DoughlessI trust Francis Ford Coppola's, Rod Stewart's, and George Sellios' research about what things looked like back then are a much better gauge for realism than are my simple perceptions of what things looked like back then.
Here are some color slides of New York in the '40s and '50s shot by Charles Cushman.
http://forgotten-ny.com/2007/05/charles-cushmans-1940s-nyc-color-views/
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2036932/New-York-City-photos-Charles-W-Cushman-reveal-1940s-life-Big-Apple.html
BTW, I love the scene where Vito is running along the rooftops, stalking his victim.
Steve S
Somewhat OT here... I was thinking of Stewart's and Sellios' layouts today and their early 20th century urban scenes.
And I was reminded of the movie Godfather II, where a young Vito Corleone (played by a young Robert DeNiro) is getting his start in his...um..business. It takes place in the Little Italy district of NYC in the early part of the 20th century. It looked crowded. Laundry strung between buildings, open trash burning, live chickens in the road...lots of clutter and grime.
I trust Francis Ford Coppola's, Rod Stewart's, and George Sellios' research about what things looked like back then are a much better gauge for realism than are my simple perceptions of what things looked like back then.
- Douglas
Yes that bridge is heavy duty, but the long gone Wabash Bridge looked exactly like it.
But that's not the rub.
Those are massive river crossings. The Fort Wayne Bridge is actually double decked, which is why it's so huge. Look at the Approaches on the 33rd St bridge. That's the sort that's more realistic for what Stewart was doing.
There is a double decked heavy...HEAVY...steel truss ex-Pennsylvania Railroad bridge that spans the Allegheny River in Pittsbrugh that reminds me of the Bridge used on Stewarts layout. Compared to the surrounding buildings (the new Convention Center and relatively new hotels and condo type buildings for example) it does stand out stark and looks out of place. It is still in use today and is a favorite spot of mine when railfanning up in Pittsburgh.
Anyway, I agree that Pelle's book "Done in a Day" has been a great source of both inspiration and education for myself. I am a fan .
Happy modeling all!
Don.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that both engines have failed, and we will be stuck here for some time. The good news is that you decided to take the train and not fly."
ACY What are we counting? How many cover photos featuring the modeling work of a single person, or how manycover photos photographed by a single photographer? Pelle does the model work and he takes the photos.
What are we counting? How many cover photos featuring the modeling work of a single person, or how manycover photos photographed by a single photographer? Pelle does the model work and he takes the photos.
So did John Allen. He was a professional photographer by trade.
Carey
Keep it between the Rails
Alabama Central Homepage
Nara member #128
NMRA &SER Life member
I'll have to check my MR 75 anniversary CD-Rom stuff to see if there's a way to research the question...short of going thru each issue one by one.
It's not just that Pelle sets scenes so well- it is that he endeavors to show, by example, many things that any of us can easily do. His "Done in a Day" Kalmbach book has provided me with three different small projects- and these are adaptable to other eras (I model the transition era), with a bit of thought or the proper paint, etc.
It's the workmanship and craft that make his efforts cover-worthy- glad he is doing what he does, as it inspires me to do better!
Cedarwoodron
I'm a big fan of Pelle Soeberg's work and like the changes he made to the layout. He and lance Mindheim are my two favorties modelers today.
Rod Stewart's layout is definitely inspired by Sellios'. Both are a little too crowded for my tastes, but I think they would look very realistic when compared to photographs of real urban areas. I agree Sellios depression era caricatures are bit over the top.
And, the bridge on Stewart's layout immediately struck me as looking out of place. And I thought it seemed to be assembled using steel beams and members that looked too heavy. This isn't meant to be a criticism, but just an observation.
I think the work by each is very impressive.
As far as covers, there were other popular modelers who got their share. I think Malcom Furlow had a few back in the day, as well as the fellow who modeled the Cat Mountain and Santa Fe, David Barrow.
So?
Railphotog All I've had is four covers so I know I'm not in the running! I'll have to go count mine, I'm not sure where I stand. Well, it's somewhere around zero, I'm pretty sure. The cool thing about modeling the present day like Pelle does is that all the pictures look natural in color. When you see color pictures of a 40's layout, well, the real pictures from that era were b&w. Color screams model, no matter how well built.Yes colorpictures existed, but were rare. Even 60s color photos have a tint to them. Other modern modellers have that advantage.
All I've had is four covers so I know I'm not in the running!
I'll have to go count mine, I'm not sure where I stand. Well, it's somewhere around zero, I'm pretty sure.
The cool thing about modeling the present day like Pelle does is that all the pictures look natural in color. When you see color pictures of a 40's layout, well, the real pictures from that era were b&w. Color screams model, no matter how well built.Yes colorpictures existed, but were rare. Even 60s color photos have a tint to them. Other modern modellers have that advantage.
Rastafarr Pelle's work requires scrutinization; it takes more than a glance to tell whether or not it's real. Isn't that what modeling is about?
Pelle's work requires scrutinization; it takes more than a glance to tell whether or not it's real. Isn't that what modeling is about?
Truth be told he's a great modeler but,his layout is way to pristine for real life simply put there's no grit to be seen and it kills any realism.
He went as far to weather his engines and cars but,overlooked the obvious.
He's certainly not the first nor will he be the last..I've done it myself.
