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Producing a Garden Railway DVD

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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, November 9, 2007 10:53 PM

Thanks to everyone who responded to my question.  When I consider producing a DVD on any subject, it always starts with finding an expert who can truly teach the viewer the material.  The expert provides the content and I provide the video production.  The offer is available to anyone that may be interested. 

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Posted by imrnjr on Wednesday, November 7, 2007 9:07 AM
 videoguy wrote:

I would only want to produce a video if there was a need for it.  I will monitor this forum for comments for or against the need for a DVD on the subject.  Being new to the hobby, I would really like a 60 minute video that gives me all the basics to getting started.   

VideoGuy --

I'm relatively new at this hobby as well... been building my road for about 13 months, and to be honest an instructional video would have gone a long way to shortening some of the process.  I have not seen any of the UK videos mentioned, and when I was looking for information via internet searches I didn't hit any of them back then.  What I did find were a couple of books published by the owner of this forum, and written by Jack Verducci and others that covered the basic topics and concepts.

Do you want to operate the road, or watch the road, or both?  Do you want to run multiple trains at the same time? As I've found out through these resources, the forums and the hard way, there are several ways a road could be designed, built and operated, and each alternative brings different issues to bear.   

Chapters or segments on the implications of choosing track power, DCC, radio control, or steam would be helpful to newcomers. Segments on landscaping techniques, general construction techniques for the road bed and setting grades, basic electricity, and basics of installing sound, DCC decoders, and other options for engines could also be of benefit and interest.  It's  daunting to me to open up a $300 to $1000 engine and start cutting and rearranging wiring.

It seems there are a number of quite knowledgeable folks scattered over the nation that support various aspects of the hobby, but given my limited knowledge I might suggest getting with a for hire builder like Verducci, or Rick the railroad guy and chronical one or more of their construction projects both complex and simple.  They are experts, and probably could get you through end to end in a few short months.

just my opinion and everyones entitled to itWink [;)]....worth exactly what it cost youWhistling [:-^]

Good luck

MarkCowboy [C):-)]

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 6, 2007 9:19 PM
 altterrain wrote:

Hey Videoguy (do you have a name?),

The closest there has been to this that I am aware of was a series on the DIY network. It was part of thier "Working on the Railroad" series and they did 4 or 5 30 minute (with commercials) segment on the building a garden railway for a children museum. Everytime it get rerun (pretty often) it get mentioned. It was okay at covering the basics but its difficult any real knowledge with a format of that length. I think there might be a bit more interest with a series that covers a few topics in more depth like -

Track laying - raised vs. ground level layouts, free floating, ladder roadbed, track cutting, use of rail joiners and clamps etc.

Power options - track power, DCC, radio control, battery power

Locomotives and Rolling stock - addressing scale and narrow vs. standard gauge options

Bridge, Trestle, and Tunnel construction

Structures and Scenery - appropriate buildings, kits and material for outdoor use, plantings, building mountains, use of stone, water features, etc.

These are the topics that that come up again and again in the forums from both beginners and authorities. Just my thoughts.

 -Brian

Brian,

Did you record it?

Toad (real name William Big Smile [:D])

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Posted by altterrain on Tuesday, November 6, 2007 5:58 PM

Hey Videoguy (do you have a name?),

The closest there has been to this that I am aware of was a series on the DIY network. It was part of thier "Working on the Railroad" series and they did 4 or 5 30 minute (with commercials) segment on the building a garden railway for a children museum. Everytime it get rerun (pretty often) it get mentioned. It was okay at covering the basics but its difficult any real knowledge with a format of that length. I think there might be a bit more interest with a series that covers a few topics in more depth like -

Track laying - raised vs. ground level layouts, free floating, ladder roadbed, track cutting, use of rail joiners and clamps etc.

Power options - track power, DCC, radio control, battery power

Locomotives and Rolling stock - addressing scale and narrow vs. standard gauge options

Bridge, Trestle, and Tunnel construction

Structures and Scenery - appropriate buildings, kits and material for outdoor use, plantings, building mountains, use of stone, water features, etc.

These are the topics that that come up again and again in the forums from both beginners and authorities. Just my thoughts.

 -Brian

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 6, 2007 3:04 PM

I would only want to produce a video if there was a need for it.  I will monitor this forum for comments for or against the need for a DVD on the subject.  Being new to the hobby, I would really like a 60 minute video that gives me all the basics to getting started.   

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Posted by cabbage on Tuesday, November 6, 2007 2:29 PM
There ARE quality DVDs available -but the problem seems to be that they all come from the home of the garden railway -the UK... "Garden Railway Specialists" sell their own, (amoungst others), and "The Railway Channel" sell more than a few of their own productions too...

What would seem to be needed is not another new DVD -but rather more promotion of the ones that are already available.

