Philosophy Friday -- What are the Most Important Elements of Model Railroading?

[jwhitten]

 This is just for fun so please be nice to each other!

 

What do you suppose are the most important elements of Model Railroading and/or being a Model Railroader?

Aside from the trains themselves of course-- but feel free to include them in your answer if you like-- we all like chatting about our trains, right? 

Is it your "mind's eye view"-- some "essence" you're trying to capture? The "construction" aspects? The modeling? Scratchbuilding/Kitbashing something? Getting an "overall aesthetic"? Capturing a piece of your youth? (a scene, a place, a time, a feeling, something along those lines?)  

And when you think of your answer to the above-- whittle it down to the essential ingredients-- what is/are the most important element(s) of Model Railroading? Corny answers aside, if you were to remove "elements" one-by-one, when would it stop being "Model Railroading" to you? Or turned the other way around, what ingredients are essential to creating the "flavor" and "character" of the hobby?

EDIT: Please give some detail with your answers -- elucidate more -- that's what makes these discussions fun, and gives people a chance to get to know you and/or think about the things you think are interesting and important.

 

Looking forward to your insights as usual... 

 

 John

[dstarr]

Models are cool.  Ship models, automobile models, aircraft models, dolls, model soldiers.  We enjoy building them and enjoy displaying them.   Actually, we would enjoy owning the real thing even more, but models are more affordable.  

   The coolest models are the ones that move under their own power.   Railroad models can do this and they last longer than flying aircraft models which are subject to instant destruction from any mishap while airborne.  I can remember a gorgeous control line flying model reduced to scraps of wood and shreds of paper due to engine failure at an inopportune moment.  It wasn't my model but I felt a terrible sadness all the same.  

   Railroad models have less chance of heartbreaking crashes. 

[secondhandmodeler]

jwhitten

 What do you suppose are the most important elements of Model Railroading and/or being a Model Railroader?

Is it your "mind's eye view"-- some "essence" you're trying to capture? The "construction" aspects? The modeling? Scratchbuilding/Kitbashing something? Getting an "overall aesthetic"? Capturing a piece of your youth? (a scene, a place, a time, a feeling, something along those lines?)  

 

 YES!

[tstage]

John,

While I could give a number of answers to your question as to what are the crucial elements of MRRing - for me, I would have to boil it down to one essential:

Enjoyment

Tom

[joe27]

I enjoy learning the many skills involved with Model Railroading, being able to practice them and create a time and place where I have been or would rather be at this time.

 

Joe

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

John, to answer simply, I enjoy creating my own little world. 

[jwhitten]

dstarr

Railroad models can do this and they last longer than flying aircraft models which are subject to instant destruction from any mishap while airborne.  I can remember a gorgeous control line flying model reduced to scraps of wood and shreds of paper due to engine failure at an inopportune moment.  It wasn't my model but I felt a terrible sadness all the same.  

 

 

I can relate to that too. When I was growing up, my brother was very fond of helicopters and airplanes. I remember when he had saved up all his money from doing chores, mowing lawns, and whatnot to the point he was able to purchase a starter model airplane. He worked on that thing for over a month fretting about every single element, tinkering with the engine and the rudder and the aelerons and the whole bit-- practiced taxiing and low-level takeoff and landings and finally when the big day came and he was ready to show it off to everybody-- we all assembled out in the field by the school-- and watched while he took off, got up in the air and was flying along pretty good, and then a big gust of wind smacked it to the ground and busted it up in a lot of pieces. I felt pretty bad for him then too.

A bunch of years later after he'd grown up, done his bit in the Navy, settled down and had kids-- he saved up for another aircraft, a helicopter this time, and he did his best not to have a repeat performance, but apparently helicopters are very tricky to fly and are notorious for turning upside down and crashing if you don't have the hang of it....

Perhaps he should take up gardening or something 

[jwhitten]

secondhandmodeler

jwhitten

 What do you suppose are the most important elements of Model Railroading and/or being a Model Railroader?

