Puts most of us to shame

[vsmith]

when you go and call a setup like this a low standard just because it is a well rounded display that is just not setup for operations or modeled after a real world railroad, thats just not right.

So if the buildings were all cardboard with windows and doors drawn-on with crayon, that would be just as good for you? Because someone would have had to do all the drawing and cutting, right?

Theres no wrong way to build a model RR. Just ways others dont like.

If it works for the modeler, whats wrong with that? Wheres the harm?

It always cracks me up how some people will look at a nicely done model RR like this that just happens to different from what they like and so have to poop on it.

[tomikawaTT]

I look at this in the same way that I look at Northlandz - lots of WOW factor for the mundanes, but only the little Simon mentioned for the serious modelers of railroads, prototype or imaginary.

One photo that got my attention was the street, crowded with rush-hour traffic, and not one motor vehicle on the tram tracks!  Talk about an imagination!

Having lived in Rapid City for a while, the sorry-looking depiction of Mount Rushmore turned me off completely.  In real life, that National Monument is HUGE - and several miles from any railroad.

This gentleman shot for the biggest.  Take a look at Mark Newton's modeling if you would like to see the best.

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

[marknewton]

 Someone still had to layout the trackwork, design the scenery, make everything fit together in a believable way...

And there's the rub - it's not very believable. But then, it is intended for an undiscriminating general audience.

[Midnight Railroader]

when you go and call a setup like this a low standard just because it is a well rounded display that is just not setup for operations or modeled after a real world railroad, thats just not right.

So if the buildings were all cardboard with windows and doors drawn-on with crayon, that would be just as good for you? Because someone would have had to do all the drawing and cutting, right?

 

[SunsetLimited]

You should be thanking the model railroaders that have the wherewithall to finance such displays.

So if I get a warehouse, put up benchwork, fill it with a bunch of plastic kit-built structures, runs a lot of track around it, and then plop three dozen trains on that track, that's something you should thank me for doing?

 Sorry, my standards for what this hobby is about are a littler higher than, "Wow, it's huge!"

 Someone still had to layout the trackwork, design the scenery, make everything fit together in a believable way and make it look really great. So what if all the buildings are plastic kits, its a modern layout, they have to use plastic kits to make modern buildings (i have never scene those large buildings offered as kits), unless they can now make small bricks and concrete these days.

If you look at the world (the thing they modeled) its big and trains take up a really small part of it (but they can still be the focus of a scene), i mean my car crosses a railroad crossing in about 2 seconds everyday. We build models of railroads and place them on a shelf or a table and have tons of trackage and then scenic it with a couple hills, half a highway or a small building or two and a backdrop of painted clouds and trees and call that good? Its fine if that works for you, but when you go and call a setup like this a low standard just because it is a well rounded display that is just not setup for operations or modeled after a real world railroad, thats just not right.

[marknewton]

What you describe is exactly what a model railroad is.

Only in your opinion, which apparently isn't shared by the builder of the layout in question...

You should be thanking the model railroaders that have the wherewithall to finance such displays. These kinds of displays inspire countless newcomers to the hobby.

Very, very debatable. You argue that these layouts are about entertainment - I'd suggest that most people who visit don't come away inspired to become modellers, any more than they leave the cinema inpsired to become film-makers after seeing the latest Hollywood movie.

They contribute a lot to keeping our suppliers in business, (they purchase more stuff than hundreds of your "so-called" modelers do in 5 years).

Utter bollocks. I model an obscure prototype in a minority scale/gauge combination. My main suppliers are specialist providers of scratchbuilding materials like NWSL, K&S, Slaters, Evergreen, and Plastruct. None of these firms rely on sales to newcomers to stay in business.

As to commercialism and the hobby, most of the celebrated modelers in the hobby have made money from the hobby, John Aleen short catalog photos for Varney, George Selios manufactures kits, just to name two.

LOL! Unfortunate choice of examples - I don't rate either Allen or Sellios very highly. That they made money from the hobby is of no interest to me, and of no relevance to the topic.

I'm a custom builder and painter, so according to you, we're not modelers because we make money through our hobby and our clients aren't hobbiests because they hire us.

Again, utter bollocks. I've written nothing of the sort in this, or any other thread. Instead of addressing the points I did make, you've introduced another irrelevant strawman argument. I wonder why you're so defensive about something I didn't mention?

Mark.

[Midnight Railroader]

You should be thanking the model railroaders that have the wherewithall to finance such displays.

So if I get a warehouse, put up benchwork, fill it with a bunch of plastic kit-built structures, runs a lot of track around it, and then plop three dozen trains on that track, that's something you should thank me for doing?

