Philosophy Friday -- A Lifetime of Achievement

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
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A Lifetime of Achievement

!(http://www.marksmodelrailroading.com/website NMRA.jpg)

Logo of the National Model Railroad Association (Okay, so it’s their old logo)

[Wikipedia: National Model Railroad Association]

The hobby of Model Railroading is often described, especially by its practitioners, as a “Lifetime Hobby”. The idea being that once someone gets hooked on trains and building layouts, its difficult to shake loose thereafter. And also too that it takes awhile to build a layout, and to acquire all of the cars and locomotive that one might desire, and to lay the tracks, add the scenery, build the buildings, and all the myriad other details involved in constructing a layout-- not to mention, of course, actually operating the thing… And there are those who are not content with a single layout, they gotta have another, and then maybe another… and, well-- you see where I’m headed with this… :slight_smile:

For some people Model Railroading is simply a relaxing hobby, something they do to pass the time and while away the hours. For whatever aspect they enjoy, simply doing it is enough to satisfy. Other people perceive Model Railroading as a challenge of sorts, whether personal-- simply to see if their next project can be accomplished with more aplomb than the last-- or else a bit more competitively, as in entering contests and allowing their efforts to be compared to and judged by others. Some even strive to rea

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NMRA Golden Spike Award

Sadly, that seems unlikely.

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Thanks Byron! I had been wondering. Are there any others that you know of?

John

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I believe that’s the only one through the NMRA, but it’s very “achievable” if one is interested in doing some modeling.

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Yes, I just got through reading through it.

Looks like a cakewalk! [^] [tup]

John

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To me, a few nice words from you guys here on Weekend Photo Fun is worth more than all the certificates in the world.

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– Do you have a Master Model Railroader certification from the NMRA?
No.

– Would you like to have a Master Model Railroader certification?
No

– Do you think there should be other less advanced “certifications” for beginners and intermediates to help them get some early recognitions and kudos?
Not for Me.

– Are there any other Model Railroading-related achievement programs besides the NMRA sponsored ones? Should there be?
Not for Me.

I have been a Lone Wolf modeler for so long that I don’t need anyone to tell me how good or bad a model builder or layout builder I am.

At the same time, I don’t begrudge those that have gotten the award, but I don’t put them on a pedestal either.

The attitude of the person has a lot to do with how I interact with them. If they would show me something and say, “I built that as part of my requirements for the Master Model Railroader certification”, I would say good job. If they said " I am a Master Model Railroader with an NMRA certification and I built that building", I would more than likely just walk away.

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I have the Golden Spike award, which says I have gotten started. I have looked at the MMR awards and I think some would be fun to pursue, but I hate paperwork and so I have avoided them. Its not that the paperwork is too much, its just that I don’t like it. I admire those of my friends who have them, but so far have not applyed, though I may beclose to a couple. Maybe some day.

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The NMRA AP is something unique to the US/Canada, but it is open to all NMRA members world-wide, as I understand.

I am not a member of the NMRA, so I won´t be able to participate in it. I don´t think I´ll miss it. I do my modeling for my own pleasure and relaxation, and that is all what counts for me. I am quite happy when I can catch some recognition here in the forum for what I do, but it does not require a program or a certificate.

In general, it is not a bad idea, but maybe a little intimidating for the novice.

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Hear Hear! Ditto for me.

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I don’t have any of the NMRA AP certificates.

I have enjoyed model railroading as a hobby for over 40 years and don’t plan to stop. I find it to be relaxing and enjoyable in and of itself. Striving for achievements awards adds a competitiveness/seriousness I don’t want - even granting the requirement to win contests has been replaced by getting a certain number of points. Building a layout, some cars, structures, etc. and running trains is all I need.

I don’t see the requirements, as stated, being particularly difficult to achieve. However, there appears to be a lot of subjectivity to the merit judging which may or may not make the whole process onerous.

I think the whole achievement program is fine for those like that sort of thing. Expanding the the number and type of certificates you can get and / or adding other certifying organizations just seems to cloud the whole issue.

