I was just admiring the fine work of Bob Greche in his layout update thread (if I knew how to link, I would) and a question popped into my head.
I think we all have our favorite layouts from those we’ve seen in the pages of Model Railroader (John Allen’s Gorre & Daphetid, for instance). But what are the most outstanding layouts featured in photos on this forum?
I’m not looking for votes on what is the single best layout; it would be useless trying to pick one, since our tastes vary so greatly. But I think we can all agree on outstanding work when we see it.
So – what layout photo tours (or which modeler’s work) as featured on this forum stand out in your mind? It might be inspiring to have a single thread that ties together the best modeling on the forum. A brief description of the layout and a link or two (if possible) could be a tremendous resource.
I’ve got a few in mind, but I’m going to have to search for 'em. So somebody please get us started!
In no order, Tom White’s, Grampys Trains, MAbruce, Ray Howard’s, Jon Grant’s, Wolfgang Dudler’s, Heartland Division, and Mr. Beasley, to name some that produce excellent images most weekends. Cuda Ken’s images are coming along really quickly and are getting nearer the stratosphere. There are those who produce excellent work who don’t post all that often, but when they do…! Simon1966, UKGuy, mikelhh, Lee,…and I must be forgetting another half a dozen…sorry, guys, I hope my enthusiastic support in earlier posts tells you that I admire your work. .
Hard to tell, who´s the best. There are so many of us in here, who post outstanding work, also a lot of the younger folks present very mature layouts.
I do have my own favorites - Jon Grant, Crandell, Bob Grech, twhite (Tom), Wolfgang, Robby P. (for his outstanding weathering work), mfifer - just to name a few and without this list being exclusive.
WPF is the week´s highlight for me! (makes me jealous each time I view it)
I’m a mountain Railroading lover, so Tom White’s, Art Hill’s are my two favorites. Grampy’s layout is a feel good layout because it is a close to perfection that I’ve seen.
I wish there were more photos trying to show the area of, or layout as a whole. This might give noobies a better idea of how to work with a room or space available. I know when I saw pics of peoples spaces and how they dealt with doors, windows, hot water tanks and such it was of great help.[:)]
Grampys Trains, Doctor Wayne and Jon Grant all come to mind instantly. I’d like to add Jarrell, who is known to us as Jacon12. His shots are beautifully composed and photographed, and the scenery is worthy of the effort, too.
mikelh always amazes me, too. I live in New England, the area he models. He absolutely nails the look of my local rail system, but he lives in Australia.
There are so many terrific pictorials I hesitate to single-out any in particular, but my favorites are Dr. Wayne’s and Grampy’s Trains. In addition, I have had the privilege of seeing Grampy’s up close and personal, and I assure you that the reality is even better than the photos!
I’d like to ask those of you mentioned here, if you have the time and inclination, to try and put together a thread of your layout photos, or a link to your own photo site, so we noobs can enjoy (and benefit from) your skills and hard work. And thanks again for what you have shared with us all!
I’ve been on the Forum for a number of years, and I continue to be amazed at some of the fine layouts and examples of model building that have been posted. I suspect most of these have never made it to the pages of the various train mags, but they sure do qualify (in my opinion). I suspect a lot of these folks are lone wolf modelers, just doing their thing and doing it well.
You know, even as a youngster in the '50s, my goal was to get a picture of my layout into Model Trains (remember that mag?) and of course MR. That hasn’t happened (yet???), but just being able to post a picture on this Forum sure is special - and I think we all appreciate that!
First, my thanks to those kind enough to include me on their list. [:$]
I agree with mobilman: the quality of the photos presented here is surprisingly good and it’s fun to watch, over time, as each person’s skills, both in modelling and photography, evolve. I can’t argue with any of the choices listed, although I’m sure that there are many other worthy ones not yet mentioned.
Most of us won’t ever see our work in a magazine, but it’s nice, especially for us “lone-wolf” modellers, to be able to share our efforts with others through this Forum.
Quite a few of us use Railimages as our photo-hosting site. It is user supported by donation. If you are in a situation where you can afford to contribute, please do so, but it’s not a requirement.
It’s not all model railroad - there are some prototype photos mixed in, and even a few photos I’ve taken at club and show events showing the work of others. Those are identified as such.
I’m sorry, but the guy with the black bike shorts and orange bike jersey is a prototype, and to my knowledge neither Preiser nor Woodland Scenics has plans to model one of these.
Hey – I’m back again after being down sick for a few days. Colorado Mac, thanks for coming right out and asking for what I was hoping to develop here.
And thanks to all who have responded, especially those whose work has been mentioned in this thread.
I’d like to start compiling a list of links to some of the great modeling we’ve been talking about here. I think that’s possible …
In the meantime, keep dropping names. And as Colorado Mac asked – and some of you have supplied – please add a link or two for us if you have the time.