tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5407117860455718772024-03-05T03:58:10.476-05:00The Truth About Model TrainsA blog about the N scale model train world. Industry news, interesting forum discussions, and maybe a little bit of talking about actual modeling.Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02352219829126964688noreply@blogger.comBlogger20125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540711786045571877.post-11126925751161080082011-06-02T23:39:00.001-04:002011-06-02T23:40:22.796-04:00How Much Time is Too Much Time?So lately there have been rumblings that Daddy spends too much time in the train room... Coming out of the cold and rainy season, I can see where this could be a legitimate complaint. There's also the fact that my wife has been toiling away at evening graduate classes three nights a week, so I'm basically unsupervised much of the time. Being an adolescent trapped in a middle aged body, there is all kinds of potential for mischief.<br />
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The good news is I've made all sorts of progress on the layout, finishing the infrastructure of a major expansion, adding some cool structures and reworking some key scenery elements. I've also caught up most of the outstanding decoder work that's been piling up. The bad news is that when Laura gets home at night, typically the dishes aren't done, and the kids are still bouncing around well past the certified bed time.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3tNpsRaa2G2ro8BEYSrFZOgRtl84fHeTLS8_Koq1Gm-9kJ2HcLwtRXfN6ktva_oOxtiM4TQRzY-XRZVgDV9vT06Dst-v0hXWWMMdwxDnkhoNjSTIC3DF5YxCFS-DbnqXgxWpI-VQoBk8/s720/ReconstructionPh1%252520039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjl3tNpsRaa2G2ro8BEYSrFZOgRtl84fHeTLS8_Koq1Gm-9kJ2HcLwtRXfN6ktva_oOxtiM4TQRzY-XRZVgDV9vT06Dst-v0hXWWMMdwxDnkhoNjSTIC3DF5YxCFS-DbnqXgxWpI-VQoBk8/s400/ReconstructionPh1%252520039.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_ERLF7TTPvmA/TBdswgl8WjI/AAAAAAAAKwg/0QuSEn13dng/ReconstructionPh1%20039.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</a></div>In my defense, I know lots of guys that spend a great deal of time out on very expensive sailboats, in the woods in a heavily armed tree stand, or wandering around a golf course chasing a little white ball. Of course there are others who devote their spare time to more "earthly pleasures" that keep them beyond the reach of their wives and families. That's a hobby that's definitely more expensive than I can afford.<br />
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Now that the sun is out a little more, there are other chores that take me away from the layout. Finishing the paint job on the house chief among them. There's also baseball on TV, which my wife and I enjoy sitting together and watching.<br />
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Over the years, I've gotten pretty good at breaking layout projects down into bite sized pieces. I can feel like I'm making progress on something in 15 minutes to an hour as time becomes available. Of course, being solidly ADD, I can also be up there for hours at a time either focused on a singular detail, or unfocused and bouncing from project to project.<br />
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So anyway, what about this commitment of time... As you may or may not know, this economy hasn't been kind to me or my family, so we're not in a position to take a get-away vacation, or anything like that. The train room has been something of a refuge for me. I guess the trouble is that it is in the attic, and it does keep me beyond the reach of the family a bit. But it's also one of the few places in my world at the moment where I can just close the door and leave the world outside for a while. With her class load, I don't see much of my wife anyway, and my kids are old enough to amuse themselves. I can't sit still long enough to watch a bunch of television (save for the occasional ballgame or movie), so I drift up to the attic where I can feel productive, keep myself amused, and listen to some old records, or the ballgame on the radio.<br />
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In the warmer weather, one solution is to move some of my more portable projects down to work on them out on the porch. There I can keep busy, but still have an eye out for skinned knees or geometry homework. In a way, I suppose the hobby can be considered addictive. Like booze or drugs, there's a certain "high" in it, there's peer pressure, a fair amount of expense, and that potential for separation from loved ones. But that defines any hobby, doesn't it?<br />
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We all know someone that's gone off the deep end, with trains running around the living room, through the bathroom and across the kitchen counter. There's usually not the risk of annoying a spouse in those cases, however.<br />
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So I'll carry on, and strive to strike a balance between the responsibilities of family and the hobby I've enjoyed so much. At least when I'm up there tinkering, everyone knows where to find me.Lee Weldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03046574521128827883noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540711786045571877.post-45060705377826683452011-04-29T22:34:00.000-04:002011-04-29T22:34:30.579-04:00Still Not Sold on Sound<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/XjFYu4mPbKg?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><br />
It seems the latest fashion in Model Railroading, apart from the timeless vest covered with railroad patches and the tie tack with blinking crossbucks, is on-board sound. Tiny speakers nested under coal bunkers or in fuel tanks emitting tinny noise are on the list of any beginner, and even many more experienced guys. A speaker that's supposed to evoke standing trackside listening to the roar of an EMD 567, or the chuff of a steam locomotive have captured the hobbyist's imagination.<br />
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But not mine.<br />
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I've had the pleasure of installing a number of sound decoders into both N and HO scale locomotives. I've also participated in a few operating sessions where sound has been in use by one or God forbid, more than one operator, and I have to say that after the first few moments of novelty, and the delight of pressing F2 and getting a faint "woot woot" from the kazoo-like speaker, the excitement plum evades me.<br />
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Maybe it's because when I'm running my trains, I've just gotten used to listening to old vinyl records. (A fact which should say a lot about my affinity for technology of another age.) Or maybe when I have three diesels on the point of a heavy N scale train, I like to hear them working... often sounding a lot more like a lashup of real diesels than those little micro chips can.<br />
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In either case, on-board sound just doesn't do it for me. I don't like the way it adds significantly to the power drawn by the locomotive, I don't like the way it sounds so thin compared to the real thing, I don't like installing sound decoders and speakers and all those wires, and I don't like having more buttons on the throttle to fool around with while I'm trying to operate my train with one hand, and sip a beer with the other.<br />
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Nope. Sound is not the savior of the hobby. There are many who would argue otherwise, but rest assured, they are wrong. Sound is a novelty, it will amuse the uninitiated briefly, and be a crutch to people who would rather not pursue a higher standard of model building. <br />
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If I wish to enjoy the sound of some historic diesel, I shall spend a few moments scanning You Tube, and I'll find what I want in a matter of moments. If I want to really enjoy the thrum of a big diesel, then I shall take my web lawn chair trackside. And there I'll get the full Monty! Squealing flanges, flattened wheels tapping by. Maybe, just maybe, there will be some jointed rail and a healthy dose of clickety clack!Lee Weldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03046574521128827883noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540711786045571877.post-68450871660742914802010-07-10T13:13:00.003-04:002010-07-10T13:43:32.943-04:00The Times That Try Men's Souls<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgekMp3M0V1gjScE3aDoCQ87ix90YW96AW5apGZ-_4aLsVjZbf6uNaHlVokcdya9QarIV1Se2LOtgMCR2j-rU_ZcEp6Za6VpOlAtjKmb-LSZ_krhKED4_UncIy92fRl1XuR9ZHup5BaNqOA/s1600/Trippin'+045.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgekMp3M0V1gjScE3aDoCQ87ix90YW96AW5apGZ-_4aLsVjZbf6uNaHlVokcdya9QarIV1Se2LOtgMCR2j-rU_ZcEp6Za6VpOlAtjKmb-LSZ_krhKED4_UncIy92fRl1XuR9ZHup5BaNqOA/s320/Trippin'+045.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5492334390927605298" border="0" /></a><br />Hunters have their duck blinds, mechanics their garages. Others will sit in a beach chair and lose themselves in a book, or just watch the surf. People are very adept at finding solace in their leisure time, even if it's catch as catch can. It's a vital survival strategy as life seems to get more complex every day.<br /><br />There's a lot of things going on in the world right now, giant oil spills, wars, economic downturns... It's enough to make your head spin sometimes, especially if you or someone you know is dealing with hardships related to any or all of the above.<br /><br />The forums tend to light up in times like these with threads predicting gloom and doom, and the demise of the hobby as people find their disposable income dwindle away. I find myself up to my eyeballs in alligators at the moment, with stresses ranging from dwindling income to difficulties at work, two children and my wife all in college, aging cars and a house that needs painted... So I can totally relate to the disposable income situation.<br /><br />But I reject the notion that trying times spell the end of model railroading as we know it.<br /><br />First of all, when the bullets are flying overhead, outside of time spent with my family, there is no refuge more comforting than the train room. When it's time to sort out the news of the day, the bills in the mailbox, the nonsense at work, I drift up to the attic and turn on some music, and look around for something to do.<br /><br />There's always plenty to occupy me. I'm in the process of expanding the layout, so there's everything from benchwork to wiring to tackle. There are still parts of the railroad that are operable, so I can do some switching if the mood strikes. There's also a workbench full of projects that are in various states of completion. Decoders need installed, a structure needs painted, a bridge needs to be detailed.