Large Scale Central

Scale Dilemma

General Discussion
#41

I like “standard gage” but wound up in 1:29 because when I was starting out, that’s mostly what was for sale. Are you suggesting I should switch to 1:24? Why?

1:24 does have a distinctive look. I run one LGB train (a stater set loco with a powered tender) in 1:24, and it’s very charming. People who are not even slightly interested in scale accuracy really like it the way they would like a cartoon or a drawing of a train. I’m not knocking it–it’s a good look, LGB really knew what i was doing with the way it compressed its models. But it’s not the look I want to end up with.

#42
Victor Smith said:
Bob McCown said:
The 'freelance layout' is rapidly going away, for a more "model the N&S in 1965" approach.
Bob, this is what for me I dread most, its one of the prime reason I dumped HO and N, I got dam sick and tired of the hyper-anal guys modeling the Blowjoe Subdivision Yard of the Whogivesacrap and Western RR on the afternoon of June 3, 1959 at exactly 3:32 in the afternoon on a slightly cloudy day and they have the 1354 photograghs, 205 blueprints, 5 books to proof it and a small warehouse to build it in and oh, what your doing exactly what I'm doing? then your not a real serious model railroader like the rest of us troglites confined to the darkness of our collective basements.

Kinda sum it up? I doubt it will ever get that hyper-anal but I have noticed a drop in interest in freelancing and freelance kitbashing over the last few years.


Wellll if that is the case - the freelanced layout fading - I sure would like to know where that is happening in Large Scale! LS layouts that are modeled after a real prototype - a bit more than just having a unified rolling stock scheme - are about as numerous as polititians who don’t lie! :stuck_out_tongue:

Freelanced goes from Super-Whimsical all the way to “hey that could be … if in weren’t for the colour scheme”. The general tenor is: Who cares, it’s my railroad, I don’t count rivets, they are all toys, it’s just a hobby, it’s close enough, we just want some fun etc. etc. All fine and dandy, not a problem, but don’t try to tell me that Large Scale modeling is quickly approaching what has been a reality in the smaller scales for several decades! Keeping an eye on happenings on both sides of both ponds tells me that we’re a very long way from that, in almost every aspect of the hobby! The exceptions are only confirming the rule!

PS on the super accurate contest models, the Proto-x layouts and other fine stuff. There are three categories of people looking at those

  1. Those who are completely overwhelmed by the scope of the objects; some get discourage, others are resentful.

  2. Those who appreciate and marvel at the objects.

  3. Those who know even more about that particular object and/or subject …
    who by voicing their opinion then discourage the builder and get resented by those who have absolutely no clue what the topic of the dicussion is about.

Of course that’s just my opinion based on years and years of observations. :wink: :slight_smile: :wink:

#43

Gee;----I’m really confused now! All this time I thought “G” stood for GARDEN.

#44
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
Bob McCown said:
The 'freelance layout' is rapidly going away, for a more "model the N&S in 1965" approach.
Wellll if that is the case - the freelanced layout fading - I sure would like to know where that is happening in Large Scale! LS layouts that are modeled after a real prototype - a bit more than just having a unified rolling stock scheme - are about as numerous as polititians who don't lie! :P
Now I know how politicians feel! That sentence is out of context, its the HO and N scale crowd that eschew freelance modeling!
#45

I guess I’m big time freelance. I buy what ever I like and run it. I don’t care if its steam, diesel, 1/29 or 1/20.3. kind of like USPS if it fits it runs. Thats what I love about this site. Most of use don’t give a cr*p what scale it is.

Tim, build or buy what you like and feel free to post it all here. LSC is home to everyone and I’m sure its going to stay that way for some time.

#46

Bob McCown said:

Victor Smith said:
I got dam sick and tired of the hyper-anal guys modeling the Blowjoe Subdivision Yard of the Whogivesacrap and Western RR on the afternoon of June 3, 1959 at exactly 3:32 in the afternoon on a slightly cloudy day and they have the 1354 photograghs, 205 blueprints, 5 books to proof it…

This reminds me of one of the first indications to me that “these people think differently than I do”. I was probably in my late teens, at an NMRA show around here. I had wandered over to the model contest table to marvel at the craftsmanship. There was a hub-bub going on about the locomotive that won first place (A gorgeous scratchbuilt N scale Union Pacific 4-8-4 Northern locomotive). The ribbon was being protested because the locomotive was built from the correct ALCO drawings the builder had obtained, but the guy protesting said something like “but everyone knows the UP changed the tender appliances before they put the locos into service”.

