Do youtubers contribute positively to railway modelling?

[bradfordbuffer]

1 hour ago, westernviscount said:

 

The scope of the discussion has at times taken on the wider view of youtube. I thought this might be reasonable. 

 

I regret that you feel I dont like you. I don't know you. You are clearly highly intelligent and passionate about what you do. 

 

As far as I can see those who are disparaging of youtube or youtubers are in the minority here. If you say otherwise then I will take that as factual as I don't intend to analyse this. 

As some one who has had there ten pence worth during 'discussions' it may be time to lock the thread...KISS and make-up...live and let live....

 

Not nice to see grown men bickering! 

I've pressed red banner at top of page to ignore topic....I'm off to stag some other thread!

ANDY PRESS THE BUTTON! 

[HonestTom]

2 hours ago, colin smith said:

 

In 1978, at age seventeen I decided to write a novel. Several of those I mentioned this to replied with variations of "So you want to be the next Frederick Forsyth?"

 

Forsyth was, at the time, in many people's eyes, the epitome of the very successful novelist and there have been many iterations of this line in the years since, with JK Rowling and Dan Brown, among others, replacing Forsyth, but the assumption that what every writer wants is fame and mega-sales is a constant.

 

I dare say the same kind of comment has been heard by every neophyte entrepreneur, singer, actor, artist, or whatever, with the same assumption that what the person really want is vast money and adoration and the thing they are doing is simply a vehicle to that end.

 

Perhaps for some of them that was their real desire (mine is to be shortlisted for the Booker) but any suggestion that the desire for universal adoration is either a new thing or necessarily a bad thing is wide of the mark.

I think we could put this another way: don't we all strive for a form of perfection in what we do? Perhaps we aim to produce something that pleases us or perhaps we produce something for public consumption. If it's something for public consumption, then the work's popularity with critics and the public could be said to be a measure of its success. Universal adoration isn't really possible, but that's okay - it means there's always something more to work towards. I think it only becomes a problem in the case of people who want the praise without putting the work in to get it - they'll get frustrated and either give up or become bitter that the world doesn't recognise their minimal efforts as brilliance.

[colin smith]

17 minutes ago, HonestTom said:

don't we all strive for a form of perfection in what we do? 

 

Ideally, yes, with the proviso that what we are doing is of importance to us. I take a lot of care to write as well as I can. I take rather less care changing the duvet.

 

 

Quote

Perhaps we aim to produce something that pleases us or perhaps we produce something for public consumption.

 

I think it's rarely either/or and even if something is only done to please the person doing it they still have to appease their inner critic.

Edited January 22, 2022 by colin smith

[wombatofludham]

So, 15 pages in we're roughly speaking coming to the following observations:

Some think YouTube is awful and full of narcissists:

Some think YouTube should replace the BBC on the nation's pimp Freeview slot:

Others seem to occupy the young curate's stance on egg freshness and claim it is good in parts.

Thing is, if YouTube is something you don't like, don't log on to the site.  It hasn't been made compulsory yet.  If you like YouTube, don't think it is perfect and that there aren't people on there whose ego outstrips their ability and are deluded as to their adequacy.  I've watched some very useful and informative modelling videos on YouTube, and I've also had the misfortune to try a few which had me reaching for the return button on the remote pretty quickly.

With that said, I'm off to edit a YouTube model railway video for someone else.  I may be some time.

[rob D2]

Yes we've gone round in a circle and i think you've summed up all the sides of the debate .

 

I was surprised that I actually liked a Sam's trains vid today - a review of the irish 121. Yes , i'll let RM tell me if it's mm perfect to the diagrams but he got to the nitty gritty of decoder access , poor instructions , quality of parts and running , so power to his elbow - he covered that side well so we live and learn 

[woodenhead]

I think without YouTube, Jason Shron would not have had the outlet that best suited his style to promote Rapido Trains, he certainly wouldn't be employing the characters that inhabit the company and we'd be missing a an important cog in the modelling of trains.

