For years I had thought that the hobby of model railroading was becoming more commercial and less "personal creativity". Like the hobby was losing it's personality. Granted, there will always be some personal creativity, as each model railroad is different, each track plan and landscape created by it's owner. Reading old issues of the popular train mags you see the modelers of yesterday, with their scratchbuilt malleys and consolidations, running on handlaid track. Scratchbuilt structures, even home built transformers and dispatcher panels. Today all of these things are available commercially, and it is not uncommon to find the same kit built structures, trains, tracks, etc. on many layouts. I had thought this to be the doom of creativity in railroad modeling.

That being said I just wanted to make a statement. The modelers here at The Gauge have proven to me that not to be the case. The collection of people here, with their varied interests and talents, have proven time and time again that the "art" of model railroading, and railroad modeling, is alive and well. I will not list names, as I would undoubtably miss a name, or several, that deserve equal recognition, but the modelers present here at The Gauge represent some of the finest modelers and craftsmen in the hobby today. From scratchbuilt bridges and buildings, fine model railroads of modest, and not so modest size, shelf layouts, custom built steam and diesel locomotives, kitbashed figures... I remain impressed at the skills and abilities of the group. Indeed, the skills, and principles that started this hobby almost 90 years ago are still alive and well. And even though many of us will never acheive the official rank of "Master Model Railroader", many of you are, indeed, masters in your own right.


I would love to recognize individuals here, but again, I would inevitably leave someone out. So many of you have been an inspiration to me, and I look forward to watching and learning from you in the future, as I embark on my own journey to build a railroad model of my own. If I am able to acheive half of what you guys have shown me you are capable of, I will be in good shape.

Thanks guys!
Dave

i couldn` say it better!
Lots of niece peoples here.

Amen to that :-)

So what kept you from building your own layout? The only way to learn is to do it, even Einstein knew that ,not sure if he was a modelrailroader, but he could have been, as he said: He who never makes mistakes, never tries anything new! Al the more true for this great hobby, no matter what your interest, scale, budget, etc etc etc, you've named them all already.

Koos

You've illustrated why I stick around here instead of wandering to other forums. I've participated in other forums that are more specific to my modeling interests, but I enjoy the varied feedback of the people here. We've got all skill levels, ambitions, and techniques. This forum is fairly diverse. not just from a modeling perspective, but geographically and age wise. We've got grandpas and teenagers, and many members outside the USA, and I am quite thankful for that. Diversity means differing opinions and advice and that leads to better modeling. Another forum (more popular than this one) it seems people are more similar. Over there, people would tell you to pitch those 35 year old freight car kits instead of fooling with paint and detail. They'd discouraging you from using anything but the latest scenery product or track plan design. I don't see too much of that over here.

torikoos Wrote:So what kept you from building your own layout?
Koos

Space. But now I have space, and am starting, hopefully within the next month, on benchwork.

nachoman Wrote:You've illustrated why I stick around here instead of wandering to other forums. I've participated in other forums that are more specific to my modeling interests, but I enjoy the varied feedback of the people here. We've got all skill levels, ambitions, and techniques. This forum is fairly diverse. not just from a modeling perspective, but geographically and age wise. We've got grandpas and teenagers, and many members outside the USA, and I am quite thankful for that. Diversity means differing opinions and advice and that leads to better modeling. Another forum (more popular than this one) it seems people are more similar. Over there, people would tell you to pitch those 35 year old freight car kits instead of fooling with paint and detail. They'd discouraging you from using anything but the latest scenery product or track plan design. I don't see too much of that over here.

I am excited that we have young members in our group... proof that the hobby isn't dying, and quite frankly, those members from outside the USA are some of the best modelers whose work I have had the pleasure of reading about! We are lucky to have such a diverse membership. As for those 35 year old freight car kits, I just bought 2 more that need to be rebuilt and brought up to today's standards. YOU GUYS, here at The Gauge, taught me how to do that type of thing. I feel great that I can take a paper-sided reefer, an old stamped metal boxcar with wooden frame, and a cast zamac hopper car and make them look at home along side injection-molded plastic Accurail, Athearn, or ExactRail cars of today.

