Are you a ‘scenery’ person or a ‘technical/operations’ person?

Where does someone who is technical about their scenery fit in? I spend a really inordinate amount of time researching my prototype, but it is mostly the appearance, location, etc. of the industries modeled and the neighborhoods near the tracks that I research. I do like switching (I don’t even have a loop) but tend to prefer the simplest, paperwork-light forms of operation (like wheel reports) to paperwork-heavy, schedule-based operations.

I’m not exactly a prize-winner when it comes to modeling skills, but I feel pretty confident in my modeling skills and take pride in good-looking models. But I’d rather have a straight-out-of-the-box piece of rolling stock that runs perfectly than a superdetailed and weathered model that spends all its time on the RIP track or derailing every five feet!

This is one of the more interesting threads to read. Each person has their own version of what they like.

I read the book with two guys laying plans on the hood of a blue diesel Track laying for Realistic Operation." I became intriqued with track design and easments.

I’m like rrinker and have no artistic ability. The layouts like the “Big Diesels in the Desert” show what artistic ability can do.

I think we see more operation-techy stuff because it’s hard to teach someone how to paint a Mona Lisa, but you can teach someone to build a TV set from a Heath kit.

We all have different interests and everyone probably thinks the other guy is doing something totally uninteresting.

Jon - Las Vegas

I’ve been terribly technical and need to focus on my weak point, scenery.

so my focus is to build shelf layout units to a finished state, scenicked up right.

A year ago I would have answerd “Techie”. I really enjoy DCC and the PC interface and messing around with Decoder Pro. But I have to say, that today, I really enjoy construction of laser craftsman kits and scenery more than anything. I have spent hours in the train room over the last month and don’t think I have even run a train for more than 20 minutes in that time! My first attempts with JL Innovative and AMB laserkits have really peaked my interest, and I love the results i am getting from these well designed structures. The scenery part is equally fun as I am creating the environment for all the neat buildings. I find that this creative bit is very absorbing and a great way to get away from work pressures.

I prefer the technical side of modeling right now, but I know it’s mostly because I am more competent with technical skills than with artistic skills. I will soon be doing major jobs in scenery and hope that my interest will grow as my abilities improve in this area. While I want a railroad that can operate much like a prototypical road, I believe it is just as important to make the surroundings look just as real.

REX

I’m an Operations nut. I run weekly Operations on my home layout with my dad and a friend, and I’m the Operations Chairman of my club (in fact, we are having an Operation with another club this Thursday if it ever stops snowing around here).

Scenery? I have the buildings, but they sit on plywood on my home layout. Sure, I’ll do some kind of scenery some day, but like most involved kits that I own, it will spend quite some time on the back burner.

Why? Because I’m having too much fun running my trains realisitically than I do building models. [:)]

Building models is tedious work if you want to do it right. And I’ve built and painted all kind of models from planes to tanks to trains to cars to chocolate factories to BattleMechs. I’ve even got a resin model of a Permit-class sub to build. Someday I’ll get to it, but I’d rather have a throttle in my hand than an X-acto knife any day.

But running them in circles doesn’t really interest me either. I need paperwork and a switching puzzle to really enjoy it, or to be the dispatcher (that’s really fun…telling people what to do, where to go, and how to get there all night!). Great stuff.

Paul A. Cutler III


Weather Or No Go New Haven


Definitely more toward the operations/technical side. I would be perfectly happy to have a layout that is just smooth-running track with just cardboard cutouts for structures or an outline drawn on the top of the benchwork labled, “Bob’s Box Works” with a spur by it, served by umpteen cars. But I do belong to a club that is mostly made up of the artistic kind so I sometimes have to work a little fast on the track to stay ahead of them. But some of their “stuff”, ie scenery skills, hopefully is rubbing off on me. Just as I hope some of my skills is rubbing off on to them.

I think the real distinction is between artistic and engineering talents. I thought Posey grossly misstated the case when he suggested that there was a tremendous rivalry between two camps, and chose John Pryke and Malcolm Furlow to illustrate it. A better distinction (if you’re going to set those two up as your poles) would be between freelancers and prototype modelers. One of the reasons the hobby appeals to me is the range of skills and activities it offers: some weekends I’m sawing lumber for benchwork or installing wiring, other weekends, I’m decaling a caboose. No monotony there - and I’ve learned a few things that help around the house.

BTW, am I the only one who thought Posey did a bit of a job on John Pryke - not exactly a hatchet job, but a less than flattering portrait? I’ve never met John Pryke, so I don’t know anything about him as a person, but I am an admirer of his work and I learned a lot from his book on steam locomotives.

I find my self split right down the middle.

I like alot of trains moving over the road, in terms of rural, “wild Country” scenery. However where I do have a town or city. (They will be very widely spaced on my layout) There will be alot of protypical operational detail as well.

I am one of those people who find most every aspect of model railroading fun and enjoyable. If I can only overcome my fear of Circular Saws.

James