I have committed model railroading heresy (or so it would seem)

You need to do 20 hail Mary's and order another RTR in the morning.

I fly planes and helicopters. Talk about looking down on you for getting something almost ready to fly. Man do they try to shame you into thinking you are not a modeler. I have been building since I was a kid, have more scratch built planes then I can store in my garage, yet I show up with an almost ready to fly foam plane and I was tossed under the runway. Out of sight, out of mind.

Me, I like to build. I like to fly. I can spend a year building something, or I can spend about 30 minutes to get it ready. I say either way you are enjoying the hobby.

I like my RTR Athearn GP-35's. I can not see myself buying one I need to paint and get all pretty before I make it look dirty and used. I do have a few old Blue Box GP-35's I want to add some detail, so I will pick one and use it as a sacrificial lamb.

Build or buy, how ever you enjoy it, it is all good.


Buzz.

 

You know, I'd say your willingness to stick to your preferred prototype is more impressive than anything else.

It seems now adays a large portion of the hobby sees purchasing whatever shiny thing comes out in any scheme that is pretty as the goal. (see ongoing thread in I think N-scale)

Not that there's anything wrong with that, to each their own, but it doesn't take much gumption to buy locomotives the way a Kitten plays with a sparkle ball. It does take a bit more focus and effort to define what you're looking to do so strictly.

 

I agree whole hardly, I to agree that real railroad modeling is doing it yourself RTR is not just heresey,is not only destroying the hobby,its worse than that,its like oh my god, its worse than those silly democrats trying to take my guns. The humanity!!!!!!!

Now you should follow my lead and to do your layout right. Mine will be ready in 20 yrs, first I'm growing the trees for benchwork no RTR wood for my layout. While the trees re growing I will be an engraver apprentiss so I can make molds for my trains. Next up back to college for my degree in metalurgy for my tracks................then at last building a Tessla machine for my power again no RTR power from Con-Ed.

Thats the ticket laddie REAL MODELING

 

Me thinks it will be a very long time before Zep, will have a train layout. Likely the green minded ones won't let him cut down that tree he grew to mill. Sigh!

 

Oh, is that the heresy? Sez who? I'm guessing the only folks who would truly say you are committing heresy are the companies who are discontinuing parts and who are selling 98% RTR stuff because that is what seems to be selling these days.

As far as RTR not good enough, I don't know ... those Athearn SD45T-2's and Genesis GP9's are looking pretty decent. I know there is still a few rebels out there who are "real modelers" and those of us who can't model and suffer along with HQ RTR stuff and sit back and admire from a distance.

Thats why if I did get a wild hair to detail and paint, I'd wait until after I was done to mention it on a forums! *wink*

 

I can't paint, but I can build. I was so upset when I went to Bowser's website and found out they stopped making solder kits. I really wanted some of their steam kits too. I guess my Star Trek Voyager and Enterprise refit (both with lights) will have to do. Sad, since I really wanted to give solder kits a try. I've been building plastic kits for years and I really wanted to give it a go.

 

I recall my first attempts to do scratch building or modification as a kid. I think I destroyed quite a few nice RTR models.

 

I realize your just looking to spark a little controversy, but this attitude, when used seriously, does bother me.

TO my way of thinking, a well scenic'd and well designed layout, but running purely rtr equipment is 100% a model railroad, whereas a custom built model detailed to the 9s with weathering that is running around on a loop with no scenery is not in any way model railroading.

And there are those that would argue that RTR or custom, if you aren't doing full operations, then you ain't a model railroader, but merely roundy round junk yard trash.

So, while I agree that doing your own work is a step above RTR, and as I've previously said, I am upset that the industry has essentially abandoned catering to this, AAAAAND, I approve of having discussions about some of the aspects of Model Railroading that are now less focused on, I still recommend you watch yourself, because there's always someone out there ready to call you a sub-modelrailroader.

 

I understand. That's why I said he was just trying to spark controversy.

The point is still worth making that there's always someone above you who thinks you're not doing it purely enough.

 

I think you hit the point on availability. It's just too tempting to detail and paint a specific model when you can open the box, weather it and have something ready to go. For me, it's a lot easier to work a few extra hours at my job (with the workload I have I could work a lot of extra hours) and pay the premium price instead of allocating the time. I'm the same way in one of my other hobbies, fly fishing. I buy a lot of my flies, something that many look down upon, but the reality is that I would rather be fishing than tying flies during the season and in the winter I would rather pay with trains.

 

Whatever floats your boat! I enjoy the 'modeling' aspect, someone once wrote here that their favorite locos and cars were the ones that they had actually built (or rebuilt/detailed/etc.) since those were the pieces that were really "theirs" and could not be found on a shelf somewhere. I've found that to be true myself.
I do have to say that a lot of my modeling is done from necessity - either because the ones I want are not available or if they are, they are way over my budget.
A side benefit is that you do learn a lot along the way about the "inner workings" of your locomotives.