This week the back issue book club takes up another issue during the editorship of Russ Larson. The May '79 issue continues the famous Clinchfield RR project layout in N scale, a masterpiece in its time which I was privileged to see at Milwaukee's Trainfest. This beautiful and imaginative layout really helped put N scale on the map and the scenery highlighted in this issue's Part 5 was a big part of its visual appeal.
Also continued in this issue is Bruce Chubb's multi-part article about his Sunset Valley, a very sophisticated layout in more ways than one.
There are some interesting construction projects and ideas including walkaround control, a turntable drive, an unusual work car from the Arcade and Attica RR, and a seemingly easy billboard project. There are three good projects in the monthly "Paint Shop" alone. Many people lament that this column was dropped from MR.
Many of the letters to the editor concern the January issue which was MR's 45th anniversary issue - you may want to go back and read that one too.
I was most struck by a number of smaller items and ads. In the Trade Topics reviews, Walthers had issued a 50' wood boxcar in the Silver Streak line which they had acquired and refurbished with new parts. A Silver Streak kit had pre-painted sides, and a basic box was constructed using wood floor, end blocks, and roof. By today's standards this could be considered by some to be a craftsman kit since it called for some cutting and fitting, and precise assembly of parts, many of which also had to be painted (and the ends lettered) to match the sides. But back then MR wrote that the kit was "well suited to the beginning modeler tackling his first wood car kit ... a relaxing change of pace for the more advanced builder." I do NOT intend to re-ignite the "nobody builds anything anymore/there are no kits" threads but I did find those thoughts to be interesting. I have built Silver Streak kits and enjoyed them, but the first one I tackled as a beginner I pretty much butchered, partly by not fully digesting the instructions before diving in. Pride goeth before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.
An ad on page 136 announces a new supplier of what we now call command control -- SALOTA from Hobby Marketing Inc. I cannot recall a thing about this outfit or the system -- does anyone else out there?
On page 109 Menzies advertises that is offers the old Athearn metal line of HO car kits -- that was another enjoyable kit to build involving separate sides, ends, roof, doors, of basically scale thickness painted metal. To this day I think the Athearn/Menzies cars (and the similar old Varney lithographed cars) are just about the only way to realistically model a dent in a car side, or the dents in boxcar roofs from forklifts--because metal dents like metal.
Many modelers lament that the Pirate Models buses shown on page 97 are no longer offered.
And lastly it would be dishonest of me to fail to mention that the ads that appeared back then from Patty's Corner (page 47) including her photo, her decolletage, and her catch phrases "I Want to Be Your Tool Lady. C'mon Give Me a Call" were, well, eagerly looked forward to in every issue. But I never bought anything from Patty.
I have not gone into depth about any of the articles so as to give you book club members something to comment on and contribute. I look forward to seeing your thoughts and comments about the March 1979 issue of Model Railroader.
Dave Nelson
Had to notice the Troller ad on p.19... My dad and I bought the whole hype hook, line and sinker and bought one. I thought it was the bees knees, since we were upgrading from an old MRC rheostat throttle. This new fangled transistor throttle really made my Bachmann GP40 crawl. I still have it and never had any trouble with it but was introduced to its failings by a friend who bought several and they all failed. Easy fix, just the output transistor which didn't have enough heat dissapation capacity. I guess it never failed for me because I only ever ran it on our small 4x6 layout with one locomotive.
In RPO, I found the letter from David J.Haehn of SS Ltd very interesting. A view on the industry as it was in 79, compared to now it was very different. Also interesting is the value RPO had as a forum for discussion, and rebuttal. I rarely read it these days as it all seems to be "good job" letters. I find internet forums much more useful. Having said that, even when a letter is detracting, the letter is well written and carefully worded. In these days of the internet it is too easy and quick to be rude to one another. One thing I have learned is that there is almost no one who will agree with you 100% on every issue so you have to be able to get along without being in total agreement. Something our politicians could learn.
Always wanted one of those Walthers impact test car as seen on p.33. Of course in 79 I wanted to grow up to be John Allen. :)
Odegard's article on the Clinchfield is brilliant. I don't think a current project layout would include instructions on casting your own tunnel portals. This may be inflamatory and I don't mean it to be but we are in a buy rather than build mindset I believe. I don't think that is good or bad in any real way, just different from how it used to be. Overall, a great series for sure that outlined some fantastic methods.
Model of the month! FANTASTIC! I remember seeing this because I have always been interested in the CPR and around that time my dad bought a brass CPR Royal Hudson.
I think the Sunset Valley series was good. A ground breaking layout to be sure. I think it was the ultimate use of technology for its time. A quote from the article illustrates that it is universal in its philosophy; "Regardless of your approach, my advice is this: Take your time and be extremely meticulous in converting your dream plan to reality. Take extra care to avoid kinks in your trackwork." That advice applies to all layouts regardless of size or scale.
