Wow! From what I’ve read here, the hobby must not have existed before the Internet! Forgive me, but I see the Internet as doing as much harm as good. Maybe more so.
Excluding my early model RR experience with Marx in the 50s, I decided to build a layout in 1970 for my 4 boys. I didn’t go to a LHS, I didn’t need to. I went to Woolworth’s 5 and 10 (remember those?) ahead of Christmas and bought everything that I needed. I bought Life-Like, Tyco and Bachmann locos and cars and AHM, Life-like, Tyco cars, buildings, power pack and accessories. I bought Atlas ‘Snap’ turnouts, track and switch controllers and a little Atlas track plan book and one other layout book that they carried. Everything that I needed for a good starter layout. A trip to a local lumber yard gave me the wood, plywood, homosote and glue.
In the 50s and 60s, Sears, Montgomery Ward, and nearly every major hardware store carried model RR goodies and toy trains. Oh, yes, things are much better than that today aren’t they.
I bought books and magazines and read and tried various things and the railroad went together well and just in time for Christmas, I brought it up out of the basement. I really didn’t need someone from the Internet telling me that starter locos were no good, and that if I didn’t spend over $100US for a loco, I shouldn’t be in the hobby. I knew that they were good enough to start with. And I was right.
Now, the hobby sources have dwindled, the major stores are gone or no longer carry model RR supplies. Instead of being able to buy that loco off of the shelves full of choices at your LHS, we look to the Internet and ask everyone else for their opinion of what is best to buy. We order it from ‘Fly By Night Internet Supply’ and wonder why it doesn’t work as good as the guys said it would. Come on, what is best for you may not be best for me. Why should I let you make my choices for me? I want to see it and see it run. I want to decide if the detail is good enough, not enough or overkill
Model railroading before the internet was difficult. You had to rely on model magazines, and LHSs for product information. Since I’m mostly a lone wolf modeler, I got most of my information about modeling through books and magazines. The LHSs around the area where I grew up had very little information about products they didn’t carry or other resources for help. The internet has opened a new dimension for model railroaders. We now have access to just about every product available and a lot of information about modeling.
I find the internet very effective for research, A library I am sifting thru numbers and tracking down an elusive book.
However there are things on books you wont find on the internet, so sometimes go hit that library.
I I had a research idea, I would have to drive down to the library, now, its just hit the net.
I was involved with a club, visited hobby shops, the net has expanded that venture but hasnt replaced it.
I bought my first MR over 35 years ago. I was a young lad still smarting over the merger that meant the end of my beloved CB&Q. I remember encountering various modelers that scoffed at the idea that I wanted to keep the Burlington spirit alive on my layout.
Fast forward to today. ‘What? You can’t run a Burlington steam engine at the point of a double stack freight consist! It ain’t prototypic!’ is a common thread that I often hear. The net, while valuable, seems to further the nitpicking, you can’t do that cause it aint prototypic stance.
But ya know what? I don’t care. I chuckle with amusement when the holier than thou types preach from their soapboxes about what you ‘can and can’t do’ on your layout in order to pass the 'test" (hello Tony K).
The local club is strictly DCC and refuses to even consider welcoming a lone wolf that doesn’t march to the beat of their DCC/prototype ideal drummer. That is their prerogative and good for them.
Seems folks could take a little shot of the “model railroading is fun / to each his own” attitude
Before I relied on the Internet, I relied on my Dad. He subscribed to MR and RMC. He had a layout. He had books I could read. He encouraged me. He bought me Campbell Kits and blue box rolling stock for every birthday and holiday. He let me work on his layout. He took me to hobby stores, etc.
And now after I left home and wandered thru the desert of girls, cars, school, rock bands, wives, kids,etc. and came back to the hobby, I can still rely on him. But now I have HIM on the internet too. [:)]
I’m surprised from this internet discussion the comments on the amount of "lone wolf’ modellers there are, myself included, and I’m sure there are a lot more out there. this forum allows me to respond to superb information available and get answers to some of my “goofy” questions. Attending the “odd” train show and some model clubs yearly functions, I’ve met some pretty strange characters as some of the above have noted that tend to remain in tight knit groups and don’t like to talk to "strangers NOW the question: does replying to this forum and getting to know a few of the members qualify me as NOT being a lone wolf anymore?? let me think about this one.
I’ve dabbled in and out of the hobby since 1968. Research was A LOT SLOWER then. Now you just google something and find the information you want. Then you had spend time at the library, talk to other modelers if you could find any, filter the prejudices from the facts. Now you google something and find the information you want. The most positive change from my perspective was mentioned above. You can get on line and visit with the Joe Fugate’s, the Fundy Northern’s (I don’t know how to spell his last name either!), the Andy Sperandeo’s, etc. You can get your information so much faster. It’s great! I was at my LHS recently and participated in a discussion with several other local area modelers. I said something which must have betrayed my identity. One of the other fellows asked, “Are you Ed Briley?” I owned up to the fact that I was (am). He turned out to be a fellow I had visited with on the web at length just a few days before. It’s a great time to be a model railroader!
Well,I still kinda miss the old days when you got to meet modelers face to face instead of talking to them through a cold computer and they always seem to be nicer.Now nothing compares to some of the holier-then-thou -art forum modelers and their bold tactics of being argumentative or trashing every brand of locomotive or car while all the while claiming to be super modelers.Of course we never see a PICTURE of their super models.
Back in the good old days we knew how our friends and most modelers model.
Someone mention the “in” crowd at the local hobby shops in the old days…News alert! Its still alive and well but,the big difference is the group of know it alls and the group of common modelers stand several feet apart and still talk about trains while all the while looking down on each other with vile distaste.
What does this have to do with this topic? A lot…We still ask and answer questions like we did long before the arrival of the home computer.So,some things never change but,just the way its beening done.[:D]
While in internet may have opened many doors to researching various aspects of the prototype not easily done years ago, in more than a few respects it has also proven to be a pitfall.
Ask a question of most forums and you’re likely to get dozens of answers…often a considerable percentage of them ill-informed or down right wrong. The net provides a platform for anyone, knowledgable or otherwise, to tell you how something is done. You typically have no way of judging who is giving the correct advice. As Brakie comments, in the old days you’d look up some highly regarded local modeler to ask a particular question of and know you were getting the right answer. Honestly, I’ve seen as much mis-information on these forums as I have good advice.
I think a combination of knowing who knows what, plus using the internet is the best.
In my line of work, I’ll look up a reputable source that I knew existed before the internet to learn something.
Similarly, on this forum, if I’m recognizing names of people who I’ve seen in MR since I was a kid, I think I’m tapping into a good source.
But yes, CNJ831, it does take some sifting through to get to the good stuff. But once you figure out how to sift, the good stuff is at your fingertips!