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Click to view... Smashee
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Sunday, June 28, 2009
Paralysis By Analysis Or, How's Your Zen?
According to the good folks over at Wikipedia, analysis paralysis is a phrase that describes a situation where the sheer quantity of analysis overwhelms the decision making process itself, thus preventing a decision.
I'd venture a guess that every single model railroader has experienced this situation at some point... likely more than once or twice. More track here... maybe there... what about the spur line... is this scene going to look too bare or will it look like a bowl of spaghetti? There goes another month with nothing built except for a good case of frustration.
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Click for MTL June Releases
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STOP! There are more than enough things in today's world to be frustrated about... the economy or politics or that really annoying neighbor... your trains shouldn't be lumped in with these offenders to your Zen.
Zen, Zen you say... sure, why not? I'm not overly well versed in Zen by any means but I like some of the concepts often associated with Zen. To do something without thinking it to death, without worrying about your decision, without analyzing it... just do it. Ok, so I think an old Nike sneaker ad may have been hip to Zen as well.
Here's a Zen moment I had last year and I think it illustrates this point well. I was working on a diorama and I was getting really antsy about all the little decisions. It got to the point where I wasn't having any fun at all. Just at this point I was on the phone with Rob Kluz over at Ztrack Magazine. I was about to break this scene, actually smash the piece so I wouldn't have to deal with it anymore I was so frustrated. Well after talking with Rob I decided to forget about each little decision as if it were life or death and just work on the scene. No overly complex plan of completion, no second guessing every decision... just do it.
The photo above (click to see a larger version) is part of this finished diorama. When I look at photographs of this piece now it makes me happy.... isn't that what model railroading should do? So don't stress, don't make your train time a dreaded chore... relax a bit, enjoy the process and create something that makes you happy.
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May, 2009
Now Online... The Three Notch Railroad Layout
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Click to read this new article
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Yes you'll be slicing and dicing with the best of them after you go through our photo tutorial on shortening sections of Micro-Track® sectional track.
Modifying sectional track is a great skill to have for finishing up those plans you have kicking around on paper. Micro-Trains® has plans for releasing many new sections of track in the near future but you can get a jump on things now with this tutorial!
Let's Go... Three Notch Railroad Track Plan |
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Visit the Trainini Magazine website
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Three Full Issues Of Trainini!
The June 2009 issue of Trainini Magazine is now available for you to download along with the April 2009 and May 2009 issues!
These issues don't have an English translastion but as always with Trainini... there's still a lot to see!
Holger just recently moved in to a new house and is getting all set up and as a result he's been working overtime to get these Trainini issues released. We sincerely appreciate his work in Z scale producing such a beautiful PDF magazine. Clicking on the links below will open a new window and begin your downloads. Enjoy these wonderful issues of Trainini Magazine!!
| Trainini Magazine |
June 2009 Issue
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3.3 MB | Click Here To Download | |||
| Trainini Magazine |
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May 2009 Issue
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3.7 MB | |
Click Here To Download |
| Trainini Magazine |
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April 2009 Issue
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3.7 MB | |
Click Here To Download |
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Sunday, June 28 2009
Quick Tips From Woodland Scenics
Our next
Z Scale Basics article will show you how to really make Micro-Trains® Line, Micro-Track "pop" visually with a few quick and surprisingly easy tips. In the meantime have a look at one of the "How-To" videos from Scene-A-Rama, a division ofWoodland Scenics and our newest sponsor here at Ztrains.com.
 Getting Unstuck This week's Coffee Break is a short side trip to getting you a bit unstuck. Our Z scale projects can get overwhelming at times (yes, I'm aware of the irony given the size of our Z scale worlds) but they should, I contend, always be fun! If you're procrastinating or getting frustrated by a particular aspect of one of your Z scale projects maybe you could use a good read. Previous Coffee Break Topics |
  Introduction to Z scale (1:220) Z scale, Z gauge: The smallest model trains offer up some very big possibilities. What's available in Z scale? Z scale North American (NA) locomotive roundup. Beginner's Q&A A few Z scale questions (and answers!) to help get you up and running.
 New book: Weathering by Tom Mann Learn the secrets of making your new locos and rolling stock look like they've been working for a living. Paw of a Bear, ranch house kit Paw of a Bear releases a new ranch house kit to make your own provate suburbia. Micro-Trains smoothside passenger cars MTL adds four smoothside lightweight passenger cars to their line.
 The Ztrains Scratchbuilder calculator Here is a handy online calculator to help you with all your scratchbuilding projects. Static grass application tools A look at two unique products from the Noch company of Germany designed to help you apply static grass. Timber trestle diorama Build a Z scale diorama to test out new techniques and materials. Foreward by MMR Gerry Leone.
 The Ztrains Grassinator For right around $35 you can build your own static grass applicator... the Ztrains Grassinator. Cleaning your motors and brushes Some basic Z scale locomotive cleaning techniques. Track cleaning techniques Tips for keeping your tracks clean. Power pickup installation Jim Hinds of Richmond Controls produces Z scale power pickup wipers.
 Micro-Trains new turnouts, pre-production Micro-Trains prepares a line of turnouts for their Micro-Track sectional Z scale track. Z-Panzer introduces a WWII armoured locomotive The BR57 armoured locomotive makes its debut in Z scale. The Marklin GG1: An American icon in Z scale Marklin recreates the most famous North American electric locomotive from the 1930s.
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