what do you dislike about this hobby?

[the North East Rail Modeler]

O.K., I know this title could be misleading, but hear me through. Many of us have something in this hobby that we don't like. What is yours? For an example, let's look at "test subject A" (aka me) I don't like Electrical wiring (I swear, each time I try something with electricity other than plugging in my old Tech II power pack, eather I get fried or I set something on fire!) Scenery ( I like the building buildings part, but I absolutly can't stand the building nature factor. Nature always finds some way to look better) Decorating an undecorated model (Acually, I like it. It's just I hate trying to track down that elussive undecorated model needed) So, there's the top 3 for me. How about you?

[markpierce]

Untested locomotives shipped/sold defective.

Wiring (and DCC was supposed to make wiring easier?!)

Waiting up to five years for announced product to be delivered.

Mark

[Hamltnblue]

1. Limited runs that keep pricing up.

 2. Everything is made in China and quality is iffy.

[johngriffey18ca1]

The things that bother me are:

1.  Track problems including bad switches that cause derailments.

2.  Coupler problems due to my layout (my own fault, I need to redo my layout).

3.  Trying to have patience for products that are running behind schedule when I'm not a patient person.

4.  Not knowing how to build with wood very well or wire very well (again, my own fault)

5.  Not having the skill to make scenery and track look real.

 

[gandydancer19]

 What I dislike is new folks asking a bunch of questions about their equipment before they even get finished reading the manuals on the equipment they bought.

Not that they aren't going to get the help, but it just seems to me they don't even try to figure it out first.

My

[cudaken]

 1 Figuring out problems.

 2 Fixing said problem.

 3 Woodworking and it shows.

 4 Fixing engines. When I started I enjoyed it, now well lets say I selling off items that need work.

 5 Sweeping up foam, one of the reason I have stopped work on K-10 Mountain. Hate the mess. 

 6 Cleaning wheels.

 7 Ballasting, but don't we all?

 8 Making trees. I can make good ones now, but takes a while and makes a small mess.

 9 Wiring.

 10 Listing to my wife complaining that $60.00 is way to much for a engine.

 If I am in the mood and enjoy 1 through 9,  BUT NEVER NUMBER 10!

       Cuda Ken

[oldline1]

 I like almost everything about this hobby. That's what makes it such fun with all the areas to conquer like electonics, woodworking, scenery, etc. I especially like detailing & painting locos & rolling stock.

What I truly dislike is the manufacturers releasing multiple versions of  the Pig Boy, F-7's, E-units and numerous other engines & cars when there's a need for other railroads and other locomotives. Despite all the poor comments about Bachmann I have to credit them with producing what we've asked for like many small steam engines and better cars.I have quite a few Bachmann Spectrum steamers & rolling stock and have no complaints. My 4 Russians, SY and 4-4-0's are awesome runners as is my 2-6-6-2.

I also dislike the high prices for stuff. Have you seen the cost of the newest Walthers passenger cars? Why are Campbell kits 3-5 times their original cost for 1950's kits? Maybe if they did some improvements that justified them.

My 2¢,

Roger Huber

 

[markpierce]

cudaken

 7 Ballasting, but don't we all?

Perhaps one solution is to keep the materials handy, and when gazing upon the layout with 10 minutes to kill, ballast a couple feet of track.  Eventually, the job should get done.

Mark

[fwright]

 I dislike the whining and complaining in this forum about what are really minor irritations.  The complaints about the subscription renewal popup ad is the latest example.  Or the tone of the responses one gets when posting photos of one's work.

I dislike hobby shops that charge than suggested retail.  I dislike hobby shops where the owners and/or help think it's fine to use profanity and drop f-bombs.

I dislike the complaining about quality control in both forums and in hobby shops.  I'd much rather hear about a letter sent to the manufacturer than just complaining to fellow modelers.  Or how a problem was fixed.  The real signal not to take the complainer seriously is when he continues to buy from the same manufacturer.

As you can see most of my complaints are about  the hobby business, not about actual model railroading.  The hobby itself is great.

Fred W

[Packer]

1. The ever-increasing prices
2. The "limited production" bit
3. Stuff being harder to come across (Have been trying to find some Genesis F-units and Atlas GP7s in BN for a while)
4. Most RTR cars (underweight, crappy couplers, breaks when removed from box)
5. Not having the space for it (only temporary)
6. Masking or removing windows on locos or cabooses (haven't quite figured out how to do a good job at it)
7. Scads of nice high-end F-units, but only Genesis made BNs...
8. No C636s, or a high-end (Genesis, P2K, Atlas) SD40-2 or C30-7 (although I wouldn't mind getting painted BB or red-boxes ones and detailing them)

[the North East Rail Modeler]

I see that there is a big variety of dislikes out there, not all having to do with the hobby itself. I'll try to cover as much as possible.

Packer

The ever-increasing prices

I understand that. $64.00/month is my budget and, since the Athern Blue-Box discontinuation, I can't get anything for a decent price. One cheep locomotive, and my budget is gone.

