As a youth, every kid in my neighborhood had either a Lionel; or, American Flyer train set. When I was ten; or, so, HO came on the scene like gang busters. Even back then, when I could find the extra money, I would buy a Model Railroader or Railroad Model Craftsman. So, reading was how I’ve learned about the hobby. I was a member of a club for around 3 years, I did a lot of work on the club layout; but, the club’s purpose was as a tourist display. Their focus being a model railroad attraction for the town the club was located in. They were a great bunch of guys and had a nice enough layout; but, I wanted something more, I wanted to operate, which I thought might bring more enthusiasm for the hobby. After 3 years and their steadfast devotion to just being a display, I lost interest and quite the club.
Beyond the years as a member of that small club, I have been a lone wolf Model Railroader. I’ve learned about model railroading by reading and doing. Once you have chosen a line you want to represent, join that line's Historical Association and you will learn tons of information from that organization!
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
I was taught the basics of modeling and locomotive kit building from my dad.I found no need for anything more then those basics since model railroading isn't rocket science.
My small library of railroad books includes the four books by Lance Mindheim and the remainder is on the prototype I am interested in N&W,Chessie,PRR,C&O Southern,SCL,Seaboard System and a short line guide..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Books and magazines from the library. Remember when libraries would store years of back issues? LHS but they got really tired of the kid who always stopped by looking but was too poor to buy much. So I pretty much self educated. My layout was primitive at best but WTH it ran. I had a subscription to RMC back then but it lapsed in my teens.
Years later I realized how laughably bad the layout was but whatever it was mine and it worked. I was very lone wolf though as my earliest models didn't get any praise at the LHS so I kept to myself.
Later on after I moved on in life after many years I rediscovered trains thru SL&NG Gazette. Thru the then newfangled internet I discovered large scale (GR magazine) and great big tiny trains. I have been hooked since. Recently I have began monkeying around again in HO & N with microlayouts. I also recently found and bought many of those old school books I loved as a kid. They are still very relevant today..
Have fun with your trains
My thoughts.
I am not ashamed of being a "Old Gaser".
Thinking back, it was great!
We read...
Used Printed Dictionaries...
Read newspapers for news, or radio and only three network television...
Researched...Read...Read..Read...
We honed or skills...
If we "screwed up"...we tried...again..and again..
Not concerened with Everything being perfect...Our world is not perfect!
Did not worry about a mega-million dollar layout and unbelievable (dicitionary) detail.
Did not worry about the todays craze of some of, cellular telephones, texting, orbiting to wee-bo-tee-bo, information now, internet and much...much..more.
Knew that most of our tools, supplies, equipment, models (kits) r-t-r (Ready-to-Run, not Ready-To Roll) and such, the vast majority, where manufactured in the United States of America, using Americans Labor, earning a decent wage, to support a family on....
The sky did not fall...
Engineering... was using mathamatical formulas, the human mind, which was trained and a engineers slide ruler (or rule if you prefer). Remember Charles G., taking your Professional Engineering exam, for state licensurer and passing on the first try?
No Mister Plastic...
Savings plan...
No "Fast Laning"...
Respect...
Work Ethic...
Punctuality...
Patriotism...
Anyhow, yes technoligy today is a wonder... but...
To bad with all of this, no one has inveted a time machine yet, so someone can step back into time for a while, whether you were alive then, in any period of time and or want to experience the same for a while, if you were not.
Then came HO at my neighbors and trips to hobby shops in the area picking up and taking back locos that needed repair. Yes, he did that and when it came to my age as 16, I dropped that only to pick it up again in 1970 when I build a 4x8 layout for my boys. I went to Woolworth's and bought all of the loco, cars and track that I needed and a couple of "How To" books.
