Nope

Nobody has ever said anybody should leave.

All anybody has said is its less common now than 40 years ago.   40 years ago most layouts had a central control panel and very few had "walkaround" capability.  Now walkaround operation is very common and central control panels are less common.  Things change.

Why?

Since when does one care about what the "Experts" (aka drips under pressure) say? Model railroading is a hobby one can enjoy. Enjoy it your way, not the the way the "drips under pressure" say you should enjoy it. This could get political real fast so I'll say just enjoy what you want to do in the hobby.

Bernd

Ed, - that's a "has-been drip under pressure," Bernd

Screw 'em!

If you enjoy it, than do it!  I'll remember John Allen more than any other layout till I cease to be, and still draw inspiration from him.  I don't model like him, don't have a fortune and the talent, but still admire his work, and I like to follow your work.  I'm not a fantasy modeler( hate that word) just take an alternate look at history.  In the middle of the 19th century, there were literally thousands of railroad projects, some fanciful, some durable, but no one knew who would last and who was a carpetbagger, so who's to say the current railroads were destined to win?

Prototype guys like to diminish the freelancer most of the time, but they couldn't model even a tiny shortline without artists license( selective compression)  so they're freelancing too! 

If your endeavor satisfies you, tell 'em all to go count a rivet!

Peace, Bill

Michael:

In my opinion, the ONLY valid reason for leaving the hobby is if YOU do not enjoy it anymore.

IF you still enjoy it, then your enjoyment is the most important thing about the hobby. Plain and simple. For us common model railroad hobbyists, this hobby is NOT about trying to be "avante guard" with our modeling, nor "promoting the hobby", or even trying bang our heads against the wall to come up with a way to "grow the hobby". (I leave the success of this hobby to those that derive an income from it. It's their worry and not mine.)

No, this hobby is about the enjoyment we receive from it personally, regardless of our approach.

I agree that at least one of the statements toward your approach to modeling sounded demeaning and a low blow (in my opinion), and another was like a back handed "enlightening" type post. But I would NOT let someone that lacks tact ruin your hobby for you. As long as YOU are having fun with it, then I encourage you to develop thick skin and let small minds orbit within their circle of "influence" and model the "correct" way. It doesn't matter that your approach to the hobby isn't "the trend". Big frickin' deal. Having fun? That's the important thing.

For what it's worth, I've noticed in the "like interests" sidebars on my Facebook model railroad pages I frequent that there are MANY on Facebook that take your approach to modeling. Perhaps find a Facebook page that has similar interests as yours and consider joining in the fun? Facebook has all but replaced the nigh-dead "Early Rail" forum I  frequent at another forum. Yet, the FB pages for TOC19 are thriving with lots of traffic and interesting subjects.

Let the self appointed "experts" pat themselves on their backs and post to their heart's content. I'm going to enjoy my hobby my way and I encourage you to do the same. If others find entertainment or enjoyment with the way I do model railroading: Frosting. If not, no loss, for I'm having fun doing it my way.

Andre

the beauty of this hobby.....

.....is I do what I want, when I want, how I want. I do not need to meet any requirements other than my own.

FWIW...

Michael:

Here's a link to a FB page that talks about the G&D:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/GandD/

And here's a video that you may not have seen that may be applicable!

Have fun!

Andre

No place?

I don't know anyone that says that.

It's a hobby - you enjoy it the way you enjoy it.

Improvements in various areas have made it possible to be far more realistic in modeling - control system advancements have allowed more realistic operations, the ability to research and share information on the internet has improved, well, everything, and realistic highly-detailed models of many different prototypes has also made it easier to put together a realistic collection of models.

But no one has ever said you *have* to follow this trend. However it does allow many new and different ways to enjoy the hobby compared to 50 years ago when none of these new things existed.

