It’s fitting that the first person to sign the Pembroke guest book is Brian Rudko. He is actually the first person I ever met from the Vancouver model railroad scene, so long ago that he doesn’t even remember it. Yes, Brian, we met at the National Narrow Gauge Convention in Seattle in 1991, two dozen years ago.
I’ve enjoyed Brian’s friendship a great deal over the years. For a while, we worked on a couple of layouts together, but somehow, we stopped. He is a fine model builder, with an excellent eye for the mundane details that make a model exceptional. Lately, he’s been monkeying around with N-scale models, and enjoying simple upgrades, like weathering, to available models; he brought along a few pieces for show and tell.
Anyway, we shared a cup of coffee this evening, and a jolly good chin-wag. I was disappointed in the operation of Pembroke – the engine didn’t seem to want to push the passenger car even more than usual (more weight is the next project after the turntable). Just before leaving, I asked if he would mind being the first to sign my guest book, and he graciously accepted.
My guest book is something special, which I printed on Blurb. Each page has a photograph or collection of photographs of Pembroke on the left and a page for signing on the right. This makes it do double-duty as a guest book and a reference guide. If I want to show someone what I’m trying to achieve, I can simply open the book to the appropriate photo. In addition to historical and contemporary photos, it also includes maps and timetables.
It was great to see you, Brian. Let’s have another visit soon.
Pembroke:87 