ern, in southwestern Colorado. For modeling purposes, as well as just plain enjoyable for the history, this area is hard to beat. The scenery pho- tos are for modeling ideas, and the building photos are useful for scratch- building the many structures needed to replicate the line.
A little advice might be in order here
to save you some trouble (some minor, some major, and some deadly). First of all, respect private property, and NO TRESPASSING signs. Some still active mines in Colorado have signs that con- tain the words “USE OF DEADLY FORCE AUTHORIZED.” I decided not to check the validity of that statement, and stayed on public property with a nice long telephoto lens. The sign was located three miles east of Telluride, Colorado on a chain-link fence surrounding a gold mine. Another concern is wildlife, most of which are not railfans. In the west there are growing incidents of confrontation between humans and mountain lions, bears and snakes. Oth- er places have their share of dangerous fauna. There are more than junkyard dogs to worry about here! Thanks to the Durango & Silverton and the Cum- bres & Toltec, both former D&RGW narrow gauge lines, several pieces of rolling stock are available for perusal as well. Even here you will encounter a fair share of restrictive signage. Some common sense goes a long way
here. Take more than just your camera, particularly if you are headed off into the middle of nowhere. Cell phone, ex- tra food, water, first aid kit, and appro- priate clothing are a good start. Warm clothing may seem unnecessary in sum- mer months, but, at higher altitudes, you would be surprised how cold it can get. Donna and I were in a hail storm up on Lizard Head Pass and that was in July. Good walking shoes will make things easier to boot (pun intended). When I’m on the hunt for old build-
ings, my “walking stick” is actually a six foot length of 1″×2″ painted every foot, alternating black and white. Lean it against a wall for the photography, and it will help size the building for later modeling efforts. If you are good enough at Photoshop®
, you can print
the photos exactly to model size in some cases. A lot of my modeling bud- dies carry a cheap digital point-and-
RAILROAD MODEL CRAFTSMAN
shoot camera in their car in case some- thing interesting comes up. When on more serious excursions, I pack a note- book and 100-foot measuring tape. Don’t hesitate to take ultra closeups to show color and texture to its fullest. Sometimes extra field notes make all the difference in the world when it comes to the accuracy of a model. I strongly encourage you to attend some of the many modeler’s gatherings around the country. You do not have to be an avid narrow gauger to get a lot out of a National Narrow Gauge Con- vention. NMRA Nationals and region- als are virtual encyclopedias of the hobby. You don’t really have to be a pro- totype modeler to learn volumes at a prototype modeler’s meet. You need not be on the dark side to have a blast at an Sn3 Symposium. You get my drift. No matter where most of you live, there will be something worth attend- ing only a few hours from home in the next few months. Those to whom the last sentence does not apply, thank you and come home safe!
Seeing the work of others has always been inspirational for me. Don’t believe the poppycock that these fine models are what some call “intimidating.” Take heed of these masterpieces and learn from them. See what they did, and try to find out how they did it. To that end, attend as many clinics as you can stuff into your day. I have well over 50 years of experience in model railroading. At this level of experience, I probably know less than one percent of the body of knowledge that is model railroading. I will attend as many clinics as I can, striving to make it to two percent. The vast majority of these clinicians are ex- perts in their chosen subject and are therefore a virtual gold mine of infor- mation. Even though it is only a hobby, I make every effort possible to learn more. Persistence is the answer. There was a sign in the steam shop of the Illi- nois Railway Museum. It was a quote from Calvin Coolidge, that sums it up nicely: “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence. Talent will not: nothing is more common than un- successful men with talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not: the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipo-
tent.” This is how that “Best in Show” model got built, and it is just plain fun to hear how they did it. Now here’s some advice that will
shock some of you. Enter a contest! That’s right! Pick a model you really need (want), gather all the data you can, then take your time and do the best job you know how to do. Make the extra effort to make everything just so. Put the extra time into making every com- ponent. Secure the attachments with pins wherever possible, and keep in mind that this model will have to be transported. Keep this factor in mind when choosing the project in the first place. Above all else, “Take your time!” Go slow, and careful every step of the way. Use adhesives sparingly, making sure it is applied only where needed, and doesn’t ooze out anywhere. The use of good workman-like technique assures the craftsmanship will be the best you can make it. If something does not work out quite right, do it over. Learn from what went wrong in the first place and strive to do it better. This is where that “persistence” mentioned above comes into play. Some parts of a project may have to be redone several times before you are satisfied, but there is satisfac- tion in doing your best. It’s a good feel- ing. It is only human to want to win, so build the model to do just that. If you don’t win,
well...that’s life. Try again! You can’t win if you don’t play. Believe me, it’s fun just to play. The closest I’ve gotten so far is a second place. I’ve nev- er won one, but I’m having a grand time trying.
One of the keys to gathering ideas (known among professional idea gath- erers as research) is to know when to say enough is enough. There are those out there who have not built a stick of benchwork ostensibly because they are still “gathering data,” and they have been in data-gathering mode for many, many years. In reality, the gathering of data (research) has become the real hobby, and the railroad will never be built. Like adding salt to your corn-on- the-cob, it’s best to know when to stop. Perhaps it is time to end the research and get on with the construction of the project, be it a shed or an entire model railroad empire.
Next month remains a mystery to me. Stay tuned!
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