Well said!

Interesting statement

If you go here http://www.nmra.org/education/achievement/ap_motive.html it states

Sounds like you have to compete or did I read that wrong. Just want to get the facts straight that's all.

Bernd

NMRA Scoring

It is not a competition- the only competition is against yourself. Your model is graded using a scoring metric sheet, and no other model on display can affect your score. 87.5 is not a difficult score to attain, but if you never take that first step, you will never know. A competition would be requiring you to earn first, second or third place. 

NMRA

That's all well and fine, except I don't, and never will, build things to satisfy anybody's standards but my own. I will consider myself a master modeler when I determine that I've reach my own definition of what a master modeler is. And for what it's worth, that level of mastery for me is far far far away....

Jim

To each his own...

MMR

The MMR program provides a way for you to get an official personal achievement level in the hobby from the NMRA. If that matters to you, then great. If not, then just move on. It's like anything - I don't begrudge those who want to get a black belt in Karate, for instance. I'm not interested in getting a black belt, but if others want to, more power to them.

Same with the MMR and NMRA Achievement program. Bully for them, and I give them some honor for making the grade. But would I want to become an MMR? Probably not - but that doesn't mean I throw mud all over the Achievement program or blow off an MMR award as meaningless.

Honor where honor is due, even if it's not personally of interest to me. That's the kind thing to do.

and I give them some honor for making the grade

I view it as an achievement to just go thru the requirements and complete them, the modeling skill seems secondary to the commitment to the completion of the task......DaveB

...

Who are we to tell anyone, "it's not a competition?"

Why's everybody so against competition, anyways?

If it's not your cup of tea, you don't have to do it, but for those who enjoy it, more power to them.

Merit Judging

At least in our division, you have the choice to enter your model for merit based judging only...and you won't be in the running for an award if being anti-competition is a big deal to an individual. I think it really boils down to the idea that "judging" is in essence a fresh set of eyes on your model that will, in the end, make you a better modeler. What is so terrible about that?

At the end of the day, I think there is a lot of misinformation floating around about the NMRA...which is a shame. 

Perfect Timing

Don,
   Normally I skim over the Editorial on my way to the main articles, BUT, for some reason, I took the time to read yours with great interest.
   My son and I are getting ready to build my first layout (I'm 73) and as such, almost everything will be a new challenge. I'm sure that we won't come close to perfect and it won't be something to showcase in MRH, but it will do two things: First, increase my knowledge and skills in model railroading and secondly (and most important) it will bring my son and I even closer than we are right now.
  Thanks for the Inspiration!

Credit where it's due...

UGHHH...don't even get me started on the NMRA.....  As far as giving credit where it's due. I certainly will do so but it really doesn't mean squat to me whether or not someone has a Master Model Railroader certification or whatever from the NMRA.  I'll decide in my own mind whether or not someone is a "master" and they are very few and far between in this hobby if you ask me. I've seen guys who proudly touted their "Master Model Railroader" credentials in their e-mail and forum signature lines and frankly their work they showed in the forums was substandard to me. Other guys just very humbly post pics of their work and it knocked my socks off. That's all very subjective and depends on what the person viewing the work likes and is looking for in modeling in the first place. Anyone who wants to spend the effort to get an MMR from the NMRA can do so if they want but having one doesn't automatically make you a " master of anything"  just as not having one doesn't make really outstanding work the lesser. In the end only  time and history can judge who the "masters" are at anything.

Michael

The whole point of the

The whole point of the article is about not waiting until you think you can achieve perfect results before you try something. I think that is why there are so many layouts out there that are not completed. Just build what you can and then improve on it when you can. Don't be afraid to do something and then do it over. I never did understand how the "chainsaw" layout became such a topic. EVERY layout is a chainsaw layout!  My layout was started in 1995 and completed in 1999, give or take a couple of seasons. Completed to the point of scenery everywhere and full operations. I was done, and proud of it! Well, since then, most track has been replaced with handlaid, all Atlas turnouts replaced with fast tracks, converted over to DCC, most rolling stock has been upgraded and detailed along with motive power, my escarpment scenery has undergone 3 stages of tree design with "super trees" in the works right now, my on line staging was replaced with a helix and lower level staging with a whole new industrial complex in it's place, .........those are the improvements I can remember.  The main point is that I have had fun running a complete layout all these years. The improvements will never end as long as I am still in the hobby.  As Nike stated "JUST DO IT"!!  What are you waiting for?

Steve 

Master Model Railroad Certification

To those who shared their disdain for the MMR, that is fine. It was never my intention to push the certificate or NMRA as a must to be a full fledged member of the hobby. I have met many excellent model railroaders who will have nothing to do with the NMRA. Until recently I was not a member of the NMRA, so great modeling has nothing to do with being a member of the organization.