 

If nothing else, YouTube gave us Rapido, which I think then gave us Accurascale and their level of customer engagement.

 

So yes, YouTubers do positively contribute to modelling, end of story.

 

Also consider this, Rapido Trains who make detailed content about what they produce, 21k subscribers, Sams Trains a marmite channel on here, 118k subscribers.  And some people don't like Rapido's style either

 

Edited January 23, 2022 by woodenhead

[woodenhead]

Thirteen years ago when Youtube was a baby, proper enthusiasm and knowledge.

 

[PieGuyRob]

To answer the OP"s question I would say yes.

To find out what sort of stock to put behind Kernow's 47701 and 47706, i discovered Soi Buakho's you tube channel.

 

You tube contains helpful videos of prototypes filmed in period, which I find helpful.

 

Also, as many have previously stated, I don't watch much tv. Being stuck in hospital at the moment, it is a godsend.

 

As for Sam's Trains, I find him equally as entertaining as Jago, 00Bill, Wallsrail, Everard Junction and class47peter. 

 

I have bought a Dapol class 73 to go with a NSE liveried Caroline, and the same Dapol class 121 that Sam's Trains recommended against. When the 121 encountered problems running in I came on here to get the advice to fix it. It now runs really well. That's something I wouldn't have previously done.

[rob D2]

Yes that's true - there's some great prototype stuff on there which I too watch , east to search for what era, type or region you want .

 

I love wallsrails too - he does some great BR blue conversions and his voice is very soothing !

[Ruston]

On 22/01/2022 at 10:21, HonestTom said:

Then that's fine! The reviews that Sam does aren't for you. As has been pointed out, he makes no pretence of prototypical expertise and does not comment on prototypical accuracy. As I say, it's not like he's spouting a lot of made-up information about the prototype.

So, what is the point in his "reviews" then? Isn't that what a review is about? To tell the rest of us if a model has all the right bits in all the right places to match whatever livery and era it's supposedly portraying? Or is that just for the "serious" modeller and that sort of thing doesn't matter to the Youtube viewer?

 

On 20/01/2022 at 18:06, WestStandRam said:

I’d go one step further and argue that this attitude is one of the main reasons why model railways has such a stigma amongst younger audiences. Unless you’re a ‘rivet counter’, you aren’t a modeller.

 

Sam’s Trains makes model railways accessible to the average younger person, unlike the original poster’s attitude.  

What, precisely, do you mean by "more accessible"? Model railways are not, and have never been, inaccessible. When I was  kid all you needed was enthusiasm, a book from the library, and dad to nail some baseboards together. We didn't need some berk on a computer screen and I'm sure kids today don't, either. I fail to understand how the OP posing a question makes model railways inaccessible to younger people.

 

I find someone being called a "rivet counter", because they are bothered about detail and accuracy, to be a very odd and contemptuous attitude. When I was younger, going to exhibitions, I looked up to modellers with greater skill and knowledge than myself and I wanted to be able to do the things that they were doing. I didn't call them names because I couldn't achieve the things that they were achieving, but it appears that's the way it goes these days;  if people can't do something they want to drag someone down rather than rise to their level.
 

 

[009 micro modeller]

26 minutes ago, Ruston said:

What, precisely, do you mean by "more accessible"? Model railways are not, and have never been, inaccessible. When I was  kid all you needed was enthusiasm, a book from the library, and dad to nail some baseboards together. We didn't need some berk on a computer screen and I'm sure kids today don't, either. I fail to understand how the OP posing a question makes model railways inaccessible to younger people.

Reading it, I didn’t think the quoted text about making the hobby more or less accessible was in response to westernviscount’s post at the start of the topic; it’s more to do with an attitude expressed later that people are not ‘proper modellers’ or ‘proper railway enthusiasts’ if they don’t know about the differences between different subclasses of specific locomotive classes. This argument ignores the fact that newcomers and beginners (by definition, because they are newcomers and beginners) are not usually going to have that level of specific knowledge yet. However, a YouTube video/library book/magazine article/forum discussion pitched at the beginner’s level of knowledge would give them a better way into the hobby, and then they can start to learn more. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve explained to beginners (including once or twice on this very forum) about the difference between 009 and N gauge, something which should become immediately understandable once you know anything about prototype rail gauge and how scaling works. But when I’ve explained it to people they do usually understand, often through reference to a real narrow gauge line they might know, or that they’ve previously visited.

