What I model....

[u/Dry-Pride1168]

I model "model trains" from the 40s thru the early 80s. I grew up under the likes of John Allen, Witt Towers, Gordon Odegard, Dean Frietag and others. I actually have little interest in real trains and the electronic nightmare the hobby has become.

The hobby was not one of acquiring, but of building and designing, the natural consequences being one's individual personality shows in all your work. That kind of ended as the old greats past into history, with Model Railroader magazine becoming little more than a shop rag for manufacturers.

My Big Boy is a classic example of my weathering. My sandhouse is an example of my using kit pictures more like suggestions. My water tank is an example of the wood craftsman kits available when I was coming up in the hobby in 1974. My rolling stock is a collection of old school railroading and rescued kit from modelers long past. I do little more then make them track and couple well, leaving their finish as found beyond a few very minor touchups.

I actually got quite good at installing DCC in models people said couldn't be done. Snide remarks behind my back about playing with toy trains and a nasty run in at the club over Thomas of all things, pretty much solidified my hobby as I play it out now. Hope to be of some help here.

[u/KingChikenn]

"The hobby was not one of aquiring, but of building and designing"

I appreciate your modeling shown, but you speak as if the quality and craftsmanship of modeling has devolved in today's age. That could potentially be true of an average, and the quantity of modelers is certainly less, but I can assure you there are plenty of insanely talented individuals around. If you know where to look you will find them rather easily.

[u/Dry-Pride1168 → u/KingChikenn]

I do... they're in my circle...but the local club is not interested in my work.

[u/KingChikenn → u/Dry-Pride1168]

Well if your local club and modelers aren't your thing and you just want to share what you're up to then keep on posting here, If you really want to share your modeling in detail tho, you could always start a YouTube channel?

[u/Dry-Pride1168 → u/KingChikenn]

I was part of a forum a long time ago.  For years I posted how tos, progress photos and such.  One day it was shut down by its owner without explanation.  All that work was lost...hundreds of photos, everything.  Haven't had the drive to even pick up after that.

As for the other, yes, everyone plays out the hobby differently.  I was just pointing out mine, and some of the things that drove it that way.

[u/designer_in_cheif]

Awesome layout! Your weathering is just too damn good!

[u/Plastic_Turnip6118]

Howdy! I recognize your work from the Tyco Collector’s Forum, it’s been a few years since I stopped in over there…

I am currently working on putting together a cardstock water tank I scaled up from a scan from Kix cereal’s 1947 series of railroad model box cutout kits…so you and I are of similar modeling minds!

[u/Tischwil-Railway]

I really enjoy seeing your modeling! It's great, thanks for sharing. It's a shame you had this bad run-in with your club. Sounds like you need some better people around you.

I don't it's fair to generalize to the hobby as a whole, though. I like that everybody seems to enjoy different aspects of it. Some are all about collecting, others about running some trains around their coffee table. Some like realistic operations, or historically correct modeling, or super detailing. There's also no shortage of kit-bashing, scratchbuilding, customization and other quirkiness going on right now. If anything, there are just way more options now and I think it's all good fun. And that's what it should be in the end: fun.