Update from Kyle - August 2023
Hi all, I figured it was about time to provide an update on my end of things as it's been a good while.
Sadly I have not gotten any further structural work done the last few months, so there's nothing new to show there. I will instead try to recap what has happened since my last update, important bits bolded.
The Gantry
By March, I was going through a good case of burnout working on the structural model. I had started working on the frames, but it's a pretty repetitive and tedious task. After the Tank Top especially, I felt I needed to do something different for a bit. This isn't unusual for me, I sometimes just need to switch gears. At the same time, I had gotten a lot of motivation for something I had been wanting to do for a while: The Arrol Gantry in which Titanic was built.
In March and through April and May, I worked on the Arrol Gantry model, which snowballed to include updates to the immediate area of the Harland and Wolff yard as well as a more detailed surrounding area further out. The model is fairly rough and lacks a lot of details (including rivets), but the Gantry is there along with all the major aspects including the different types of cranes and the catwalks that wound their way through the structure.
It's important to note that this is NOT currently for the Alpha. It still would need a lot of work and optimization for that. IF we do decide to include it for the Alpha (certainly not in the first or early versions) in the future, we'll at least have this great base to finish it from. For now it's mainly a thing to use for videos, documentaries, graphics, and any material made to show off structural model progress. You've all seen it featured in Jack's amazing launch video a while back, and perhaps I'll show off more of it in a future post that would go into more detail about the gantry. In the meantime, I've included a handful of images here.
My Absence
On May 23rd my father passed away at 71 after a month-long illness. Needless to say, there was much to take care of afterwards. I won't get too mushy, I'll just say that he was a good person. He was a retiree of the US Postal Service who knew every ZIP code by memory and was an encyclopedia of knowledge of local history as well as railroad history. He was a lifelong railfan who left behind a massive collection of model trains and an unfulfilled dream of one day building a model train layout, and he was also an amateur photographer who took countless photos of trains and sights across the USA. You can probably blame him for my interest in modeling and my constant perfectionism.
May was already tough, June was even tougher. I was completely exhausted and I don't think I did much at all through most of July. But I lived with my father, so I soon had to begin the massive process of organizing and cleaning the house, among other tasks. Boxing things up, extensive cleaning and repairs, things that were difficult to do before. It's a lot, and the process is still very far from done. I expect it'll take at least a couple more months, possibly more.
What Now?
I'm going to be honest: I would not expect to see much in the way of updates from me, particularly structural stuff, until either very late in the year or even until 2024. Everything I've had to deal with so far has been too much, and even after I get my home in order, I may need more time for myself. I definitely want to get back into the swing of things here, I know all of you and the team are counting on me, but I just can't right now, and for that I'm sorry.
That said, there's still plenty going on with THG/VDR. Obviously Derek is still working on Project 401, much of the team is. We're still getting our research in order, a never-ending process really, as we prepare for P401 tasks and Alpha work. Jack is doing Jack things. And we still have a few people working on Alpha objects which will also go into P401. It's just that, for the moment, I'm unable to do much on my end.
Thank you all for sticking with us as we continue our work and as I get my life in order. Your support has been hugely appreciated by all of us and has been particularly helpful for me as I am now on my own with VDR as my only job. I could never thank you all enough. I hope to get through all this eventually so I may continue to rebuild Titanic with everyone else on the team.
Thank you again.
Comments (10)
As with many others, I deeply appreciate your candor on such a personal subject & admire the continued commitment to this project. My heart goes out to you in this time of loss as it sounds like your father was a unique and great man (save his curse of hereditary perfectionism, of course). Thank you for keeping us in the loop, and best wishes for the healing ahead.
Thanks for the update. Take your time to integrate what happened. It’s so important for the rest of your live. Grieve is such an underestimated thing. It comes and goes in it’s own way and can’t be forced. With time you will be back here and fresh to work on THG. I’ll be here to support all the work which needs to be done
So sorry to hear about your loss, this must be a terribly rough time for you. Stay strong and keep your head up, thank you for all the work you do. 🙏
Kyle thank you very much for your personal feedback. Take all the time you need to get through this. As a model railway fan myself I am building approximately 13 x 6 feet model railway layout with my twin brother. We're taking it slow though. We're building it since 2002 working on the project only when both of us have time. As we speak we're working on rocks and other formations made of plaster and weathering them. Soon we start to pour resin for water effects and so on. As one railfan to another I promise I will drive a model train on our newly built railroad in your father's honor...
My condolences too, take your time off THG Kyle, we need you back with a clear mind. I lost my mother in 2014 after a short period of illness. I have to ask, what effect does this current situation have on the announced comin STEAM release of Project 401. Is it still possible in 2014? Please be honest to us where we stand now, payin every month to see some progress. I still wish y had a larger team working on THG, hope we all will reach the end together :) Kind regards.
So sorry for your loss... My condolences. Take as much time as needed. Thank you again.
I’m so sorry for your loss Kyle. Take the time you need. I lost my brother a year ago and it still hurts, so I understand. Your work on THG is incredible. Thank you for the update.
Thank you Kyle.
HI Kyle, thank you for the update. I'm sorry to hear about the passing of your father. Please let us know if there's anything we can do for you during this difficult time and the subsequent transition into life without him. Also, thank you for sharing with us his passion for the railway. My grandfather worked on the railway here in Australia all his life, as did his father. I can certainly appreciate the impact your dad's love for the railway had on you as it has certainly been similar in my own life. Take care and we're here for you.
Kyle, thank you for all the amazing work you’ve done on this project. I am amazed at your ability to bring these lost worlds into being. My condolences at the loss of your father, and best wishes in the months ahead.