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Wondering what the general consensus is. As I read some of the forums on here I notice most of the criticisms are constructive and meant to be helpful, however I sometimes as we all want our things to look as realistic as possible at what point does it become a chore rather than just good fun. Maybe that is the fun part for some folks. I like to think I personally live in the happy medium, I like more realistic looking models, scenery, and such, however I won't kill myself to make sure every nut, bolt ,and blade of grass is perfect.
My main focus of rivet-counting is my locomotives, because that's mainly what people look at more than any other part of a train. Next in line is cabooses, since they are 'signature' cars for most railroads. My freight cars are of varying degrees of detail and 'correctness'; I put the more detailed and/or accurate ones at the front and end of the train, and use my lower-quality cars in the middle. This way, when I'm photographing a train, the better-looking cars will be up close to the locos or the caboose.
My layout is not set on one place but I am trying to stick within a time era for Santa Fe and BNSF. I might do things different from others in the way I am doing things. I have all my track done, grass done, roads and all buildings done with the basic details. I am correcting some small track issues as I go but nothing serious. Now that I am at this point I am going to start over in each different area of the layout and start to super detail everything out. Things like trees, tall grasses, bushes, people, vehicles and weathering as needed. Since it is not set on any one town or station I can't really rivet count it to be exact but it will be as detailed as possible to my skill level and further as I learn more.
I have locomotives that are complete fantasy units (Ontario Southland SD60M anyone? Or maybe an ALL-red Indiana RR SD60?), but when I do decide to model something specific I do try and get it just as perfect as the decal sets will allow. So I guess I'm actually operating on both ends of the spectrum there, though even when doing fantasy units I do still try to make them as realistic as possible.
As for scenery? Weathering? Forget it. I don't seem to have any ability or affinity for subtly weathering and shading things. So I guess my layout is always going to look a bit toy-like, but it's seeing the trains run that is my thing. As long as the scenery is there to give a general idea, then I'll be happy with that. Maybe some day I'll develop better skills in that area too. Who knows?
I've gone the gamut. From my pre teens, I did what made me happy. From my 20's through mid 40's I had a really big layout filled with quality and lots of brass. Coming back.. well with no money I have to be careful. I love my trains. I like my Mehano Moguls as much as I used to like my Balboa Consolidations and Oriental FEF-4s. I live alone now and Model Railroading is making me happy.
There are different levels to enjoy in this hobby mostly I'll just let a locomotive off the buy shelf be as is, and some are very good lke the BLI Y6B, but I have taken the direction to add working marker lights/mars/number boards on my NKP 4-6-4 to make it more unique and a little more operating fun, it will be a visual delight eventually I'll post pics of it here. But I would go crazy if I tried to be an absolute rivet counter, I would be modding all of my equipment to be correct, forget that...tooooo many things to do already.
The only time that I am a rivet counter is in the NMRA Contest Rooms, and that, as I see it, is the only place it's appropriate. I've been a judge since 1976, and served as SER Regional Chairman from 1981-2004. Otherwise I want it to at least be a reasonable copy of the prototype it's trying to represent. When able I do want exact, which is why I have a lot of brass, and specialty kits. This is on my own layout and not someone else layout. Theirs ain't mine & I could care less about that.
I enjoy having nice looking models. And most of the people who see my layout are not in the hobby. They all have said nice things.I've told them that there are folks in this hobby that absolutely make me look like a pure amateur. On the rivet counter scale, I'd say I'm about a 6, with 10 being "I can't look at something without seeing the mistakes in it" and 1 being "whatever,man, it's got wheels and resembles a train."
I'm a perfectionist by personality type (verified by my employer no less), and so certain aspects of the hobby apply quite well to my nature as well as my profession. But I always try and make sure I'm having fun. If I'm not, I step away for a few hours to a few days. I'm completely fine with things not looking exactly like the prototype. I always say to myself,esp if I built it, "does it look good from 3 feet away?" Usually it does, and that's good enough for me. I understand the view "I spent good money and my time on this, I want it to be the best it can be." But in the end, it's all about enjoyment. Make sure you are having fun, no matter how you approach the hobby.
