Bill
has been a model railroader since getting a Lionel train at the age of
three. Of course, being raised by Bill, Sr., a model railroader
himself, and being the grandson of Jack Wade, N&W Machinist, and
Robert Dodson, N&W Engineer, it was hard to avoid the influence of
trains. Growing up in Roanoke, Virginia, the home of the Norfolk And
Western, probably had a bit to do with it also. Over the years, Bill has modeled in HO, O, N, G, and S. And there were narrow gauge trains in several of those scales. Modeling interests lean toward the N&W (hard to guess that one, right?) and eastern logging lines. However, a love for all railroading allows his collection to house AT&SF, GN, PRR, UP, SP, VGN, Southern, D&RGW, and almost everything else.
Bill's goal for B.T.S. is to provide you with the products, services, and information you need to enjoy our hobby of model railroading. Comments and suggestions are always welcome.
Diane discovered that model railroading, both as a hobby and an occupation, came with the marriage license when she told Bill she would marry him! She has learned many things about the hobby, and continues to learn more.
For her fun time, Diane enjoys working with crafts. Give here a piece of vine, a few flowers and trinkets, and you will get back a beautiful wreath or wall hanging. One day, she will have a web site for her craft business, Midnight Elf Works, and you will be able to order custom-made, high-quality craft items with your trains!
When handling B.T.S. business, Diane puts emphasis on service in the phrase 'customer service,' and you will find her warm and caring attitude, and her desire to help you enjoy your hobby, very refreshing. She is originally from Birmingham, Alabama, and is always a true Southern lady.
Starting life as a walk-in hobby shop in 1979, B.T.S. was converted to a mail-order operation in 1984. Manufacturing, importing, publishing, and distribution have since been added to the company. It has taken many long hours of work to get these various segments working; and there is always something to do.
But none of this would have been accomplished without the generous help of the following people who started out as B.T.S. customers, quickly became close friends, and are now part of the family:
Perfection is a good word to associate with Gary.
While on the job at the data processing department of the local school
system, Gary makes sure that the computer-generated reports get where
they are going, i.e., all students get their report cards on time! If
Gary does it - it is done right!As for railroading, Gary prefers the laid-back attitude of the Mississippi shortlines, and his idea of utopia is watching an SW-1 switcher push a cut of GCS pulpwood racks into the wood yard. But his HO modeling is anything but laid-back, and his desire for perfection shows through with his use of code 55 rail, super-detailed SW-1's, and thousands of individually-cut twigs to make up pulpwood loads.
B.T.S. depends greatly upon Gary's help with kit design, data gathering and research, kit packaging, and evaluation. Gary has been known to spend hours counting strips of wood for inclusion into the kits. His desire for perfection contantly questions the hows and whys of any B.T.S. design, and this results in improved kits. Gary also gives up his vacation time to help with the B.T.S. booth at many of the NMRA Train Shows.
Gary has kept Kodak profitable over the last twenty years with all the Kodachrome 25 film that he has shot. His favorite subject is anything that involves transportation, especially railroads, and his collection of slides documents the changes that the railroads have seen over the years. Gary has published articles and photos in the GM&O Historical Society magazine, the S/Sn3 Modeling Guide, and a recent logging book from Wm. K. Walthers. He is easy to spot - look for a guy with three Nikon cameras around his neck!
Often called the 'Colonel' by his friends - he is still active in the
Air Force reserve - Bill
was on active duty when he first came into B.T.S. At the time, he was
training F-16 fighter pilots in Tampa. He still goes Mach II when he
gets excited, even without the airplane. He can now be found 'flying' a
desk at Wm. K. Walthers; he handles the hobby shop sales desk.
Bill's primary train interest is the Milwaukee Road, prior to the yellow & gray days, and he models in all scales known to modern man. His collection includes everything that ever had the MILW logo. In addition to model railroading, model airplane kits grab Bill's attention quickly. He has so many airplane kits, that if he was able to build a kit per week, he would have years of work ahead of him.
Over the years, he has helped B.T.S with new product ideas and promotion, and by working the booths at various train shows. His vast knowledge of modeling and his genuine interest in helping folks is a great asset.
