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The Modeler's Journal - July - October 2020.pdf

One of the primary goals of this publication is to explore the various genres of model making (without limits) and showcase the incredible works of the many talented modelers around the world - and that means we have to keep an open mind about our impressions of modeling and how we define it.

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With that said, in this issue of The Modeler’s Journal, I want to challenge the collective notion of what a model is and what exactly constitutes model making.  Hence the cover title: “A Different Type of Modeling” and the featured pictorial essay “Friday the 13th” by the very talented custom desktop computer (PC) builder and “modder” Nicholas Myers of Y2K Custom PCs.  Nicholas has expertly incorporated a scene from the movie Friday the 13th into a custom PC he built for a client.  Not only that, he used real dirt, rocks, and twigs to bring authenticity to the modeled scene.  I think you will find his work fascinating.

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Also, starting with this issue, we are excited to bring you a new multi-part series entitled “The Anatomy of a Model Railroad,” authored by Bill Beranek - The Track Planner.  Follow Bill as he takes you on a journey, from start to finish, of a unique N-scale point-to-point operations-based layout that is being built by his client Jim Kalenowski.  In Part 1 of this series, Bill walks us through the initial space, benchwork, and track configuration.  In the next installment, Bill will focus on building the benchwork and laying the track.

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Bill Beranek, in his article “Prototype vs. Freelance: A Professional Perspective,” discusses the advantages and disadvantages of both prototype and freelance model railroads and how proto-freelancing can offer a unique hybrid solution by incorporating elements from both styles.

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Darren Johns (aka Dazzy Jay) takes the discussion on prototype vs. freelance further and gives his take in his article “To Freelance, or Not to Freelance? – And the Inspiration for my Freelance Modeling”.  He provides his viewpoint on why he prefers a proto-freelancing approach and how he used his inspiration and influences to apply that approach to building his model railroad.

Harry M. Haythorn, in his article “The Triple-Stack 800 Build,” shows us how he modified an existing triple-stack FEF-2 #832 into a triple-stack FEF-3 #835 by using parts from a non-running FEF-3 #844 he found online.

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And finally, take a journey aboard the Al Boraq from Tangier along the coast down to Casablanca with Jack Hykaway in his article “Morocco’s AL BORAQ - The Fastest Train on the Continent” and learn about how the train is proving to have been a wise investment for Morocco.

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We hope you enjoy this issue.  Happy Halloween and happy modeling!
 

JD (Loggin' Locos)
Editor-in-Chief
The Modeler's Journal
www.TheModelersJournal.com