Acts of kindness

[dharmon]

In light of all the "stuff" that's been flying around the past few days, I thought I'd try to make a little shift of focus.

Have any of you out there been the recipient of an act of model railroading kindness? Tonight I was...

A member of our club knew I was looking for some parts to finish a couple of projects. He does custom model building as a side job, so has a lot of stuff lying around...He asked me to stop by tonight to see if he had what i was looking for. Not only did I walk out with what I wanted, but he gave me a bunch of extra shells and a couple of brand new Mantua passenger cars and some other stuff. It just really made my day.....

I know that one of the posters on the Atlas forums routinely gives items to the young modelers. Has anything like this happened to you in the past?

[Hawks05]

my friend gave me 4 boxcars and some metal axle wheels when i was first starting. at the last show i was at i bought a Atlas GP40 locomotive, 2 LBF trinity ADM hoppers from the same guy. when i went back to buy his last hopper he gave me a Accurail hopper. i thought that was really nice. he was like you've spent probably all of your money here so why not just take this. i was like alright. the thing is nice to but i don't know how much it will get run on my layout.

[Anonymous]

Well for me it was at my favorite hobby shop. I went in looking for a couple detail parts when I looked up and saw that he had a Kato SD70MAC in BNSF's Executive scheme. I always thought they looked classy and always wanted one. I talked with him about it for awhile and told him I would be back when I had the money to buy it if it was still there. So I went back to the car and told my wife about it and went to another store a few doors down. When I came back to the car there was my wife sitting there with the Kato. I was shocked. She said she went in and talked with him about holding it for me(because I forgot to) and he said why? He said she could post date a check and take it home right now and he sold it to her for $110.00(he was asking $150.00 for it). That kind of trust and kindness is hard found anymore. Especially in this hobby.

Thanks,
Jeremy

[Anonymous]

One guy that works at the local hobby shop here gives me a "student discount" on my purchases.

[Jetrock]

Despite all the bad-mouthing of vendors at train shows one hears about, I generally see a lot of kindness on their part, especially when a kid is buying something. I've had vendors hand me extra stuff or offer an extra item that I had been looking at but didn't ask for, and I don't even have the excuse of being a kid. I try to return the favor and don't mind passing along things that I won't use, or helping folks fix their stuff...while no model railroader out there worth their salt will ever hesitate to give out advice or opinions, actually showing up to help people do things is another--but I do see it often enough, both in the offering and the result.

People do realize that this can be an expensive hobby--but I think folks generally don't mind doing a bit of giving to make up for other expenses.

[krump]

my mom sent a package to our family last week, and she usually adds any and all items that she thinks my family will enjoy or be interested in (or the stuff she's clearing out)... srapbooking stuff (wife), clothes or toys (kidlets), train related items (moi) that she finds, buys, or gets at the THRIFT Store that she works in... LIONEL clock, mugs, puzzles, train pieces (trinkets) found their way into the latest box... no rolling stock this time.
I'll see mom in the weeks ahead, and now that she is retired and getting married again (19 yrs after being widowed), I want to honour her in the fashion of a true model railroader, with a tribute train ...
anybody got any leads on finding "Old Dutch" rolling stock (any type or colour) for my tribute train to the retired newlyweds???
I have Old Dutch Cleanser, but I can't find rolling stock for Old Dutch Potato Chips [:o)][^].
I may need your help or suggestions here LUPO !?!

[lupo]

Hey krump, what are you looking for exactly? REAL dutch prototype cars?
let me know,!

[Anonymous]

I've got a bunch of n-scale Walthers coil cars I would like to give away to a young person new to the hobby but I can't let my e-mail address out for personal reasons. My wife and I are fairly private people and wi***o remain so. Any ideas?

[Anonymous]

Hello emory,

QUOTE: I can't let my e-mail address out for personal reasons

If you grab a free address from hotmail or yahoo or one of the many others you could simply use it for what ever project and then simply abandon it before you get the spam infestation.

[Anonymous]

Thanks, LightBender!! I'm not terribly familiar with computers but I'll give it a shot! Thanks again! My only concern is that it will be abused by someone who is not really legitimate. I am leary of fraud--even though the items I wi***o give away are only worth less than $120.

[Anonymous]

I have to say I've been very fortunate. 9 years ago when I was getting back into the hobby a friend and fellow model ship builder called me up just before Christmas and asked me if I wanted his 4X8 layout. I said I'd love to but I couldn't afford it. He said "no, I don't want money I want the space I'm giving it to you you for free". It came with a layout, control board and 16 switch machines and two Mikados.

One of my LHS's has also been good to me, besides the 10% discount they give me, they have given me some excellent prices on some used Loco's and they have put things aside for me until I could afford them, they even went as far as allowed me an installment plan, which took me six months to pay off, WOW!

It's a nice feeling when someone does nice things for you.

Thanks Mike and John and thanks Gary for the layout

[CP5415]

My LHS is the same Fergus.
I order all my stuff through my LHS & never once has asked me for a deposit even though his sign says otherwise.
He always allows me the layaway plan. Pay some cash when you have some. Never squawks even if it's a couple of weeks in-between before I'm able to come in.

Then we have to forums here. this is where ACTS OF KINDNESS prevails
Sure there are some rough times here but after a brief spell of fighting as if we were brothers or sisters, we all come back to offer information to those who ask for it.

Gordon

[Anonymous]

When I've bought stuff used (which is how I buy most of my stuff) many times the seller has thrown in a couple of HO cars for free or someting like that. One friend of mine's given me a Marx tinplate Monon FM diesel and caboose that only needed a little repair work done to it, plus a box of various old tinplate parts. A coworker of my dad's once found and old Bub engine in his garage that he gave my dad to give me.

I've also returned the favor to others. I've given a lot of HO items that I already had to this young kid I know and also helped him on his layout and done repairs for him. I also gave a donation of a bunch of Lionel/Marx parts and pieces to a fellow on the net that was asking for donations for a project of his to help promote trains to kids. You can see his site at http://members.efn.org/~chris_s/ .

[Anonymous]

Well, when I was at the LHS buying my 4-8-2, I had only $75.00 dollars and my mom put in a lot to help me get it. She's the best!!!!

[Anonymous]

There is a guy at one train show that always gives me $5 or $10 off of my purchase, depending on how much it was.

[Anonymous]

at my LHS they know me so well that i got a chrismas present this year it was a truck i had my eye on for acouple of years.