national train show


 

Model Memories

My interest in trains started the day I came home from the hospital in September of 1945. Living in a three-room apartment in the Bronx NY didn’t leave a lot of room, but my Dad had built a 4 x 6 “OO” layout in a corner of the bedroom. So I was introduced to model trains right off the bat.

 

Things progressed from there since my bed was adjacent to a West-facing window. It just so happened that window overlooked Woodlawn Junction. Woodlawn was the diverging point of the NY Central and New Haven railroads. From NY City both railroads shared common trackage. At Woodlawn, the NY Central Harlem Division traveled North through Westchester County and ended in a small hamlet Chatham NY some 100 miles North. The New Haven diverged northeast toward the coast (Long Island Sound) and points Northeast (Connecticut and Massachusetts).

 

Just South of the junction was a short steel girder bridge. Now the rumbling of heavy electrics crossing the Bronx River at the junction would bother most folks, but not me. I cherished the clanking and clicking of 20 wheels on a NYC P-2 or New Haven EP3 crossing that bridge. On summer nights the whole family would walk to Woodlawn Station (just south of the Junction) to watch the trains. In the 50’s there was a lot of trains heading to NY City (20 miles South of Woodlawn) in the evening.

 

Many years later, while living in Connecticut, I fondly looked back on those days and the modeling opportunities that the New York Central and New Haven railroads had to offer. I really had the desire to recreate what I had seen on the railroad from my days in New York.

 

Model Memories was founded in 1993 primarily to create models of these two great railroads and other fine-scale details found in a typical big city. In my years in the hobby I realized that no manufacturer produced models of unique structures for these railroads such as signals, catenary, 3rd rail system and many other structures and accessories. The challenge was how to produce the fine details necessary for these models.

 

The answer was found while visiting a friend’s model railroad. Some years ago a British company (Scalelink) manufactured fencing from etched-brass. The fencing was very nice and extremely detailed and definitely fine-scale. Following my discovery I did some research on the etched-metal process and found several companies capable and willing to work with a novice. After some trial and error the first simple fences were produced.

 

My original thought was to produce models for my own use. But after the great initial results I figured it might be worthwhile to offer these products for sale. Working a full-time job in mainframe computers and communications and trying to start a business was another challenge. I had to keep things simple as I had very little working capital. Thank GOD for the Personal Computer, packaging, instructions, and advertising copy were all done with the help of the PC. Next came the website: www.modelmemories.com. With this addition modelers anywhere in the world would have a full color catalog of products that is always up to date.

 

As time passed the product line expanded to include Pennsy/NE Corridor catenary, lightpoles, skylights, fire escapes and much more. Primarily HO is my scale of choice although a few products have been produced in S Scale.

 

Now that I’m retired and living in Powhatan, VA I have devoted my full attention to Model Memories. In addition to the standard product line, I have taken on special projects, the most recent of which is a DL&W 4-track signal bridge. So if you have a special signal, structure, or whatever, give me a call.

 

Model Memories
P.O. Box 722
Powhatan, VA 23139
Phone: (804) 598-4716
Website: www.modelmemories.com
E-mail: modelmemories@comcast.net


This site maintained by Martin Oakes