BTW, he's still posting videos to his YouTube channel. The latest one is a trip around his entire main line, and you can see how he extended it as a nolix by going around the outside of his train room, which is revealed to be basically a room built in his garage (he's in California - no basements there, either). At the end of this one, he says the next one will show how he actually built the layotu space in his garage.
Also he was a whole lot less hyped up than he is in the videos he does for MRVP.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
BigDaddyMistakes are educational.
.
Yes, and it is always better the learn from someone else's mistakes rather than your own!
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I can't believe some ot the things Steve gets away with. If I did some of that stuff my rolling stock would all be in pieces on the floor! But it generally work out for him, so...
I've watched his videos from when he first started making them, and I appreciate the high production quality he maintains. Audio levels are consistent (how many have seen videos where the audio levels vary all over the place from clip to clip?), and the video subjects are always in focus and well lighted. That's not easy.
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
On one Ask MRVP Popp attempted to demonstrate how to solder a feeder to an Atlas turnout. Maybe it was all for show, but that didn't work as planned (maybe he should visit this forum) and he then showed how to solder to an installed screw.
Cody made a couple screw ups on a laser caboose kit. Mistakes are educational.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
I enjoy watching his stuff, even if sometimes I do cringe a bit when he does something I know I wouldn't do that way. But he's certainly enthusiastic about the hobby.
And he makes no claim to be some sort of expert modeler, the whole premise of the thing is he's just a 'regular guy' who likes model trains. So one can expect mistakes and then a solution to fix them as part of the show.
On that topic - what makes someone an expoert modeler? Because they work for a magazine? Because they have a commercial layout construction business? There are plenty of people at MR who can run rings around me when it comes to scenery, but I cringe at some of the attempts to solder or wire things. I consider my track work to be as good as anyone - I never have derailment issues when I'm done. Does that make me an expert? But how can I be an expert when my scenery skills are so bad?
It is extremely entertaining and fun to watch.
It might not be everybody's taste, but it appeals to me.
I want to say I didn't start this thread to bust Steve's chops. A lot of us has complained how thin MR has become but not many of us are producing articles.
Steve's out there doing something and he is reaching a larger audience than his youtube did. His videography is excellent.
I await episode 11 to see how he handled the flangeways.
I’d seen several of Steve’s youtube clips before he became a MR contributor. He does a pretty good job in my opinion.
i would not call him an expert by any means, but neither am I. He’s just a guy having fun with trains. Good for him.
Ed
Semi newbie HO scale modeler coming from the O scale world
Steve Brown just does what he knows how to do, which is not always or even often convention, but to be he seems to be a bit of an unconventional guy my nature and that’s absolutely fine!
He‘s also a bit of a lone wolf, you can tell his layout is designed for just one person! And he is the only one working on his layout, which is quite different from a lot of people’s layouts which are home to a huge group of workers.
I notice the video making seems to be a very important part of his hobby, an he does put a lot of work into them. Still they aren’t for everyone, I only watch them occasionally...
Steve did participate in the forum for a bit when he started the show on MRVP, but I haven’t seen him in a while and he only did stuff on threads about his show.
Regards, Isaac
I model my railroad and you model yours! I model my way and you model yours!
His videos are an acquired taste.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
Mrerry Christmas everyone.
I watched his videos on you tube before MRVP had him on.
I cringe some times when he does tings that I know are not correct but he does what he wants, has fun and his railroad looks good and trains run.
He enjoys the hobby and passes his entheusam on
Gary
rrebell I find the series weird with a lot of mistakes, but I guess that is part of the point of this series.
I find the series weird with a lot of mistakes, but I guess that is part of the point of this series.
You're right. It took me a while to get it but that is exactly the point of the series. It's intended to make the hobby more accessible. You don't need the skills of David Popp to have fun building a model railroad. You are supposed to think that if this goofball can do it and have fun at it, so can I.
Remember, phrases like "It's my railroad" and "the regular guy way" are euphemisms for "it doesn't matter if it sucks as long as I had fun building it".
The brilliant thing about the show is that it works to motivate no matter how you take him. If you take him as a hero and are convinced that it's all about having fun, or if you're critical of him and think "I can do better than that clown" it still keeps you engaged in the hobby.
Maybe I give the producers too much credit for what in reality was just a lucky accident.
I have the right to remain silent. By posting here I have given up that right and accept that anything I say can and will be used as evidence to critique me.
I was like, what the heck is he talking about?
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
I just watched it. Didn't think I could, as I'm not a subsciber to MRVP.
But anyway, thats pretty much the way I did mine, but my mud wasn't that wet, and I used my margin trowel and a butter knive to clean away for the flanges.
It was a bit tedious, but one nice thing about drywall mud, you can go back and "carve" or tool away until it looks the way you want. "Leather hard" as Overmod says.
And for any real mess ups, a small amount of water will bring it back.
I'd show some pics, but Photobucket has fallen off the earth, and is drifting somewhere in space. They haven't figured out how to bring it back yet.
Mike.
My You Tube
Or a few light passes at varying angle with the corner of a putty knife or similar tool after the stuff has set up 'leather hard'
(I almost forgot: have a vacuum running close by as you work, with a 'plaster dust' suitable fine filter or bag, as any dust or fine shavings may stick to many things electrostatically and hygroscopically, and be hard to get rid of if they spread... they are also noticeably, annoyingly white, which is, in my opinion, reason to mix in dry pigments to precolor the stuff, like plaster for scenery.)
You could also make up a tool like miniature 'stampcrete' that would form an accurate flangeway complete with the inner board or curb where the prototype would use one, and whatever roadway texture is appropriate.
For those who don't know entirely what this is about, and can watch it:
http://mrv.trains.com/series/its-my-railroad/2019/12/its-my-railroad-with-steve-brown-paved-deck-for-the-port-ep-10
As long as you run an old wheelset through the partially set compound, the flangeways will come out looking good. I am sure this is what Steve did.
OMG and I never say that, .....Steve you put that drywall compound on really thick without clearing the flangeways.