If it looks reasonably correct I'm satisfied but I don't put quantity ahead of quality. I'm just as happy with molded on grab irons as I am with pieces that have them separately applied. One area I do try to have right is buildings in that the look and details have to work. The other area I pay attention to is operational performance of locos and rolling stock. No matter how correct or how detailed, if they don't run well they don't stay here.
The name of the thread pre-supposes a prejudice view. The "versus" part implies that a non-rivet counter's version of "fun" is the correct one. I would say with "fun" there is no correct version.
I would probably fall somewhere in the middle. I like nice models and the more detailed, the better. However, as long as it is a reasonably good representation of the prototype (talk about subjective!) I'm happy. My models of Burlington GP's and SD's have drop steps and chains at both ends where the CB&Q had solid hand rail without drop steps but I'm OK with that. Some of my rolling stock may be incorrect on some details or maybe never owned by a certain railroad and, that too, is fine by me. There is also going to be some license taken with regards to some aspects of my railroad such as the mainline from Galesburg to Beardstown, IL going through my hometown instead of being on a branch after removal of the tracks beyond it in the early 60's. Sometimes, ignorance is bliss!
The fun of exactness in a modelrail is what the modeler finds in it. There's no specific level that we are obligated to achieve or strive for. We each find our own interest level that we are content with.
If I am looking at two similar pieces of equipment for roughly the same cost, I will try to choose the more accurate one.
Other than that, I try to at least get equipment the railroad I model owned at one point. I don't count rivets, and I don't are if a door is an inch too wide, and I don't care if the lettering is a shade off in color.
One thing that I should have mentioned about rivet counting in the contest room. The modeler generally includes a ton of paperwork with the model to "help" the judges. This will include drawn plans of the models, detailed techniques, materials etc..Many times on a real impressive model, I've actually had a scanner, and scanned into my computer some of the newer techniques that may well be better than one I'm using now, or may have never tried. This kind of "rivet counting" is very, very useful! And it is fun! It gives you the opportunity to "look over the shoulder" of the modeler. In the past, judging at the National Level, I've "looked over the shoulder" of some really great, inventive modelers, like Dean Freytag, Malcolm Furlow, John Reid. These guys seem to have no problem with turning out a museum quality model, and then "allowing" us judges to read and take notes.
As I've read many times on this and other forums "It's your RR do what you want!" with that said, I model for one to occupy my time and two for the challenge of turning nothing into something! Every item on my layout aside from train and track is re purposed or hand built to a point that I feel it looks real!
I believe that a forum should be a place for meeting people who like me just want to share information, technique, etc. about this great hobby and nothing more!
I'd just like to drop an opinionated reply here as to the term rivet counting. There is no wrong or shame in being what is called a rivet counter, but there are two types on the modeling boards. The first being the person who seeks perfection in his models and that's not a bad thing. This type of modeller also suggests to others in a discrete way how they can improve their models and improve their skills. Thankfully we have those kind of skilled people here to help us. The second type is the ones who never built a model in their lives but have plenty to say (nit picking) about other model builders. These people get banned quite quickly after a warning. The third type is the worst they are the ones who have the skill, build the near perfect models and get nasty online about other less accomplished model builders efforts. These get banned immediately no warning as they already know better and truly are not an asset to the forums.
LOL my rant for the day.
Just an opinion and I hope I haven't offended anyone as I'd have to give myself a slap on the wrist and a few days off.
Cheers
Willis
To answer the original question, I'm probably somewhere in the middle. I've got a few cars that are el cheapo Athearn kits with metal wheels and Kady couplers and other cars that are super detailed ones. Who looks at the bottom of a box car to check out the details? That's kind of how I look at it. I buy rolling stock and engines that fit my time period and budget. Same with buildings, I've got a few kits that lack detail compared to the woodland scenics ones I've got. But they all look good and serve their purpose. The guys who are real nit picky drive me nuts cuz it takes the fun out of the hobby.
