Measure thrice...Cut once.... And everything else that has been mentioned...

For me several things:

1.Modeling a form of transportation one needs to know what a railroad is,what it does for a living and how it goes about doing its business.
of moving freight.

2.Rationalization of the railroad plant must be followed if one wants a believable freelance or prototypical layout.

3.Geography..One must study the area that his railroad runs through in order to emulate the area he/she intends to model.

4.History..Knowing the history of your railroad will help you select the correct cars and locomotives for the model era.Also,if one models Chessie,Conrail and other such roads he/she must know the signal type being used in that area.Let's say a modeler models CR on the former NYC.The modeler will need to use NYC style signals.If one models the C&O under Chessie then he/she needs to use the C&O style signal..See how it knowing the history of your railroad helps create a believable layout?

4.A familiarization study of the area being modeled is a must since we need to know the types of industries served by our railroad.

So,beyond the carpentry and electrical skills needed there is a host of other things we need to know and understand.

Don't forget to focus on FUN!!!!! There for a while I was getting so bogged down trying to model everything perfectly that it burned me out. I've since backed off a bit and am enjoying my hobby again!

...That Murphy was actually an optimist.

I've learned that cats like to go onto train layouts

I've learned that things can be done over again I you aren't happy with the result. I can try to do something even if I'm not sure if it'll turn out OK. That's helped me try projects that might have intimidated me before...like recently doing body work on my car...never did that before!

Ralph

Ralph Wrote:I've learned that things can be done over again I you aren't happy with the result. I can try to do something even if I'm not sure if it'll turn out OK. That's helped me try projects that might have intimidated me before...like recently doing body work on my car...never did that before! Ralph

" like recently doing body work on my car...never did that before! "

Was that:
A. putting the dents in?
B. Taking the dents out ?
C. All of the above?

Auto body work? Ya gotta do what ya gotta do!

Sumpter250 Wrote: " like recently doing body work on my car...never did that before! "

Was that:
A. putting the dents in?
B. Taking the dents out ?
C. All of the above?

Actually it was filling in a softball sized rust hole near the gas cap of my old Chevy Malibu. It turned out OK!
Ralph

I have learned:

~ That model railroaders with very few exceptions are "good friendly people" that don't have time for nonsense.

~That friendships can be cultivated and appreciated both online and in person because of this common interest

~ That I have learned and remember way more history and details by "Going" to the places that the history took place, rather than reading about them online or in a book

~ That I have very little patience for detail work but I do "try"

~ That I take better photographs outside the realm of modeling because of what I learned from taking layout pictures

~ That a railroad form lets us all know that others have the same difficulties with out layouts and therefore we can learn from each other, becuase someone always has had the same problem before and most always has a sloution!! (Murphy????)

~ I have learned that it was a great thing to keep The Gauge/Big Blue running, for all of us... It has proven to be a great thing!! Because of ALL the members here.....

The neat thing about a hobby like this is that I'm only accountable to myself & therefore more willing to take risks with it or experiment more.

So, if I do a really bad job on part of my layout, I don't have to worry about upsetting anyone other than myself! If I make a mistake, I simply learn from it (i.e. leaning the hard way how NOT to do something) and fix it myself. Plus, I can do all this at my own pace and on my own terms.

Rob

This hobby has taught me that I'm simultaneously mentally insane, yet possess extreme mental strength to persevere through challenges of model railroading.

I figure a good mix of crazy and smarts goes well for the hobby.

I probably couldn't quantify everything i learned. there are simple things like soldering, artistic things like using an airbrush, and common sense things like quit while you're ahead (i've literally twisted apart two glass paint jars because the lid wouldn't turn.)

That painting rolling stock in a closed room with no venta........What was the question again?

I learned that all the perfect right angles, smooth surfaces and precise aligned parts I produce are an illusion only.
The very truth is clearly visible on each and every photo I take.
But I do not give up!

eightyeightfan1 Wrote:That painting rolling stock in a closed room with no venta........What was the question again?