Is it your "mind's eye view"-- some "essence" you're trying to capture? The "construction" aspects? The modeling? Scratchbuilding/Kitbashing something? Getting an "overall aesthetic"? Capturing a piece of your youth? (a scene, a place, a time, a feeling, something along those lines?)  

 

 YES!

 

So what is it you're trying to capture? Would you go into some more detail?

 

[jwhitten]

tstage

John,

While I could give a number of answers to your question as to what are the crucial elements of MRRing - for me, I would have to boil it down to one essential:

Enjoyment

Tom

 

 

That's a very good answer-- except for one thing-- when does it stop being "enjoyable"? What elements must remain for it to be enjoyable for you?  (And *your* opinion / answers are the ones I'm interesting in hearing-- what are your motivations?)

John

[jwhitten]

joe27

I enjoy learning the many skills involved with Model Railroading, being able to practice them and create a time and place where I have been or would rather be at this time.

 Joe

 

 

What skills especially have you learned / developed for MR? And what place/time are you interested in developing?

 

John

[ARTHILL]

I am with Garry, I like to create something that is my world. I made it. In a sence it is mine.

[wm3798]

 For me, it's definitely using the models and scenery to capture the essence of the railroad I have enjoyed studying for about 30 years.

It's a progressive thing, there's always a detail to add, or a change to make to get closer to what's "right" in my mind's eye.  I'm presently reconstructing a significant portion of the layout so I can more faithfully represent the operations I've read about.  Sort of like when you download a high res image... it's blurry at first, then line by line the pixels come into focus until you see the whole thing clearly.

Now, when I say that, I don't mean that I'm looking for every inch of track to be modeled, nor every rivet to be counted.  I approach model railroading more as an art, and less a science.  Much as a theater set is designed to create a sense of place, as well as provide a backdrop for the action, the layout has to "set the stage" for the railroad operations I enjoy.

So, in the end, each piece of rolling stock may not be right on, the paint on the engines may be a shade off.  The track plan may be more crowded than that real thing, the trains shorter, and the buildings off by a bit.  The mountains are definitely short, the river too narrow, and the road there just goes behind some trees and disappears.

But when I take in the whole thing, there's no question about where I am, and what's going on.  The whole is definitely more than the sum of its parts.

Lee

[georgev]

There are so many elements to the hobby, as we all know.  I will describe what sustains me in the hobby.  The ultimate pleasure for me is sight of a train moving through what is (to me anyway!) pretty good looking scenery that depicts the mountains and small cities of the Appalachian and northeast regions of the US.  Everything else I do in the hobby builds up to that sight and vision.  Why is that a big deal to me?  It's recreating scenes in miniature of what exist as snapshots in my mind from childhood and later.   To this day while driving, a railroad that's within view can be more of a distraction than any cell phone!  I can't help but rubber neck and try to memorize the scene.

So, most of my modeling builds up to places I have seen in that part of the US - although sometimes flavored with other areas.  I have an urban section on my railroad in which some tracks disappear under elevated roadways and buildings, inspired by seeing downtown Chicago. 

So, that's what's kept me going...

George V.

[Seamonster]

Until i retired 10 years ago, I had a high stress job. Working on my layout, building structures, laying track, laying down scenery, etc., etc. was a great stress buster for me. It relieved the stress that had accumulated during the day. I felt much better after an hour or two in the basement. Now, no more stress, but, as someone else said, it's just the pure enjoyment of working on the layout. It beats the heck out of vegging in front of the TV or the computer.

[jwhitten]

wm3798

 For me, it's definitely using the models and scenery to capture the essence of the railroad I have enjoyed studying for about 30 years.

It's a progressive thing, there's always a detail to add, or a change to make to get closer to what's "right" in my mind's eye.  I'm presently reconstructing a significant portion of the layout so I can more faithfully represent the operations I've read about.  Sort of like when you download a high res image... it's blurry at first, then line by line the pixels come into focus until you see the whole thing clearly.

