Trains.com

Scenery survey

6351 views
24 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Waukesha, WI
  • 101 posts
Scenery survey
Posted by Carl Swanson on Monday, January 24, 2011 2:41 PM

Have an opinion on scenery and toy train layouts? The Classic Toy Trains editorial team wants to hear from you! Please take a moment and fill out our brief online survey. Thanks!

http://apps.kalmbach.com/survey/default.aspx?sid=1585&auth=Gz4PcT24jJ

___________

Carl Swanson, editor

MODEL RAILROADER Magazine

  • Member since
    September 2010
  • From: Parma Heights Ohio
  • 3,442 posts
Posted by Penny Trains on Monday, January 24, 2011 7:42 PM

Link?

Becky

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 5:14 AM

Carl,

It looks like you added the word "Survey", but it does not work when you click it.

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Waukesha, WI
  • 101 posts
Posted by Carl Swanson on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 9:38 AM

Sorry about that!

The link seems to be working again.

Thanks!

___________

Carl Swanson, editor

MODEL RAILROADER Magazine

  • Member since
    November 2007
  • From: Cape Ann Taxachusetts
  • 3,780 posts
Posted by RockIsland52 on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 11:07 AM

Yup, it is working.

IF IT WON'T COME LOOSE BY TAPPING ON IT, DON'T TRY TO FORCE IT. USE A BIGGER HAMMER.

  • Member since
    April 2006
  • From: Parma, Ohio
  • 97 posts
Posted by Cobrabob8 on Tuesday, January 25, 2011 7:04 PM

Just submitted mine!

Toy Trains, they are not just an adventure, they are a way of life !

  • Member since
    July 2010
  • From: Arizona
  • 181 posts
Posted by azflyer on Wednesday, January 26, 2011 12:37 AM

I just submitted mine too! I like this survey because it was short and to the point.

 

“Tell me and I’ll forget;Embarrassed show me and I may remember;Smile involve me and I’ll understand.”Big Smile

 

AZ-Flyer@American Flyer Cabinet-top Layout (5'x16'): http://az-flyer.blogspot.com/  

  • Member since
    April 2006
  • 8,050 posts
Posted by fifedog on Wednesday, January 26, 2011 7:14 AM

On question 4, you needed to add inertiaDots - Sign

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Duluth, Minnesota
  • 1,967 posts
Posted by Northwoods Flyer on Wednesday, January 26, 2011 10:36 AM

Just submitted mine. 

I agree fife.

The main problem for me is what to call The "Blueboard" Central Division of American Flyer Lines if I cover up the blue board.

Enjoying the World's Greatest Hobby

Northwoods Flyer

The Northwoods Flyer Collection

of

American Flyer Trains

"The Toy For the Boy"

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: US
  • 1,475 posts
Posted by overall on Thursday, January 27, 2011 8:51 AM

Mr. Swanson,

What finally happens to all these project layouts? Are they sold off?Enquiring minds want to know.

George

 

  • Member since
    January 2006
  • From: Florida
  • 2,238 posts
Posted by traindaddy1 on Thursday, January 27, 2011 1:37 PM

Re: Question #4    Just wondering..... If a significant number of folks check off the "cost" box would Kalmbach publish a "Penny-pincher" guide with cost saving ideas?  (Could be a 'best seller'!!!)

  • Member since
    February 2009
  • From: Leavenworth
  • 119 posts
Posted by mgbbob on Thursday, January 27, 2011 5:26 PM

Hi folks,  I posted a couple of pictures of the Patzwald layout last night.  They might show up in the near future.  I don't know if there is such a thing but I think I am building a high rail toy layout.  I love the scenery but love my Lionel operating accessories and Plasticville.  I never did fit well in pidgeon holes.

Bob

  • Member since
    September 2010
  • From: Parma Heights Ohio
  • 3,442 posts
Posted by Penny Trains on Thursday, January 27, 2011 7:21 PM

traindaddy1

Re: Question #4    Just wondering..... If a significant number of folks check off the "cost" box would Kalmbach publish a "Penny-pincher" guide with cost saving ideas?  (Could be a 'best seller'!!!)

Hey!  That's a good idea!  I'd like to see that as a monthly column!  Maybe right after the News or Q and A sections?  Kent Johnson's had some good ideas for low-budget mods lately, maybe he'd consent to do it?

Becky

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

  • Member since
    September 2010
  • From: Parma Heights Ohio
  • 3,442 posts
Posted by Penny Trains on Thursday, January 27, 2011 7:27 PM

PS: ...and speaking of monthly, are we ever going to get up to 12?

Becky

Trains, trains, wonderful trains.  The more you get, the more you toot!  Big Smile

  • Member since
    August 2007
  • From: North Central Connecticut
  • 320 posts
Posted by Bob.M on Friday, January 28, 2011 8:46 AM

Just finished the survey, I selected "Retro" as the closest match, but I saw nothing resembling mine, which could be described as "Green painted table". This year I took about 1/2 of the layout, ripped up the Lionel tubular track, replaced it with GarGraves, added ballast, "dirt", grass and a few bushes. So I have a half scenery & half  no scenery. Not sure if I am going to do more.

The last question should include the ability to choose more than one reason, or at least an "All of the above" option.

  • Member since
    December 2001
  • From: Waukesha, WI
  • 101 posts
Posted by Carl Swanson on Friday, January 28, 2011 12:46 PM

Hello George,

Thanks for your question about our project railroads.