Packer

Stuff being harder to come across (Have been trying to find some Genesis F-units and Atlas GP7s in BN for a while)

Harder to come across. Yep, that's one of my problems. I want undecorated models so I can use my paint scheme for my fictional railroad, and (oddly enough) Undecorated models are the hardest to find locomotive models. (I hit the motherload at a trainshow back in Febuary: 9 SD40-2Ts, 15 F-45s, 4 B40-8's. And all I got was one F-45. I hope I meet the guy again at another show, so I can get more)

Packer

Most RTR cars (underweight, crappy couplers, breaks when removed from box)

Yes, Got that problem a little too bad Oh boy, Don't get me started on the Redy to REBUILD stuff. No matter what, The first thing I do is take the (insert pre-built item here) and take it apart, rebuilding it from the ground up to meet my expectations .The only exception were 3 GP 38-2 s from the Proto 2000 line. THey still got aftermarket horns, though.

Packer

Not having the space for it (only temporary)

Packer

Masking or removing windows on locos or cabooses (haven't quite figured out how to do a good job at it)

Well, I can help. First, cut a piece of blue masking tape about 1-inch long. Next, stick the tape over the window After that, use an ink pencil and trace around the window frame (Unless they are super flush-fit windows, there should be enough of a ridge around the perimiter to guide the pencil) Then, remove the tape, and cut out the window shape from the tape. Re-apply the mask. Repeat untill every window has been masked

[selector]

Although I have been very fortunate in this respect, I would have to agree with the complaint about quality control in locomotives.  I dislike seeing complaints when a new run of an issue comes out with people having one or two prevalent and common problems with mechanical.  In this day and age, how can we get such things wrong so often?  VCR's didn't have so many problems, and they are plenty complicated.  A decent steamer costs as much as a VCR did in their heyday, but it seems some engine runs come up plenty short.

Other than that worrisome part of the hobby (the cost of shipping engines back and forth...somebody pays, and so does the planet!), I don't have much to complain about myself...except that I could always use more disposable income.   But I'd have to say that there is little I actively dislike.

-Crandell

[blownout cylinder]

mine involve kvetches about others kvetching.

crabbinesses about threads drug up and posted when we could have seen yet another thread on the same ol' subject----like I'm sure someone willl kvetch about this one---

the search for the One Truly Unique Thread posted---

again---mostly about the forum stuff----MRRing though has been grrrreeaat!

 

[AntonioFP45]

1. Limited runs  (but at least there's ebay  )

2. I agree with Blownout Cylinder - being roasted for bringing up older topics. I've held back from updating my old "Easy Sharpening Up" thread that has links and photos posted to help passenger car modelers pick accurate colors for painting their varnish's interiors.

3. Parts no longer available for limited run cars and locomotives!  Try and find body parts for P1K RDCs!  Ugggg! 

[PRRT1MAN]

The fact that most manufacturers do not offer kits anymore. Really made me sad that Bowser stopped the steam loco kits.

[Penncentral]

The limited runs that have to be preordered months ahead or you might not get one.

[dehusman]

Penncentral

The limited runs that have to be preordered months ahead or you might not get one.

Consider yourself lucky, at least you have limited runs.  The major manufacturers don't make equipment in my era.  1000 model in 6 months beats no models in 30 years.

[Motley]

1.) Fixing brand new stuff, everything such as switches, couplers, locos, etc. Quality control needs to be better from these manufacturers.

2.) Waiting for things I want thats on a boat from China (I have no patience).

3.) The price doesn't match the quality.

4.) Ballasting.

But it's a fun hobby, and I do enjoy solving problems by myself (or getting help here), you get a sense of accomplishment, which matches why I chose my career. (I'm a network engineer I solve computer network problems on a daily basis).

[climaxpwr]

I also dislike the typical limited runs, the constant upward trend in prices on everything that has really taken off in the last couple of years.  The limited run part hits my favorite trains hard, the ones made of brass.  Gone are the days of large runs from PFM and Tenshodo that kept prices within the reach of most modelers.  The quality from those two firms was second to none.  Give me back those days and the good ol yellow box Atlas engines with Kato drives under them.  Beyond that, I absolutly hate doing scenery work.  I love fixing and tinkering with engines, laying track and dealing with electrical issues and wiring.  But when it comes to scenery, it can take me days to get up the energy to tackle the task.    Mike T

[Margaritaman]

Solder burns

[blownout cylinder]

Margaritaman

Solder burns

I started thinking about using DIN rails and terminals for that-------don' need those burns

[Hamltnblue]

fwright

 I dislike the whining and complaining in this forum about what are really minor irritations.  The complaints about the subscription renewal popup ad is the latest example.  Or the tone of the responses one gets when posting photos of one's work.

Fred W

 

Thanks for the reminder.  I dislike when forum managers cant seem to stop those subscription renewal pop-ups.  Very annoying.  They might want to take the cost of 1 subscription and hire a first year programmer for an hour to fix it.

[twhite]

The fact that some current manufacturers don't make straight DC versions of their very highly detailed (and very expensive) steamers, but insist that their dual and triple mode locos will work just fine on regular DC for we Old Fart Dinosaurs who really don't NEED DCC or DCS or whatever other 'D's" are out there--and there are a LOT of us still running around happily throwing Block Signals. 

