Large Scale Central

How does one transfer reality ...

General Discussion
#21

Craig Townsend said:

Hans,

Just give me your phone number and I’ll randomly call you. Then I’ll give you 90 minutes to get from what ever you are doing to the layout. Than you’ll sit at the layout staring into space for about 2 hours. Then you’ll get one train out of the shed and build a train. Wait 2-3 more more hours. Travel about 1/4 of the way down the layout, and randomly stop because the dispatcher told you to. Wait again for 1-2 hours. Repeat until you have ‘worked’ 12 hours… Than drive to a hotel and wait for the next phone call. It might be in 8 hours, or maybe I’ll let you sit in the hotel for 24+. Oh and I’ll only provide you with $6 for a meal every 8 hours you’re in the hotel because after all you are at your “Away From Home Terminal”… :wink:

Craig

Craig, I hear you!

That’s one of the reasons I model Swiss narrow gauge. Traffic starts at about 5 AM and keeps going til about 10 PM. With no rest for the wicked. Running a wayfreight on a layout is a a real challenge, there are enough passenger trains coming through to make it “very interesting”.

#22

Stacy Krausmann said:

I find it really amusing that anyone doing this hobby and especially in this scale would make any odious comments about how others see their layouts. Especially considering the reasons why we get into this hobby in the first place. What matters most is not being unkind or judgmental about what others do and instead focus on being polite and objective as well as supportive. To many, myself included, what ever one wants to build, as far as this hobby is concerned, is totally up to that individual. I like it when others are supportive and NOT nefarious in their commentary about what I do or don’t do.

I am sure we can all agree that this hobby is both expensive and fun, but it also requires that we try and be open minded and not overly critical of others simply because they decided to try and do something different or even difficult.

Stacy

I fully agree that this hobby can be expensive and it is a lot of fun. That said since all of this happens outside you’re at the mercy of whatever climate prevails at your location AND that pretty well limits the choice of theme e.g. I doubt that Doug Arnold - who lives in the desert - would attempt modeling the Appalachians. The same goes for modeling an extremely arid landscape with meager vegetation in a climate that gets copious amounts of rain and is really humid in summer.

Naturally anyone is entitled to attempt modeling whatever, the proof of the pudding is in the eating.

Modeling whatever strikes your fancy is best done inside; no climatic problems - other than too much humidity which plays havoc with the bench work or not enough humidity which plays havoc with any natural materials that dry out and wilt e.g. trees and such.

Reality hits much harder when building outdoors, not least of it is the fact that climate doesn’t scale to 1:29 or whatever.

Several of my friends back East have large layouts in the basement and a garden railway in the humidity of Southern Ontario. I was lucky enough to pick their brains prior to moving to the semi-arid Okanagan Valley and was more or less prepped for what was coming. Despite that I built little for the first few years, just enough to see how it would stand up in our climate.

#23

Hans-Joerg Mueller said:

Craig, I hear you!

That’s one of the reasons I model Swiss narrow gauge. Traffic starts at about 5 AM and keeps going til about 10 PM. With no rest for the wicked. Running a wayfreight on a layout is a a real challenge, there are enough passenger trains coming through to make it “very interesting”.

Guess the Swiss don’t believe in making freight wait… One of the DS that worked the Seattle Terminal Complex would literally shut down his section of RR from 5am-8am Mon-Fri for the passenger and commuter trains. Technical Tim as we called him, would say “Call me back after the last Sounder goes past. Until then your waiting.”

#24

Craig,

Yes, they make the wayfreights wait, but since all this jazz happens under cat with short freights it’s easier to sneak them in and out of the flow.

The fast freights have specific points/stations where they drop and pick up. Basically that means a five minute interlude and they’re gone. Another interesting feature: vacuum brakes.

#25

Hans-Joerg Mueller said:

Craig,

Yes, they make the wayfreights wait, but since all this jazz happens under cat with short freights it’s easier to sneak them in and out of the flow… Another interesting feature: vacuum brakes.