 

Also, as others have pointed out, it’s a hobby and everyone is free to enjoy it in their own way. There’s been a selection of 3D printed 009 locos recently which seem to be mainly based on cartoonish versions of standard gauge prototypes. Personally I think they look a bit odd and they’re not really my kind of thing, but that doesn’t mean the person painting and finishing them isn’t having fun and developing some skills in the process.

[newbryford]

On 23/01/2022 at 12:20, woodenhead said:

 

 

So yes, some YouTubers do positively contribute to modelling, end of story.

 

 

 

 

My bold.

[HonestTom]

14 hours ago, Ruston said:

So, what is the point in his "reviews" then? Isn't that what a review is about? To tell the rest of us if a model has all the right bits in all the right places to match whatever livery and era it's supposedly portraying? Or is that just for the "serious" modeller and that sort of thing doesn't matter to the Youtube viewer?

Maybe it does and maybe it doesn't. I don't know what his average viewer looks for. As I say, for me personally, he's one of a number of reviewers I look to. Accuracy is a factor for me, but I also want to know about the mechanism, performance and build quality, and I want to see as much as possible what the model looks like.

 

14 hours ago, Ruston said:

 

What, precisely, do you mean by "more accessible"? Model railways are not, and have never been, inaccessible. When I was  kid all you needed was enthusiasm, a book from the library, and dad to nail some baseboards together. We didn't need some berk on a computer screen and I'm sure kids today don't, either. I fail to understand how the OP posing a question makes model railways inaccessible to younger people.

Nobody is saying that. If kids want to follow that path, then good news! They can, assuming they have a local library, a dad who is proficient in woodwork and a means to spark that enthusiasm. Nobody is stopping them. Nobody is suggesting they should be stopped.

 

The response to the question posed by OP is that the value lies in making model railways more accessible. The Internet is a fact of life these days, for better or for worse. For many if not most people, it will be their first port of call for information. If I'm curious about model railways, I can Google them and instantly find lots of videos of layouts and tutorials on getting started - it's quick and easy. Or if I want to know, say, how to use an airbrush or how to cut card for building, I can find lots of videos that will show me how to do that right away. I recently serviced an elderly loco using a tutorial from Sam's Trains - I had the engine up and running within half an hour.

 

14 hours ago, Ruston said:

 

I find someone being called a "rivet counter", because they are bothered about detail and accuracy, to be a very odd and contemptuous attitude.

... said the guy who just used the phrase "some berk on a computer screen." 

 

14 hours ago, Ruston said:

When I was younger, going to exhibitions, I looked up to modellers with greater skill and knowledge than myself and I wanted to be able to do the things that they were doing. I didn't call them names because I couldn't achieve the things that they were achieving, but it appears that's the way it goes these days;  if people can't do something they want to drag someone down rather than rise to their level.
 

 

Why do you feel that you're being attacked? I'm not aware of anyone here or on YouTube who's denigrating people for being skilled.

[PieGuyRob]

On 08/02/2022 at 00:16, PieGuyRob said:

To answer the OP"s question I would say yes.

To find out what sort of stock to put behind Kernow's 47701 and 47706, i discovered Soi Buakho's you tube channel.

 

You tube contains helpful videos of prototypes filmed in period, which I find helpful.

 

Also, as many have previously stated, I don't watch much tv. Being stuck in hospital at the moment, it is a godsend.

 

As for Sam's Trains, I find him equally as entertaining as Jago, 00Bill, Wallsrail, Everard Junction and class47peter. 

 

I have bought a Dapol class 73 to go with a NSE liveried Caroline, and the same Dapol class 121 that Sam's Trains recommended against. When the 121 encountered problems running in I came on here to get the advice to fix it. It now runs really well. That's something I wouldn't have previously done.

