In a kind of strange mood today, and just wanted to check in and say hello and Happy New Year to all!

Have moved a little bit closer to moving away from the People's Republic of New York, am actively searching for a new home.  Midwest probably Kansas, Missouri Oklahoma or Arkansas.  More info when available.  Health has been solid and have been able to do more.  Finally took a subscription to Running Extra, and wait patiently for every issue. 

Research has been slow, I've had some troubles motivating myself, but have been moving forward....

The scope of my original ideas for a layout based on the T-NT area would require more space than I currently have, so I have been trying to pick a few scenes that will give the flavor but not become a life's work.  I think my main focus becomes Main St in Tonawanda, as the NYC crosses both the Erie Canal and the Tonawanda Creek.  Even this may be a bit ambitious, but I am drawing and erasing, and thing I can get some of this to gel. 

Just a quick one today, had a rare lazy Sunday and some beautiful fall weather, decided to check out the new Tonawanda Rails to Trails.  This past summer, they extended the trail along the former Erie Railroad line from North Buffalo to Tonawanda across Ellicott Creek into East Park.  They used most of the existing alignment and the old Erie bridge with new decking.  This trail runs close to the CSX Niagara Falls line, former NYC.  A pleasant place to walk and also some good places to watch trains.

Well, the summer is ending, and as usual I have hopes and dreams but absolutely nothing accomplished!

Just a brief sharing of a personal history,  i was lost in a memory about our family vacations, and the happy (and bittersweet) reminiscences of my childhood.  From the time of my youth our family drove from Buffalo to Ocean City, Maryland and it occurs to me that along with the great memories of my family and weeks in the sun and fun, these trips just reinforced my train mania.....We would drive every year via route 15 through Pennsylvania,  overnight as the heat was less oppressive and the traffic lighter.  My mother worked overnights, so she was used to being awake at

Has a few personal issues and took some time away, so I am back and working on 3 months of posts and just trying to reconnect!  A new history blog post is in the thought process, and i am ready to roll.

Peace Bill

Have a short post for today.  Have been researching and walking about trying to link history to today.  Have found some facts and am narrowing in on what I want to build.  A lot of what I am doing is similar to what Jim Six is writing about in his "Limited Modeler" column.  My hometown is Tonawanda and North Tonawanda in western New York.

I feel I must come clean, I have realized that an ugly side of me has come back to the forefront of my personality, and for this reason, I feel that I need to apologize to the wonderful folks on this forum.  I have been argumentative, arrogant, and downright nasty.  I will refrain from posting unless I have something positive to add.

Sorry about the lack of posting but have been a bit blue of late....My photos finally made it back from the lab and I must apologize for my ludism, but I'm still using film.   Found a few interesting postcards and I am trying to figure out how to include street running and still include the Erie canal, as the tracks are perpendicular to the canal....I may have to include a peninsula to include the canal.  This mostly going to be a thoughts in progress post, but wanted to share some photos and ideas.

Have spent the last week reading and sketching, walked some of the areas in town that I have been researching.