Rather the intention was to publicly announce a personal goal and hold my self accountable to the readers. Unless goals are written down and you are held accountable in someway to take action, they are only a dream. The overall purpose of my stated goal is to better serve the readers of MRH and continue the standard of excellence that has been established by Joe.

Again, well said...

Job or a hobby?

Frankly, this editorial sounds like advice from a career counselor at work.

I pursue model railroading as a hobby doing what interests me at the moment.  That means I'm not very efficient,  I'm not very organized, and I'm not very focused.  But I am having fun so I'm okay with it.

None of this is to cast aspersions on those who like contests, certification programs, etc.  The beauty of this hobby is the many ways it can be enjoyed. 

Just remember to stop and smell the roses steam along the way.

Paul

Not true...

It's not at all true that to say that I don't understand the purpose of  the AP. I certainly do, just like I understand the supposed purpose of the NMRA.  Unfortunately, and you can cue whatever quote you want here about " the best laid plans"  or "the best of intentions"  things aren't always used as intended and some folks use it in the exact way you said... " to boast or lord over others". Why else would someone prominently display it in their e-mail or forum sig or wear a patch on their shirt proclaiming it for all the world to see?  If not to boast then what purpose does that serve? Like I said I give credit where it's due and it makes no difference to me whether a modeler is a MMR or not. If I think someone's work is inspiring, I say so and personally I prefer modelers who let their work speak for itself  rather than trying to flaunt some MMR accreditation.

Also, I'm not a "hater". I take offense to that. I try not to hate anybody or anything and I'm trying very hard to remove that word from my vocabulary and from my consciousness. I certainly dislike some things and I have very valid reasons why I dislike the NMRA, not the least of which is the way I was once personally treated by some supposed "higher ups" in the organization simply because I was an N scale modeler at the time.  I know that things change but the damage was done and to this day you couldn't pay me to be a member of that organization.  I model in HO now btw, guess I'd be OK with those two gents....

Anyway, fine modeling is fine modeling and we should all strive to do the best we can. I just personally don't need someone else's arbitrary and artificial standard to tell me what fine modeling is. It's a pretty simple point really.

Michael

Interesting...

Because they are proud of their achievement? After all, it took years of work.

MMR is not something everyone can or will achieve. Ok, so you don't think they're that great as modelers, that's your opinion. The thing is, I've looked over what it takes to become an MMR, and there's a lot more than modeling involved. For example, you have to write at least two articles that get published. Last time I checked, modeling had nothing to do with the ability to write. There are other requirements for MMR, probably one of the easiest, is the Golden Spike. You simply have to complete the main line of your layout. That in itself is an achievement, and neither of these two examples require any type of competition.

I am not a member of the NMRA, and I have no desire to pursue an MMR, but I absolutely give kudos to those who do. If you don't want to join the NMRA, then don't. If you don't want to attempt to become recognized as a Master Model Railroader, then don't, but stop insulting it because you aren't personally interested in it.

By the way, you might want to look up the origin of the term Masterpiece. That is the inspiration for the MMR program.

No one insulted anything....

and if you take it that way I'm sorry.  I'm just saying that some certification with an arbitrary set of requirements someone dreamed up doesn't necessarily make you a better  modeler than anyone else.  It simply means you achieved the requirements to get the certification, which is great and I don't doubt that it's a lot of hard work, but that's all it means. You're not suddenly and magically granted talents that you may or may not already have.  Last I checked, there is only one entity that can do that and it certainly isn't the NMRA.   I'm done with this...

Michael

The Meaning Of Masterpiece

Masterpiece (or chef d'œuvre) in modern usage refers to a creation that has been given much critical praise, especially one that is considered the greatest work of a person's career or to a work of outstanding creativity, skill, or workmanship.

Straight from the Wekipedia's mouth.

Bernd

Back to intimidation

A lot of this back and forth over the MMR has to do with the original thought that inspired these two columns: intimidation.

I am of the opinion intimidation is something you let others do to you, and you can chose to not be intimidated. In a lot of cases, the intimidation isn't intentional and is a mis-interpretation of the message being sent. Other times the intimidation message is intentional and it's unfortunate that people feel the need to lord it over someone else like that.

Choosing to not be intimidated when the intimidation is intentional doesn't mean you think it's all right. You can chose to not be intimidated regardless. Ideally, you won't try to respond in kind by lashing back, because then they've succeeded in lowering you to their level, and that's never good. Take the high ground and show them it isn't going to work.

Easier said than done, I know, but if you can learn to respond like this, they'll get to stew in their own juices and maybe they will wise up. Doesn't always work but at least you can hold your head up knowing you did the right thing.

