Model Railroading is a great hobby. And while that’s true in general, I’m referring to the fact that it has so many facets, its hard to get bored, or run out of fun or useful things to do. Not that one can’t take a break from it now and then, or have other pursuits, because surely you can. And you can participate in it as fully or as lightly as you like and still find aspects of it that pique your interests at whatever level of engagement you choose. And the skill areas required, to varying degrees, in order to be a fully-rounded model railroader, run the gambit: Carpenter, Painter, Electrician, Engineer, Operator, Administrator, Artist, Visionary, Philosopher, Architect, Technician-- and many more. And those are just the gross specialties. Each of those are further divided into more numerous and nuanced sub-specialties, and so on. There are so many aspects to the hobby that no matter what your particular set of interests-- of the moment-- its virtually guaranteed that there’s something you’ll find to enjoy, to occupy yourself with, to learn with and to hone your skills in each or any of the various requisite skill areas.
While each of us likely has some particular combination of natural talents, I think its fair to say that across the board each of us starts out at some point with a clean slate and has to work and achieve our way through each phase and “level” of the hobby (please excuse my use of the word “level”, I don’t know what else to call it). In that sense, much of what the hobby “is”, is a “meritocracy”, meaning you move “up” through the “ranks of the hobby” as the
About a year and a half ago, I “completed” my layout. Yes, a layout is never really complete, and I could make a list of things yet-to-do, and things that needed to be re-done better. But, the track was all ballasted and the entire 5x12 foot table was covered with scenery and details. I could run trains forever without a derailment, as long as I set the turnouts correctly and accounted for DCC momentum when coming to a stop.
It was an empty feeling.
I’d sort of expected that I would put away the glue and the containers of scenic materials and ballast, turn down the lights a bit, pop a microbrew and just sit there to watch the trains, content at last on this, the seventh day of creation. But, what I proved pretty quickly was what I had suspected all along - I’m a Builder. I’m not an Operator. I’m not a Rail-Fan.
Fortunately, I’ve negotiated the rights to more space in the train room, and I’m building again. Phase 2 is going well, and I’m happy. I anticipate another “microbrew moment” in the next week or two, when I connect the loop around the new section of the layout, and I can run trains all the way around with a beer in one hand and a throttle in the other.
My growth in the hobby has been through a number of channels - more like success through study than via failure. I started when I was 12:
Reading magazines and books about techniques was my primary source of instruction while I was learning the basics. I read Model Railroader for about a year before I started building my first layout. I did more than browse and pick/choose what to read in each edition of Model Railroader; my practice was to read it cover to cover. My scale at the time was N, but I learned things in articles about model building in other scales that I could adjust for N scale and I still use those skills in HO.
I still look at all models to see how they were made. Often, a technique or material used by doll house makers, military model makers, model plane makers, etc. will adapt to model railroading.
School is a biggie (a good model railroader will study hard – almost every class you take makes you a better model builder).
I paid close attention in all my shop classes at school - math and geometry, too. That was a great place to learn about electricity, tools, the mechanics of trackwork and structures. Drafting classes helped a bunch, too. Scaling up or down? That’s algebra!
Over in the Art department I learned about manipulating paint, what colors do what (visually), and I learned about other materials, too.
In science I learned about leverage, momentum, friction, etc.
By the time I finished high school, I was building pretty good models:
Yup, and I ain’t never gonna get there. It began for me around Christmas 1951, with my brothers new AF SF passenger set. He (mostly our dad) built a large table (almost 200 sq.ft.) in the basement with old 2x4’s and wide rough sawn boards. They laid a LOT of track on cut-down shingles for ballast. Dad cut literally hundreds of extra ties the size of the metal stamped AF ties, painted them black, and nailed them in place, four per track section. The track was held down with a washer and a screw between the ends ties of each section. He built several structures to an indeterminant scale, probably somewhere between 1/2-3/4" per foot, using orange crates as the material of choice. The windows had real glass, though. My six year old eyes absolutely could not distinguish these marvels from the real thing!
When I was eight, my Christmas gift was a freight set, with a 326 Hudson. Within two years, I got permission to tear up the track and relay it, something I did about semi-annually for the next few years. I became more aware of the concept of scale, and replaced the SunKist buildings with Plasticville. Flatland eventually gave way to wood-fiber plaster terrain and mountains on chicken wire, 100# bags at a time, usually slathered on at least an inch thick, and painted with a 2" or 3" brush. I probably only used green and brown. And Lo, I saw, and it was good (that’s about the time I had to get glasses).
The journey derailed for a few years for college, work, and beer (not necessarily in that order). Around 1971, in Michigan, I gave a friend about $10 for an N guage set, and promptly spent about $150 more for track and cork and miscellaneous. I built a 3x3 fold-down layout for my mobile home living room, with ridiculous curves and grades, and an even more ridiculous plan.
am really interested in hearing about your personal growth in the hobby. Do you have a story or situation you could tell us about where you Succeeded through Failure? (Meaning you tried something, it didn’t work-- maybe several times-- and then you figured it out and/or persevered, and in the end, succeeded).
