Away From Home?

[Anonymous]

If you travel, what do you do when you sit in the Hotel room and have nothing to do? Do you sit there and vegetate?, or, do you become pro-active and work on Models? I'm just curious.

John

[Anonymous]

About 3 weeks ago I was in Lynchburg, Virginia for a long weekend. Stayed in a motel there and spent my spare time building Campbell Scale Models' Idaho Springs Mine. I got it to the point of about 75% completion! Had to make sure, in advance, that I had all necessary tools & paints but it was worth it. Also visited 2 hobby shops I'd never been to before. It was a great weekend.

[Anonymous]

Trouble is, especially now, model-building supplies don't mix well with airport security, and they're not too willing to listen to explanations. (Another reason to travel by train??)

[Anonymous]

Back when I used to travel for a living...three weeks out and one week back...I always took something with me to work on...even made up a toolkit to take with me....Vic

[Anonymous]

I've got a lake home in the Ozarks that I go to almost every weekend. Obviously, it's not quite the same as a motel room, but I always have a kit there to work on in the evenings. I have all of my tools, paints, and brushes in a large fishing tackle box - it is the largest I could find, with lots of drawers - and I carry it back and forth with me. (Sidebar: Since all of the new airline security procedures, I've often wondered what I would do if I had to fly somewhere and wanted to work on a model while in a motel. I guess I'd be out of luck... too many little X-Acto blades and so forth.)

When I do have to travel and stay in a motel or hotel, I take my canvas tote bag (from the '98 NMRA Conv.) full of magazines and get caught up on my reading.

[Anonymous]

Just out curiousity, have you ever had problems due to using a tackle box -- I mean, being on a lake home and all? Does a Kadee coupler gauge attract bass?

[Anonymous]

I just read about railroads. Last trip to Tampa I bought a book about the construction of the Transcontinental Railroad which was worth every penny. Made the evenings enjoyable.

I can't see transporting my model building tools to and from and transporting a completed structure home via air.

Ed

[Anonymous]

It's such a powerful lure that I don't even bother with a rod and reel anymore. The fish literally jump out of the water and right onto the dock. Some days it's so bad, I have to kick 'em back into the water. The crappie are the worst, though: they're aggressive and will flop right on up to the house and demand to see the gauge with their own eyes.

Of course, being a height gauge, the Kadee also does double duty when I need to measure the fish.

[Anonymous]

Probably explains those bright colored feathers instead of grab irons on your box cars, too.

[Anonymous]

You've been peeking again, haven't you?

I thought they would make an attractive 3D logo for my fleet of old Santa Fe cars, but someone turned me in to the Audubon Society. Was it you?