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If you encounter blank spaces on our site, just scroll on down. Our website software is possessed and inserts random blank areas. Thank you for visiting the Progressive Model Design Website. This site is still (and likely always will be) under construction, but hopefully, the information we provide here will be sufficient to show you what sets our model-building service apart from the many others out there. Choosing a model-building service to help you realize your dream layout can be a daunting experience. It doesn’t need to be! PMD specializes in the design and construction of museum-quality model dioramas and miniature railroad layouts to your desired state of completion. We can build to your existing trackplan, or if you prefer, we will design a completely custom trackplan just for your space. All of our custom layouts have a very strong emphasis on operations and animation, the key elements that bring a miniature scene to life. In the pages of this site, I will describe a number of our construction techniques, some of which are proprietary methods that PMD alone uses. First, though, let me explain a little about our philosophy and goals so that you will have a fair basis of comparison to any other builders you may (and should) contact. First of all, museum quality, professional model building is not something that just any good modeler can attempt out of his home. Many have tried and have come up short for a variety of reasons. The primary reason is usually not a lack of talent, but rather an inability to properly manage time, with the result that projects run over (both cost and time-wise) and the customer comes away unhappy. Also, many of the operations are one-person shops or studios, and although that is not necessarily a major shortcoming, it is a simple fact that many of the construction tasks that face us as custom builders are easier to accomplish when you have some help. As a long-standing respected manufacturer, as well as a custom builder, CIRCUITRON, the parent company of PMD, is in the unique position of providing products to the majority of the nation’s quality model building services. As a result, we often see first hand what works and what doesn’t. Many of the small shops are forced to cut prices to remain competitive, or when times are slow, they might overextend and take a job that is beyond their capability. Too often we have seen very talented individuals fail because they were unable to remain focused on a project, or they underestimated the time necessary, or they became involved in overly large / complicated projects without the necessary man-power. In the long run, they simply lost the motivation to get the job done properly. And that is one of the main points that sets my company apart from the others. First and foremost, CIRCUITRON is a very viable and self-sufficient corporation that covers all aspects of maintenance and overhead on our 11,000 square foot building. We have been in business since 1977 and our growth has been steady to where we are now the primary supplier of electronic controls and signaling systems to the entire model industry. We also manufacture the Scale Scenics™ line of detail parts and construction equipment and the Mitey Lites™ line of miniature lamps and LEDs. The Circuitron TORTOISE™ is the most popular slow-motion switch machine on the market. And now we have added our SMAIL™, the DCC decoder equipped version. So... rather than having to depend upon model-making for our livelihood as many other custom builders do, we are fortunate in being able to select our projects carefully so that we can always devote the attention and time to a project that our clients deserve. You know, when you spend the vast majority of your waking hours working in the manufacturing end of model railroading, time for modeling at home ends up being somewhat limited. As a result, this is a great way for me to live a little vicariously off my clients and gives me a chance to remain active in the hobby I love. Along with the outstanding team of Modelers and Artists that I have gathered together, Progressive Model Design will bring your dreams to life and create a miniature world for you that will be second to none. We guarantee it!
Steve Worack, President CIRCUITRON, INC. and Progressive Model Design division |
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INTRODUCTION |