<br /><br />When times are good, I have a tendency to stock up on stuff that I know I can't get around to for awhile... it's the old saw "when I have enough money, I have no time, when I have enough time, I have no money." But the Boy Scouts always admonish us to "Be Prepared," so I keep a healthy supply of scratch building materials, tools and paints at the ready so I can treat myself to an hour or so of idle tinkering to help clear my head whenever the need arises.<br /><br />I suppose the people who complain the loudest about the demise of the hobby are the guys that rely on "ready to run" and "factory assembled" products for their enjoyment. While these products are indeed convenient, they are also a lot more expensive. So if you're in a situation where you don't have a lot of money to spend, you're going to feel like you can no longer enjoy the hobby. For me, that's where my enjoyment begins.<br /><br />My favorite challenges are making something out of nothing. Or looking at some abundant and inexpensive material, and re-purposing it for the model railroad. (My latest foray has been to salvage teabags from the big vats of iced tea we make this time of year, drying out the tea leaves, and using them for ground cover.)<br /><br />I enjoy seeing the results, pass or fail, and learning things as I go along.<br /><br />Which also helps me deal with the other challenges in my life. So while the train room is a great place to escape from the "real world"... it also can provide a way to sharpen my way of thinking about work, home life, and the world in general. Everything is a process, with a beginning, middle and an end. You just have to get on with it.Lee Weldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03046574521128827883noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540711786045571877.post-31992252335364914082010-05-29T09:52:00.002-04:002010-05-29T10:11:52.994-04:00Pleasing the Crowd... or Yourself. That is the Question<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.wmrywesternlines.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Ops_Session_2-15-09.jpg"><img style="float: left; margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://www.wmrywesternlines.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Ops_Session_2-15-09.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />As I go about the messy business of rebuilding a major portion of my model railroad, I'm beginning to struggle with the question of just exactly what I'd like my layout to be. The original design is a wonderful tangle of main line, yard, branch line and industrial operations. And even in its present confused state, it serves well the social interaction that model railroad operations can be.<br /><br />At any given session, I can have 4 to 10 crew jammed into my layout room, and everyone (for the most part) has a job to do. In fact, without that formidable staff, sometimes it's difficult to justify even turning on the lights in there. I do go in and tinker, and will on occasion set the turnouts for a closed route and enjoy watching a train circulate. But I'm trying to come to terms with the idea of having all this stuff, and questioning whether I'm really enjoying the layout the way I want to.<br /><br />My operations plan is, admittedly, heavily influenced by the fact that I live at least a couple of hours from most of my crew. They travel a good distance to run my layout, so I feel compelled to provide them with a solid "play value" for the time they have invested. Thus I have staging areas that can hold hundreds of cars, lots of money tied up in switch motors, DCC throttles, and let's not even get started on rolling stock. In between sessions, I'm faced with building the new this, or rewiring the faulty that... and of course, cleaning engine wheels.<br /><br />Now don't get me wrong, I like running those hot freights from one staging track to another. I love sorting cars and assembling trains in the yard, then sending them on their way. I really like switching my big industries, and that drag of empty hoppers needs to get back to the tipples...<br /><br />But am I biting off more than I really want to chew? It would probably help if one or two guys lived closer, and could come over on a Tuesday night to help take care of the tedium. Or if I was an hour away, instead of two plus, so I could expect to fire up the layout more than three or four times a year. Right now, it seems a to be a lot of buck for the bang.<br /><br />So, what to do? Do I go ahead and blast the whole shootin' match and start fresh on a simple short line that I can get my head around? Do I revisit the master plan, and see if it can be made to work with fewer hands (and dollars?)<br /><br />My fear is that by scaling back to a railroad that looks, fits and runs better for one guy in a relatively small space, that I'd be sacrificing the opportunity to have those great ops sessions where guys come from far and wide to have a good time at my house. (A bit narcissistic, but then aren't we all?)<br /><br />I'd also miss the variety of operations that I enjoy. While I think I'd love to build a simple branch line serving a handful of customers with a heavily weathered geep, I might also get terribly bored with it after a few times of doing the same thing over and over and over...<br /><br />I suppose the only real answer is to press on with the master plan, and when the urge hits to run that rusty switcher, I'll just turn on the branch line and let the rest of the layout sleep...Lee Weldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03046574521128827883noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540711786045571877.post-60425498863673105402009-09-11T11:22:00.005-04:002009-09-11T11:47:36.541-04:00The Fleet Mentality<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.wmrywesternlines.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Paint_Shop.JPG"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="http://www.wmrywesternlines.net/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/normal_Paint_Shop.JPG" alt="" border="0" /></a>On the Railwire, the <a href="http://therailwire.net/forum/index.php/topic,19057.0.html">topic of the cost</a> of some new rolling stock came up, and it got me thinking about how our rolling stock purchases fit in with the concept of our model railroads.<br /><br /><br /><br />For N scalers, these are the best of times it seems, at least in terms of the quality of rolling stock that is being offered. ESM, Fox Valley, and Bluford Shops are all producing some absolutely jaw dropping freight cars that are well designed, nicely assembled, and perfectly painted. There are also some great passenger car offerings that blow you away with the level of detail. Body mounted couplers are finally making their way into the main stream, and even Atlas Trainman is offering new body styles.<br /><br />But it's also the worst of times, if you're trying to build up a fleet. The ESM G-26 mill gondola retails for over $20 a piece. Most newer cars carry a price tag of $15-20, new passenger cars tip the scales at close to $50! Plus, the method of "Build to Order" means that you either pony up or miss the boat.<br /><br />I've been accumulating rolling stock for 30 years, so I have a few advantages over someone just getting started. Yes, a lot of my fleet is getting pretty long in the tooth, and the level of quality pales in comparison to what's coming on line now, but the bottom line is, it's already on the rails, and I can choose to upgrade or replace at my own pace. I'm used to seeing the bulky cast on grabs, the relatively high ride height, the brake wheels that look like innertubes... I'm content to throw a little weathering on, maybe change a part or two, and put 'er on the road.<br /><br />A new guy might get a taste of the high end stuff, and decide that the 40-year old Trainman tooling isn't adequate. So he starts to put together a 20 car train, and quickly realizes that he's staring down the barrel of a $500+ investment by the time he puts his Atlas Master locomotive on the point, and a MicroTrains caboose on the end.<br /><br />That doesn't even begin to address the other expenses of track, power supply (and decoders, if that floats your boat) sound chips and scenery.<br /><br />I'm drawn to N scale for it's train:scenery ratio. I'm also attracted to its ability to accommodate large scale operations on a relatively compact layout. (That 20 car train in N is about 7' long, in HO it would be 14') As such, rolling stock is a major factor in what goes into the train budget.<br /><br />As I illustrated in my article in <a href="http://www.nscalemagazine.com/">N Scale Magazine</a>, I like to "resurrect" those old junkyard dogs from the early days of N and put them back in revenue service. It takes some time and money to upgrade trucks and couplers, and do some paint and decal work, but in the end it's worth it to me, because while they don't add glamour, they certainly add variety to the fleet without adding substantially to the expense side of the ledger.<br /><br />I have started picking up the newer cars, and I do like the way they look, but when they're added to a consist of 20 other cars, and are rolling by at track speed, they don't necessarily stand out. They do look nice in close up pictures, but I don't need an entire fleet of detailed cars to do that. Consider that for every Miss Texas and Miss California, there's 48 other girls up on stage that look pretty good, they just don't have as many added on... er... detail parts.<br /><br />I'm sure that over time as I add more and more of them, I'll see more of a difference, but again, I have the luxury of an already intact fleet, so I don't have to be in a hurry to spend the big bucks on the newer cars. The key to tempering my enthusiasm is keeping that fleet mentality, wherein the value of the total is more than the sum of its individual parts.Lee Weldonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03046574521128827883noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540711786045571877.post-32076240418803743422008-04-29T08:29:00.035-04:002008-04-30T15:59:56.122-04:00Let the Bashing BeginPeople who hammer Micro-Trains are often derided as trouble-makers, and ordinarily I'd agree—except that Micro-Trains has in a way brought it on themselves. Any company that is self-described as the "Cadillac" of this or the "Ultimate" in that has entirely too much hubris for their own good. And while deliberately looking for the tiniest errors is indeed unnecessarily excessive, pointing out glaring, easily-fixed bloopers—which, regrettably, show up regularly on M-T products—is fair game. But... does it do any good, when collectors will slavishly plunk down green for everything that comes out of M-T's doors?<br /><br />You've got to hand it to M-T: one thing they managed to do right is contrive a market all their own, whether deliberately or by accident. Collectors constitute an entire self-contained industry, replete with training courses on investment techniques; no matter what emerges from Talent, Oregon, they're happy with it. Meanwhile, cars wind up with paint schemes based on one or two faded old photos someone at M-T found in the bottom of a file drawer (when dozens of clear, sharp ones exist on the Internet for all to see), and advertising features such nonsense as six-axle FTs. One sometimes wonders if anyone having a vague familiarity with railroads gets to see the stuff presented for public consumption. Are they the slightest bit concerned that they're sometimes the laughingstock of the industry? And if so, would they be inclined to do anything about it?