This is a Blog written By Kristine McNary about Prestige Garden Railroads a concept born out of creating models for garden railways.
The Concept, originally named Silver State Models was created several years ago, in conjunction with Sharon Van Nest to both showcase some of my different skills as well as build structures for our railroad, the White Lightning Lumber company(pun intended) the concept of the structures was to represent American West architecture, while providing both complete as well as unassembled kits of various structures designed and influenced by locations such as Virginia City Nevada. We crafted some different prototypes and pushed in fine scale modeling focused on F scale or 1:20.3. However, this concept waned due to the minimal returns from the time involved, as well as working full-time as a field engineer, repairing all makes and models of computers through Unisys covering Northern Nevada and California. This was also added to by going back to doing reenacting and starting Battle Born Historical Photography.
Like many artists, I have a diverse range of interest, but I’m also an introvert, which basically means that I need time to recharge my batteries, spending time with my cats and loved ones.
My skills have been developed from my childhood, through building various models, to structures for an HO scale layout to dollhouses, as well as refurbishing and restoring various antiques.
Having parents, and grandparents who were scientists, engineers, and artists, I was exposed and raised in the arts and science world, at an early age I showed a lot of artistic talent, that eventually allowed me to attend an Arts magnet school. for Jr. High and a little of high school.
With dreams of working as a commercial artist or within movie magic industry crafting realistic models and props. I entered college to learn AutoCAD, and was directed into electronics, and continued as an electrical engineer with a heavy focus on design and computer sciences. While in college, I started working in the computer industry. This is where I served many roles as a technical support specialist, software quality assurance analyst, integration specialist, systems administrator, the network specialist, and finally as a field engineer, wherein I was required to address many different issues ranging from basic hardware repair and parts swapping to complex networking issues. I worked in both in the private corporate world and military defense. today I’m an independent IT consultant and part of the new gig-employment economy.
Why railroading?
You could say it is in my blood. Starting with my Father, who started working for the Southern Pacific Railroad in the early 70’s as per influence from my grandfather, who had a lifelong love for trains, that turned into him becoming a locomotive engineer. the below photo was taken of him, bringing the freshly restored Southern Pacific 6051, a 1954 E9 home to Sacramento under its own power during the 1985 Western Rail Day, he was one of the few engineers who had the privilege of piloting the locomotive, my family boarded the train, reserved for Western division of Southern Pacific employees and their families at the historic Oakland railroad depot.
My skills and experience allow me to create and add wonderful details that provide realism to models, it also allows me to install and program advanced electronics into a verity of different models, adding animation, sound, light and other special effects to bring life to the 3-inch tall world.
Kristine is the principal owner of Battle Born Historical Photography
Prestige Garden Railroads 