Resources

I wouldn't call the Early Rail forum dead, it has just migrated to the io.com groups (as have many of the former Yahoo groups):

https://groups.io/g/EarlyRail/topics

The Railroad-Line Forums have a dedicated early rail forum:

http://www.railroad-line.com/

On Facebook there are Pre-1895 and a Pre-Depression groups that are very active.

Mr. Brown is now

Mr. Brown is now a featured presenter with Model Railroad Video Plus.  Model Railroader is for beginners and new model railroaders so this is a perfect fit.  

If you are beyond Model Railroader level  then Watch MRH Trainmaster TV.   Trainmaster TV is for the more advanced discerning modeler that knows better.  

So take your pick, are you Model Railroader level or MRH level?  

I know where my level is, how about you?

Stick around

Always enjoy reading what ever you have to write about and I really want to know if you find a solution to your climax loco how to.

I used to do a lot of layout tours through the NMRA when I lived in MN. One of the best signs I ever saw said Nit Pickers are not allowed beyond this point. That point being the door way into the layout room. Nit pickers come in 2 varieties, your model is not good enough cause you missed counted the rivets and or ya got the wrong philosophy about the hobby. Had a guy try that on my layout the one time it was on tour. My reply was very much in his face.

"Do I work for you? Are you my supervisor during this layout build? no to both questions. SO THEN you have no vote at all do YOU?"

He left without further comment and of the 10 or so people in my basement most everybody had a smile on their face.

Lots of people want to control how other people act. Keep you independence.

Jack

Yea Michael T, your mug shot

Yea Michael T, your mug shot looks like you could give a rats behind less about what other people might think.

You must be having a bad day.  It'll be fine! 

And that guy in the "It's my railroad" videos, talk about getting into someone's face!  GEEZ!

Mike.

EDIT:  Wait a minute, you talkin about the black n blue division?  da Bears and da Pack?

Michael T, When you get

Michael T,

When you get frustrated go take a ride on your Harley. That will solve all of your issues! When you say "Black Water" I thought of our private contractor army in Iraq, not your black-and-blue model railroad.

Seriously, what others think does not matter. As another person said, screw'em. Do what you like.

Jim Six

mug shot

Since it was brought up.

 Michael, did you have a different photo on your posts about a week or so ago? A bandana on your head, kinda biker looking? Was that you, your late brother or?

 If you did, great. If you didn't, the floaters in my eyes are really getting to be a problem.

On the main subject..........fer Chr**** sake keep modeling and posting. 

Herd mentality?

Yep, time to leave

If your only enjoyment in a hobby is approval from the experts about what you're doing, then it's time to go.  Otherwise it's too much like work without pay.

Personally, I do this for my own enjoyment and relaxation.  And while I'm always interested in learning new ways and hearing other opinions, I freely use or don't use based on my own preferences.

Paul

I'm not going anywhere but I

I'm not going anywhere but I needed to vent. I decided that rather than clutter up a thread on a whole other subject, I would come to my blog. I've come to take the topic "personal journal (editorial or commentary)" very literally. Of course the last time I did this, some folks didn't seem to understand the category judging by some of the responses I got. I changed that one to "private" after I felt it had run it's course and served it's purpose.

I have tried to be the "kinder gentler" Michael since I've been back and rest assured folks, when you see me go off on SOME of the "holier than thou, my standards are higher than yours" model rails out there, I am actually pulling my punches. Go back and read me a few years ago if you don't believe me.

Joe may not know this but he's actually a large part of the reason I stayed in the hobby when I was really seriously considering leaving a few years ago. His faith in me in choosing me as one of the original "Imagineering" columnist and my brief but wonderful and rewarding association with him and that group of fine gentleman modelers is what convinced me that there was still a place for modeling like mine. That's not just kissing up to the "boss" either, it's the truth. I do miss Verne though. He was so easy going. I wish I could be like that and I am trying to follow his example but sometimes when I read some of the comments here and thinly veiled "shots" at my way of doing things, I just can't hold it in anymore. It was morning, I was tired after a rough nights sleep, I wrote what I wrote and it made me feel better.