As to the accent problems? I speak it with a High Veldt drawl, my wife speaks it with a West Lothian Scots lilt. Or to put it another way, "Zho whits ya problum whit zha wha Ah spik?" or "Dinnae fash yersel wit ma worrdzz Hen".

regards

ralph





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Posted by dwbeckett on Tuesday, November 6, 2007 2:04 PM
SO YOU LIVE IN FLMSLASoapBox [soapbox]. WELL THAT HELPS MAYBE ONE OF THE SWAMP DWELLER'S Big Smile [:D]CAN HELP, I'M ON THE LEFT COAST SO THAT LEAVES ME OUT.Banged Head [banghead]

The head is gray, hands don't work , back is weak, legs give out, eyes are gone, money go's and my wife still love's Me.

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 6, 2007 1:41 PM

The mess is getting better each day. Hurricane Katrina filled my studio with 6 feet of water and blew out a 50ft wall.  I try not to bring up Katrina because the nation has got to be tired of hearing about it.  My city is about 85% back to normal.  We survived it. 

Is there agreement that quality DVDs are not available on this hobby?  As someone new to the hobby, I admit that I want the quick fix of a DVD giving me all of the basics to get my first garden railway up and going.  Is there a video out there to buy that would do that for me?

If a video is needed, I just need an expert who can provide all of the right information on the subject.  No cost for production just share in the profits. 

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, November 6, 2007 11:41 AM

 videoguy wrote:
I am located about 25 miles north of New Orleans in Slidell, La.  I have about 20 instructional videos but nothing on model trains. I would love to produce some videos on this hobby.  I'm sure there are many videos already out.  I open to discussion about finding the right topic that may not be covered very well on DVD right now. 

I know where yeah at, been though several times, we should have filmed it as " Texas Cops on LA Soil Cowboy [C):-)]"

How is the mess cleaning up been going?

And as for the videos I can think of many titles!!!!

Later,

Toad in da Swamp

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Posted by altterrain on Tuesday, November 6, 2007 10:00 AM

I always thought I was pretty good understanding the Queen's English until I saw "Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels". I was definitely clueless through most of that movie with all the cockney accents.

-Brian 

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Posted by Great Western on Tuesday, November 6, 2007 6:37 AM
 altterrain wrote:

 

 Well, there you go! You have to go all the way to England to find some. They're probably a bit like watching Fawlty Towers where you don't know what they're saying half the time. Wink [;)].

 -Brian

 Aw gee Brian, you don't understand us, your former masters  Captain [4:-)].  I guess we have the advantage:  we have seen so many movies, cops shows and Judge Judy that we are quite conversant with most American vernacular.   Mind you the deep South might give us problems.  Cowboy [C):-)]

Alan, Oliver & North Fork Railroad

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If you don't know where you are going, any road will take you there. Lewis Carroll English author & recreational mathematician (1832 - 1898)

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Posted by altterrain on Tuesday, November 6, 2007 2:07 AM

 cabbage wrote:
EEERRRRMMMM...

Well there is the Mark Found series called "The Garden Railway". It was watching these that got me started!!!

http://www.video125.co.uk/acatalog/The_Garden_Railway_DVD.html

regards

ralph

 Well, there you go! You have to go all the way to England to find some. They're probably a bit like watching Fawlty Towers where you don't know what they're saying half the time. Wink [;)].

 -Brian

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Posted by cabbage on Tuesday, November 6, 2007 1:28 AM
EEERRRRMMMM...

Well there is the Mark Found series called "The Garden Railway". It was watching these that got me started!!!

http://www.video125.co.uk/acatalog/The_Garden_Railway_DVD.html

regards

ralph

The Home of Articulated Ugliness

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Posted by altterrain on Monday, November 5, 2007 9:25 PM

This topic came up in here recently. There are not many (if any) instructional garden railroading videos. The only ones I have seen are just layout tours. There is an all scale club in the Baton Rouge area on the web here - http://www.dovetailstudio.com/trains/.

-Brian 

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, November 5, 2007 8:50 PM
I am located about 25 miles north of New Orleans in Slidell, La.  I have about 20 instructional videos but nothing on model trains. I would love to produce some videos on this hobby.  I'm sure there are many videos already out.  I open to discussion about finding the right topic that may not be covered very well on DVD right now. 
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Posted by altterrain on Monday, November 5, 2007 4:22 PM

Everyone is an expert on the internet Wink [;)].

Depending on your location I would contact the garden railway clubs in your area.

-Brian 

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Posted by dwbeckett on Monday, November 5, 2007 3:59 PM
Well that sounds too good to be true, where are you. I think you would get a better responce if we know where you are from as in update info to include some kind of location.

The head is gray, hands don't work , back is weak, legs give out, eyes are gone, money go's and my wife still love's Me.

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Producing a Garden Railway DVD
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, November 5, 2007 3:31 PM

After finding my old train set from the mid seventies, I've had a renewed interest in model railroading.  I loved it as a kid but never had the money to invest into the hobby. I really like the garden railways idea.  I had never really heard about it until recently.  I own a video production company that produces instructional videos.  I'd love to produce one on garden trains.  A beginner level DVD that takes you from step one through the final process.  If anyone is an expert on that subject and would like to partner in making an instructional DVD, please let me know. There is absolutely no cost for production just your expert information. 

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