What articles for the OGR mag?

Here are two:

How to make trees.  Yes, it's been done before - many ways, and that is the point, a quick survey of them and the differences (pines vs. oaks, etc.).

Gluing together different materials: its easy to glue styrene to styrene or wood to wood, or PVC to PVC, but who hasn't had to/wanted to glue styrene to pot metal or rubber to glass or metal to  . . . 

A step-by-step guide to the use of led lighting strips for passenger cars and structures, to include detailed photographs and diagrams with non-obsolete parts numbers and alternate suppliers.

Pete

Simple and easy to understand tips for getting the most out of Legacy and DCS.

I'm with Pete on this one.  I've read lots from others here on doing LED conversions on passenger cars, but in the end, I still feel lost on what parts to get and how to wire them, and how to put them in the cars.  So many go back and forth over warm or cool lighting.  And as part of the LED thing, include how to change over your locomotives to LEDs too.  If there was an article with this info and detail and step by step instructions, not only would I buy a copy of the mag, I'd subscribe for at least a year as thanks.

Lee,

Here is a thread I started a while ago on making trees. I need to get back to updating it. The Tree Thread

Way less on modeling/landscaping and more on trains. I agree one about LED's would be great. I like a nice blend of the new stuff on the market, a little old and more how to dealing with the engines, rolling stock, power or control.

I'm not interested in another modeling magazine there are others out there. Though spot lights on readers layouts is fine. I like trains - O gauge to be exact and that is what I am looking for.

One or two pages per issue on the history of trains and engine design with pictures. For example the evolution of the "covered wagon" diesels or Hudson or Berkshire steam engines.

I subscribed to both Railroad Model Craftsman and Model Railroader for the better part of 15 years, stopping 3 years ago.

In 'home layout' articles there was always something that I could learn, other than the typical story we get in OGR and CTT about how the author and layout evolved.  I rarely, if ever, "learn" anything in an OGR article about a person's layout.  Can't remember the last time that I saved a layout article in my folders of helpful stuff.

RMC and MR wouldn't dwell on a teaching moment topic but would quite often have 1 to 5 paragraphs on a topic to help teach a technique.  Way more than the one sentence we get now-a-days saying something like "14 gauge wire was used".

That's what I would like to see more of.

- walt

So what your saying, if I read into it correctly, is that rather than just a short article and "seeing" a layout, you'd rather read how it was built...right?

Maybe the mags don't want to have a 4-6 pager on how it was built, just 3-4 pages on the finished product, alot of pics, and let the readers see the things of interest{to each reader}. Maybe the writer didn't or didn't want to include the stats some of us would like...I'm in the cheap seats here so I can't answer the reasons why.

I admit, I've seen a few neat layouts too, and wished there was far more to offer about them{radius' used/heights of elevation/track piece count}.

Laughably, I'd rather see less adverts and more articles...but we all know without those adverts there'd be no mag, as mag sales alone probably isn't enough now-a-days!

My hope is that some or any of the OGR mag staff chime in with their thoughts/wants as well about this threads intention. I also don't want this thread to become any flame war or bash any mag for what they have or had...the threads intent is to look to those here for insite for future articles to further the hobby.

Sure I can think of a few:

1) How to upgrade a engine with the new ERR TMCC and Railsounds 5.0 boards.  Engines being a MTH proto 1 and a Weaver, or 3rd rail engine

2) How to print up and install a large 10-60 ft long photo back drop, from scratch or using a manufacture.

3) Techniques for night to day transitional lighting- any plug and play timed circuits out there? Blue LED's? Rope lights?

4) 101 beginner photo and video techniques lighting/ focus/ motion/ scene set up/ etc.

5) How to install a back ground sound unit. on/off, repeat play back etc....

6) Adding 4 chuffs to you older TMCC engine.

7) Improve sound on those older engines, tricks for speaker mounting, fat boy upgrades, etc.

8) Upgrading your layout with SC-1's/ SC-2's, what they can control and different scenarios Modelers have used them.

9)  Planning for proper staging on your layout, Yard leads, signaling, wiring, detectors, ideas that will help you plan your staging of trains better.

10) How to properly apply decals

I'm with Jdaddy on the how to apply decals article. I would also like to see a step by step article on how to take a modern diesel, strip the paint, re-paint and decal. I was able to achieve this task with help from the forum, but it would be helpful for us beginners to see full start to finish articles on the subject.

I would also be interested in articles profiling some of the 3 Rail clubs across North America, showing their layouts and upcoming events.

Jay in Ottawa

Some very useful suggestions in this thread, and I promise you that I will respond in more detail once I have had a chance to review all the ideas that have been presented, or which will be presented.

The continual challenge, of course, is to find authors willing to tackle these various types of how-to articles.  Step-by-step descriptions of the process, accompanied by properly done photos and/or illustrations, involve quite a bit of effort on an author's part, and relatively few are willing to take up the challenge.  Those who are interested are certainly encouraged to contact me and I'll be more than happy to work with them in the development of their material.

More later….

Bob: RE: "Maybe the mags don't want to have a 4-6 pager on how it was built, just 3-4 pages on the finished product, alot of pics, and let the readers see the things of interest{to each reader}".

No, not at all.  What I liked was that the article would have, as I said, 1 to 5 paragraphs devoted to ONE aspect or technique used.  Not the whole article. 

