com/crew

Around The Layout Podcast is a production of Thirty Five Productions LLC

©2026 Thirty Five Productions LLC. All rights reserved.

The views and opinions expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Thirty Five Productions LLC or our sponsors.

Use of any trademarks or trade names is for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement.

No portion of this podcast may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Thirty Five Productions LLC, except for brief quotations used for purposes of review, commentary, or promotion.

What if we looked at our layouts like they were the stage of a grand performance? On this episode, the talented and thought provoking Scott Thornton comes by to share his passion for taking elements of the theatre and applying it to his model railroad. Scott shares how he uses similar approaches as they do on the stage with lighting, sound and props to make viewers of his layout feel like they are trackside on his IAIS Milan Branch.

Learn more about this episode on our website:
aroundthelayout.com/117

Thank you to our episode sponsor, Spring Creek Model Trains:
https://www.springcreekmodeltrains.com/

Thank you to our episode sponsor, Home Shops, LLC:
https://homeshops.net/




Visit our website at aroundthelayout.com

Become a member of our Operating Crew for chances to win and much more!
aroundthelayout.com/crew

Around The Layout Podcast is a production of Thirty Five Productions LLC

©2026 Thirty Five Productions LLC. All rights reserved.

The views and opinions expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Thirty Five Productions LLC or our sponsors.

Use of any trademarks or trade names is for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement.

No portion of this podcast may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Thirty Five Productions LLC, except for brief quotations used for purposes of review, commentary, or promotion.

Here's the audio from last night's live event where Ray talks about the results of the ATLP Listener Survey and how that has helped shape upcoming format changes to the podcast. 

For more about Around The Layout Podcast, visit our website:
aroundthelayout.com

Visit our website at aroundthelayout.com

Become a member of our Operating Crew for chances to win and much more!
aroundthelayout.com/crew

Around The Layout Podcast is a production of Thirty Five Productions LLC

©2026 Thirty Five Productions LLC. All rights reserved.

The views and opinions expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Thirty Five Productions LLC or our sponsors.

Use of any trademarks or trade names is for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement.

No portion of this podcast may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Thirty Five Productions LLC, except for brief quotations used for purposes of review, commentary, or promotion.

On this episode of Around The Layout, we head to Central New York State to chat with Drew James. Drew is the owner of the Canada, Spokane and Pacific HO scale model railroad; an outstanding railroad for its amazing scenery and outstanding operations. Drew tells us the events leading up to this current layout and how the NMRA Central New York division is chock full of talented members willing to help each other create awesome layouts.

Check out this CNY Division produced video of Drew's incredible layout:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6QOvXbgCH_Q

Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com


Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout


Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

Visit our website at aroundthelayout.com

Become a member of our Operating Crew for chances to win and much more!
aroundthelayout.com/crew

Around The Layout Podcast is a production of Thirty Five Productions LLC

©2026 Thirty Five Productions LLC. All rights reserved.

The views and opinions expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Thirty Five Productions LLC or our sponsors.

Use of any trademarks or trade names is for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement.

No portion of this podcast may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Thirty Five Productions LLC, except for brief quotations used for purposes of review, commentary, or promotion.

It's the acquisition that everyone's been talking about. No, not Canadian Pacific and Kansas City Southern and, no, not CSX / Pan-Am. It's ExactRail becoming a part of the ever growing ScaleTrains family and this is so big that we had to get the head of ScaleTrains, Shane Wilson, to tell us all about it. We learn how this deal came about and what it means for both brands. We also get an exclusive about yet another ScaleTrains acquisition you probably didn't hear about until now. Shane shares his summer travel plans as part of this year's ScaleTrains Road Trip, including a stop at the Texas Express 2023 NMRA National Convention for the National Train Show where we can bet on some big announcements that will keep Tony busy with Model Railroad News.

Check out ScaleTrains growing offering!
www.ScaleTrains.com

Keep up with all the model railroad happenings by subscribing to Model Railroad News:
https://modelrailroadnews.com/

Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com


Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout


Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

Visit our website at aroundthelayout.com

Become a member of our Operating Crew for chances to win and much more!
aroundthelayout.com/crew

Around The Layout Podcast is a production of Thirty Five Productions LLC

©2026 Thirty Five Productions LLC. All rights reserved.

The views and opinions expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Thirty Five Productions LLC or our sponsors.

Use of any trademarks or trade names is for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement.

No portion of this podcast may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Thirty Five Productions LLC, except for brief quotations used for purposes of review, commentary, or promotion.

After all of the past interrogations and information from informants, we've finally captured the Iowa Interstate Godfather; none other than Joe Atkinson himself. Now that we've beat the dead horse with this mafia thing, we can get down to the business of learning how Joe became such an authority on the Iowa Interstate, leading him to create two versions of the 4th Sub that has inspired fellow IAIS modelers and was featured in the July (not January as I might say in the podcast) 2018 issue of Railroad Model Craftsman.

Check out our website:www.aroundthelayout.com

Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout

Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

Visit our website at aroundthelayout.com

Become a member of our Operating Crew for chances to win and much more!
aroundthelayout.com/crew

Around The Layout Podcast is a production of Thirty Five Productions LLC

©2026 Thirty Five Productions LLC. All rights reserved.

