When does a train set become a model railway?

MikeDunn · July 10, 2015, 01:00:33 PM

Surely it's when you have a permanent deployment of said set ? Probably once the track is lain ? And is this over-use of question marks contagious ?

PLD · July 10, 2015, 01:17:44 PM

A "layout" is what people call their train set when they're being pretentious or have delusions of their own importance!!

Zogbert Splod · July 10, 2015, 01:18:13 PM

Quote from: MikeDunn on July 10, 2015, 01:00:33 PM
...And is this over-use of question marks contagious ?

Good question!!! I don't know!!!

MikeDunn · July 10, 2015, 01:31:48 PM

Quote from: Zogbert Splod on July 10, 2015, 01:18:13 PM
Quote from: MikeDunn on July 10, 2015, 01:00:33 PM
...And is this over-use of question marks contagious ?
Good question!!! I don't know!!!

Oh god, it's mutated into an over-use of exclamation marks !!!

Nurse - the screens !!!

David Asquith · July 10, 2015, 01:42:52 PM

I thought you meant - Nurse the screens - as in get an IT bod to remove the rash of

and !!!

Basinga · July 10, 2015, 01:52:50 PM

As I've always seen it, a train set is where the track is taken apart and goes back in the box when you're finished playing with it. A layout is a more permanent arrangement, with scenery...

Jon898 · July 10, 2015, 01:57:42 PM

It's a layout if you can legally drink an adult beverage while watching the trains go round?

Zogbert Splod · July 10, 2015, 02:19:04 PM

Quote from: Basinga on July 10, 2015, 01:52:50 PM
As I've always seen it, a train set is where the track is taken apart and goes back in the box when you're finished playing with it. A layout is a more permanent arrangement, with scenery...

Are we getting somewhere here? 'with scenery', possibly a serious plan to add scenery would work too.
But I think that somewhere in the back of my head there is the feeling that, if a train can pass the same place more than once, going in the same direction and without having stopped, it's a train set. I know that is way too simplistic, and the board mounted train set I am just starting work on is just such an example. I think I'll wait and see if this thread arrives at any consensus.....

Geoff · July 10, 2015, 02:33:57 PM

Surely a train set is when you have one loco running on a oval, now a layout can be anything as small as anything but you have Numerous Loco's to run on the Layout.

And as Only Me says when one goes over x amount of pounds it becomes a passion or a serious problem lol.

Now why did I get more than one Loco

Sprintex · July 10, 2015, 02:53:40 PM

Knew I'd seen this question before so merged it with the thread from last year, save some from reposting

Paul

MikeDunn · July 10, 2015, 03:15:28 PM

Booo !!!!

PGN · July 10, 2015, 03:45:08 PM

Personally, I don't like the question.

Why are we debating this at all? Does it matter? There is a long history of railway modellers being defensive about their hobby because of the tendency of certain outsiders to sneer at it (and them) and dismiss it as "playing trains". None of us likes it when others do this to us - so WHY do we insist on perpetuating this divisive debate among ourselves about which of us has a "model railway" and which only has a "train set"

If FORCED to define a distinction, I'd say a "train set" is any set up where the trains run round in a circle for no good reason other than the entertainment of the viewer, and the viewer can see that this is so and no effort has been made at pretending otherwise; whereas a "model railway" is one in which scenic breaks and hidden fiddle yards etc. have been used to create the illusion that trains are coming from and going to "somewhere else", rather than just running round and round all day.

But ... I don't accept the validity of the distinction between "train sets" and "model railways". We are all part of the same hobby, pursuing it because it gives us pleasure. Each of us takes pleasure in differing degrees from different aspects of our hobby, and therefore each of us places emphasis on different things in our modelling. There is no objective "right" and "wrong" approach (other than trying to run N gauge stock on TT track ... that is objectively wrong!). There is just what is right for me and what is right for you. They are probably not the same thing. But that doesn't mean one or other of us is "wrong", or to be belittled or sneered at. It just means that we - and our modelling interests - are different; and there's nothing wrong with that.

fisherman · July 10, 2015, 04:16:58 PM

.... when YOU ballast the track!!!

Zogbert Splod · July 10, 2015, 04:27:57 PM

Quote from: PGN on July 10, 2015, 03:45:08 PM
Personally, I don't like the question.
...
Why are we debating this at all? Does it matter? ...so WHY do we insist on perpetuating this divisive debate among ourselves about which of us has a "model railway" and which only has a "train set"

If FORCED to define a distinction, I'd say ...

But ... I don't accept the validity of the distinction between "train sets" and "model railways". We are all part of the same hobby, pursuing it because it gives us pleasure. ...

Don't like the question? But still, you have given, probably, the best and most inciteful, well stated analysis of the difference/distinction so far in the thread.

Thanks, Allan.....

Yet_Another · July 10, 2015, 11:36:00 PM

Quote from: Zogbert Splod on July 10, 2015, 04:27:57 PM
Quote from: PGN on July 10, 2015, 03:45:08 PM
Personally, I don't like the question.
...
Why are we debating this at all? Does it matter? ...so WHY do we insist on perpetuating this divisive debate among ourselves about which of us has a "model railway" and which only has a "train set"

If FORCED to define a distinction, I'd say ...

But ... I don't accept the validity of the distinction between "train sets" and "model railways". We are all part of the same hobby, pursuing it because it gives us pleasure. ...
Don't like the question? But still, you have given, probably, the best and most inciteful, well stated analysis of the difference/distinction so far in the thread.

Thanks, Allan.....

Surely rule one applies here. I didn't see anything judgemental in the question. I have a view on what's a train set or otherwise, but if the owner is happy with it, who am I to argue?

For my money, a train set is a bunch of stuff which is capable of being taken apart and put back into its boxes. It might be pinned to a board, but if it's all standard commercial ready-built parts, with no attempt to adapt or otherwise model scenery, then it's a train set.

And I repeat, it's none the worse for it. More than I have at the moment