Frisco GP40-2 DB Hatch

Richard,

 I have enjoyed reading your article and have learned some new tips. You did a great job on the model.

 One thing of note It is amazing that the completed model made it all the way through the build with the DH hatch on backwards. At first I thought wow is that something that I have never seen before, then I looked at the prototype photos. After looking I found your hatch is on backwards.

 http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1929465

 I know there is a prototype for everything if you look hard enough. No matter how hard you try I don't think you can put a prime mover in backwards and be very effective. Just think it made it past the editors eyes also. Once again great job on the model.

If it looks odd it is right up my alley. That's what caught my eye.

Erik

Frisco GP40-2

Hi Richard

I enjoyed your article and did pick up a couple of new ideas, in particular 'do the head lights before the beacon' 

However the best is the clear and specific enunciation of Rules 1 and 2.  

Regards,

Clyde

frisco GP40-2

Richard- as usual, an awesome bit of modeling! I built two SLSF GP40-2s for my own use by replacing the nose & front of the '40-2 shell with the front of a scrap GP50- this gave me the anticlimber pilot and proper length nose. After looking at your model, and as a recent convert to DCC, I may take my two models & rework the motor to take a DCC converter and new lights.

I also agree 100% with your two basic rules of model railroading. I also threaten to beat nitpickers to within an inch of their lives.

Ship IT on the FRISCO!

Bob Thompson

Muskogee, Oklahoma USA

Okay, so the dynamic brake hatch is on backwards

Okay, so we missed the fact the dynamic brake hatch was put back on backwards. It's obvious now that you point it out, but hey, it happens.

The model railroading publishing business is rife with boo-boos that made it into print ... derailed locos on covers, joke space aliens in the cab that accidentally got published ... so here's one more to add to the list.

Still doesn't detract from the great blue box modeling tricks in this article. We and Richard might be a little red-faced, but it's a defect that's correctable in the model.

And of course, there's always rules 1 and 2 ... 

One publishing principle I always say when it comes to easy-to-miss mistakes - few will notice and even fewer will care. (grin)

Enjoyed your article

Hi Richard,

I enjoyed your article and got some good ideas.  I will have to find some of the paint stripper you use, I have not been satisfied with things I have tried so far.

I showed the pictures of your finished engine.  Her grandfather and great grandfather both work for the Frisco here in SE MO and NE Arkansas, so she appreciated seeing something Orange and White again.

Joe - you are right about the hatch.  I didn't notice and wouldn't have cared enough to mention it if I had noticed.

Again - thanks for an informative article.

Great Build and LED question

Thanks for the article.  I like you modification of the light board for 14volts.  Is there a way to modify it to get power for LED's?

Thanks!

Roger Kujawa

Morton, IL.

See the AGW Railway at:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/AtlanticGreatWesternRailway/

Rule 1 & 2

I never been a modeler how believes in Rule 1 & 2.  my experience has been that those modelers that rely on Rule 1 & 2 use it as a crutch or excuse to do slipshod work or to get slipshod work accepted by others.  As others have pointed out, the dynamic brake hatch was reinstalled backwards on the finished model.  Does Rule 2 cover this as "detail discrepancy" that should simply be overlooked. 

Unlike others, I found the article to be just mediocre, especially considering other past MRH articles.  I like Frisco's orange and white paint scheme and was disappointed in the article.

I found the modifications of the lighting board interesting, but the remainder of the article and the modeling was lacking.  For example, the author/modeler drilled out the class lights on the nose of the unit.  They were drilled off center and whatever was used to fill them doesn't look good.  The modeler painted the walkways with weathered black but in doing so he also got paint on the nose, cab and hood - look at photos 19, 20 & 36.  I was disappointed that the modeler chose to use Athearn's metal handrails instead of the more scale plastic one or using brass wire.  I guess I expected more from a MMR.

There are other issues with the modeling that I won't go into so as not to appear nitpicky and in violation of Rule 2, but I for one don't echo the sentiments expressed by earlier posts.

Our thoughts on modeling quality

Yes, there has been, shall we say, crisper modeling done and printed in MRH and other hobby publications than this GP40 piece. We felt the Frisco diesel article was still above average and the blue box tips around the board mods and light wiring were quite insightful.

