Cover of the March Issue

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I really liked the cover on the March issue and the story that went with it. Sometimes I’m inspired by what I see but this time I was also inspired by what I didn’t. If you look at the photo on the cover (and it is a great scene), you see a man next to the truck and a man waving at what appears to be a passing train but no one is in the cab of the locomotive. Okay, the train may be parked with the headlight on bright, but what caught my eye about this is the attention to the scenes on my layout, but not my trains. I usually just run my locomotives as they come and a lot of them come without people in the cabs. It just seems like it would be too much trouble to get them inside. Now because of this one photo, I’m rethinking this, anyway it’s a great cover.

Ralph

2

You see alot of “crewless” trains in a lot of articles.

But, Hey! supposedly it’s getting closer to a reality.

Mike.

3

Mike,

Just think maybe one day soon we will jump in the back of our self driving car and have it take us to our favorite train watching spot to see crewless locomotives pulling stack trains with containers that will be delivered to their destinations by driverless trucks. While it may be safer then my driving, I really don’t know if I’m going to like it. Thanks for responding.

Ralph

4

I have several locomotives that have factory installed “crews” in the cab. To be honest, when the locomotive is out running on the layout, I don’t really notice if there is a crew in there or not.

5

I have never added crews to my locomotives. The absence of crews is not noticeable…unless you take photos. Darn, the camera doesn’t lie. Without a crew in place, a photo of a driverless locomotive looks silly.

Rich

6

Just pretend that AI was already a proven technology and we are faithfully modeling it[:^)]

Cedarwoodron

7

Actually, the engineers stand is on the left (depot) side of the locomotive cab and from that camera angle you can’t tell if there’s an engineer in there or not. The other crew members don’t necessarily have to be in the cab, they could be in the caboose (which is not pictured), or even on the ground, working switching moves.

8

I think the cover of the March issue is near perfect, and represents what Model Railroader should really be shooting for.

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The scene is well composed, simple, pleasent to look at, and looks like something that most people feel could be within their skill set. It is not something you look at and think the builder must be a man possessed. It looks like something pretty, eye-catching, and probably helped sell magazines on the stands.

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The article was also good and easily readable.

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Overall, March was a good issue.

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-Kevin

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9

If MR was still at news stands (do they still exist anymore?), the March cover might get us some new blood in the hobby. Here in Tampa, the last newstand closed in the early 90s downtown. Then the Borders bookstore chain closed- another source for MR. Then the 2 Hobby town franchise stores stopped carrying all monthly hobby magazines as they were not selling.

Which leaves us with Barnes & Noble and an occasional few copies that show up in Walmart Super Centers- but they have cut back their inventory significantly a few months ago and the option to buy a retail copy of MR is down to the B&N stores. That is why I now maintain my subscription in these changing times. Yes, the cover is very nice, but it seems to play to the choir of us already in the hobby.

Cedarwoodron

10

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The HobbyTown USA in Brandon still carries White Dwarf which is monthly. I buy RMC regularly at the Barnes and Noble on Highway 60 (Adamo) in Brandon. I subscribe to MR and FSM. ZitNik in St. Petersburg carries MR still (at least their newsletter says they do).

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BTW: There is a new hobby shop on US41 in Lutz called Daniel’s Hobbies. Do you know anything about it? It look like it might be all RC stuff. I have not been there.

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-Kevin

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11

So, did the RI run long hood forward? If they did, then your scenario could be right.

If they typically ran short hood forward, then the engineer is in using the john, and the guy at the station is waving at the conductor.

Since the headlights are on, I say it’s the using the john scenario. [(-D]

Mike.

12
13

My biggest beef about crews in the cab is when you decide to mu two engines together and there they are two crews.

How about when you make a reverse move? The engineer is looking dead ahead when he should be watching for hand signals from the brakeman.

So,now I don’t add crews and I removed them from the engines that comes with crews.

14

I googled “Rock Island GP7” and the pics show the “F” on the short hood end.

Next question: Did their geeps have dual control stands?

15

Whew, I feel relieved!

Dual control stands. Good question, Dave, I never thought about that.

16

I don’t know about the dual control stands, but, the typical arrangement has the control stand on the right, standing inside the loco, looking out at the short hood.

The only way the control stand can be on the depot/station side of this photo, is if the RI set up their GP’s to run long hood forward, which I doubt, but not 100% sure.

The engineer’s side is empty. The conductors side is blocked by this camera shot.

Mike.

17

I stand corrected Mike. The engineers control stand IS on the right facing front from inside the cab! I never noticed. Shows how much I know :slight_smile:

18

Rock Island did indeed have all their geeps set up (as delivered) for short hood forward. They did not have dual controls.

The engineer can’t be seen because he is taking advantage of the stop to use the “facilities” down in the nose. The guy waving is waving to the trainmen on the depot side checking car numbers against their train list in preparation to work this station.

Jeff