Talking "Trains" limited to fanatical few

[FJ and G]

They tell me that 30 years ago, everyone spoke "trains." That was back in '65, when Depression-era hobos and trainmen were still in their prime, with tales to tell. In the 30s and 40s, most folk could count a family member or two who worked on the railroad; particularly in railroady towns like Altoona. People actually got around by train and trolley, as they had for nearly a century.

And then in the 50s, there were the Lionel and American Flyer baby boomers; those born in the 40s who are the toy train stalwarts of today.

Except for the toy train and train forums, club meets, and hobby shop banter, I feel rather lonely and, well, sort of odd, liking trains and even playing with toy trains. I often wish I had some neighbors who shared in the hobby, but those I know are at least a dozen miles away.

Other hobbies I have--Olympic lifting, sea kayaking, novel writing, and ferroequinarchaology--are similarly scarce in the locals' interest and conversation. A string of odd-ish hobbies.

As I ride the train to work each day, I never hear anyone commenting on the BNSF lashup near the Springfield intermodal yard or the ex-Santa Fe modiefied F-3 that still does switching duty further down the line at Newton Asphalt.

Indeed, talk turns instead to the Nats and Nats memorabilia; the Nats being the ill-fated Nationals baseball team. Or, talk centers on a favorite recipe, grandchildren, women's shoes, or steroids in baseball.

I wi***hat my fellow citizens could wear a toy train pin in the lapels (or a ferroequinarchaeology pin) so that I could carry on a conversation with someone I have something more in common with. Or, how about a female with a toy train purse with matching shoes. That too would be a great conversation starter.

[Jim Duda]

QUOTE: Or, how about a female with a toy train purse with matching shoes. That too would be a great conversation starter...

Therein lies your answer - just replace "female" with yourself and getcha' a nice purse and matching shoes...that'll at least initiate some glances and probably a conversation or two...(wink)

[jkerklo]

I don't know about your other hobbies, they seem a bit off-the-wall, but I would bet there is at least one other rider with an interest in trains. You just have to do something to attract attention.

Perhaps wear an engineer's hat. Or a conductor's. Show off your "I like Toy Trains" sweatshirt.

I know, carry a "Lionel Trains" lunchbox. I have one my kids gave me for Christmas a few years ago. Talk about a conversation starter.

Carry a book about trains. Perhaps one of the novels you have written. That will get attention.

Unfortunately, none of your hobbies are great for attracting women. Women are most attracted to really expensive hobbies. Carry an art book and drop hints that you are looking to add to your collection.

Of course, you are at a disadvantage, since you are riding the train. Your limo driver must be sick. Or, you are looking to buy the railroad (Amtrak?). Maybe not.

Just a few ideas.

John Kerklo
TCA 94-38455
www.Three-Rail.com <--- New Stuff

[Dave Farquhar]

Women in general (there are exceptions) don't seem to be attracted to trains for trains' sakes, but my girlfriend certainly expected me to put a train around the Christmas tree this year. I had planned on using a prewar 3-rail American Flyer train, but ultimately opted for a Marx 6-inch consist because that allowed me to sub in more locomotives. She likes my old trains because they look nostalgic.

She would have very little interest in participating with me in weathering cars, but when it comes to scenery and buildings, she's very interested in that. What we end up building together will no doubt be derided by some serious scale modelers as a "toy city that happens to have couple of trains in it" but we're building for us, not for them. But if we build something that reminds us of a time and place where we would like to live but can't because that time and place doesn't really exist anymore, and we do it within the constraints of time and budget that we have, isn't that by definition modeling?

It's something I can enjoy on my own and/or we can enjoy together, and that's probably the most important thing.

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FJ and G

They tell me that 30 years ago, everyone spoke "trains." That was back in '65, when Depression-era hobos and trainmen were still in their prime, with tales to tell. In the 30s and 40s, most folk could count a family member or two who worked on the railroad; particularly in railroady towns like Altoona. People actually got around by train and trolley, as they had for nearly a century.

And then in the 50s, there were the Lionel and American Flyer baby boomers; those born in the 40s who are the toy train stalwarts of today.

Except for the toy train and train forums, club meets, and hobby shop banter, I feel rather lonely and, well, sort of odd, liking trains and even playing with toy trains. I often wish I had some neighbors who shared in the hobby, but those I know are at least a dozen miles away.

Other hobbies I have--Olympic lifting, sea kayaking, novel writing, and ferroequinarchaology--are similarly scarce in the locals' interest and conversation. A string of odd-ish hobbies.

As I ride the train to work each day, I never hear anyone commenting on the BNSF lashup near the Springfield intermodal yard or the ex-Santa Fe modiefied F-3 that still does switching duty further down the line at Newton Asphalt.

Indeed, talk turns instead to the Nats and Nats memorabilia; the Nats being the ill-fated Nationals baseball team. Or, talk centers on a favorite recipe, grandchildren, women's shoes, or steroids in baseball.

I wi***hat my fellow citizens could wear a toy train pin in the lapels (or a ferroequinarchaeology pin) so that I could carry on a conversation with someone I have something more in common with. Or, how about a female with a toy train purse with matching shoes. That too would be a great conversation starter.

Hey Dave, I hate to bust your bubble, but that bygone era is more bygone than you think. Check the math in your first two sentences. 1965 was 40 years ago, almost a lifetime for me, being born in 1961.