<br /><br /><img style="border-style: none;" alt="WTF?" src="http://whiteriverandnorthern.net/images/what-the.jpg" width="400" /><br /><br />We've cut them slack for the fantasy collector stuff—it's apparently their bread and butter, so we tolerate Happy Birthday cars alongside so-called "prototype" items in their monthly releases. But when the prototype cars have lettering that never existed in real life, M-T needs to cut us some slack for having the urge to slam the "Cadillac" of N scale. Given the ease and speed with which one can verify facts these days, there's simply no excuse. Who are they trying to kid when they put a pipe load in a boxcar? What are they smokin' up there in Talent, anyway?<br /><br /><img style="border-style: none;" alt="How'd they get 'em in there?" src="http://jamesriverbranch.net/images/pipe-load.jpg" width="400" /><br /><br />Reasons for these regular gaffes have been leaking into the forums via one of their own. Many of their employees, it would appear, know little to nothing about railroads or modeling (or even spelling, for that matter—but that's a whole other issue). This explains much. But when someone is employed to perform a job, and either lacks the necessary qualifications or the initiative to learn at least enough to perform reasonably well, that person's job ought to be at risk, no? (Let's put it this way: I'd be fired if my performance was comparable.) If the employee is doing fine in the eyes of the employers, the scrutiny must then fall on said employers. Well, when you've got a model railroad manufacturer with a President who refers to a Gunderson well car as a "depressed center flatcar," the problem may start at the top.<br /><br /><object height="355" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/PX6EaGBnDGs&hl=en"><param name="wmode" value="transparent"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/PX6EaGBnDGs&hl=en" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" height="355" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />The buying public, by and large, isn't bothered by such trifles, however, and thus the problem is perpetuated. As long as M-T's employees can continue putting food on their tables, all is right with the world, and the 1% of their customers who clamor for something a little closer to reality are left shouting down holes. We can write just so many polite letters addressing issues, which would apppear to go straight into the circular file, before we reach the point of frustration, the point where the bashing begins. Is it right? Of course not. But it's perfectly understandable.<br /><br /><img style="border-style: none;" alt="E not = O" src="http://whiteriverandnorthern.net/images/auto-veyor.jpg" width="400" /><br /><br />With the potential for being a truly exceptional manufacturer, it's all such a sad waste, especially considering that plenty of learned modelers are more than willing to contribute their expertise, <em>gratis</em>. Leveraging the Internet, M-T has at their disposal a vast pool of accumulated knowledge to tap, complete with volunteers ready to do some of the legwork, and yet we rarely see anything except the finished product—by which point it's too late to re-render the artwork or change the paint color. What's going on? Would participating in product development spoil a surprise or something? What, pray tell, is the point of all this secrecy? Other companies regularly announce releases well in advance. I may be wrong, but M-T could do well by engaging some of their customers more directly and more often.<br /><br />Meanwhile, Atlas is soaring past M-T both in terms of quality and accuracy. Not to mention sheer volume. Yet, blithely unaware that they've been de-throned as the industry leader, M-T still doggedly persists in releasing one <em>faux pas</em> after another, their energies spent fretting over problems with OEM trucks and couplers instead of living up to their own motto. Some of us are at the point of giving up (a point others have long passed), writing off Micro-Trains as just another toy company.<br /><br />But why do we care? Many other manufacturers don't get the monthly "bash fest" that M-T seems to incur when they make foobies (have you ever <em>seen</em> Model Power cars?). Is it because we, as a community, can't make our peace with writing M-T off? They were the standard bearer for N scale freight cars for years. It's only been recently that they've lost their luster. I think what we're all afraid of is them being a fallen hero. I know that personally, I feel let down. As I was coming of age as a modeler, I thought everything M-T did was great, largely because, at the time, it was. Now, with increasing competition, they seem to have decided that it's easier not to compete to be the best. Nobody wins gold medals for freight cars. The only real reward is paying the bills, and maybe a nice vacation. So maybe M-T wins after all. Too bad that their win is our loss.<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Co-Authored by David K. Smith and Ed Kapuscinski — so blame them both</span>Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540711786045571877.post-43582499682618528792008-02-21T09:47:00.001-05:002008-02-21T09:49:11.946-05:00Kato's Iconic Models<h2>Kato approaches the American market differently than most other manufacturers, and the "typical" American modeler.</h2><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://members.ozemail.com.au/%7Ekerr43/katolg.gif" alt="" border="0" />Most American modelers center their interests around a specific railroad in a specific era: The Pennsylvania during World War II, Conrail in December of 1985, the Santa Fe in the Transition era, or even a freelanced road in the 1970s. Most manufactures marketing plans (mainly product choice and promotional materials) mirror this approach by providing a variety of models that span a variety of eras that can be used by the largest number of modelers with the widest variety of interests. Kato, however, does not seem to do this. Instead, their marketing plan stems from a different mindset. Instead of simply producing workaday trains, like the perceived "normal" modeler wants, Kato goes after iconic American trains to sell in Japan, and also in America if possible.<br /><br /><p><img style="margin: 0pt 10pt 10px 0px; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivFjrUaUKJ3GCfTkLLNk0l81zOGYTBDAf3RmhZsdcRXJYimLpqfvbsTfq7JgBI722ZmuvfLotIjW1kgm28v_ZOmD8BvgXLwgsKKct8jnmM60jC8RB5M1nTjZKnXW9P6lEzOVQu1uT98O32/s200/layout_item_top.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5047560540023457010" border="0" />I believe this is because Kato's main market is not the typical American modeler. Instead, they aim primarily for their home market of Japan. It has been mentioned by a number of (off the record) sources that Kato USA is not an easy company to work for. It is a traditional Japanese company operating in America, and input attempts by the Americans working there to align their marketing with typical American tastes and approaches often falls on dead ears.</p><br /><br /><p>This is not an attempt to discredit their models in any way, in fact, most of Kato's products are incredible modelers. The angst that often gets leveled at them has nothing to do with the models they do produce (well, except for the mis-spelled California Zephyr car), instead, it springs from modelers desire for Kato to make models that they would be interested in. This creates a cognitive disconnect, where people don't understand why this highly esteemed company doesn't seem to "get it". Instead, they do "get it", it's just that the "it" that they get is a different it than modelers expect.</p><br /><br /><p>As I have said, Kato aims to build models of iconic American trains. When viewing their model selection from that angle the following model choices make complete sense.</p><br /><br /><h2>The SD80mac</h2><br /><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt77M5y9EbNmAJdImVomy2maFp3PO09U4Zv_QYRYFHcNYeUFN45omwh2GqpbTQBf6dGR2TTBUGtg2lcJl2curfRugU1xcpc6-28rPEcjA5yTSSx5kme0zwhyzz0CJLPhAkAnB1ZTpNWWtR/s1600-h/176-5501.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjt77M5y9EbNmAJdImVomy2maFp3PO09U4Zv_QYRYFHcNYeUFN45omwh2GqpbTQBf6dGR2TTBUGtg2lcJl2curfRugU1xcpc6-28rPEcjA5yTSSx5kme0zwhyzz0CJLPhAkAnB1ZTpNWWtR/s200/176-5501.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5047561888643187970" border="0" /></a>There were only 30 SD80macs produced, and at the time that Kato first made the models (2001), they only wore a total of 3 paint schemes (5 if you count Conrail paint with NS or CSX patches) for 3 railroads. If Kato based its choices on the number of North American modelers who would have interest in a model, the SD80mac (and this hurts to say because I bleed Conrail Blue...) would not have been a smart choice.</p><br /><br /><p>However...</p><br /><br /><p>The Conrail SD80mac has a big story to it. It (and the its 90MAC bretheren) were the biggest and baddest engines around. They were the diesel equivalent of the UP Big Boys. They were also the engine that were emblematic of Conrail's ascent from a government supported wreck to highly prized takeover target.</p><br /><br /><p><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZxQO9C5w_kzxXJNRMghFocKkxA56PPRMnHKNLAifRT7P6_0QPy2lPYh1bkS22MaBm4UdN5205SsfzzqrwAdukW-P94Z1fbvlLm5Yu0kshAak_SM4kLJeyUCdakgx3b3ga91hNE-FSX3t/s1600-h/brad_2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPZxQO9C5w_kzxXJNRMghFocKkxA56PPRMnHKNLAifRT7P6_0QPy2lPYh1bkS22MaBm4UdN5205SsfzzqrwAdukW-P94Z1fbvlLm5Yu0kshAak_SM4kLJeyUCdakgx3b3ga91hNE-FSX3t/s200/brad_2.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5047563456306251026" border="0" /></a>Kato's own marketing copy supports this with phrases like "The SD80MAC is one of today's most powerful locomotives, seen throughout North America on Class I mainline railroads.", "Weighing in at more than 400,000 pounds and with a length in excess of 80 feet, the SD80MAC is one of the heaviest and longest single diesel locomotive in the world.", and "The behemoth SD80MAC can generate up to 5,000 horsepower." further illustrates this.</p>These models were not one of Kato's most stellar selling models, and a number of them were, up until recently, if not currently, still available from Kato. This is also evident in the small number of re-runs that they have done, only offering one more run of these after the initial one, and that of the remaining paint schemes that they wore. Since that time one more scheme can be added to the list, but I would be very surprised to see these being made again any time soon.