I doubt if many modelers will see what I speak of.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Streamlined steam, oh, what a dream!!
Railphotog All I've had is four covers so I know I'm not in the running!
Its OK Bob, we still love ya!
How many times has Allen McClelland been on the cover? I seem to remember the V&O having appeared alot.
Karl
NCE über alles!
Sorry, but that one lost me somewhere around the line of scrimmage.
You do have a point, though. We all have our own personal tastes. Rod Stewart said at the outset that he has always admired the work of George Sellios & wanted to emulate that. Good for him. He's done a really nice job in achieving that goal. Like some others, I happen to have a different preference. I tend to think the Sellios/Stewart approach is a bit too crowded for my tastes. I have joked that Sellios' work reminds me of Depression-era Boston as it would have been described by Charles Dickens, and I hope George (and Rod) would appreciate the humor and not take offense. If my goal were to create a world like theirs, I seriously doubt that I could do better than either of them. That does not mean that I can't say their work isn't my cup of tea.
My own preference is more like the work of Tony Koester, or Paul Dolkos, or Bill Darnaby. If I were interested in modeling the West in the modern era, I'd wish to create a model world something like Pelle Soeborg's, although I doubt I'll ever be in his league. I've done some model work that I'm proud of, and I've done other model work that's not so much. Rude criticism is out of line; but it should be OK to politely express an opinion or preference, whether the speaker is able to do better or not. It's a big hobby, and it's big enough for all of us.
NittanyLionThat's uncalled for, man.
Armchair modelers making a lot of critical comments in this thread toward more accomplished people. 'MIKE' apparently liked Stewarts layout until now when he worked up the forum courage to take a shot at it. I guess when you make thousands of posts in a year, you cannot keep track of your own opinions.
Stewarts layout might not be my personal favorite style, but I am not so arrogant as to write it off as 'disappointing at best'.
alco_fan 8500HPGASTURBINE His layout was disappointing at best. Huh. On January 8, you said this of Stewarts layout: 8500HPGASTURBINE I will also agree it's very nice, but that long bridge in the middle looks out of place. It's no George Sellios layout, but very nice. Found in this thread: http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/226373.aspx So we that we may all learn from the best, please post photos of your layout in this thread so that we may appreciate _your_ superior craftsmanship.
8500HPGASTURBINE His layout was disappointing at best.
Huh. On January 8, you said this of Stewarts layout:
8500HPGASTURBINE I will also agree it's very nice, but that long bridge in the middle looks out of place. It's no George Sellios layout, but very nice.
I will also agree it's very nice, but that long bridge in the middle looks out of place. It's no George Sellios layout, but very nice.
Found in this thread:
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/88/t/226373.aspx
So we that we may all learn from the best, please post photos of your layout in this thread so that we may appreciate _your_ superior craftsmanship.
That's uncalled for, man.
It's entirely possible to criticize something without being superior at it. The Houston Texans had one of the worst offensive lines of all time back when David Carr was setting records for getting sacked and my only hope of blocking an NFL defensive line would be if my shattered corpse got tangled in his legs and he tripped.
dave v I think MR should put UN-finished projects on the cover
That would mean MR would need to lower their photo standards since only complete scenes and models is accepted for Trackside and layout photos.
Now,back in the 50s you could see photos of unfinished locomotives from a scratchbuilding article on the cover..
8500HPGASTURBINEHis layout was disappointing at best.
Modelling HO Scale with a focus on the West and Midwest USA
[quote user="Jimmy_Braum"]
I know Rod Stewart has been on the cover 3 times. Now his layout is amazing.
(My Model Railroad, My Rules)
These are the opinions of an under 35 , from the east end of, and modeling, the same section of the Wheeling and Lake Erie railway. As well as a freelanced road (Austinville and Dynamite City railroad).
My hunch is that MR's own project railroads and dioramas are the winners for the most covers award.
Dave Nelson
Bob Boudreau
CANADA
Visit my model railroad photography website: http://sites.google.com/site/railphotog/
gatrhumpyMeh. While I think he does absolutely fantastic work, I think he's an attention whore.
i don't think great trackwork, a great running model, signaling, electronics, ... would make as good a cover photo as a great scene.
i was surprised by how simple his layout is and the fact that he chose to rebuild his layout to make even better scenes possible. And it also explains several of his more recent articles.
8500HPGASTURBINECan you post a link to PS websight?
Pelle Soeeborg Graphic Design
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
gatrhumpy Meh. While I think [Pelle] does absolutely fantastic work, I think he's an attention whore.
Meh. While I think [Pelle] does absolutely fantastic work, I think he's an attention whore.
That may be a tad harsh. As I understand it, MR has him under contract, so they both want the work featured, and want exclusive rights to it.
Nearly all of my subscription copes anymore have a paper outer cover with ads anyway, so the actual cover photo makes much less of an impression on me than it used to.
Rob Spangler
Maybe no one else is submitting any photos or articles, as it seems to dominate the magazine of late. He has mastered the technique of photographing every mini-step of every project so that we can all be impressed.
Bill
SBCAThis has gotten me wondering - who holds the record for number of cover shots? I'm guessing it's him. I believe this makes 11 covers
The man to beat would be John Allen..Allen's G&D graced a lot of MR covers in the 50s.