What articles would you like to read in the NGS Journal?

[scotsoft]

The moderating team have now received yet another reported post regarding the editor of the journal.

If members continue having a go at Grahame, then We will have no choice but to lock this thread.

Please take this as a last warning.

Thank you - John.

[Caz]

I just tried the link Mike gave and it opened in Dropbox but did come up with a requester to run "Flash" which quite a few of the various browsers are now disabling by default due to its security concerns.

Whenever I've submitted articles in the past Word type docs and pdf's have been perfectly acceptable but if accepted they usually want high grade images sent as well.

[ChrisWV10]

I wonder if some kind soul could write a short article on the parts and what they do of a typical motor? I see mention of armatures, brushes, pick ups, gears, worms and I have no idea what they are or what they do. 

I would be happy to write something but am reluctant to expose my mediocre modelling ability and vague prototype knowledge to criticism especially after being spectacularly shot down on another forum to which I no longer contribute.
Is this a common feeling among members, that they perceive an expert membership who won't be interested in beginners experiences?

I like the newer look journal  from me.

C.

[N-Gauge-US]

I wonder if some kind soul could write a short article on the parts and what they do of a typical motor? I see mention of armatures, brushes, pick ups, gears, worms and I have no idea what they are or what they do. 

I would be happy to write something but am reluctant to expose my mediocre modelling ability and vague prototype knowledge to criticism especially after being spectacularly shot down on another forum to which I no longer contribute.
Is this a common feeling among members, that they perceive an expert membership who won't be interested in beginners experiences?

I like the newer look journal  from me.

C.

I am sorry about your experience. It sounds like a bad one. I truly hope you haven't had anything of the sort happen to you on here. Some members are quick to offer their knowledge here but usually I find it is for the purpose of education, not simply to correct you.

I can't speak for what would be interesting to the whole NGS membership but it seems that many of the articles people have requested on here might be termed 'basic' information and so there certainly seems to be some interest in articles geared towards the less experienced modeller. If there is something you would like to write about, I'm sure if you posted your thoughts on here, other members (myself included) would do their best to aid you with whatever information you needed!

And I certainly wouldn't mind seeing an article discussing the different available motors that come in rtr locos and the pros and cons they have, as well as some detail about how they operate.

[Pengi]

Whilst I am not an NGS subscriber so cannot make any comment about how I perceive the NGS.

However 'Experts' started out as beginners. So it is shameful that they shot you down in flames On this forum there is no such thing as a silly question, we promote a convivial atmosphere  where we all help each other out so I agree with @N-Gauge-US that if you posted your thoughts on here, we will help.

[ChrisWV10]

No no it wasn't here! I've found everyone to be very friendly and amicable. Lots of friendly banter on threads and genuine concern for other members when their circumstances take a downward turn.   

C. 

[Greybags]

I would enjoy some more about the various PC tools that are available, plotter/cutters, 3D printers, scanner/cutters and more about the use of DCC for things other than locos. Points control, turntable control, and finally intergrating the PC into full control of a layout...

A lot of what's in there sometimes seem so "yesterday", and no I'm no "yoof" just an old retired codger trying to drag himself into the 21st Century and get the best from what is now available to us to enjoy our layouts..

[Richard G Dallimore]

I would enjoy some more about the various PC tools that are available, plotter/cutters, 3D printers, scanner/cutters and more about the use of DCC for things other than locos. Points control, turntable control, and finally intergrating the PC into full control of a layout...

A lot of what's in there sometimes seem so "yesterday", and no I'm no "yoof" just an old retired codger trying to drag himself into the 21st Century and get the best from what is not available to us to enjoy our layouts..

DCC beyond driving loco's is all a bit of a dark art to me as well no doubt I could work it out so would agree a few introduction articles would be interesting to get the ideas flowing.

[NeMo]

I would enjoy some more about the various PC tools that are available, plotter/cutters, 3D printers, scanner/cutters and more about the use of DCC for things other than locos. Points control, turntable control, and finally intergrating the PC into full control of a layout...

Articles like these *can* be good but they're difficult to write well.

The problem is that non-professionals frequently fall into the trap of extolling the virtues of whatever product they own without experience of many/any of the others. For example, they mistake ease of use with familiarity. Just because they've learned all the kinks and quirks of a program doesn't mean it's a well-designed piece of software.

