Mom and Model Trains

[Anonymous]

On this special day, I thought it would be appropriate to talk about how our mothers figured into this great hobby of ours. My own mom passed away back in August, she was 79 and had been in deteriorating health and a lot of pain – so it wasn’t a “tragic” death since she avoided the nursing home. But she lives on in my memory:

1) She bought me a large packet of modeling clay (no pun intended) when I was 5 years old, from which I proceeded to make a whole fleet of 1-inch cement mixers (I was fascinated by all large mechanical things in those days);
2) During those monthly trips to my allergy doctor in downtown Detroit, she would leave extra early so we could take Grand River Ave. instead of the new interstate, so I could look at the trains in the C&O and NYC yards on the way;
3) She would listen patiently while I rambled on about my great plans to someday build a scale model of a big city like Detroit (George Sellios beat me to it, dang!);
4) She dutifully called every hobbyshop in Southeast Michigan trying to find a 5-foot scale model of a Great Lakes ore boat for my 13th birthday;
5) She would spring to my defense whenever my Dad gave me a hard time about doing too much trains and not enough sports;
6) Even in my adult years, she always mailed me a $50 check for my birthday and said, “Now promise me you’ll spend it on something fun, do y’hear?”[angel];

Anybody else care to share?

[catpoppa]

When I first got really started in the hobby my mom would always get me something formy trains on my birthday and Christmas.I still rember what she would always say whenever I got something new."how do you know what you already have?"

[Eriediamond]

My mom passed when I was about 7 years old back in the 40's. However , Santa dropped off a Lionel "Scout" set for me about a year befor she died, but during that year she spent many hours with me playing with that train. She was a rescourceful woman and made many interesting structures, bridges and signals out of old shoe boxes and other house hold stuff. She was the one that gave me insentives to make the things I couldn't afford or otherwise get. I think that is why, even today, I encourage new modelers regardless of their age to do some scratch building and learn to do without the things out of reach for one reason or another and let their imagination work a little. Thanks, Ken

[canazar]

My Mom has to be given credit for the hobby I have today. She was inspired by her uncle when she was alittle girl and never forgot the awe and wonder of it all. When I was young, 2-3, she built my first train layout. Good ole 4x8 with the green grass paper and oval of track. She bought some buildings, trees, and other goodies to fill it.. Got a train set (TYCO's Midnight Express) a few extra cars and even bought a cool Spirit of '76 enigine that I still have today. The "Empire" lasted for years. Being setup on the spare bed, in the garage, or in the living room. Years passed and I fell out of it. Time, money work life, kept me away.
Then 2 years ago I rediscovered the hobby and havent looked back. Last Christmans, she gave money to my finacee to buy me my BLI Cab Foward and also got my first DCC System. Also, the biggest thing, she is one of my biggest fans and supporters of me and the "passion".

Gotta love Mom.[:D][:D][:D]

John K

[dragenrider]

My mom saw to it that I got a trainset every Christmas...'cause that's what I wanted. She even listened to me and picked out the one that had the things I needed for my growing railroad empire. More switches, another diesel engine, more straight track, a truck trailer unloader.

Thanks, Mom!!! [bow]

[Anonymous]

My mom is very supportive of my train hobby. She frowns about the money I spend some times, but enjoys driving into the city to hit the hobby shops with me once in a while. She also enjoys real train chasing and taking pictures of trains.

Hat's off to all mom's like ours...

trainluver1

[twhite]

My mother came down for Mother's Day--in fact she just left about two hours ago. Every year, my mother and my younger sister and myself go out to dinner at a local steak house nearby. It's a tradition. And after we get back to my place, she wants to see how I've progressed on the layout since the last time she was down. Now my mother is 90-1/2 years old, still drives, plays taxi for all of her lady friends for Sunday Mass, is president of the Guild, a member of the Historical Society, belongs to several other organizations, and whenever I go back to my home town, I have to phone ahead to make sure she's going to be either at home, or at some meeting where I can track her down. So today, when we went out into the garage so that she could inspect the train, she looked at the locomotive I had on the head of a freight train and said, "I know you like Rio Grande, dear, but could you do your old mother a favor and put a cab-forward at the head of that train before you run it for me?"
Happy Mother's Day, Mom, you keep me young (and thoroughly confused).
Tom [:D][:D]

[Anonymous]

I have to say my mom is usually unsupportive, that is untill I show her a realistic
layout from the MR. Then she's supportive for a while. Either way I still love her.

[cwclark]

I didn't talk to my mom on mother's day...her and my dad never liked me and don't acknowledge that i exist........I think the next time i see my folks will be while standing over their gravesite..too bad...they're missing out on a son that tried to love them and a lot of neat train stuff...chuck

[Anonymous]

I buried my mother not long ago. She found trains as something we kids got into pretty well.

At first it was the tyco cars with the candy logo and such (Whew... thanks mom!) and then trainsets Cox and others...

Finally a portion of the basement went into trains. And a occasional foray into a hobbyshop to buy something for the trains.

The last time she visited, she offered to buy a train item for me as we passed the LHS. I declined as they did not have too much money for the medical care that ultimately factored into her death. I dont consider her death tragic, there were already problems that were fatal and it was her time. Perhaps I should have let her get me a few parts or something, nothing serious. But you think that life is forever.

Anyways, mother was good to us kids regarding trains over the years even if she did not know too much about them. That is all that really matters.

[Anonymous]

My mom's great. Since I can't drive she takes me to the hobby store whenever I need stuff, even if it's on the other side of town. Thanks mom! you're an angel.[angel]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cwclark

I didn't talk to my mom on mother's day...her and my dad never liked me and don't acknowledge that i exist........I think the next time i see my folks will be while standing over their gravesite..too bad...they're missing out on a son that tried to love them and a lot of neat train stuff...chuck

I'm sincerely sorry. I wish it wasn't that way with you and your folks.

trainluver1

[donny2001]

Well my mother is a mixed one on this subject. When my dad and I go to trainshows, the first thing we are asked is HOW MUCH DID U SPEND NOW?!?! When she has went with us to the shows, somehow we end up spending quite a bit more than the last time she yelled at us.

We still get frowned upon on having a layout anywhere in the house. We used to have a layout in the basement near the bar (That weve only used once), and we had to take it down, cause it was felt we would entertain and stuff. So the equipment was boxed up and put under the stairs.

4 years went by, and my dad was determined to put up a layout. So within about 2 weeks time, we setup an overhead G scale layout (Suspended from the celing). No complaints. Then we expanded it an additional 3 feet wider in one area (For the CNW Mikado we bought.) Thought she would never notice. 2 months passed and I was asked if we expanded. I kept quiet and went to work.

THEN CAME THE HO LAYOUT AGAIN!

We modified my dad's work area (Rarley used) into a small area for my ho layout. Im in heaven. Im seen at Walthers at least once a week, and still get yelled at about goining there and how much I spent.

Man things never change around here. Mom vs. Trains. Somehow I think this time the war is heavily favored on the train side :)

The End.

DON