I know Craig personally. He sold BLMA's inventory and designs to Atlas. Upon the sale he worked part-time as a consultant for Atlas, to help with marketing, oversee the transition and set up relations between Atlas and BLMA's overseas factories and subcontractors to ensure they re-release BLMA's product line. The last time I saw him in person was in early 2017 at a train show here in Southern California where he was a rep at the Atlas booth. He got married a couple years ago and has two daughters, and business-wise, he's focused on his mymetalbusinesscard.com company, where he used the etched metal industry contacts he made at BLMA to make custom metal business cards for various companies and clients. They run out of the same home/office in Southern California where he based BLMA in. When he was running BLMA, he lamented that he was too busy with the model railroad industry business to actually enjoy the hobby, so that was one of the reasons why he sold BLMA - it became all work and no play, so to speak. I'm happy to report that he's back in the hobby as a modeler again, building a modern-era N scale layout, modeling UP's line through Afton Canyon in the Mojave Desert. I've seen pictures and the scenery is AMAZING.
Man, does that bring back some memories. I remember Craig making his first over post on Trainorders dot com about starting to do custom painting. He even convinced me to joing TrainBoard. For his initial price, I figured I'd take a chance on him and hold the honor of being one of his first two customer. He doesn't remember which one of us was first. He and I talked a lot over the years and he is not only a success story but just an all around great guy. As for other hobbies, coin collecting and being involved in scouts with my son. Reading Clive Cussler novels is another along with taking pictures of trains.
I have a sailboat and have also been a scuba diver since 1982 as my other hobbies, and then there is the crazy music collection. I aslo play the drums from time to time.
Holy cow, I replied to this thread back in 2008. Moved six times since, trying to get my “little boys” out of high school now, one is a senior. Still an avid archer, bowhunter and camping enthusiast. Slowed down on the off-roading since selling my Cherokee. And I’m currently in the midst of building a new layout.
Well, let's see... past and present hobbies include astronomy, photography, hunting, cowboy action shooting, cartridge reloading, and woodworking.
What other stuff is interesting for me... Hmmm. Plenty! Aside from N Scale (my 50th year), I also model in HOn30. (Former collector, etc, of Postwar Lionel. (1945-1969. Past member TCA, TTOS.) Occasionally go fishing. Used to do so much more often, and need to get at it again this summer! Now and then I photograph an old grain elevator, small town buildings. Collect unlimited and limited inboard hydroplane race and boat racing buttons, pins, tacks. (Former owner, driver, crew, race volunteer.) Reading- History for WWII from causes stemming from WWI, and on through the post WWII years. (Listen to Dan Carlin podcasts, too.) Have 110+ titles of Louis L'Amour. Big fan of Old Time Radio shows. Have collected almost 36,000 of them, from over 1700 series. Used to collect and sell (booths in a couple of antique malls) of Fire King Jadite. Still have several boxes of that stuff around here. And of course I railfan once in a while. It is an interesting world. So much to take in and enjoy! Get out there and have some fun! You won't regret it!
Beautiful! I got into HD and Bikes back in 2019 with a 2012 Sporty. Traded it in last summer for a Heritage Softail that is almost Illinois Terminal green. Your ride almost reminds me of BC Rail green.
I too replied to this thread some 20 years ago. A lot has changed but there are a few constants: 1st Jeep mentioned some 20 years ago, a '85 CJ-7 was sold and became 2nd Jeep, my bright red '02 Wrangler TJ. Ex-wife traded away my red Jeep, I divorced her, bought the third Jeep, a WK wagon, traded that for a '97 green Wrangler TJ along with a new girlfriend. Girlfriend loved said Jeep but alas NH rust had taken its toll. After a long search, the '97 was traded for a '06, the last year of a proper Wrangler TJ and have her to this day. Girlfriend is soon to be wife and we will always have a CJ, YJ or TJ in my garage. I also added a Mustang GT/CS and a HD Heritage Softail to my collection with plans on adding a 1960's Falcon or Galaxy as the daily this summer. I guess besides the N scale addiction, I've become somewhat a petrol head.
Chris, this is my shelf queen. I got into RC cars for a while as a step to eventually fly RC aircraft. The only thing original on this is the frame and gas tank lol. Some of the other cars: Somewhere I've a pic of one of my hangers but for the moment this will have to do:
