1. Ask Questions. When I first returned to the hobby of HO trains I had a lot of questions, especially about new things. The biggest changes where Styrofoam for scenery, WS ground foam for "Zip Texturing" and DCC. I got enough answers to learn to enjoy all three, plus a lot more. Trees have also become a fun project.
2. Answer Questions. I soon discovered that there were a lot of newbies and returnees that had the same questions I did. After a while I discovered I could answer some of them, and I try to add to the other good answers that are posted, some by much better modelers than I.
3. Show and Tell - I love to see what others are doing, and like to show what I am trying to do. I realize that some of the regulars have seem my stuff too often, but with the number of visitors and new members, the great majority of those on line at any one time probably have not seen our posts from a month ago, nor read the great threads.
4. Debate - Most of the great debates do not interest me, but a few do and I get a morbid kick out of taking a few jabs. It is a nice break from the train room, while the latest cut from carving foam stops bleeding.
5. Express wonder at what some of you are doing. There are some great artists and modelers here who share their ideas and progress and pics and I think they deserve some congratulations. I add what little I can to this.
You forgot one:
6. Explain why I post on this forum.
Check out the Deming Sub by clicking on the pics:
Art, you are right on target with your five reasons. They are what make this forum such a great place to visit. I know it has helped me in doing things for the first time and seeing the work of others.
Hal
Art,
As another long time modeler who also had a long hiatus from the hobby, I would agree with all five points. I've learned quite a bit from this forum but I feel I can contribute as well. I think that knowing how things used to be gives us a different perspective on the way things are now. We know what has improved in the hobby but we also appreciate what has stood the test of time. A lot of the old techniques we learned when we started out still hold up well today. DCC has brought the hobby to a new level and I still feel like a newbie but I am catching on. There is still a lot that can be done with CVs that I haven't even begun to explore and hopefully this forum can help guide me through it. I learn better by doing than by reading a manual but it helps to have knowledgeable DCC people to answer your questions.
Good post and keeping posting pics of your layout. I never get tired of seeing them.
John
Sorry, but you're DEAD WRONG with item 3 - even us regulars haven't seen your stuff too often. Keep it coming!
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
el-capitan.
I posted this either as a # 1 to a question implyed or as a # 4, to see what would happen. I am waiting for a cut to stop bleeding so I can get back to the Kanyon.
I have four to add that I have personal significance.
1) Belonging to a community. There are groups of people in my town that I belong to, but when I socialize with them it is just a formality. Here I feel like a productive member of a community. Although I can think of a couple people here that might question the quality of my "productivity." But that happens in any community.
2) Sharing with friends. There are some people on here that I consider friends. These people go out of their way to help me and I go out of my way to help them. If I make a post, they always try to help one way or the other.
3) Layout Design. I am fascinated by layout design and although I'm not close to some of the experts, I think I've learned enough of the general principles that can help newbies and some intermediates. See what happened is that I tried to build a temporary layout, and I posted it on the Layout side. A couple of people poked at me and poked at me--even though I was incredibly thick and had some wrong ideas about layout design--and I got a layout that was so well designed that two years later, I can only think of a couple things I would have done differently--and I was warned about those things.
Helping to keep other newbies from making those mistakes that I would have made is my way of giving back.
4) Stirring the pot. No I don't mean troll behavior. I mean creating posts that stimulate conversation from vastly different points of view. I see it like a cement mixer where you keep throwing in gravel and turning it round and round until a gold nugget exposes itself so you can reach in and grab it.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
I like the inspiration. As Art's signature says, "If you think you have it right, your standards are too low." Over the last two years that I've been building my layout (this time around,) three things have changed.
First, my skill level is higher. I've learned lots of techniques, some by reading and some by just experimenting.
Second, my patience is greater. It's a marathon, not a sprint. Yesterday I spent all day (I was home with a cold, but not flat on my back) putting foundations and a stoop on a pair of DPM townhouses.
Third, my standards are much, much higher. What used to be "good enough" just isn't any more. A scene isn't done until I'm proud to exhibit it on Photo Fun.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
How true, Art.
Learning, teaching, commiseration, sharing, admiring, consoling, giving and accepting swift kicks,...it's a medium not unlike parenting, except that each of us gets to do it, no matter who we are.
I think Chip's notion of community, or what I term fellowship, is extremely important. After a while, darned it we don't get to relying on each other a great deal. If I have a question, to where do you suppose I hie myself?
Good post.
-Ken in Maryland (B&O modeler, former CSX modeler)
Arthill
Art nice work I love Canyon shots keep up the incredible work.