Further to my previous response. I have read various railway and model railway magazines for a long time. I'm nearly 40. But, magazine reviews only put over so much in the review. Having a you tuber demonstrating the loco on their layout then adds another perspective. What, I personally have found, whther printed or digital, or in the flesh at an exhibition, that will build up a broader picture of what the product is like.

 

I prefer rtr, I don't have an era or period I like, but, I do like liveries. That may change over time. But, since watching different you tubers it has given me confidence to things I wouldn't previously have done. I have already mentioned the Dapol 121. I also have some Hornby fgw fag packet mk2's that don't run properly. It's Wallsrail's videos that have come up with a solution to that, which I'm going to look into once I'm out of hospital.

 

So all in all, I personally think that printed, digital and "live" aspects of our hobby should be embraced and work together. It has certainly helped me.

 

I have since subscribed to Jenny Kirks channel. As for Sam's Trains. I had no particular intrest in steam, until I watched his video's. I now have a tendency for LNER apple green locomotives, and I am seriously considering becoming a donor or sponsor for either the P2 or V4, once I get off sick pay.

[Ruston]

25 minutes ago, HonestTom said:

.. said the guy who just used the phrase "some berk on a computer screen." 

 

Fair point

1 hour ago, HonestTom said:

The response to the question posed by OP is that the value lies in making model railways more accessible.

You've lost me there. How much more accessible do you want them to be? If you have an interest in model railways and you have some money, you buy some track, a loco etc. That's it, you're in, you've got the beginnings of a model railway. In fact it's even easier than when I was a kid because you can get it all without even leaving the house! Model railways are as accessible as they're ever going to be  - you don't need to be a member of a secret society, or be a millionaire, and you certainly don't need Youtube.

If you mean making knowledge more accessible than it was with books and public libraries then of course the internet is more accessible but then Youtube isn't The Internet. This forum is my first port of call as it's not simply the knowledge and experience of one individual, which is usually the case with Youtube.

 

 

1 hour ago, HonestTom said:

Why do you feel that you're being attacked? I'm not aware of anyone here or on YouTube who's denigrating people for being skilled.

I never said that I was. It's a general thing and it's always used in a derogatory manner. Nor did I say that I've seen it on Youtube. To be honest, can't tell you if there's anyone on You tube denigrating people as my viewing is limited but it is something that I have seen occur on facebook modelling groups.

 

18 hours ago, 009 micro modeller said:

Reading it, I didn’t think the quoted text about making the hobby more or less accessible was in response to westernviscount’s post at the start of the topic; it’s more to do with an attitude expressed later that people are not ‘proper modellers’ or ‘proper railway enthusiasts’ if they don’t know about the differences between different subclasses of specific locomotive classes. This argument ignores the fact that newcomers and beginners (by definition, because they are newcomers and beginners) are not usually going to have that level of specific knowledge yet. However, a YouTube video/library book/magazine article/forum discussion pitched at the beginner’s level of knowledge would give them a better way into the hobby, and then they can start to learn more. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve explained to beginners (including once or twice on this very forum) about the difference between 009 and N gauge, something which should become immediately understandable once you know anything about prototype rail gauge and how scaling works. But when I’ve explained it to people they do usually understand, often through reference to a real narrow gauge line they might know, or that they’ve previously visited.

 

We really need the poster himself to explain what he means but I see what you mean about being regarded as not being a proper modeller etc. Is that really a thing though? I've never noticed it on here. If it's something that happens in clubs then I wouldn't know as when it comes to clubs, I'm with Groucho Marx. I think it's more a case of how someone perceives a comment. A beginner could, for example, come up with a particular loco, on a certain type of stock. Someone then points out to them that you would never have seen such a combination as those engines were all scrapped before that type of coach came into use. Do they then take that as being talked down to because they're a beginner, or do they take it as that they've now learned something?

