MR construction articles

I've been building an index for my old Model Railroader magazines. Not everything, just the articles that I want to reference in the future. Mostly construction items, whether buildings, bridges, rolling stock, electronics, or scenery. I also model the era around 1900, so articles on building a container loading facility or an XYZ RR diesel just didn't make the grade :-).

The results were interesting, at least to me. I thought I'd inflict them on the newsgroup as well. Below are counts of items in my index, grouped by five years.

Note that the the last half of '04 was extrapolated from the other 4.5 years since I dropped my subcription.

1960-1964 62 1965-1969 61 1970-1974 59 1975-1979 64 1980-1984 52 1985-1989 46 1990-1994 42 1995-1999 38 2000-2004 30

This is not meant to trash MR. If anything, they just reflect where the market is. I'd still recommend the magazine to newcomers, at least till they've been in the hobby for 5-10 years. And there were other articles that were interesting to read, they just weren't reference material to me.

OTOH, the downhill slide (from my perspective) in construction and plans started in the '80-'84 period, and Al Kalmbach died in '81. Hmmmm :-).

I've checked out other magazines and they don't seem to be any better. I guess the "buy and operate" theme has just about snuffed out the modelling or scratchbuilding market.

As you can probably tell, I'm not a "model railroader", I'm a "railroad modeller".

The Gazette is the best of the bunch, but I'm not interested in narrow gauge. And may I be struck by lightning if I add another Colorado layout to the plethora that are out there :-).

The good thing is that if I built something from my index every month, I wouldn't finish till I was 105!

Reply to
Larry Blanchard
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While I tend to agree, I would like to point out that your era of interest (1900) was 40 years back in 1960, which was well within living memory, while by 2000 it was 100 years back and well outside the memory of almost everyone likely to be reading MR.

Regards, Greg.P.

Reply to
Gregory Procter

Larry, your results are not the least bit surprising. I've done studies of MR's content that are variations on this theme a number of times in recent years. What I found most disturbing was the dramatically rising ratio between articles from which were pure fluff relative to the ones detailed enough that modeler's could actually learn something useful from.

Model railroading was once a true craftsman's hobby but we have been moving away from that for some years. In spite of the enormous improvements in structure kits and scenicking materials that should result in huge numbers of really impressive, realistic layouts, one sees more and more HO layouts that resemble the Lionel tin-plate efforts of the 1950's. Fewer and fewer individuals seem willing to expend the time and effort to do actual hands-on modeling - a sad situation indeed.

CNJ999

Reply to
JBortle

Granted, the majority of the content in the Gazette seems to be Narrow Gauge related but remember that the SL in the name of the magazine is 'Short Line' which doesn't necessarily imply Narrow Gauge. I'd like to see more 'Short Line' coverage in the Gazette. Of course, they can only publish what people write and contribute.

---john.

Reply to
John Haskey

JBortle wrote: ...snip...

Does this mean you'd rather that these tin-plate yobbos didn't build layouts?

This "Oh it's so sad -- people aren't making things with their hands anymore" is beginning to make me extremely testy. People do what they have time and money for. Now that so much ready built stuff is pretty good and pretty cheap, a lot more people can enjoy playing with trains. That is not sad at all IMO.

I suspect we have the same proportion of the general population building neat kits and scratchbuilding as we ever had, probably more to judge from the astonishing variety of kits and supplies available these days (and not just in model railroading.) We also have a much larger proportion of the general population playing with all sorts of models and other toys, which makes the proportion of modellers in the model railroad/airplane/boat/etc fields proportionately smaller. In the Good Old Days, there was a larger proportion of modellers in model railroading is all. Why was this? Because you had to be a) somewhat obsessive; and b) a modeller of at least moderate ability in order to have anything more than an oval of track on the living room floor.

Just enjoy the hobby the way you want, enjoy other people's enjoyment of the hobby, and kwitchyerbitchin.

Reply to
Wolf Kirchmeir

Wolf replies to my post -

It is sad when you take the time to appreciate the fact that more and more modelers come to the hobby lacking even the most basic skills required to be a successful modeler - carpentry, wiring, soldering, etc. Time and money may be the excuse offered so often today but if you lack basic skills you can't even hope to build a mediocre layout and this is a growing trend. How many today never, ever, get beyond running all that great, very expensive, RTR stuff on a bare Plywood Pacific? I believe the proportion is far more than in the past.

Believe me, the magazines see this clearly enough too but they are setting their sights on the lowest common denominator in an attempt to improves flagging sales. Progressively the big magazine has reduce text in favor of more pretty pictures and fluff articles. The "World's Greatest Hobby" program, pushed by the manufacturers and publishers, is another demonstration of how iffy these factions currently view the hobby's future. In the best of times you certainly wouldn't need to initiate a strenuous campaign promoting the hobby.

So, if you want to think these situations are to be reveled in, go right ahead but reality marches on all the same.

CNJ999

Reply to
JBortle

"Playing with trains" is certainly a valid hobby. So is building models. The combination of the two is model railroading, or railroad modelling, or whatever.

And people not making things with their hands, whether that be RR layouts, ham radios, bows and arrows, or butter churns, is something to be lamented. History tells us civilization retreated pretty rapidly in Britain when the Romans pulled out. While such a collapse may be less likely today, if it does occur I suspect the collapse will come much faster - and we've got a lot further to fall.

Let's see. If the same proportion of the population is building, and the population has increased, that means more people modelling and a larger market for articles about it. You seem to have arrived at a different conclusion than the magazine publishers :-).

I can't speak for J Bortle, but I wasn't bitching. Just reporting a trend.

Although I dislike the possibility that numbers of people entering the hobby today won't find a lot of articles that might get them started in scratchbuilding. At least not in the mainstream magazines.

Reply to
Larry Blanchard

I would certainly like to see that as well.

I also miss the old Model Railroading back when Schleicher (sp?) was running it. He kept harping on short lines being a good substitute for narrow gauge with less operational problems.

Reply to
Larry Blanchard

John, I'd like to see more on the Standard Gauge Short Lines as well. There were so many especially during the steam era but there are lots of interesting modern Short Lines too. There were a dozen issues published of the Journal of Texas Short Line Railroads and Transportation. Many steam era lines were featured along with a few modern ones. There are even some NG roads where the usual mountain type narrow gauge equipment would be just right in the desert, flat lands and hills for the narrow gauger who wants do something different. Even if one does not have an interest in a Texas location for his layout but is thinking about modeling a short line a lot of great ideas, pictures, operational info, track diagrams and such will be found in the pages of the Journal. I think Discount Trains in Addison Texas may still have some complete sets for sale. I've never seen a publication that examined short lines, their history and their operations to the extent that the Journal did. I'd really like to see something like the Journal again but more on a national level possibly featuring three or four short lines from different regions and eras each issue. Also check out

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for short lines, narrow gauge and industrial railroads in the southeast. Bruce

Reply to
Bruce Favinger

That's a good observation -- and in the 1960s and 70s there were just less prototypes for articles on building a container loading facility or a diesel than there are now, so it's natural that back then a higher percentage of articles would cover the early steam era.

Reply to
Mark Mathu

I don't think you'll find too many people willing to characterize the economy of the last few years as "the best of times."

I've noted that it is common here to denigrate that campaign. Why is that? Is there something so wrong about trying to attract new hobbyists? I think it benefits us all to have new folks coming in.

Mike Tennent "IronPenguin"

Reply to
Mike Tennent

Mike T posts -

Mike, to tell you the truth, I think many longtime hobbyists see the main sponsors of the World's Greatest Hobby campaign as not honestly trying to promote the hobby for the hobby's sake nearly as much as they are attempting to shore up their own flagging sales. I doubt there are any persons on this forum who wouldn't gladly welcome a great influx of serious new hobbyist through an honest promotion but many regard WGH as just a business sham.

CNJ999

Reply to
JBortle

My news server missed that message. But while it is true that a lot of people model what they remember, quite a few do not. I am a long way yet from being a centenarian :-).

