I usually get discouraged when I see some of the superb modeling people post on this and other forums and compare it to my own. Does anybody else sometimes feel this way? What do you do for encouragement?
Rather than get discouraged, I get inspired.
One thing I like about this hobby is that it’s not magic. It doesn’t take some kind of in-born, genetic “talent” to build a layout.
It takes time, patience and some practice. Sometimes, you need to go back and start over on something, which is admittedly difficult.
I’ve been back in this hobby for 4 years now. From looking at my old photos and comparing them to what I’m doing now, I know I’ve improved a lot. I credit that more to Weekend Photo Fun than any other single cause. I tell myself, “Gee, I don’t know how to do that.” This simple admission may be the key. It lets you embark on that journey of continuous learning. You will become not only a better modeler, but also a better person overall.
No I most certainly do not!!
These folks are my inspiration, my shining example of what can be accomplished with practice and patience. I sign on here looking to get the knowledge to create that layout of dreams. The only thing that disappoints me is that it won’t happen now. But discouraged? Never!!
My feelings as well, it makes me want to improve. When I question the quality, accuracy or have that “how did I do” feeling about something I did on the layout, I take a picture, print it out an start comparing. I’ll pick up un subtle things that will help me improve it.
Never get discouraged, just keep trying.
Some layouts are just superb and some are just the plywood or foam scenery but the amazing thing is they are layouts! Is a layout ever finished? That would depend on the owners judgment and not mine. Look at the Franklin and South Manchester layout. Superbly detailed but every photo shoot there have been changes since the last shoot. All we can do is drool and keep going. Strive to be as good as you can. The only person you have to please is yourself.
Frustration is shooting the last custom bent grab iron into the never region while the glue is setting in the holes. Do you,
A. Look high and low for it knowing you will never find it? Or
B. Bend another one real fast knowing it will not turn out like the others? Or
C. Turn out the lights and take a little break for a while?
Usually after doing A. I end up doing C. Some day I will train the Beagle to sniff out missing parts with her amazing Beagle nose.
Remember it is a HOBBY and not a JOB.
Pete
This hobby seems boundless to me. Everywhere I look I read about, or see, examples of what can be done by mere smelly bodies, some of them old and wrinkled, some experienced, some merely imaginative and determined, some young and just steeped in talent.
Yet, this hobby gives me hope. I can see that I am capable of much yet, and this is fueled by desire. If I were to lose my desire, then…and only then…would I begin to be discouraged.
-Crandell
I was reading this thread without much interest until that line popped out at me and I started laughing! Great advice! [(-D]
When I see work that’s better than mine I look for ideas that I can use. My work may never equal theirs but the only person I have to please is myself. If it’s good enough for me that’s all I need.
Sometimes I do feel discouraged…but it is usually when I do something that has flopped. Inspiration for me usually comes from 1:1 trains.
If you feel like your skills are lacking, I encourage you to get better tools and accept fewer compromises. Popsicle sticks may be a material that many model railroaders want to use, but they usually just ruin models since they rarely are the correct size of lumber. Similarly, a better measuring tool (calipers instead of a ruler) will allow for you to know exactly what you are doing.
Like woodworking and cooking, discouragement frequently comes from cutting corners/making mistakes…making poor decisions about what corners to cut really comes to light when studying someone’s excellent work. I’m usually more discouraged by the price of RTR stuff than anything else, but I don’t care as much about it any more as I’ve learned how much more fun I have building the trains.
Every one doesnt start out as super modelers you learn along the way and eventually you come to the point when you realize that your just as good as the other modelers.
Hi!
I’m 65, and have been playing with trains since I was 10. Currently I’m rebuilding a 11x15 HO layout and converting to DCC - something totally new to me. I consider myself to be fair to pretty good in all the various modeling and layout building skills - but certainly not of the level of many folks we read about or see their work in this Forum.
While there are some folks that just can’t do justice to certain parts of this Hobby, I believe that most - like me - will improve with practice, education, and dedication. When I look at the structures I built in the early '90s, and compare them to those I built a couple of years ago, there is definitely improvement in skills and results.
Soooo, may I say this… There will always be folks who will be “better” than you in the various skills, but their work gives you some challenges, ideas and inspiration to improve. Hang in there, don’t give up, and keep at it!
One last thing… Give yourself a higher level of standards and “good enough” - especially in track laying and wiring. So while your scenery or structures may not be “contest quality”, your trains run reliably and operations are as good as they get.
