Filosophy Phriday- Just how Anal Are You, Or Do You Prefer The Word Meticulous?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Ok, I admit it I am somewhat anal when it comes to a few things but mostly a really laid back guy about most things in my day to day life. However, when I am playing with my trains and my Bachmann 4-4-0 grinds to a halt or all of a sudden a track problem raises its ugly head or a coupler fails, THAT"S IT! All playing stops until such problem is identified and rectified unless parts need to be ordered. Being my only company in the trainroom, I don’t tick anyone else off by halting operations to tackle the problem.

I don’t like clutter, things do get a little messy on a project but the trainroom office/desk is clean before the next project begins. I am mostly a one project at a time kind of guy but always seem to have more than one thing on the go. Usually, because I am waiting for parts.

Do you need to resolve layout issues right away to the point of stopping all traffic/play on the layout?

Do you hate clutter?

Does the layout bench need to be free of tools or any object that doesn’t belong in the scene, even if it only a sea of pink?

Do you have a place for everything and everything in its place?

Does your yard have all the boxcars on one track, tank cars on another, flat cars on yet another? Yes, I have seen this.

I am sure there are many other MRR obsessions out there, so let’s hear about them. How about it what kind of modeler are you? Let’s see that dirty laundry.[(-D]

2

I will pass somethig down real fast if it doesn’t have something to scale, e.g. handrails. Unless I got it for free or don’t have enough information to make an educated choice… Call me picky, but I like to put the “model” in model railraiding. Maybe to an extreme…[:D]

3

I’ve learned that nothing on this earth is perfect, and although I try to make minor repairs to engines and rolling stock when necessary, there is a point of diminishing returns where I have to stop or else I may do more harm than good.

I try to keep my favorite engines looking as best as possible, and I keep them on high shelves away from visiting children and our kitten.

The other stuff, I assume, will eventually get broken, though I am careful to inspect and repair minor issues on freight cars, too.

If I get a nos engine off Ebay, and it’s missing a few pieces, I contact the manufacturer for parts, or most recently, in the case of a Kodachrome SD45T-2, already made my own wire repair using a Precision Scale brass EMD stanchion and piano wire. Now I have to find a close shade of yellow paint. The stanchion I used is not exactly the right one, because the SD45T-2 has a couple special stanchions unique to it, and this is one of those, but I got the closest one I could find available and went with it. Once painted, most will never notice the difference, but I know and that will bother me.

However, this will be my favorite engine, too, because I fixed it up and it’ll look good enough for me. I have a very nearly perfect Kodachrome SD45T-2 on hand, and am picking up another road number of the same thing on Sunday, but I’m prouder of the one I repaired, which won’t look bad either.

John

4

Well, I am insane.

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Some things I am as anal as can be.

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On other things, I have a devil-may-care attitude.

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For example… I will never have an anchronism on my layout. If it did not exist in August, 1954, it will not be there.

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However, My layout is in a world of nonsense, so things that NEVER existed are OK.

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I am full of internal contradictions.

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I still manage to smile and enjoy every day.

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-Kevin

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5

No. I fix somethings, usually if the track is involved, but others I’ll put car, locomotive, etc aside until later.

I try to keep everything somewhat cleaned up. But I do keep a bunch of tools on the work desk in tool holders, cups, etc.

No. Many things have a drawer or shelf to reside on, but others are just hanging out on a shelf or table until I find a better place for them.

I have never done this. It sounds more like a display than a layout.

I guess I have a more casual approach to the hobby. My answer to not keeping everything in it’s place is to have more than one. That way I can find one them when I need it.

Paul

6

i get by with a great deal of things …

but i have a hard time with ‘clutter’

don’t tolerate it very well at all …

7

I’m a relaxed modeler but,hate clutter and the need to do rework especially decal and track work since that leads to wasted money…

I’m very anal about derailments since I strive for 100% trouble free operation.

8

So I don’t have to type everything all over again,

I’m like Paul (Ironrooster)

Just about all replies would be a “ditto” to what he has already said. [swg]

Mike.

9

I’m very anal about some things, but I didn’t get the organization gene.

Just call me Mr. Clutter.

10

Anal? No. Retentive? Oh yeah. [A]

I used to have a firm rule - one darn project at a time. And I held to it, in a mildly anal way. If I was building a kit but noticed a loose gutter or downspout on a structure, the kit would come first, the gutter could and did wait. I had laser focus on the task at hand. Now it seems I am as easily distracted as a child or a kitten.

I was building a difficult kit this January at the workbench, but noticed a structure kit and a similar built up kit placed on the layout where I intended the eventual complete structure (house) kitbashed from kit and built up to go. But there was no urgency – it was a “someday I gotta get to this” project. So of course I opened the kit, started measuring for the kitbash, and even took the zona saw to the built up. But then I noticed a subroadbed issue I had been putting off on the other side of the room. Distraction. Then I remembered a clinic on junctions I intend to give and started to rummage through boxes of “props” and began writing notes. Then my new Dremel tool arrived. Then I had a sudden urge to organize all the 35mm slides I ever took at Joliet IL.