There was no need to get a lot of advice, I just stumbled along to today as a lone wolf. :-)
Roger Hensley= ECI Railroad - http://madisonrails.railfan.net/eci/eci_new.html == Railroads of Madison County - http://madisonrails.railfan.net/ =
To reiterate what I would believe most everyone else has said (I have only read the first post here) before the internet, I purchased books on the subject and I would still recommend that a person have a selection of books on your shelf for reference. Books and magazines where the primary way to learn about the hobby. Model Railroader, Narrow Gauge & Shortline Gazette and Railroad Model Craftsman where staples. Although I have none, videos where available back in 1988 when I got back into the hobby.
It wasn't like we were completely in the dark, back before the internet. It is easier to find information now, however.
I am a HUGE reader, planner and an observer. When I first started in this hobby a short five years ago I read everything and anything that I could get my hands on. Not just model railroad themed books and articles, but railroad histories, books on railroad operations, signals, structures, locomotive design and how they worked...I dove right in. I also took up railfanning more intently, watching and observing how real railroads operated and functioned. Then I began planning, more planning, and then more planning. It really wasn't until 6 months to a year into model railroading that I began using the internet and forums such as this. I just had so much hard copy printed material at my disposal...which I much prefer over electronic...that I never needed the internet in those early months. But I am thankful that forums like this are here as I have had some great advice given to me by veteran model railroaders that I wouldn't have gotten being a lonewolf modeler such as I am. I don't post here very much but I check in almost daily. To some extent this is my model railway club, and I enjoy it.
Happy modeling!
Don.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that both engines have failed, and we will be stuck here for some time. The good news is that you decided to take the train and not fly."
RideOnRoad Let me just say I am impressed. For what it is worth, I am a fifty-something so I remember life with out computers, when a research paper meant hours in the library. I honestly don't know if I would have lasted in the hobby.
Let me just say I am impressed. For what it is worth, I am a fifty-something so I remember life with out computers, when a research paper meant hours in the library. I honestly don't know if I would have lasted in the hobby.
Richard, OK, Now that I read all of the replies I see that your are over 50 - respectfully, what were you doing at age 12 or 14? nobody ever bought you a train set?
Here in Baltimore, back then in the late 60's, early 70's, there was a hobby shop/train store at nearly every other exit around the beltway, about 10 or 12 of them as I remember.
Like I said before, I worked in two of them. You learned a lot working there, or just hanging out there, talking to the older more experianced modelers - sometimes you got invites to come to their houses, or join their clubs. While I was never a member of this club, here in Baltimore we have the oldest model railroad club in the world, the Baltimore Society of Model Engneers, founded in 1932. I have seen their layouts a number of times and known several of their members over the years.
This is how you learn - exposure - look, listen, ask, and listen and watch after you ask........
I too, like others have said, read every book in th public library on model trains and real trains. As soon as I had a drivers licence I went places on my own like the B&O Railroad Museum, Strasburg Railroad, etc.
When I was younger, this is the club I belonged to:
http://severnapark.railfan.net/
This club is still in operation and is now over 50 ears old. Last time I was there, about a year ago, some of the modeling I did as a teen/young adult was still in place on that layout.
The hobby has changed a lot, some of those changes I have imbraced, some others not so much so. Back then you built a lot of stuff yourself from kits or scratch, there was virtually no "high quality RTR". It took lots of time to even build and outfit a layout the size of mine - 5 x 18.
But the whole thing was about the building and learning as well as running the trains - everybody I knew in the hobby back then understood things like how air brakes work, how steam locos work, how diesel-electircs work. I am amazed at the number of modelers today who have little or no knowledge of how trains actually work in real life - but its all at their finger tips on the web - ironic?
later,
Sheldon
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Richard,
I don't know how old you are, but the world moved at a slower pace back in the day, and people did not require so much "instant gratification".
Reading - Model Railroader, and Railroad Model Craftsman came to the local hobby shop every month - you bought them and read them - I still have the first one I ever bought way back in 1968 - and since then have collected even older ones going back into the 1940's.
Clubs - I belonged to a really goood one, and learned a lot from the older modelers there.
