As the list grows, I might add Gary Hoover whose Santa Fe layout and Dearborn Station replica are without parallel.
Rich
Alton Junction
richhotrain As the list grows, I might add Gary Hoover whose Santa Fe layout and Dearborn Station replica are without parallel. Rich
Dearborn Station? How about that beautiful scratchbuilt model of the Santa Fe's mission style San Bernardino station? There was a two part article on it in June and July 2008 MR.
Andre
It is such a subjective hobby that I'm sure if you shoved 100 modellers into a convention room and told them they couldn't come out until they all agreed on the very best modeller in the hobby, the bill would top $5M and there would be 60 divorces before the final five were picked by the....uh....attendees. Of course, that's assuming such geeks willing to argue to such lengths were ever married.
Seriously, our own mikelhh is a wonder in his own right. Take a look if you need reminding:
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/p/211552/2316535.aspx#2316535
Just sayin'....
NP2626 Sounds to me like Sheldon feels your not a real "Model Railroader" unless you still operate your railroad with DC and own 45 Bachmann locos!
Sounds to me like Sheldon feels your not a real "Model Railroader" unless you still operate your railroad with DC and own 45 Bachmann locos!
Oh my! I guess I don't fit in since I only own 1 Bachmann 70 tonner.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
andrechapelon richhotrain As the list grows, I might add Gary Hoover whose Santa Fe layout and Dearborn Station replica are without parallel. Rich Dearborn Station? How about that beautiful scratchbuilt model of the Santa Fe's mission style San Bernardino station? There was a two part article on it in June and July 2008 MR. Andre
That too.
How about ollevon?
His layout made the July 2012 issue of MRR.
Who's who?? How much time have you got???
Some to consider:
Jim Vail
Dave Adams
Jim Dias
Jack Burgess
Mike Schwab
John LaBarba
Bob Brown
Rand Hood
If you aren't familiar with these modelers, Google these guys to see some of their work...You can also check the links page on the website in my sig for some examples.
Guy
see stuff at: the Willoughby Line Site
BRAKIEOh my! I guess I don't fit in since I only own 1 Bachmann 70 tonner.
Guess I missed the boat too. I have five Bachmann's. Of those two are steamers. One is about forty years old.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
I like what Jack Burgess has done, also!
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
One more thought about this thread in general.
Beyond the few minutes I spend on this forum, I don't spend ANY of my model railroad time on the Internet looking at YouTube videos of other peoples work, or searching for web sites other modelers have put up showcasing their layouts.
I don't have the luxury of that kind of time, and as some of you have likely noticed, I am often absent or only light present here much of the time.
I have glanced at a few of the links posted in this thread, and many appear to be very talented modelers, but generally speaking, I am a lone wolf building what I want to build, and published or not, well known or not, the rest of the world is welcome to build their trains as they see fit.
This is why I was hesitant to post anything in this thread until Rich recognized Wayne's talents.
Sheldon
While I think we can really admire some people's work, what turns me off is the "worship" aspect that often happens when they gain "celebrity" status. There was a guy I knew in a round robin train club years ago who, after I moved away, I got wind that he had started going on like a Hollywood groupy, going the big national conventions and rubbing shoulders with the "big names" in the hobby at the time (mid-1990's), then come back and "drop names" and this elevated him into the halls of the elite. He even managed eventually to get one of these big names to visit his layout and then started doing his own clinics.
By this time I had been away for several years, and had kept in touch here and there. and was planning on coming back to town. I figured I'd like to drop by and visit with this old model RR friend chat and see how his layout was coming along, so I called him. He told me I was welcome to come on one of the nights he was holding a clinic. I was like, huh? I can't just pre-arrange to drop by for an hour on one of the few evenings I was in town? Needless to say, it seemed my "status" had fallen in comparson and was not elite enough to merrit a simple "drop in" to chat and see the layout - heck, I lived 12 hours away by car at that time. No I never did drop by and visit and since it seemed I was now too ordinary to run with the big boys, I just decided to "lose touch" - nobody needs that honestly. /rant
So I enjoy admiring great work but I can do without the whole "who's who" head trip thing, that comes with it.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
I don't see this thread as putting some Model Rails up on pedestals. I think we're just mentioning some folks who have done wonderful things with their Model Railroads. Being retired, now, I have some time to do pretty much what I feel like. I have gone to You-Tube and looked at videos of model railroads. Some are fantastic: George Sellios, Jack Burgess and Jack Parker's layouts come to my mind. Others, I've seen are maybe not great; but I appreciate that the folks involved are having fun in the hobby and I think that's the name of the game and the important thing.
I seem to be constantly saying the following: This is a hobby, something I think most of us do for fun!
If you're not having fun; or, think it's your job to be critical of other peoples hard work and effort, please find something else to do with your time and leave those of in this for fun to having it!
Two guys I admire the most are Lance Mindheim and Pelle Soeborg.
Another guy I think is worthwhile mentioning is M.C Fujiwara (M.Cfunkymonkey)
His N scale FreemoN is briliant.
James, Brisbane Australia
Modelling AT&SF in the 90s
Skimmed through the post/responses and didn't spot the name (Tony) Antonio FP45.
