Just thought i'd post a link to Mike's layout on Youtube.Check it out
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Lance Mindheim had mentioned Mike Jensen's layout in his August, 2013 blog. He does very nice work.
Larry
I discovered Mike's layout while searching for ops videos. I enjoy watching his trains at work.
Mike's 15th Street ISL is one of my favorites and he has nailed the overall feel and look of a industrial area.
I really like the name Dixie Ply.The name has a realistic ring.
I am a regular visitor there too. Love these smaller industrial layouts on shelves over those huge basement empires. One of my favorite layouts!
I'm wondering if someone can help me through some questions here. First, it seems like the layout linked in the OP doesn't necessarily model the real thing so much as it models Lance Mindheim's version of the real thing -- in other words, it's a model of a model. Does anyone know if the guy goes out and looks at the real world, or does he just read books and mags where someone tells him what to do? And if that's the case, why is this good?
Second, I don't feel comfortable with anyone telling me what size layout is better. It used to be that the likes of John Armstrong would say look at the space you have and what you want to do, and design a layout that accomplishes what you want in that space. A corollary might be that if you're young and starting out, maybe you won't have all the space you might eventually want, but (as MR might say), you can dream and plan.
Mindheim, who seems to be a subject of this post, doesn't seem to think the same way: when I go to his blog, he keeps saying you should just build a shelf layout, you should have no more than 12 switches, so on and so forth.
I can see that some guys might want to do this -- they may have other commitments for their space, time, and money, for instance, or hobby interests that are stronger than model railroading. But why say that their view is the best one?
I sometimes wonder if there's a Lance Mindheim cult out there, and if you get right down to it, those who like some of the hobby's guiding lights in the past -- John Allen, John Armstrong, Allen McClelland, for instance -- might not be well regarded by this new Lance cult.
Maybe someone can clarify what's going on here. I like good layouts of any size. I especially like layouts that show individual creativity, not something where some guy is building a layout exactly like someone else's.
I don't see as a cult but I guess he has opened the doors for more realistic idea for most us. I mean space effcient, cost efficient and something we all can finish Before the big dreamlayout after years of collecting dust ends up in the dumpster and rest on Ebay. The second thing is modern era has alot to offer as we can check things out during the weekend and record all details and equipment we can. Also the modern decay of economics adds alot though it is a sad thing to see old Buildings vandalized, tagged down. The modern era might not be the golden age of railroading but it does have its charm. Besides that, the multi diesel lap ups with a healthy consist do need space to strech out so an idea of a industrial branch in middle of manscape with a GP38 and few well detailed cars works out just fine in limited space we all seem to have. Also it cuts down in costs of equip the engines with DCC and sound too. I guess the Bing map and Google Earth has opened the World for us. I guess it is easier to build let's say LAI even in Europé than before, which is cool. Less turnouts and track makes it easier to keep the railroad in shape and the cluster of scrap, trash, bent safty railings and even graffiti makes things life like.
Lately I have been eye balling on Google Earth and Bing Maps for an idea I have to transfer Everything to modern times with a Scandinavian them. If I get Another T44 class road switcher I might take a stab on the port of Malmo, Sweden or settle for their bigger copies of Di.8.s Norway and settle things there. Pikestuff warehouses look alot like the modern Buildings over here and I can use quite a few Walthers kits aswell along perhaps a city scenes made by Kibri kits. Another plus for modern times there are plenty of details to get things right. Herpa and others have made the vehicle depatment quite easy too. So I don't have to have 12 '57 Chevy 2 door hardtops everywhere.
Mike has develop a very simple operating scheme that is easy to use and mimics a switch list.
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Its one of those palm to forehead ideas..Easy and quick.
I guess the Bing map and Google Earth has opened the World for us.
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Exactly! One can research any area of the country for urban industrial leads and with luck you can see the "business side" of the industry by using and moving the street view icon-that little man thingy that you drag to a street you want to view.
I also agree one doesn't need to invest a fortune in locomotives and cars or building a switching layout.Today's "shoe box " designed industrial buildings can be scratch built using mat board.
Mike's 15Th St. layout shows a lot of switching action in a small area.
Brakie Wrote:Mike has develop a very simple operating scheme that is easy to use and mimics a switch list.
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Its one of those palm to forehead ideas..Easy and quick.
Doesn't get easier than that to run some ops! I like those two wrapped loads behind the loco.
"I don't feel comfortable with anyone telling me what size layout is better."
jwb,
Everybody is entitled to their own opinion even Lance (you don't seem to have any trouble pushing your's on other modelers). Remember this is a hobby to be enjoyed by the person doing it.By the way it's hard to not make a Florida based industrial railroad not look like someone else's.
I don't think Lance is forcing everyone to line up with Dixie cups and drink the perverbial Kool-Aid. He's more making a suggestion on those who have limited space in which to model a paticular area, whether it be Florida, or the Great White North(eh).
Not everyone has an empty warehouse available to model their favorite prototype, or location. Some may only have room enough for a shelf layout. He's not forcing anyone to "Do it my way...or the highway."
Basing a small ISL, on Lance's designs, or anyone elses for that matter, is up to the modeller. Picking a paticular location, prototype, or era is left up to the modeller. That's what makes this hobby fun. Yeah, you have the rivet counters that tell you that that boxcar is wrong because that paticular car had twelve panels, instead of eleven. Thats fine. Maybe buliding or painting rolling stock, or scratch building a structure to the tenth of an inch is fun for him, but doesn't mean I have to strip and repaint rolling stock, or tear apart something I spent hours constructing cause a rivet counter told me it was wrong. My out look on this is: "If you don't like it...Don't look at it."
No one is forcing me on how I model. "Good enough" or "Close enough" is good enough for me. And that's what makes this hobby fun.
Catt Wrote:"By the way it's hard to not make a Florida based industrial railroad not look like someone else's.
As far as that goes today's modern look alike industrial parks leads its self to be duplicated by many modelers regardless if its located in Maine,Florida,California or any state in between.
The "Lance Cult"! That's great! Gotta hand it to the guy, he's got all kinds of people invigorated with the Florida theme. Is it getting done to death? Yeah, but so be it. Dude is promoting the hobby and making a living off of it to boot. I joined this forum because I liked all the ISLs going on here. It's simply where a lot of people are in the hobby right now. Besides, as far the kool aid pushing press goes, it's hard to compete with the John Allen cult they had going back in the day. Look at MR squeezing the life out of Rod Stewart and the whole Sellios schtick these days.
I'll stick to bourbon and coke thanks.
MrBill Wrote:The "Lance Cult"! That's great! Gotta hand it to the guy, he's got all kinds of people invigorated with the Florida theme. Is it getting done to death? Yeah, but so be it. Dude is promoting the hobby and making a living off of it to boot. I joined this forum because I liked all the ISLs going on here. It's simply where a lot of people are in the hobby right now. Besides, as far the kool aid pushing press goes, it's hard to compete with the John Allen cult they had going back in the day. Look at MR squeezing the life out of Rod Stewart and the whole Sellios schtick these days.
I'll stick to bourbon and coke thanks.
I been building and operating ISLs for decades.. I always preferred switching cars in industrial settings..Nothing wrong with loop running but,it never was my cup of tea.
Lance has brought ISLs out of the closet and into the limelight-MR hasn't pushed ISLs as a option and as we ISL builders know a good ISL beats the socks off MR's Dream,plan
and buy for that one day Godzilla size basement filling layout.
I agree..MR does overplay their "Golden Boy" layouts but,that 's nothing new since it dates back to years of John Allen.