Mr. Lindsay,
I subscribe to Model Railroad News and really enjoy reading all the articles on trains. I do a little collecting, only on a small scale, but I enjoy working in model railroading. I have a small collection of O-Scale, and in the last year started getting into N-Scale. I enjoy reading all the new information you put out about N-Scale in Model Railroad News.
I have always wanted to build a layout, but I just do not have a room large enough available to do one in O-Scale. So I started looking at N-Scale, and I realized I could easily do one in that size. I started about five months ago to make the dream come true. I enjoyed it more than I ever realized I would, and today I am quite proud of the results. Now, friends are asking me how to assemble a layout. I am glad to help them get started. Many people have made the statement, "I’d love to try model railroading, but I just don’t have the room.” Well, even a small apartment has at least 49 inches long, by 33-1/2 inches wide.
In the future, I may be able to take my layout to scout meetings, church meetings, and other young people groups to introduce them to model railroading. It will fit in the back of an SUV.
It can be done. Happy railroadin’!
Gerald A. Shanahan
North Augusta, SC
Dear Sirs,
I applaud the comments in the November issue of MRN of reader Ed Bigelow regarding the dodgery of manufacturers in unveiling and advertising their wares. Taking his point one step further, I call our collective attention to manufacturers who opt to use photos in hobby-wide publications of unpainted, preproduction (and the like) products they intend to market. Indeed, at least one such ad from a most prominent manufacturer appears in the same issue of MRN. The intent is clearly to create hype and buying fervor in advance of the actual delivery of product, often only to the frustration and disappointment of consumers.
We’re big boys and girls out here — we can wait until the items are truly ready for dissemination in order to have an accurate idea of what it is we are about to purchase before driving to the hobby shop, or worse yet, committing funds over the Internet. And if we’re that patient, so, too, should manufacturers be to take the extra 6 - 8 weeks to get things right in their advertising. Manufacturers mustn’t dangle carrots they can’t or don’t truly produce.
And to stick my neck out even further, perhaps our hobby’s journals shouldn’t accept such advertising as well. This would settle the issue quite quickly.
David Hughes
Glyndon, Maryland
From the hobbiest’s viewpoint, seeing products advertised before they are actually available can be frustrating. But, having a product produced in insufficient quantities because the manufacturer failed to judge the demand correctly would be even worse for the hobbiest. Advance advertising helps manufacturers determine the demand for a given product through advance orders. It also can be used to increase interest in the product before it is actually available, resulting in more sales.
But isn’t that a good thing for our hobby? If you have to wait 6 to 8 weeks for the product to show up at your dealer so you can make your purchasing decision based on seeing the product first hand (which I often do), chances are the manufacturer produced enough examples so that your dealer actually has one on the shelf. — Ed