<br /><br /><h2>The Zephyrettes</h2>The Budd RDC falls squarely into Kato Japan's core competencies. They make a large number of RDC like Japanese trains. It is very logical therefore for them to make the North American equivalent. What seems to puzzle many North American modelers was their roadname choice. In this case, Kato went for flashy paintschemes or big stories, like the <a href="http://www.katousa.com/n-scale/RDC-article-Fitzgerald.html" target="_blank">Western Pacific's "Zephyrettes"</a>, or the rugged appeal of the Alaskan Wilderness. This is the only way to make any sense out of their choice to make them in Northern Pacific (who had fewer than 10 RDCs), but not in Boston & Maine (the proud owner of nearly 100 of them).<p>As a result of their tendency to make models of standout prototypes, many modelers claim that Kato has a strong bias toward western roadnames. I think that while they may seem to make a disproportionate number of models for western roadnames, it is not that they favor these individual roads, but that these roads simply have more "drama" that can easily be sold in their home market of Japan.</p><h2>The California Zephyr</h2>The California Zephyr set was Kato's first real attempt to bring the approach that they bring to Japanese models to an American one. Most every dealer that I have talked to labels these, without a doubt, a real commercial success. Instead of only marketing individual models, with the CZ, Kato offered a model of a "train". They produced the cars and packaged them in a way that sold their iconic status, and touted the story and drama that made the real CZ interesting. They then also produced the assorted locomotives that pulled the train. With these locomotives, they didn't aim for the widest cross section of modelers, instead, they aimed for the ones with the best story to be told. <blockquote>Although Santa Fe's red and silver "Warbonnet" may be the most recognized PA, there were many other notable paint schemes. Delaware & Hudson purchased four second-hand PA locomotives from Santa Fe, simply replacing their blue for Santa Fe's red. Two have recently been repatriated from Mexico and are undergoing restoration."</blockquote><br /><br /><h2>The Coalporters</h2>Kato initially waded into the American freight car market with ACF covered hoppers. These cars were not found to be a commercial success, so for their second foray into this crowded marketplace, Kato came out with something that initially puzzled many modelers: the Bethgon Coalporter. Why would Kato come out with a model that had three other competitors? Deluxe Innovations, LBF and Athearn were all either making or planning on making these models. None of them were truly perfect models, but they were all good enough to make many modelers very happy.<br /><p>Kato, however, saw a chance to package these cars (in peoples minds) with a number of existing and upcoming locomotives. These cars are iconic in the modern era, with strings of them being used from coast to coast. They tied in perfectly with Kato's existing AC4400s, SD70s, SD80 and 90macs, and planned (at the time) modern era (because of their ditchlights) SD40-2s. Kato was able to market these cars by selling the idea of "hauling the precious black diamonds which drive the majority of North America's heating and power services" (<a href="http://www.katousa.com/N/Coalporter/index.html" target="_blank">taken from Kato's CoalPorter mini-site</a>) instead of just "these are coal cars". </p>Given the number of times that Kato has "gone back to the well" with these cars, they must be seen as a financial success, and as more evidence that their marketing plan works.<br /><br /><br /><h2>The Maxi Stacks</h2>Kato followed up their successful foray into modern freight car production with another iconic model: The Gunderson Maxi-IV Well Cars. These cars are an integral part of modern railroading, enabling, in conjunction with coal traffic, railroads to reach new levels of efficiency and profitability. Combine this prototype importance with the imagery of modern day big time railroading, and you find an easy package to sell.<br /><br /><br /><h2>So what does this mean?</h2>Kato seems to get a bad rap with a lot of modelers for seeming to only be making western models. While this is an over reaching generalization, the truth is that the models that Kato ends up producing are not geographically biased, but are biased toward models for which a story can be told or have some flash. It just so happens that these tend to be models of western prototypes.<br /><p><span style="font-style: italic;">It's interesting to note that when I had started writing this post about 6 months ago, in this very space I predicted a PRR Broadway Limited set being made. It turns out now that this is the case, but I'm leaving the post as it was below.</span><br /></p><p>I would not be surprised to someday see a model of the Pennsylvania Railroad's Broadway Limited, but if it appears, I would also not be surprised if a follow on model of the New York Central's 20th Century Limited was also produced, because their races between New York City and Chicago could prove to be a good story to tell. I could also see models of a New York to Florida passenger train, like the Champion, being made. However, I would be very surprised to see a model of something like Pennyslvania's other passenger trains, like the Liberty Limited that linked Baltimore and Buffalo, or even the Congressional which linked Washington DC and New York. </p>When you view Kato's releases in this light, a lot of their seemingly strange behavior becomes completely logical (like Algoma Central SD40s). What this understanding may still never be able to help, however, is many modeler's disappointment when their beloved prototypes don't seem to be iconic trains in Kato's view.<br /><br /><h2>One other thought</h2>Then again, the other explanation for Kato's perceived western road bias could simply be that they have reviewed their sales numbers, and find that ATSF, BNSF, UP and CB&Q consistently sell out, while models like their Southern E8s collect dust on their warehouse shelves.<br /><br /><h2>Image credits</h2>Conrail Cadillacs: The SD80MAC - <a href="http://www.sd80mac.com/" target="_blank">SD80mac.com/</a><br />Kato USA: <a href="http://www.katousa.com/" target="_blank">KatoUSA.com</a>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02352219829126964688noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540711786045571877.post-19629168315912133802007-12-12T06:43:00.001-05:002007-12-12T06:47:00.227-05:00Build or Buy?I work as a software engineer for a major pharmaceutical company; our group develops applications for chemists and research scientists of many disciplines. When we are approached by a research team or department to address a potential new challenge, one of the first questions we ask ourselves before lifting a finger is, do we build it, or buy it?<br /><br />It's hard to know the right answer, because there is usually a long list of pros and cons for either approach. Generally speaking, buying has the potential of bringing a project to completion in weeks instead of months, but it requires a substantial capital outlay, and the project may still get bogged down with customizations required to get the application into a form suitable for the users. Building has the potential of providing an application that precisely suits the users' needs, but it might come at an expense of effort measured in man-years; we might also lack the internal talent required to deliver certain highly specialized solutions.<br /><br />Perhaps not surprisingly, model railroaders face the same issues when it comes to creating our layouts. Do we build our models, or buy them?<br /><br /><img alt="" src="http://whiteriverandnorthern.net/images/tower_4a.gif" width="400" border="0" /><br /><br />Building a model is naturally very satisfying. And it results in something unique, something that will not be found on any other layout. Even before construction begins, though, a substantial time investment is necessary in order to research both the actual object as well as the model construction materials and techniques. It may also require skills that not everyone possesses, so it may not be an option for some of us.<br /><br />Buying a model provides instant gratification and accelerates layout-building, allowing us to reach a satisfying level of completion earlier, leaving us more time to operate and enjoy our layouts. Also, being less emotionally attached to our models frees us to experiment more, to move or replace them in order to try different approaches.<br /><br />Most modelers strike a balance and do both: it's impractical (or impossible) for many to scratchbuild locomotives and rolling stock. Indeed, it's safe to say that the vast majority of modelers buy their rolling stock: there would otherwise not be so much discussion (sometimes rather heated) at online forums over the accuracy of commercial locomotives and such.<br /><br />Just as it is in the business world, though, time is every bit a commodity as materials. Scratchbuilding is of course more economical than buying kits or built-ups from a materials standpoint, but one must also factor in the time involved. These days, with time being a key factor in both my work and hobby budgets, I'm inclined to look at my modeling effort as an investment. That $20 kit might only represent $5 of materials if scratchbuilt, but it might take $100 of my time to scratchbuild it. Another business parallel is the Return on Investment (ROI) angle: will it be worth the effort to scratchbuild certain mundane detail items when perfectly adequate kits exist?<br /><br /><img alt="" src="http://whiteriverandnorthern.net/images/detail_02a.jpg" width="400" border="0" /><br /><br />Lately, as I attempt to squeeze in a few precious minutes of modeling here and there in my crazy-busy schedule, I face the build or buy question almost continuously. As is the case for my work, I much prefer to build because it is far more satisfying, and I get exactly what I want (more or less, depending on skill and a bit of luck). But when my modeling progress can be measured in inches per year instead of feet, I must stop and think hard about striking a compromise in order to achieve my goals in a more realistic timeline. Yes, I realize that others will recognize nearly every building in my model town, and this will not accurately reflect my true desires or skills as a modeler. But at least I have a town, which would not be the case if I built everything from scratch.<br /><br />For the time being, buying rather than building is a stop-gap measure, a means to cut to the chase and get up and running more quickly. I know that when I retire, all of the business-like time/cost factors will go away; I will be able to kick back and spend large blocks of time modeling at a leisurely pace, and I will almost always build before I buy, no question.<br /><br />But I'd still like to be able to run a train through a landscape populated by buildings and scenery <em>before</em> I retire! So, out comes the plastic, and to the web stores I go a-shopping. (I like to further justify this approach by thinking that my relatively tiny contribution helps to support the growth of the industry...)<br /><br />Thankfully, those of us who choose to buy—whatever our reasons—know that we are perhaps enjoying the "golden years" of model railroading right now. Never before has there been such a bountiful crop of quality goods. For some, it's the only way they will be able to enjoy a layout right now; for others, it's the only way to enjoy a layout at all.