Sandown Exhibition

Well here we are, post Sandown Exhibition.

My friend Dennis and I attended the exhibition and had a thoroughly enjoyable time. Good crowds, good layouts, lots o diverse things to see and people to talk to.

I felt that the best layouts were Strathburn, Gordon, Time and Patience and Cardinia, as they each had very memorable elements whic represented the hobby well.

It was pleasing to see that some of the retailers were put against the glass, as the glare from outside is always detracting, as I have found in the past. The venue certainly does present well when compared to Caulfield Racecourse.

Until next time.....

Acceptability

Over the years I have often wondered why modellers accept certain 'finishing' standards.

To give an example. Why do modellers spend countless hours fussing over a locomotive, but then will have crude or unrealistic trackswork, scenery or running at high speed.

I assist in building sets for our local ameature theatre group. The fist thing the foreman advised me when I vounteered my services, "Remember the 3, 4, 5 rule". I'm no theatre person, but I knew he was not talking about Pythagoras Theory! He was stating the obvious, being that the set is on show for 3 weeks, the audience does not see 4 sides and the audience are 5 meters away from it.

In some ways we use this theory to rationalize in our minds what is acceptable. Many modellers use the 3 foot rule of what you can see. I know as I get older and the eyes poorer, the are something's that are not important. Our ability to be visual and 'fill in the gaps' with our mind should be remembered and not underestimated.

A fellow modeller has coke vending machine on his n scale platform for his n scale customers. Now you can see some colors and shapes, but instantly you know what it is and can relate to it.

I do not claim to be a Master Modeller, good luck and well done to those of you who are. I take my hat off to you. Me, I'm the type that tries his best and takes advice, wisdom and encouragement from my fellow, modelling peers.

So what level of acceptance for standards and ability do you demonstrate.

Tuesday Night

Second night of the working week has traditionally been a train club night. However with the demise of the club having a permanent home, then a formal structure, we have been left with a very informal bunch of guys who meet regularly and also have operating sessions on each other's layouts when time permits.

Last night one of my fellow modellers came over for our regular Tuesday Night catchup. Not having one the week before due to illness, we had a lot to catchup on in terms of info, stories and updates. It was then time to critique what I have been upto with my current passion of scratch building and painting. Results I'm very pleased with, I must say.

Then it was time to make a new loco net cable for him, showing and explaining some tips ie wires short as possible and a nice firm crimp. Then a new loco net plug on my duplex throttle following the recent Friday Night Operating Session. The plugs digitrax use were never designed for multiple insertions and use, another little downside of the product.

Then it was time to use the very popular jmri decoder pro to set up six locos. We found that one loco was very noisy and after manhandling the body off, we were able to tighten some screws and make sure nothing was rubbing. It's  amazing how a small space can amplify the noise.  So on to the programming track. Download the existing decoder settings into the roster table. On to the layout. Few laps around the scale mile circuit. Then fine tuning the starting point on throttle position 1. Then limiting the top speed. We repeated this until all were done. So we rewarded ourselves with a hot cuppa and home made boiled fruitcake, while surfing local rail fan web pages on the iPad.

What a great night. Good company, in a shed surrounded by something you enjoy doing. It really cannot get much better than that. Ohh hullo dear. Yes I'm coming.........