N
nachoman
I picked up a 2005 copy of Model Railroader free a few weeks ago, and have been thumbing through it hen I have time to kill. To be honest, this may be the first issue that I have read through in about 7-8 years. As I have mentioned before, I was kinda out of the hobby for the most part between about 1998 and 2004. While I still had an interest in model trains and tinkered with a few models I already had, I didn't keep up with the new products that became available during that time. This issue had a column about recent changes in the hobby, and got me thinking.
The most noticeable changes were: DCC, using foam for layouts, ready to run cars replacing simple kits, more detail, and more options on locomotive types and locomotive types that were detail-specific to the prototype.
Prior to all this, if one wanted (for example) a Southern Pacific gp38-2, that person would likely pick up an Athearn GP38-2, add some detail parts to match the prototype, maybe upgrade the drivetrain, paint, decal, and weather. I can remember in the 80s and 90s almost every issue of model railroader had an article or paint shop column about detailing a diesel locomotive. Or, if one wanted a low-nose GP9, one would take an Athearn model, chop the hood, and ignore that the body was too wide.
All this new ready-to run stuff is fantastic for opening up the hobby to a lot more people. While plopping a brand new locomotive with all the details, lights and sounds on the track doesn't interest me as much as detailing my own, I would not quit the hobby if that is all that was available. After all, building scenery and track hasn't changed as much, and I get equal satisfaction in doing that.
My question is, can you still do things the old way? I would argue that one still can, but it is becoming increasingly difficult. There are some oldschoolers on this board; Wayne, Ralph, and Jeffrey come to mind. The limiting factor as I see it is if detail parts, decals, and scratchbuilding supplies become no-longer available.
I will always be able to pick up an athearn blue box locomotive at a swap meet or from ebay. And while the MDC Roundhouse steamer kits are no longer being made, I can still find them. But lately, the LHS seems to stock less and less detail parts, the decal file hasn't been restocked in years, and the stripwood bin has been half-empty for as long as I have been looking for HO scale 4x10s.
I am learning that some of the detail parts lines have been discontinued. And I hear the owner of NWSL is retiring, and the business will close if nobody buys it. And as I recall, a major decal manufacturer closed up a few years back.
So can we still do things the old way? And if so, for how much longer? Will there ever be a point when if one wants a non-DCC locomotive, he/she will have to retrofit by removing the decoder? Or suppose I want to change the cross-compound air compressor on a 2-8-0 to a pait of single compressors. Will the detail parts still be available?
Kevin
The most noticeable changes were: DCC, using foam for layouts, ready to run cars replacing simple kits, more detail, and more options on locomotive types and locomotive types that were detail-specific to the prototype.
Prior to all this, if one wanted (for example) a Southern Pacific gp38-2, that person would likely pick up an Athearn GP38-2, add some detail parts to match the prototype, maybe upgrade the drivetrain, paint, decal, and weather. I can remember in the 80s and 90s almost every issue of model railroader had an article or paint shop column about detailing a diesel locomotive. Or, if one wanted a low-nose GP9, one would take an Athearn model, chop the hood, and ignore that the body was too wide.
All this new ready-to run stuff is fantastic for opening up the hobby to a lot more people. While plopping a brand new locomotive with all the details, lights and sounds on the track doesn't interest me as much as detailing my own, I would not quit the hobby if that is all that was available. After all, building scenery and track hasn't changed as much, and I get equal satisfaction in doing that.
My question is, can you still do things the old way? I would argue that one still can, but it is becoming increasingly difficult. There are some oldschoolers on this board; Wayne, Ralph, and Jeffrey come to mind. The limiting factor as I see it is if detail parts, decals, and scratchbuilding supplies become no-longer available.
I will always be able to pick up an athearn blue box locomotive at a swap meet or from ebay. And while the MDC Roundhouse steamer kits are no longer being made, I can still find them. But lately, the LHS seems to stock less and less detail parts, the decal file hasn't been restocked in years, and the stripwood bin has been half-empty for as long as I have been looking for HO scale 4x10s.
I am learning that some of the detail parts lines have been discontinued. And I hear the owner of NWSL is retiring, and the business will close if nobody buys it. And as I recall, a major decal manufacturer closed up a few years back.
So can we still do things the old way? And if so, for how much longer? Will there ever be a point when if one wants a non-DCC locomotive, he/she will have to retrofit by removing the decoder? Or suppose I want to change the cross-compound air compressor on a 2-8-0 to a pait of single compressors. Will the detail parts still be available?
Kevin