You are right when you say, it is much harder to find fellow hobbiests these days. Maybe the best place to find them is at the hobby store.

I have been looking for people to help me build my layout, simply because it is so large. So far, I have found one person here on the forum. He has been over a couple of times to work this month. I haven't tried the hobby store yet, but I've thought about it.

If you are looking to find interested people in your neighborhood, maybe the answer is to have an open house, and show off your layout. It is a bold step, inviting total strangers to your home, but I'll bet you will jog a lot of memories, make some friends, and even create a new hobbiest or two.

[FJ and G]

Eilliot,

They told me that in '65. :-)

(65-30=35)

[Buckeye Riveter]

Elliot,
If I lived a few miles closer, I would be glad to help you build your layout. I think it would be so cool to build something that big and then of course I would stick around to run the trains. [:D][:D][:D][:D][:D][:D]

Every year for the last 13 years, we have had the childrens neighborhood Christmas Party at our house. All the neighbors enjoy it very much and when I need lumber hauled from Home Depot, they always help me.

As to talking trains, you just get a few of us Civil Engineer together and we can do a good job of keeping the chatter going. The older retired engineers can tell some really great stories about the steamers and yards in the 40's and 50's. They also remember the wrecks.

[cnw1995]

Trains are completely 'off the radar' of today's adults - I'd wager they're not even thought of except if you commute on one or occasionally have to wait for a crossing to clear. And in this post 9-11 age, I find tolerance for photo-snapping foamers to be extremely low. This reaction certainly isn't fair or rational though. Now, I can get many people- - mostly men - speaking of 'Lionel toy trains' - I am amazed at how recognizable this brand is - most have stories of Christmas time trains or layouts somewhere from their childhoods. Interestingly, most also think they are highly collectible and ridiculously valued - ie, find a rusty old set and send the kid to college. Nothing stirs a conversation like reading CTT on my commute

[Anonymous]

Guys
The hobby has a lot of compitition with video games and computers today. But there is still an interest in the hobby. The World's Greatest Hobby Show in Edison, New Jersey had almost 17,000 paid customers and between 35,000 to 40,000 come through the door. There was a lot of kids attending the Show and the promotor did have numerous kid activies. Maybe we are going through some changes that will take some time for the hobby to grow again, only time will tell.

[Big_Boy_4005]

QUOTE: Originally posted by FJ and G

Eilliot,

They told me that in '65. :-)

(65-30=35)

Sorry Dave, I misunderstood. The math problem I had in mind was 2005 - 1965 = 40 years. [;)]

[mersenne6]

While you may have some trouble finding people to talk about trains it is interesting to note that the past few years have seen a real jump in the number of books describing first person accounts of either working for the railroads or stories about how the railroad impacted a persons life. Just to pick the most recent (2002-2004 pub date)

1. Hogger - A Locomotive Engineer Remembers - Petersen - 2003
2. The Best School I Ever Attended - Gillespie - 2003
3. Central Standard - Irelan - 2002
4. Snow on the Rails - Boyer - 2003
5. Ten Turtles to Tucumcari - Garrett - 2003
6. Unauthorized Train Stories - Lothridge - 2004
7. The Light at the End and Other Railroad Stories - Rehwalt - 2003
8. The Hill - Rehwalt - 2003
9. Terminal Tales - Hedgpeth - 2004
10. Off the Street - Hiring on with Amtrak as a Conductor - Shirey - 2004
11. Rising From the Rails - Pullman Porters - Tye - 2004

While I haven't finished reading all of these books I can say that those that I have read (#3,5,6,and 9) were very interesting and had some great tales of railroading both past and present.

[Anonymous]

Dave, Dave , Dave.........There you go again, fishing in a bucket instead of the river. You have to go where the game is. Many years ago when I was young, thin and had hair growing from my scalp I met a very pretty and very knowledgeable young lady while riding in my favorite place on the CTA Ravenswood EL. I also had the pleasure of meeting and riding with another young lady on the old Wabash Banner Blue from Chicago to St Louis. Take trains and ride where people can get an engineer's eye view of the trip and you might change your luck. As for a lady wearing matching shoes and purse with a train theme......that would be cool. Imagine little train shoes that would emit puffs of smoke from little smokestacks when the lady wiggled her toes. Dave you might have something there. Odd-d

[Anonymous]

I do agree that years ago there was a much greater percentage of the general public that knew something about railroads. People rode trains and the railroads were much more in the public's consciousness than now. I have a small collection of old Popular Mechanics and Popular Science magazines from the 30's-50's. In these, there are many articles about developments in the railroads and (to a lesser extent) model railroading as well. Ordinary people were obviously interested in trains or else they wouldn't have publihed all these articles. You probably won't find many train articles in simmilar magazines today. Also, think about some of the topics about great train movies on the forums. Most of the best and most technically accurate train movies are ones from years ago. Intelligent references to trains certainly are much easier to find in old movies than new ones.

However, you still find a lot people today who do like trains. People who have seen my trains are usually very interested and many often will share fond train memories of theirs. There are many people out there who like or are interested in trains, but they just don't think or talk about them unless something triggers it-like seeing your layout, etc.

As for women wearing train items, my mother has a broach of a little train engine with smoke coming out of the stack pulling three passenger cars that she often wears to church or other occasions.