The LayoutBuilders Team
(click on a name or description for a biography of each team member)
Rick Fortin - Founder
Plannning, Logistics, Benchwork, Trackwork, Electrical, Scenery, Structures
Byron Henderson
Conceptual Design and Track Planning
Dave Biondi
Background Painting, Scenery and Structures
Dave Haehn
Kitbashed and Scratchbuilt Structures
Jim Dias
Structures and Scenery
Mike Kotowski
Background Painting and Scenery
Seth Neumann
Electronics and Communication Systems
Ted Thorson
Weathering, Structures and Scenery
The Fun Side Of Gaining Experience
(click on a photo for a larger view)
We are all active railfans and have had unique opportunites to learn first hand how real railroads work. Here are a few photos of some of us enjoying ourselves around the real thing.
Rick Fortin
Rick (center) at Roaring Camp and Big Trees RR in Felton, CA the day he participated in their "Engineer For The Day" program. As part of the crew Rick was responsible for several tasks such as filling the water tender at the station stops, setting the retainers before heading down grade, and throwing the switches at the switch-back. He also had the opportunity to sit at the throttle and operate this narrow gauge Shay steam locomotive several times that day. That's engineer Kent Jefferys on the left and Diemer, the fireman, on the right.
Rick sitting at the controls of Alco RS18u #181 on a real freight train on the Guelph Junction Railway near Toronto, Ontario in the summer of 2003, with engineer Bruce keeping a watchfull eye. The train included another Alco loco, RS23 #506, ten freight cars, and a caboose, called a "cabin" by the crew.
The Western Pacific Railroad Musuem in Portola, California has a Rent-A-Locomotive program. For an hourly fee, almost anyone can rent one of several locomotives the museum has restored to operation. Here is Rick a dozen years ago operating their Western Pacific F7A #917D.
Not to be left out of the fun, Rick's wife Mary also gets into the act as she operates the museum's Western Pacific S1 switcher, #512. Check out the smile on Mary's face!
This is the switcher that Mary is seen running in the above photo. Both Mary and Rick ran this switcher that day, but Mary seemed to be having the best time.
On a business trip to Tokyo, Japan, sponsored by a potential client who was considering having a large HO scale US prototype layout built, Rick had the chance to ride a Japanese bullet train, the Shinkansen. Here is the train that Rick will soon board and in no time will be gliding along at almost 180mph.
Mary and RIck enjoy travel by rail whenever possible. They have ridden passenger trains in the US, Canada, Mexico, Great Britian, Scotland, France, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Peru, Chile, Egypt and Japan. Here they are about to board the Hiram Bingham luxury train to the legendary Astec site of Machu Piccu in Peru.
After riding large trains, Mary and Rick finally had an opportunity to ride on the smallest of trains, a track speeder. These are small, four wheeled vehicles originally built as track inspection motor cars. Here is Mary looking down the track towards the speeder ahead of us as we prepare to leave with our convoy of over a dozen speeders.
Jim Dias
Jim Dias during his turn at the throttle on the Guelph Junction Railway. We each operated the train for approximately 30 minutes. This was certainly an unexpected surprise when suddenly engineer Bruce asked: "Who want's to run the train first?"
Seth Neumann
Seth had been in the caboose when Jim and Rick had their turns operating the train. We were told not to tell him. On the return trip Seth rode in the cab with Rick. Engineer Bruce casually got up and said he needed a break, and looking at Seth said: "Here, you take over". The look of disbelief on Seth's face was priceless. Here is Seth taking his turn at the throttle.