To me, O gauge railroading is for for the fun of watching operating accessories and getting up close with trains, and should be on green carpet or a plywood board, and HO and N or for the modeling and realistic modeler. What are everyone else's thoughts on this?
Grayson
"Lionel trains are the standard of the world" - Jousha Lionel Cowen
Grayson I think what you said about O gauge is correct, except every now and then you get some rivet counters in O gauge too.
I run mine more for fun than for realism.
Lee F.
For me, it's both and why not. On the upside the hobby is more diverse and has more to offer the modeler than ever before. On the downside, there are some who condemn anyone who doesn't model and operate the way they do.
There's a beauty in both the toy and prototypical angles on this hobby. Tony Lash's layout is a masterpiece that I think anyone would love to have. On the other side, there was a wonderful story in CTT some months ago on a MARX only layout that also had a real charm to it. There was another story years ago in CTT on a father and daugher who built a 4x6 layout and were having as much fun with it I imagine as anyone else with something bigger and more elaborate.
It's kinda cool that we can often take the very same exact items used on everyone's layouts and with a little creativity, make them our own. The train mags have had photos of very common accessories that folks have customized, and I know that inspires many others. Which is also one of the upsides of these train forums.
I'm not really as down on the high end of the hobby as it might seem by reading some of my posts. But the advances in the hobby have created something of a Frankenstein monster who is never happy. It was the frequent putdowns on the "toy" end of the hobby from the scale side (not so much here but on the other forum) that have turned me into such a fighter for the non-scale side.
By the way, I have my own version of TMCC... it's a wood stick with the TMCC logo on it and a rubber bumper on one end and an "L" shaped hook on the other side. It's amazing what I can do with that stick... ah the joys of low-tech simplicity!!
brianel, Agent 027
"Praise the Lord. I may not have everything I desire, but the Lord has come through for what I need."
Primarily for fun with a hint of realism.
Lionel has that special mechanical action which is the genius of its play value. The scale may be wrong, the action can be rather crude, but the fun and rugged dependabilty (when operating at its best) is unmatched in my opinion. IF, one decides to spruce up the look of the layout that is fine. But if it goes too far and play elements succumb to an endless minature world creation then I think some of the fun goes away. I like also how "you," at the throttle must have a level of focus and skill to make it all happen.
Doug Murphy 'We few, we happy few, we band of brothers...' Henry V.
Like Doug said, it is not an either /or situation. Realistic modeling is not the same as rivet counting. I enjoy being able to create realistic scenes on my 3 rail layout, but I am in no way a fanatic for realism. I have no problem with my fairly realistic High Falls Gorge being situated right next to a Dept 56 Christmas village scene with its very oversized people and accessories.
Some scenes call for a weathered, realistic appearance while others lend themselves to the toy train look. These different approaches can be integrated successfully into the same layout.
By the way, modeling is fun, too!
Jim
Hey, its all for fun!!! Echoing what alot before me has said, there is no reason not to admire those rivet counters that do everything precisely and the details that go with it.
I just like recreating my own railroad empire, with structures and place that I can remember, it ain't very detailed but it's mine!!
I am the monster in your head...And I thought you'd learn by now, It seems you haven't yet.I am the venom in your skin --- Breaking Benjamin
Trains are Triains. I like everything I see and enjoy what ever type of layout it is. To limit O gauge to one side of that is far to limiting for me. One running on the carpet looks just as great as one that is 100% realistic. There has to be room for everyone, besides I enjoy my Williams lashed to a MTH Premier.
In any event I can't see trying to put O gauge into a fixed catagory. To me O gauge is that Christmas train on the carpet running around the Christams tree complete with different scale operating object. In addition O scale is my weak attempt at doing my layout as real to life as I can.
Grayson,
Your title to this thread suggests that modeling and fun are mutually exclusive. I beg to differ. For me and I'm sure many others, the fun is in the modeling. A hobby is by definition a pastime pursued for pleasure. So it matters not the approach, as long as you're enjoying it.
Modeling the Baltimore waterfront in HO scale
DennisB-1 wrote: Grayson,Your title to this thread suggests that modeling and fun are mutually exclusive. I beg to differ. For me and I'm sure many others, the fun is in the modeling. A hobby is by definition a pastime pursued for pleasure. So it matters not the approach, as long as you're enjoying it.
I didnt mean it that way, what I meant is what people think about O gauge, and If they think it should be for modeling or playing, or both. I didnt mean it to be understood that way.
Why not both? And add a lot of nostalgia into the mix. How many of you folks out there are in the baby-boomer-plus age bracket? Many, if not most of us, got our start in electric trains when electric trains were the hottest "toy" on the market, especially back in the 50's. I am a purist post-war Lionel fanatic, with a layout and collection, like many guys my age. The reason I collect is "for the fun of the hunt" so to speak, and the reason(s) I operate are to see what kind of layout I can create, what kind of scenery I can make, and how realistic can I make it look. So what if it isn't scale. I can't remember Lionel ever touting their products as "scale". It was meant to have fun with, to stir your imagination. I love taking accessories or rolling stock apart, cleaning them and getting them "fired up" again. It's not the only thing I have to occupy my time, but, when I get into it, it takes me away from the real world for a while, and conjures up memories of when I WAS a kid. It's one of the best therapies I can think of. My daughter was over the other day with her 3-year old son (MY 3-year old GRANDSON). I remarked to her that if he had his way, I would have every engine and car I own, running on the track at the same time, and her reply to me was "yes, but you love every minute of it, don't you". I couldn't disagree. I'm still a kid at heart, and now I can be even more of a kid by living vicariously through my grandson.