 Sorry, my standards for what this hobby is about are a littler higher than, "Wow, it's huge!"

[ARTHILL]

That is a fun layout, I would love to see it sometime. You found a couple of pics I had not seen before. They sure have a lot of buildings and vehicals. I am glad there are a few places where this kind of thing can be done for the enjoyment of those of us who like the perspective.

[SunsetLimited]

I agree with the above post, its a great example of what can be accomplished. Just because its not another dingy steam era layout or some lame shelf switching job that if taken to a show most of the crowd would pass right by or fall asleep looking at, doesn't mean its not a model railroad if thats what they designed it to be, if they designed it to be a model world of transportation thats cool to. Its a great example of both, and thats what the crowds want.

[modelmaker51]

Simon, I couldn't agree more, which is why I get a little peeved when commercial creations like this are held up as examples we should try to emulate. As far as I can see it's not a model railroad as such, but a large diorama that employs trains and road vehicles to animate various set-piece scenes.

Cheers,

Mark.

What you describe is exactly what a model railroad is. They just didn't build it your way. Pooh, Pooh. Gimmie a break!

You should be thanking the model railroaders that have the wherewithall to finance such displays. These kinds of displays inspire countless newcomers to the hobby. They contribute a lot to keeping our suppliers in business, (they purchase more stuff than hundreds of your "so-called" modelers do in 5 years).

As to commercialism and the hobby, most of the celebrated modelers in the hobby have made money from the hobby, John Aleen short catalog photos for Varney, George Selios manufactures kits, just to name two. I'm a custom builder and painter, so according to you, we're not modelers because we make money through our hobby and our clients aren't hobbiests because they hire us. Please take your narrow minded head out of your board by board built outhouse.

The hobby is all about entertainment, that's what they're all about, entertaining yourself, your friends and others, if it isn't then why are you in it?

[Heartland Division CB&Q]

Mr. Beasley............ you wanted us to feel inferior because why? ..........

[cacole]

This "layout" was featured in one of the Tracks Ahead episodes on PBS last year.  It's purely for public entertainment purposes, not an example of model railroading.

The owner's stated intent is to build the world's largest exhibit of the world's major cities and attractions.  This year he is reportedly adding the major attractions of the western United States.  The eastern United States was already part of the exhibit when the TV show was filmed.

Critiquing it as an example of model railroading is not right because that is not what it is meant to be.

[MAbruce]

On second thought - Nevermind.

[loathar]

Oh no! Here we go again! This one usually brings some heated replies.

[simon1966]

Mark, indeed you are correct.  There are some things that I think would be very interesting to learn from this layout and others like it.

1.  Bullet proof track techniques.  To run something of this magnitude for the hours that it runs is an impressive feat in itself.  They can't exactly have derailments and other operational issues effect the display on a regular basis.

2.  Maintenance.  I wonder what they do on a regular basis to maintain the track and rolling stock cleanliness.

3. Animation and lighting.  There are clearly things to be learned from what they do here also.

[tatans]

And not a bit of weathering to add some reality to the scene, and what's with the 4 stooges made of plasticine thing??  It looks like an ad for Plasticville, Well, it is BIG.

[marknewton]

Simon, I couldn't agree more, which is why I get a little peeved when commercial creations like this are held up as examples we should try to emulate. As far as I can see it's not a model railroad as such, but a large diorama that employs trains and road vehicles to animate various set-piece scenes.

Cheers,

Mark.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Somebody has way too much free time on their hands.

[simon1966]

The public display commercial layout is a whole different beast to a personal model.  The vast majority of the thousands of visitors that walk through a display like this are not model railroaders and are there for some entertainment.  I have not visited Miniatur Wunderland  http://www.miniatur-wunderland.de/data/cms/en/000/ but it strikes me as being one of the very finest public display layouts I have seen.  By its very nature the detail that they are seeking is very different to that which a scale modeler is after.  They are looking for scenes that entertain and get a reaction from visitors.  We are more focused on fidelity and accuracy of our models. 

[Midnight Railroader]

I have yet to see a "World's Biggest" model railroad with much in the way of detail or demonstrated modeling skill.

 I'm not saying it is impossible, but it seems that in the pursuit of the right to claim quantity (size), the builder inevitably sacrifices quality (detail).

[marknewton]

Yeah, any of us could - but I'd like to think that most of us could do much better.

[MisterBeasley]

Of course, with unlimited time and resources, any of us could build one like this:

http://archibase.net/archinews/14281.html

(Caution - lots of pics.)