I liked the link myself. don't letsome of the posters here ruffle your feathers so easy. If it hadn't been for Dad's nd my uncle's Lionels, I wouldn't have the interest for the real thing.

I'll preface my comments by admitting that I have spent a goodly portion of my 48 years of life model railroading, but less than 15 years of that same span in railway preservation efforts.

I think that models can have a very real place in a museum setting, yet unless the modeling topic is specific to that purpose, the discussion is probably best left to other forums than this one.

A bit of perspective here as well, we're discussing railroad modeling, ie modeling a specific railroad/railway prototype in miniature, as opposed to model railroading, which would typically indicate an operatinig model layout.

A couple of good examples where models can be a key point of display and emphasis in a museum setting..

Last year, there were two displays at IRM, a large scale (1:16 ?) model of an Elgin & Belvidere Electric car, and an O scale (1:48) model diorama of another E&B electric car posed in front of a model of the Union, Ill station/substation. These models were both provided to help commemorate the 100th anniversay of the E&B. Without these models, all you have (in this particular example) to tell the story is a handful of very old, not overly sharp, black and white photographs. The models put things into a little sharper and colorful context, and make for a much more user friendly experience.

Another example is the discussion thread ongoing in regards to the Birney streetcar. Someone posted an interesting thought about using the streetcar in a museum setting not just as a "streetcar ride like Grampa used to take to get to work", but as part of a larger ideal to show the life/timeline of urban transportation. The idea proposed was along the lines that a horse drawn streetcar turns the corner and passes a Birney car, which then traverses the block, turns the corner and passes say, a Peter Witt car, another block, another turn, then a PCC car, etc, etc. An interesting idea, but most likely not very workable for many museum operations.
On the other hand, that same ideal can be easily and very cheaply modeled (comparitively speaking), thereby providing the same story and educational experience, albeit on a much smaller scale (no pun intended)

Another example is something I saw quite some time ago, and my memory fails me as to where this was.. It was a display (I beleive by noted modeler Wayne Weslowski) of a typical late 1800's car shop, showing the shop forces building or repairing a wooden boxcar. Again, this was a large scale model diorama, purpose built for this display. It was, besides a great modeling effort, a wonderful display of how an actual boxcar of the period would have been framed and built. Again, an important part of our railway story that we're supposed to be telling, yet would be difficult and expensive to tell in 1:1 scale.

R J D said:

"I have stayed out of the "what should RYPN be" threads, but it dawned on me reading this... RYPN should not be of general interest to the average buff. It should target the active preservationist, weekend railroader and the museum professional. All topics related to preservation, business ops, railroad ops and marketing should be explored"

I generally agreed with this post and position but just what is an
"average buff"? Can we discuss say the other Big Boy at Steamtown?
That beautifull brass model on display in the main hall. There is I believe
much cross over between modelers and 'regular" fans much as there are railroad operating personal who are also fans. (quietly most) It has always amazed me the passion that theme based modelers put into their "work" rivaling the passion of the regular fan. I've seen O&W clubs that have members not old enough to have ever seen the Old Woman. (oops..slang...sorry) RYPN has a blend of both I'm sure. Somewhere between the geeky foamers and elitest "pro's" who lurk here most of us likely fit. If modeling helps tell the story then preservation moves foreword. That's a good thing I think.

If providing an accurate view of railroad history is one of the objectives of an organization's activities, then railroad models and their uses by the industry are part of the history.

PC

The Dennison (OH) station museum has an N-scale diorama of what the PRR facility on the Panhandle line looked liked in town, circa WWII. Dennison had a fairly extensive shop, yard and roundhouse facility back then, which is all gone, except for the station.

I have long thought that something along those lines would be a great thing for the B&O Museum. The Mt. Clare shops and yards were very extensive. There were four yards, A-D (D is now the museum and A-yard is the only part still used by CSX, but looking nothing like it did back when). At the extreme end of the scale, a layout that shows the area from the Thomas Viaduct to Bay View, and also the PRR, WM, Canton, P&BR, etc. would really be the best (and most difficult) thing. The fact that major pieces of the puzzle are completely missing today, like WM's Port Covington yard, would make it easier for people to see what a real port city looked like in it's heyday. One can always dream...