Not a confrontationable post but as a newbie attending TINGS when diesel was seventy per cent prevelent I then went to GrantHam to see the mallard where the total opposite was the case over the deltic on view I just dont understand it. what do people see in diesels they just seem variations on a metalbox to me yet thesepeople are the die hards. Is it a bit why rock and roll descendedinto weired stuff like tangerime dream ? Ie the core interest wasnt enough ?

I'm not sure that diesel dominates but I can see where you are coming from.
I suppose that those of us who can remember steam are getting less and less. Many people will model things they know and remember so it is only natural that many people (who have only ever known diesel/electric) will model the more modern stuff.
Personally, I model the steam/diesel transition period so I have the best of both worlds.
As for Rock n Roll. I'd say it lives on. Music has developed and all genres will have their devotees.

More of us remember diesels from when we were younger and so they link us to a time remembered nostalgically?
Diesel RTR models and corresponding wagons from their era are more prolific than steam ones and so naturally most N gauge buyers will gravitate towards them?
Diesels are better than steam trains???

Who knows!

Rock and roll evolved into electronica, prog rock, punk and any other sub-genre you care to mention when musicians wanted to express themselves and free themselves (and us) from the shackles of chart mediocrity. You can't say that about the Deltic.

I didn't think that diesels did dominate TINGS!

But possible reason if they did - is that many people model either what they grew up with or what they see around them. There are increasingly few people who grew up with steam. 

Personally I prefer the look of diesels and electrics...

Cheers, Mike

Another possible reason is diesels are more readily available, cheaper and from what I've read recently, much more reliable!

I think the reason in N is because diesels have less to damage on them when under show conditions just my thoughts,but at Grantham show N was well represented and at least one layout was steam did not have a time to see all the layouts as i was running Goseunderton my own layout
kevin

Totally agree chris  i biought a real good class 37 diesel with sound on ebay and its so heavy ti never derails its great. I have had to return all my steam dapols for piston problems . Is diesel easy n gAuge modelling? I made therock and roll link because the basics never seem to be enough so it has to fragment it to a more acquired taste.  Everyone foot taps to the beatles but tangerime dream was for afficionadaos. So real fans go hard core ?
Yesterday in grantham was ordinary people and they loved the sexy mallard. The deltic really was an acquired taste though they were the real loco folk.

Quote from: Norfolkrover on September 09, 2013, 07:47:29 PM

what do people see in diesels they just seem variations on a metalbox to me yet thesepeople are the die hards.

There are plenty of enthusiasts that like all three main traction types;  diesel, electric and steam. After all they are all trains and run on railway tracks so why dismiss one type, although preferring one type is surely not an issue.

I guess that the reasons some prefer D&E are probably the same reasons as to why some people like kettles - only that they prefer more modern and contemporary machinery and designs. It's easy to claim that all steam locos look very similar, have spaghetti hanging off oversized wheels and are just water boilers in the same way as some claim that diesels are all just similar looking metal boxes. But IMO to say or claim either is really just lacking understanding and appreciation.

However, I don't think that TINGS was particularly predominately diesel. I guess that would be the view of those who were specifically wanting to see steamers and were therefore deliberately 'looking out' for diesels as an excuse for not seeing 100% kettles. The balance probably reflected the preference of the many who were exhibiting and displaying.

H.

Quote from: Norfolkrover on September 09, 2013, 07:47:29 PM
Not a confrontationable post  . . .

Quote. . . what do people see in diesels they just seem variations on a metalbox to me

That appears to be self-contradictory for a start, as well as verging on the insulting

Quote from: H on September 09, 2013, 08:57:02 PM
There are plenty of enthusiasts that like all three main traction types;  diesel, electric and steam. After all they are all trains and run on railway tracks so why dismiss one type, although preferring one type is surely not an issue.

I guess that the reasons some prefer D&E are probably the same reasons as to why some people like kettles - only that they prefer more modern and contemporary machinery and designs. It's easy to claim that all steam locos look very similar, have spaghetti hanging off oversized wheels and are just water boilers in the same way as some claim that diesels are all just similar looking metal boxes. But IMO to say or claim either is really just lacking understanding and appreciation.