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540711786045571877.post-12238085875516032622007-10-23T15:35:00.001-04:002007-10-23T23:24:41.927-04:00What is model railroading?I joke that I have been a practicing modeler since I was two.<br /><br />One day, just before Christmas I decided that the operations on the christmas layout (not to be confused with the serious model railroad living in the basement) were not prototypical enough, and that it needed something. While my mother cooked dinner, and my father was at work, I took out my fisher price tools (the safe screwdriver was key here) and set to work. Somehow I pried up some spikes and removed some rail joiners and re-laid some track. Where these came from, and the other mechanics of how I did this are all lost to the intervening 23 years of time, but model I did, I assure you. My parents discovered my handiwork, and being suitably impressed (my father was a modeler himself, hence the layout in the basement) asked me what I had done. I informed them, very matter of factly that I had installed a passing siding.<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/RmIo9-YmxWI/AAAAAAAAB2M/t2Ra3VbevFY/s800/DSCF7379.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://lh4.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/RmIo9-YmxWI/AAAAAAAAB2M/t2Ra3VbevFY/s800/DSCF7379.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Now, while you may say that what I did was playing, I posit that this was my first true modeling experience. I performed three individual behaviors that I find myself repeating to this day.<br /><br />I observed reality. As a child (and even one of a scant two years old) my parents would make the pilgrimage to Strasburg PA's bastion of steam, Strasburg Railroad, what seemed like monthly during the summer. Arguably, this was my first real immersion in the world of prototype railroading, and I credit it for many of my later tastes. At Strasburg, I observed that real trains used passing sidings in their business of being railroads. I also observed that steam locomotives are loud, and that the headlight on their 2-10-0 #90 came from the pyle manufacturing company, and that it had a Sinclair style radio antenna on the cab. I also observed the color of the ballast, the color of the trees and the automobiles in the parking lot.<br /><br />I filtered the reality that I observed and identified traits which seemed important to me as elements representing the reality that I observed. This process began with my observations of reality. At that point I made conscious and unconscious decisions about what parts of the experience I wanted to remember and committed to memory. When I was two, I imagine the aspects of reality which I committed to memory were much more unconscious than conscious, but I believe that the majority of what we modelers absorb is done this way. I know that lately I've been consciously looking at and attempting to digest the patterns of vegetation near various rights of way (railroad, highway, etc) so that I can better understand them and then reproduce them, but most of my modeling is based on experiences and observations that I did not intentionally commit to memory, but I know are there whenever I see something that "looks right". This process of interpretation is not restricted to long term memory. It also comes into play when observing photographs (since there is always a selective impression, call it memory of what we see in a photograph, even if we almost immediately perform an action based on a photo). When I look at a photograph of a locomotive in a scene, I may see take away "they used that locomotive in that service at that time", while another modeler might notice the weathering pattern on the trucks, while yet another may note that the three radiator fan styles do not match and a final may observe "wow, that locomotive looks particularly handsome in that paint scheme". I believe that how we process our observations through the process of selective recall largely dictates our modeling tastes and pursuits, even if we don't consciously acknowledge it. When I was two and performing my first track-work, I couldn't tell you the manufacturer of the headlight adorning 90's smoke-box, but I could tell you it needed a passing siding to run around its train at each end of its run.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh6.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/RlUFST_7XjI/AAAAAAAABdw/g1wh-W1e1qI/s800/IMG_5119.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://lh6.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/RlUFST_7XjI/AAAAAAAABdw/g1wh-W1e1qI/s800/IMG_5119.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />I attempted to recreate the filtered reality in miniature. My reproduction of my observed reality was what lies, I believe, at the crux of what we all do in our modeling. We create our own interpreted versions of reality in miniature. Modelers do this in a vast array of ways. From very abstract versions of reality represented in many tinplate style layouts (that I have observed are not always O gauge, and since we do not seem to have agreed apon genre terminologies in model railroading, I use the term despite it's reference to a specific scale, guage and even manufacturer) to highly researched and intricately detailed layouts that are aim to represent a very specific prototype on a specific date. Our ability to recreate our filtered reliability rest in our skill levels in the various aspects of modeling, and the value we place on these aspects. For example, modelers who are primarily focused on solving the often complex engineering problems posed by model railroading may not care that their ability to recreate a winter forest scene is lacking, but they may be very interested in advancing their skills with a soldering iron, and what advancing that skill means for how rewarding they find the hobby. Conversely, my lack of soldering ability does not hold me back from enjoying the hobby because I don't tackle complex soldering projects, instead I focus on an aspect I do find rewarding, such as scene building. Some other modelers do not seem intent on replicating the details of reality, instead relying on more symbolic representations of reality to replicate their interpreted version of reality. It may not matter to model railroaders of this persuasion that they are creating more a caricature of reality than a reproduction, they still derive their enjoyment from their attempts.<br /><br />In rebuilding my family's Christmas layout, I performed all three of these key modeling functions, and I whole heartedly believe that that was my first true model railroading experience.<br /><br />I also believe that the spectrum of modelers that exist fans out not from different realities which they observe, but the different ways in which they interpret them, and the different ways they attempt to create the versions of reality that they have constructed in miniature form.<br /><br />I also believe that much of the conflict that often arises on model railroad fora stems from the fact that we, as a community of hobbyists, have never really discussed and acknowledged these differences. Recognizing the differences in individuals modeling efforts as differences of approach as opposed to differences in value would be an step toward calming some of the animosity that often seems to manifest itself between "Tin platers" and "Deputized rivet counting members of the proto police".Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02352219829126964688noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540711786045571877.post-29539009856418472172007-10-02T12:35:00.000-04:002007-10-21T07:58:09.426-04:00What Am I Modeling?Railroads are intensely interesting to me. Modeling is intensely interesting to me. It should therefore come as no surprise that I am a model railroader, and have been since the mid-60s. But what specifically am I modeling, and why is it all so intensely interesting?<br /><br />Ed has <a href="http://ttamt.blogspot.com/2007/09/model-railroading-scope-or-im-ok-youre.html">previously explored</a> some the many kinds of modeling that we do. Some choose to recreate the day-to-day operations of a line of interest. Some wish to accurately represent a railroad and its setting with no desire to reproduce its operations. Others have no inclination to remain faithful to any real railroad, and simply enjoy seeing model trains in action. These are but a few of the many possible flavors of modeler.<br /><br />I've had a hard time classifying my modeling. While I am generally reticent to pigeon-hole myself, recent forum discussions and blog entries have had me pondering the meaning and purpose of my modeling efforts. Presently I am sitting on a commuter train bound for New York City, and as I have on nearly every such trip I've taken—which is a great many, since at one time I commuted to the Big Apple for several years—I am passing the time by studying the railroad.<br /><br /><img alt="" src="http://whiteriverandnorthern.net/images/blogscan10.jpg" border="0" width="400" /><br /><br />I see countless disused spurs, bridges, industries and other railroading artifacts—so many that it's often depressing. For example, I am right now passing a big old factory complex near Newark, a sprawling sea of crumbling brick laced with a cobweb of rails buried in dirt. I wish I'd brought my camera. But this is a business trip, and I prefer to travel as lightly as possible, so I have only my laptop.<br /><br />Perhaps it's just as well that I am without camera; I might otherwise be focused on taking photographs. Instead I'm focused on my feelings as I study the world outside, and recording them in near-real time. As a result, I'm coming to a better sense of my modeling passion: I want to bottle the bittersweet, melancholy mood I experience as I take in the remains of that great icon of the industrial revolution.<br /><br /><img style="margin: 3px 6px 0px 0px; float: left;" alt="" src="http://whiteriverandnorthern.net/images/blogscan1.jpg" />It explains why my last layout had so much abandoned track. I rationalized it as a means to heighten the realism of a modern-day setting; yet, for practical reasons, we all model things selectively, so why would I choose to include so much of something most modelers rightfully consider a waste of precious real estate? Because it supported the mood I wished to capture and convey.<br /><br /><img alt="" src="http://whiteriverandnorthern.net/images/blogscan4.jpg" border="0" width="400" /><br /><br />My last layout also featured a vast factory complex, all abandoned save for a small recycling center staked out under an old transfer crane. One of the recycling center's most prominent features was an enormous pile of palettes, which was inspired by one that I passed on my commuter trips. The factory was an amalgam of many such places in and around Trenton, not far from where I lived.