Now, when I say that, I don't mean that I'm looking for every inch of track to be modeled, nor every rivet to be counted.  I approach model railroading more as an art, and less a science.  Much as a theater set is designed to create a sense of place, as well as provide a backdrop for the action, the layout has to "set the stage" for the railroad operations I enjoy.

So, in the end, each piece of rolling stock may not be right on, the paint on the engines may be a shade off.  The track plan may be more crowded than that real thing, the trains shorter, and the buildings off by a bit.  The mountains are definitely short, the river too narrow, and the road there just goes behind some trees and disappears.

But when I take in the whole thing, there's no question about where I am, and what's going on.  The whole is definitely more than the sum of its parts.

Lee

 

 

Yeah, I'm all for the 'good enough' approach as well. But I'm like you-- as I look ahead to the scenicking of my layout, I'm already seeing scenes I'll inevitably need to revisit or even do over as my skills and methods improve. In the beginning my goal is to simply get the thing built, track laid, and everything running okay. The first round of scenery is going to be (basically) ground foam and plastic kits (or pre-builts when available). My primary goal for scenicking is to get everything kinda "up and going" and then go back as time permits and rebuild each scene more fully and carefully. Hopefully my skills will improve to the point where I can scratchbuild and kitbash more instead of just assembling kits. I just need to get the railroad / layout construction stuff out of the way first to free up the time to work on modeling skills.

 

Btw, you've got a nice layout going yourself. I always enjoy the photos you post.

 

John

[jwhitten]

georgev

There are so many elements to the hobby, as we all know.  I will describe what sustains me in the hobby.  The ultimate pleasure for me is sight of a train moving through what is (to me anyway!) pretty good looking scenery that depicts the mountains and small cities of the Appalachian and northeast regions of the US.  Everything else I do in the hobby builds up to that sight and vision.  Why is that a big deal to me?  It's recreating scenes in miniature of what exist as snapshots in my mind from childhood and later.   To this day while driving, a railroad that's within view can be more of a distraction than any cell phone!  I can't help but rubber neck and try to memorize the scene.

So, most of my modeling builds up to places I have seen in that part of the US - although sometimes flavored with other areas.  I have an urban section on my railroad in which some tracks disappear under elevated roadways and buildings, inspired by seeing downtown Chicago. 

So, that's what's kept me going...

George V.

 

 

That's very interesting George, I'm a lot like that too-- and in much the same locale. I've driven/ridden back and forth through the Appalachians myself more times than I care to count. And I have a particular fondness for Roanoke VA too, which I guess is not strictly Appalachian, but its pretty close. And whenever there's a railroad nearby I have to slow down too or else wreck the car craning my head and neck to see it. If I'm a passenger and have a camera, I'm usually snapping away. On our last trip through sw PA, I pestered my poor wife to death to get snapshots of the concrete and grain (feed) bunkers and businesses along the way. She's still annoyed at me-- but I have the photos :-)

 

 

[blownout cylinder]

To me, working on structures, bridges and scenery is a relaxing activity. I'm trying to make the northern plains/prairies appear on my layout in terms of the atmosphere and the activity that I saw and experienced when I lived there awhile back. My layout, then, becomes that stage setting for the activities/people/scenery/trains I saw, as well as experienced, up there.

I may not get anywhere near the reality of being there but, at least, one can try.

[jwhitten]

Seamonster

Until i retired 10 years ago, I had a high stress job. Working on my layout, building structures, laying track, laying down scenery, etc., etc. was a great stress buster for me. It relieved the stress that had accumulated during the day. I felt much better after an hour or two in the basement. Now, no more stress, but, as someone else said, it's just the pure enjoyment of working on the layout. It beats the heck out of vegging in front of the TV or the computer.

 

 

That's really the truth. When I was just starting to get back into MR people kept saying that and I had a hard time really believing it-- laying track and all the construction-related stuff just seemed a nuisence to put up with to get to the "good part" of running the trains-- but as I've embraced the hobby and studied / learned and trying / implementing what I've learned to build my layout-- I'm discovering more and more that its a journey and not a destination. And I am often surprised when I go downstairs to "work on the layout" or (more recently) to "run the trains" and look up awhile later to discover that several hours have gone by unnoticed-- the answer seems clear.