Paint Shop and Student Fare... both missed dearly by me.
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Greg WilliamsCanterbury, NBCanadahttps://www.gregstrainyard.com/
Pretty sure that Patty the Tool Lady later made the rounds of local train shows. Always a multiple table setup with every tool imaginable, and everyone referred to her as the Tool Lady. Adding on some 25 years to the picture in the late 70's MR ads, pretty sure it was her. She passed away a few years back, and for one year there was a dearth of tools at the one show, until another vendor stepped in. I do have some tools I purchased from her. I don't know if some readers complained or what, but as you move through the years, she removed her picture from the ads and just kept the "I want to be your tool lady" slogan.
As for RPO, I think the Internet has kind of replaced this, and generally keeps any disagreement from being publishable. Guess I will sound like one of those "get off my lawn" old men, but I'm willing to bet that many of the 'con' letters are written in Internet-style and simply aren't suitable for publication, while people writing attaboys will tend to be calmer and write in a more natural style - today we all seem to instantly turn indignant when something isn't to our liking, rather then criticize in a coherent and understandable fashion. That said, a few years back when Andy S was editor, I did submit a correction to an article and it was printed - though that wasn't really a negative, just a clarification on DCC system capabilities.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Because threads on the "first page" seem to get more attention I am shamelessly bumping my own post here. I am not sure three guys a book club make so unless there is evidence of actual interest in this series (either postings or viewer "hits" both of which are way down for this week's posting) this, or next week's, might be it for the weekly book club of archived issues.
cprfan Odegard's article on the Clinchfield is brilliant. I don't think a current project layout would include instructions on casting your own tunnel portals.
Odegard's article on the Clinchfield is brilliant. I don't think a current project layout would include instructions on casting your own tunnel portals.
Actually, stay tuned for our 2016 project layout... something similar is in store.
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com
dknelson I am not sure three guys a book club make so unless there is evidence of actual interest in this series (either postings or viewer "hits" both of which are way down for this week's posting) this, or next week's, might be it for the weekly book club of archived issues.
I am not sure three guys a book club make so unless there is evidence of actual interest in this series (either postings or viewer "hits" both of which are way down for this week's posting) this, or next week's, might be it for the weekly book club of archived issues.
Maybe make it monthly before you decide to drop it completely.
Steven Otte Actually, stay tuned for our 2016 project layout... something similar is in store.
I agree, make it a month. I really enjoy this but there were a couple of months I couldn't participate.
I dunno that digging in the Archives is any slower than the rest of the Forum right now. Spring has definitely "cut the chatter" in general. I've been preoccupied with finishing and defending my dissertation, which is why my participation has been spotty the last few weeks. Still have revisions, but hoping to make it every week now...
This is one of the bigger issues from an era when that was more typical, with 154 pages.
The Train Miniature of IL ad was certainly the product of a different era as TMI celebrated tobacco in all its forms. The product may still be legal (tobacco and kits honoring it), but pretty sure advertising at least tobacco is now illegal, but not sure about the kits. MR might have to turn down a similar product now?
Narrowgauge is flourishing throughout this issue, with a giant High Country Brass ad among others of note. Then there is the fabled Clear Creek Models HOn3 Red Mountain Depot, which I've never seen. I scratchbuilt my own when I needed it.
The ad for bronze GP-7s on page 24 promises lots of tractive effort, but who would need 500 of 'em? Only $3,950 for them all though, if you did.
The CRR was certainly one of the more complex project RRs. I must admit I really enjoyed the Utah Midland article, too, though. Hediger's walkaround controls are an interesting look at a technological moment in time. Likewise reminding how far we've come is the Pro Custom Hobbies ad for crystal-controlled RR frequency scanners. The familiar frequency agile synthesized scanner was still about 5 years off on the future.
BTW, how long did the TV series Supertrain last? Not long IIRC, but I was on the night shift at the time and VCRs were an expensive luxury, so I completely missed it.
Hungry for trains and...Oriental Stuffed Chicken? Then check out the Balls of Brass classified ad on page 140. That might be a better way to many a railfan's attention span than the Tool Lady's spicy temptations. Wonder if BoB was poking fun at her?
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
dknelsonI am not sure three guys a book club make so unless there is evidence of actual interest in this series (either postings or viewer "hits" both of which are way down for this week's posting) this,.......
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
Supertrain didn't even make a full season. I remember watching it. HORRIBLE show. Typical network "we don't have an original throught in our heads" derivative drivel - Love Boat was pretty popular, so some genius thought up the idea of Love Boat on a train. That's probably all you need to know.
rrinkerLove Boat was pretty popular, so some genius thought up the idea of Love Boat on a train. That's probably all you need to know.
Oh, like that?
Randy, that was much, much more than I needed to know.
The 70s, what I think of as the Decade When I Quit Watching TV...for good reason. Helped me get a LOT of modeling done over the years.