If we're talking about beginners then Youtube is the last place they should be looking. Almost everyone has a video camera in their mobile telephone these days, so anyone can film themselves and stick it on Youtube. They don't need to get their facts right, they don't need to know anything at all and people will still watch them.  The problem with it is that there is no comeback on them and no opportunity for differing opinions or to put them straight on facts. Magazines can't get away with that, nor can anyone on this forum. If I posted a review of a model, and was clearly talking out of my backside, people would let me know in no uncertain terms. On the other hand I could post the same review on Youtube and there would be no comeback whatsoever. Because a magazine is a business, and is far more expensive to produce than a Youtube video, magazines have more credibility simply because if they didn't they wouldn't stay in business for long, so the beginner can trust them far more than they can trust Youtube. Not to say that all of Youtube is going to be bad but a beginner is less likely to be able to sort the wheat from the chaff and are better sticking to trusted sources.

[wombatofludham]

There are some model railway people who do look down their noses at anyone who can't crochet their own Walschaert's valve gear, or hand roll their own rails in a miniature working steel mill, and they can put some younger, less confident modellers off. 

Whilst this forum isn't as bad as it used to be when I would acidly use the term "Finescale Taliban" to describe them, very deliberately, as being as intolerant as the real Taliban, they are still about and I've encountered them when at public shows - although as someone who has a dim view of fools, they get a polite but forceful rebuttal from me, and being built like the proverbial brick dunny, tend to find I prevail.  I know I use the term "kettle" which offends some, but it is actually not a pejorative term, but more on the line of "banter", and has been around for decades. I use the term "kettleista" to describe those who think there is No Other True Faith But Steam, but when it comes to modelling, I accept we are a broad church and I would never denigrate someone attempting to make a model, whatever their ability or efforts.  Unfortunately, I have personally seen people take a dislike to my previous exhibition layout because it was diesel, and made from mass produced items, and whilst that kind of snotty attitude just makes me retaliate back, it would put others off.  When I go to an exhibition, I look at everything, whether my interest or not, out of respect for those who have made the model and gone to the expense of sharing it with the public.  Others don't, or even loudly criticise the model's perceived faults.

I suspect that is why some younger modellers prefer YouTube and social media groups, they can associate with like minded enthusiasts who enjoy their work.  No "anti-diesel" or "anti-RTR" or factionalism, you just watch and join in things you like.  

The model fraternity can be it's own worst enemy at times.

[009 micro modeller]

6 hours ago, Ruston said:

A beginner could, for example, come up with a particular loco, on a certain type of stock. Someone then points out to them that you would never have seen such a combination as those engines were all scrapped before that type of coach came into use. Do they then take that as being talked down to because they're a beginner, or do they take it as that they've now learned something?

Which is fine. But some posts earlier in this thread have basically suggested that the beginners should already know these things, which is silly as they will first need to go through a point where they don’t know much but are keen to learn more. The situation you describe, in which somebody is welcomed and made more knowledgeable, is completely reasonable.

 

There’s also another group of people who couldn’t care less about the finer details and accuracy of what they’re modelling, even if they might be skilled in other areas or deriving some sort of enjoyment from their hobby. But I digress…
 

6 hours ago, Ruston said:

If it's something that happens in clubs then I wouldn't know as when it comes to clubs, I'm with Groucho Marx.

I similarly don’t really ‘do’ clubs (except for 009 Society area groups etc., which in my experience avoid a lot of the problems that more conventional model railway clubs supposedly have). But some of the posts earlier in this thread seem to be taking that attitude.

 

Away from model railways (in other hobbies, amateur sports etc.) I’ve also observed that there are certain people who are very unwelcoming to newcomers who don’t arrive already possessing a high level of skills and knowledge. In at least two cases that I’ve seen, said unwelcoming people were on the committee of local groups, which perhaps wasn’t the best advertisement for the hobby in question.

[6990WitherslackHall]

Two of the YouTubers I watch, LazerJet and Sam's Trains, do a lot with railway modelling. The former mainly does stuff on Train Simulator but he does have videos of his layout. The latter has an entire channel devoted to the hobby.

