Is this hobby only serious if you buy brass or have DCC?

[macchoo2]

Hell-o, Gary here. It all depends how crazy you are. I for one beleive, if you take a picture of a model in a scene, and look at, is it real or a model. I guess you call that serious.

[vsmith]

Have a Train?

Have a Layout?

Thats Serious!

I have seen better done completed in a couple of years 4x8 garage layouts than several room size "serious" layouts that have been under construction for the last 10 years and are still incomplete.

Serious is what you bring to the hobby, as well as how much joy or misery you allow that seriousness to create. How many "serious" discouraging criticizing rivet-counting old f*rts have you met, How many other "Serious" guys have you met that have a small layout, out of the box models but a passion for what they are doing? That to me is the serious modeler, someone whos passion for the hobby can bring others into it or encourage others onward with their work.

[twhite]

Well, let's see. I've got a LOT of brass that I've collected over the centuries, and yes, I run them, they don't sit around in boxes getting tarnished. So I suppose that makes me 'serious' about the hobby, right? Let's just say I'm 'seriously' having fun with it, always have. No, I don't have DCC, don't know if I will. I've heard wonderful things about it, but the idea of getting decoders for my loco fleet makes me think that I could probably better use the money erasing the National Debt. Besides, I just LEARNED how to semi-operate this new-fangled computer and it took me YEARS! DCC would probably take me into another lifetime, and I plan on coming back as a Maine Coon Cat Show-stud.

[Anonymous]

Remember, this is a hobby and it should be enjoyed. If you like something and you feel good about the way it looks and runs, buy it and use it.

If you are running on a club layout with rules and types of equipment too be run, try to accomodate the group so you can enjoy the fun with the others.

Brass is not the best in some cases. We were just talking about the Genesis F7 body quality, and it is better than my Overland Brass units. I now enjoy the differences, since the Overland units are later with the cut out tank covers and the FRA ladders installed, post 1960 era. The Genesis are modeled after the new units not modified and they are excellent. I would not sell any of either models.

Enjoy the hobby and not worry about constainst that do not matter.