About

About the Site

ARRM LogoAppalachian Railroad Modeling began in 1999 with the goal of providing inspiration and research materials to those interested in Appalachian coal-hauling railroads. While the site has grown from a handful of railroads, pictures and track plans to more than 200 pages, Appalachian Railroad Modeling’s goal remains the same. This site has always been provided as a free resource, and while the advertisements cover the bills, the site has always relied heavily on materials, photographs and articles donated by contributors like you. Thank you for being a part of our readership, and I hope you’ll become a contributor soon!

About the Owner

DanDan Bourque is a model railroader with more than 25 years of experience in the hobby.  His modeling, how-to and track planning articles have been published in prominent model train publications over the years including Model Railroader, Model Railroad Planning, Railroad Model Craftsman, Model Railroading and Mainline Modeler.  His modeling interests center on the coal-hauling railroads of Appalachia. His current layout, the Dorchester & Dixiana Branch, is a double-decked layout based on the Interstate Railroad of southwestern Virginia in HO scale.

Dan lives in Colorado with his wife, Angie, and their two sons.  His other hobbies include writing, hiking, photography, website design and playing guitar. Dan’s other websites include Dan Bourque Photography and I Love National Parks.

Contact Dan Bourque

8 Responses to About

  1. Charles Swanson says:

    Like the new website. Good job! Question concerning INT RS-3’s, what model paint can be used to paint an atlas RSV-3? And are decals available?. Thanks
    Charles Swanson

  2. Thomas Neuhaus says:

    Dan, Would you consider a revision to one or more plans?

    • Dan Bourque says:

      It depends on the plan and how old it is. I don’t always have copies of the older ones to modify. If it’s an inaccuracy, please feel free to put a comment on that page so potential modelers know. Thanks!

  3. Larry J Koran says:

    Like the new site! Think it was this site, on the old site under modeling paints or combinations of paints to get a close match was listed. Have not seen it. Anyway I’m looking for a match of the O&W paint, do you have any idea?

    Thank you

  4. Philip Bechard says:

    Love the site! I have been trying to draw my track plan and have looked at many if not all of the ones here. You have a flair very much like John Armstrong. I do not seem to, no mater how hard I try to make them as interesting as yours. Do you take on projects? I would like to see what you would come up with in my space. Thanks for a great site.

    • Dan Bourque says:

      Philip, that’s a very generous comparison, and I thank you. I’m not sure I’d throw my name in the same sentence with John Armstrong, but I certainly enjoy the puzzle of prototype track planning. I used to take on a lot of track planning projects, but now that I have a busy family, a full-time job, and I’ve started a layout, I’m a little more guarded with my hobby time. Track plans take me anywhere from 10-70 hours depending on how well I know the area and how much layout we’re talking. I can no longer afford to invest that kind of time for free, but neither do I want to make it a business at this point. What I’ve settled on is taking on a few projects that are prototype-based and interesting to me, and the recipient can donate to my website whatever they feel the work is worth. So, if that sounds reasonable to you, feel free to contact me via the “contact” tab.

  5. mike renzenbrink says:

    Hi Dan, The 4-bay composite photo is on page 156 of Rails of Dreams by Wayne A Cole. I will try to get a pic. of it for you. I have much interest in it. This is the railroads I am modeling I have also been gathering info on the Y&S for the last 40 yrs. Mike

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