I’ve been doing a lot of research lately trying to find certain prototypes to justify the models I run on my layout, but have finally reached the point where I’m beginning to believe it’s futile to find exact examples… So, from here on out, I’ll just get as close as I can and leave it at that. Life’s too short to have a nervous breakdown over trying to get a model train perfect!.
Anyone else out there feel this way ?.
TL
I have been known to run a lashup that consisted of a Southern Pacific GP38-2, Boston & Maine GP40-2, and an AMD103 in New Haven colors. [:D]
What kinda stuff are you trying to model??
Are you are getting a model and trying to fit it to a prototype, rather than researching the prototype and finding a model to fit it.
If its and obscure prototype, I can see some difficulty, but most roads have volumes in print about them…I model the Western Maryland, and have no fewer than 8 books it and it was a small road by most standards!
Does your prototype have a hysterical,ooopss,[;)] HISTORICAL society? Might be a great place to start![:D]
I’m attempting to model a Santa Fe 4-6-2 Pacific with a consist of 65’ heavyweight passenger cars, but I just don’t like the looks of the loco, and can’t seem to find any period photos of it. Some people might tell me to paint it the way I prefer it, but I can’t do that unless I know for sure it was really that way in real life…
TL
Being a prototype modeler doesn’t mean that you have to get everything “right”: it’s impossible. You can’t have an EXACT, working model of ANY piece of rolling stock or engine.
Being a prototype modeler means constantly challenging yourself to do better; to try to be as close as possible to the real thing, within the constraints of models and physics. It means not lying to yourself when you make compromises (and you WILL make compromises). It means doing your best, and them in a few years, doing better.
Being a prototype modeler doesn’t mean that you’re an armchair modeler until that one glorious day when you have every stitch of data necessary to model every rivet and every weld seam on the Empire Builder on June 17, 1949, at 3:42 PM. It DOES mean that you want to accurately model the Empire Builder as it would have looked in June, 1949.
Research is an ongoing process. Look at science books: because of ongoing research, high school science books from ten years ago are wrong enough in enough areas to be thrown away and replaced. Ongoing research allows our average lifespan to be increased from 60 to 75 in less than my lifetime. The same thing applies to prototype railroad research. Even professional railroaders working today rarely know everything there is to know about every detail on the train they’re driving, let alone the line they’re running on. Every once in awhile, a prototype modeler needs to reexamine his ever-growing research database in his interest field, to see if the assumptions he made three years ago are still valid.
Modeling the prototype faithfully means actually MODELING. If you’re an N scale ATSF steam modeler, and you want to model one of their Pacifics, do the research: it’s out there (considering the ATSF is one of the top five most popular roads); all you need to do is to find it. Once you’ve collected enough data to know what they were supposed to look like, it’s up to you to decide how to apply that information. Is the cab wrong? Star
I agree, and would allow a bit more latitude by saying simply, 1949.
[quote]
QUOTE: Originally posted by orsonroy
Being a prototype modeler doesn’t mean that you have to get everything “right”: it’s impossible. You can’t have an EXACT, working model of ANY piece of rolling stock or engine.
Being a prototype modeler means constantly challenging yourself to do better; to try to be as close as possible to the real thing, within the constraints of models and physics. It means not lying to yourself when you make compromises (and you WILL make compromises). It means doing your best, and them in a few years, doing better.
Being a prototype modeler doesn’t mean that you’re an armchair modeler until that one glorious day when you have every stitch of data necessary to model every rivet and every weld seam on the Empire Builder on June 17, 1949, at 3:42 PM. It DOES mean that you want to accurately model the Empire Builder as it would have looked in June, 1949.
Research is an ongoing process. Look at science books: because of ongoing research, high school science books from ten years ago are wrong enough in enough areas to be thrown away and replaced. Ongoing research allows our average lifespan to be increased from 60 to 75 in less than my lifetime. The same thing applies to prototype railroad research. Even professional railroaders working today rarely know everything there is to know about every detail on the train they’re driving, let alone the line they’re running on. Every once in awhile, a prototype modeler needs to reexamine his ever-growing research database in his interest field, to see if the assumptions he made three years ago are still valid.