Edited February 10, 2022 by 6990WitherslackHall

[Jol Wilkinson]

Accessibility seems to be the current favoured word regarding the effect of YouTube videos such as Sam's Trains. They don't make railway modelling any more accessible than watching a televised golf tournament  gets you into the local golf club.

 

What they may do is create an interest in model railways. If so, then access to further information, be it through following RMweb (other online forums are available), joining a club, visiting a local shop (remember them?), reading a magazine, etc. is what will inform and grow that interest. Unfortunately, the breadth of information available is vast and picking what is best for you isn't easy. That can be especially so on forums like this where some very biased opinions are expressed. It can be the same in local clubs. Ask the best way to solder something and you will get ten different opinions, plus someone telling you it is a black art and they have never been able to master it.

 

YouTube is what it is, a platform for people to post videos about their favorite activity and in some cases to make money from it. Whether it influences people and, as the OP questions, contributes positively to railway modelling depends entirely on the viewer.

[HonestTom]

On 09/02/2022 at 15:11, Ruston said:

A beginner could, for example, come up with a particular loco, on a certain type of stock. Someone then points out to them that you would never have seen such a combination as those engines were all scrapped before that type of coach came into use. Do they then take that as being talked down to because they're a beginner, or do they take it as that they've now learned something?

It depends on the circumstances. Is our imagined beginner asking whether such a combination is realistic? How is the advice presented? If I genuinely wanted to know whether I could get away with running two items together, then I would be glad to receive that information. On the other hand, if I'd spent a lot of time. money and effort on something I was proud of and then someone just shot it down, I think I'd be at least a little irritated. I'm reminded of Peter Denny's reasoning for modelling the GCR - that the signals were easy to scratchbuild and the company wasn't well-known enough for people to be able to nitpick his rolling stock as they had his GWR models.

 

On 09/02/2022 at 15:11, Ruston said:

 

If we're talking about beginners then Youtube is the last place they should be looking. Almost everyone has a video camera in their mobile telephone these days, so anyone can film themselves and stick it on Youtube. They don't need to get their facts right, they don't need to know anything at all and people will still watch them.  The problem with it is that there is no comeback on them and no opportunity for differing opinions or to put them straight on facts.

Hard disagree on this I'm afraid. YouTube has a comments section and "like" and "dislike" buttons, and I speak from experience when I say that people are not shy about using them. You can turn commenting off, but everyone can see that you've done it. People make response videos all the time. I myself have made videos correcting previous errors, and openly state that that's what I'm doing. Videos generally judged good, with a lot of "likes," get favoured by the algorithm and pushed to the front in searches. Which means more views and more income. The motivation is there to produce quality content. Furthermore, videos tend to get grouped together - if one person reviews X locomotive and you click on their video, YouTube will also suggest other reviews, so you can get more than one opinion. Critique of videos is also available elsewhere online, such as on this forum. 

 

On 09/02/2022 at 15:11, Ruston said:

Magazines can't get away with that, nor can anyone on this forum. If I posted a review of a model, and was clearly talking out of my backside, people would let me know in no uncertain terms.

As they would on a YouTube video. Furthermore, you could see that they were talking out of their backsides. If they're saying something about the model and they're not backing it up in their footage, you can ask them why not.

 

On 09/02/2022 at 15:11, Ruston said:

On the other hand I could post the same review on Youtube and there would be no comeback whatsoever. Because a magazine is a business, and is far more expensive to produce than a Youtube video, magazines have more credibility simply because if they didn't they wouldn't stay in business for long, so the beginner can trust them far more than they can trust Youtube.

Why would they not stay in business for long?  Sure, if a magazine is consistently and obviously bad, then it might well suffer a decline. But if a well-regarded reviewer says something about a locomotive, I don't really have any way of knowing whether that's right or wrong unless I'm already familiar with the subject. And mistakes do creep in. Misprints or wrongly-captioned photos certainly do happen. I'm not saying "don't read magazines," but I don't think any source is beyond error.