Offer the stuff in straight DC as an option,so we can run the newer stuff along with our older stuff.  Hey, we're a viable market too, folks.

Tom

[johngriffey18ca1]

I also dislike when others get grumpy over small things.  Not irritances with the hobby but things like whining.  Who cares if someone whines?  This thread was started by asking what people dislike and if they want to whine they can.  The person who was complaining about whining was basically whining about whining.  Just let people respond the way they want regarding what they dislike about the hobby.

[Packers#1]

not a whole lot. When I was wiring the layout I was drinking Monster energy drinks; when the drink was empty I typically quit a few solder joints later. what sucked was sitting cross-legged on the floor wiring over my head on my 3-foot high layout. Another is just getting my layout operational. I want to sue the gleam method, but haven't bought the stuff, and I'm waiting till scenery is done to start cleaning the track. so you might say it's due to my own slowness at building scenery. and the third thing I hate is the cost! I've found some cheap ways to build good structures though (foam board and printed brick patterns off the comp), and scenery isn't too bad. freight cars are now on sale by the dozens, but still, there's a ton of money in my layout and it's a long way off from being relatively completed

[IRONROOSTER]

 The hobby itself is fine.  Oh some parts like wiring are less fun than others like track laying, but I really don't dislike them. 

What I dislike are the inconveniences,  no well stocked hobby shop in the area, long drives to train shows, lack of basic parts in my scale, etc.  All of these can be overcome, but it would be nicer if they didn't have to be.

Enjoy

Paul

[dknelson]

The mismatch  between my talents and my ambitions is always an irritant.

Dave Nelson

[luvadj]

 I dislike the ignorance in the hobby....not much you can do about it but grin and bare it.

[tomikawaTT]

Since I have reasonable expectations, I have no reasonable complaints.

If I get tired of the thing I'm doing, I do something else for a while.  If I get tired of the whole railroad thing (seldom) I can always spend an afternoon birdwatching at the Fremont Street Experience or along the Las Vegas Strip.  (My wife doesn't mind my looking, as long as I don't touch.)

I sometimes get mildly annoyed at people who don't seem to be able to do the simplest things in model railroading without using some commercial product.  (I get rather more annoyed when my neighbor's dog yaps at me for walking up my own front walk.)

I used to say that hatred is too strong an emotion to waste on inanimate objects.  Now I extend that idea to cover dislike.  Maybe I've mellowed in my old age...

Or, maybe I'm just too lazy to bother...

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - eventually)

[Paul3]

I really dislike:

1). The anti-rivet-counter attitude - Look, we're not all going to be great modelers, but don't knock those that make better models just because they are detail-orientated while you couldn't care less (or can't be bothered).  Put it this way: If you see someone post that they stripped & repainted an incorrectly painted factory model and you think, "Get a life!", then you're one of them.  If you think, "Hey, nice job catching that one!", then you're not.  You don't have to re-do your own models, but how about a little appreciation for the knowledge and effort that others use in creating better models instead of calling them evil, hmm?

2). The desire for mediocrity - Sort of tied in to #1 above, but the difference is that not only do some resent the rivet-counter, but there are those that actually prefer low-quality model railroading and will defend against any call to improve to the Nth degree.  For example, I once got into a discussion here with someone who claimed that the Walthers Hook & Loop coupler (from waaay back) was better in all ways than a Kadee (mostly because Kadees have a knuckle spring and Hook & Loops don't).  At first, I thought he was joking...but he wasn't.  Hey, if you like 'em, great.  But don't try to tell me they're better.

3). The quelling of discussion - I personally detest the idea that forum topics are locked early, not just here but everywhere.  Just because they have the potential to go bad or are somehow boring to the moderators and/or forum regulars.  Or just because it addresses uncomfortable on-topic ideas or even hammers a manufacturer when they deserve it.  As long as it doesn't violate the rules, I think we ought to be able to dicuss anything on-topic until the cows come home (or later).  If it's wasted time, it's our time to waste.  If a manufacturer can't stand the heat, either make 'em right or get out of the business.  We should have more debates, not less.

4). The anti-limited run mantra - People crying for the old days when everything was cheap (nope) and plentiful (nada) and always available (heck, no).  They want to go back to the way it was, when European models outnumbered American models in the Walthers Catalog.  When you could only get one road number per paint scheme for deacades.  When all detail parts were molded on, and when all detail parts were the same for every RR on each model.  When Athearn came out with just a few new models in a decade instead every month.  When painting errors were never, ever corrected or improved.  Basically, they want a hobby that changes hardly at all.  This is great if you want the most popular engine types in the most popular roads, but if you want to model something other than the UP, PRR, or ATSF, you're out of luck.  Sure, sure, one could go into any hobby shop in the land and order a 5 year old model brand new any time you wanted (provided it wasn't backordered at Walthers).  But if you wanted something different...well, there's always a home road.  Thanks, but I prefer limited runs so I can model the RR's I want in the paint schemes I want without having to invest in brass for most of it.

Paul A. Cutler III