Enjoy

Paul

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In college I earned a degree in Education, specializing in industrial education – qualifying me to be a “shop teacher.” A certain number of humanities hours were required and I earned most of these by taking art classes. Some of my art instructors tried to convince me to change my major to art. I replied to them that I have to have a degree in education to be a teacher, but that no degree is required to be an artist.

I feel a lot the same about my hobbies. I don’t need a certificate to establish that I’m an accomplished model railroader, or furniture maker, or hot-rod builder; I feel that my work speaks for itself. Besides that, I’m modest enough that I cannot bring myself to fill out an application requesting recognition. I much prefer the occasional unsolicited complement to the NMRA giving me a “Gold Star” for having completed a prescribed set of projects. At the same time, I don’t begrudge others for having sought and completed the NMRA certification; it’s their choice and I do believe that you have to be a darned good modeler to pass the MMR muster. Yet, there are many darned good modelers who choose not to be certified and that doesn’t make them less good.

I hope that the NMRA doesn’t add additional levels.

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I am not a Master Model Railroader, but I would like to be one. One of the problems, for me, is the paperwork. I hate paperwork.[8o|]

I have one certificate, that of Association Volunteer. I entered some regional contests in the 1990’s and earned 6 Merit certificates for structures. I have moved 3 times since then and can’t find the darn things. If I find them, I will do the paperwork for Master Builder Structures. With my new layout, I probably have enough complete for the Master Builder Scenery. It just gets down to pushing myself a little bit more. But, I think the Achievement Program is good, but not for everyone.[2c] Maybe, not for me either. NMRA, help with this paperwork part, please.[:'(]

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Back when I was an NMRA member I was also an Air Force NCO. My day job had me up to my (choose appropriate anatomical location) in paperwork - a five minute repair takes twenty to document! As a result, I developed (and still have) a total aversion to filling out forms and writing descriptions.

Since that time, I have developed a level of self-confidence that allows me to be satisfied with my own work. I can praise other peoples’ work from a neutral stance, since I feel no need to prove myself to others. I may think, “I can do better than that,” but don’t expect to hear me say it.

My hat is off to all those who have jumped through the bureaucratic hoops, earned achievement awards and can now be officially recognized as Master Model Railroaders. I will not be joining you, but I can and do appreciate your achievement.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

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Here is a slightly different reason for not being interested in the achievement program.

I am a NMRA member, have been for a long, long time. But conventions, contests, traveling just for this hobby, have never fit into my personal life. I have never attended an NMRA event.

My understanding is that at least part of the achievement program requires this, or, at least is more easily accomplished via convention contest participation.

For most of my life, it seems weekends have been reserved for the wife and children and expensive or distant travel has always seemed to both interfere with that, and detract from the budget that would actually buy model train supplies.

So all of my in person social activity in the hobby has been local to my area, and only when timing was right, often at the last minute.

Sure, it may be nice to not always have these family obligations, but even without them I doubt such activities would attract me on a regular basis.

Much happier to be home working on the trains than out socializing about them. That is what I like about the Round Robin group I currently am involved with - no pressure to participate any more than I desire to.

My modeling has been praised by some and condemed by other, but it meets my standards. I am a model builder, mostly kits and kit bashing, some scratch building, but some areas of the achievement program are low on my interest list, dispite whatever skills I have. Example - I can hand lay excelent track - I choose not to except for special situations.

Still a lone wolf after 40 years and starting to return deeper into the cave.

Sheldon

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I do what I do for my own enjoyment and relaxation so I will leave filling out and filing unending forms to my date with the IRS. I admire people who have achieved that level of expertise and I hope they are using their skills to improve the hobby. Now ask me about getting a picture published in MR and that is a whole other discussion. That I would try to do at some point and only if I thought I had something they would print.

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I haven’t decided yet and have little experience at this point. I might try for a Golden Spike Certificate but don’t know if I have any interest in pursuing anything further. This is mostly because as a kid, I thought it would be cool to at least get the Golden Spike and it was an early dream that can fairly easily come true.

I DO wish that the NMRA certificates were nicer though! I taught elementary school for years and the certificates resemble the run of the mill-boring examples shown in those teacher’s catalogs. Extremely generic and plain. They look very “cheap”.