 

On 09/02/2022 at 15:11, Ruston said:

Not to say that all of Youtube is going to be bad but a beginner is less likely to be able to sort the wheat from the chaff and are better sticking to trusted sources.

Doing my own research, I have become increasingly sceptical of "trusted sources." As per my example above regarding West Finchley, this hobby relies on a relatively small number of sources, and there is a tendency to think, "Well, if this expert said it, it must be true." So-called facts get passed from book to book to magazine without question. Errors, omissions, misinterpretations and biases of respected authors are set in stone as historical fact - I find Hamilton Ellis particularly irritating in this regard. The more obscure the subject, the fewer the sources available to us and the greater the scope for error. The original authors are often long-deceased, as is anyone with the firsthand knowledge to correct them.

 

On 10/02/2022 at 10:55, Jol Wilkinson said:

Accessibility seems to be the current favoured word regarding the effect of YouTube videos such as Sam's Trains. They don't make railway modelling any more accessible than watching a televised golf tournament  gets you into the local golf club.

I think we need to define what we mean by "accessible" here, because there seem to be three or four different interpretations going around. I accept that I should have been clearer in what I meant.

 

Can a person just buy a train set and get into modelling? Yes. In that sense, the hobby is very accessible. But where do you go from there? Magazines are a good source of information, but by their very nature, they don't necessarily provide the information you need. Sure, there's the odd article aimed at beginners, but it's luck of the draw whether this month there's an article that provides what you want. Given that most magazines are hovering around the £5 mark, and the price of models in general, that's quite an investment. I could join a club, if I have one locally, if they meet at times that are convenient for me. I could go to a model railway exhibition and ask someone, if there's one I can get to, if I know it's happening. Or I could type a basic modelling technique that I'm curious about into Google and come across several video tutorials right now that will not only tell me how things are done, but show me. I can see what tools and techniques they use, even if they don't describe them in detail. I can even ask the videographer how they did it if there's anything unclear. When I say that YouTube makes the hobby more accessible, I mean that it makes obtaining information easier.

 

Again, I'm not suggesting that YouTube is the only way to get information, or that it will be best for everyone, or that there can be only one medium for obtaining information. I'm not suggesting that people have to turn to YouTube if they don't want to. They don't even have to like it.  But I do believe that YouTube can be useful to the hobby. I believe this is borne out by the fact that so many companies involved in the hobby, including manufacturers, retailers and magazine publishers, have their own YouTube channels. 

[Ruston]

@HonestTom I could quote and dissect your post but it would be a waste of time.

Nothing that you say will change my mind about Youtube and I'm sure that nothing that I say will change yours. We'll just have to agree to disagree.

[woodenhead]

When you need half a page to describe your arguments, either for or against then we’re taking this thread way too seriously.

 

There are a lot of people expending a lot of time and effort, but the sheer amount of words is off putting to be able to digest.

 

it’s just model trains at the end of the day, does it really matter that much to get upset about?

[big jim]

9 hours ago, woodenhead said:

When you need half a page to describe your arguments, either for or against then we’re taking this thread way too seriously.

 

There are a lot of people expending a lot of time and effort, but the sheer amount of words is off putting to be able to digest.

 

it’s just model trains at the end of the day, does it really matter that much to get upset about?

and therein lies part of the problem, be it YouTube. The Hornby APT, formula one, cars, knitting, fishing….whatever 

 

Some people just want short sharp and to the point soundbites not rambling monologues be it visually or written 

[bradfordbuffer]

9 hours ago, woodenhead said:

When you need half a page to describe your arguments, either for or against then we’re taking this thread way too seriously.

 

There are a lot of people expending a lot of time and effort, but the sheer amount of words is off putting to be able to digest.

 

it’s just model trains at the end of the day, does it really matter that much to get upset about?

Can't stand short posts!

 

 

 

 

[Legend]

As a further example of positive contributions , have another look at Sams trains , who is designing "Gladstone" using 3d printers .  A working model and he will release the files for anyone wanting to use .   Thats got to be useful contribution