This is real railroading. There is no circus train passing a marching band on a nearby street. There are no saturated primary colors or eye-catching architectural masterpieces. It’s flat black tankers under dull brown trees, gray gravel, and mud puddles. The shot was taken earlier this year in Old Hickory, TN at what appears to […]
Category: Opinion
The Plausibility Payoff
Strategic Omission
A key scene on The Downtown Spur is the point where the line crosses 12th Avenue. A major element is the Metrorail line running overhead. However, just because it’s there, should we model it? My next book will be “Realism Principles For Model Railroaders”. Give me four to six months to get it on the […]
Skill vs. Decision Making
Creating an eye-catching model of UP’s Anaheim Yard has less to do with skill than effective decision making. That being the case, doing so is within reach for even entry-level modelers. A world-class musician? Pure skill. A PGA golfer? Pure skill. Artists such as Vermeer and Hopper? The same. Exceptional model railroading results? Not so […]
How to Play With Your Trains
Getting out more often to rail fan industrial switching operations has had a direct impact on how much I enjoy operating my layout. The above shot was taken a few months ago in Annapolis Junction, MD. I was a little surprised with the response I received from my recent Operations 101 YouTube videos. What it […]
Choreographing Your Own Show
Designing A Solo Running Session For Maximum Satisfaction The Tradepoint Atlantic crew talks things out on the radio before performing the next move. The concept of semantics is interesting from the standpoint that two words, theoretically meaning the same thing, can evoke such different emotional responses. If I said, “Come on over. Let’s run some […]