Authors Tim Blaisdell and Ed Urmston Sr.’s New Book, “The Athearn Collector’s Companion: Yellow and Blue Box Kits and Early 'RTR' Models through 2009,” is Released
Recent release “The Athearn Collector’s Companion: Yellow and Blue Box Kits and Early ‘RTR’ Models through 2009” from Page Publishing authors Tim Blaisdell and Ed Urmston Sr. documents the fascinating production of model trains.
Rolesville, NC, February 07, 2024 --(PR.com)-- Tim Blaisdell and Ed Urmston Sr. have completed their new book, “The Athearn Collector’s Companion: Yellow and Blue Box Kits and Early ‘RTR’ Models through 2009”: a fascinating work ideal for readers interested in models and machinery.
Author Tim Blaisdell was born in the late forties in the historic town of Concord, Massachusetts, and lived in a home “on the other side of the tracks.” But the good news there is that it was near the tracks. Tim remembers well the passing of trains on two mainlines, multiple sidings, and storage tracks. The mainline through his hometown was the Boston & Maine Railroad, along with neighboring stock from Maine Central and New Haven. Nearby was a very active lumber yard and grain mill and supply concern. The sidings were regularly abuzz with the switching of full and empty cars, along with the mainline activity of passenger service at the station on the opposite side of the mainlines. Many times, he and his pals were chased away from railroad property, the lumber yard, and the grain supply. Ironically, the lumber yard provided Tim with his first full-time job after graduating from high school.
Tim had a long yearning for an electric train set each year at Christmas, and although times were tough, Santa Claus always did his best to leave the best-quality wind-up train from his shop. Tim was happy to get what he could. As he got older, his yearning for trains grew into the railfanning bug. Tim became a huge fan of the Boston & Maine and the Maine Central railroads. Modeling bit Tim as he got older, and a penchant for Athearn trains developed. The fact that Athearn trains were affordable drove that. In later years, he moved from New England to Phoenix, Arizona, where he met Ed Urmston at a train show.
The similarities of Ed and Tim brewed a lasting friendship and brotherhood. Their interest in Athearn trains created a search for everything they could find, ultimately leading to the publishing of their second book on Athearn trains. Tim also has a strong interest in woodworking and photography. Tim retired in 2013 from a thirty-plus-year career as a firefighter and fire marshal. Today, Tim’s interest in trains, and Athearn trains in particular is still strong, and he can be found at train shows regularly.
Author Ed Urmston Sr. was born in the middle of the last century in a small town in Maine called Skowhegan on the Kennebec River. Skowhegan was just eight miles from another small town called Madison, the birthplace of Mr. Irv Athearn. Ed suspects Irv’s birthplace may have influenced his liking for New England road names on cars like the Boston & Maine, Maine Central, and Bangor & Aroostook. Ed spent the summers while his folks worked with his grandmother in Richmond, Maine, another small town further down the river. Richmond was a train town served by the Maine Central Railroad as was Skowhegan. His grandmother knew all the men who worked for the railroad in town, and Ed spent many hours hanging out at the station or in a caboose parked in the small yard. These times started his love for trains around the age of seven or eight. When he was about ten, his parents and grandmother bought him an American Flyer “S” gauge train set for Christmas. He kept the trains at his grandma’s house and set it up in her big bedroom. The track ran all the way around the bedroom, and under the bed was the tunnel. Every year for Christmas or his birthday, his grandma would buy him another car or accessory for the trains.
He started into HO around 1970, and a very good friend gave him a couple of Athearn train sets he had when he was younger. Among the pieces in the sets were Boston & Maine and State of Maine boxcars. These cars gave him a lively interest in early Athearn freight cars. He began collecting all the varieties of road names and car types. He still has some of those early pieces. He has spent over forty-five years enjoying his Athearn trains and still collects some of the more unique pieces.
Published by Page Publishing, Tim Blaisdell and Ed Urmston Sr.’s remarkable work offers detailed information for collectors.
Readers who wish to experience this interesting work can purchase “The Athearn Collector’s Companion: Yellow and Blue Box Kits and Early ‘RTR’ Models through 2009” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.
For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.