I agree Dave, the original post last paragraph hit it right on, on top of that seeing the progress made every day that everyone here does get done is sure well with a kudos. I however don't post much about it though because it would be an overkill of gratitude everyday

Puddlejumper Wrote:... I remain impressed at the skills and abilities of the group. Indeed, the skills, and principles that started this hobby almost 90 years ago are still alive and well. And even though many of us will never acheive the official rank of "Master Model Railroader", many of you are, indeed, masters in your own right.
I look forward to watching and learning from you in the future, as I embark on my own journey to build a railroad model of my own. If I am able to acheive half of what you guys have shown me you are capable of, I will be in good shape.
Thanks guys!
Dave

" M.M.R ".....letters, after a name, signifying that the person has passed someone Else's test.
The letters aren't important. It is the journey, and the things learned on that journey that truly matter. If you are " able to achieve half of what you guys have shown me you are capable of, I will be in good shape." , it will be twice what you might have achieved, by not taking the journey.

I think you have described, quite accurately, the heart of Big Blue. Thank You for that.

nachoman Wrote:... Another forum ... Over there, people would tell you to pitch those 35 year old freight car kits instead of fooling with paint and detail. They'd discouraging you from using anything but the latest scenery product or track plan design. I don't see too much of that over here.

Those are the same people who buy speed parts for their car and pay someone else to put them on, or pay $200 for a double-slip switch mounted on a piece of ballasted roadbed rather that "take the time" to learn how to do it themselves or at least buy a Shinohara item, nail it down on some homosote (or even cork) roadbed and ballast it themselves! And taking the time is the key phrase there! They just don't want to be bothered with taking the time to actually do any of the "work" involved in the hobby ... they just want the "stuff" without having to bother to put it together.

In my youth, we would tag these clowns as "posers" and treat them with distain ... they're "wanna-be's!" I have no time for them. Let them think they are so superior ... they are not capable of accomplishing squat! And my guess is that when it come to life, they won't fare any better, because they don't want to be bothered to put in the effort! Morons!

Those who frequent Big Blue at The-Gauge are REAL model railroaders, real model builders, real hobbiests. We are the ones who are really having the fun that the hobby has to offer!

And furthermore ... what Sumpter250 said!

I would agree completely with the first post. I've seen Galen's (ocaliecreek) modeling up "close and personal" when he lived here in So Cal and was a member of the modular club. I also have a bunch of old Athearn blue box reefers that I didn't know what to do with until I saw what Dr Wayne did with his Athearn ice bunker reefers.

I am an NMRA member and glad to be a member. I also won't bad mouth anyone who earns the MMR designation, but I won't do it unless the NMRA changes the criteria considerably. As it stands now, the basis of judging models for an MMR certificate is the same as contest judging. The problem is that it can be as subjective as up to the individual judge, with virtually no objective requirements. I know of one modeler who received a certificate for a diesel engine that had very few details installed, and had numerous runs in the paint! I also attended a meet where the judges who were judging locomotives were steam enthusiasts and just did not think any diesel was worth modeling. Finally at the 2008 NMRA National Convention, there were many very nice models of locomotives both steam and diesel in the contest room, yet not one of them received enough points by the judges to qualify for a certificate that would lead to an MMR. As things stand now, I just say NO to NMRA contests.

Of course one other thing that has arisen along with the plethora of r-t-r to the loss of availability of kits, is the new availability prototype modeling for track.

PJ aka Dave. I'll only say thanks and a BIG THANK YOU to you and everyone else here for being a part of Big Blue!

Now who's in for a big group hug?!? Come on fellas ...show some love.

Tetters, if you start singing "kum-bye-ah" I'm outa here!

P5se Camelback Wrote:In my youth, we would tag these clowns as "posers" and treat them with distain ... they're "wanna-be's!" I have no time for them. Let them think they are so superior ... they are not capable of accomplishing squat! And my guess is that when it come to life, they won't fare any better, because they don't want to be bothered to put in the effort! Morons!