Generally we keep them on hand for several years. They're displayed in a hallway in our office and we haul them to local train shows. Once they've run their course (and train shows can really beat up a railroad!), we either donate them to a railroad club or just salvage what we can for use on future projects.

Carl

.

___________

Carl Swanson, editor

MODEL RAILROADER Magazine

  • Member since
    April 2008
  • From: Ft. Lauderdale, Fla.
  • 682 posts
Posted by balidas on Saturday, January 29, 2011 4:04 PM

That was one of the fastest, shortest, easiest surveys I've ever taken.

  • Member since
    April 2006
  • From: Parma, Ohio
  • 97 posts
Posted by Cobrabob8 on Tuesday, February 1, 2011 7:20 PM

Carl, speaking of Project Layouts, I remember seeing the "Clinchfield" N Scale layout at a train show in Cleveland somewhere around 1980, give or take a  year or two. I still have the Kalmbach  "Build The Clinchfield"  book in my train book collection. If my memory serves me right, it was won in a MR Sweepstakes by someone. I wonder if it is still around?Hmm

Cobrabob.

Toy Trains, they are not just an adventure, they are a way of life !

  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: US
  • 143 posts
Posted by LittleTommy on Wednesday, February 2, 2011 11:53 AM

Hi Carl,

I answered the survey, but it really doesn't reflect what my layout looks like.  It looks like what model railroads that were pictured in the 1948-1958 issues of MR looked like, since that was the type of layout I dreamed of building when I was a kid. 

Sort of a "HI-Rail" using mid '50s techniques and mid 50's ideas about track plans, with a ton of John Allen style details including some of the visual  and verbal puns and purposeful anachronisms that Model Railroaders were fond of using in the 1950s.

It suits me, but I'm sure it would not please everyone.

Little Tommy

 

 

 

  • Member since
    August 2007
  • 103 posts
Posted by Captaincog on Friday, February 4, 2011 10:40 PM

I wish the survey would have included being able to select more than one answer on question number 4. My layout is toy train style and I would like to see more low cost ideas in how to do better scenery and develop my very crude skills. The club a belong to does small portable layouts that have scenery that ranges from toy train to detailed. Some cna be changed depending on our mood. These portable layouts fit in the back or our vehicles and set up quick to show people how fun O guage trains can be.

             Founding member of the All Aboard Fastrackers! See us at: www.allaboardfastrackers.com      

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Near Altoona Pa.
  • 1,896 posts
Posted by Banks on Tuesday, February 8, 2011 12:56 PM

Check this out

 

http://www.pbase.com/atsf_arizona/n_scale_clinchfield_rr

 

Banks, Proud member of the OTTS  TCA 12-67310

  

   

  • Member since
    August 2008
  • 2 posts
Posted by Iowa Meatpacker on Saturday, February 12, 2011 8:11 PM

I like the idea of a "penny-pincher" column. I am always interested in how I can make something that looks good on the cheap. That's why I build my own structures from scratch.

  • Member since
    May 2007
  • From: Glendora, Calif.
  • 2,672 posts
Posted by SPMan on Sunday, February 20, 2011 1:00 PM

Good morning all,

Buckeye, belated happy birthday Happy B-DayHappy B-DayHappy B-Day  I was unable to get on the forum yesterday.

Still have not solved DCS PS2 problem with bad E-6 engine.  Tried everything, nothing works.  May get some help from a friend.

Got to run for church this morning.

Later,

Ray

SPMan

              

 

              

 

              

 

              

 

              

  • Member since
    November 2007
  • 447 posts
Posted by stuartmit on Monday, February 21, 2011 7:40 AM

To Bob M who wrote the last post, How do you get your plywood  to look like it has some texture. I painted a brown earthen tone, and then threw down some grass, but the evenness of the plywood is stil very obvious.

By the way, I just comment, in spite of all the very good articles in CTT, they are reduced to maybe 6 or 7 pics, or 30 or 35 perhaps in a series on a project road. However, you know how a lot of time you try an effect and have to make 5 or six attempts to get it fir correctly and integrated into the scenery--cutting a little of this or that here and there. So you might have 5 or 6 pics of one scenic detail alone, in various stages of progress. Well check out a thread on Model Train Journal called Ongoing Layout Progress by Frank53. He has been building an O gauge tubular track layout, and there are 5 years of pictures and comments (and those of readers) showing the incremental progress on the scenery all over his approx 12 x 12 room filling layout. That is really what I need to know how you get from nothing to SOMETHING!

  • Member since
    August 2007
  • From: North Central Connecticut
  • 320 posts
Posted by Bob.M on Monday, February 21, 2011 8:48 AM

stuartmit

To Bob M who wrote the last post, How do you get your plywood  to look like it has some texture. I painted a brown earthen tone, and then threw down some grass, but the evenness of the plywood is stil very obvious.

(snip)

I am not sure if you are referring to my post in this topic, where I mentioned "Green painted table", or the other topic (First attempt at scenery)  where I included some pictures.   this is the topic:   http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/t/184393.aspx.

The Green painted table has no texture. I bought plywood finished on one side, so it is smooth. The only "grass" I have so far is a small patch of Woodland Scenics Blended Turf,  T1349, which I sprinkled over some tan sand. I think I used Elmers white glue & water to make it stick. Later I added a few W-S Bushes Light green FC1645, and I used rubber cement to attach those. The picture in the other topic was taken January 17th. Since then I have not been able to continue working/playing with the trains due to the demands of the worst ever New England winter. The original plain green shows in an older picture in the same topic.

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

FREE EMAIL NEWSLETTER

Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month