What is your one compromise too far?

[rocor]

All model making involves making compromises. As per the much quoted words of that well known model engineer LBSC, "you can't scale nature". 

 

But what compromise can make one individual blanch, where another will not even notice.

 

I can totally ignore under scale track gauges, over scale flanges and (regarding a recent topic) tension hook couplings, but toy town curves!. When illustrated on layouts in the model railway press, their falseness stands out so prominently that it blinds me to any fine qualities those layouts may have.

 

So on that basis, I shall probably be building yet another small branch line terminus.

 

So what is your bête noire as regards to the necessity for making modelling compromises is concerned?.

 

 

[scottystitch]

Put me down as a plus one for completely unrealistic curves on the scenic section.

 

Ditto tunnels immediately after a straight and then into said unrealistic curve (I need at least a coach length of straight track in the tunnel before the curve starts.)

 

And, and,....(i know you said only one, but...) I model N and I cannot and will not own/run an old style locomotive/stock with pizza cutter wheels. 

 

Just not my bag.

[Chris M]

Early Graham Farish locos.

[Tim Hall]

Trains running at excessive speeds (especially around right angled bends, as above). 

[Il Grifone]

H0 track at US sleeper spacing when modelling the UK in 4mm scale. I can turn a blind eye to sharp curves, overscale rails and narrow gauge as long as everything else is in proportion. (Within reason.)

 

Buffer centres that are 2mm too high.

 

I'm not too keen on underlength carriages either (include 9' wheelbase mineral wagons on 10' wheelbase here too).

 

Early Graham Farish locos.

 

I am assumining you intend N scale ones. 

[34theletterbetweenB&D]

Not so much absolute speed, but unrealistic rates of acceleration. And the better the modelling of the entire scene the more it is apparent, because the illusion the model creates is so much more abruptly shattered when the movement is physically impossible.

 

If you build a superb S7 layout, then stopping the loco dead from a scale 15mph so that the mk1 coaches behind collide with the loco and then rebound = why didn't you just stick with Triang Big-Big train, red polythene track and all? (Yes, this effect could be observed if the loco had run into a high mass stopblock of some sort, but that would surely end operations for the day, as the injured on board were treated and removed, and the accident investigation commenced.)

[John M Upton]

Trains running without any crew on the footplate and/or a tail lamp on the last vehicle.

 

Also beautifully built models ruined at the very last stage by sloppy application of transfers.

 

Any British Railways sign in the wrong font, many an exhibition layout is guilty of this one!!!

[Tony Davis]

Gaps under buildings and shiny vehicles.

[newbryford]

Just painting stuff yellow and putting Network Rail stickers on.......................

 

Cheers,

Mick

[St. Simon]

Hi,

 

Poorly researched and modelled signalling claiming to be Prototypical...

 

Simon

[bike2steam]

Early Graham Farish locos.

 

I dunno the OO gauge 81xx, and 94xx weren't that bad ??!!   

[John M Upton]

I agree, I had a GF OO Scale 94xx body, heavy thing but well detailed for its age.  Just a shame the chassis it ran on was utter bobbins...

[PatB]

I must have low standards as I'm quite happy with severely compressed track layouts, settrack curves, 3 or 4 coach expresses, dimensionally inaccurate stock and a whole raft of other stuff that tends to be dismissed as toylike or, at best, outdated.

 

However, even allowing for those compromises I do prefer purposeful operation and reasonably realistic driving. I can live without operational signals but think the trains should operate as if they were there. If signals are depicted, although I can accept considerable simplification and the sort of compromises forced by compression, they should be not be positioned overtly wrongly.

 

Oh, and a supposedly working model should work. Unreliable locos and constantly derailing stock render the whole exercise a bit pointless IMHO.

[Chris M]

i was referring to N gauge Graham Farish locos earlier.

[Neil]

Can I have two? The first would be colour; a subjective matter but a good number of layouts are spoiled for me by the too simplistic use of colour, grass green, sky blue and tarmac black when real life is anything but. Further colour crime includes the use of current colours, for example white window frames, for an era where such things were not common. Related to this would be my second gripe, the wrong style of lettering for the period depicted. It's been mentioned earlier in the context of station signage, however it's the stuff outside the railway fence which is more frequently wrong, again the mistake of copying current styles seems to be the source of the error.

[PatB]

As noted, I'm quite tolerant of most things but the lack of outside frames on things purporting to be 08s really jars. The frames and flycranks are such a key feature of the Gronk it's very, very hard to forgive their absence.

[Right Away]

Many compromises within our hobby are inevitable to all but the most fortunate who are not restricted by space in which to build their railway projects. There lies the art in reducing any negative visual impact to levels where they can be ignored by the layout owner.

What is deemed acceptable by one modeller may really grate when seen by others.

 

Within the constraints of funding but also having the need to retain the flexibility of - dare I say it - tension lock couplings, the reduction of the unprototypical distance between rolling stock has been the compromise which I personally have tried to eradicate as best I can.

 

Modifications to said couplings have brought a much more pleasing appearance to consists but this has in turn brought about its own compromise - the use of large radius points and track curvature and the inevitable "end to end" layout.

Observing pleasing slow exits and arrivals of closer coupled formations has in this instance been worth the sacrifice of being unable to operate a continuous run, much as I would relish the chance of operating lengthy fasts and heavy goods services.

 

Ultimately we do what we can within our abilities and budgets as long as it pleases us.

[Legend]

Running U.K. and US or European stock together. For some reason this just jars .

[Mallard60022]

Attempts to build a version  of Seaton Junction circa 1960.

P

[bgman]

Paying off my ex all those years ago when it could have bought me some lovely O Gauge locos !

[Sir TophamHatt]

Badly home made painted locos.

 

Don't get me wrong, having home made stuff is great and I don't want to dumb anyone down but when a straight line is wobblier than a drunk person walking home, it doesn't look like it should.

[Clive Mortimore]

Model figures

 

I know my dad dressed as if the 1950s never finished but not everyone else did. Lack of contemporary clothing when all the rolling stock is correct.

Spacing of figures on platforms, many of us were trainspotters but we never observed the other human beings in our environment. They don't plonk themselves evenly along the platform but cluster around the entrance. Many not arriving until 5 minutes before the train. So crowed platforms are not normal near empty ones are.

Most of you are reading this sitting down, are your feet dangling in mid air? No. So why do so many modellers allow their passengers seated on platform benches to look like they are patients on 1970s geriatric ward.   

 

Many of us realise the compromises we put in the railway features and our rolling stock but not the humans it serves.

 

 

 

As for lorries parked in goods yards where even a horse and cart would have problems maneuvering..................

[Il Grifone]

I agree, I had a GF OO Scale 94xx body, heavy thing but well detailed for its age.  Just a shame the chassis it ran on was utter bobbins...

 

Mine runs beautifully, perhaps it's a question of luck?

 

The body is prone to the dreaded zinc pest....

[Il Grifone]

Running U.K. and US or European stock together. For some reason this just jars .

 

Perhaps it's the different scales? 

[reevesthecat]

Catenary masts without the wires! Can cope with pantographs not touching the wire or even if the wire is not totally in alignment due to train set curves but the wire or a representation needs to be there. I also realise at a scale size it probably wouldn't be visible!

Cheers

Mark