See, now you are criticizing others the same way others may criticize you . I really don't care if someone builds a layout with all RTR products, spends a fortune on the latest scenery details, or never installs a grab iron in their life. I've got no more basis to look down on them then they do looking down on me for wasting my time putting 15 dollars worth of parts into a 5 dollar freight car kit. We all have reasons for our modeling methods. Some people lack the eyesight and dexterity for small details, other lack space, time, or money. My goal is to respect the way everyone chooses to model, and try and learn something from the choices they made. Hopefully, others would respect my methods and choices equally.

A generic example of a post I frequently see on some other boards would be:

"I am trying to use X product from brand Y, and the results aren't what I hoped. Could someone who has used this product before help me out."

And the replies would follow:

"My advice is to throw it in the trash because brand Y is crap, and there are other methods that look better and take less time."

Those kind of responses discourage me from participating in the discussion. No matter what the subject, people hate condescending attitudes. Thankfully, I rarely see that on this board, and that is why I've gained considerable knowledge during my 5 years of membership here.

Thank you, Kevin. I lost sight of the overall picture ... I needed to be reminded that mine is not the only way!! Thank you!

Sometimes, if you live by yourself and, for whatever reason, have limited contact with other people, actual face-to-face contact where you look at, speak with and maybe even have casual physical contact with other human beings, you lose sight of the fact that, as individuals, we each have our own approach to doing things. The concept of "wrong" is a personal one, and should really never be used as a yardstick to measure others.

I will not try to excuse my latent intolerence for the lack of initiative in others to come to the forefront and allowing it to color my comments on this forum. There is no excuse.

On the other hand, the basis for my feelings of distain for those who never seem to want to take initiative, to lift a finger to do anything for themselves, stems from a long held belief that by "doing," valuable life lessons are learned. Until you have tried to accomplish something and walked that fine line between success and failure, and experienced them both, you are a hollow personality; experiencing failures along the road of searching for success is the stuff that makes a person who they are. Those who never actually "do" but "wear the trappings" of having "done" or "been there" are those that I was referring to earlier as "Posers."

I'm just a little sensitive about that topic right now, as the "man" (I use that word charitably) that my daughter has/had been seeing for the past four plus years, who I never had very good feelings about (you know how sometimes you meet someone and somethings strikes you as peculiar, but you can't quite put your finger on it?) had my daughter convinced that he had been a Navy Seal. Well, Dad did his due diligence ... the clown not only was never a Navy Seal, he was never even in the military and the closest he ever came to the military is the camoflauge T-shirt and dirty camo ball cap with a big fish hook in that he wears all the time! THAT is what I mean by a POSER ... he never put forth the effort to do what it takes, but he wants the glory that comes from having "done" it! And the same holds true for those who like to "talk" the hot rod game, but don't have any idea how to even hold a wrench. Posers, all.

I apologize for coming off as intolerant of those in the hobby who buy everything RTR ... I just think they are missing out on a major part of the fun that the feeling of accomplishment one gets when completing a build can give you in this great hobby.


I apologize to you all for my bad behavior. :oops:

nachoman Wrote:"I am trying to use X product from brand Y, and the results aren't what I hoped. Could someone who has used this product before help me out."

And the replies would follow:

"My advice is to throw it in the trash because brand Y is crap, and there are other methods that look better and take less time."

Those kind of responses discourage me from participating in the discussion. No matter what the subject, people hate condescending attitudes. Thankfully, I rarely see that on this board, and that is why I've gained considerable knowledge during my 5 years of membership here.

Kevin, you have hit a sore spot here with me. I used to watch some computer related shows and at one time one of the guest hosts was asked a question about windows, and his reply was to "get a Mac" Other times, when asked questions about Internet Explorer, the would ignore the question and proceed to try to get the questioner to switch browsers.
It is my feeling that a lot of this is just jealousy of Bill Gates.
I'm finding the same comments on some of the DCC forums, and many times the knocks are for the system the forum is about.
When we ask for information about a product, that is what we want, not someone telling us how bad our judgement was.
I agree, folks here are great.
Charlie

P5se Camelback Wrote:Tetters, if you start singing "kum-bye-ah" I'm outa here!

(Picks up his acoustic guitar)


KUM BYE YAH MY LORD! KUM BYE YAH! OH LOOOORD KUM BYE YAH!!!