To give an analogy: my kitchen seems very well laid out to me because I know where everything is from years of living in this house. To you my kitchen might seem like chaos because it's different. This is, fundamentally, the heart of the Mac vs. PC debate; they're both good, they both have different strengths and weaknesses, but because home users rather than pros tend to be able to afford just one or the other, they muddle up their expertise with one platform (which they have) with expertise of home computers generally (which they don't have).

Professional writers for computer/tech magazines and websites will be sent software for free, so have the ability to try out different word processors, photo editing software, and so on. Home users buy something once, and because software can be relatively expensive, they'll stick with it, upgrading periodically because the manufacturer deliberately makes good value deals to keep users sticking with that product.

Personally though I find DCC very dull*, and wouldn't want to see too many articles of this sort in the NGS Journal. I'm much more enthusiastic about the articles about actual modelling, the articles that teach me how to do things with bits of plasticard or brass!

Cheers, NeMo

*In part because I have trouble enough getting DC working properly with my hopeless track laying skills, and partly because I feel it's a dead-end technology. The future, surely, is rechargeable battery powered locos controlled by radio or even wireless networking. No need to keep the track clean because power's on board and signalling comes via the aether!

[Greybags]

I would enjoy some more about the various PC tools that are available, plotter/cutters, 3D printers, scanner/cutters and more about the use of DCC for things other than locos. Points control, turntable control, and finally intergrating the PC into full control of a layout...

This is, fundamentally, the heart of the Mac vs. PC debate; they're both good, they both have different strengths and weaknesses..

Home users buy something once, and because software can be relatively expensive,

It is these very reasons why articles about the differences are so important, so as to provide people with information so as they can make a more informed choice, and then when they do buy something it is with more confidence it will do what they want.

I enjoy making models from card or plastic, but eyesight can sometimes make seeing N gauge difficult and stiff fingers can make cutting difficult and painful, so the option to be able to scan something like a Scalescenes model, set the cut lines on a pc and then have a machine cut it out for me seems like a brilliant solution, especially as I have seen this done.

So more info on what else could help us would be wonderful.

[zwilnik]

Likewise, despite having a lot of fun with the electronics side of the hobby, that's more something that's useful to read about online where it's immediately up to date. For the printed magazine I'd like to see more articles about actual modelling too. Digging up my old NGS Journals in a couple of years time to read about some computer software or control system that doesn't exist any more (or just isn't compatible with my system) seems a waste of paper.

[NeMo]

I do look at things like the Silhouette Cameo and wonder whether these could be a good tool for scratch-building. Imagine laying out all the walls on a computer, and having a cutter do the work for you, including perfectly sized holes for windows and doors!

(Right now doing this with scalpel and plasticard, and it's not my favourite job at all...)

An article on using one of these computerised cutters for building models would be great.

Cheers, NeMo

I enjoy making models from card or plastic, but eyesight can sometimes make seeing N gauge difficult and stiff fingers can make cutting difficult and painful, so the option to be able to scan something like a Scalescenes model, set the cut lines on a pc and then have a machine cut it out for me seems like a brilliant solution, especially as I have seen this done.

[woodbury22uk]

I do look at things like the Silhouette Cameo and wonder whether these could be a good tool for scratch-building. Imagine laying out all the walls on a computer, and having a cutter do the work for you, including perfectly sized holes for windows and doors!

(Right now doing this with scalpel and plasticard, and it's not my favourite job at all...)

An article on using one of these computerised cutters for building models would be great.

Cheers, NeMo

Good idea.

There was a 3 page article in Railway Modeller in October 2014 pp786-788 by Mike Fleming about making full colour printed passenger stock this way, and there is a lengthy detailed and effective tutorial here:- http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/80563-introduction-to-using-inkscape-to-produce-cutting-files/

Although I agree there is scope for an article I think one which sets out where we are now with links to various resources would be more useful than a tutorial geared to N in the Journal. The RM article is an incentive to investigate further and provides guidance without being a full blow by blow account.

I think that Dorsetmike has already covered the subject on this Forum in a few topics.

[simong]

I enjoy reading about other peoples layouts and they often provide inspiration.  Not so keen on "expert how to" articles purely because I do not have the time, and sometimes the skills or interest, to undertake such tasks.  I barely have the time to build the basic layout so seeing others helps. Happy for a balanced Journal with a good mix so we all get what works for us.

[N-Gauge-US]

Apparently there is a plea for quality copy again in the new NGS journal (haven't gotten mine yet, just repeating what I was told), so I thought it might be a good time to stir this thread up. If you got an article halfway written last year, now might be the time to finish it!