Carl Arendt and one of his layouts
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For those interested, we present a small bit of background on those of us who have taken the reins here at the Small Layout Scrapbook.
Jack Trollope (aka Shortliner - which is his user-name on every group since he started) writes:
I'm an elderly retired person, so I have a bit of time available. I am interested in designing and modeling US shortlines and small layouts in HO, having "not too much room". I have been around on the Internet from the late 1990s, and involved in moderating various model rail groups. I'm a military brat, and ex-military Air Traffic Controller (RAF in both cases) and have lived all over. The RAF eventually sent me to Scotland to control on Air Weapons Ranges - so that they could drop bombs and fire guns at me! I retired, and we liked the area so much that we stayed, and I've lived here almost a third of my life. I got involved with Carl's website shortly after it started and have the honor of having the highest number of submissions after Carl himself. We became email friends (we never met), and when the website disappeared, I discovered that Carl had left us.
I had lots of emails and questions from all over on various forums asking what could be done to "rescue" the site, and perhaps have it as a permanent resource. I know nothing at all about websites and Carl used a Scottish computer (Mac), where I'm on a PC, so that caused problems until Jonathan Scott contacted me, and it was largely through his efforts that we have the site available today. We hope to keep going as long as possible, although there may be some style changes due to more modern software, so please keep on submitting ideas, layouts, plans, photos and links - we can't do it without you.
Jonathan Scott writes:
I got to know Carl about 2002 while I was living in California, having kids, and fooling with model trains after a 25 year hiatus. I found his site through web searching for other micro layout people in response to America's preoccupation with monstrous-sized train sets. We corresponded and debated by email. We never met in person. Like him, I am an engineer. I may be the only living person with publications in the professional literature on model train and slot car electronics. These days I am the professor of electronics at Waikato University in Hamilton, New Zealand. My family and I moved here in 2006. My accent does not betray my nationality, so when asked, I reply "British antecedents, Australian education, American spirit, New Zealand residency".
Soon after we became acquainted, Carl recommended the company that hosts .carendt.com. I moved my personal site to the same hosting company, as I was outgrowing my local ISP. I knew that Carl was having problems dealing with the traffic handled by the site in 2010, we both use the basic plan and kept bumping its limits. He must have been trying to cope with this at the time his health deteriorated early in 2011. When he died someone had "parked" the scrapbooks. Since I knew the hosting service, I was the logical person to sort it out. With your help and the help of two readers with hosting capability I managed to get the site back on the air.
Tom Barrett writes:
I have been an on and off modeler for over 25 years. My current project is a small layout of about 1.5' x 5' (only track and wood at the time). I found the Small Layout Scrapbook while looking for small layout ideas a few years back. As much as I enjoy looking at the larger layouts, I get the biggest kick out of the amazing feats of imagination people put in to the smaller micros. I have been a fan of Carl's site for this reason, and was saddened when I learned of his passing. With no new updates for many months, I contacted Jonathan and Jack to see what was being done with the site. I offered to take over the site maintenance if no one else could do it. They gladly welcomed me into the group. I have some experience with web site design and maintenance, and hope to use those skills to continue what Carl started. I work as an art director for a local magazine, and live in Jacksonville, FL.
So - there you have it - three guys doing our best to keep the site available for current, and future modelers. Thanks for your interest, and to Carl, without whom this resource would never have existed.
R.I.P Carl!
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