When not railroading, Bill is heavily involved with the Experimental Aircraft Association in Oshkosh, WI. One of the kits he has yet to build is a 1/3 scale P-51 Mustang which he will probably use to chase trains. Bill is also a Green Bay Packers fan and has been seen in public wearing a giant, yellow cheesehead... even while not at a game!
Tim, and his beautiful
wife Kathy, operate their own business, GSI,
designing and building unusual lighting equipment for various aircraft
and airport applications around the world. The latest project is a
coded, aerial identification system for U.S. Army tanks that is
detectable only by friendly, night-vision-goggle-wearing fighter pilots
- this will help reduce friendly-fire incidents. In addition to being
an 'idea man,' Tim is a skilled machinist capable of making what he
designs.
This fellow is extremely narrow minded - the good-kind of narrow-mindedness - he loves the West Side Lumber Company. Basically, all types of logging are of interest to Tim. While most of his work is in HO scale, the number of S scale models in his layout room is increasing. And he was recently heard mumbling something about O scale. In addition, he enjoys building structures. Tim has many of the Finescale buildings completed, and is currently working on a Keystone double-bandsaw mill.
He helps B.T.S. by working out solutions to very difficult manufacturing processes and problems. Naturally, Tim's large reference library comes in handy whenever B.T.S. starts another project. And his ability with machining will be used with future master patterns.
Tim's other hobby is cooking. His excellent skills in the kitchen means that an invitation to his house will result in a delightful dining experience. If you are really lucky, he will serve his B-B-Q Shrimp!
While originally from Pennsylvania, Dave
now calls California his home. When not model railroading, a hobby
passed down from his father who is an avid O scale modeler, he works
for United Air Lines as a maintenance guru keeping 12"-to-the-foot
747's in the air.
Dave is naturally drawn to the northeastern railroading, PRR, EBT, Rutland, B&M, etc., and is a Pennsylvania Railroad 'walking encyclopedia.' Over the years, he has modeled in N, HO, S, Sn3, O, On3, and On2; many at the same time. He is a super scratchbuilder, and can easily earn money with his model painting skills. He also has the uncanny ability to find that which is not findable!
Often seen at the western meets working behind the B.T.S. tables, Dave is always ready to help with B.T.S. projects. Project research is one of his many strong points, and he is a natural at 'reading' the wants and needs of the market. If Dave doesn't like it - it probably will not sell!
Travel is one of Dave's favorite pastimes. Working for the airlines makes it easy for Dave and Yvonne, his sweet and tolerant wife, to hop a plane to Hong Kong or London for a long weekend. The good news for travelers is that Dave is not afraid to fly on the planes he just fixed!
A native Buckeye, George
is a key S scale modeler in Cleveland and an active member of the
Cuyahoga S Gauge Club. For many years, George worked in technical
theatre, and designed lighting equipment for Disney World, Sea World
and others. As project leader for a company making computer- controlled
industrial machinery, George knows both the insides of the computers
and his way around a manufacturing floor.
S scale has had George's attention for the last fifteen years. By modeling both steam and diesel, standard and narrow gauge, PRR, C&BL, and East Broad Top, George should never get bored. But when he does, he ventures into the world of DCC and helps friends work with the Digitrax system. George has been a leader in developing the S-Mod Plus module standards where Sn3 is incorporated into the NASG standard gauge module.
If George was not such a great computer technician, he could easily find work as a counselor or consultant. Few new projects are undertaken by B.T.S without a consultation with George. He has an ability to listen first, then ask the pointed questions that need asking. His manufacturing knowledge provides an insite that many others would not have. Like the others friends, he has spent time behind the B.T.S. table at various meets, and hopefully will do so again.
George spends many hours, and personal dollars, promoting model railroading, and S scale. He is an NMRA member and has served as a contest judge. He has coordinated the display of the S Gauge club's scale layout at local train shows, the MRIA show in Chicago, and the NMRA Train Show, and has spent many hours on the show floors talking about S model railroading to anyone who will listen... sometimes even if they don't want to listen!
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