<br /><br /><img style="margin: 0px 0px 0px 4px; float: right;" alt="" src="http://whiteriverandnorthern.net/images/blogscan7.jpg" />A favorite activity of mine is chasing down old rail lines. I get a little thrill when I spot a strip of trees marking the path of a long-abandoned right-of-way, and then find it on an old map. For a long time I harbored a desire to render a map of New Jersey that detailed the condition of every rail line that ever existed in the state, all supported by field research. After a while, I came to realize that this was a much bigger task than I was ready to tackle, not to mention that I'd probably be eternally frustrated not being able to model everything I found.<br /><br />I also have this inexplicable attraction to abandoned factories. Anything from a few telltale foundation stones peeking out from beneath the brambles in a wooded lot to enormous brick mausoleums housing the rusted remains of machinery—I'm drawn to them like a moth to candles. And if the factory was served by rail, all the better.<br /><br /><img alt="" src="http://whiteriverandnorthern.net/images/blogscan6.jpg" border="0" width="400" /><br /><br />Thus the recurring theme of my recent modeling has been a depiction not of what was, as in period modeling, but of what remains. Somehow, owing to my singular personality, seeing things that are still standing is more evocative than seeing things the way they used to be. It's as if I'm an archaeologist (which I might have been in an alternate life) preserving artifacts as they are just before the dig or the reconstruction.<br /><br /><img alt="" src="http://whiteriverandnorthern.net/images/blogscan3.jpg" border="0" width="400" /><br /><br />I'm not a rivet counter, but I enjoy modeling things with lots of rusty old rivets, and doing so as realistically as possible. I'm not married to modeling a particular railroad, but there are a few real roads that attract my attention because of where and when they ran. I'm not much interested in operation, but I do like learning about it, if only to get a feel for what used to take place among the weeds where I'm standing. I'm not much closer to comprehending <em>why</em> this is all so for me, but at least I've connected some of the dots and finally become better aware of <em>what</em> exactly I'm modeling.<br /><br />I am modeling a mood.<br /><br /><img alt="" src="http://whiteriverandnorthern.net/images/blogscan9.jpg" border="0" width="400" />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540711786045571877.post-3695029833515073392007-09-30T12:10:00.000-04:002007-09-30T14:11:01.212-04:00Weathering Black: Ideas for Weathering the Hardest Color to Weather.When my friends and I get together to discuss modeling, we almost always discuss weathering. And in our conversations, we always talk about how difficult it is to weather black locomotives and freight cars. How come it's so difficult? For starters, it's almost impossible to get rust colors to "show up" on a black surface. Simply painting surface rust and rust streaks over black is futile - the paint disappears unlike it does on lighter colors like yellow or even boxcar red. So before you weather black, you have to take extra steps to fade the black before you do any weathering work. Ok, follow along.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Getting Started</span><br /><br />I wanted to paint Kato's new NW2 into Indiana Harbor Belt's early scheme. This scheme lasted at least until the late 70's, and a look through all the photos on http://www.rrpicturearchives.net show some pretty well-worn IHB prototypes. So in this example, we have the flexibility of mixing colors that custom painting affords. If your model is already painted and just needs weathering, the ideas in this article can also be used.<br /><br />I start by stripping the Kato paint with 91% alcohol. It takes a few hours for the alcohol to break down the paint so that it can be brushed away with a toothbrush.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Layers of Grime</span><br /><br />Typically, a black engine or freight car's will fade to a variety of gray/dirt/grime colors. It really depends on the prototype. It's possible to have a layer of green grime, tan dust, gray or brown dirt over top of a base coat of black or a faded black (maybe this is dark gray-again, it depends!). In the prototype photo that I chose to model, there was a fairly black base coat still showing through patches of gray, green, and tan.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Painting the Base Coat</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8IhoLD7K8CJkDycRdXvcHCrNE0yezMfAFPg65x4MlumUtJy5rGySXAkJTThTyVt3FftjxZoM2sM_sBJdc4z9iexl_FLprIADCOQPRs8I-reD9unW-1FLE9ksTNYARTDQBH7ZMYwZLUOsX/s1600-h/nw2_01a.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj8IhoLD7K8CJkDycRdXvcHCrNE0yezMfAFPg65x4MlumUtJy5rGySXAkJTThTyVt3FftjxZoM2sM_sBJdc4z9iexl_FLprIADCOQPRs8I-reD9unW-1FLE9ksTNYARTDQBH7ZMYwZLUOsX/s400/nw2_01a.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116030685805130962" border="0" /></a>I chose a slightly lighter color than black for a base coat - Polyscale Tarnished Black. If you have an already decorated model, you probably want to skip this step, since it'll cover up any heralds and road numbers. In this case, apply a fade coat to your model by painting with a thinned light tan or gray color. Note that in this photo, the shift away from true black is drastic. Subsequent additions of color will darken the model.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Adding "Dirty Blends"</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjznwuUe8uhDL2Vt94cvxIdka9M6hPIx7Mp8tJmfHiwS3QwZOzM3zWPjQA4l8rtJ4ZokhZXiOcP60cGV3dM4cvWFuGN9FCGShNrHJWwtSg40NF48Zd2TTCba78oJcqiq5kTzz6E5rnu9j/s1600-h/nw2_01.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjjznwuUe8uhDL2Vt94cvxIdka9M6hPIx7Mp8tJmfHiwS3QwZOzM3zWPjQA4l8rtJ4ZokhZXiOcP60cGV3dM4cvWFuGN9FCGShNrHJWwtSg40NF48Zd2TTCba78oJcqiq5kTzz6E5rnu9j/s400/nw2_01.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116053616635524322" border="0" /></a>The idea here is to apply overlapping colors with the airbrush, or if you choose, paint brush. Try a combination of dry brushing and washes. Remove some colors with 70% alcohol. Apply some surface rust.<br /><br />Black washes allow you to tone down and blend colors that appear too bright. Since correction is so easy, it's better to go too light than too dark in the base coat.<br /><br /><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Conclusion</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifdX3-lAdokq8HNBby0mQubVNty5DA3jyrR6yv5qW6tYU7G-_SUzUk1Mau4VoYML-C8F4Wb8shDFTAeo_glCsX0ctuCeLPoU2RPdHAIMfr7oNOERoVqbxZpRU0r3ivClzNwQbzzt36bfEW/s1600-h/nw2_02.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEifdX3-lAdokq8HNBby0mQubVNty5DA3jyrR6yv5qW6tYU7G-_SUzUk1Mau4VoYML-C8F4Wb8shDFTAeo_glCsX0ctuCeLPoU2RPdHAIMfr7oNOERoVqbxZpRU0r3ivClzNwQbzzt36bfEW/s400/nw2_02.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5116058783481181426" border="0" /></a>By starting with a color lighter than black, any weathering you apply will "pop". Try these ideas out on hoppers and tank cars!Tom Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09139662396376017689noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540711786045571877.post-68367209911779559202007-09-24T16:49:00.000-04:002007-09-25T09:45:19.752-04:00Model Railroading Scope (Or I'm ok, you're ok)In the professional services business in which I work, we have a term called "scope". It basically is used to refer to what work falls under a contract, and what doesn't, or what we're doing on a project, and what we're NOT doing on a project.<br /><br />A recent thread on TheRailwire got me thinking about how different many modelers are. The old notion of "we each enjoy our trains differently, and that's ok" is often brought out whenever there's an ideological disagreement on various forums to extinguish flame wars.<br /><br /><a href="http://therailwire.net/smf/index.php?topic=13656.0">http://therailwire.net/smf/index.php?topic=13656.0</a><br /><br />This notion is an important one in the hobby, allowing "daisy pickers" to coexist along side "rivet counters" without igniting feuds. However, I've realized that there's something else at work here. Aside from how seriously modelers take all this stuff, there is also a spectrum of what type of "serious" modeler people are.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.nmra.org/nmra_ads/living6.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://www.nmra.org/nmra_ads/living6.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-size:85%;">(Photo changed, Sorry Jerry!)</span><br /><br />It's very possible to be serious about building a model of "a railroad". For years, Tony Koester championed this from the pages of RMC and Model Railroader. His Allegheny Midland was a wonderful model of a railroad (even though it was freelanced). He modeled the way a railroad works, but the rolling stock and structures were important in as much as they supported the model of the railroad itself. Structures should all be roughly uniform, as that's how a real railroad does things. Locomotives and rolling stock should all be accurate in as much as they represent an accurate "fleet". While Tony had many outstanding individual models, I believe that they still existed mostly to support "the railroad". In this mindset, the individual "work" is the layout itself and the railroad system that it represents.<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.ij2006.org/HomeLayouts/HowardZane5.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://www.ij2006.org/HomeLayouts/HowardZane5.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />On the other hand, it's very possible for a modeler to be very serious about building individual models. NMRA contest rooms are full of these models, and while some may exist in the context of a larger modeling endeavor, many were built to stand on their own as outstanding individual works. They may end up being part of a layout, but in this case, the layout serves as a place for these individual models. Howard Zane's outstanding layout, I believe, falls into this category. Howard has a basement (plus) of very well done models, of both rolling stock and structures, however, Howard's layout "functions" to serve as a display place for these models. In this view, the "work" is the individual models, and the supporting items (like track, for example) are not the focus of the modeling.<br /><br />These schools of thought are not always conscious decisions, but often seem to stem from the smaller micro-decisions of what's "good enough" that take place in all model railroaders minds. For some "good enough" means that the mix of cars in a train are correct, even if they're riding on Kato's JDM spec Unitrack, while others won't care if the cars are of mixed eras, as long as they all have full brake rigging, while even others only care if they're all weathered, but look "wrong" unless they're all rolling along on hand laid code 25 rail with tie plates and joint bars.<br /><br />Either of the mindsets can be representative of people who take their modeling seriously (like I do), and I believe there is a mutual respect between people in both camps, but I believe that the more people acknowledge the existence of these camps, and the many modelers who try and straddle them both, the better and happier we will all be (mostly because it will spell the end of the "you're not a real modeler if you don't..." threads on forums).Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02352219829126964688noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540711786045571877.post-50434808967672448932007-09-04T14:16:00.001-04:002008-02-06T20:05:46.050-05:00Better Models for the Masses?It cannot be overstated that the quality of scale models (in this case, N, but generally any scale) is currently at an all-time high and still climbing. The steady advancement of technology has provided us with manufacturing capabilities unheard of just a couple of decades ago.<br /><br />That said, what good is quality, one may rightfully argue, if accuracy is not keeping pace? This thorny, argument-inducing issue is loaded with valid points to make on behalf of folks on both sides of the fence.<br /><br />In defense of the manufacturers, as in any business venture there's a point of diminishing returns. Even the largest model makers have finite budgets and resources. There is always a clear line in the sand beyond which the company begins to lose profitability on any given mass-produced product; the lower the development investment, the greater potential profit—and profit equals more goodies for us. It is therefore necessary for us to accept that there will be a "good enough" rule applied across the board. We must also expect to see at least some "fantasy schemes" so that products find the broadest possible market and generate the greatest ROI.<br /><br />The "good enough" rule involves two aspects of production: research and tooling. There are just so many human-hours that can be invested in researching a model before the budget is blown. And as for tooling, there may be a point at which a scale-width hood becomes prohibitively costly to tool owing to hard stops such as motor size. Yes, it may be feasible to make the hood the right width, but that last six scale inches may come at the expense of a different, more costly motor or all-new tooling for a chassis that could have been recycled from another loco.<br /><br />In defense of the modelers, many errors would cost nothing to correct: the right paint color or road number costs the same as paint of the wrong. As <a href="http://ttamt.blogspot.com/2007/08/mike-skibbe-sums-it-up.html">Mike Skibbe summed it up in a previous post</a>, getting it right expands the potential market: it will then appeal to the prototype modelers as well as the casual consumers (which includes collectors) who enjoy the model just the way it is, warts and all.<br /><br /><img alt="" src="http://whiteriverandnorthern.net/images/cp_rail_flat.jpg" width="400" border="0" /><br /><br />Let's take a specific example: for September 2007, Micro-Trains released a CP Rail 89-foot trailer flat loaded with intermodal containers, number 521135. However, this number is part of a series used for AAR type P782 81-foot flats (center photo, CP 521133). If they'd wanted to get closer to reality, they should have used a number between 5217XX and 5223XX, which appear on CP Rail AAR type P880 89-foot flats (bottom photo, CP 521719). Although the CP Rail cars have open decks, unlike the models, Micro-Trains could have improved matters a bit by positioning the containers at the extreme ends of the car. (Top photo, Micro-Trains; center and bottom photos, Joe Rogers, Railroad Pictures Archive.)<br /><br />This information was obtained after just a few minutes of online searching. Which raises a curious issue: the Internet has become an incredibly potent research tool. It certainly cannot be a huge strain on a manufacturer to spend some quality time with Google, yet obvious and presumably avoidable discrepancies continue to appear time and again. As another example, the number boards on a soon-to-be-released diesel are off the mark, as several photographs of the real deal clearly illustrate. What is the reason for this oversight?<br /><br />Once again, the manufacturer may have had any number of limitations imposed on the model's production; much goes on behind the scenes, out of our view. With respect to the number board problem, older tooling is being recycled. In other situations, getting absolutely every aspect of the model accurate may not be feasible given time and budget constraints. And, since most tooling is done overseas, there may be communications problems or quality control issues on the contractor's end. We could not hope to know all of the details.<br /><br />Let us not overlook, too, the fact that tooling is an art form, despite being the domain of computers these days. Blueprints and photographs must be interpreted by humans before tooling can commence, and the results reflect the skill of those individuals responsible for the interpretation. Layer on the complicating factors of fitting everything over a mechanism designed by other engineers, and you have ample opportunities for the model to drift astray from reality. To see all of this in practical form, take three models of the same locomotive from three different manufacturers: they should all be identical, or nearly so, yet each is different—sometimes subtly, sometimes radically. Why? It's the quality of interpretation.<br /><br />But take heart, as we may be witnessing an opportunity to make everyone happy, or perhaps at least happier. Online forums are being frequented by both manufacturers and their customers. This free exchange of information and perspective may provide the means for even better, more accurate models. But this assumes one thing: everyone remains civil. It seems inevitable that some hot-headed rivet-counter starts spouting off about how incredibly stupid everyone is at XYZ Company for having gotten the stenciling on a gondola wrong. If I were a manufacturer, I would not be inclined to go the extra mile to satisfy people like this. Would you?<br /><br />All of this has given rise to one overarching question in the back of my mind: Why are some modelers getting so fussy? Our models are better-looking and more accurate than ever before. Are we becoming jaded? With a cornucopia of steadily-improving products, are we now beginning to expect too much? It used to be that prototype modelers were generally content to modify their models as needed to achieve accuracy. Now it seems some won't even buy a product unless it is perfect right out of the mold. What they don't seem to realize is that they're shooting themselves in the foot; not supporting a model maker reduces the chances of seeing more products, let alone better ones.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540711786045571877.post-27120536550947651972007-08-28T10:44:00.000-04:002007-08-28T11:29:48.931-04:00Post ModerN Modeling: Nothing is almost still too much<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/CRHSSummerRailBQ/photo#5093953135104447602"><img src="http://lh4.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/RrFbYzBjVHI/AAAAAAAADI8/gTirABfCnfI/s400/IMG_5904.jpg" /></a>In my studies in college, we talked a lot about Post Modernism, the evolution and rejection of "modernism". It's tough to pin down a definition of "post modern", but this is the best I could pull from <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Postmodernism">Wikipedia</a> .<br /><blockquote>...postmodernism tends to refer to a cultural, intellectual, or artistic state lacking a clear central hierarchy or organizing principle and embodying extreme complexity, contradiction, ambiguity, diversity, and interconnectedness or interreferentiality.<br /></blockquote><br />I've realized that the rejection of traditional modeling concepts has driven me toward trying many different things in my modeling. While many traditional modelers will often try to pack as much "railroading" as possible into a space, I've been determined recently to do almost the exact opposite, and pack as little railroading into a space as possible.<br /><br />I was presented many possibilities for my home layout when I began it. Many of these suggestions were that I needed "more" in the space. My good friend Lee has built an entire paper mill and junction on his layout (online at <a href="http://www.wmrywesternlines.net/">WMRYWesternlines.net</a>) in the same square footage that I afforded to a ridge of trees.<br /><br />This drive makes many things tricky, like incorporating any operational interest in a small space. I believe in making scenes as large as they deserve to be, and I find trying to scale these things down to manageable and modelable sizes is an even steeper challenge than I bet it is for many others out there.<br /><br />Take my recent work on a oNeTRAK module for <a href="http://bantrak.net/?q=onetrak">BANTRAK</a> for example. I struggle to fit prototypical scenes into my door sized layout at home, but fitting something that I felt worth modeling into a 1'x4' module poised an even larger challenge. At first I thought about trying to model something very mundane, which is also part of what I feel makes my modeling thought post modern.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/StrasburgRailroadJune22007/photo#5071661111131424034"><img src="http://lh5.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/RmIo6OYmxSI/AAAAAAAAB1s/VgdxSwsqCNY/s400/DSCF7372.jpg" /></a>My first thought was just a stretch of track, on a slight embankment, like in <a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/RailfanningHarrisburgAllentownBethlehem/photo#5069286188997369938">Macungie PA</a> or this scene at Strasburg. (Just look at how post modern THIS is, it's even of the rear of the engine!)<br /><br />I had thought about doing something like a simple block signal. This is something that is barely ever done on a model railroad. It seems like every signal is there for an junction, an interlocking, or just for show. I thought that doing an intermediate, boring, block signal location would be a fun change of pace, and something novel. I may still revisit this in the future, as I still think it is an interesting idea.<br /><br />After discussing the clubs needs though, I realized that what was more important was a "destination" scene. Somewhere that would make some sense for trains to be going to. I agonized with this though, because I'm not good at this type of thing. I'm too aware of the actual sizes of things in real life (thanks there <a href="http://maps.live.com/default.aspx?v=2&cp=qnv6m68m5mss&style=o&lvl=2&amp;amp;tilt=-90&dir=0&alt=-1000&scene=2487968&encType=1">Maps.Live.Com</a> and your damn 3/4 view), and this was making coming up with a convincing concept difficult.<br /><br />After pouring over some Conrail ZTS maps, I realized that the ideal "industry" to model wasn't an industry at all. It was an interchange. But even with this minimalist maximalist destination, I'm still struggling.<br /><br /><a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/CRHSSummerRailBQ/photo#5093950455044854786"><img src="http://lh4.