There's something about it that's good for the soul. And the best part is my  2-1/2 yo son is having a blast running the trains and "working on the layout" with me-- that's what he tells everybody, "Me and Daddy are going downstairs to 'work on the layout'", in that little serious, authoritative, matter-of-fact sort of way-- there's just something about the way he says it makes me chuckle every time.

And he *is* very, very good with the trains too. We have a little ad-hoc "yard" (four spurs), a section of "mainline", about maybe 20-25 feet, a yard lead (which he actually *understands*!!!), and a "industry switching" section with a couple of spurs and a run-around track. He's too little to uncouple the cars by himself, and he can't really read very well yet so I set up the locos for him, but he has a nice soft touch with the trains, knows how to make them creep through the yard and stop darn-near precisely where I point. And he's getting the hang of "switching" too-- he figured out what the runaround track was for yesterday and now he's making some pretty sophisticated moves (for a 2-1/2 yo).

It is a lot of fun, and probably the most stress-relieving aspect of all, when we're sitting together running the trains. I can't wait for my other son to get old enough to help-- he's 9mo's now, but growing fast! Even my wife has noticed and has been backing off her hostility towards the layout.

[IRONROOSTER]

The most important piece is that the trains move.  A model railroad is a miniature world of action.  Bringing lumber, track, engines, cars, wiring, control system together in a working railroad in miniature is the essence of model railroading. Scenery is the icing on the cake.

Enjoy

Paul

[tstage]

jwhitten

tstage

John,

While I could give a number of answers to your question as to what are the crucial elements of MRRing - for me, I would have to boil it down to one essential:

Enjoyment

Tom

 

That's a very good answer-- except for one thing-- when does it stop being "enjoyable"? What elements must remain for it to be enjoyable for you?

John

John,

I enjoy a number of different aspects and disciplines about MRRing.  However, I'll once again defer to answering your question simplistically:

When my involvement becomes less about trains and more about "the process".

Tom

[PASMITH]

My vision is to create the essence of early 20th century west coast steam logging. THE most important element is time itself. On the back end of this vision, I had to finalize what my actual goals and visions were. This was a very long and evolving process and in my early teens, John Allen was my inspiration. Because of school, marriage, family, career, space and finances, It took me all the way to the early eighties to actual start building a layout. During this "Time" , I was mostly arm chairing, scratch building or bashing rolling stock and doing lots of research. My job with a large forest products company had me visiting our logging facilities from Washington to California where my vision was solidified and I built my first freelanced HOn 2-1/2 logging layout. After moving from the northeast to the south central part of the country, I became more interested in prototype railroad logging and operations and my current layout represents the 84 mile Klamath Falls branch of the SP somewhere between 1909 and 1911. Now I am spending 5 hours of research for every hour I spend constructing the layout and time once again is a big factor in trying to reach my vision. Time is also becoming a modeling element when I'm trying to pin down a period based on the locomotives and cars I want to model. Fortunately, my vision remains the same over time but, while we speak of philosophy, is time a sequence of events or is tomorrow a day that will never come? I once wrote an article called "Time Sharing" for MR but they rejected it as being too complicated. So much for philosophy. Peter Smith, Memphis

[howmus]

For me?  I think the entire creative experience.  I spent most of my life as a musician, teaching, performing, composing, and arranging music.  

I guess that is why I model a fictional, freelanced RR.  While it is loosely based on the NYO&W and based in 1925, I can let my creative side run a bit free.  I do a lot of historical research (much as would writing an arrangement of a piece by some composer who lived centuries ago) to keep the style believable.  I also enjoy at times doing some completely whimsical, improbable, and completely unbelievable things like the pink elephant in the woods near the Moonshine Still.  Or even, The Bridge to Nowhere, NY:

[Javelina]

PASMITH

is time a sequence of events or is tomorrow a day that will never come? I once wrote an article called "Time Sharing" for MR but they rejected it as being too complicated.