I am 57 years old, I started truely "model railroading" at about age 10 or 11. I was lucky, my father was a "holiday model rairoader" - that is he setup a Christmas garden that was really a basic, but fair sized HO model railroad. Not a bunch of RTR stuff, but rather kit built stuff, 5 x 18 feet, lighted buildings, etc.
When we finially had a house with a basement, he setup the layout with plaster mountains, elevated tracks, etc, and soon "ownership" was handed over to me.
So I gre up with model trains - it also helped that a few years before that my Uncle had owned a hobby shop.
By age 14 I was working at the local hobby shop - by age 15 the owner had taught me to do most of the repairs.
As a young adult I managed a train department in another hobby shop.
Now 47 years later, I'm still reading, bulding, learning - and still don't need instant gratification.
Three ways: linquiry, receiving learning, and implementation of the learning.
I am much newer to the hobby than many posting their replies so far. However, I have quite a bit of history, some of it in previous hobbies. I began to read. Libraries were great. I joined clubs. The elders got up in front of us and pontificated, lectured, and demonstrated. The doors weren't locked behind us...we were free to come and go as we wished. We were free to take as much, or as little, as we wanted or felt we needed at any meeting.
Then, taking a deep breath, I would begin to teach myself by doing. Sometimes I got it right the first time, often I had many trials. My results always depended on my determination and on my standards at the time. If there was a disparity between the standard and what my skills would allow me to produce, I had to keep going.
As they kept harping at us when I was in my early military career, it's all about your attitude. A bad attitude most often has poor results. Or, at least, regrettable results.
Easy internet access has diluted the the depth gained by digging up your own research, or like the above post, working with the experienced.
On the other hand, we didn't have so much pulling us in so many directions timewise back then. Internet access is more efficient. That's ultimately good for the hobby.
How did you maintain your interest and develop your skills when information and assistance was not so readily available? What was your support structure, or did you even have one?
From the beginning I have just loved railroading more than life itself. I seemed to sponge up everything like it is nothing (However, dont think for a moment I could recite the Pathagorean Theory).
When most young men were spending their time in arcades or other sport like events, I was hanging out at the local hobbyshop. When some were reading Shakespeare or listening to Zepplin, I was reading Kalmbach, Huddleston, Schuster, Armstrong, Hediger, etc. and listening to RPM 33 recordings of steam locos (NKP) back when they were in daily service.
While some were trying to figure out which college they wanted to attend I was trying to think of which Historical Society to join. Striking up friendships with the likes of Dixon, Million, Paton, Ashby, all the while asking the questions foremost on my mind. Sponging in the answers from all the people who knew the answers.
As the ace up my sleeve, at a very youngs age I was introduced to a gentleman who I must say, has to be one of the all time top know it alls in our genre. And I say that in a good way. He could recite just about anything you wanted to know about railroads. He turned out to be my greatest mentor in railroading. For ten years, once a week, every week, I was his grasshopper. We sat at his kitchen table for three or more hours at a time.... just dicussing trains. Any topic of trains.
Lastly, even though not one person in my family or close friends has a railroading bone in them, they have learned to be tolerent over the last 50 years. They realize me and trains are as one as the sun and sky. I truely am, eat, sleep, trains!
Information age or not, if your passionate about it, you will find a way!
Don't forget what you can still do even without the books, mag's, internet... Go look at the real world with your own eyes and take pictures. Another wonder of technology, the digital camera now makes it easy to take, record, and transfer to computer hundreds of your own pictures. And easily share them.
Just today, before seeing this thread, I researched some pictures I took on the Oregon coast for reference pictures of harbor docks. I found details in those pictures that I didn't realize were there. I could ask all day and not get an answer, but I already have it!
The camera picks up WAY more info than the naked eye since the eye is usually looking for one or two specific aspects, which the camera will capture, plus a hundred more you didn't think to look for until later. A lot of people did this with film.
Film cameras could do this well, but that was expensive, you wouldn't know if you got a good shot, and inconvenient for developing.. I wish I took at least a few more pictures than the way too little that I did anyway.