Our local 4th division group has a guy who produces contest award certificates that resemble old time railroad stock certificates with great graphics and scrolls/lettering. Fancy and something that you’d enjoy putting up on your wall for general public/visitors than the “plain jane” NMRA certificates. I think redesigning the AP certificates should be part of their new “look” and agenda for the NMRA.

I think if the NMRA is going to attract younger members it certainly needs “hipper” certificates to help attract them. Perhaps an AP achiever could choose one from a selection of graphic choices like we (used to?) buy bank checks to suit our personalities (historical/steam vs. modern electric/diesel, whatever.)

I personally know several Master Model Railroaders. I am proud to be in their company because it’s nice to see someone who appreciates and strives for quality of craftsmanship. The requirements are pretty rigid so I respect those who have met them. There is so much acceptance of mediocrity in our society that it’s nice to meet people who care about quality.

I think the AP certificates are an important tool for getting new modelers interested in attaining a high level of work while getting some recognition that their work is “up there” with some well known MMRers. Even if these modelers are not competitive with anyone but themselves it’s a measurement of comparison they can use as their own per

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No, I’m not a NMRA Master Model Railroader but I’m working on it. I hope to be in about 10 to 15 years. The time and effort to become one is more then most people realize. Sometimes I wonder if it truly is a lifetime achievement. It seems it’s going to take me a lifetime, lol. I want it because it is something that I can look at and look back on with pride. Getting the certificate is just a small part of it. Meeting new people and learning new techniques, skills etc is the most rewarding part for me. I will accomplish it but it will take longer then I first thought. I think the only difficult part is getting judges to your house to validate your achievements and the paper work involved. I’ve got two certificates in limbo right now and I have the Golden Spike.

I think the Golden Spike award should be the only intermediate award. It is a very easy certificate to get with just basic modeling skills. From the pics I’ve seen of peoples layouts on this site 99% of you would easily qualify for it. If there were any more I think it would take away from the prestige of the achivement program.

CARM, the Canadian Association of RailWAY Modellers (yes 2 L’s in Canada) has something very similar to the NMRA’s program. I’ve been thinking about joining CARM as well and working on their’s, sort of kill two birds with one stone.

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Yes, I have the Golden Spike Award. Actually most of the people here in this forum have already completed everything needed for the Golden Spike. Not a whole lot of paperwork to that one either. All that is needed is to have the Division or region AP chairman stop by and look over the layout and make sure everything has been done, sign the papers, and send them in. The day I had our division AP person stop by, he walked into the layout room and immediately picked up a tortoise assembly I had waiting to be installed. he looked at it and said, Wow you do these exactly like I do them (pre-mounted on a piece of thin plywood), and then went on to say he had read an article showing this technique a year earlier and found it worked great. He mentioned where it was published, and I told him I wrote the article… He then started to praise the clouds on the backdrop. I then recalled where I had seen the guy before and that he had done a clinic on painting clouds and backdrops at my very first NMRA meet. We became instant friends!

I have also earned now: Model Railroad Engineer - Electrical; Master Builder - Scenery; Model Railroad Engineer - Civil. I will have completed Association Official by this coming October, and am currently working on Association Volunteer and Master Builder - Structures. Much of the paperwork is about things that probably should be done as we do our layouts any… Electrical comes to mind. Doesn’t hurt to have a track diagram with where (and what color) your electrical wiring is…[;)] Will I ever become an MMR?? who knows? Maybe if I learn enough, and live long enough…

Personally I find that around this neck of the woods, because of the gentleman who does the AP and several other MMRs I have been privileged to meet and learn from as well as many other of the NMRA membership who are helping me learn to be a better MR, it can be an enjoyable program. That said, it’s

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I’m not an NMRA member, and don’t plan on becoming one. It’s not a matter of whether or not I support their mission, I’m just not a joiner.

I’m not interested in any certifications, either. I’ve been through enough of that stuff in my professional life. It’s another of the many things I like to leave behind when I open the train room door.

I’m glad there are people who support this kind of effort, but it’s just not for me.

Lee