One Year In

Coxy’s Blog is now one year old! This past year has been really interesting for me. What started out as a means of countering unreliable memory has turned out to be much more than I expected.

What was that unit I saw?

Blogging has worked out to be a great way to capture even brief moments of modeling and railroading that would have normally faded into the the blurry past. I can now go back and take a look at that train or section of track or other detail that previously would have been lost. I’ve found that the process of creating each post actually causes me to give more consideration to the details. I’ve taken the time to learn a lot more about prototype operations than I normally would have because I wanted the post to be complete for future reference.

Ready, Fire, Aim…

In some cases, I actually write a draft of the post first, then use it as a guide when modeling. Once the modeling is done, I revise the post so it reflects what I actually did, put the pictures in, then publish it.

This has worked out very well for the diamond crossing posts for example. By writing the post first, I was able to clarify my thoughts on what needs to be done next. On several occasions, I was able to identify problems in my approach to construction before doing any actual cutting or soldering. All of this is very helpful when I know that I will have a limited window to do the modeling.

From Richmond to the World

One of the biggest surprises to me has been the interest that you, the readers of this blog, have shown. While I initially started the blog so I could have a ready reference, I’ve been really pleased and often surprised that my railroading interests and observations have resonated with many of you. Currently, about three and a half thousand visitors read the blog each month, and that number is rising steadily each month. Thanks to all who have taken the time to leave a comment or send an email. I really appreciate your feedback and I am always thrilled to hear from you. (Please particularly let me know if you have any problems with the site so I can let Squarespace know about it.)

I have been amazed at the geographical spread of readers both inside and outside of the US. By now the internet should be routine, right?! The majority of new readers come to the site via Google(US) searches. But I still get a kick to see folks from so many different countries visiting the site. The blog is visited by readers in the United Kingdom, Canada, Germany, Japan, Norway, Brazil, Hungary, Taiwan, Australia (Oi!), New Zealand, France, Poland, the list goes on. Having lived outside of the US, I can totally relate to the challenge of finding material when interested in US railroads. I hope that the posts on this blog have filled the gap a little for those of you living distant from your railroad of interest.

2008, the Year of the Garage

I’m not a big one for resolutions, but I do have an objective this year - to get the garage space layout-worthy and start building. I won’t go into details why this seemingly simple task could even rise to the level of “an objective”, nevertheless, I hope to be posting on the usual railroad stuff but with an added bias toward seeing the layout space take shape. Whatever progress gets made, you’ll be able to see it here.

Thanks again for stopping by. If you’re reading on an aggregated feed, thanks for reading and do take a moment to visit the blog. Have a great 2008. May it be filled with plenty of railroading, space, time and money!!!

Coxy

Comments

[Michael]

Congratulations on one year! It's no wonder your readership is steadily increasing - this is one of the best blogs I have found. Looking forward to this new garage layout. Hope things materialize for you as quickly as possible. Salut!