In my October 26th blog, What We Want, How to Get It, I brought forth the idea that one of the primary reasons we model is to re-create an emotional connection in miniature. To be transported in such a way that meaningful emotions are triggered. To this end, the more realistic we can make our […]
Author: Lmind1
Coupling Cars, “Give me a stretch”
Topic: Model Railroad Operations So, how are your coupling skills? Are you doing everything by the book? Are you sure? In the January issue of The Dispatcher’s Office*, professional rail Dan Sylvester writes, “When making a joint (coupling) the speed should not exceed 4 mph. Stop and stretch the coupling to make sure the […]
Sound
Hierarchy, Vantage Point, and Why We Are Approaching the Whole Shebang the Wrong Way There are two reasons we build model railroads, the satisfaction of assembly and the desire to be transported, transported to a time, place, or operational system that evokes strong emotions. The better our modeling, the more effective we are […]
Preparing For “The Day”
You’re 55, 60, or 65. You’ve wanted a layout your entire life and you spend hours fantasizing about ‘the day’. By that I mean the day when the kids are out of the nest, retirement final yields some free time, or the necessary space frees up. Fantasizing is one thing but what about effective preparation? […]
On the Outside Looking In
From time to time the various magazines will run a poll in an attempt to gain some insight into the state of the hobby and the current breakdown of the multitude of tribal sub-interest groups. It’s a good idea. The quality of the results, however, will only be as good as the questions that are […]