ENJOY,
Mobilman44
You mean the physical ‘look’ of the layout itself? No, I never get discouraged. IT’s something that can always be improved, and believe me, there is enough great information on this Forum alone to help me along with it.
Now, if you mean having–at my age–to crawl under the layout and fix something that somehow got loose or bumped or pulled, then YES! THAT’S discouraging–discouraging because it takes me so darned long to bend over and crawl under and crawl back out and straighten up!
My next layout is going to be 6’1-1/2" off of the floor, LOL!
Tom [:P]
Not at all. I have always been a glass half full kind of guy. If something flops I usually laugh and ask someone on the forum how to do it better. If it was easy it would not be rewarding. I do agree with an earlier comment about quality of ones tools, it makes a big difference in enjoyment of creating and end result in ones project.[C):-)]
Brent
Discouraged? no
Fired up to do better on my next project? yes
This hobby is one of elarning and improving. Take photos of what you did say even 3 months ago, and compare them to now, and you’ll see the improvement.
The best thread on this forum is defintiely the WPF threads, as they proviude a great showcase for our achievements and also to inspire each other to stretch further for a better resulkt. and then there are threads and knowledgeable members to help you achieve those results.
All these answers are right. It’s been about 20 years since I had a working layout, but I’m at the stage now where I’ve got my basement just about ready for building (needed a huge demo and waterproofing job (contracted for that) and rewiring (I did that, as a former electrician its in my skill set. Got the workbench and storage shelves in place, a couple more power circuits and it’ll be time for the benchwork.
The pix here, like in the magazines, are inspiration and I don’t think I’ll ever have the time to equal those, even if I had the skills. But the great thing about the hobby is that you only have to please yourself, and can set your own goals and direction. The advice that appeals to me, is to make an early priority to get some track laid and trains running early on, even if a little work train stub – and to get the track work reliable before fooling with the scenery.
No…I model to please myself and not others…You see I fell into that rat race when I was younger and thought my modeling had to be better then everybody else’s.It was a ego thing mostly…I finally realize it was folly to base my modeling on everybody else’s.
While I still like to look at superb modeling and super nice layouts I realize that isn’t my style.
You see I enjoy the operating side of the hobby and I don’t worry if things isn’t 110% perfect or if it pleases anybody…After all the main person I need to please is me and when needed I am my own worst critic.
Sure, sometimes I get a little discouraged. Not only is the hobby very challenging but, on top of that… I have this other bonehead always questioning my every decision.
Seriously, when I get to feeling a little bad about something that isn’t turning out right or meeting my expectations I just close the door to the layout for a while and take a break. Sometimes I get to feeling a little more over whelmed than discouraged. I’ve learned when that happens to proceed on but taking little ‘baby steps’, one after the other and pretty soon the project is completed.
Jarrell
Kind of off topic but has anyone else besides me noticed that the words “model railroading” seriously turn off women in their early to mid 20s today? Thats discouraging to me.
It could be all in my head, but it seems that as soon as you mention those two words, the date is over. I work, I go to school, I have plans for my future, but I’m serious about this, as soon as a girl hears those two words, even after having a great conversation, her face contorts and her demeanor changes drastically. This has happened several times, after everything was going so well, only when I mention the magic words. Sometimes its the sarcastic laugh and the roll of the eyes, other times it looks like just plain boredom.
What is it about women and trains? Are there even any female members who are actually into the hobby themselves on this board? Do women even go out and buy trains for themselves?? [8D]
Oh, and to the older members of this board, I understand that your generation had it much harder than mine, and I completely respect that. To those who were in the service, whether WWII, Korea, or Vietnam, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Yes, I’m willing to accept that the men of that era were truly the ideal, I can only dream of ever living up to that level of honor.
we are all better at some things than we are at others. about the only thing i have to be proud of is my track work. the way it operates, not the way it looks.
what honks me off is when i finally hit on something that turns out nearly perfect and i think “why wasn’t i doing it this way for the last 45 years?”
it’s a good idea to keep some of your early equipment and structures around just to see how far you have really come.
if you are discouraged by what others have done, remember, they may just have more talent, time and money that you do. you will aquire all these eventually. otherwise you wind up like Homer Simpson who said, “trying is the first step on the road to failure”
grizlump
Do something fairly small and simple, but take your time and do it well… Then you realize that all those other skills can also be obtained. For me it was scratch building a small section tool building.
Enjoy
Paul