A successful model railroad plan (notice I didn’t say design) is one that ultimately puts the hobbyist in a position where they are consistently spending hobby hours engaged in a manner they find satisfying. Researching, building, operating, photographing all qualify. (Sorry, random long term kit accumulation and excessive chat forum participation doesn’t). The person who […]
Category: Model Railroad Design
Layout Lifespan
It’s pretty easy to sub-consciously buy into conventional wisdom without thinking through whether such an approach actually applies to our situation. It may or may not. The expected lifespan of a layout is one such example. For many of us, when we set out to build a layout, it’s with the thought that it will […]
Capturing the Essence of Industrial Switching Operations
When prototype practices are fully incorporated, even a simple two car shuttle can make for an interesting mini session. Much has been written about model railroad operations. Typical subjects addressed include rights of trains, timetable and train order operations, and car cards. However, somewhere in all of this discussion of the technical aspects of […]
Enough Rope To Hang Myself
I was sixteen when the model railroad bug bit in earnest. In the early years of the hobby EVERYTHING is interesting and we really want it all. At that time my parents were on a two year overseas sabbatical and we lived in a small apartment. Our Cape Cod house in the states, complete with […]
Are Dramatic Scenes Necessary?
A big part of model railroading is creating images that we enjoy looking at. Although totally lacking in drama, this shot of the Sanchelima Dairy is one of my favorites of the layout. A visitor to my website brought up an interesting point yesterday. It’s an issue that I’ve been subconsciously aware of. Given its […]