Back then, it helped to model the familiar, close to home so you had it all handy to look at. I still have a drawer of my own hand drawings with measurements of stuff I wanted to, and did build.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
In 1971, I started with a couple of Model Railroaders from the news stand and a couple of books checked out of the library. This was followed up with some books from Kalmbach - Track Planning for Realistic Operation by John Armstrong (still available) was the best. I soon subscribed to MR as well as RMC and joined the NMRA.
But even before I knew very much, I had a 4x8 sheet of plywood up on legs and was laying brass Atlas track. Built some Atlas buildings and was running my Tyco trains.
What a ball I had - mainly because there was no Internet to tell me I was doing it all wrong and my trains were junk. Sometimes I think all the knowledge on the Internet just gets in the way of having some fun with trains.
Enjoy
Paul
Though I have had model trains for over 65 years, I was very slow to get going to more than a Christmas tree loop or just track on a piece of plywood and other things. Had a few old modeling magazines that had come with the original, used Lionel train, but I was a lousey reader, both speed and comprenhension. My folks divorced when I was 8 and there was never enough money for a subscription, though both parents would give me Christmas gifts related to the trains.
It wasn't until I was in my 50's and decided to get back into it that I became a regular reader, as a friend and I share subscriptions. Because I was interested I began to enjoy the reading. (Schools take note.) Speed and comprehension both picked up. Having the internet, specifically these forums, helped explain, clarify and expand what I was reading.
Though my layout building is at a slowdown point until I get a few things straightened out, I am still readiing and planning the new layout. My small layout still gives me pleasure, though its placement is one of the reasons I'm on hold. Probably should get rid of it and dive into the new, but running, even it's limited operations is fun.
The internet and reading keep me focused. Now if I could only kick myself in the seat of the pants to get over this bump, I'd start doing some of what I've been learning.
Without the internet I probably wouldn't be as far along in my enjoyment of the hobby. It's made things easier for me.
Have fun,
Richard
I've been in the hobby nearing 45 years. My father got me started and I did learn a little from him. I picked up a little from more advanced friends and was involved at times with a local club when in my teens. But more than anything I learned from the pages of MR and RMC magazines. There was also a good bit of trial and error. The internet didn't play much of a part till about 3 or 4 years ago.
Mark H
Modeling in HO...Reading and Conrail together in an alternate history.
I started my "career" as a model railroader over 50 years ago - decades before the invention of the Internet. Information was there, but not as easy to obtain as it is today. Magazines and books played a much bigger role, as did visits to local model railroad clubs. I still remember how eagerly I waited for the annual catalogues to arrive - just in time before Christmas. In the late 1960´s I was given a gift subscription of MR, which opened a whole new world of model railroading for me (and improved my English as a nice side effect). Lots of fond memories are attached to those days, although I am not saying they were better, just different.
I joined the Pittsburgh Model Railroad Club and the NMRA and met people that way--it turned out that Don Cassler (Great Model Railroads Video 5) lived about two miles from me, which was a boon, to say the least. Also, the B&O Historical Society started about five years after I got into the hobby (and right about the time I decided that I wanted to model the B&O) and that was a useful thing.
RideOnRoad Soo Line fan The same way you acquire other skills, you asked questions. . . But of whom? Did you have mentors? How did you find those with skills?
Soo Line fan The same way you acquire other skills, you asked questions. . .
The same way you acquire other skills, you asked questions. . .
But of whom? Did you have mentors? How did you find those with skills?
Books, more books, and magazines. Talking to peopel at the hobby shop when I could get there. Or at clubs when visiting. Learned most of building layouts from my Dad. The rest, by doing, and figuring it out.
