A recent inability to finish any projects forced me to reconsider my motivations and goals for modeling. I have been in somewhat of a rut after so many years of focusing intently on constructing a fairly ambitious model railroad, unable to finish most of the bench projects (weathering, detailing, scratchbuilding, etc.) that I begin.
In reflecting on this--by which I mean staring for extended periods of time at the shelf of in-progress projects in my modeling studio--I've slowly come to the realize that the goals and standards I have for my current in-progress projects are somewhat uncaptivating. Allow me to explain.
Some may recall a post I wrote about a year ago describing my theory of the "vital few," a purely hypothetical application of the 80/20 principle to model railroading. Essentially, my idea is that in a train of 30 cars, 6 highly-detailed, showcase models do the "heavy lifting" in terms of the viewer's visual experience of the train (level of detail and realism, etc.) while the other 24 models function as "fillers."
In practice, this approach allows for fairly effective prioritization of what projects to engage in when also contructing a layout, BUT is not effective for engaging with bench projects only. The principle falls apart when bench projects aren't competing with layout building. Why? Well, 80% of the projects are "filler" models, which simply aren't that captivating without a layout to put them on.
So a bit of a change is in order. Currently, with no active construction occuring on the Cascade Sub, I have no need to model "fillers." Instead I am shifting my priroties to focus on completing higher-quality models, the so-called "vital few" showcase models. Practically, this shift means new standards for finished models (fine details, semi-scale wheels, scale couplers, top-notch weathering, etc.) as well as a shift in mindset, taking the time to develop new skills, embracing the challenge of modeling, and attempting new things.
The shelf of "in-progress" models is still a problem, but at least now I have a direction. No longer is the focus "getting through" projects simply to deem them complete and put them into service on the layout. Rather, my new approach is more about developing as the modeler: how can I improve my skills, challenge myself and, in the process, complete better models.
Stay tuned, this will certainly be an adventure!
Hello John. I think your concept of the 80/20 principle is sound here. Much of a train is simply grey covered hoppers or black tank cars or red boxcars. Your vital few would be the standout cars -- interesting graffiti and weathering, and since they draw the eye, super-detailing would also be a good time investment. When railfanning, these vital few would be the cars we photograph, while the other 80% are indeed the filler we don't study.
ReplyDeleteNow, I like your idea of focusing right now on the vital few for two reasons. As you said, they're more motivating to you right now. In the future, you may be working on scenery or other big layout projects, and then it would make sense to have less intensive weathering projects at that time... The filler cars. The second reason is that. With a smaller railroad, personally I can afford to make pretty much every car a standout subject. If I only have 25 to 30 cars total, it's reasonable. When you have a huge layout with 200, not so much. So in your current set-up with plans for the small shelf layout, focusing on the super detailed cars is a good idea.
Also, focusing on higher quality is good simply because you'll be able to explore new techniques and products for weathering. Always strive to improve! You'll find efficiencies; ways to effectively convey weathering effects with less work. This comes through practice and experience.
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