Agreed. >From my reading, in the 1930s and 1940s as a staffer at Kalmbach, (and with Albert Kalmbach's enthusiastic blessing) Linn Westcott almost single-handedly revolutionized the hobby in terms of prototype practice and ideas. He took the hobby out of the tinplate layout mindset with layout plans that were far ahead of their time. If you look at his "Layout of the Month" feature in the 1940s, you will see plans that still look modern. In fact, I would say there's nothing much today that Westcott hadn't done by 1945. Everyone else, especially the competing publications, were still drawing glorified dogbones or round the edge plans on flat tablework.
Westcott had some railroad surveying experience, was quite involved with the beginnings of Trains magazine in the early 1940s, and understood how to apply prototype concepts to miniature operation. Westcott and Albert Kalmbach were also instrumental in introducing the modernization of electrical control systems. Complementing the work of Westcott and Kalmbach, Frank Ellison was the scenery and "staging" guru of the time (Ellison was formerly in showbiz). There was no-one who could create a scene in practically zero space like Ellison. He, too, was interested in, and helped develop, prototype operation. I have great respect for these pioneers because, having read first-hand, issue by issue, through the development of model railroading from about 1931 to 1945 (so far), I can see just how different and advanced they were in their own time, and how much of what they were doing became the commonplace of our hobby. I promise this is my last missile for tonight. I'll go back into hibernation now. regards ... pqr ----- Original Message ----- From: "Charles Weston" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Wednesday, December 07, 2005 8:24 PM Subject: Re: S-Scale Modeling Re: MR circulation > When I think of old-timers from MR, I think of Paul > Larson. He did so much to encourage craftsmanship and > raise the standards of the hobby. May he rest in > peace. > > Charlie > > > --- George <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > >> I will be sad to >> see Jim Hediger >> retire, no time soon I hope. He is the last name >> from what I consider >> the old-timers. When I read old issues it reminds >> me of what was >> happening outside of Model Railroading at the time. >> George Courtney >> >> > > > > To REPLY to the list, use REPLY ALL; to reply to the sender, use REPLY. > For those of you on DIGEST mode, all REPLY messages go to the list > (remember to edit the SUBJECT of your message). > > To use our CALENDAR or LINKS, change message settings, view shared files > or photos, view the list archives, GO TO > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > > > To REPLY to the list, use REPLY ALL; to reply to the sender, use REPLY. For those of you on DIGEST mode, all REPLY messages go to the list (remember to edit the SUBJECT of your message). To use our CALENDAR or LINKS, change message settings, view shared files or photos, view the list archives, GO TO http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
