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Scratch-building or Ready-Made?
The results of our latest poll are in. The question asked was:
Which of the following do you prefer to build yourself from either a kit, download, or from bought parts & accessories – RATHER THAN purchase a completed “ready-made” manufactured product?
A total of 613 model railroaders voted with some selecting multiple answers. Here are the results:
- Buildings (338 Votes)
- Mountains (304 Votes)
- Scenery Foliage e.g. trees (266 Votes)
- Tunnels (218 Votes)
- Car Loads (182 Votes)
- Bridges (179 Votes)
- Switches/Turnouts (53 Votes)
- Signals (51 Votes)
8 Responses to Scratch-building or Ready-Made?
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I rather buy it im to old to try to build anything
Hi Skip, All I can say is you are never too old to do a project. I am 62 myself and I know I can build about anything if given the chance. I am now building my own switches and so far I found they are better than any MFG switch out there. I am working on my 7th and 8th switch as we speak. You might want to do one project at a time unlike myself who cannot see the bench for all the projects I am doing at once. Over the years you probably have learned a lot of techniques and can probably do about anything. I personally think that I can build it Cheaper, Better, and call it all my work. You may get to where you cannot drive to show it foff someday but someone will get you there as they want you to show your work that is for sure. Besides why should I spend the money MFG’s want us to spend and they still need a lot of little things we would want on the model. Go for it. I sit with my corn plant board in front of Ball Games on the TV. During that game I am making corn plants from Grass Seed. It is all free except for some masking tape and a little paint if you want summer corn. I am making it at almost no cost, Looks better, than any MFG corn plants out there. They say a model railroad is never done and that may be: But I am going to go out swinging and working on my own projects till I absolutely cannot do it anymore. Pick up a needy item from a show and fix it up, Kitbash something or just start from scratch…. Go For it…. Hope to see some of your work someday That is my Pep Talk…… Happy Model railroading. from Newman
I prefer to build from scratch or kitbashing or combination of both I am curently building a warehouse , switches, corn plants, and trees. I have done car loads and now laying my first mountain. Signals and bridges are the only thing I have not started yet. I don’t pay big dollars when I can do just as good or better than the store bought.
Corn plants I make from grass seed you find along the county roads (the tall stuff.) with a small jig I make roes of corn watching ball games.
The thing is it is all my work from Newman
I only like to build it my self that way I get the satisfaction of doing it my way. It’s just more fun to see if you can do it and do it well. I really like Buildings the most.
Thanks
After over twenty years of collecting engines, rolling stock, buildings and so on, putting two children through college was the big one,, Ok ,ok my question is what source have you guys found as a way to stay accurate for a specific time period? I have some passenger cars (Harriman) unpainted that I want to add to some others, (Harriman) what engine pulled this for the New York Central?
Joe, Besides Books,pictures friends might have to look through you always can go to places like the California Railroad Museum in Sacramento. Behind the Museum in the Actual old Hardware store of Old Sacramento, There is a research library there. When I was there I seen guys with drawings spread across 3 tables. The NMRA is cataloging on digital tons of stuff for research also. So check it out from Newman
I am always inspired by Newman’s very useful and positive advises and ideas. I also love to make my own stuff after buying some tracks, switches, locos and rolling stock for a start from scratch. Now, I find making my own signals, control electronics, ballast and scenery for my 1′ x 8′ DC layout very satisfying.
Thanks for the great compliments. I don’t always know everything and like these switches I am building, I watched someone who can build one in 5 and 1/2 hours to learn it. I may not know what to do sometimes but I can tell you what not to do as I have probably done that.
I started this hobby in about 1959. My first caboose in 1959 (on the caboose Parade on my you tube page called SHRINEHIILRAIL) is in both 32 caboose trains. Thanks again for the compliment from Newman