Gee whiz John I never thought much about since I learn my modeling limitations from many lessons learn the hard way years ago.
I am perfectly happy where I am in my modeling skills since I can do the basics and some advance modeling…Both has served me well over the years.
As far as a mentor I liked my Dad’s approach when I was 10…"Here build this kit…I will check your progress…I built that kit with either a smile or a sad side to side shake of the head…I thank Dad for doing that because of the valuable lessons learned…Oh that kit? A Penn Line PRR H9 2-8-0…My next kit was a Hobbytown Alco RS3.
When my oldest grandson was 12 he wanted 2 Athearn GP40-2s… I got those for him for Christmas with a twist…I disassemble these engines and put the parts into sandwich bags in returned them to their boxes.[:O][}:)]
To my surprise and shock he had these 2 units built and test ran in 60 minutes.
His only comment with a big grin was: “How’s that Grandpa?”
Back in the early '90s, I decided to build an HOn3 version of the old classic “Gum Stump & Snowshoe” layout plan.I built the upper, middle, and lower levels, and got the transition from the upper to middle level just fine. But the “ramp” from the lower level to the middle one, the locomotives would bottom out every time. It took about four or five tries to get the transition from the lower level to the ramp smooth and shallow enough where the MDC 2-8-0 locomotive I had wouldn’t bottom out. that was the first time I had built anything with a grade on it, and the lesson has been invaluable ever since.
Even earlier than that, I built a 4x8 HO layout, and really wanted to include the Bachmann Bascule Bridge that someone had given me for Christmas, so I figured out a way to have it cross the main loop of track that I had and connect back into it. Unfortunately in doing so I had introduced a reversing loop onto the track plan, and at that point knew nothing of insulators or reverse loop wiring. I ended up using a piece of flextrack to put a sharp curve and tie into the opposite side of the loop. A couple of years later I learned what I could have done to eliminate that sharp curve using special wiring, but as an 11-year-old, All I knew was how to hook up the track to the terminals.
To paraphrase Ratty and apologies to Kenneth Grahame:
There is nothing–absolutely nothing - half so much worth doing as simply messing about with trains.
For me, this has been a hobby. It never comes first, it always comes after the family. But it is a way for me to relax and unwind. I have almost always had a layout under construction for the last 40 years, but have never come close to finishing one - rarely get to the scenery stage, but usually get enough track down to run some trains. Some years money was tight and I just renewed magazine subscriptions, other years I bought locomotives, dcc, etc. Some years I was lucky to lay 10 feet of track, other years I built 40’ of benchwork, laid 100’ of track, and wired it.
Recently, I retired and am in the process of selling my old house and moving into my retirement house with a basement for the “big one”. I expect to start finishing the basement by this fall. In the meantime I have a small “test” layout.
I’m not particularly interested in ranking myself or anyone else. For those who want tangible evidence of accomplishment in the hobby, I recommend the NMRA Achievement Program. For me there is no failure in the hobby. I may need to try something a couple of times to get it the way I want it or do it differently, but I don’t see that as failure. Relaxation and fun are my objectives and I always have that.
While I do have a goal and a vision for each layout I build, finishing a layout is not a necessity with me. The “big one” may never get finished, but that’s not important to me. I just enjoy whatever gets done. If I change the vision along the way, why I’ll just start anew.
As for things that didn’t work out the first time there have been many. Examples include the time I reamed out the hole in the drive rod, only to find out 2 instructions later that I needed that lip in the hole. But I cut the end off of a
Let’s open the hopper a little though and amend“Success through failure” to include“Success through adversity” and “Success through perseverance”. Since not all learning experiences are the result of failure.
I don’t think you can really grow in any activity without accepting failure.
There are dozens of techniques and projects where failure has been a large part of the process.
Handlaying track.
Handlaying switches.
Casting cars in resin.
Weathering
Kitbashing
Since I have an engineering degree, I do things in such a way as to include or allow for failure. I expect there to be a learning process, I expect “failure”, I embrace failure as part of the development process. I build mock ups and trial examples. I test out each step of a new process on a small piece. I will often sacrifice a cheap sample or previously failed attempt to try out a new technique or design.
I have built switches and handlaid track using dozens of methods and have revised and modified my methods over the years. Some worked better than others, some were easier to fabricate, some were quicker, some yeilded better results, some were good for specific applications.
In trying to cast my own cars in resin I have had to build many masters. Some parts had 3 or 4 masters built before I made one with which I was happy. Some parts have had 2 or three molds made of them, sometimes I try something that ends up not working well, but each variation of mold improves the overall quality and method. I have tried several different methods of casting parts and several different resins. Some were horrible. Some were great. But now I know what works best under my conditions. One of my next cars I want to cast is a PRR class GD/GH hopper bottom gondola. I have built 2 test cars and 3 different variations of how to build the hopper bottom. I think I have found a pretty good method (build a basic form out of soldered thin brass sheet, then laminate plastic or wood scribed sheet over the brass.)Out of those 5 attempts, only one will end up being a car on my layout, the r
For me, model railroading is all about locomotives. Everything I do in model railroading is for the locomotives. The benchwork holds up the track, and the track is a place to run my locomotives. The various types of rolling stock are something for my locomotives to pull. The structures and scenery are the background that places my locomotives in the time period in which their prototypes ran. The wiring and electrical equipment are the source of power to run my locomotives. And the painting and detailing makes my locomotives look closer to the prototypes I want them to represent.