He has set the high benchmark for quality Passenger car modeling (among other skills) something near and dear to my heart. This is the year I really dive into Alclad II!
Mine doesn't move.......it's at the station!!!
riogrande5761While I think we can really admire some people's work, what turns me off is the "worship" aspect that often happens when they gain "celebrity" status.
I've often wonder what became of some of the famous modelers that once grace the pages of MR.They ran hot for 4-5 years and then disappeared from the scene.
Wow! My thanks to those who've mentioned me favourably - accolades of any kind are nice, but unsought ones are especially gratifying. (And a bit embarrassing. )
While I can't disagree with any of the other names mentioned, I hesitate to add ones which spring readily to mind for fear of overlooking others who are equally deserving, even if less well-known. I'd have to also cast a vote for the "unsung", and I find it quite comfortable to be one of them. Forums like this are a great place to share ideas and I hope that some of mine have proven useful to others.
Wayne
Wayne,I never mention this before but,there's probably 7 or 8 modelers on forums that impresses and you're one of them.
To be honest I'm not the type that is easy impress by any modeler.
However,after its all said and done I won't worry about my lack of modeling skills or how my modeling isn't up to par with other modelers nor will I lose sleep because my modeling sled down hill after losing the full use of my once dominate right hand...
I'm still enjoying the hobby to the beat of my own drum and bugle corp.
I haven't seen Joe Fugate mentioned yet, so I'll just toss his name into the mix.
Dan Stokes
My other car is a tunnel motor
many unsung modelers here, on the N scale.org facebook page, youtube, there's lot's of great stuff and ideas floating around out there from people who aren't in the limelight.
SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.
http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide
Gary DuPrey
N scale model railroader
So just what makes a great Model Railroader great anyway?
I look at the layouts of the so called greats and every one of them is something to aspire to. Everything on their layouts is usually pretty jaw dropping. However as with all of us even they are better at some things than others. So what has to be achieved to be "great"?
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
BATMANEverything on their layouts is usually pretty jaw dropping.
Actually once you get by the "WOW!" factor and study the pictures in detail you may find they're so "jaw dropping" after all..
I'm talking about small mistakes in scenery ,industrial areas and in some cases railroad safety violations..
Of course I have a pretty keen observation thanks to studying photos over the past 45 or so years(its a sub hobby) and may see things easily overlooked by others.
No big deal.
And yes,try as hard as I might I still make boo-boos.
I would add Keith Kohlmann whose work is very well known to N scalers around the country, not so well known to the general HO-oriented hobby perhaps. What Keith can do in N scale makes the fact that it is N irrelevant.
There is also a highly skilled modeler and photographer who works in O scale named Rob Enrico. I always marvel at the realism of his photos, mostly of PRR stuff.
It might be that in a sense digital photography combined with the ability to post on the internet both here and other venues that cater to modelers has expanded the number of modelers whose work we can admire and whose names become familiar to us even if they rarely if ever appear in the major magazines. I think it is also true that more layouts are photogenic now than was the case even 20 years ago. I remember visiting some glorious layouts where every aspect of the craftsmanship was worthy of MR or RMC -- but for a variety of reasons the layout simply would not photograph well due to lighting or no backdrop or whatever.
Dave Nelson
Here is a question that I`ll toss out here..........
What exactly makes a "Master Model Railroader"?
Is it just because the NMRA says you are?
Or is it really a matter of what you make of the hobby on your own?
Dennis Blank Jr.
CEO,COO,CFO,CMO,Bossman,Slavedriver,Engineer,Trackforeman,Grunt. Birdsboro & Reading Railroad
rdgk1se3019 Here is a question that I`ll toss out here.......... What exactly makes a "Master Model Railroader"? Is it just because the NMRA says you are? Or is it really a matter of what you make of the hobby on your own?
Burlington Northern #24What exactly makes a "Master Model Railroader"?
http://www.nmra.org/education/achievement/ap_master.html
Check it out. Not something you can toss off in an afternoon...
Streamlined steam, oh, what a dream!!
Rastafarr Burlington Northern #24What exactly makes a "Master Model Railroader"? http://www.nmra.org/education/achievement/ap_master.html Check it out. Not something you can toss off in an afternoon...
Yeah I`m aware of this Farce........that was why I asked the question.
rdgk1se3019 Yeah I`m aware of this Farce........that was why I asked the question.
In my opinion, it seems a little harsh to call it a farce. It's certainly not something which interests me, but many folks seem to enjoy working towards set goals and getting recognition for their achievements. I've never been much interested in joining such organisations, but I can certainly appreciate craftsmanship, whether it's by someone with a certificate or simply someone who created something for his/her own satisfaction. In it's purest sense, it seems to me to be a competition with oneself, very similar to what the rest of us non-organised (some might say disorganised) modellers are doing. For the few who choose to flaunt their "status", it has little to do with the NMRA, as there's no accounting for personalities.
RD said that but it's quoted at me, ok who divided by zero?
Burlington Northern #24 RD said that but it's quoted at me, ok who divided by zero?
Huh? Feel free to respond: I merely took it as an opinion for general consumption, and was curious as to why RD felt that way.