1994 NMRA Video

shamus

Registered Member
Back in 1994 at the NMRA convention, there was a video contest run for best model railroad video. The criterion was to have a good video of your own model railroad. Okay I thought I will set about doing one of my “H0 Raton Snake Valley” To cut the story short, it took me many hours of work for just a 7 minute video, but presentation for me was the name of the game. I spliced many 30 second movies together to make this 7 minutes. Now the best part began. I had on reel to reel (Tape) some original recordings of locomotives so I set about digging out the best sound effects and making a note of them. When I was happy, I started to over dub the 7 minute video with real sounds. Now I had a video of an H0 model railroad with prototype sounds. Next I needed an opening gambit for the video and asked my Son David (Computer wiz even back then) to do one for me on the Commodore Amiga computer we had at the time. When I arrived at the convention, I went straight to the comp room and submitted the video, along with 1 colour print and 3 black & white prints also for the competition. Comes Sunday night, and prize giving. First it was the photo comp and the colour photo. I was very pleased to win it. Next the black & white photo comp gee wiz, I took all three 1st 2nd & 3rd. Then I waited for the award for best video. Oh dear, I won that as well. Not only did I win the comp with that video, but they wanted to use it and others for the 50th anniversary of the British NMRA the following year. Wow, I was over the moon. I did help in the making of that video and it then became for sale (Steam powered videos) and after a short while it was placed into the NMRA video library in the USA.:)

So there you have it, it’s now all on You Tube to watch. The quality of You Tube compression is not any where near the quality of the original video. See what you think, also the quality isn’t as good as a video camera’s nowadays but for tape it wasn’t too bad. At least you can now see what Raton Snake Valley looked like :nod:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uNpKnfPPnmo

Cheers
Shamus
 

LoudMusic

Member
That was very enjoyable to watch - thank you for sharing :)

What are the major changes you've seen in the hobby since 1994? With my limited knowledge I'd say knuckle couplers have become standard for HO, DCC has gained significant ground, and insulfoam is a new popular terrain material.
 

shamus

Registered Member
Better scenic materials - all kinds of differing waters on the market sign1 and fibre boards to lay track onto. Also 0n30 has made a name for itself in the last few years.

Shamus
 

sumpter250

multiscale modelbuilder
Well, good friend, isn't it about time to change your signature? :D
The May issue of Railroad Model Craftsman arrived today. Your Pinewood looks awsome!
So, the hammer came down on the C&TS, I haven't been in touch for a while, but I was wondering how long it would be before a new layout came to be. As usual you have done a great layout, and a great article for RMC. Congratulations !!
Haven't done much lately, my association with GCLaser has taken up most of my model railroad time, On the other hand, my life is full, and I'm having fun. Once again, congrat's, good to see you still very active.
Pete
 

Kanawha

Member
Since 1994, which was actually around the time I switched from O to HO I would say there have been HUGE improvements in the hobby such as DCC. But there have also been a few regressions. For instance, the availability of high quality, ready-to-run steam and diesel engines and rolling stock has made a tremendous variety of equipment available to the masses, but at the same time means people put less emphasis on kit building and creativity. And indeed there are many less kits available today. Many modelers take on an attitude of "if I can't buy it completed, it isnt worth it." Like I said, the RTR era is great in that it allows everyone to participate, but at the same time it feels like we've lost much of our "modeling" aspect and are seen by outsiders and newcomers as glorified toy collectors. I'm sure that'll ruffle some feathers, but hey, its just my opinion. I've seen a lot change over the years. So no offense intended.
 

pgandw

Active Member
For the most part, car kits are available in as wide a variety as ever, you just have to search and ask a little bit more. I don't know why, but the LHSs seem reluctant to stock car kits, and tend to offer only the RTR. Only the better (IMHO) LHS bother to stock even the Athearn or Accurail or Intermountain kits, much less the Westerfield resin or Labelle or Ye Olde Huff-n-Puff wood kits. And forget anything narrow gauge in kit form including On30. Yet there are plenty of ads for kits in NG&SLG.

It's the traditional plastic and die cast locomotive kits that have disappeared almost completely. Only Bowser still stands. Athearn, Roundhouse, Mantua, Hobbytown of Boston - all have gone as makers of locomotive kits, with Hobbytown being the latest. Except Bowser, where does somebody learn to build their own locomotives from kits? The easier kits are needed to get folks started in model building. Right now, there is next to nothing between RTR and scratchbuilding.

What happens when today's model railroader runs out of space or money to buy all the "instant gratification" RTR on the LHS shelves? Does he quit the hobby or just quit buying? Either one is disasterous for the LHS. The LHS need to sell kits to introduce model building far more than they think. It is the model builders that will buy the tools, paint, and detail parts that will keep the LHS in business over the long term. The long term is being sacrificed for the short term profits from RTR.

enough of my soapbox
 

Kanawha

Member
Ditto...lol. But before I get off mine too, I'll say that whether simply putting on your own handrails, or building a locomotive from the wheels up, it shows a lot of care and pride to build or assemble your own equipment. What happens if the next generation doesn't have that chance?
 

shamus

Registered Member
sumpter250 said:
Well, good friend, isn't it about time to change your signature? :D
The May issue of Railroad Model Craftsman arrived today. Your Pinewood looks awsome!
So, the hammer came down on the C&TS, I haven't been in touch for a while, but I was wondering how long it would be before a new layout came to be. As usual you have done a great layout, and a great article for RMC. Congratulations !!
Haven't done much lately, my association with GCLaser has taken up most of my model railroad time, On the other hand, my life is full, and I'm having fun. Once again, congrat's, good to see you still very active.
Pete

Thanks Pete, Pinewood no longer is around, but my new 0n30 Badger Creek is coming along well.

http://www.badger-creek.co.uk/

Cheers

Shamus
 

sumpter250

multiscale modelbuilder
Like I said, the RTR era is great in that it allows everyone to participate, but at the same time it feels like we've lost much of our "modeling" aspect and are seen by outsiders and newcomers as glorified toy collectors.
Doing train shows in shopping malls, was quite an education in how model railroaders are percieved. Those outside the hobby were completely surprised at the level of detail, and the "realism". The advent of RTR hasn't caused that.
When I first started in this hobby, it was a kitbuilder's, and scratchbuilder's hobby. There wasn't all that much "on the market" RTR locos were predominently brass, with some diecast, and a little plastic.
Styrene was "not considered the right material for building". Things do change. RTR is the product of the times. We have so much more to do now, and modeling time is at a premium. The less time spent building individual pieces, the more time for the "layout". even to the extent of sectional track, and computer aided layout design, using sectional track.
Model building is not a lost art, not by a long shot !! It has, for a bit, moved to other areas. I am, though, still comforted by the fact that rail, ties, rail spikes, turnout assembly jigs, and a large number of other products (scale lumber, styrene sheet and strip, detail parts etc.), are still being manufactured, and distributed. Also that kits are still available, and still doing a fair business. I wouldn,t be associated with GCLaser if I didn't believe there was still a market for that kind of product.
 
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