Certain things I just read over and over until I got the concept - for example, we had a couple of 50's RMCs around, and in one of them,t he Layout doctor column was about what is wrong with the way most people draw plans. The submitted sample, I could almost see exactly what was wrong, but the text picked out a dozen or so points an explained what was going wrong. Some of it was obvious, like curves drawn so sharp it's doubtful a Birney car could go around them. Others were more subtle, like leaving room for yard leads and ladder lengths. I probably read that one article a dozen or more times until I understood all of it, all of the issues presented. This is long before I had heard of John Armstrong or any of his books, some of which I now have in multiple editions, but it was the start of hinking about planning layouts that woudl actually fit the available space AND allow the trains to run.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
cmrproductsWe surly didn't get on any FORUM CRYING that the prices were TOO HIGH - the HOBBY was Dying - Nobody likes me etc.
On of the more helpful things I have found with the web (remember, we had the internet back in 1970, but just try accessing it) is Google Satellite and Bing Bird's eye - and we didn't really have those until the 21st century (TerraServer, anyone?). Really helps you understand the layout of things, which in the old days you'd need to get lucky and get some published aerial photos of the site (now relegated to HIstoric Aerials).Still, we made do with at least 5 MR Hobby magzines in the 1980s/early 1990s, plus various books and the Walthers Catalog (and in some cases VHS and DVDs too). I certainly never felt unconnected or out of it in those days...
All the internet did for me was make it easier to spend my money.
Dave
Just be glad you don't have to press "2" for English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_ALEdDUB8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hqFS1GZL4s
http://s73.photobucket.com/user/steemtrayn/media/MovingcoalontheDCM.mp4.html?sort=3&o=27
cmrproducts We surly didn't get on any FORUM CRYING that the prices were TOO HIGH - the HOBBY was Dying - Nobody likes me etc. We were happy to get anything we could and if it didn't work (ran crappy) we reworked it until it did work. But then I guess - this is the way things go - Crying has become the National Pastime - far more popular than Baseball it seems! BOB H - Clarion, PA
We surly didn't get on any FORUM CRYING that the prices were TOO HIGH - the HOBBY was Dying - Nobody likes me etc.
We were happy to get anything we could and if it didn't work (ran crappy) we reworked it until it did work.
But then I guess - this is the way things go - Crying has become the National Pastime - far more popular than Baseball it seems!
BOB H - Clarion, PA
Bob, I very much agree!
Richard, I have always been a lone wolf in the hobby because of where I live but that did not stop me. I read and did and failed and read again and succeded and tore out and read and up graded what I had done and was happy with the end result.
But! because of all that, is the reason that I have a new build after all those years. This is what I have been working on. It is basically the same size as before but upgraded with new skills, (mine), and new tech of today. For me, one of my favorite things is the building of the layout. Yes, I love to run trains but I also love to plan and build. As far as mentors, they exist in all the books, magazines and now days the forums that I read and use everyday. Doug
Reading any books and Magazines I could get at a BOOK STORE of all places!
Began subscribing to a LOT of magazines - MRR RMC - Model Railroading - Rail Model Journal.
Joined a Club - WE all learned together back then.
Like the others, I read anything I could find on model railroading, from libraries, books, and magazines. Hobby shops were still around then and the folks that worked there were modelers themselves. I also joined clubs when I could. I also have a collection of books purchased over the years. MR had their How-To books, even back then, and they were good. The primary source for information was my Model Railroader subscription. Occasionally I would buy Craftsman or other model railroad magazine off the rack. I also learned by doing. Building wood kits and scratch building from magazine articles in MR. Mistakes came often at first, but then you get better.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
In my case, the hobby of model railroading can't be separated from the hobby of studying the history and practice of 12" = 1' 0" railroading. My dad and I would go down to the local railroad yard on summer evenings where we would chat with the working railroaders there. The B&O was known as a very friendly and welcoming railroad, and I learned a lot from those old timers. Magazines helped me to connect what I saw at the yards with the means of replicating it in model form. As I got older, I tried to make as many contacts as possible with more experienced railroaders and model railroaders. I bought a lot of books and magazines, most of which I still have. The learning process changed over time, but it never stopped. Now, over 50 years later, I'm one of the old timers.
How did that happen?
And how do I work this dang computer?
Tom