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/RrFY8zBjVAI/AAAAAAAADIA/b3exdbKy3P8/s400/IMG_5950.jpg" /></a>This all made me realized I'm really into modeling "nothing", that space between the scenes that everyone else is building. For every junction in real life, there are miles of boring straight track, that can be interesting in its details, but never gets any modeling attention. For every "hot spot" where 6 different lines all cross there are millions of more simple interlockings where it's a simple crossover between two tracks. For every bridge over a river, there are hundreds of more small bridges over creeks, and for each one of those, I'm betting there are 50 culverts over drainage ditches. I feel compelled to model more of these "mundane" things than the big ones. I'm not sure if this is just rebelliousness toward the modeling I was "brought up on" (and yes, I learned how to read with Model Railroader, and it took me a while to figure out that most of the world thought 2-8-2 actually meant negative eight), or maybe it's the desire to make a better representation of the real world in my modeling.<br /><br />Either way, I can attest to this. It makes planning anything "operational" a real pain in the ass.Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02352219829126964688noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540711786045571877.post-4716170046334851002007-08-02T13:13:00.000-04:002007-08-02T13:31:28.060-04:00Huberts: They're not LBF<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.hubertsrr.com/bmz_cache/1/18979d6cc99943768c696e87d9415d52.image.750x275.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://www.hubertsrr.com/bmz_cache/1/18979d6cc99943768c696e87d9415d52.image.750x275.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>People have been talking about Huberts Model Railroad Mfg Corp (<a href="http://www.hubertsrr.com/">http://www.hubertsrr.com/</a>) a bit now, and I wanted to weigh in on the topic.<br /><p><strong>They're NOT LBF</strong></p><br /><p>Ok, with that said, here's the deal. LBF/McKean Models/WTF has been around for a long time in a number of incarnations. Each new name meant a new, well, I don't know what, but a new name, and I think a new way to avoid dealing with old problems. From my understanding, it wasn't the most financially solid, or savvy company around, and given the tough nature of the Model Train Biz, it never did that well. Each incarnation started out strong, but as time progressed, the business didn't, and it would fail. </p><br /><p>Given this past yo-yo act, it's not surprising that many people (both consumers and retailers) are not apt to trust them. However, I've spoken with the guys from Huberts at the <a href="http://gsmts.com/" target="_blank">Timonium MD Show</a> and they've been very clear that they purchased the tooling from LBF, but not the business, meaning that the people behind LBF, it's debts and its assets are NOT under their control.</p><br /><p>I wish these guys the best. They have a good solid product (not quite as detailed as modern Atlas or Athearn stuff though) and a lineup of stuff not otherwise available. I wish their price point was somewhat lower, since $20 cars are a little out of my range, but I hope that these prices help them get off the ground and offer more good stuff.</p>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02352219829126964688noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540711786045571877.post-22924010628546635102007-08-01T17:40:00.000-04:002007-08-01T20:56:19.756-04:00Mike Skibbe Sums it UpFrom a thread on Trainboard about new Z scale boxcars, Mike Skibbe summed up my feelings about many manufacturer shortcomings. Check this out.<br /><blockquote>There is a misnomer that "Prototype Modelers" and "Rivet Counters" take things too seriously and arn't having fun. Things couldn't be further from the truth. We have tons of fun doing what we do too. The fun just comes in different ways. This is similar to the on-going debates about Tony Koester/Bill Darnaby hard core operators vs roundy-round runners. Many people say, "Oh, too many rules and it's too much like real work, that would never be fun for me." And they are probably correct, maybe they never would enjoy it. But for those that are really into operations, it's fun to follow the rules! It's fun to treat running trains like it was a real job. It doesn't make either camp wrong, and it certainly doesn't mean either group is "eternally frustrated."<br /><br /></blockquote><br />He continues, emphasis mine.<br /><blockquote>First, the NP geeps MTL just released. I read a review (Model Train News?) that said MTL used a number series on the NP that didn't have dynamic brakes, yet the model does have dynamics. The kicker is, that NP did own geeps with dynamic brakes! MTL just didn't use the right numbers. You say, "We can split hairs on what's "prototypical" or obvious structural differences, or we can strive to do the best we can with what we have and offer Road Names that help folks realize their dream layouts." Would it have cost any more to use the right number series on the NP geeps? Was using the wrong number really "striving to do the best with what's available"?<br /><br />The N and Z scale RI 40' boxcars in pullman green are another example. MTL put a non-Pullman Standard built number series on their PS1 boxcar body. Yet RI also had a number series that is almost a perfect match for the PS1, with the exact same paint scheme. Doing it right satisfies both the everyday modeler and the prototype modeler. Doing it wrong only satisfies the every day modeler. <strong>Why leave out a portion of the customer base, when doing it right doesn't cost any more?</strong><br /></blockquote><br /><br />From <a href="http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=89706&page=2">http://www.trainboard.com/grapevine/showthread.php?t=89706&page=2</a>Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02352219829126964688noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540711786045571877.post-76336636837410929972007-08-01T10:19:00.000-04:002007-08-01T10:23:24.125-04:00One of the best forum quotes in a while<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://zcentralstation.com/modules/xcgal/albums/userpics/10010/carside2.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 200px;" src="http://zcentralstation.com/modules/xcgal/albums/userpics/10010/carside2.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a>Care of the wise Tom Mann:<br /><blockquote>It is a mystery: why are the Hallmark ornaments usable models, yet the houses made by micro-trains are not usable models?</blockquote><br />In the new Z Scale forum on TheRailwire.net<br /><a href="http://therailwire.net/smf/index.php?topic=13183.0">http://therailwire.net/smf/index.php?topic=13183.0</a><br /><br />The photo is of Robert Ray's using the aforementioned cars. What amazing work.Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02352219829126964688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540711786045571877.post-47162690617854912902007-03-15T21:33:00.000-04:002007-03-15T21:49:29.414-04:00Quick Photo: I'm starting to like the town side of the layout<a href="http://picasaweb.google.com/ed.kapuscinski/ApartmentLayout/photo#5042328930478710354"><img src="http://lh3.google.com/image/ed.kapuscinski/RfnzcmXb3lI/AAAAAAAAAPM/O95hBmbbY-M/s400/IMG_3882.jpg" /></a><br />While shooting some photos of the mech reefers to show off on the Railwire Weathering Forum, I decided to take this grabber of 7883 posed on the team track on the town side of my current layout.<br />I was alway very nervous about getting this side of the layout right, but shots like this are starting to make me feel like I'm at least headed in the right direction.Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02352219829126964688noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540711786045571877.post-83775447117249590062007-03-14T23:29:00.000-04:002007-03-14T23:42:05.080-04:00Alan Curtis's models live on!<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://www.nscalesupply.com/Images/acm/ACM-022ACM.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 320px;" src="http://www.nscalesupply.com/Images/acm/ACM-022ACM.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />Discovered on the Atlas forum (<a href="http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=36268">forum TOPIC_ID=36268</a>), it looks like Alan Curtis's awesome (even though I've never bought one, being much more of a cheapskate RTR guy than I'll ever admit) cast metal kits will continue to be available.<br /><br />This is great news, since it had seemed that there was a chance that these great models would no longer be available. Also good news is that the new owner, Peter Harris, knows that the forums exist. If this is a good or bad thing remains to be seen, but good luck to Peter and anyone else at "N Scale Kits" (<a href="http://www.nscalekits.com/">http://www.nscalekits.com/</a>), the new company producing the models, you're sailing into scary waters.<br /><br />Alan Curtis's departure from the scene was one of the things that initially got me thinking about the state of the industry. Cottage manufactures (like ACM) have come and gone for a long time, but I had really hoped he had more staying power, since I know he had a number of interesting things in the works. The additional good news is that these new things that he was working on are still going to be done by NSK, which bodes VERY well for North Country Modelers.Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02352219829126964688noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-540711786045571877.post-56656254097317991162007-03-14T16:54:00.000-04:002007-03-14T22:50:58.357-04:00First post<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://lh4.google.com/image/ed.kapuscinski/RfMjJWXb3iI/AAAAAAAAAOo/EVsq_SIRfNs/s144/wyethavatar.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer;" src="http://lh4.google.com/image/ed.kapuscinski/RfMjJWXb3iI/AAAAAAAAAOo/EVsq_SIRfNs/s144/wyethavatar.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br />After a while of reading the various train fora, I have decided that there is some content that just belongs in a blog.<br /><br />There is a lot of intelligent discussion on these forums, from simple how to things, like paving a road, to discussions about upcoming products (and the pondering of just WHAT Kato is thinking these days), to discussions about why we are into trains. However, there is also a lot of plain bullshit on these forums as well. Posts about "how do I make my engines run in reverse", "why aren't my handrails installed for me?" etc dilute the high value content in these forums, and help obscure the real jems that they provide.<br /><br />I intend to discuss these issues that come up on the forums, cutting through the minor and day to day issues, and focus on big things about the hobby. The health of the industry, why we model, big product discussions, responses to published articles, things like this (and maybe some discussion about my layout and website), these are the types of things I want to cover.<br /><br />I hope that my readers find what I have to say interesting, and add to the discussion by posting replies in the comments below.Edhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02352219829126964688noreply@blogger.com2