What's Your Forte of Knowledge in this Hobby?

My strongest point is repairing locomotives and upgrading them to TMCC.

I used to try to learn as much as possible about 3/16th Marx, but with escalating prices, I have slacked off in that, and have probably forgotten some of it,  and now am "a Jack of some trades, and a master of none".

Don't have one. That's why I'm hanging out here.

I know nothing

I have PostWar roots and at our modular displays I am called upon to answer PostWar questions......However, since I got back into the hobby in 1980, I have learned a little bit about all aspects of the hobby, but honestly, I do not consider myself a master of any particular era or skill...

Peter

I'd like to think Pre-Lionel K-line items. Especially the scale items they introduced After the GP-38. That being said there is always more to learn.

I have been able to hear a lot of cool stories from many of those I've met in the hobby (including a few K-line employees.) Some of my favorite are the  2005 K-line" February Fair Days" Scale Erie F-3 set delivered by Lionel, the very very small run of a road number for their NC Dot F59PHi Diesels, and the story of how their gateman figure was modeled to look like one of their employees.

I am uneasy with the phrase "forte of knowledge".   I cannot find anything specifically wrong with it, but I think a forte is almost by definition the posession of some specialized knowledge or desire.

The "forte" of my knowledge about not just trains but all things was best expressed by Texas Bix Bender when he said, "Never miss a good chance to shut up."

Pete

bob2 posted:

I am uneasy with the phrase "forte of knowledge".   I cannot find anything specifically wrong with it, but I think a forte is almost by definition the posession of some specialized knowledge or desire.

So, you are saying the phrase is inherently redundant.  I had a similar reaction.  It should probably be stated 'forte in knowledge' or better 'forte in this hobby'.  Forte simply means strength or expertise.  'Expertise of knowledge' is awkward phraseology. 

Sorry to to pick on you Thomas.  Some of us are sticklers for writing and grammar.  Maybe that is our forte.

Semantics aside...within my network DCS command with the pundits on this forum "got my back"

bluelinec4 posted:

I know nothing

HAH!!! I was going to say that. So I'll just say I'm pulling a Shultz.

After being in this hobby all of my life I'd have to say, without reservation, that I have an unparalleled expertise and excellence of execution in knowing what trains I like.

Show me any model train from any manufacturer and I can give you an indisputably accurate answer of whether I like it or not.

"Behold the King, the King of Kings                                                                                                                                                                                 Bow down to the, bow down to the King                                                                                                                                                               Into the dirt, his will be done.                                                                                                                                                                               Now feel your fear, there can be only one.                                                                                                                                                           The King is here, now feel your fear                                                                                                                                                                       The King of Kings                                                                                                                                                                                                      Bow down to the, bow down to the King"

George S posted:

'forte in this hobby'.  Forte simply means strength or expertise. 

.. Some of us are sticklers for writing and grammar.  Maybe that is our forte.

IMO, well stated.

My fort is lincoln logs.

Stuff most sane folks don't care about! LOL 

Sorry to to pick on you Thomas.  Some of us are sticklers for writing and grammar.  Maybe that is our forte.

How do you choose who to correct?
Grammar and spelling aren't my forte, still I see many errors each and every day that go without comment.

I have focused my collecting energies and knowledge gathering on American Flyer.  For the past 9 years I have focused on Prewar American Flyer Wide and Narrow Gauge. For 20 years before that it was Gilbert American Flyer S gauge.  For over 8 years I have hosted a thread on Prewar American Flyer photos.  In that time I have learned a great deal from folks who have been willing to share items in their collections and their collecting experience.  My knowledge of Flyer has been based on the good will of others who have been willing to share what they have learned over the  years.

Jack of all trades, master of none. I'm here to soak it all in and learn what I can. I learned how to solder last week. 

I know everything!

It seems I know just enough to keep getting in trouble, but not enough to shut up.  

On the more serious side, I read the question as: "of the things in this hobby, which one do you know the most about."  not: "what do you know more about than other people".  For me, I know the most about electronics, but not necessarily about the particular electronics in use in modern engines.  Just your general layout wiring and automation issues is probably where I can come up with a solution quickest.  

I'm also particularly skilled in annoying other folks.  

JGL

What he said!  

Guns,

+3

PCRR/Dave

SP Steam.

Mikey

1:43 car models...I collect them. I also know how to plug a transformer into a wall outlet.

Electrical wiring.  Click on the link.

I have this uncanny ability to know when it's time for one of these. 

From George S, above:

So, you are saying the phrase is inherently redundant.  I had a similar reaction.  It should probably be stated 'forte in knowledge' or better 'forte in this hobby'.  Forte simply means strength or expertise.  'Expertise of knowledge' is awkward phraseology. 