I’ve mentioned this story before but its like yours, the only guys I know who make the train guys look relatively sane are the model airplane guys, back when I was a very young amn I saw at a show two guys nearly come to blows, they both modeled the same F-14 from the same airwing and were loudly arguing over who’s model was more accurate. I think thats when I gave away what few model plane kits I still had laying around. Some people take this stuff waaay too seriously.

(http://gold.mylargescale.com/vsmith/LARGE%20scale.jpg)

Freelance forever! :slight_smile:

#47
Bob McCown said:
Hans-Joerg Mueller said:
Bob McCown said:
The 'freelance layout' is rapidly going away, for a more "model the N&S in 1965" approach.
Wellll if that is the case - the freelanced layout fading - I sure would like to know where that is happening in Large Scale! LS layouts that are modeled after a real prototype - a bit more than just having a unified rolling stock scheme - are about as numerous as polititians who don't lie! :P
Now I know how politicians feel! That sentence is out of context, its the HO and N scale crowd that eschew freelance modeling!
BobMcC said:
I think its like the trend in HO now to model completely prototypical layouts. The 'freelance layout' is rapidly going away, for a more "model the N&S in 1965" approach.
Well, I believe not even that is the rule! If the gang I know (fairly large gang!) is any indication there must be a few hundred (if not thousands) freelance layouts out there for every proto layout that's published in either the MR, the RMC or any of the other mags. Couldn't be true? Just look at how many of the published layouts are proto as opposed to freelance. The groups I hang out with here in the Valley, one low-key proto layout among at least 50+ that I know of. A few freelancers with proto elements i.e. operation, recognizable scenery features etc. and the rest is really freelance.
#48

dilemma

Dictionary: di·lem·ma (dĭ-lĕm’ə) pronunciation

n.

  1. A situation that requires a choice between options that are or seem equally unfavorable or mutually exclusive.
  2. Usage Problem. A problem that seems to defy a satisfactory solution.
  3. Logic. An argument that presents two alternatives, each of which has the same consequence.

So, what’s the dilemma?

#49

(http://siliconvalleysleuth.co.uk/photos/uncategorized/dilemma.jpg)

Bruce, life is full of dilemas

#50

Victor Smith said:

Bob McCown said:

Victor Smith said:
I got dam sick and tired of the hyper-anal guys modeling the Blowjoe Subdivision Yard of the Whogivesacrap and Western RR on the afternoon of June 3, 1959 at exactly 3:32 in the afternoon on a slightly cloudy day and they have the 1354 photograghs, 205 blueprints, 5 books to proof it…

This reminds me of one of the first indications to me that “these people think differently than I do”. I was probably in my late teens, at an NMRA show around here. I had wandered over to the model contest table to marvel at the craftsmanship. There was a hub-bub going on about the locomotive that won first place (A gorgeous scratchbuilt N scale Union Pacific 4-8-4 Northern locomotive). The ribbon was being protested because the locomotive was built from the correct ALCO drawings the builder had obtained, but the guy protesting said something like “but everyone knows the UP changed the tender appliances before they put the locos into service”.

I’ve mentioned this story before but its like yours, the only guys I know who make the train guys look relatively sane are the model airplane guys, back when I was a very young amn I saw at a show two guys nearly come to blows, they both modeled the same F-14 from the same airwing and were loudly arguing over who’s model was more accurate. I think thats when I gave away what few model plane kits I still had laying around.

(http://gold.mylargescale.com/vsmith/LARGE%20scale.jpg)

Some people take this stuff waaay too seriously. :slight_smile:

“different spokes for different folks” - seems like a pretty good attitude to have toward these things. If having exactly 35,000 rivets on the model to match the prototype is important to a guy then so be it, I don’t get it, but what the hell, it’s his life, I’m just glad I’m not that way. My philosophy on model railroading can be summed up in one word “plausibility”, is this thing I’m modeling PLAUSIBLE ? Could it have been done this way ? Could they have made a coach this way? If it seems reasonable mechanically and structurally, then it’s O.K. with me (of course it needs to LOOK right as well). And if you search hard enough you’ll probably find a prototype somewhere to match pretty much anything you might be able to dream up. So unless you’re trying to model a specific railroad at a specific time, then you can pretty much do anything you want to and you’ll still be pretty close to SOME real-world object or place. Walt

#51

yes, what’s the dilemma? Is it that you want to stop working in 1:24 because you think it’s dying out? Or that you want to stop posting here because most people model in 1:20? Of that you think you’ll be forced to stop modeling because manufacturers offer products in 1:20?