My journey in this hobby began when I probably 8 years old. My parents bought me a Lionel train set - sad to say I don’t remember to much other than it was on oval on a sheet of plywood in the unheated upstairs of the farmhouse we lived in. It went from there to an American Flyer oval on another sheet of plywood. Then one day I remember reading somewhere about ‘scale’ and wondered what mine was, I finally decided it was S scale. Sadly that one was dismantled and given away when I went to college - still wish I had it.
My first ‘serious’ attempt was an Atlas layout made with sectional brass track and since it was in a basement I was forever cleaning the track. That one lasted maybe a year for that very reason. So, I tried designing a trackplan - with a duckunder. That one maybe lasted 18 months. I made a few other attempts but it seemed there was always one major issue that stopped progress in its tracks - no pun intended. Then in my last home I decided to try again. I remembered all those other attempts and I managed to avoid them all - no brass track, no duckunders, no enamel paint, no smoke units - and I got it to the point of running quite well - but there were still ‘issues.’ Then I sold the house, dismantled the layout, and two years ago I began again. This time I was determined to use the lessons I had learned over the years and try to avoid those pitfalls that caused me to lose interest in the past.
Have I succeeded? Yes and no. I can say that I have avoided the issues of the past which maybe is another eay of saying I have ‘succeeded through adversity.’ But now there are some new challenges that could be considered ‘teachable moments’ and additional lessons to be learned. To be sure, for me this has been a journey of fun and frustration - but I never gave up and with each layout, I feel that my skills have evolved - but are far from th
Perhaps dreaming can bring on too much. When I started scratchbuilding, I came up with the idea of building a house with everything, including a model of a model train layout. The house came out okay- not great but okay. And the model of the model? I stopped before halfway. Wasn’t worth finishing. But several years later, I tried again. A little better but not enough to keep. I tried four times over a period of 25 years before I finally ended with an N scale model of a barn loft full of Lionel…
Kept trying to figure out ways to get everything I wante
John, another interesting and thought provoking thread. This is where I started my scenery. After reading and re-reading Dave Frary’s book, “Modeling the Pennsy Middle Division”, I had enough confidence to get started on scenery. There’s at least 2 of my first attempts and a bunch of rock castings buried behind the mountain. But, I kept trying until I thought it looked better.
Another example: My first attempt at a yard was built on a curve. Track laid, wired, Tortii installed, then I read Andy Sperandeo’s book on freight yards and tore it all out and started over.
Model Railroading is a great hobby. And while that’s true in general, I’m referring to the fact that it has so many facets, its hard to get bored, or run out of fun or useful things to do. Not that one can’t take a break from it now and then, or have other pursuits, because surely you can. And you can participate in it as fully or as lightly as you like and still find aspects of it that pique your interests at whatever level of engagement you choose. And the skill areas required, to varying degrees, in order to be a fully-rounded model railroader, run the gambit: Carpenter, Painter, Electrician, Engineer, Operator, Administrator, Artist, Visionary, Philosopher, Architect, Technician-- and many more. And those are just the gross specialties. Each of those are further divided into more numerous and nuanced sub-specialties, and so on. There are so many aspects to the hobby that no matter what your particular set of interests-- of the moment-- its virtually guaranteed that there’s something you’ll find to enjoy, to occupy yourself with, to learn with and to hone your skills in each or any of the various requisite skill areas.
While each of us likely has some particular combination of natural talents, I think its fair to say that across the board each of us starts out at some point with a clean slate and has to work and achieve our way through each phase and “level” of the hobby (please excuse my use of the word “level”, I don’t know what else to call it). In that sense, much of what the hobby “is”, is a “meritocracy”, meaning you move “up” through the “ranks of the hobby” as the result of your efforts and your mastery of each of the discipline areas.
Years ago, I tried to define the characteristics ( Or talents) that might drive a successful person. I concluded that creativity, optimism, passion, interest, intelligence, drive, energy and health were all important factors. I knew several model railroaders who had all or most of these traits. One of these persons had built his own home and had started a multi- level layout in his basement and never seemed to get tired. His profession was advertising and he had created one of the most successful advertisements that had ever been shown on TV. He told me once that one of his associates found out that he built model railroads and concluded that he must be losing his creativity! Another person that my brother knew from racing, was Sam Posey. He also had all and probably more of these types of traits. Unfortunately he later lost his health. The same was true of John Allen. When I try to measure my work against people who have so many of these talents I do not get upset when I do not achieve the same results as long as I learn and progress within my own set of talents. And, most importantly have faith. Peter Smith, Memphis