Sorry to to pick on you Thomas.  Some of us are sticklers for writing and grammar.  Maybe that is our forte"

Yes. I try. Always have. Language is a tool, sometimes a weapon, but always important, and respect for it is, I would say, one of the most important facets of Humanism. 

Whew! Steamy in here. Now, about those O-gauge trains...

C W Burfle posted:

Sorry to to pick on you Thomas.  Some of us are sticklers for writing and grammar.  Maybe that is our forte.

How do you choose who to correct?
Grammar and spelling aren't my forte, still I see many errors each and every day that go without comment.

Not to distract from the original intent of this thread, but just for conversation sake on this side issue, let me share a personal and admittedly subjective perspective.

Skill with language, or the lack of it, says a great deal about a person. I would much rather be perceived as literate than illiterate, or less than literate.

Furthermore, in this modern age, misuse of language can be a clue that an e-mail is from a dubious or nefarious source. For example, today, I received an e-note from an alleged attorney who felt he needed to alert me to some litigation he was providing for somebody with a last name similar to my own. In addition to the fact that this message arrived in my Spam, the plethora of misspelled words and inappropriate words, such as "there" being used where he should have used "they're," he had a number of sentence-fragments in his text. Those were clear signs to me that he was either totally bogus or, at the very least, not somebody I would hire for legal representation. Into the Trash his message went, without any reply from me.

Use of language tells a great deal about the document's author, IMO.

Also, regarding your question about whom one would choose to correct, criticizing others on this or any other forum for grammatical or spelling errors is not something I have ever elected to do. I would only offer criticism if it were requested, and there might be a charge for such a service. I get paid for private tutoring, or do so as a welcomed participant in an official effort, such as helping a school's principal refine a document going to the state, which has often happened in my professional career.

From my perspective, as an English teacher, I don't think criticizing others for spelling and/or grammar choices has a place here. It does not help foster a sense of community and can lead to needless friction.

FrankM.

My forte is my knack for trivia makes me remember odd things I pick up along the way (mostly from old model railroading publications). This is how I come up with those odd modeling answers to some questions posed on the forum.

As I tell people, my brain is the repository of useless information. 

My forte is ignoring all the grammar police.

JohnGaltLine posted:

On the more serious side, I read the question as: "of the things in this hobby, which one do you know the most about."  not: "what do you know more about than other people".   

As for myself, my layout is mostly an extension of my knowledge in the history of the RR I model as well as overall knowledge of the timeframe I model (the WW2 era). I am considered, by some, to be a subject matter expert on peripheral subjects in that general area, having written for magazines, consulted for books, TV shows and movies, and been on camera for PBS, CNN and the History Channel for historical subjects.

I know a great deal about other subjects that really have little or nothing to do with my layout.

As for what I'm personally doing, I have found myself having to totally re-learn most of the stuff in the hobby, having left it in the 90s (though I always kept a running interest in 1:1 scale trains). When I got back, I found that the hobby had changed substantially, most of it for the better, IMHO. So I have found myself re-learning all the stuff I used to know, with all the new technology and techniques. Scenery and electronics are the primary ones I had to re-learn as they've both changed so much since I was last in the hobby. I had to have two guys to pretty much do all the wiring and DCC work as I was totally clueless as I didn't know anyone into any type of DCC back in the day. I'm actually glad I waited, in several ways.

Electronics. 

Spending money on trains. As in too much of it. I hold a PhD in that category and nothing else.

Dave,

You beat me by 10 minutes on the same 'expertise'!  I've probably been doing it longer though, 65 years to when I got 'into it' at age 5!  Got a few bills wrapped up in HO, Lionel and my old cars.  I always rationalize though, I don't like eating out, vacations, cable TV and have only bought 3 new cars in my life so; even though some of the stuff maybe worth 1/2 of what it use to be, it's still worth a lot more than a new car that was bought 15 years ago (assuming you even still have the car)!  Plus, I can enjoy my 'toys' until I croak, where as the other stuff is gone.

Sam

RoyBoy posted:

My strongest point is repairing locomotives and upgrading them to TMCC.

I need to hang around RoyBoy more. I would pay to acquire this skill. Unfortunately, my forte is learning the easiest way to do something. 

Steam locomotives and diesel electric locomotives. The real ones, that is.

I've done this a few times

Before/after:

And I spiked rail to wooden ties using miniature spikes totaling 1500' of track (Not counting my other two basement layouts: a hobby boarders on the insanity!).

samparfitt posted:

..... And I spiked rail to wooden ties using miniature spikes totaling 1500' of track (Not counting my other two basement layouts: a hobby boarders on the insanity!).

That IS borderline! lol. It sure does look great, though! Really nice work.

Me, I'm trying  to become a pro at installing and utilizing electronic boards in the smaller scales.

gunrunnerjohn posted:

My forte is ignoring all the grammar police.

Me too. I use bad grammar just to annoy the grammar police.