I hope that all of you who are planning on attending the NASG Convention
are aware of the open houses that Bob Hogan, Pete Silcox, and Tom Robinson
are hosting on Tuesday, August 7. I had the privilege of visiting Bob
Hogan's layout last Saturday on my way to Myrtle Beach.
Let me say that this is a scale layout that you do not want to miss. And
take your wife with you because she will love the beautiful town of Madison,
Georgia, where Bob Hogan lives. It is one of the prettiest towns I have
ever seen and the downtown economy appears to be really strong, especially
for a small town.
I have never seen a train layout as complete and finished as Bob's. The
scenery looks fabulous and no part of the layout looks unfinished. I was
amazed at the detail that Bob has incorporated into his layout. Its not just
the layout that looks so great, it is the entire train room. It looks so
clean, neat, and tastefully decorated. The Mianne benchwork on the
carpeted floor gives it a professional look. Backdrops around the layout look
just like the Western Pacific scenery in the Portola, California area I
visited last year. No area of the layout is without scenery. The buildings
and
scenery reveal Bob's acute attention to detail. Bob's custom made SP
passenger trains that we have seen in Dispatch and S Gaugian are splendidly
displayed along the walls. Bob's framed train prints and his many plaques and
awards from model contests look like they have been arranged by a
professional decorator. I looked for some of the usual evidence of a modelers
unfinished projects and could not find it. There was not a single indication
of
anything being on the layout or in the room that did not belong in the
place you saw it. The neatness was amazing. But in addition to neatness, one
gets the look and the feel of seeing the Western Pacific or SP in operation
in an accurate portrayal of the prototype.
I thank Bob for showing me his layout and I encourage everyone who can
possibly attend the layout on August 7 to be there. You will love it.
Madison, Georgia is about an hour's drive directly east of Atlanta just off
of Interstate 20 (Atlanta-August route). From the Northeast, it looks
like to me that you can reach Madison by taking Interstate 85 (from I-95) and
get off the interstate near Athens, GA, and go south to Madison. I am sure
Bob Hogan can give betters details than I.
I hope as many as possible can take advantage of Bob's and Pete's, and
Tom's gracious hospitality to see their layouts on August 7.
One more thing about Bob Hogan and the convention. I got to see three of
the finished Southern Railway passenger cars that Bob will use in his
clinic. The represent Budd, ACF, and Pullman-Standard and they look
beautiful,
and finished!. And Bob will have other cars in various states of
completion in his clinic at the NASG.
- Earl Henry, Nashville
