Hey thanks to everyone who jumped into the discussion. It’s always interesting to see what others in the hobby are doing with it.
As of right now, I primarily model 21st Century diesel powered freight based out of Enola, PA. My layout is fictional, but I try to make it similar. I don’t think that there is an Enola Division of the NRHS that owns a PRR J1 and an NW 2-8-0, but I like to dream. My secondary interest is steam to early diesel era modeling. I have a 1900-1960s era layout in the plans that will hopefully become a reality next year.
My primary interest is a early Conrail style freelance railroad the Northwestern Pacific/Southwestern Pacific System in the "second" transition era (60s-80s).
My secondary interest would be the previous but in the 40s-60s.
My tertiary interest would be the Southern Pacific in the aforementioned times.
My quarternary interest would be the Southern Railway in its dieselized era.
Non train related interests, singing and music in general (big band to indie pop/soft rock) I hope to start a band in college with a classic soft rock sound influenced by Billy Joel and big band music, BBQ and Italian food, hot rodding I'm currently working on building a 397 EFI Boss GT for my SuperCab Lightning Clone and I bleed FoMoCo blue, airplanes I used to really be into aviation and still enjoy reading about old aircraft I really like old North American and Boeing aircraft, some Lockheeds.
I made the mistake of saying to a guy wearing a Lockheed Martin hat at the last MSMRC open house "hey do you work at Aston Martin?" I've been reading about cars too much and got my Martin's confused.
That's about it from me.
Steve
If everything seems under control, you're not going fast enough!
Primary - Grand Trunk Western - June 1953 HO. It has been my main focus for many years and will eventually lead to my version of the South Bend Subdivision in my retirement house.
Secondary - Frisco late 1940’s HO. My wife’s grandpa worked for the SLSF and living along one of its former lines for a number a years, got me very interested in the line. I have some steam and some diesels and a few cars and cabooses. Not really sure how I will run this equipment on my flat Michigan and Indiana GTW line, but I will figure out something.
Tertiary – Colorado and Southern 1930’s Sn3. I got bite hard by the narrow gauge bug years ago and limited myself to reading books about the C&S and other narrow gauge lines until a month ago when I got an engine, a car and a caboose. This will have to be a small separate layout and it may never get built, but I was thinking about age and sight issues and the future on this one.
My main focus is collecting HO equipment to use in a late 1980s-1990s layout in the future. Whether it is based on a prototype or not is to be determined, I have two ideas in mind. In addition to gathering rolling stock, buildings, and locomotives, I like to collect railroad "paper" items. Timetables for the area I currently live near the Twin Cities and from where I grew up in western Wisconsin. I also like the hunt of finding books or magazines of railroads that interest me. I'm also enjoying the story writing for a future layout and creating switch list documents and timetables for the layout.
Essentially anything related to accumulating "stuff" is of interest, my wife is not as excited as I am when I find something of interest.
I'm all messed up on cranes. This is the 1/24 scale one in my avitar. Radio control operates 9 functions. It is currently torn down to make it's overall dimensions more proportional to 1/24 (downsizing). I build 1/24 and 1/25 truck and equipment models too.
This is me on a 1980 Ford C-700/ Utility Body and crane I rescued from being scrapped. I've fixed up a number of little things like replacing the power steering pump, and some hydraulic fluid leaks. I took off the flat bed and chopped off the frame just behind the spring hangers, and removed the crew cab as they are all very much in the way all the time when maneuvering and positioning for lifting. I am working on building a smaller carry deck, and a useful platform with toolboxes between the cab and crane. It's also my biggest piece of "railroadania", as it was owned by Southern Pacific! Dan
This is me on a 1980 Ford C-700/ Utility Body and crane I rescued from being scrapped. I've fixed up a number of little things like replacing the power steering pump, and some hydraulic fluid leaks.
I took off the flat bed and chopped off the frame just behind the spring hangers, and removed the crew cab as they are all very much in the way all the time when maneuvering and positioning for lifting. I am working on building a smaller carry deck, and a useful platform with toolboxes between the cab and crane. It's also my biggest piece of "railroadania", as it was owned by Southern Pacific! Dan
My secondary interests after mass transit is anything with wheels,wings or hulls
My secondary interest lies in research. Then electronics. I love playing with DCC, JMRI, electrical circuits and devising electro- mechanical devices. I'm also a ham radio operator (KG7SOU).
