I guess I have many cliches, but I also have many original structures. I hope the originals draw attention away for the cliches.
Wot Benny sed (And cliché certainly seems the wrong word to me - clangers ... maybe, compromises ... yes)
Benny, I have to side with you a little on this. When I first read it, I was unsure how to take it. I still don't really like the attitude of how it's presented, but I decided to try and take it in the best/least offensive way and roll with it. (I know, must be the weather or something) I view these things as "necessary evils" in a lot of cases, not that people are stupid or inferior for doing them. The ability to compromise, to compress, to suspend reality, to have a little imagination....these are all just as critical to building a good model railroad as any pure modeling skills. I'll admit to being too stringent and critical in the past on such things, and I realized (a) it was non-productive, (b) it wasn't fun, and (c) I wasn't gonna have near the model railroad I could have if I'd stop walking around thumping the track-planning-for-realistic-operations-bible and worrying about a visitor criticizing every last inch of my layout. It's easy to nitpick with no constraints. I think my biggest criticism of the articles would be the assumption that everyone has LOADS of space (and money) available to them that they're just refusing to use. There's a REASON freeways aren't modeled...they take up craploads of space that impact what you can do in a given area. There's a reason industries are modeled without adjacent towns...towns are space hogs, and imagination tells you the towns are just off the layout where you're standing. Intermodal facilities? Well outside of being huge space hogs, the actual act of loading and unloading is virtually impossible to simulate. (can't believe the author didn't jump on that one, too) So I think this--combined with the fact that most intermodal traffic is "unitized"--it makes sense to terminate intermodal traffic offline in staging. I guess, I think there are lots of good points in the articles, but the delivery is suspect. Here are a few examples of why... -the scourage of most model railroads -(modelers are) lazy -you’ve gone wrong -the wrong car for the job -irksome trait -SO MANY modelers make this mistake it’s getting old and unacceptable -There is no excuse for this behavior -The abuse is atrocious I suspect if you walked into most layouts and began spewing these phrases you would be asked to leave or worse. Like I said, a lot of the points are good, but presented in a somewhat condiscending way. I'll stop there, and practice what I'm preaching.
The smell of model railroading. Cork Lichen Grass mats A bit of ozone from running the trains a little too hard. he he he
I don't even know if they are good points. Some people don't want to model roads at all - and what's wrong with that?? NOTHING. A majority of these complaints seem to come from a literal figurative imagination that refuses to go any further then EXACTLY what is presented for the eye to see. If you want the absolute realism of the real thing, then either go out side or go model V scale!!! The part I would call "Cliche" are those scenes you ahve seen EVERYWHERE. Like the checkers players. You know the ones...I have no problem with them though... If all you ever seen in everything is the mud, mud is all you will ever see.
I think perhape cliche is not always a negative... It can mean overdone, but to me it can also mean something of a homage(is that how it is spelled). Sort of a loving throwback. As I mentioned in my post, I find some thing over done and would not do them, but there are some overdone things I will do. I really don't think that a modler who has chiches on his pike is a bad modeler at all. Most are better modelers then I.
SeanM, You quote is generally attributed to Mark Twain who mentioned it in the 1850's. Cheers, Jim CCRR
Jim, I believe you are correct, but I see myself more like Clarence in "It's a Wonderfull Life"... but I do believe HE was quoting Twain. Good catch!
Let it be cliche I'm going to hurt someones feelings with this but here goes. Cliche or not, it's my layout and If I want it then it is no ones business but mine. I like to visit others to get ideas. If there is something I use, it will not be just like the scene I saw when visiting. This is because of each modelers method of doing things. Different is sometimes better and sometime not, but it's my layout and I will do it the way I want to. At one time my NTRAK module, had the 3 Mile Island power plant. The plants around the module were pink and purple. Right or wrong, I had fun with it and it got a lot of laughs from the visitors. Personally I would never tell another model railroader that there is something that I don't like about his or her layout. If you don't like something on someones layout and you mention it, then volunteer to help change it. By volunteer I mean bring the supplies, tools and what ever is needed and plan to do the work your self, pending the owners permission. If you are not willing to do that then keep your mouth shut. If you don't want it on your layout that is fine, but others may want all the DPM buildings, Phiser dairy cows, spaghetti track, the industries within the loop, etc. Let it be cliche.
As much of a prototype modeler as I claim to be, if you look closely, I've got my own share. And 'fessing up', take a GOOD LOOK at what's right above the UP boxcar in this shot: That isn't a....noo!!!. Yup. I got a box of them from an ebay sale and cut them up. I really ought to put something else there, but it's been in that spot for like 10 years! You can repaint it, weather it, hide it, put stacks on it, but its still ..... there.... just like the HO enginehouse I had when I was 10. I'm about to add one of the classics, I just can't help myself. I've got Woodland Scenics bears, and I just have to put a guy in a tree with the bears at the bottom. Can't resist it. I've seen it everywhere and I don't care! Woodland Scenics is starting a whole new generation of those, in multiple scales. You'll see 'em everywhere, and they are great fun.
THAT was the big "gottahave" relase of 1964????!!!!! MY OH MY have we come a LONG LONG WAY!!!! [hehehehehehehehehehe]
RIGHT ON GUYS! Great shots! All you stuck in "proto" mode, MOOOOOooo...ve over, we're still have'n fun!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dang, I wonder if my grandson still has that ole' barlow knife.................
Speaking of ants, didja ever look at ants and onder how they'd look posing as livestock on a layout? Sure- remove the middle legs, apply small horns, place 'em in a pasture. Just make sure NOT to use fire ants for this modeling trick... OK, a bit extreme, sure, but many of the things mentioned in this thread are in use on model railroads. Doesn't make it right or wrong a-tall.
Reading your blog, the only thing that kept running through my mind was some people take this way too serious. After all, step back and take a look at your layout and ask, "How many prototype railroads operate in a corner of a bedroom, in a basement or garage"?? NONE!!!!! It was a nice read and I make all attempts necessary to make things believable by keeping to an era with equipment, cars, autos etc. When I view another's layout I look at the track plan and operational capabilities, the track, how they did the ballast, things like that. Seeing DPM kits and industries "out in the middle of nowhere" never bothered me, I understand it is selective compression and it is required in the hobby. Funny scenes with Bigfoot, bears, ants and UFO's are not for my layout, but I find them funny on others layouts. Such as this one I seen at a show several years ago. These 2 guys would be hard pressed to pick up the rail from the ground period, but I thought it was neat enough to take a picture of it. This was also funny to me..... ...and I thought this was pretty cool..... Bottom line, you can put what you wish on your blog, but understand that some of us don't worry about the small stuff.
