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what do you dislike about this hobby?

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Posted by UP 4-12-2 on Monday, May 17, 2010 7:24 AM

I strongly dislike the people on internet forums who in their minds believe their way of doing things to be far better than mine and then proceed to tell me why.

John

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Posted by superbe on Monday, May 17, 2010 7:16 AM

Working under the layout doing wiring. I have a rotator cuff injury and wear trifocals.

It is another model RR challange and is my least favorite task.

Bob

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Posted by ruderunner on Monday, May 17, 2010 7:01 AM

I'll respectfully disagree with the complaint about "trainset" rolling stock. All of mine was picked up from dumpsters and yard sales, cost an average of $.10 each.  So I have to spend 5 bucks each on wheelsets and couplers still cheaper than even the Athearn kits.

I've got only 2 complaints:

Athearn stopped the kits, why?  I certainly don't care to spend double to have one assembled for me when I can put together 3 of em while watching House. Yes I liked em...

2nd why does every manufacturer feel they have to make an F unit?  Frankly they've been done to death.  Except for Stewart/Bowser there are hardly any locos that don't say GE or EMD.  Steam guys have similar problems.

Modeling the Cleveland and Pittsburgh during the PennCentral era starting on the Cleveland lakefront and ending in Mingo junction

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Posted by aloco on Monday, May 17, 2010 2:15 AM

Building benchwork - I hate using power tools.

Steam locomotives - models are nowhere near as much fun to watch as the real thing.

Layouts with electrical shorts that can fry decoders.

Layouts with misaligned rail joints that keep kicking locos and cars off the track.

Anachronistic scenery and details on layouts.

Train set quality locos and cars (e.g. Tyco, Model Power, Bachmann, etc.).

Small production runs, pre-order, and ever increasing prices on locos, cars, and some structure kits.

 

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Posted by Alantrains on Monday, May 17, 2010 1:51 AM

 Hear hear!

I also dislike the fact that I can no longer look up at anything close under the layout because of my graduated glasses.

Perhaps I should get another pair with the closeup lens at the top and the distance lens at the bottom, I'd like to watch the optometrist's face when I asked for that!

Alan Jones in Sunny Queensland (Oz)

 

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Posted by shayfan84325 on Monday, May 17, 2010 12:20 AM

In the hobby itself - I dislike nothing.  There are parts of it I like less than others - painting people and making trees - but, my girlfriend (soon to be wife) helps with those and her company makes those tasks a real pleasure.

The one thing I could do without is the us/them attitudes between these factions:

steam/diesel

freelance/prototype

continuous loop/point to point

DC/DCC

Sound/No Sound

N is better/HO is better

Brass/Plastic

The hobby was better back in the day/It's better now

Model Railroader isn't as good as it used to be/Model Railroader is better than it used to be

etc., etc., etc.

These debates get old in a hurry and I really think we all can respect what the other folks are doing, even if it's not our style.

Phil,
I'm not a rocket scientist; they are my students.

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 17, 2010 12:08 AM

 First of all, there is nothing I strongly dislike in my hobby - it would not be my hobby, if there were a strong dislike. There are a few things I am not so keen about, like soldering or attaching those tiny user applied detail parts, that keep on "jumping" from my tweezers, forcing me down to my knees and crawl on the floor in  a futile attempt to retrieve it. I am sure, however, that one fine day I will have learned how to solder without burning my fingers and how to attach those parts properly.

I am a mediocre model railroader, with no ambition to graduate into the league of master model railroaders. I donĀ“t have the means and the skills for that. I like to socialize, share views and opinions, and chat about hobby related issues and even beyond that. Like in all other aspects of life, our hobby also has its own share of people, who show a lack of respect and/or social competence. It is those people who sometimes take the fun out of the hobby for me.

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Posted by TMarsh on Sunday, May 16, 2010 11:58 PM

Um, ya. What I don't like about the hobby. Plaster. I hate mixing and spreading plaster, hydrocal, whatever. Unfortunately with my layout I can't avoid it. Banged Head

Ballasting, now that is something I love. It goes so quickly and my neck never hurts from hunkering over the track. Really. BARTENDER!!! Another double please.

Todd  

Central Illinoyz

In order to keep my position as Master and Supreme Ruler of the House, I don't argue with my wife.