P.S. I'm an active duty submariner so if anyone wants to talk subs send me a message.
Jason
Modeling the Fort Worth & Denver of the early 1970's in N scale
riogrande5761Trying to stay "on-topic" this being a model train forum:
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Combining 28mm Wargaming with HO Scale Trains can be helpful when those pesky prototype pieces of equipment keep wandering into your carefully crafted world of nonsense.
Bolt Action meets Athearn in the woods.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
My hobby universe has been expanding for years... I started with the idea of modelling a small logging operation that really existed (TNVR), then I added the idea of a junction to add trains of two major carriers. Then I got hooked on narrow gauge, so I found room on my layout (in construction), for an HO, HOn3 and really short HOn30 ore operation. But that was not enough - my original logging line expanded to a "what-if" railroad with the same name, with a mining branch. And later, I bought other engines for the club layout, just because I thought they are cool (Big Boy, which would never fit on my home layout). And now, I am building a portable O and On30 layout because I like that too! This is a hobby, and I am enjoying it to the max...
Simon
PS: And I like subs too! I just finished a midget submarine model that I will fit on a flatcar. I will try to post on the next WPF.
Trying to stay "on-topic" this being a model train forum:
Primary interest - D&RGW between 1977 and 1983
Secondary interest - Southern Pacific during same time frame.
Tertiary interests - D&RGW between 1965 and 1977 and between 1983 and 1988
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
My current layout is modern, but a secondary interest would be a historical layout. I'm not a scratch builder so it will likely never get built.
My primary layout is an HO scale layout set in southern California in the 1990s featuring the Santa Fe and Southern Pacific railroads. My secondary interest is in the Virginia and Truckee set in the 1890s. I have a trackplan and have started collecting locomotives and rolling stock including locomotives from the V&T as well as the Central Pacific, but I haven't built the layout yet and I'm not sure if I ever will but I like collecting the equipment which I can run on my Santa Fe layout when I want to. I have started planning a sci-fi layout set on Mars in the 2090s. I have space for it because it will be rather small but it is still in the day dreaming stage of development. My other hobbies are large scale models that feature TV and movie monsters or musicians. I hope you can see this picture from Facebook.
I also build model airplanes and hang them from the ceiling. And I have built a few large scale trucks.
Been spending most of my hobby time on HO, but I've been a long time wargamer. Mostly in 28mm (a sole to eyeline measurement for figures) which scales very close to 1/56.
Lots of painted figures but my favorite activity was the building of Sci-Fi buildings and terrain from junk and broken toys. Searching for "Karl" or "Terrain" at our club's blog will bring up most of my work.
https://www.chicagoskirmishwargames.com/blog/
Visit the Chicago Valley Railroad for Chicago Trainspotting and Budget Model Railroading.
Not sure if this qualifies, but what I sometimes call my 'hobby within the hobby' is collecting old "how to" model railroad books. My oldest goes back to the 1930's.
B. BryceI also wish there was a scale between N scale and HO. HO takes up more space, but N is just too small for me to manage. Also, N scale seems to be more suseptable to dust and dirt electrical problems.
There is a scale in between N and HO. It's called TT scale (1:120 or 1/10" eguals 12"). It's called the Orphan Scale, N scale beat it out in the mid-60's. There is a forum dedicated to TT scale called TTnut. Do a search for TTnut scale forum to find it.
This happens to be another part of my hobby of model railroading. Main interest is HO, HOn3 & HOn30. Have a high interest in mechnical things thus an interest in animating model railroad items such as conveyors to actually carry things such as gravel to load rolling stock.
Bernd
New York, Vermont & Northern Rwy. - Route of the Black Diamonds
protolancer(at)kingstonemodelworks(dot)com
Cool thread!
Primary interest: SCL and ACL railroads with emphasis on their passenger trains (and the New Haven RR).
Secondary interest: Trucks, cars, and buses from the 1960's-70's! I've been a BIG fan of fishbowls since early childhood. Have been working on several Busch units over the past few years, freelancing paint schemes. Even with their errors, they're not bad looking units and are easy to "hop-up".
However, Once produced, I will be buying several Rapido fishbowls with the single-panel rear exit doors.
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
If I had a much larger room to build in, like 15' x 30', I would love to do another double deck layout, only this one would have on one level modern era homes, automobiles, businesses, factories, both flat and mountain scenery using both very large steam and diesel prime movers and the other level would be the old west with mountains, ranches, mines, old towns and all steam prime movers.
