George Sellios was the owner of Fine Scale Miniatures (FSM), a business dedicated to producing detailed model kits of structures for
model railroad enthusiasts. He is also an accomplished modeler and is well-known in the hobby for his layout, the ''Franklin & South Manchester Railroad'' which attracts visitors from around the world.
Fine Scale Miniatures
FSM produced craftsman structure kits from 1967 through 2016 from its location in
Peabody,
Massachusetts, along with guides to the construction of detailed model railroads.
[See e.g., Sellios, George "Scenery Ideas: How We Make Model Scenery on Our Kit Dioramas" (1960, FSM).]
Franklin & South Manchester
The F&SM uses the same initials as Sellios' company and is co-located in the former FSM company office. It is a stylized
model railroad set in 1935 in a fictional area of
New England during the
Great Depression
The Great Depression (19291939) was an economic shock that impacted most countries across the world. It was a period of economic depression that became evident after a major fall in stock prices in the United States. The economic contagio ...
, characterized by cluttered scenery, colorful billboards and signs, simulated dilapidation, weedy sidewalks, heavy weathering and
artistic license.
Active in the hobby since he was 13, Sellios' first influence in the hobby was
John Allen who took a novel, whimsical approach to model trains. Allen's influence can be seen in Sellios' work, which favors fantasy over the prototypical. In at least two cases, early Sellios kits are copies of John Allen designs.
Sellios began construction of the F&SM in April 1985. He dedicated approximately three months per year to the endeavor, with the remaining nine dedicated to design and production for his business selling model structure kits. Sellios' F&SM is a large diorama occupying a space measuring approximately . Sellios' model railroad has become one of the most recognized over the years, with several feature articles in
Model Railroader and an episode of
Tracks Ahead
''Tracks Ahead'' is a television series about railroading, produced by Milwaukee PBS, originally solely for their station WMVS, then syndicated to public television stations, starting in 1990.
In general, the series examines all aspects of rail ...
. Sellios has a large following of model train enthusiasts in the United States, where his exaggerated, caricature style is emulated by hobbyists and cottage industry "craftsman kit" makers.
There are four commercial videos dedicated to the F&SM, produced by the Allen Keller ''Great Model Railroads'' series (episodes #2, #24, and #39, and a 2015 production by Trainmasters TV is also available. Most recently, the podcast Wiley’s Bench Time conducted a lengthy audio interview with Mr. Sellios. 39
).
References
External links
Fine Scale MiniaturesPhotos of the Franklin and South Manchester Railroad
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sellios, George
Year of birth missing (living people)
Living people
American entertainment industry businesspeople
Rail transport modellers
People from Peabody, Massachusetts
Businesspeople from Massachusetts