The views and opinions expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Thirty Five Productions LLC or our sponsors.

Use of any trademarks or trade names is for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement.

No portion of this podcast may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Thirty Five Productions LLC, except for brief quotations used for purposes of review, commentary, or promotion.

It's time to interrogate another member of the Iowa Interstate Mafia as we bring James McNab downtown for a whole line of questioning. Luckliy, James is willing to talk and we learn about his start in the hobby and how a fellow churchgoer's layout inspired him. We also hear how a change of employment led him to the Iowa Interstate and opened up a new world of railroading and friendships.

Check out more on James McNab and The Hills Line:
http://thehillsline.com

Thank you to our show sponsor, Weather My Trains:

Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com


Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout


Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com


Visit our website at aroundthelayout.com

Become a member of our Operating Crew for chances to win and much more!
aroundthelayout.com/crew

Around The Layout Podcast is a production of Thirty Five Productions LLC

©2026 Thirty Five Productions LLC. All rights reserved.

The views and opinions expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Thirty Five Productions LLC or our sponsors.

Use of any trademarks or trade names is for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement.

No portion of this podcast may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Thirty Five Productions LLC, except for brief quotations used for purposes of review, commentary, or promotion.

They say "Everything is bigger in Texas" and the Supercharged, High Speed Texas Express 2023 NMRA National Convention is setting up to keep that promise. We talk to Riley Triggs and Chris Atkins and get the lowdown on all of the exciting activities happening in the Dallas/Fort Worth area during the week of August 20-27. There's an amazing list of prototype events, layout tours, operating sessions, clinics and so much more that you will not want to miss. Chris also tells us about the preparations he's making on his own layout; a story I'm sure echoes with the large group of Texans who are opening their homes to visitors from around the globe.

Don't miss the Texas Express 2023 NMRA National Convention. Register today!
https://2023texasexpress.com/

Check out more on Chris Atkins' layout here:
https://www.facebook.com/groups/595441084132491

Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com


Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout


Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

Visit our website at aroundthelayout.com

Become a member of our Operating Crew for chances to win and much more!
aroundthelayout.com/crew

Around The Layout Podcast is a production of Thirty Five Productions LLC

©2026 Thirty Five Productions LLC. All rights reserved.

The views and opinions expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Thirty Five Productions LLC or our sponsors.

Use of any trademarks or trade names is for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement.

No portion of this podcast may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Thirty Five Productions LLC, except for brief quotations used for purposes of review, commentary, or promotion.

It's that time again - Tony Cook's got a 50' hi-cube load of news from the model railroading world to share with us, including a recent acquisition that's getting more news coverage than CPKC and CSX/Pan Am combined, but first we talk to Curtis Koch, Director of Marketing and Social Media at Broadway Limited. Curtis tells us about their revamped website and a bunch of new releases in HO and N scale. Curtis also shares the path that led him to Broadway Limited and gives us a glance into the world of social media promotions.

Broadway Limited has the social media gamut covered!

Website: https://broadway-limited.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BroadwayLimited
Twitter: https://twitter.com/blitrains?lang=en
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/broadwaylimited/?hl=en
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@broadwaylimitedimports
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@BroadwayLtdTrains/videos

Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com


Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout


Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com


Thank you to our show sponsor, Weather My Trains:
https://weathermytrains.com/



Visit our website at aroundthelayout.com

Become a member of our Operating Crew for chances to win and much more!
aroundthelayout.com/crew

Around The Layout Podcast is a production of Thirty Five Productions LLC

©2026 Thirty Five Productions LLC. All rights reserved.

The views and opinions expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Thirty Five Productions LLC or our sponsors.

Use of any trademarks or trade names is for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement.

No portion of this podcast may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Thirty Five Productions LLC, except for brief quotations used for purposes of review, commentary, or promotion.

With Father's Day less than a week away, we got the father/son duo of William Sampson and William Sampson together to share their bond over model railroading. William Sr. tells us how railroad is in the Sampson blood, with ties to railroading in several generations. He then tells us how he got started in the hobby, with influences from his past leading him to model the Great Northern in 1970. He then shares how his model railroading journey got even better with the arrival of William Jr, who shares his memories of his father's layout and the many lessons and great times he shared with his dad.

Check out the SOO The Milwaukee Road YouTube channel for wildly entertaining videos on both William's layouts: https://www.youtube.com/@SootheMilwaukeeRoad

Check out our website: www.aroundthelayout.com


Follow us on Facebook: facebook.com/aroundthelayout


Send us an email: aroundthelayout@gmail.com

Visit our website at aroundthelayout.com

Become a member of our Operating Crew for chances to win and much more!
aroundthelayout.com/crew

Around The Layout Podcast is a production of Thirty Five Productions LLC

©2026 Thirty Five Productions LLC. All rights reserved.

The views and opinions expressed by hosts and guests are their own and do not necessarily reflect those of Thirty Five Productions LLC or our sponsors.

Use of any trademarks or trade names is for identification purposes only and does not imply endorsement.

No portion of this podcast may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of Thirty Five Productions LLC, except for brief quotations used for purposes of review, commentary, or promotion.