Where do you get your modelling info from, real life, books, magazines, internet, friends, your club?
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Yes. All of the above.
Paul,
I model a prototype, the Pennsylvania Railroad's Panhandle Division. My information comes from all the books I can find on the subject (very few, BTW), my own photos of the area, the Pennsylvania Railroad Technical & Historical Society (PRRT&HS), various museums, and of course, the Internet. I also talk to other modelers that are interested in the same area. I know a number of HO modelers who have done the Panhandle. They point me to sources (and I do the same for them).
George
I think that I am inspired by my memories of real trains, stories from my grandpa and uncles who worked on the railroad, watching real trains, and ideas from friends. I have gotten a few ideas from model RR magazines, but a lot more on this forum. Visiting friends layouts s an outstanding source of info for me.
Art
I got to a point on my layout where I needed help and I knew that I had no skills when I would get to the scenery. I contacted Brian Inch of Model Rail Scenes if he wanted to help me. He dropped in on his way home from the big E train show and I showed him how I was confused about mounting the control panel and I had not started the scenery although I had started accumulating materials, such as, ballast, trees, buildings, and vehicles.
He agreed to help me and came to our condo for two separate three day visits. The first visit saw the completion of the control panel and some changes in my track work to add two sidings and move one siding. The second visit accomplished most of the necessary scenery in a way that I could not have imagined. There are a few minor things that he wants to finish and some stuff that I want to add.
The layout will be the talk of the community and Brian's ideas and work will be the cause of it. Great job, Brian!
Being a member of a train club. Visiting other people's layout. Books, Magazines etc
dont be afraid to start a project--you learn as you go--just like in life
Originally Posted by Pat Kn:
Yes. All of the above.
plus 1 here.....Greg
I would say all of what you mentioned. I also try to use my imagination with real world things to incorporate what I want to do.
Everywhere.
All that you mentioned in your post, except the club. We have no O gauge club here that I have been able to find. Even my LHS doesn't know of one. I think a club would sure be a great resource though, maybe the best of them all. For me hands on experience and/or watching and working with others that know what they are doing is the best way to learn.
Reallife,Books,Internet and Friends!
Multiple sources over the course of 50+ years in the hobby.
Rusty
Books, magazines, first hand experience, train shows, videos, fellow modelers etc... The list goes on and on!
Ouija board and chicken entrails.
But don't tell nobody... 
I'm pretty much limited to real life these days because of the specific nature of what I'm modelling. However, I did learn a lot of my skills from all of the other sources over the years.
Originally Posted by p51:
Ouija board and chicken entrails.
But don't tell nobody...
And the truth finally comes out.
My Local Hobby Shops.
Bert & Ulmer have always been my first place to learn about the hobby and for in store service, I also see Pat, just down the street at his shop.
Gary • Cheers from The Detroit & Mackinac Railway
I get mine from this site, OGR magazine, and talking to folk at train shows as well as a couple of friends.
Originally Posted by trainroomgary:
My Local Hobby Shops.
I'm not talking smack about any of the hobby shops I ever went to in my lifetime, but I have learned next to nothing about the hobby from any of them other than what items are coming out and opinions of how good said items are.
And sadly, there's a local hobby shop here. Not plural. There were several when I moved to this area in 1998, and only one now. The next one past that is almost 100 miles away, and the 'local' one is almost 50 miles away, in an area I don't get to nearly as much as I'd like.
The internet, books, and the internet.
Jim
When I need information, I call my good friend Locolawyer.
Everything and the help from you guys on the forum
I get information from anywhere I can, in life and when I'm Doing a modeling project. I've never done any modeling project where I've felt I had too much information--most of the time I'm scrambling to find enough information to make a good educated guess about an important dimension or detail.
Jeff C