I also wish there was a scale between N scale and HO. HO takes up more space, but N is just too small for me to manage. Also, N scale seems to be more suseptable to dust and dirt electrical problems.
My primary interest is in the New York Central, but if I had a second layout, the C&O hauling coal through Appalachia would almost certainly be it.
Mike
I have worked as a small engine mechanic most of my life before getting hired by FCA at one of the local transmission factories, so I do have many of those special tools for working on lawn and garden tractors. Mike the Aspie
Silly NT's, I have Asperger's Syndrome
I consider what I do in the spring and summer as my "other" hobby. Working on and building our place in the North woods of WI. is my main summer hobby, and in 2nd place is working on, and restoring garden tractors. Mostly Symplicity and John Deere.
Mike.
EDIT: I guess I didn't answer the "secondary modeling interest", which for me would be On3 and S scale-gauge. I have some of each I just haven't done anything with, as of yet.
My You Tube
Over the spring/summer I started building Tamiya 1/12 scale Formula 1 cars. Not cheap on eBay but they have some heft when finished, and scratch that itch of having a project with a definite point of completion. Unlike our railroads, at some point there is one last part, decal, paint touch up or whatever—and then it’s done. Then you realize you can’t do anything more with it, which in turn scratches the itch to get back to the ever evolving railroad. Balance. ‘Tis a wonderful thing.
Union Pacific 428What secondary modeling (prototype or freelance) interests do any of y'all have?
In addition to my two "Freelance" road's ( Demon's Hollow & Pacific, And the Wyler's Gulch & Western ) I am seriously concidering building a "Gilpin Tramway" narrow gauge layout.
I also build model car's , truck's ,plane's, ship's, figure's ect....
But I have a HUGE interest in WWII German Submarine's....
( I just can't figure out how to get them to "fit in" with a steam era logging railroad ... )
Rust...... It's a good thing !
emdmike My other hobbies are Ham Radio and antique Wheel Horse brand garden tractors. Mike
My other hobbies are Ham Radio and antique Wheel Horse brand garden tractors. Mike
Oh man. You've got classic tractor fever! That's one I hope to be able to get into at some point. Seems like you'd need some pretty expensive tools.
T e d
My primary railroad interests are traction and railcars in HO scale and European/Austrian narrow gauge in G/Large scale. My other hobbies are Ham Radio and antique Wheel Horse brand garden tractors. Mike
I'm warming up to the idea of a narrow gauge layout. Probably not the next layout, maybe the one after next. I'm hopefully moving in the next couple weeks so when we get settled I'll continue on with my current layout that I'm taking with or starting a new standard gauge ho layout.
In addition to model railroading I'm interested in model cars, trucks, ships, etc. Below is the truck Santa brought me a couple years ago to work on my painting skills. Don't zoom in on the picture or you'll see just how much practice i actually need
Well, my primary interest is S scale and now that I'm settled into my new basement I plan to start the layout based on the Maryland and Pennsylvania RR in the early 50's - probably Fall of 1953 (but I my stretch that a year back to 1952 thru 1953).
Secondary interest are HO and O. I have enough stuff in both scales for a layout. I plan to do a small layout in each scale once the main line is up and running. But those won't follow any particular prototype or era other than steam/early diesel and will use kits from 30-50 years ago mixed in with more recent stuff.
Paul
My secondary hobbies are Miniature Wargaming, Scale Model Building, and 1/8 Scale (7-1/2" Gauge) Live Steam.
If I were to build a second layout, it would be an O scale ISL.
That will never happen. I only have so much time left on Earth, and I need to work on the HO scale layout.
The Warhammer Fantasy Armies of Duke Georgal of Entralgia:
Gee, I´d wish where toi start!
Apart from my primary layout, which is a trip down memory lane into my childhood days, I´d love to build a small OO9 scale British inspired narrow gauge light railway layout in a container and a Nm scale (that´s N scale metre gauge) layout based on the Swiss Rhaetian railway - that´s the one operating the famous Glacier express and Bernina Express trains .
Unfortunately, I have a very broad interest in model railroading which makes it difficult to focus on a single theme and stay with it.
Happy times!
Ulrich (aka The Tin Man)
"You´re never too old for a happy childhood!"