As for people displaying their achievements like an MMR, if you follow the golden rule (treat others as you would like to be treated) then congratulate them on their achievement and learn to mean it, not just be using it to flatter or manipulate them.

Learn to truly be glad for them because they're helping the hobby community as a whole by trying to reach such a goal. If you take a sour grapes attitude about it all, then the focus is still on you. We're talking about learning to truly be friendly to others (even if you don't exactly feel like it) and not quite so inward-focused.

I'm preaching to myself here as well, because by nature I'm an introvert. I have to force myself to turn around and be outward-focused. It always takes effort, but the rewards are great if you will make a habit of it.

AP vs Contests

The NMRA AP (achievement program) and NMRA contests are two different things.

In a contest there is one winner - the person who's modeling garnered the greatest number of points. Whether that was 124.9 out of 125 or 17 out of 125, they're the winner.

The AP program that can lead to certification as a MMR is similar to boy scout merit badges, or maybe taking a class at an institute of learning where certain work is required and the work you submit is evaluated. If you get a passing grade you move on. If you don't you can retake the class.

If five modelers submit five structures for AP evaluation at the same time, they structures are not compared with each other. They're evaluated (judged is a word the AP program is trying to leave behind) against certain criteria. If you get an 87.5 or higher out of (I think) 125 points your effort passes and you earn points toward a certificate of achievement in that field - in this case Master Modeler Structures. If all five score over 87.5 then all five get points toward their certificate, whether or not all, some, or none of them entered models into a contest.

When you have seven of the achievement awards, with at least one in each of 4 categories, you can apply for MMR certification.

Yes, there are problems in the program.

• Some people treat getting Achievment certificates as the be-all and end-all reason for model railroading and lord it over others. Of course, there are many, maybe most, participants who do it for fun.
• The evaluators (until recently referred to as judges) can screw up and be excessively picky or excessively loose with their evaluations.
• In the not-too-distant-past applications for certificates sometimes spent an inordinate amount of time waiting for someone to approve them and issue the certificates - though the AP department is working hard to fix this.
• Perhaps, the author, official, and volunteer certificates which have little to do with actual modeling shouldn't count as heavily toward MMR as thngs directly involved with building a layout. On the other hand, they definitely count toward promoting the hobby and hobby promotion is one of the NMRA's goals.

There are some misconceptions about the AP program:

• The achievement program isn't a contest pitting one persons skills against another persons. If you are into competitive modeling, try entering one of the many modeling contests sponsored by the NMRA, its regions and divisions.
• The golden spike award doesn't count toward an MMR certificate. It's intended as a way to get your feet wet in the AP progrram.

Whether or not you think the AP program is worthwhile, it's true that we all have our own little versions of it. If you have ever shown something you built to a friend and asked for advice or help (or heavens, fished for a compliment) you are guilty of having your modeling evaluated. Ditto if you've ever submitted an article to a magazine or a news letter and asked the editor what you could improve on.

Even taking photos of models then using the photos to pinpoint places where you might improve them is a form of evaluation.

I think of AP as being another tool for modeling.

So in the words of Rodney King, "Can't we all just get along?"

Whether you want to believe the NMRA is a content-free organization, or if you want to believe it's the great giver of true enlightenment really shouldn't matter.

Charlie (superintendent of PNR 2nd Division) Comstock

Change of mindset is tough

Doing it for the Obit

Don,

Odd you should bring up the MMR AP program.  I sold my sailboat last year, and it was liberating. I now have a lot more time to read, build stuff, garden and otherwise just play, versus sailboat maintenance.  So I rejoined the NMRA and found the magazine is no longer all about privies on flatcars, and there are a lot more guys involved regionally than I would have imagined. 

Then I looked over the NMRA merit badge program and thought, well, I need a couple of more goals in this lifetime. I never made Eagle, but I'm already a Master of Science; I was Master of the Sailing Vessel Ariadne, I'm a Maryland Master Gardner -- don't even ask --my property is a designated wildlife habitat and a Baywise Demonstration Garden. In judo, I won my first green 40 years ago; nothing to get excited about there. My bathrobe is blue and so is the belt.  I never mastered the saber and there are not too many fencing clubs in Southern Maryland, besides, my body couldn't take it.  So why not Master Model Railroader? One more masterful boast in my obit.  

I model 1963 and can't see scratch building a locomotive or do I have need of some special car that I could scratch build, so maybe I won't get my cars and locomotive merit badges, but maybe I will. Something might change all that.  The Gold Spike and Landscape criteria are on my desk right now; I got the photos back from Wallyworld just this week to support my applications.  Why not?  

Great article