Legends in our own minds

[FJ and G]

Lets face it gang, although each of us by now is fully aware that we are great and famous people, the likelihood is that we will never be uttered in the same sentence with notables John Allen, John Armstrong, JLC and others.

In the grand scheme of things, most of us will be lucky to be footnotes to the great model train legends.

If you were to write your own toy train epitephts (probably spelled wrong) on your tombstones, what would they say?

Mine might be:

He tried. He built it. And they came.

Or,

He tried. He built it. No one came so he tore it down and started over.

(Actually, what is most important is not becoming a public toy train figure but making kids and others happy and inspiring them to think and be creative)

Dave Vergun

[Jim Duda]

"A small layout for a small mind..."
RIP
JFD

[FJ and G]

Good one, Jim. Gotta love that self-deprecating humor!

Here's another:

He played with toy trains and left no inheritance money.

[FJ and G]

Another:

He died with the most toys.

Or:

His steam engines smoked voluminously and he was a hot air bag himself.
RIP

[dougdagrump]

Or if you have a layout with a lot of twists and turns:
A twisted layout for a twisted mind.
RIP

[Anonymous]

My name mentioned with John Allen, JLC, et al? I'd be happy if my name were used in the same sentence with Alfred E. Neuman! [:D][;)]

One of my all time favorite Alfred E. Neuman quotes:

QUOTE: Life is a lot like a game of golf: you struggle to get to the green, but you only end up in a hole.

Tony

[FJ and G]

Some creative writers here:

One more...

Ole 99 steams no more; replaced by a shiny new diesel.

RIP

[lionelsoni]

The body of
[your name here], Model Railroader,
(Like the Shell of an Old F3,
Its E-Unit and Motors torn Out
And Stript of its Numberboards and Portholes)
Lies Here, Food for Worms.
But the Locomotive shall not be Lost;
For it will (as he Believ'd) Appear once More
In a New and More Elegant Restoration,
Repainted and Detailed
By the Manufacturer.

(with apologies to B. Franklin, Printer)

[FJ and G]

Bob, very profound.

I too now will borrow one (with apologies):

Here lies the body of Samuel Crane
He ran a race with a passenger train
He got to the crossing and almost across
Sam and his car was a total loss
Sams spirit now tolls his knell
That Sam is on his way to well
If he only took time to stop look and listen
He'd be living now instead of missing

--Logan Crutcher

[Anonymous]

I once met Gordon Overgaard, author and staff member at Model Railroader at a celebration held at Kalmbach Publishing about twenty years ago. I was so impressed with meeting him that I told him that he would be remembered with John Allen, Frank Ellison, Bill Schopp etc. As he shook my hand he smiled and said, "Well I'd say that would be pretty good company to be in." Well he is there in that company along with, Al Armitage, Hal Geibner, Ulrich B. Graff, Eric LaNal, E. L. Moore and many others. Can you imagine a train show in heaven?

As for my tombstone............Here Lies Robert E. Ottosen, a lifelong railfan WHO? What's a railfan? Was this guy nuts? Odd-d

[guilfordrr]

Visitors to the tombs described in this thread would look like this:


As for my tombstone..........

"You haven't lived if you've never run a Lionel Train. Did I ever live!"

[Dr. John]

When the grieving widow was asked, "Was your husband's layout point to point?", she replied, "No, it was pointless."

[Anonymous]

How about these:

"Are those flowers prototypical?"

"Dear club, the cemetery on the layout is modeled after this one. Needless to say it is no longer acurate."

"Do not shed tears for me, for right now I'm restoring a J3a with George Stephenson, Mathias Baldwin, and that Alco executive--what was his name???"

"If you are reading this, then I have failed to teach you that Memorial Day should be spen railfanning."

"I told them I wanted a styrene casket."

See you around the forums,
Daniel

[brianel027]

Oh David, I hope this one time I played no inspiration in the topic of this one... whew! Just a little too close to the bone for me. Actually with the many things on my mind, this one has been the last one.

Funny because one of my main trains of thought is that we human beings are not so far off from squirrels, chipmunks or any other animal you can name. Except only for our ability to think, to feel, to dream and to rationalize our behavior and actions. Most animals are too busy trying to survive in the present, let alone think about their so-called legacy, even if they had the ability to do so. Even the much maligned Great White Shark, for all the fear it strikes in humans, kills for one reason only and that is to survive. No pleasure, no revenge. There's no moral rationalization, no worries, no afterthoughts or guilt. Mostly instinct with a small amount of learned behavior derived only from trial and error. We humans beings are far, far more complicated.

Hmmm, that was a great intro for my epitaph (spelled correctly):
"He was a complex man who consistantly walked the third rail with an unconventional life. But who also played with simple trains very conventionally and found, unlike his life, that the third rail on his train layout was precisely centered."

[Anonymous]

I'd rather have the words "Beloved husband & father" on my stone

Tony

[Anonymous]

Here Lies R. E. Ottosen...............His casket was made in China Odd-d

[willpick]

Well, I think i'd like mine to read "Still playing with those worthless trains[:)]"

[Big_Boy_4005]

After a great deal of thought, i think I'll have mine simply say:

I had fun