Don’t need to spend 10 minutes charging the line. :wink: Sometimes that works to the crews advantage when the DS ‘catches’ you sleeping… DS to crew “Uh are you guys on the move yet, you’ve got a clear block?” Crew as they wake up… “Yep, having problems with the air” as you hear the hoghead releasing the air in the background…

Scale working vacuum brakes would sure be an interesting challenge.

#26

Stacy Krausmann said:

I find it really amusing that anyone doing this hobby and especially in this scale would make any odious comments about how others see their layouts. Especially considering the reasons why we get into this hobby in the first place. What matters most is not being unkind or judgmental about what others do and instead focus on being polite and objective as well as supportive. To many, myself included, what ever one wants to build, as far as this hobby is concerned, is totally up to that individual. I like it when others are supportive and NOT nefarious in their commentary about what I do or don’t do.

I am sure we can all agree that this hobby is both expensive and fun, but it also requires that we try and be open minded and not overly critical of others simply because they decided to try and do something different or even difficult.

Stacy

Maybe I missed something, but I didn’t see any nefarious, odious, or critical commentary in this thread ??

#27

Mike McLaughlin said:

Maybe I missed something, but I didn’t see any nefarious, odious, or critical commentary in this thread ??

Well, that’s just 'cause I haven’t said anything yet

#28

HJ wrote this earlier today:

That said since all of this happens outside you’re at the mercy of whatever climate prevails at your location AND that pretty well limits the choice of theme,

Initially and for some reason - all those Western movies we have seen over here most likely - many UK modelers gravitate their interests towards the D&RGW. Well it is a rather romantic name and fits our ‘hollywoodized’ view of the 19th. and early 20th. century United States. I followed suit. It did not take me long to realize that a sub-tropical part of England, with few frosts or snow, that my back yard had little resemblance to a lot of D&RGW country and Colorado. Accordingly place names, which matched those chosen, were found in SW Massachusetts and Virginia so a re-location was made. Now, in MY minds eye, my railroad does fit into those States scenery better.

Horses for courses they say!

#29

Mike McLaughlin said:

Maybe I missed something, but I didn’t see any nefarious, odious, or critical commentary in this thread ??

Mike, no not this thread. I said (posted) something that was taken as offensive, in another thread. I do apologize, that what I said came across as offensive. It was not my intention to come across that way and I am sorry.

#30

Alan Lott said:

HJ wrote this earlier today:

That said since all of this happens outside you’re at the mercy of whatever climate prevails at your location AND that pretty well limits the choice of theme,

Initially and for some reason - all those Western movies we have seen over here most likely - many UK models gravitate their interests towards the D&RGW. Well it is a rather romantic name and fits our ‘hollywoodized’ view of the 19th. and early 20th. century United States. I followed suit. It did not take me long to realize that a sub-tropical part of England, with few frosts or snow, that my back yard had little resemblance to a lot of D&RGW country and Colorado. Accordingly place names, which matched those chosen were found in SW Massachusetts and Virginia so a re-location was made. Now, in MY minds eye, my railroad does fit into those States scenery better.

Horses for courses they say!

Alan, I understand. And that is another reason I strated out modeling the Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad. Where I live, I am only about 2 miles from the old right of way of that railroad, so I should be able to model that flora and scenery resonably well in my climate. :slight_smile:

#31

There were mainly two reasons why I modeled an American railway. The principal reason was the lower price and ready availability of Bachmann 1:22.5 and Aristo-Craft items. Although I would have liked a local GWR (UK) branch line, the models over here were far too expensive and I work as a volunteer on a former GWR line that fulfilled that desire.

Local knowledge is a great asset David, I have had to guess my choices.

Having no direct knowledge of any Stateside RR I chose to construct quintessential North American structures such as a grain elevator, covered bridge and red barn. This sets the stage, the models are the actors. lol