The Accidental Railroader

Bruce thanks for posting this very interesting topic.  

Yes I think building a model railroad layout is an art form...from the planning stages on paper to creating the bench work, track plans, to finishing off the scenery. And yes everyone of us model railroaders has a work of art in their home or wherever their layout is located.  We don't have to be " masters" such as Frank Ellison, John Armstrong, Howard Zane, Rod Stewart, ( to name only a veru few ) before we can call ourselves " artists".  The mere fact that our railroads are creations of our individual imaginations make everyone's railroad a work of art and therefore the creator of that railroad an artist.  Some of us may be more skilled and experienced than others, however, each one's layout is the result of creative process and thereby a creative expression of their individual imagination. Everyone's layout no matter how complex or simplistic is a fine work of art just the way it is.  I believe this to be true because it is YOUR individual expression and I honor YOUR expression without any judgement in terms of good or bad.

When working on our layouts we can experience getting into the "zone" or tapping into a field of creative energy which allows the mind to still ( totally loosing ourself in our process of creating or building ).    This is the same field of creative energy  that any visual or performing artists ( including, Pablo Casals, Van Gough, Michel Angelo, Renoir,  Rod Stewart, Wynton Marsalis and Willie Nelson ) gets into when performing or practicing.  I speak here as both a professional musician and as a model railroad visual artist. I have experienced this same creative energy in both performing &practicing music, and working on my model railroad.... this energy is powerful!!

  All performing artists and visual artists can always look back on their most recent performance and, through the use of video tape and digital recording, see/hear where they can make changes to improve the next performance ..... just as model railroaders can view their most recent creative endeavor and either be satisfied or make an attempt to change it in some way to bring it closer to their imagination's mental image.   Art is NEVER perfect.  We must not fall into the trap of comparing our art ( layout )  with that of someone elses. There will always be more experienced skilled model railroaders than we might be at the present and at the same time we will always be more skilled and experienced than some others.  What determines the quality of our creative process is being able to tap into that energy that stills our minds and allows us to become totally absorbed in the moment as we create our model railroad art .....and did we have fun during that time of creation? Fun is what this hobby or any hobby for that matter is about.

We watch our art perform as, accessories operate, lights twinkle, and trains run on track plans that we have created,  through the hills, mountains, city's, towns, country side, and in front of backdrops, that we have created from within our own imaginations ....  and by viewing our show on our theatrical stage our minds are relieved from our daily pressures thus elevating our mood ( hopefully :-) and providing some fun as if we are kids again.  We love showing our art to others to enjoy so that they too are uplifted.

I think model railroading is about creative process and not always necessarily about an end result. After all a layout is never completed.  We are all creative artists.