I can't really add anything to that as it sums it up perfectly

One more thing that explains the love of diesels to some of us, especially those who are passionate about performance cars too: the internal combustion engine 


Paul

I'm modeling kettles at the moment mainly it was what I remember from my early childhood (I lived next to the old Waveney Valley Line for a while) So I agree with those who say you model what you grew up with.

But as I'm modeling a Heritage Railway I guess I will add some early oil burners later (well once I get the layout wired up )

I just love steam if I had the money and room I'd have a Burrell  Traction engine

For me I basically I like all of them!  Yes as a lad I can remember steam engines and how awesome they looked and sounded to me, electric has its clean uniqueness to it,  but diesels like steam are so varied in shape and sizes along with their individual noises give them their personalised identities.

Regarding models, although I have diesels in a way I prefer to run steam because of their moving parts which make them just that bit more interesting.

Well, diesel and electric have been the dominant motive power for the last 50 years, so would be the natural choice for people who just want to make a model railway.

Modelling the steam era would be the preserve of a special minority interested specifically in "historical railway modelling", you would expect it to be less prevalent that the more mainstream D&E railway modelling.

I say this of course with tongue in cheek  - but I think there is a grain of truth in it;  why would someone, say, in their 20s now feel any particular desire to model something from their grandfather's generation, unless they had some additional specific historical interest?  It does amaze me that the mainstream manufacturers still manage to bring out so many historical models that seem to find a market; I don't remember steam and feel no affinity with it - and I'm in my 50s!

Cheers  Jon   

Quote from: PostModN66 on September 09, 2013, 09:39:03 PM
Well, diesel and electric have been the dominant motive power for the last 50 years, so would be the natural choice for people who just want to make a model railway.

Modelling the steam era would be the preserve of a special minority interested specifically in "historical railway modelling", you would expect it to be less prevalent that the more mainstream D&E railway modelling.

I say this of course with tongue in cheek  - but I think there is a grain of truth in it;  why would someone, say, in their 20s now feel any particular desire to model something from their grandfather's generation, unless they had some additional specific historical interest?  It does amaze me that the mainstream manufacturers still manage to bring out so many historical models that seem to find a market; I don't remember steam and feel no affinity with it - and I'm in my 50s!

Cheers  Jon   

Damn young people 

Quote from: Norfolkrover on September 09, 2013, 07:47:29 PM
Not a confrontationable post but as a newbie attending TINGS when diesel was seventy per cent prevelent I then went to GrantHam to see the mallard where the total opposite was the case over the deltic on view I just dont understand it. what do people see in diesels they just seem variations on a metalbox to me yet thesepeople are the die hards. Is it a bit why rock and roll descendedinto weired stuff like tangerime dream ? Ie the core interest wasnt enough ?

Good topic, and great to see people's answers. The reason why Diesels dominate is because they have ruled the roost since 1968 in the UK and since 1945 in the USA. France and Germany also have been dieselised at roughly the same time as the UK give or take a few years.
Reference the topic heading I think the reason we see more Diesel themed layouts is because of the Average age of the modellers concerned. I dare say the average age of N Gauge modellers now (myself included) grew up with early Diesel types, therefore being at an age where we can afford a hobby now we choose to model what we remember as kids.

I expect some people may disagree but that is the way I see it.

Steam, Diesel, Electric - tis all good ! As my signature says I love it all. I think most modellers can find something they like in each genre. I've traveled behind a S&D 7F working hard up an incline, and I've ridden in the engine room of a HST at 125mph, and rattled my brain cells inside a 47 on the load bank (static load testing) - All were awesome ! 

In N gauge, I suspect that diesel sales are slightly higher due to some steamers being less reliable than the diesels - I don't wish to start a steam v diesel war, but I think that steam sales are dropping a little mainly due to more younger modellers joining our ranks who want to remember clag as much us older ones remember steam - evolution really !

I'm still waiting for my S&D 7F in N....