And yet some of those old methods still create excellent scenery…
Just my opinion, but I think many modern scenery methods are much to coarse and out of scale.
LifeLike brand dyed sawdust was too coarse as well, that’s why someone invented zip texturing.
In some cases “obsolete” is a valid description, and sometimes it is just change for change sake.
Sheldon
So, if I build my mountains out of wire screen and plaster, or hydrocal hard shell, and you build yours by covering a stack of foam with plaster cloth, how do they look any different if both are done with good geological based features?
So why is wire screen and plaster “obsolete”? I’m still waiting for someone to explain the magical advantage of foam? I like the fact that my terrain is completely hollow underneath, making easy access to hidden trackage in tunnels, staging yards, scenic wiring at all elevations, etc.
I’ve been at this since 1968, and I do a lot of stuff differently than we did it then. And I still do a lot of stuff the same way we did back then.
I have never accepted the idea that something is better just because it is a new/different approach.
So digital or in print, I think most of the old info has value. I still run DC, and from what I can tell on facebook many of you might be surprised at how many others are still DC. A schematic for a DC throttle or the various options for block control that do not involve “flipping toggles” might hold more value than you think.
Now, I use a pretty advanced version of DC, with full voltage pulse width modulated wireless throttles (just like a DCC decoder), progressive walk around control with semi-automatic block selection, route turnout control, detection and signaling all integrated together. While I designed my control system myself, the building blocks of it are based on systems build by people like Bruce Chubb, Ed Ravenscoft, and Paul Mallery back in the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s. Those magazines from when I was a toddler or a teen came in pretty handy.
It might not hurt for a few newer people to take a minute and understand the old ways just a bit. Maybe then I would not have to explain that multiple powered units work fine on DC with only a few minor issues in some cases.
I’m all for it, they should digitize any and all titles they can. But I will still keep my print copies.
Sheldon
I have my father-in-laws collection of the first decade or so of Model Railroader that he bound when he was in High School. I made a point of buying a copy of the June 2024 MR to have issue 60 years older than the first one I was given and to have the last issue published by Kalmbach to go with the first issue of MR. I also have several books that he acquired in the 30’s and 40’s - with the most interesting being Steel Trails by Martin Stevers. That’s a description of railroads from a business and operations focus - the chapter on booking reservations on passenger trains shows why computers are so useful for the modern day traveler.
Take it from a guy who is still cleaning out unneeded and unwanted stuff in his basement. After some period of time, perhaps a long time, you will grow weary of such accumulations that no one else wants either. Then what? To paraphrase a line from Jaws, we’re gonna need a bigger pyramid.
Rich
Just to add my 2 centsworth.
Magazines I buy are out the house within three months. Either someone takes them or into the trash. The only times I will keep one longer is it has a special layout I admire.
Books I keep. Some books I want and know are ‘out of print’ I still search for.
A large number of my books I have are now out of print, though bought when printed (1960s onwards). The information in them still stands to this day.
David
I still have paperbacks about wine. Nothing rare and the recommended vintages are long since past. Gotta toss those.
On the other hand, I have several books on chess, openings, end games, strategies in general. Timeless!
Rich
My wife and I are quick to get rid of things we no longer need or want. Everyone values things differently.
I will use my vinyl music collection as an example. I know most people would say “I don’t need them any more, I have Amazon Music and /or Spotify”
My response to them would be that they never had an interest in the sound quality of music, so that is the right choice for them.
Amazon Music is “OK” to pipe thru the car stereo while driving, but when I want to sit down at home and really enjoy music, compressed, digitized and streamed does not do it for me.
I don’t listen to music at home on the Echo Dot, or thru some cute little cubes from Bose.
I listen at home on these. I designed and built these, and my hifi friends with really expensive speakers say these sound as good as what they have. They rock the house…
Music is an analog waveform - it sounds best that way…
Sheldon
All round to Sheldon’s house. Let’s rock the house. Yeah!!!
Love it
David
Years ago, when we lived in this house, we did have some rockin parties.
And here is the other thing, not everything I have on vinyl is available to be streamed…
Sheldon
Does this mean a layout expansion is in the works?
Sheldon
Oh, if only!
No, I am just trying to clear a path to my layout. The basement has become a dumping ground in our house. Not good.
Rich
Been there done that Rich, not good not good at all. 
Yes. Dawn, daughter and a few friends around this evening for a ‘Girls Night’. then sleepover. To make room the train room is a store room until tomorrow.
David
The problem happens when there’s one of each type of person in the marriage.
My wife wants to keep everything and I want to get rid of everything.
Like all good marriages, we compromise. We keep everything. 
That would be us. The old coffee pot dies. We buy a new one. The old dead one is now in the basement. Why, I ask ?
Rich
If something breaks around here, and it is not sensible to repair, it is usually gone before the sun sets on it again.
However I am still on a campaign to rid the second half of the basement of good stuff that no longer suits our needs or future plans. Including stuff stored for the 40 year old “kids”. I’m making good progress.
And I have dramatically reduced the inventory of surplus construction materials, and surplus tools.
Sheldon
Sheldon, what is your disposal method? Do you sell old stuff, donate it, trash it?
Rich
If it still has some value, given away (directly or to Goodwill), or possibly sold on facebook marketplace. But if stuff does not sell quickly off to Goodwill it goes.
For child stuff, after the Grandchildren outgrow it, we have a second hand store that specializes in that. They buy it from you (cheap) and resell it. You can take a store credit and get a couple pennies more, then buy whatever they need next. Everything in there is nice, they reject the less than perfect stuff, some of which you can leave there and they see to it that it is donated to people in need.
Managing the needs of the grandchildren at a low cost is one of my wife’s hobbies…
Broken stuff goes to the trash or recycling in a heartbeat.
Sheldon
Where my daughter lives any old, outgrown children’s toys, books etc. are left in a box that is under a seat near the village square. People in the village know of it. If there is anything of interest for their children they can take it. It is great as items are ‘recycled’ at no cost to anyone.
It works very well as it is an area of young children
David
that is the best thing I have ever heard you leave it under a seat that’s a fantastic idea! 
