Model Railroading is sure a fun hobby and it certainly consists of many, many facets ranging from researching a prototype and documenting its details, to planning a home or club layout, to the myriad skill areas involved in the actual layout construction and associated model building-- to say nothing of the simple fun that is derived from running the trains themselves. However, one thing that model railroading isn’t-- at least not much-- is “forward-looking”. And I don’t mean that in the sense of not being able to anticipate new products or advances in the methods and materials of the hobby, but rather that it is largely a hobby involving understanding and modeling things that have been, or at its “cutting edge”, things that presently are, and not so much about things that will be.
Part of this of course, probably a large part, is the simple fact that we don’t know what tomorrow will bring, what the trains and such will look like, or what innovations or new capabilities they’ll feature. Also it’s easier to research something that already exists and probably books and photographs are available to assist in determining characteristics and so forth. But I wonder how much of it is also “us” and our own desires to recreate the past, either as it was, or how we want(ed) it to be, or remembered it to be?
Of course “present-day” modelers can simply say they model what they see, and I reckon there’s validity to that. And everybody else can say they model what they remember, or read in a book. But you very rarely ever see someone modeling something that might be, in the future. Not that there have never been instances-- the ill-fated "
When I first read the title of this thread, I thought John has started yet another of those useless “the hobby is dying” threads [oops]
Again, a nice tpoic to muse about, John!
– Have you ever seen a “futuristic” model railroad? Or a movie or TV show about a railroad set in the future?
Yes, indeed - or at least I thought it was futuristic. It was a Z scale layout on display at a train show some years back, depicting a city scene done all in white cardboard - just like architects do. Took some getting used to, but after a little while I came to like it. And yes, it was a layout, not only a mock-up.
Some decades back, Marklin market a “Alpha” train set with a highly futuristic look. I flopped in the market.
It was too far off from reality.
– Have you ever designed a futuristic model railroad? Or a scene for your model railroad? If so, describe it (or show us pictures if you have 'em)
No, and I don´t intend to. I am too much of an conservative country boy with a love for old steam engines to do a Star Trek version of a model railroad.
– What changes (improvements, developments or otherwise) do you think lie ahead in railroading? How will those changes affect Model Railroading?
Difficult to tell. Europe will see a change in motive power for passenger service. There se
Well, there are already Maglev trains in operation. I suppose that would be tricky to replicate in model form. Not impossible, but likely very expensive.
Miniature fuel cells for locos. They could then be controlled by RC and NO MORE TRACK CLEANING! [:)].
One development that I see in the near future is battery powered locomotives. I know that it seems far fetched, but if you remember that cell phone batteries were once twice the size that they are now with half the charge.
I also see decoders that will be so miniature (about 1/4 in diameter), that they will drop in to any locomotive or freight car with no fuss.
I myself have wanted that one for a very long time. Or at least a major improvement in “super capacitors” so that you could run for a little while and then “realistically” have to pull into a service area and “refuel” or else wait for the tow train… LOL!
I think that one may be possible, but probably not this week.
– Have you ever seen a “futuristic” model railroad? Or a movie or TV show about a railroad set in the future?
I can’t think of one.
– Have you ever designed a futuristic model railroad? Or a scene for your model railroad? If so, describe it (or show us pictures if you have 'em)
Not me, I’m more of a “living in the past" modeler.
– What changes (improvements, developments or otherwise) do you think lie ahead in railroading? How will those changes affect Model Railroading?
Years ago I read about technology that uses magnetism to lift a wheel-less train off of a track that provided all of the power. Then it used alternating plus/minus magnetic pulses to move it down the track and to stop it. It was expected to move VERY fast. It’s been at least 20 years since I read that article and haven’t seen anything about it since then. A miniature version for model railroading would be REALLY cool, but I shudder to think what it would cost.
– Have you ever seen a “futuristic” model railroad?
Model Railroader magazine featured a lunar railroad layout concept, with a small vignette scene actually modeled. It was in an April issue, I forget the year, but it was fairly well thought out.
—Or a movie or TV show about a railroad set in the future?
I enjoyed seeing the Martian railroad in Total Recall (1990) with Arnold Schwartzenegger.
Supertrain TV series 1979 9 episodes. I didn’t see the show- I didn’t live in a house with a TV set from 1966 to 1994 although I worked in television- but I did read about it a model magazine. It may have been in a motion picture/ special effects/ science fiction mdeling magazine rather than a general model rail magazine. I don’t remember which.
– Have you ever designed a futuristic model railroad?
I envision an old-fashioned narrow gauge model railroad in G gauge as a leisure-time activity for astronauts stuck in a long tour of duty at a base on the Moon. The Moo
Futuristic trains tend to be toys. Hot Wheels had a very futuristic looking steam locomotive for a train set that they released a few years ago. My boys had this set and it was complete rubbish! Also there have been some futuristic mono-rail type trains released by Lego over the years. There was a particular one that I remember from their “Life on Mars” sets http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zu3ztLt00aE
I can honsetly say that I have no personal interest in modelling the future, or what I think the future might be. However I do have two young men who are utterly enthralled by European high speed trains. This resulted in the discovery that HO intermodal well cars will hook onto a Eurostar locomotive see this for a glimpse of high speed freight of the future!!
DCC couplers would be very nice, and not just on the locomotive, either…
A decent way to be able to amplify the bass on the sound system so we can get more of the “effect” of standing trackside when a train passes by.