I have S for my scale modeling and O for my toy trains, but they're both fun. I am building a new layout that will have the S on top for walkaround and the O below at table height for sit down fun.
Enjoy
Paul
To me the modeling is the fun part of the hobby. Thinking about it. As much as I love to run trains. I'm probably at a 20 hour to 1 hour ratio of working and tinkering versus train running. My layout is in it's 18th year and early on I seemed to always come home with building kits of some sort rather than trains.
Presently I model a specific year as far as the trains themselves. 1944
I model a specific season as far as foilage. Fall
I model two specific roads. The B&A and the NH.
My engines and cars are either weathered or in the process. My freight cars are in the process of being converted to Kadee couplers.
I recently weathered most of the rails on the track. I guess you could call that modeling as well. I'm pleased with the result but admit it wasn't much fun doing it to track that was in placed and sceniced.
As far as rivet counting. I'm one of them to I guess. I find myself researching models and cars through some of the books I have. By no means something being not being totally correct is a deal killer.
I guess everyones term of having fun is a little different. Some who enjoy working with wood and own plenty of tools. Love building exquisite benchwork. Theres many that get enjoyment out of wiring as well. This is a very diversified hobby for interests as well as people and I'm glad to be a part of it.
God bless TCA 05-58541 Benefactor Member of the NRA, Member of the American Legion, Retired Boss Hog of Roseyville , KC&D Qualified
Both.
laz57
Both for me. I try to make realistic landscape's and scenery, but in reality a swamp, harbour, desert, rocky mountain cliff and city can't be found within a mile distance from eachother. Landscape is detailled and as realistic as I can, but the toy part is that the observation still is on a trestle bridge somewhere in the rocky's when it's locomotive is driving through the desert..
Or the observation is in the desert and the locomotive drives on a dike in a swamp. Also being a bit toy-isch gives the oppurtunity to use 031 curves, run the santa fe and the alaska railroad on one track and besides, any rivet counter running on 3 rail track must ask himself if he's taking his rivetcounting hobby seriously..
Daan----I enjoy running my trains on three rail track and I like scale and scale sized trains with as much detail as possible. WHY must I ask myself ANY questions about my enjoyment of my hobby? WHY do YOU think I should not admire beautifully detailed models and use three rail track if that is the only practical way I could ever get to operate scale trains? Don't you like people who enjoy the hobby differently than you do? Odd-d
I'm pretty much on the Dave C side of the tracks. The amount of time I spend running versus building the layout and doing scenery is at least 20:1, probably more - although lately, I haven't done much of either.
Perhaps because the "train" side of the hobby for me is pretty well fixed in place. I only operate post-war, and I have probably three quarters of what I ever want to have, so the train side is secondary. Even time I spend at the computer related to trains has little to do with trains and lots to do with structures, scratchbuilding and scenery.
Odd-d,
In your response to Grayson, you bring up an interesting point although I wouldn't quite put it that way. I think some plywood central fans are afraid to try their hand at modeling. Perhaps they're frustrated perfectionists or otherwise convinced that they don't have the necessary talents. They put up a loop of track on some green plywood and call it good enough. They justify it by saying they're simply playing with toys. Hi-railers make them uncomfortable.
Don't get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with the toy train aspect of this hobby. If that is what you really like, it needs no justification. If you're into the "toy" I say go for it. There are many cool toy train layouts.
Odd-d wrote:Grayson-----You seem to believe that making serious scale modelling IS NOT FUN. This seems to me to be a form of reverse snobbery that says my way of enjoying my trains is the only fun way and you serious modellers are nit picking rivet counting blue noses. I for one enjoy trains that are as close to scale as possible. I find your toy train and accessory operating to be boring, but I don't find fault with you for enjoying your tinplate. If that is your fun more power to you, but how about a little respect for my interests too. There are some who tear down modellers because they could not build a model or assemble a kit if their life depended on it, but they say they wouldn't like to build anything...EVEN IF THEY COULD. So have fun in your way and I'll suffer in mine. Odd-d
Im sorry that all of you are misunderstanding me. This is just a thread I created so people could post their opinions on whether they think O gauge should be for playing and fun, or modeling and FUN, I really dont know where yall get the idea that I said modeling is not for fun! It is, but I meant whether YOU think O gauge should be for modeling(fun), playing(fun), or both(fun).---------Ok?
DJSpanky wrote: Fun. Maybe someday I'll have the time and patience to do some real modeling (not to mention the space), but for now, with a 4 year old and a 2 year old, it's totally fun.
Fun.
Maybe someday I'll have the time and patience to do some real modeling (not to mention the space), but for now, with a 4 year old and a 2 year old, it's totally fun.
A simple cardboard box can be turned upside down and have doors and windows cut in it....A "cabin" would naturally need a small wood pile out back.... I'll bet your kids could find some small twigs in the back yard that could be clipped and stacked to form a wood pile..I few drops of Elmers glue would help keep things in place...(Elmers glue and small kids are compatable, just don't drink it} A Bridge can also be made from a cardboard box.... It can cross a stream made out of blue paper.....The more the kids can become involved, the more "contributions" will come ...Those "little people" can be so creative.........Enjoy
BDT
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