Zornhau ([info]zornhau) wrote,
@ 2007-10-20 21:07:00
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Entry tags:techwriting

Strange...

My sideline of being a documentation mercenary and all-round hack-for-hire takes me some odd places. 

The oddest yet, because it's unexpected, is the world of model railway layout design software - that's what my latest client produces. He even has competitors! There's a whole sub culture out there. 

It makes sense, if you think about it. Hobby time is at a premium, and track costs money, so enthusiasts like to do a dry run on-screen. 

But... well, hobby-wise, I exist in a 4D bubble: History X Swords X SF X Fiction. It always comes as a surprise to wander into somebody else's pocket universe and realise that there really are other all-consuming enthusiasms.

Anyway, here's the blog entry over at my techwriting site...  

(I rarely get around to moderating the comments over there, so if you have any observations, please share them here.)


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[info]nycshelly
2007-10-20 08:25 pm UTC (link)
Oh, cool. I loved model trains when I was a kid (but I had the cheaper cars and track). I loved all mini things and still do. But it never occurred to me that folks would do that with software. Nifty.

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[info]original_aj
2007-10-20 09:14 pm UTC (link)
Does it handle the old Hornby Doublo 3-rail stuff? If so I could be interested.....

I spent ages trying to do that with tiles in a bitmap.

Yes, I am a train aficionado too.

(Reply to this)(Thread)
Um... here's the list...
[info]zornhau
2007-10-20 09:37 pm UTC (link)
http://www.drail.net/index_en.html

Scale H0/00
Atlas Code 83
Atlas Code 100
Atlas Code True-Track
Fleischmann Profi
Fleischmann Modell
Hornby Standard Track
Lima
Märklin C
Märklin K
Märklin M
Peco Setrack
Peco Streamline Code 75
Peco Streamline Code 100
Piko A
Roco geoLINE
Roco Line with roadbed
Roco Line without roadbed
Tillig Elite H0/H0m/H0e
Trix Express
Scale N
Arnold
Atlas Code 55
Atlas Code 80
Fleischmann Piccolo
Kato Unitrack
Minitrix
Peco Finescale Code 55
Roco
Scale G and I
LGB

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)
Re: Um... here's the list...
[info]original_aj
2007-10-21 08:27 am UTC (link)
Probably not then - I doubt that the current 2 rail Hornby track is the same as the 50s stuff I've got. Thanks anyway!

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[info]single_point
2007-10-25 11:18 am UTC (link)
It seems thats its not just the anorak who loves his trainset ...
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/arts/main.jhtml?xml=/arts/2007/10/24/bbrod124.xml
although a survey on the telegraph seems to indicate that a train set is perfectly acceptable.

Should grown men be embarrassed about owning train sets?
Yes (13%)
No (87%)

(Reply to this)(Thread)
ooo
[info]zornhau
2007-10-25 07:58 pm UTC (link)
Might have to blog that

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