I like how to articles as well.  I'm just saying that in the 'home layout' articles in MR and RMC it was a nice addition to have that learning experience.  They didn't do it in every article, just now and again.

- walt

Awh, nobody does that.....well, there may be a few of us...

Walter, what aspect{s} of "workig with styrene" would you like to see?

Cool, I was hoping you'd chime in. Please keep us in the loop. This is for OGR mag, lead us to the content you'd like to see and we'll try to make that happen. Feel free to comment on what the mag{and/or you} would like, or have always wanted to show in the mag but haven't gotten yet.

I like the photo's of others layout, but can do without a 3-4 page step by step disertation on how they built it. More product reviews would be awesome.

Allan Miller hinted at the problem:  Even 3-Rail is a niche hobby.  Magazines are always hungry for material.  Our 2- rail magazines are so starved we have resorted to 3-rail material.

I suggest that if you have a topic you would like to see covered, do the study, and write the article yourself.  It can be quite rewarding.  My experience is that about half of my submissions make it to print, and I have been at it for a quarter century.  Do not get discouraged if you get no response - just keep on plugging.  Get somebody to proofread your words and critique your photos before you mail them to the magazine.

Opinion.

I like both...huge layouts aren't of interest to me, but only because I lack the space or money to do that. When someone shows how they did something it can inspire me to either copy it or do my own spin on it.

Product reviews are great, but that requires either free samples from the vendors or the purchase of the same for the mag...and that could get costly. 

I'd guess your articles were of 2 rail nature...if they're starved for articles I can't see why they would't take them?{not trying top be mean- just don't understand}

I agree with the outside source{another person} reading of an article and reviewing it...another perspective can be a good thing if you missed a point or something.

No - OGR published most of my stuff.  Check out the 1990s issues.  Since OGR went three rail exclusively, I submitted exactly one article, just to see if they would publish a 2-rail article.

O Scale News published about half of my articles - and at times it was embarrassing, because I would occupy over half the pages not devoted to ads.

So, no - not mean.  You just thought that I submit to OGR.  Nope - only on the forum.

Well said.  Still, you need submissions.  This is a small group.  Do the rsearch write it, submit it, and don't get your feelings hurt if it is not accepted/ published.

You might be pleasantly surprised!

http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?category=&scale=&manu=&item=65-477&keywords=&words=restrict&instock=Q&split=30&Submit=Search

Book -- A Beginner's Guide to Creative Effects for Your Model Railroad

For many of the ?'s above check out this book lots of useful stuff in it details on LED's etc.

As for photo backdrops of 60 feet leave that to the professionals backdrop warehouse

Takes a huge computer and file to create something that big and lot of skill to do it!

*How to do wiring and running DCS and Legacy control systems.  I can do the track set-up and scenery...but I am not electrically...or electronically inclined.  I know it's been done it the forums, but it'd be nice to see a mag article with pics on the subject.

*How to make grades on your layout.  Again...step-by-step article with pics.

*How to set up track/road signal crossings prototypically.

*Different ways to make roads for towns and layouts.

Matt

I could see an atricle on "repainting", but sadly there's little out there now for decals in O scale...well, for my herald at least......it seems not as many folks take an undecorated anything any more to make their own- nor are the undecorated offerings so plentiful now as they used to be. There are some of us still that go that route, but it's a dwindling amount compared to the old days of O scale...most folks would rather buy the piece in the livery they want even if it's not exactly what they want. 

Still, it would be a good filler if there was nothing else that month...adding how to mini sand blast would be a good way to go since the paints out there now really like to stick!

One thing that just came to mind, and I'm suprised I hadn't thought of this earier since I've done it before{long ago}, "resin casting" or "resin casting prototype pieces for mutiple use"{homemade light posts/catenary towers/bilevel commuter cars/flat or gondola car loads...}...the issue here is to promote scratchbuilt replication and not making copies of others stuff for profit.

My vote is for Texas Pete.

And I would be happy to publish such an article.  Just need to find someone to write it.

This is a very good subject. Quite awhile back I suggested an idea for a regular feature in OGR where the article always started out "How did you"... and then some area of the hobby would finish the sentence such as: "How did you... make your country roads?...do your ballasting?...make your own decals?  Everyone of us would have an opportunity to give our way of doing it. This I believe would lead to a lot of useful info for both the novice and seasoned vet. A regular feature like this would be along the same line as what you all are proposing here. I don't need another article on how to build the framework for a layout but I could use one on wiring the layout using very simple terms, photos and you should and should not do. There are a lot of other "How did you"s out there that everybody has a novel way of doing it. 

I'm for articles relating to any type of LED lighting, caboose, passenger cars, structures, etc.

I would think that vendors who sell the LED's, strips, smoke units, electronic boards should be willing to tackle writing a "how to" article for OGR.  It would boost their sales and they may back up with service help when needed.

There are also those forum member who have made LED, smoke unit, installed electronics, etc., themselves who could do articles also.  There is no better way to learn than by someone's experiences in doing the task, including lessons learned.

From what I have learned, what text and photo's you send in for an article in OGR, Allan will help if he can to make article right.  He helped me when I did mine. 

This is a great thread and one which will inspire future pages in OGR I'm sure.

Steve, Lady and Tex

An excellent idea, Paul!