I can’t see any reason to condemn people who want to make perfectly accurate models of a very specific time and prototype. It’s not my cup of tea, but I admire the craft and attention to detail. You can always just ignore it if it bugs you. I admire bike racers for their dedication and discipline, but I don’t feel like I have to do it. .

#52

Mike for myself I have no problem with the guy who models his C-16 right down to the engineers half eaten sandwich sitting inside the cab, there are plenty of guys right here who blow me away with there modeling and I’m amazed at the level of detailing they go to, its ONLY when certain unpleasant modeler types of smaller scales get all high and uppity about how wrong everyone else is for not being as riteous or accurateas they are. thats where I got feed up with the smaller gauges and as these unpleasant types age and possibly move into the larger gauges I fear in the future seeing these holy rivet counting annoited ones appearing on the LS sites, thats all. I got a stomach full of this guys as a young man particularly in my HO narrow gauge roots, there were LOTS of these guys back in the early 80’s, leading me to Lone Wolf it for many a year till I switched to LS. thats where my comments are coming from. What truely hilarious was that back in the day, when push came to shove and I ask one these guys to prove how good their stuff is by producing it for us to see , oh the excuses, its too delicate to bring into the shop, , I dont trust you guys, I live too far away, I dont have a car, my dog is sick, yadda yadda yadda. :lol:

(http://www.rawstyle.com/Merchant2/graphics/00000001/promised-land-canvas_st.jpg)

Yet another Dilemma

#53

Well Vic, if you’re afraid of all that, you need to find a really quiet island/valley/mountain top somewhere. Build a wall/a moat/a cover around or over it and hope that nobody finds out. :lol: :lol: There’s an alternative: ignore what you don’t like or can’t stomach. :lol: :lol:

#54
Norman L. Clark said:
Gee;----I'm really confused now! All this time I thought "G" stood for GARDEN.
Nope.

“G” stands for “geriatric”…
if you cant see H0 sized rivets any more - change to G!
if your hands get too shaky to rerail your Z-scale loco - change to G!
if the grandchilds play havoc with your N-scale layout -change to G!
if you start to forget things, you don’t see - change to G!

well, i’ll hide under a stone, till everybody understood, that this was meant humourous…

#55
Korm Kormsen said:
Norman L. Clark said:
Gee;----I'm really confused now! All this time I thought "G" stood for GARDEN.
Nope.

“G” stands for “geriatric”…
if you cant see H0 sized rivets any more - change to G!
if your hands get too shaky to rerail your Z-scale loco - change to G!
if the grandchilds play havoc with your N-scale layout -change to G!
if you start to forget things, you don’t see - change to G!

well, i’ll hide under a stone, till everybody understood, that this was meant humourous…


Sorry your all wrong. “G” stands for Geoff or George or in my case Geoff George. :slight_smile:

#56
Geoff George said:
Sorry your all wrong. "G" stands for Geoff or George or in my case Geoff George. :)
I thought it was for "Great Googly Moogly!"
#57

And here I thought “G” was for “Gee, where did all my savings go?”

#58

Bleeve me, the GFO sees us all in the same light. Over here in yUK we have recently lost two great folks from the LS world - James [Bill] Pinch of Bay Models, just turned 60, and the larger-than-life John Powers of HobbyBahn - a man in his prime, taken away without a by-your-leave or warning. Life is just way too short to have differences of any kind that matter, something I learnt as a younger soldier when I crossed the street and moved to the other side of the police officer I was escorting. HE took the burst through the chest and never saw his baby daughter, in spite of all we did to try and save him. I ran out of fingers to put in all the holes.

He was a good catholic man, shot by another catholic man who had a difference of opinion about how the country should be governed.

A lot more serious than laying with our toy trains, I’m sure you’d agree.

Trains? Scales?

Does it REALLY matter?

Live and let live.

tac
www.ovgrs.org

#59

Prototypical modeling to me means having the locomotive and caboose from the same railroad. :lol:

I am modeling the WI&M Ry Co sometime from it’s inception in 1903 to today. That way, I can run just about anything from from at least 7 different railroads, whoops, how could I forget BNSF???, 8 railroads. At one time or another, all of those RR’s have trod the WI&M rails.

Not that I’m picky, or anything…

#60

Youse guys are all wrong. “G.” stands for “Geezer Gauge.”