Paul3UNCLEBUTCH, Why? Why not? If the OP wants to document everything he does in this hobby, what harm does it do? Some people just think differently. If writing things down helps him, he should do so. If it doesn't help you, then you shouldn't.
Samuel Peyps, Secretary to the Admiralty under James II is famous for his diary. He wrote that his wife caught him and the maid In Flagrante Delicto. (that means caught red handed)
I don't think that would be a moment I would ever forget, would want to remember or write down for all of humanity to see.
Uncle Butch and I aren't the Sammy Peyps type.
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
UNCLEBUTCH,Why? Why not? If the OP wants to document everything he does in this hobby, what harm does it do? Some people just think differently. If writing things down helps him, he should do so. If it doesn't help you, then you shouldn't.I have a friend that has photographic memory. He never forgets anything he's read. Myself, OTOH, not so much. I need to write down a list when I go grocery shopping and I still forget things. My friend says that everybody has photographic memory, just not everyone has film.Random,Yeah, I was thinking more prototype information. Say you're modeling the Providence & Worcester RR. They have definate start and end dates. Now imagine you're at a train show or a hobby shop, and you see a few freight cars you'd like to buy. The cars all have dates on them, and it'd be good to know which cars would be appropriate for the P&W to use. But that's just a general thing to know; if you're modeling a specific day or a certain year, then the start and end times of your railroad are not important.
IMHO Why ???
I agree some things could and should be wrote down,
But to keep a log or jurnal sounds like too mutch ''work'' for a hobby.
Why would I need to keep notes on why I got into the hobby. Would I need to enter why I got out, when the time comes.
I don't need notes to remind myself of what I don't like, And I know I want something when I see it.
Layout ideas come and go faster then you could write em down. And if I forgot something, it wasn't that inportant to begain with.
Have no clue what ''brainstorming'' might be.
Other then feeding your OCPD what wouldbe the value ?
One more idea:Important Dates - When did your railroad start? If applicable, when did it end? In general, when did roofwalks get removed from boxcars? When did cabooses go away? When was the last steam run? When did stainless steel passenger cars arrive? When did highway trailers go from 24', 26', 32', 40', 48' to 53'? When were knuckle couplers adopted as standard? When did airbrakes become mandatory? When did electric headlights replace oil headlights? When did the 2nd generation diesels start? When did the 3rd generation? When did railroad mergers take place? When did Amtrak start?
There's all kinds of dates that just float around in our collective consciousness that we "just know". Many of these dates affect our shopping and modeling efforts.
I think it's a very good idea. One thing that I recommend is to make notes on how you did something. I have weathered one car, then completely forgot how I did it or what paint/ratios/etc. I used for different things. Same applies for scenery washes, etc. Good luck!
Don't get too general or the entries will just be a jumble of assorted stuff.
Are there particular topics that you are always on the lookout for information about, such as Armour refrigerator cars, Andrews trucks, manual block signaling -- stuff that gets a bit more granular. Make those categories.
Now obviously if you have wide interests you could end up with thousands of such tight topics, but most modelers have some focus on a relatively manageable number of issues and I suggest that if you do, make that narrow and specific interest a topic. For me, for example, open loads are always of interest. Just an example, and a purely personal one (but I suspect, one that is widely shared).
I subscribe to MR and used to subscribe also to RMC; I have purchased other model magazines either for a specific article or because I just wanted something to read. As an NMRA member I get their magazine of course. I keep the MRs and RMCs intact but tend to clip out only what interests me from the NMRA magazine (which of course can snakebite you if and when your interests change). I did some rudimentary organization -- freight cars, passenger cars, structures, track, wiring -- but soon found as I mentioned earlier that I just had jumbles of stuff that were not helpful. More focus is needed.
Perhaps you can glean an idea by looking at the topics used in the Model Railroader annual index.
Dave Nelson
Wow! I think everybody's been couped up inside too long!
Actually, when somebody on here gives a "how to" or describes a proceedure for doing something I need help with, I do copy it and put it in a folder.
Other than that, who needs all this documentation? When I leave this world, all my stuff can go in a dumpster.
I've been busy purging my office, and have started doing the same in the train room. I've narrowed everything down to 3 folders.
1.)Instruction sheets and manuals, 2.) items I've copied, as I mentioned above, 3.) prototype info I've searched for for modeling.
Mike.
My You Tube
Catagoies: How about:
Rolling Stock
Structures
Scenery
Electricity and Electronics
Trackwork
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
A listing of what is where. I have a bedroom closet with electrical items, boxes, tools, etc., containing model stuff. Plus some items in boxes in the garage. A list of random items (not everything) is handy for unusual items that may be harder to find when needed occasionally. For example, where did I put the piano wire for Tortoises, etc.
Paul
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
Tips - How To... Stuff like that. You may read a comment online or hear in person how someone did something that you may want to do in the future (say, ballasting track). It would be useful to keep that where you can find it again when you need it.Tools - Suggested items to look for like certain kinds of hand tools or power tools that you hear about that folks recommend or ones you might be interested in.Websites and Links - I keep a list of websites for prototype references and for finding/buying model railroad supplies. I also will save forum posts (as an archive) for things I would want to look back on and try out. After all, just because something is posted today doesn't mean it'll still be there tomorrow.Roster of your stuff - A friend of mine keeps a roster of all his models online where he can access it with his smartphone. So when he's out at a train show, he can quickly search his database and make sure he isn't buying something he already has.
I have lots of information "written down" about the hobby and my layout plan and goals.
Some is written down "electronicly", some on paper, depends on a number of factors.
Sheldon
to the forum.
You are far more organized than I am. Some keep a spreadsheet of all their engines and rolling stock, mine is incomplete, so far.
I do keep a spreadsheet of DCC changes
I also keep a file of things I've found online or in this forum, that maybe a cut an paste of post that explains railroad signals, DCC wiring colors or how perform a modeling technique and pictures of things I like that I may want to use on my layout.
Being a beginner in the hobby since my interest has rejuvinated, I realize I want to keep tabs & notes on what interests me in the hobby, keep a wish list, information on real world prototypes that interests me, my progress on certain projects and thoughts on them etc.I use Microsoft OneNote, a digital notebook applicaton I have found to be very useful, as keeping everything in a physcal notebook I realized it would not work as I like to add new sections, and edit out things as I go, and being digital helps this make it easier & more efficiant.
Here is a list of categories I made up to help organize.- Log & Journal - Seperated by monthy quarters
- How I became interested - Explains my early interests in trains and introduction to model trains.
- What I Like & Take Interest In - Real world railroads, locomotives & railroad locales I like and might model.
- Layout Ideas
- Project Ideas & Brainstorming
- Master Wishlist - Model railroading products I might want.I know this might seem alot but being that I like to keep track & take notes of my interests along with this hobby, I think it will work well.Any idea of categories I might want to add to my digital notebook?