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 […]
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 […]
In August of last year I wrote a post on the topic of caricature, caricature being defined as an artistic style leaning towards the exaggeration of features. In model railroading terms it’s an orientation that focuses more on fantasy and whimsy. Styles fall on a spectrum with modelers spread out among various approaches depending on […]
In his book Blink, Malcolm Gladwell takes a deep dive into decision-making at both individual and organizational levels. He examines split-second decisions that must be made in the “blink of an eye” as well as longer-term planning. The question becomes, is there a relationship between the amount of time spent making a decision and the […]
The challenge of having so much information instantly at our fingertips is, that when something particularly insightful is written, it can get lost in the background noise. There is no element of modeling that contributes more to visual impact and plausibility than nailing the colors. To that end, Tony Koester’s editorial on color strategy in […]