 

Peter, lay it on us. There's some deeper thinkers here than MR might have in its general audience. Any thoughtful well written article is food for the mind.

The idea of time in model railroading takes on an almost geological proportion when you consider how many model railroaders take years to build their layouts. I think that's one thing that the general public doesn't "get" about MRR'ing. In an age of instant gratification and non stop action, the slow and satisfiying pace of model railroading flies right under their radar.

I enjoy all aspects of model railroading, and don't consider one of them inherently superior to another. Planning, making models, scratchbuilding, painting scenery, reading, researching.........shoot, even goofing around on this forum. The best part of model railroading is like any other hobby or sport one pursues, it keeps the real world at bay.

Lou

[selector]

Sometimes philosophical responses can sound a little, or a lot, flip, as if the responder is arrogant or dismissive of the subject as somehow not worthy of any great effort to deal with.  So, I'll just list in point form, in no particular order, what I think are the essential elements of modelling a railroad:

1. successful illusions;

2. fidelity to the prototypes in dimensions and operations, and in appearances as well;

3. distraction from all of life's drains and troubles;

4. creating a believable and functioning whole that is greater than the sum of its parts (...sorry, many of you should have anticipated that statement. );

5. realistic operations, both in terms of revenue generation and in the way trains move (and sound);

6. patience;

7. resolve;

8. being receptive to new information;

9. teaching and sharing;

10. commiseration with others when we experience misfortune;

11. a hefty bank balance, or living within one's means...and all that this means;

12. the internet (yeah, I know, what did we do before we had it if it is so critical.  Well, for me, if no internet, not as many locomotives and other stuff, and no chance to interact with other MRR's.);

13. a good sized ego, or at least a healthy one;

14. a good memory;

15. a good set of resources, online or held privately (includes archived photos, anecdotal rememberances, historical documents, friends in the hobby);

16. a reasonable aptitude for manual skill acquisition.  (Many of us know very little about carpentry, track laying, soldering, electrical, layout planning, construction for basement or garage finishing/renovating, etc);

17. a supportive partner/spouse if sharing living space with another person; and

18. an ego that hasn't grown so large that it interferes in any way with any of the previous items listed.

-Crandell

 

[jwhitten]

blownout cylinder

To me, working on structures, bridges and scenery is a relaxing activity. I'm trying to make the northern plains/prairies appear on my layout in terms of the atmosphere and the activity that I saw and experienced when I lived there awhile back. My layout, then, becomes that stage setting for the activities/people/scenery/trains I saw, as well as experienced, up there.

I may not get anywhere near the reality of being there but, at least, one can try.

 

 

So are you going for a "big sky" look?

 

[jwhitten]

IRONROOSTER

The most important piece is that the trains move.  A model railroad is a miniature world of action.  Bringing lumber, track, engines, cars, wiring, control system together in a working railroad in miniature is the essence of model railroading. Scenery is the icing on the cake.

Enjoy

Paul

 

 

I hear ya. For me I'm kinda in the middle. I like the movement of the trains-- I've always enjoyed watching trains move, being a rail-fan. But I also like the idea of recreating somewhere particular, even if it only originally exists in my mind's eye. Now that I'm getting back into it, I really want to try my hand at operations. Running the trains with a purpose instead of just moving them around the track.

[jwhitten]

PASMITH

My vision is to create the essence of early 20th century west coast steam logging. THE most important element is time itself. On the back end of this vision, I had to finalize what my actual goals and visions were. This was a very long and evolving process and in my early teens, John Allen was my inspiration. Because of school, marriage, family, career, space and finances, It took me all the way to the early eighties to actual start building a layout. During this "Time" , I was mostly arm chairing, scratch building or bashing rolling stock and doing lots of research. My job with a large forest products company had me visiting our logging facilities from Washington to California where my vision was solidified and I built my first freelanced HOn 2-1/2 logging layout. After moving from the northeast to the south central part of the country, I became more interested in prototype railroad logging and operations and my current layout represents the 84 mile Klamath Falls branch of the SP somewhere between 1909 and 1911. Now I am spending 5 hours of research for every hour I spend constructing the layout and time once again is a big factor in trying to reach my vision. Time is also becoming a modeling element when I'm trying to pin down a period based on the locomotives and cars I want to model. Fortunately, my vision remains the same over time but, while we speak of philosophy, is time a sequence of events or is tomorrow a day that will never come?

