I've been writing model railroad articles for 60 years, starting with Frank Titman's S Gauge Herald.
I am an accredited NMRA Author and have my Achievement Certificate stating such. I have a myriad of files on the articles I have written, the ones I wanted to write and haven't gotten there yet, why, because I'm an old fashioned pack rat. I also keep files on most of you out there, because Jeff [Madden] and others come to me for information when it is needed for their magazines. I'm constantly getting calls for articles and I really do try to reply, but at age 82 it has become difficult to keep up with it all. You see I also write on church history and on photography. My heart doctor several weeks ago said that I should let up and that if I don't she is going to write a letter to everyone telling you so. I said don't do that, I'll handle it best I can. Today is my deadline for my church monthly. The Church newsletter editor gave me grace till Monday, so that I may complete my work. Why, because the first item that is read in our monthly PULSE, is my First Church Archive Memories column. (2 Pages) Even the ministers admit to that! So you see, I'm a pretty busy guy and when I send you something I expect it to publish as I wrote it, not as you write it. Don Heimburger is famous for chopping up good articles so they fit into his rag and that really annoys me. I sent him several on nice model railroads that he could have made a three issue serial out of and they end up two crammed in pages as a fill. I'm not wasting my time doing all the research I do, the writing and graphics I do, and have it chopped up! Another reason is that I was taught Scale model railroading from Frank Titman and other old timers and I happily model that way. But it seems our modeling doesn't fit in with many of you experts. On a positive note; Our S scale offers so much today that I feel the rapid growing amount of models coming from so many manufacturers are flooding the market, and yet so many of you growl about not having this or that! I say grow up! I'm tired of all the P&M that goes on in our beautiful S scale (S Gaugers) group, there is so much available out there, we can't afford all the new stuff anyway, nor do we have a place to run it all. I'm so happy for Don, Robin and Mike who sold their "S Helper" business to MTH, they gave their all for all those years and now with MTH and Lionel, S Gauge is nationwide, just like AC Gilbert once was, and that is where it started so many years ago, with AC Gilbert. "S"incerely, Bill Fraley Award winning Photographer Award winning writer. Award winning modeler