About Page Publishing:
Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors’ books, including distribution in the world’s largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Page’s accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at www.pagepublishing.com.
Author Tim Blaisdell was born in the late forties in the historic town of Concord, Massachusetts, and lived in a home “on the other side of the tracks.” But the good news there is that it was near the tracks. Tim remembers well the passing of trains on two mainlines, multiple sidings, and storage tracks. The mainline through his hometown was the Boston & Maine Railroad, along with neighboring stock from Maine Central and New Haven. Nearby was a very active lumber yard and grain mill and supply concern. The sidings were regularly abuzz with the switching of full and empty cars, along with the mainline activity of passenger service at the station on the opposite side of the mainlines. Many times, he and his pals were chased away from railroad property, the lumber yard, and the grain supply. Ironically, the lumber yard provided Tim with his first full-time job after graduating from high school.
Tim had a long yearning for an electric train set each year at Christmas, and although times were tough, Santa Claus always did his best to leave the best-quality wind-up train from his shop. Tim was happy to get what he could. As he got older, his yearning for trains grew into the railfanning bug. Tim became a huge fan of the Boston & Maine and the Maine Central railroads. Modeling bit Tim as he got older, and a penchant for Athearn trains developed. The fact that Athearn trains were affordable drove that. In later years, he moved from New England to Phoenix, Arizona, where he met Ed Urmston at a train show.
The similarities of Ed and Tim brewed a lasting friendship and brotherhood. Their interest in Athearn trains created a search for everything they could find, ultimately leading to the publishing of their second book on Athearn trains. Tim also has a strong interest in woodworking and photography. Tim retired in 2013 from a thirty-plus-year career as a firefighter and fire marshal. Today, Tim’s interest in trains, and Athearn trains in particular is still strong, and he can be found at train shows regularly.
Author Ed Urmston Sr. was born in the middle of the last century in a small town in Maine called Skowhegan on the Kennebec River. Skowhegan was just eight miles from another small town called Madison, the birthplace of Mr. Irv Athearn. Ed suspects Irv’s birthplace may have influenced his liking for New England road names on cars like the Boston & Maine, Maine Central, and Bangor & Aroostook. Ed spent the summers while his folks worked with his grandmother in Richmond, Maine, another small town further down the river. Richmond was a train town served by the Maine Central Railroad as was Skowhegan. His grandmother knew all the men who worked for the railroad in town, and Ed spent many hours hanging out at the station or in a caboose parked in the small yard. These times started his love for trains around the age of seven or eight. When he was about ten, his parents and grandmother bought him an American Flyer “S” gauge train set for Christmas. He kept the trains at his grandma’s house and set it up in her big bedroom. The track ran all the way around the bedroom, and under the bed was the tunnel. Every year for Christmas or his birthday, his grandma would buy him another car or accessory for the trains.
He started into HO around 1970, and a very good friend gave him a couple of Athearn train sets he had when he was younger. Among the pieces in the sets were Boston & Maine and State of Maine boxcars. These cars gave him a lively interest in early Athearn freight cars. He began collecting all the varieties of road names and car types. He still has some of those early pieces. He has spent over forty-five years enjoying his Athearn trains and still collects some of the more unique pieces.
Published by Page Publishing, Tim Blaisdell and Ed Urmston Sr.’s remarkable work offers detailed information for collectors.
Readers who wish to experience this interesting work can purchase “The Athearn Collector’s Companion: Yellow and Blue Box Kits and Early ‘RTR’ Models through 2009” at bookstores everywhere, or online at the Apple iTunes Store, Amazon, Google Play, or Barnes and Noble.
For additional information or media inquiries, contact Page Publishing at 866-315-2708.
About Page Publishing:
Page Publishing is a traditional, full-service publishing house that handles all the intricacies involved in publishing its authors’ books, including distribution in the world’s largest retail outlets and royalty generation. Page Publishing knows that authors need to be free to create, not mired in logistics like eBook conversion, establishing wholesale accounts, insurance, shipping, taxes, and so on. Page’s accomplished writers and publishing professionals allow authors to leave behind these complex and time-consuming issues and focus on their passion: writing and creating. Learn more at www.pagepublishing.com.
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