Category: Opinion

The “Finished Layout” Landmine

The mid-morning sun washes over Florida Bottling on The Downtown Spur layout. A landmine is something you didn’t see coming (but could have), step on, and then suffer the consequences.  To that extent it’s not the same as being subjected to some totally random negative event.  If you know you’re entering a mine field, you […]

Finally, We Have Figures!

I never thought I’d see the day. In what, to me, is one of the biggest technological breakthroughs in recent years, we FINALLY have miniature figures that are useable. Real people, in real poses, crisply cast. I’ve always been a believer in the adage, “no detail is better than a bad detail”. In that vein, […]

Defining the phrase “Detailing”

In this photo of a scene taken on the project currently in my shop, the emphasis was on put on the numerous scenery layers and matching the complex color patterns of the structure. At this point I haven’t added one traditional “detail” part such as a switch stand. When those parts are added, they will […]

Color Saturation and Surface Sheen

If you were in the field viewing the prototype of these containers from several feet away you’d notice that the surface is quite glossy. If we model that degree of sheen on the layout, however, it will look toy like. Sheen (shine vs. dullness) and color saturation are tricky subjects for model railroaders.  As real […]

The Next Big Wave

I recently updated a test video on YouTube illustrating the vastly improved depth of field qualities of the latest smartphone generation. Several days ago I was doing an interview for Lionel Strang’s A Modeler’s Life podcast. During the course of the conversation he asked what I thought the “next big wave” of the hobby would […]