Yep. And as I tried to point out in my original post, I was reporting statistics, not filing a complaint.

But there aren't a lot of articles on scratchbuilding modern stuff either.

Reply to
Larry Blanchard

Why would anyone scratchbuild or even model modern stuff - it's still there to look at any time you want!

Reply to
Gregory Procter

Model Railroader has an index of all articles in all model railroad magazines. I maintained an index also until I ran across this one.

Most modeler today are omly interested in diesel. They have never seen steam.

I also model the 1900 - 1920 era. Its hard to find color pictures of that period.

Reply to
Pat Finley

That's what I told my self when I stood with my camera at my side impatiently waiting for Southern and RF&P trains go by so I could get a shot of 4501. Why waste film on Southern Tuxedos, green E8s, and RF&P GPs when they were modern and still there to look at any time I wanted? When I cleaned out dad's house there were thousands of slides of 4501 but not a single one of a fallen flag engine.

The stuff that's "modern" today will be gone before you know it; model it while you still have the chance to see it. ron

Reply to
Ron Herfurth

Well, my modelling is of 1920-30 era. The photographers of the time seemed to use their precious film on the very latest locomotives - dozens of photos of one-off experiments and locos that lasted into recent times but nothing on the hundreds/thousands of little locos spending their last days clanking with worn out bearings and leaky valves doing all the real work - and did they bother to photograph the grubby old wagons?? I need to borrow a time machine for a couple of seconds - I could even have it back before I borrow it if you insist! Anyone?

Regards, Greg.P.

Reply to
Gregory Procter

I was under the impression that the NMRA created the program. I believe they consider it part of their mandate to promote the hobby.

Goodness, in what way is it a business sham or not honest? It looks pretty straightforward to me. Calling it a business sham implies fraud or deceit. Could you elaborate on that charge?

Does it serve the manufacturer's interest to promote the hobby? Hell, yes. What's wrong with that? Every industry does it through trade associations.

BTW, What kind of promotion would these "longtime hobbyists" prefer? Tea socials? Letter writing campaigns? Group hugs and a post here complaining of how the hobby is dying?

The NMRA and the manufacturers should be applauded for taking the initiative to grow the hobby with a well funded and manufacturer supported campaign. Instead, they get blasted for running a "business sham." Unreal.

Mike Tennent "IronPenguin"

Reply to
Mike Tennent

Mike posts -

Incorrect impression! NMRA had nothing to do with the creation of WGH at the outset. Kalmbach and several of the manufacturers created the WGH campaign. In fact, initially, NMRA wasn't even officially involved in the campaign at all because it required a financial contribution to join in. I believe, but can't say for sure, that the NMRA was eventually allowed in without cost or as some sort of associate member. NMRA's proposed mission statement for the future may supported WGH but they were not part of it at the beginning.

A sham is to offer something false or empty purporting it to be genuine. The only thing that the campaign seems to have created in anyway helpful to potential hobbyists is the speakers bureau - a group of _volunteers_ offering to give talks on the hobby at no real cost to the campaign sponsors. They are not professional speakers or, as far as I know, necessarily experts in the hobby (but I do personally applaud them for their efforts). But have you seen any new introductory, low cost, subscriptions to the magazines? Were there any special low priced but reasonable quaility train sets, freight cars, or locomotives directed at introducing newbies? Did MR, RMC, et al. send a team around the country giving professional talks or demonstrations? Yes, product ads may be appearing in a wider scope of outlets but is this promoting the hobby or spot sales?

CNJ999

Reply to
JBortle

Mike Tennent wrote: ...snip...

Well put.

I'm more than a little fed up by the whingers who complain about the lack of construction articles, "serious" hobbyists, etc. They also complain about the high prices of kits and supplies, etc. There's more than a whiff of the elitist I'm-a-better-modeller-than-you-are in their posts.

What they don't do is offer to write those articles, or run clinics demonstrating the pleasure of scratchbuilding, or offer to help the youngsters learn the skills they need, etc.

Bah!

Reply to
Wolf Kirchmeir

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