 

Do you ever wonder where John Allen would be with his railroading if he were still alive (or had just lived longer) ?? Do you think the G&D was his crowning achievement or would he have ripped it down and started a new one (a la Allen McClelland or Tony Koester) ??

 

PASMITH

I once wrote an article called "Time Sharing" for MR but they rejected it as being too complicated. So much for philosophy. Peter Smith, Memphis

 

So post it here and let us decide! 

[jwhitten]

howmus

For me?  I think the entire creative experience.  I spent most of my life as a musician, teaching, performing, composing, and arranging music.  

I guess that is why I model a fictional, freelanced RR.  While it is loosely based on the NYO&W and based in 1925, I can let my creative side run a bit free.  I do a lot of historical research (much as would writing an arrangement of a piece by some composer who lived centuries ago) to keep the style believable.  I also enjoy at times doing some completely whimsical, improbable, and completely unbelievable things like the pink elephant in the woods near the Moonshine Still.  Or even, The Bridge to Nowhere, NY:

 

 

That really is quite a drop-off at the end. Probably enough to get your attention at least...

Nice modeling too. I like the way you did your ivy (vines).

[jwhitten]

selector

4. creating a believable and functioning whole that is greater than the sum of its parts (...sorry, many of you should have anticipated that statement. );-Crandell

 

 

 

I've seen pictures of your layout. You've definitely achieved creating a hole that's every bit the sum of its parts, with a reverse loop through it no less.... 

 (    )

 

John

[jwhitten]

selector

Sometimes philosophical responses can sound a little, or a lot, flip, as if the responder is arrogant or dismissive of the subject as somehow not worthy of any great effort to deal with.  So, I'll just list in point form, in no particular order, what I think are the essential elements of modelling a railroad:

1. successful illusions;

2. fidelity to the prototypes in dimensions and operations, and in appearances as well;

3. distraction from all of life's drains and troubles;

4. creating a believable and functioning whole that is greater than the sum of its parts (...sorry, many of you should have anticipated that statement. );

5. realistic operations, both in terms of revenue generation and in the way trains move (and sound);

6. patience;

7. resolve;

8. being receptive to new information;

9. teaching and sharing;

10. commiseration with others when we experience misfortune;

11. a hefty bank balance, or living within one's means...and all that this means;

12. the internet (yeah, I know, what did we do before we had it if it is so critical.  Well, for me, if no internet, not as many locomotives and other stuff, and no chance to interact with other MRR's.);

13. a good sized ego, or at least a healthy one;

14. a good memory;

15. a good set of resources, online or held privately (includes archived photos, anecdotal rememberances, historical documents, friends in the hobby);

16. a reasonable aptitude for manual skill acquisition.  (Many of us know very little about carpentry, track laying, soldering, electrical, layout planning, construction for basement or garage finishing/renovating, etc);

17. a supportive partner/spouse if sharing living space with another person; and

18. an ego that hasn't grown so large that it interferes in any way with any of the previous items listed.

-Crandell

 

 

 

I'd say that's a pretty good list. One of the things you mentioned that I don't think I've seen anybody else point out yet is the "human interaction" aspect. Even if its just interacting here on the forum. I think many people have the vision of Model Railroaders just being old guys or a little wacky guys (or maybe some of both) sitting in their basements playing with trains-- and completely overlook or never pick up on the "community" aspect. And especially, as you also pointed out, with the advent of the Internet which has permitted so many people to reach out and connect with other people and join the community at large.

 

John