Today it is all about the power of the credit card.

Nobody has time for "Craftsmanship.  Too "Blue Collar.'

I hate to say it.

what you are looking for is in the 1970s and 1960s MR and RMC.

BUT I would LOVE to crack open the work bench.  right now it is inconvieninet.  In one place, but inconvineient!

There are several manufacturers making cast resin kits.  Lately I have been working on a B&O I-5 caboose. (The one in my sig below)  It is nearing completion.  It just needs paint and grab irons really.  I will post pics soon.

Nice work on the brass models.  I would love to try something like that, but I don't trust my soldering skills to such detailed work yet.  I'll stick (No pun intended) with CA and styrene cement for now.

If your focus is on the modeling part of model railroading, then you'll scratch build a lot of stuff. But if your emphasis is on the railroading part of model railroading, then doing what's needed to get more models expeditiously so you can run more trains will be your focus.

Neither approach is the "correct" one - both are doing the hobby of model railroading and are great ways to enjoy it.

I will say, however, focusing on the railroading part of the hobby rather than the model-building craftsmanship side leads to more layouts being built. It's difficult to have the time and the money needed to both build a significant layout project *and* scratchbuild everything.

The emphasis today on layout building as opposed to model building in much of the US hobby press is very deliberate, because layout builders buy more of everything (DCC systems, structures, rolling stock, locos, track), while model builders tend to just buy a few raw material tidbits, paint, and mabye an assortment of small detail parts in their visits to the hobby shop.

I personally don't mind the emphasis if it keeps the hobby profitable - and if it results in more layouts getting built.

I scratch build only when I want something special. Like my GE 25-ton or my Track Cleaning Transfer Caboose. I like running trains.

Wolfgang

I would like to scratchbuild a few prototypical industries from my area when I can.  Until then, getting the layout going is my MRR priority.  Once the layout is running smoothly and is "filling out" I would think more about scratch building.

Very nice brass!

I have two kits(unfinished) an old Rex models s gauge flatcar(made of some kind of metal) and a resian and metal hopper O gauge less trucks by red caboose or is it redball?

I also took an old S gondola that had no trucks and made a few castings of it and painted them flat black, I did this as a sort of learning exersise in making molds and casting as I eventualy want to scratch build and make castings for my self.

I have an old MR magazine that has a set of plans for an auto carrier 3 tier made of brass and tin been wanting to try my hand at that in S or O scale just for fun.

When I was a kid there was Athren kits and Roundhouse kits in shake the box style(prepainted just assemble) and undecorated versions as well.

I see that you work in brass and look like you are skilled as well, how easy is it to use a resistive soldering station?

At this point, I don't have the skill to build a highly detailed model from scratch and I know that.  Not to say that some day I will develop the skill, but I don't have the skill right now.  Which leads to what Joe mentioned - time.  I have limited time and the kids and I really just want to run trains - thats what we enjoy most about the hobby.  After we get trains running and some decent scenery and buildings, we'll look more at some of the modeling aspects, but we may never scratchbuild anything if we're happy with what we have.

You're right. If you don't need to scratch-build anything consider yourself lucky. I am going to have to and I do not look forward to at this point because it's going to involve some sanding and shaping in addition to cutting straight lines which I have never been good at. But I really have no choice. So I am leaving that part to the end of construction.

My task would be simplified if Walthers would release their old carfloat kit in N-Scale but they've said they have no plans to do so. Oh well.

Irv

My two (canadian) cents worth.

For more obscure prototypes you may have to do a lot of kitbashing, scratch building and / or kits.    I model the British Columbia Railway and they had many pieces of rolling stock that were unique to the railway; manufactured in Canada and not seen widely elsewhere.  An example would be woodchip gondolas which BC Rail had by the hundreds.

Other available N scale woodchip gondolas just don't cut it; as the BCR ones were very unique in appearance.  Fortunately there are a number of small, almost cottage industry operations making resin kits of BCR prototypes.  Typically the kit will contain car body parts only.  Detail parts and trucks / couplers from other manufacturers have to then be added.

I actually like custom painting, decalling, kit building and kit bashing rolling stock.  Its not for everyone however.  The advantage of N scale is that you can get away with a "good enough" level of detail.  I may assemble dozens of resin woodchip gondola kits over the next few years, but I probably won't be too concerned with adding individual handrails to all of them!

If you like the idea of it, maybe indulge yourself in a prototype for which there are not many ready-to-run items available. 

Andy