The Wow Factor

Before I say anything further, I would like to be up front and say
that my modeling skills are not up to the standards I am about to
apply. I hope they will be someday, and I strive to achieve it, but
there are many, many, many, superior modeler's than I.

When I visit a new layout, on the drive over to this person's home, I
always have this same thought: "I hope this layout will make me
say 'Wow!'" I'm cheering for the author and builder of said layout.
I hope they can bring the child in me out so that I itch to own it,
play on it, or just be generally envious of it.

When I do see one that makes me go "Wow," it is the artistery of it
that I am responding to first; not its operational capacity, whether
it is free lance or prototypical, whether it is true to one era, or
that it has all the "right stuff." This makes me a real sucker for
narrow guage layouts.

The next thought after I have or have not gone "Wow" is, does this
layout accomplish what the author hoped to accomplish? By this I
mean, does the theme extend into the modelled railroad and does it
work. I don't like to compare layouts, but I would rather see a
good "eclectic - perhaps a little bit too much eclectic" layout well
modeled rather than an inferiorly modeled prototypical railroad. In
other words, quality rather than "following the rules" which many
have told me I'm not to good at...lol.

I have seen an 11 year's old model railroad make me say "Wow" - well
done. Oh, he didn't have proper staging, the tracks were a little
bit spagetti like, there was too much happening in the space he had,
but "Wow!!!" His layout worked for me. I kept thinking, if this kid
is this good now, I wonder what he'll be like in 30 years.

And I have seen layouts where the modeling was up and down, excellent
in some areas, not so hot in others and yet the layout as a whole
made me go "Wow!" In the particular one I'm thinking of, I was
immediately itching to bring one of my engines over and run it on
this chaps railroad. Since it was a Supertendent's tour, I had the
good sense to keep my mouth shut...lol. I find I am able to forgive
the sins of layout transgressions when a layout "works."

Before I visited another layout, I had heard from many that I would
be impressed. The first second I saw it, I thought...this is a small
layout. But after that first second had passed, I thought "Wow,
wow!!" His layout was moving from the "Wow" category to the "oh my
god!!" category.

I have never seen an "oh my god" layout except in MR and MRP and
other mags. The obvious artists come to mind, John Allen et al.
Unfortunately, a Japanese chap who's name escapes me, modeling the
Pacific Northwest (while residing in Japan) always takes my breath
away when I see pictures of his work.

For me, if you can pull me into your world and have me enjoy it, then
you've got a great layout.

This topic is from another forum, but I thought I would post it here as well. I posted this in the layout design forum in the Yahoo.groups

I have a feeling Paul Templar's layout would make me say - "Wow!"

[ 14 June 2001: Message edited by: rsn48 ]

 

I talk a lot about track arrangements and I am always on the look out for hidden S curves and love to see track plans that look like they serve a purpose. Rick likes staging. Rick doesn't like helixes. But he's completely right that the trackplan does not relate to the 'wow' factor at all.

I think it's great when the first thing you see when you enter the layout room make you say "Wow!" To often the first thing you see is the workbench or the helix or staging. Some will tell you that a giant curved trestle at the end of a peninsula is a cliche - I don't care, if it's right by the door - you are going to get a "Wow!" out of me

It's been talked about in Trainboard before, and it's featured in the Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazette (Mar/Apr 2001.) The On3 Red Stag Lumber Co has the ohmygod factor - you skip Wow completly. Seeing it in person must be what it was like to see the Gorre and Daphetid in person.

But to get to my point: the layout has a log loading area, a mill and an engine house. That's about all the operational interest. There are two or three tunnels - logging railroads did not build tunnels (that would cost money.) There are two continuous run loops (it's an exhibition layout - these were deemed necessary.) The prototype inaccuracies, lack of staging and trains just going in circles does not matter. If the trains stopped running the Wow factor would not be diminished even a little bit!

[ 14 June 2001: Message edited by: yankinoz ]

 

The "wow" factor.

That's very well put, and I can relate to that.
A few years back upon returning from Florida, I fulfilled a long time desire to check out the layout of a prominent Historical Society located along the way. Upon entering the layout room, at first I experienced a bit of disappointment. The layout, of course, was beautiful, and operationally, it was a charm. But that experience bothered me for a long time. I couldn't imagine why my first impression was such a disappointment. Some time later, it finally dawned on me. Their layout was of a "flatland" or prairie theme. Of course, everything was just plain flat! Now I worry that my planned layout, because the WAB was basically a "flatland" railroad, will be dull and give the same first impression to others similiar to what mine was. It certainly will not have the same visual impact as say, walking into a room with a layout based on the D&RGW or CN in the Rockies with their beautiful towering mountain peaks etc.

That being said, the question then becomes, what if anything can be done to add a bit of "excitement" or "wow!" to a prairie railroad model layout?

Keep up the great job here at the layout forum, and thanks in advance.

Bill

p.s. yankinoz....glad to see ya at the MILW Club!!!

[ 18 June 2001: Message edited by: wabash_one ]

 

Well, Wabash your comment set me to a panic as I will have a fair amount of flat on my layout. After the panic, I tried to remember if I have seen any flat layouts that I was impressed with. And the answer is "yes!" The layout that convinced me that N scale was a viable medium was a club layout at a train show in Lynden Washington. There was a mountainous area, but it was seperate from the rest of the layout, which was about 70 percent flat.