Modeling the prototype faithfully means actually MODELING. If you’re an N scale ATSF steam modeler, and you want to model one of their Pacifics, do the research: it’s out there (considering the ATSF is one of the top five most popular roads); all you need to do is to find it. Once you’ve collected enough data to know what they were supposed to look like, it’s up to you
Good point, you think you have it tough, try modeling a prototype based SP branch circa 1926 in S scale! Without use of the “good enough” concept I would get nothing accomplished in regards to motive power or other SP specific equiptment. I do try to obtain the flavor of the era and local and not get too hung up on the nuts and bolts, count each rivet concept. Bachman On30 2-6-0s, reguaged with new S details, capture the look of typical branch steam, a RTR caboose with a plugged window and new cupola makes a passable CA-1 class. My track planning does follow true to form, fire maps, elevation charts and other engineering sources were used to complete as close as possible. Paint that pacific black with Tarpon grey smokebox/firebox, aluminum lettering and number correctly and enjoy!!
Dave
Try this link…Its a long shot
I hear “they” are working on a computer program which will allow one to scan in a photo of the prototype. Then the program controls a laser beam which is focused on a container of liquid polymer which is selectively hardened to form a three dimensional reproduction of the original photo. Now I say this with tongue in cheek or wherever one keeps his tongue in order to maintain a straightface. However I saw in Popular Science a couple years ago where just such a system is actually working on simple objects such as a cup or a reasonable copy of a human head.
tracklayer, your tone that you took with olsonroy was way out of line. you sound like you could use a size 9 Buster Brown up your -ss. Maybe its just me?
The compute/laser program is being used to make mockup Formula 1 parts among other things, but I don’t think we have that kind of budget. And I don’t think you had a disrespectful tone to your reply TL. J.R.
Since Day One… Try finding a photo of the NW-5 running at Fort Street Union Station in Detroit, As it existed then… [banghead]
Oh yes! I can’t even find a hint of what color my prototype usd before they went out of business in 1936. In some ways that makes it easier but I would at least like to know.
Yup. It’s just you.[:D] (IMO)
Jeff
At least you’re doing your research in your native language. Imagine the fun of trying to extract desired information from a display of pictographs, aided by a person who doesn’t have an engineer’s depth of technical comprehension - in either language!
Fortunately, pictures translate well.
(I think marknewton can relate to this!)
As I have repeatedly said “the research is the hard part”. When you are 60 years and two thousand miles away from the railroad you are modeling you just have to dig and dig and dig. Find everything you can read. Join the “Histerical” society if there is one. The Pennsy and NHRR have fabulous ones for instance. THe Library of Congress has photograph archives. I build my roster around what the railroad actually owned and try to run the consists as they were run in the era I am modeling. It is very satisfying when you tie it all together and watch the Yankee Clipper pulling out of the New Haven Station to Boston pulled by an I-5 Streamlined Hudson with the actual consist of the day. Gives me goose bumps.
traclayer, I understand your pain, I have been to Deer Lodge and have photographed the “Little Jeo” there but I would still like a set of plans I could build by. I’ve seen good drawings on the Hiawatha trail in Idaho ,and the organization that runs that would probably help me out, But I’m still mad at em for not letting me take our little dog on the trail ride, after us driving 150 miles and having no mention of no dogs in their lit. But I digress,I’m still looking for plans. Just haven’t asked the right people I guess.
Try here, its the Denver Public Library.
http://photoswest.org/presearch.html
Unfortunately, I couldn’t get to the site to do a search for you, may be because my ISP (the US Army) won’t let me get there or because the site is temporarily down.
Do a search on ATSF, Santa Fe, 4-6-2, and Pacific, I think you’ll be amazed at what pops up. Now most of the stuff is black and white, but there are great shots in there.
I second the notion of joining the Historical Society, also any groups devoted strictly to Santa Fe.
Lastly, I model the Burlington Route and really want some accurate passenger cars, both heavyweight and streamlined. It seems that each RR had the passenger cars done to its own design and to get 100 percent accurate, without brass, is difficult. I even bought some of the new BLI CZ cars hoping to modify them slightly for use on different Zephyrs. Looks like they will have to fill in as is since the minor modifications will be very noticable. Good Luck
Rick
I certainly can!
Mark.