I'm a small town boy. A product of two people from even smaller towns. I don’t talk on topic….. I just talk. Laugh

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Posted by HaroldA on Sunday, May 16, 2010 11:30 PM

Well let's see.....

1. Crawling around on the basement floor - then trying to stand up.

2.  Gluing my fingers together when I use ACC.

3.  Problems that only happen when a guest is visiting - and that go away the minute they back down the driveway.

4.  The rising cost of the hobby itself and the LHS that hardly ever turns its inventory - or when they only have 3 of a given item and I need 4.

5.  Dropping a tool and having it roll into the least accessible part of the layout.

6.  Wiring - good grief I don't like that

7.  Lack of patience from time to time - especially over a simple little problem and the more I work on it, the worse is seems to come,

8.  I miss the old Athearn Blue Bix kits.  I grew up with those.

9.  My big thumbs - geez, didn't mean that the way it sounded.  Sometimes I am all thumbs especially when it comes to those tiny screws - or when I manage to launch my last Kadee coupler spring across the room.

10.  Referring back to number 1 - being on the basement floor and the phone rings or the dog needs to go out - NOW!!

I am sure there are others - but these are the things that really frustrate me.

There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over.....

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Posted by Paul3 on Sunday, May 16, 2010 10:28 PM

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

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Posted by tomikawaTT on Sunday, May 16, 2010 9:51 PM

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

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.)Evil

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.)Angry

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...Cool

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

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

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Posted by luvadj on Sunday, May 16, 2010 8:23 PM

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

Bob Berger, C.O.O. N-ovation & Northwestern R.R.        My patio layout....SEE IT HERE

There's no place like ~/ ;)

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Posted by dknelson on Sunday, May 16, 2010 7:59 PM

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

Dave Nelson

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Posted by IRONROOSTER on Sunday, May 16, 2010 7:52 PM

 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

If you're having fun, you're doing it the right way.
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Posted by Packers#1 on Sunday, May 16, 2010 7:46 PM
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

Sawyer Berry

Clemson University c/o 2018

Building a protolanced industrial park layout

 

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Posted by johngriffey18ca1 on Sunday, May 16, 2010 7:45 PM

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.

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Posted by twhite on Sunday, May 16, 2010 7:42 PM

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 Smile

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Posted by Hamltnblue on Sunday, May 16, 2010 7:40 PM

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.

Springfield PA

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Posted by blownout cylinder on Sunday, May 16, 2010 7:17 PM

Margaritaman

Solder burns

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

Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry

I just started my blog site...more stuff to come...

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Posted by Margaritaman on Sunday, May 16, 2010 6:10 PM

Solder burns

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Posted by climaxpwr on Sunday, May 16, 2010 5:57 PM

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

LHS mechanic and geniune train and antique garden tractor nut case! 

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Posted by Motley on Sunday, May 16, 2010 5:40 PM

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).

Michael


CEO-
Mile-HI-Railroad
Prototype: D&RGW Moffat Line 1989

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Posted by dehusman on Sunday, May 16, 2010 5:39 PM

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.

Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com

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Posted by Penncentral on Sunday, May 16, 2010 5:09 PM

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

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Posted by PRRT1MAN on Sunday, May 16, 2010 4:50 PM

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

Sam Vastano
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Posted by AntonioFP45 on Sunday, May 16, 2010 4:39 PM

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

2. I agree with Blownout Cylinder - being roasted for bringing up older topics.Black Eye 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!  Banged Head

"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"

 


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Posted by blownout cylinder on Sunday, May 16, 2010 4:30 PM

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!

 

Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry

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Posted by selector on Sunday, May 16, 2010 4:28 PM

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. Big Smile  But I'd have to say that there is little I actively dislike.

-Crandell

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Posted by the North East Rail Modeler on Sunday, May 16, 2010 4:02 PM
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
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Posted by Packer on Sunday, May 16, 2010 3:38 PM
  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)

Vincent

Wants: 1. high-quality, sound equipped, SD40-2s, C636s, C30-7s, and F-units in BN. As for ones that don't cost an arm and a leg, that's out of the question....

2. An end to the limited-production and other crap that makes models harder to get and more expensive.

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