Anyway, I've been on a creative tear since I've been back and I actually feel like I've got some more magazine articles in me if I can find the time to write them up and get them submitted. Besides, leaving would be letting them win and there ain't no way in heck I'm doin that! Yep, look at my new mug shot, I definitely march to the beat of a different drummer and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that. I'm not cocky but I am confident in my modeling and what I do.

Dang!

That is you!

 On one of my computers you are old you and on the one in my train room you are new you. Must be some kind of computer "cache" thing.

 You are both welcome here anytime!

Clubbing on the head...

When clubs and people start to make a hobby less than enjoyable, it isn't time to leave the hobby... just the people making it less enjoyable.


As for myself, I'm a contrarian...

I have been told many, MANY times that EZ track is not for layouts, and the little 1830s trains from Bachmann are garbage, and I should just model something modern.

My answer to that was this:

 

Be a rebel! Model the exact opposite of what people tell you to!

It's a hobby. It's supposed to be fun. It's your railroad, and no matter what, someone will think you're doing it wrong... so just do what you want. You are your own railroad tycoon, and you have no board of directors to answer to!

I'll bet you even John Allan had people telling him how he was doing everything wrong.

"Dinosaurs on your layout? You can't do that, John! That's not on the prototype!"

It never stopped him... never let it stop you.
 

Just another thought....

If you ask a hundred kids" Where would you like to visit?".  How many will answer Disneyland versus the train yard?

Peace, Bill

You're welcome!

I think we all miss Verne.

And Michael, if you would like to rejoin the Imagineering rotation again, we'd be happy to have you! No pressure though -- just know that you're always welcome if you ever would like to. Given the way we rotate between Getting Real and Imagineering now in Running Extra, that's probably about 1 column per year.

Time to leave?

  Perhaps, because hobby should be fun.But maybe instead just figure out why you are not having fun and adjust your routine?  First I'd suggest rethinking your focus on the hobby as a popularity contest and view it more as a process. Do you want to learn, or express yourself,or distract yourself from work, or whatever, then once the goal is set aim toward it. Some just like to chill out with the hobby (the "it's my layout "guys)and others like to build skills or learn more about their prototype(the Jack Burgess's) and most are somewhere in the middle. We won't make the commitment of a Burgess so we shouldn't expect the accolades(but that should not be a problem as we've made our choice that it was not our goal over the years). .....DaveB

DO IT MICHAEL! DO IT!

No pressure... I just love your writing is all... plus, Imagineering is my favorite column... but then again, I prefer fantasy to prototype any day.

I recently found an HO scale "Mech" from "Robotech" that may become part of my layout, somewhere in a corner...

This "Mech":

 

There's the other side too

Don't get me wrong

I'm having loads of fun! Especially with the creative tear I've been on since I came out of the woods from my medical issues and the subsequent depression. I don't need anyone else's approval either although it's always nice to get comments of encouragement when I post my work. I find it motivational. YMMV.

My PC is right by my pike and workbench so I take frequent breaks from working on my trains. I'm on here a lot and I read and comment a lot. I see a lot of, let's just call it "stuff", and trust me, I let 95% of it slide but every once in awhile it get's to me. For better or worse this place is "home" and I don't regret making this blog post. I was having a bad morning and got in my feelings a bit.. Hopefully it should run it's course as they usually do. If I have to make it "private" where it can't continue to be seen, I will. While I'm complaining, could we please quit calling it "fantasy freelance"? I hate that term! How about fictional freelance?

@Joe, if you're still reading along, I would love to do some more stuff but I can't promise anything. I have an idea for a column pretty well worked out and the writing isn't an issue but the pictures are. Some of the needed modeling just isn't done yet. Maybe you could loop me back into "basecamp" with you and the other gents? Thanks for the offer!