Incredible Urban Decay Modeling

[Rossford Yard]

Most of the single guys would give a left nut to get some hot blondes to come to their open house layout.  IF calling it trendy art and serving wine and cheese is what it takes, I sense a trend......Hey, I bet Fonzie would give it a try!  Cooooool......

No, seriously, anything that makes old fashion scale modeling an art, that glorifies it in most anyway is probably a good thing.  I would almost sense and MR article on it, slightly OT, unless they contact those guys and find that Art Curren was their guru.  And, a possible new growth market for the Kalmbach Dept or recycled articles and books.

Thinking about it, maybe MR needs a boost in circulation anyway (checked the Jan issue, and circulation dipped another 10K this year to 89+K, following a decade of 10K annual drops from 220K

[Jesse6669]

I have to say I got a kick out of the wineglass-girl photo... maybe she would be as interested in the same display at a train show??     

The other, more positive part of me says here's a group of people really captivated by some great modelling, and this shows that (modelling) it isn't really "too dorky for words"

[daniel_leavitt2000]

No. Just no. The only reason she is there is to prove her status by going to an art show. She would have the same appreciation fir these models as she would have for a performance artist eating dirty cat liter.

Its a scene because you are seen, not fir the artists.

I have run into this sort of crowd before and they "annoy" me.

[Rossford Yard]

At the very least, your layout back story would have to be a bit hipper than "I model the Monon from 1954 to...."  Would have to start out "It was a gritty time to be an American......" or some such.  Anything other than a "dark and stormy night" (unless, of course, you have appropriate animation)

[jwb]

I will say that Feigenbaum's ideas inspired me in parts of my layout. One idea he had was to take cheapo Bachmann autos and chop them up into burned-out cars:

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[victor miranda]

as I sat on an noon so pretty
there came a posting, a posting on my lap top screen.
it said, art no more.

 
the hot chica is there for status one supposes.
and from all I can tell about hot chica...
what her girlz say is far more important to her
than the guys (dorky of what ever isn't dorky)

after you get past that point in your thinking,
women are easy to lure... shiny baubles are very effective.
just keep in mind what her friends think is more important
than what you think.

back to the art?
if it sells, then the artis can use the money to make more
or to buy baubles.

as long as it sells....
once it sells we all gain in status.

[R L Smith]

Or maybe those of us who host open houses ought to add wine and cheese to improve the atmosphere......

This would probably be much more popular than the pretzels and ice tea I usually offer when I host open houses. And since I model the Bath and Hammondsport ("The Champagne Trail") I suppose I have a good excuse...   

Ron

[garethashenden]

I have run into this sort of crowd before and they "annoy" me.

Clearly.

I don't particularly care why people are looking at models. If it's for the modelling or for the art, does it really matter? If someone takes enjoyment, in any form, from your work isn't that a good thing?

[Noah Lane]

I don't know how I feel about the whole gallery display thing. On one hand, it seems a bit silly. But I've also seen far less interesting "art" being displayed at galleries. I think anyone would find these dioramas at least moderately interesting. Especially when free booze is involved.

I originally posted this simply because they were interesting little dioramas. And something a bit out of the norm.

One major difference between what this guy does, and "advanced" model railroading, is that model railroading involves soo much more: track laying, electrical work, prototype knowledge, computer/programming knowledge, carpentry/benchwork, etc. And the intensity levels in each of these categories can vary greatly. But can you imagine how much better your structures/street-scapes would be if you didn't have to spend time fussing with all of those other things? 

[Spades]

Great modeling is great modeling. As for the ideological bourgeoisie vs proletariat N Scale Model Railroad purity test. From one photo you can tell someone situation, motivation and class. Well done Railwire Politruk.  Due to your vigilance and ideological purity, you have extinguished the bonfires of the ground foam and ready to run bourgeoisie.  Long live the modellers paradise, The Railwire Revolution.

Not fit to be a Comrade a$$hat

G
 
Just my lame a$$ humor

[Rossford Yard]

I guess I remember spin art, performance art (yoko ono sitting in a bag)  and all sorts of other modern art that most folks trashed as "not art."  Like I say (and sure no art expert) but modern artists are always looking at something new.  Maybe using scale modeling just had to happen, in the quest for pop art to find something new.  It does feel like the guy "feels it", is modeling something he knows, and does a 9-10 level job of it. 

Anything that makes old school modeling can't hurt us in N scale, esp. since he chose N.  Feature him in a magazine.  MR or NSR could sponsor an urban modeling prize (and later, with new BLMA cornstalks) a rural modeling prize.  In reality, they could do a better job of varying their project layouts by region, scenery type, etc. rather than just another railroad with generic scenery (more or less)

For all those reasons, all is good.  Introduce him to Rod Stewart.

[Rich_S]

Pretty cool stuff - definitely an eye for it.

I don't understand the hostility toward it here, though.

Not sure if your post was in response to my post, but I'll explain my answer. I'm personally not hostile against the modeling, I think the person did a great job. As for the people viewing it, well that is just as much a part of life as the Urban Decay being modeled. My point stems from actually living through the decline of the Steel industry here in the rust belt. Currently I live across the river from an empty lot that use to be Jones and Laughlin Steel, a completely integrated mill that was approx. 7 miles in length and half a mile in width. A integrated mill had the ability to produce steel from raw products. At peak employment, there were slightly over 15,000 people that worked in that mill. Before the mills closure, employment was approx. 10,000 people. When the mill went down, the town and two railroads followed. Now instead of a bustling town, there are empty lots and boarded up buildings. While the modeling is quite good, it reminds me of a painful era in the recent past. Just my 2 cents and your mileage may vary       

[glakedylan]

looks like a page out of north philly

Germantown and Broad or Frankford

[peteski]

Not sure if your post was in response to my post, but I'll explain my answer. I'm personally not hostile against the modeling, I think the person did a great job.

Seems to me that the multiple hostile posts were from Daniel.  Seemed pretty clear to me.

[Rich_S]

Seems to me that the multiple hostile posts were from Daniel.  Seemed pretty clear to me.

Hi Peteski,  Since the post appeared after my post and I didn't want to assume, I decided I'd explain a little further.