August
Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
100% agreement with all that has been stated. I even had one MRR from the midwest come to visit me on his trip east to New England. This would never have happened if I had not met him on this forum ( Coffee shop, now the Diner to be exact ). I know of others who have travelled on vacations and met with other MRR's and also at large shows.
Great bunch of railroaders for sure.
loathar wrote:I post here because I just plain love trains and well,...quite frankly...I have no life.
Our society has grown, well, odd. It does not have the types of social events that occurred in the past and in fact, just has our kids have been shut-ins, we have become adult shut-ins. To be otherwise is "different."
It is only natural that as shut-ins, we seek fill our need for community in the virtual world. You have a life, it is just different than you would have expected.
Now if I can just find a virtual woman that likes trains for my virtual life.
HEY! That Google spell check really works!
Arthill,
You are spot on. I completely agree... I only wish I had more to share, being a re-noob to this and all. Often I look forward to this forum more than my personal email!!! It is true, in our complex digital world we often find ourselves isolated (we used to make a call to someone to schedule a meeting, now we just email or click on their outlook calender!)... And heck, I even enjoy the lively debates, as long as, like in life, they are kept respectful. Happy days and thanks for the hours of fun everyone.
Brian
Art:
All great points! I find this place to be a veritable cornucopia of information. And who said they were tired of seeing your great work??? Pay no attention to that man behind the curtain.
Although I'm relatively new here, I've been what I'll call "loosely" involved in the hobby on and off since my son was born in 1986. Puttering here and there...
I can't say that I've accomplished anything that would be considered worthy of the term "model railroading" as of yet. There always seemed to be major obstacles, ie: lack of funds and/or lack of time... and usually both!
At this point I have a couple more projects to finish up around the house before I can start construction on my layout. (Which will probably take me many years to bring to some semblance of completion.) But rest assured, as soon as I do start they'll be some photos up on here for ya'll to chew on. (Or spit out, as the case may be.)
I guess what I'm trying to say is that I appreciate this forum beyond words. There is just soooo much talent here, and everyone is always willing to offer advice, it's just a great place to learn what can be accomplished. I appreciate immensely all the input that was offered on the plan I posted here!
Chip:
4 more great points! Once again, I haven't been corresponding here all that long, and I hope that I haven't rubbed anyone the wrong way with any thoughts I've had to offer. (Which isn't very much, I know.) I am hoping, that in time, this will become a place of camaraderie for me also...
Mr. B:
Don't kid yourself, YOU are an inspiration! I've wanted to post many times on your great work, but by the time I came across the thread, it was getting old and it seemed everything had already been said. (That Woolworth scene really took me back to my childhood. Is that a Malibu VW?)
Rrebell & Simon:
Oh yea... Reading some of the posts is like trying to decipher a foreign language! (Of course, sometimes the one making the post actually doesn't speek de englis too well.) I'm a hunt & peck typist myself, and I can't spell wortha either, so I usually compose in MS Word and then copy & paste. But that spell check toolbar sounds like it could help some.
Brian:
But what personal email? I guess I have no life either...
Hey, we just love trains and this is a great place to be!
..... Bob
Beam me up, Scotty, there's no intelligent life down here. (Captain Kirk)
I reject your reality and substitute my own. (Adam Savage)
Resistance is not futile--it is voltage divided by current.
Let's see... Why do I post on this Forum?
Hmmm.....
Why not?
-George
"And the sons of Pullman porters and the sons of engineers ride their father's magic carpet made of steel..."
Art and Chip have pretty much covered the reasons for posting on this site.
I relied heavily on this site and a couple of others for advice and help when I returned to modeling 5-years ago. If I need help, this is the first place I post a question. There is no better place to get an answer to virtually any model railroad related question. The range of knowledge here is unsurpassed IMHO. My thanks to all of you out there for your help and support.
I love the photo threads. To me they inspirational and informative. I learn something new at least once a week.
Remember its your railroad
Allan
Track to the BRVRR Website: http://www.brvrr.com/
My nearest MRR club is 40+ miles away and stuck in a rut... same applies to the 2nd nearest. They also meet at times that are difficult for me.
As they are not building anything I'm directly interested in - and, despite moaning about "involvement" have never tried to get me involved - there just isn't any reason for me to put myself out to get there.
Against that I can get into this "club" any time 24/7 without moving from my armchair. There is a huge diversity of interest and most of all I get incredibly fast answers to all sorts questions.
reklein wrote:Art, you must have finally stopped bleeding and are now waiting for the goop to dry. Is it the goop you put on your bleeding wound or are you back at scenery now. And if you are back at scenery ,how in the world did you cut yourself applying goop? By the way,how about a couple shots of Yosemite, Haven't seen much progress lately. Are you getting it forested?