The dynamic brake hatch slip-up not withstanding, I believe MRH needs to be careful we don't set the bar too high on modeling articles, however. People are only human, including us. We need to show also what more typical modeling looks like, too.

If we're not careful, we will raise the bar so high that mere mortals won't submit their work to us for publication. To me, that would be a shame.

If everything we publish needs to be off-the-charts, then some issues of MRH are going to get pretty darn thin.

If you want to see more "great" modeling in MRH, keep in mind if we don't have it, we can't publish it. To a degree, we have to run with what we receive. If you know of anyone doing fantastic work, have them contact us so we can discuss publishing their work somehow.

Read with a positive approach

Joe

Thanks for the explanation. 

When I read an article or a forum post, I am looking for information, advice and tips.  I DO NOT read anything to try to find what is wrong.  So if something is not perfect, it doesn't bother me - I just pick up the good stuff and move on.  Like picking fruit.  I wouldn't pick a bad apple and complain about it, I would just pick up the good ones and leave the lesser ones where they are.  Some of the things I (the mere mortal you referenced) see here have been intimidating and at first I thought about quietly giving up.  But I read something on Lance's website that gave me encouragement - to paraphrase - accept your modeling for what it is - the best you can do now;  learn from it and know that you will do better each future time.

I, for one,  would much rather have an article (even with a few flaws) than no article at all.  Just like in real life, you can always find something good in any situation if you look for it.  So I think Richard, you and your staff did good.

Anyway, just one human's POV

Hand Rails

I enjoyed the article and thought it gave some good information. Concerning the handrails, if I remember correctly, the author stated that he knew the plastic ones are closer to scale, etc BUT he chose the metal ones because this is an operating model and they are more durable.

Bill Michael

Glazing

AMB windows make a huge improvement over the original,  the difference it makes to have flush glazing is worth the insignificant trouble and expense.

I agree with JKtrains assessment of the effort shown (and yes the DB hatch could happen to anybody and no I am not mentioning it). While I agree with Joe that real modeling by average hobbyists should be included, or even the be in the majority, this example sets the bar too low. I know modelers that are just starting out, over the age of 70, and one not in even the most average of health that do better.  Not to mention a six year old that can too.

Matthew

Correcting the dynamic brake hatch boo-boo

Just received these photos from Richard Napper, with an apology for the boo-boo ...

As for the staff missing this one - we were head's down cranking this issue out in 3 weeks instead of the usual 4-5 weeks - and we were watching closely for stupid typos and bad links - and not looking as closely as we should have at the photos for modeling mistakes ... but it's fixed now and everyone can sleep at night, knowing all is now right with the world once again! (wink)

Judgements on Models

Joe,

I do not believe a finished model for an article needs to be of contest quality to provide insight and motivation. I understand the critic that states that the model does not meet his or her standards, but the facts are that it does provide motivation and information to many of the readers. The problems that are noted in the post should be considered, but the lack of perfection should not prevent future articles of this type.

Regards

John

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It doesn't have to be perfect, it just has to be fun.> Dave_skiloff

Well said!

I agree completely, and I think it's one of the nice things about the format MRH is using.  If I publish an article and then realize after the fact that there needs to be a correction, it's a lot easier to put it her e(or to be corrected by someone else here) than to issue a correction in the next printed issue of a paper magazine.

As for perfect models, will the builder of a 100% accurate, perfectly to scale anything please stand up?  Nobody?  I thought so.  None of our models are perfect, and it is less than helpful to denigrate another person's model for whatever imperfections you can find.  So the DB blister was on the wrong way around..  I never noticed it, and I work around these engines all day long.  It's easy to make a mistake, and we've all done it a few times.

Frisco GP40-2

I have to ask,is this a blue box with a new motor or a ready to roll? It can't be both.

The bar is...

where it needs to be. I like seeing articles that make a few small mistakes. Some articles can be above average, some below, and the rest somewhere in the middle. I think MRH seems a bit more accessible to the non-professional writers/modelers. Where the articles from the printed magazines are mainly from their staff writers and employees, it appears as though most of the hands on articles here are from the average Joe, no pun intended.

If and when I decide to submit my articles to MRH, I'll know that I have a fair and average chance of getting published.

Steven