All sense of priority … gone. Everything is equally pressing and what is worse, it all seems urgent even though it isn’t.

As far as clutter goes, projects from the workbench migrate to the layout because I like the working height better. Clutter was totally keeping me from attending to some track laying needs so in a sudden burst of energy I cleaned up the worst of it. BUT – that in turn spawned still other distracting projects. Like who makes the after market parts for the old Ulrich tractor trailers that I found while looking for something else?

Yes I finally did finish that difficult kit on the workbench. But not before other projects started to muscl

11

I like the word “meticulous”, but perhaps “through” describes my approach to the hobby. My rolling stock models have complete brake rigging as a standard where possible following prototype info. I also use photos to make certain that all models have the correct paint and lettering, details, etc. If a prototype shows a detail lacking from a kit or RTR car, I’ll add it. I purchase only cars with separate grabs and ladders and upgrade those details if not correct for the model, too. A bit anal to some, but I set a high bar for myself when it comes to this part of the hobby. [swg]

12

When it comes to the final product, final result, I can be called a “neurotic perfectionist from hell”, but in how I get there, not so much - work benches, and work sites often cluttered, but cleaned up every so often.

In the end I like things well organized, but have come to realize that too much obsession with that along the way can paralize progess.

I am seldom in any kind of “rush”, so I seldom break things by accident.

I was taught early to have respect for what myself or others had worked hard to build or purchase - so I can be fussy about how things are cared for.

My modeling style was once very much rivet counter style, but no longer.

Now I’m more about the overall “impression”, and close enough is “close enough”.

But you won’t find too many anachronisms, unless you are really a history/technology nerd of the highest order…

And, somewhat like Kevin, I freely write my own “plausable” history, that many people never notice as not being fact…

My layout world is a somewhat happier place than real life. I have little to no interest in modeling tragety, crime, poverty, extreme decay, etc.

Does all this make me eccentric enough?

Sheldon

13

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Thumbs up to that. I did a lot of research into 1954, and I found out it was a very ugly time. My layout will reflect what my uncles have told me about 1954 looking back through their rose colored glasses.

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My layout will be quite a happy place, if not the least bit historically accurate to the period.

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-Kevin

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14

Kevin,

Agreed.

As a student of history, I have come to realize that every point in history has its beauty and its ugly.

Some people look at the world and only see what is wrong, others only see what is right, and still others have some sense of balance.

But for the purposes of model railroading, we really need not focus too much on the ugly.

Fact - railroading has always been a dangerous, dirty business, but the 1950’s was a time of fresh paint, new equipment, fresh ideas (diesels, piggyback, mechanical reefers, etc), reconstruction, and renewed optimism for the railroads, even if it all did not pan out as hoped.

But in 1954 we did not know the future, so we did not know what would, and would not, happen in the 60’s…

And as I think you know, I model 1954 as well.

Sheldon

15

Only two rules on my RR;Nothing built after Jan. 1 1960, and it has to be believeable.

If ‘‘it’’ does what it’s intended to do.[bench work, wireing, ect] there is no reason to go further. Over thinkers over builders tend to annoy me. But I try hard to not say anything

As to clutter; even brain surgery will leave a mess.

16

Regarding the ugliness of the real world…

My layout includes the branch line from Frannie to Cody Wyoming. Along this branch was a temporary station that existed during WWII - right in my modeled era. It was called Vocation. It was razed in 1946/47.

Vocation was the stop for the Heart Mountain Japanese Internment Camp.

Generally the dark side of life does not intrude on my modeling, but for some reason I can’t explain, I feel compelled to include Vocation on my layout.

17

Track is the one thing I strive to make perfect. I hate derailments.

I only allow clutter where I’m actively working on the layout, like where there is visible pink foam.

I take cars or engines off the layout if they need repair, but I might not get to them for a while.

Wiring I fix immediately.

18

It’s kind of hard admitting your mental health flaws…

I know that I can get a bit manic and have to finish a build, which makes sleeping unnecessary…[:|]

I can’t build anything to a good enough standard, but always have to surpass my earlier efforts.

Sure, RTR track looks very nice, but I hand lay mine… Why make it easier? [:P]j

19

in college i learned that it was good to have multiple projects so that when one becomes frustrating or bogged down because you don’t know how to proceed, you can be productive on a different project.

as i’ve gotten older, i’ve learned to take care of things immediately, before I forget and that no one else is likely to take care of it.

i’m a Felix Unger believing that if you keep things neat you have more room and can find things quickly (and need to do less vacuuming).

isn’t each yard track for a different destination?

20

If there is a problem with the track then just like the real thing I fix it right away.

Indeed. I can’t stand it. I like everything neat and tidy. Whether you are rich or poor a tidy home will impress visitors.

Yes that is one of my main rules: Nothing on the layout except for the models, ever!

Indeed, organization is the key to success. I have no time to search for something that didn’t get put away and I don’t really enjoy buying something that I already have just because I misplaced it.

No because that is not realistic. The track that a car is on is determined by it’s destination.