You might be asking a couple of questions all rolled into one; I'm not sure. First, the Wow factor is related to artistic interpretation and skill. When I am "wowed" there is enough artistic talent and detail to pull me into the person's world. I like David Barrow's Cat Mountain and Sante Fe, yet it is much "plainer" than other layouts, but it is well done. Flat or not flat is not a criteria for quality, but I think it is easier to be "wowed" by mountains, especially well done ones (thinking of John Allen here).

But there is also a matter of taste. A popular trend in photography in the Santa Fe area of New Mexico is to take pictures of doors and windows. The photographers like the texture, patterns and pastel muted colours which are reflected in these pictures. To me, doors and windows pictures will never attain the "wow" status I like in photographs.

I love "contemporary modeling" yet this aspect of modeling leaves most others bored, they want the steam/diesel transition era. I think flat is not as popular as the rugged mountainous areas we have associated with model railroading, but so what. It is you that comes home to your layout and as long as you love it, that's what counts.

With flat I think you have a challenge in that the artistic abilities are even more called upon to render the scene realistic and detailed. I think in flat, you want more "stories" going on with the support cast of people, trucks and cars, and other miscellaneous equipment. For example, the farmer should be on the tractor tilling the soil, while his dog is somewhere off in the field, while mom sits on the porch watching him.

And flat isn't flat. I am continually railfanning an area I am going to be modeling, attempting to get a feel for it. In my mind the whole area is flat. But yesterday, after driving through this location for what had to be the 700th time, I noticed the tracks (four across) were tiered, the highest in back, the lowest in front. At one sharp turnout area, the track took a very noticable dip as it went off as an industrial siding. I was surprised at how unflat this flat location was.

I suspect as you drive and look at your locations again, you will see the road is lower or higher than the track which is higher than the fields. The fences, houses, and trees (the one or two if you are in the prarie region), and water give the flat land deminsion and interest. Because the sky is so important in an element like this, I would definitely be using a photo backdrop, or using some incredible painter's talent. The backdrop becomes even more important to enhance the realism of the scene.

And realism becomes even more important: do you wheat fields really look like wheat fields? Or is there grass growing among the ties on a lesser used siding? Can we see the oil on the ballast and ties and tracks where the switchers sit idling? I find most people's ballast to be way too "clean;" you'd never know real engines ran over them.

When I first came into the hobby, I wanted mountains and tunnels, etc; but the longer I am in the hobby, the more I enjoy other worlds rather than just the rockies. Chances are if you can "wow" yourself first, you can "wow" others latter!

[ 15 June 2001: Message edited by: rsn48 ]

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by wabash_one:
That being said, the question then becomes, what if anything can be done to add a bit of "excitement" or "wow!" to a prairie railroad model layout?
<snip>
p.s. yankinoz....glad to see ya at the MILW Club!!!<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Yes wabash_one I am struggling with how to 'wow them' with a prairie railroad as well. My eventual plan is the Tomah Sub of the CP Soo District (MILW called it the La Crosse Division) anyway - I think much of the 'wow' factor is determined by the very first thing you see. So for me, I will probibly put Tunnel City (tunnels are easy) or the Mississippi/Black River crossing at La Crosse at the enterance (two drawbridges.) I think this is really important as the last thing I want to be the first thing visitors see is a helix or a staging yard.

 

Not to forget the Key West layout from January 2001 MR (I think) - ya can't get much flatter than sea level - but all the bridges and beautiful scenery sure helped the Wow factor.

 

Wabash,
Check out the pictures in this layout. It is the Monon featured in the July issue of MR (which I haven't seen yet). I think they are definitely heading towards the "wow" factor and flat as well.

BUT, there is no really good sky as a backdrop and I really noticed that, enough that it detracted from the layout for my tastes. I'm wondering how he is going to put in a good backdrop with all those trees in the way.

http://www.shelflayouts.com/about_us.htm

You can tab on the pictures to enlarge them.

[ 16 June 2001: Message edited by: rsn48 ]

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by rsn48:
BUT, there is no really good sky as a backdrop and I really noticed that, enough that it detracted from the layout for my tastes. I'm wondering how he is going to put in a good backdrop with all those trees in the way.

http://www.shelflayouts.com/about_us.htm
<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Wow!

Surly Rick, you can remember those late fall days after all the leaves are gone and the grass is brown and the temps are around freezing and there's a thin overcast sky and you wish you had a warmer jacket IMHO - those guys nailed it - the backdrop is perfect. I'm really looking forward to the July issue - I just need to get June first!

 

In the July issue you can see the backdrop more clearly, it is one of those fuzzy jobs. Still not my choice for backdrops, but the guy is dripping with talent...sigh.

 

You guys should check out 'Great Model Railroads volume 31', 'Grossers Nostalgia Trip'. Gotta be the first flatland 'Wow' layout I'd ever seen. It's been featured in some magazines too.

2slim

 

<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by 2slim:
'Grossers Nostalgia Trip'. Gotta be the first flatland 'Wow' layout I'd ever seen. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Ya can't miss when you pick the right prototype - It's Soo Line

 

Many thanks to everyone for the comments, suggestions and recommendations...I appreciate them all. And a special thanks for the recommended readings....something to compare to my actual field trips and pics.
Bill

 

You will notice the date jumps dramatically from the last post to this one. I was doing some house cleaning in the layout forum and decided that once a month I would bump up a thread that I liked, so that newer folks would have a chance to read the "classics"... lol.

I hope you all enjoy!

 

Rick

This seems to be an old topic. I joined this forum a couple of weeks ago. As you saw pics of my layout you could mention it as one of the "wow" layouts ...... *lol*



...just kidding

[ 09 May 2002, 11:03: Message edited by: sandro schaer ]