Other than that, I can’t see this hobby getting better than it already is. Yeah, young faces would be nice, lessexpensive, etc, etc, but here in TX, there is NO sign of model railroading dying off.
The day I see kids buying models of the latest Evo units and calling them “old time trains” I’ll officially know I’m an old coot!
While I expect near term developments will lead to crewless trains, automatic coupling and uncoupling, as well as power improvements, none of these will radically change railroading - real or model.
The real change will come when the cars are propelled independently of each other without direct human control. With computer controls each car will have a destination programmed in. Each turnout will be computer controlled. Dispatcher computers will control parts of the whole system sending commands to all the components in its area and and coordinate handoffs to the next area. As an individual car moves over the rails the computer will throw the turnouts for it to travel to its destination. The dispatcher computers will orchestrate the whole show so that cars move efficiently and without collision. Functionally, the system will be very similar to the internet only with physical components.
Some new technologies need developed, particularly how to move the cars. Something like those pneumatic tube systems used by banks and businesses. Or possibly something with magnetics. Or something else unknown to us today.
Big changes in model railroading will be in the manufacturing process. At some point there will be a machine that can take in pictures, drawings, etc. and produce the model in whatever scale is desired. Initially as a kit, but later RTR.
When I read today’s topic this morning, I thought immediately of Futurama. No, not the cartoon, but rather the General Motors exhibit that graced the Worlds Fairs of 1939 and 1964. It’s interesting to look back at what the model-builders and “futurists” thought in 1939:
Clearly, this GM exhibit was meant to showcase the automobile. Railroads were mentioned only once. I thought the “modern airport” with its giant dirigible hanger was a terrific example of how wrong even a 20-year glimpse into the future is likely to be.
I rather suspect that there will be some variant of railroad transportation on any planet with a civilization - flanged wheels on rails being the simplest, most economical and least environmentally obtrusive means of moving large quantities of stuff from one point to another.
IIRC, one of the `cars’ on that hypothetical Lunar railroad (MR, 4/77) was a partially opened sardine can.
Just as we model steam locomotives without real cylinders and operating boilers, I suspect that future modelers will come up with a way to model maglev operations without duplicating the sophisticated electricals. My own take, posted in a thread some time ago, involved belts at the bottoms of the troughs.
FWIW, I just wrote a scene into a novel where the most influential man in the Confederation of Galactic Civilizations opens a door for the woman who will shortly become the Board Chair of the most powerful corporation in the galaxy. In the rather gigantic room thus revealed is an exquisite model railroad, the result of hundreds of years of his and other peoples’ work. The year is 3598. The subject is the Upper Kiso Valley of Japan, circa 1964. [If, by this, you assume that I think there will still be people modeling the transition era in the far future, you got it in one.]
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - writing about an improbable future)
I am currently working on a science fiction HO layout. The point of doing this instead of seeking an historical approach is that I get to design all of my rolling stock and buildings, along with the type of freight/services my railroad provides. This is quite a challenge but gives me freedom to explore and experiment. I do not like having the same rolling stock or buildings that everyone else has. My interest started in 1978 and I have built rolling stock in HO, N, O 2-rail, and On30. Finally in January 2011, I decided to get down to business and formalize all of my ideas into one scale. All of the details about my railroad are not worked out, but will be as I refine my original ideas. You can visit my site Free-Form Journal at http://www.freeformjournal.com. I also have a page of links titled: Science Fiction & Fantasy Trains in which I list experimental prototypes and possible concepts in the left column and models and props from movies along with artwork in the right column. Find it at http://www.fantasy.freeformjournal.com
That’s VERY cool! Thank you very much for your reply! There’s a really nice G-scale (outdoor) fantasy layout that I saw online a few years back. The guy who did it was (I think) a modeler for movies and such, and it was just what he did for himself to unwind. The layout was really nifty. He did his own locos and rolling stock, as well as buildings and inhabitants-- who were all of various themes ranging from Orcs and trolls to super heros to vampires and other supernatural beasties. It was very well done and he had a lot of style and great modeling abilities. I wanted very much to include the URL to his site in my original post, but I searched for several hours and couldn’t find it. Don’t know if he’s gone offline, moved his site, or what. If you or anybody can figure out which guy / site / layout I’m talking about from the description and happen to know the site URL, please post it. I’d really like to see it again.
Can’t say that I’ve seen a futuristic railroad, but when it comes to movies, I think it was Total Recall that had a passenger(?) train on Mars. I think one of the major problems with being forward looking in our hobby is that it is based so much on a prototype. We want our layouts to look real which means they have to be based on something in the present or past. The automotive industry has “concept cars” that are actual working cars that have specs and measurements, even though they will never see the production line. It would be nice if there were “concept trains” that manufacturers can use to make scale models. That way, it’s still something that is real with measurements and specs. Thomas the Tank, Polar Express and Harry Potter trains are all fantasy, but they are well known trains and everyone knows what they look like. I don’t know much about the Atlas Shrugged movie, but I know it’s based in the railroading industry. Perhaps there will be something we can model from the movie, the Atlas Shrugged Train Set
As for changes that lie ahead in model railroading: I would like to see just how far DCC can go. It has done great things for model railroading, and I think it can do much more. It’ll be smaller, faster, and better, and hopefully easier to install.
