Happy New Year to our followers and supporters. The Brick Model Railroader team hopes you had a wonderful holiday season.
Today we celebrate our third birthday. 2019 was filled with many new experiences, some old ones, new challenges, and new opportunities. We’d like to reflect on some of that today.
We start with some statistics. Below are current statistics for our website and social media outlets:
- 249 articles posted (this one not included)
- 446 comments on articles
- 921,124 views on our website
- 6 more Premium Instructions produced
- 2,821 people who “like” our Facebook page
- 125 followers on Twitter
- 335 posts on Instagram
- 2,273 followers on Instagram
- 26 videos uploaded to YouTube
- 1,530 subscribers on our YouTube channel
- Our 1,000th Premium Instruction Kit Sold
We averaged almost one article a week, which is hitting our goal compared to last year. We’ve also added a new writer to our staff, Enrico Lussi. We’re happy to have Enrico with us and glad to be growing.
Shows Attended
We were able to make it to several shows and conventions this year, some were planned trips, and others less so.
- Amherst Railway Society’s Railroad Hobby Show (attended by Cale)
- Nebraska Brick Days 2019 (attended by Cale and Glenn)
- Brickworld Chicago 2019 (Attended by Cale)
- BrickFair Virginia 2019 (Attended by Cale and Glenn)
- Event with Ross Rowland to support Reading 2100 (Attended by Cale and Glenn)
- LEGOWorld 2019 (attended by Raised and Enrico)
- 2019 Cantigny Park Christmas Train Show (Attended by Cale and Glenn)
At Brickworld this years, trains were also some of the hot items donated to the Charity Auction. Together, trains brought in more than $4000 for the The Esther Walner Memorial Charity Fundraiser, with Tony Sava’s Warbonnet F7 locomotives bringing in $2700 alone. Cale is looking forward to donating more trains to the 2020 auction in hopes to raise more money than Tony in a friendly challenge. Cale says he’s “GOING FOR THE RECORD!”
In 2019, Brick Model Railroader assisted with publishing the new standard for modular LEGO train layouts, the L-Gauge Modular Standard. So far we have had a successful first layout at Brickworld Chicago 2019, but another LGMS layout is planned for the Great Scale Model Train Show in Timonium, Maryland this coming February. Cale will be attending the show and contributing to the layout, and we are looking forward to seeing LGMS grow. Cale and Glenn are both members of the standards committee and work to refine and improve the standard.
New Products
This year also saw the continuation of our original Premium Instructions products by adding five models to our regular lineup and one exclusive model.
Thrall 61′-1″ Bulkhead Flatcar
Pacific Car & Foundry 50′ Insulated Boxcar
B-50-25 “Challenger” Express Boxcar (Brickworld 2019 Exclusive)
International Car Company Extended Vision Caboose
Reading Arch Roof Coach
Reading Arch Roof Combine
We’re pleased with our models this year and look forward to adding more this coming year. We have some already in progress, and we hope to also have our first Premium Instructions locomotive available this year as well.
Reading T-1 4-8-4 Premium Kit
Speaking of locomotives, this has been the primary focus of our work this year. Putting together a plan of action for a big kit, then following through and producing it, has proven to be a huge task with a lot of challenges we planned for and some we could not think of. Regardless, we’re happy to be in the phase of putting kits together to deliver. Our 3D printer has been printing parts as fast as we can use it while getting quality parts in the end, and part sorting has begun though there’s still plenty to do. We look forward to wrapping up the T-1 project in 2020 so we can continue on with other projects.
We’re all looking forward to our fourth year, and we’re excited to see where we go. Thanks to everyone for their support.
Happy new year, and play well.
Brick Model Railroader