podcasts

This is an interesting format for providing information that I had not considered before (actually I did try to check out the podcasts previously but clicking on the MRH podcasts link took me to a page that then tried to route me to itunes, but I was unable to click on any of the links there that took me to an actual link I could play on my computer (without dl'ing itunes). The link you have provided in the editorial now gives me access to the podcasts in a format that I can play on my computer without itunes. Thanks for providing the link (btw, I have subscribed to the feed so now will be able to access all future podcasts and will be sure to check out the previous ones I have missed). Thanks to all MRH staff for providing such high quality material and information pertinent to model railroading.

p.s. you wanted topics for future issues - how about one on how to do locomotive maintenance, i.e. oiling bearings, greasing gears/driveshafts, etc. I'm sure that a lot of us newcomers to model railroading would be very appreciative (who knows, maybe some old timers too!)

Sorry Farley, it ain't gonna fly with me...

I suppose this is a generational thing; my uncle cannot stand for the life of me why on earth I want to use text messages to communicate with my friends, or further, why on earth we would use them in the first place.  As he sees it, we use the telephone to talk, and if we can;t reach each other, we can send a voicemail and viola, there's no issue!

I'll now put podcasts in here with spoken telephone communication along video formats that require long viewing sessions to view imformation.  When i say "long" viewing sessions, I'm not speaking hours or half hours; I'm talking abotu anything longer than one minute!  The problem with these imformational formats is that they are all respectively temporal: that is, i can only view them at the rate intended by the author.  And if the author has one part that is especially vital to him but meaningless to me, I get to hear a meaningless portion of the information not once but fifteen times before I get to the one little tidbit I'm interested in.  Inshort, the time to information ration of spoken communicaiton is far too low and far too slow for my generation to take lightly.

For this reason, I'm not at all taken nor very understanding of the whole podcast revolution.  I can understand on cartrips and such, But otherwise, it's like putting a credit card reader on a rotary telephone for sakes of keeping the rotary telephone around becasue some people like dialing numbers.  Even voicemail is now being offered in written format via a couple vendors who will take your voicemails and automatically put them trhough a voice-text recognition system that will convert your voicemail into text and then send you an email of the voicemail! In short, I can bypass all that time i have to sit listening to the automated voicebox teller and simply skip right to the information I need - and I hate having to listen to any more han three voicemails to get to the infomation I want!

End result?  It might be good in a fireside environment, or for a jogger [um...anyone know any joggers into model railroading??? ]  But in general, I don't see the significance of the movement - or anymore, the method of the spoken language as a means for transfering important information.  Spoken launguage may be vital for social politics and buying a soda from the cafeteria, but otherwise, it's too temporal to hold much long term mening in a standard informational setting...at least, amongst the text-happy generation!

Depends on the venue

I can't just sit and listen to a podcast and be doing nothing else. I find a podcast works wonderfully to keep me engaged when I'm driving somewhere, for instance. It's hard to read text or do emails in that venue!

I think if you're clever, you will realize how listening to podcasts can liven up even being stuck in rush hour traffic!

And the knowledge you can pick up is endless ...

Tucson doesn't have a rush

Tucson doesn't have a rush hour traffic jam.

I suppose it could be useful then.

Although, have you noticed how many youthful ingrates insist on texting and driving?  

Depends on the venue....

Infact whilst typing this I am listening to the Scotty Mason show August 2010 episode 39 (already whent through the MRH podcasts in the past weeks).  Currently working on the engine shed in the other "work bench" room, waiting between 2 coats to dry....instead of having a cig. my attention is drawn to the podcast and before I know it, I can crank up the airbrush again...

I am only trying to say that by listening to a podcast that is hobby related (in our case, modelrailroading), keeps you going on  projects. Feels like beeing submerged in the hobby for 150% not to say 200%.

I only can speak for myself here, but without the podcasts my layout wouldn't have been in the stage it is right now...and even when I am doing a small ops. on the layout there is always an episode running in the background...kinda takes away "the poor lonesome engineer going through his switchlist" feeling.

I haven't tried the pod casts, yet, but I have a suggestion for

a future article.  As I read through the article on the Cascade County Narrow Gauge, it was mentioned that Dave runs classification lights on all unscheduled trains (if I remember correctly), and that the lights change color depending on whether the train is in one section or more than one section. 

I think an article going into detail on when classification lights were used, what the significance of the different colors of the classification lights were, and how to model classification lights that can change colors can be accomplished would be interesting and worthwhile.

The last part is easy - I was

The last part is easy - I was looking into it a coulpe years back.  You start with a Tri-color Red-Green-White LED and mount it in the class light structure.  Ok, so it can be difficult to put together, but that's what it is!

I'm looking forward to seeing black/white LED panels for use in the classification boards.  These boards woulld have to have decent resolution, but the result would be a numberboard that can be electronically changed on a whim.

Easy Listening...

I like to listen to the podcast while I am working at other things.  Some people have music playing in the background and I do that too.  The podcasts are just another easy listening option for me.

Working out to Podcasts

I'm not a jogger (I'm on my elliptical in the morning) but I do work out to model railroading podcasts including Ryan's show (I'm a pioneer), Scott Mason's Show, the KitCast, and the new MRH Podcast and there is enough content now so that I don't have to workout to anything else if I don't want to.  

My wife thinks I'm nuts but to each his own

I used to put on my classic

I used to put on my classic rock while I worked, but I've been in such a peaceful state lately I haven;t even had that on.  I'm a happy happy fanatic in my workshop nowadays!

Unable to view videos

 Can not view any of the videos on your magazine. Nor can I view any of the "3-D" views of products. Msg comes up and says I need new viewer and directs me to adobe. Adobe says there is no viewer for my operating system. Window7-64bit?? How do I get a compatible viewer that will let me view your video content?

tj
 

Tj, you need the latest QuickTime