The Challenge of Challenges...

[wm3798]

So it occurs to me that our challenges have gone a bit stale.

Meanwhile, my partner in crime Rhodana has taken up crafting handmade soaps as a hobby.  And there is a very vibrant community out there doing some pretty cool stuff.  Here's the site she's been lingering over while I've been scanning the Railwire...
https://soapchallengeclub.com/

The admin puts up a monthly challenge, and the participants actually pay to play.  I think the fee is like $7, it's outlined on the site.  Anyway, this gives the participants "skin in the game" when they enter, and it gives the admin some cashflow to maintain the site as well as provide gift certificates and other fabulous prizes to the winners.  (I think there's a paypal account or some other such easy mechanism to pay on line, and the fee is basically equivalent to a couple of cups of coffee, so it's not a challenge to enter the challenge.)

I really like this concept.  I see a lot of stillborn projects float by under these challenges, including my own, mostly because they are relatively unstructured other than a voting deadline, and there's no downside to not finishing of following through.

The beauty of a challenge is that it should really make you think about how you might meet the goals during the time allotted.  When you don't have anything really invested in it though, those ideas can be fleeting.  I guess I want reinvigorate my own modeling, and if you know me, the thought of losing $7 could be just the ticket to keep me motivated.

Plus, with the accumulated fees will allow @tom mann to finally afford that villa in Barcelona he's always wanted.

With all the collective internet design wisdom in our midst, it shouldn't be that hard to pull off. 

What say you?

Oh, and by the way, Rho won Sponsor's Choice and this was her first time out!  $20 gift certificate to get more soap stuff!

https://www.instagram.com/p/BtHrsYjnXO4/?utm_source=ig_share_sheet&igshid=i2cf5s9rph98

Lee

[garethashenden]

I entered the first challenge, and I’m still working on it, but I was really caught out by the deadline. Based off not much, I assumed that the January to March challenge would run until the end of March, not the middle.
I think there could be a space for more shorter challenges. One that occurs to me is “Load a Flatcar”. Flatcars carry so many interesting loads in all eras that there’s a lot of choice available. But it’s also quite contained, they’re much smaller than buildings and even when super detailed shouldn’t take too long. I bet we could come up with a bunch of projects that size and do them on a monthly basis.
I’m not opposed to a fee, but I’m not sure it’s striclty nessecary. Was there discussion of a third challenge last year? I did the Industrial Structre, but not the MOW car, so I may have missed the conversation. I wonder if the MOW car challenge could have been a one month challenge. It would have been harder, but there would have been less time to loose interest or get distracted, so that might keep people “focused”.

[DKS]

Ordinarily I'm up for a modeling challenge, anytime, anyplace. Unfortunately, if one was launched tomorrow (or indeed in the next several months), I'd have to pass--my current "modeling" challenge is building a livable space for myself. That's not to say anyone else is facing 1:1 challenges like mine, but I have a sense I'm not totally alone in my predicament. I'd enjoy the vicarious experience of a challenge for those who are able to participate. Perhaps we could do a poll to determine the theme of the next challenge? At least we know the interests of quite a number of members: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=46332.0

[Jbub]

Ordinarily I'm up for a modeling challenge, anytime, anyplace. Unfortunately, if one was launched tomorrow (or indeed in the next several months), I'd have to pass--my current "modeling" challenge is building a livable space for myself. That's not to say anyone else is facing 1:1 challenges like mine, but I have a sense I'm not totally alone in my predicament. I'd enjoy the vicarious experience of a challenge for those who are able to participate. Perhaps we could do a poll to determine the theme of the next challenge? At least we know the interests of quite a number of members: https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=46332.0

You are not alone in this. My foundation is set to pour at the end of March and I would much rather be building the layout that will be in the house than build the house itself. But I guess (for me anyway) the wifes comfort takes precedent over trains. Plus watching others build models gives me ideas for future projects.

[wm3798]

I like the idea of a quick and dirty flat car load challenge.  I tried to do the structure challenge too, but it got lost in the sauce partly due to the long deadline, mostly due to my short attention span.
The mow challenge was pretty cool, and I would have done that, except I have  pretty complete train already.

So what would be some other quick turn around projects we could pursue?
Lee

[mu26aeh]

So what would be some other quick turn around projects we could pursue?
Lee

Patch out a lease locomotive

[garethashenden]

Patch out a lease locomotive

Possibly, but it’s a bit limiting if you don’t model modern railroads. Perhaps “Model a not-your-primary-road locomotive”?

For example, I model the B&M in 1971, no lease engines in sight. But there were PC, EL, and D&H engines showing up on run through trains, so I could model one of those.

[nickelplate759]

There was plenty of leasing going on long ago, but I think it was mostly directly between railroads.  For example, the BAR leased DL109s from the NH in the 1950s.

[Dave V]

I'm hotballs-deep on building my layout, so I'm up for something more layout-ey than equipment-ey.  I'm good in the locomotive department (4 RGS and 3 D&RGW with a brass RGS 4-6-0 in pieces as I get ready to paint and install sound).  The flatcar load challenge has merit for me, though.  I won't lie...my entry would be pretty simple as the vast majority of flatcar loads on the RGS in my era are simply exposed lumber.

[wm3798]

But cosider that the lumber load would have be built, strapped down, and period/locale specific... so there's that.

[John]

Does MBK have it in stock?

[Dave V]

Does MBK have it in stock?

Have what?

[tom mann]

Thanks Lee for starting this.  I have a few reasons for dragging my feet on getting going again, mainly because there are a few loose ends with the last sponsor prizes that I don’t think are sorted yet.

[wm3798]

Which might help sell the idea of an entrance fee...  No need to rely on the charity of others for prizes...
Hopefully the sorting gets sorted sort of soon!

Lee

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I like the idea of a quick and dirty flat car load challenge.

I HAD a great flatcar load. And then you threw it out