Things I hate about Model Railroading

[fievel]

I hate corporation executives who charge modelers a fee to purchase
their logos on locomotives and freight cars. Anything to make a buck.
Quite obviously they've never heard of Public Relations.

[oX)][oX)][oX)] [#wstupid] [oX)][oX)][oX)] [censored][censored][censored] [B)][B)][B)]

Remember, you can't spell Stupid without UP.

I also hate looking for my tools ( spread out everywhere ).
I hate my workbench ( I don't have one,yet ).
I hate coupler springs. Great idea with the thread!
I really hate trying to figure out which couplers / trucks / wheelsets
to convert all of my Rapido - equipped fleet I have accumulated
over the years.

BTW - I like Union Pacific RR and it's hard working employee's. It's
the leadership I disapprove of.[2c]

[davekelly]

Hmmmmm. Let's try to avoid a religeous debate here. In such things there are no winners, just a lot of hurt feelings.

[Anonymous]

OFFTOPIC

QUOTE: Originally posted by Stuckarmchairing

QUOTE: Originally posted by davekelly

huh?

Im 16, and every other model RR my age, at least in my local area are werid christain fundiementalist homeschool kids, not the kind of people i'd like to share something I enjoy with.

For everyone who jumped on him, I'd like to take a stab at this, because I'm from a largely rural and closed-minded community and I think I know where he might be coming from.

I was homeschooled myself, raised in a fairly rigid fundamentalist home...fed religion for breakfast, lunch, dinner, midnight snack, etc. Basically I was steeped in it, memorized this and that, my folks did the best they knew how out of love for their kids but when it came down to it, I got out on my own and discovered it wasn't for me (easier to simply say that than to go about explaining why I "walked away" or dealing with hostilities from people who don't like the idea that someone who's been in that lifestyle for so long can so easily leave).

Anyway, a person's politics and values change over the years. Ten years ago I had everything in common with them, now they look at me like I'm an alien. I don't think it's so much that I don't want to associate with these folks as I feel like a loner or outsider and would rather feel comfortable with a group of like-minded individuals in the back corner of a bar than insert myself into an uncomfortable and potentially volatile situation.

It's one thing to discriminate and not want to share the tracks with someone from a different religion or background...but considering how stuckarmchairing feels and giving him/her the benefit of the doubt...in my community these people are very clique-ish, suspicious, and see any outside as nothing more than a target of opportunity (I can say without prejudice having been one of them). Who wants to go to the club when you'll just spend the whole evening fending off evangelism attempts? I just want to run trains, thanks.

I'm all for being open and sharing ideas, but for your christian folks here, keep in mind that not all groups are as easygoing as you (and most of you seem pretty easy going here). There really are a few weirdos out there, and I suspect stuckarmchairing and I know some of them. The unfortunate thing is when stereotypes based on those few weirdos are applied to anyone claiming a doctrine.

BACK ON TOPIC

I hate moving. I have yet to get going on a large layout because I can't seem to stay in one house for more than a couple of years at most. I'm spending the rest of this week looking for something that'll suit my needs a little better. Life's been good to me lately, I don't want to settle for less than 4000 square feet of living space, the lady will be thinking kids, but I've got trains on the brain. I'm thinking we can reach a compromise. :)

[davekelly]

What I hate is that when I finally get everything together and figure out how to kitbash a locomotive, someone comes out with it. Wait, that's a good thing, right?

[coalminer3]

Here are a couple of more items to add to the "...what I hate list."

1. "Limited run" models that are released that way to inflate their price.

2. "Limited run" models that are out-of-stock b4 ads for them appear in the model press. I know about buying online, but the same applies there, too.

3. Waiting for years for a product to be released that never does appear.

4. Lack of certain types of equipment in N scale such as "American Flyer" cars - these were used on quite a few railroads, but they are not available. I know, nobody models the prototypes that had them.

5. The demise of local hobby shops.

work safe

[jeffshultz]

My wife is very supportive of the hobby - especially now that it's going to have it's own room. Actually, I can "blame" getting back into model railroading on her, as it was my father-in-law's decision to get into the hobby (it's marginally cheaper than his other one, owning and flying an airplane) that brought me back.

And when I buy stuff for the layout, it offers her a guiltless opportunity to buy stuff for her hobby of scrapbooking.

[rockythegoat]

QUOTE: Originally posted by SpaceMouse
Coupler Springs

I highly recommend the Kadee little coupler spring holder thing. Works Excellent.

QUOTE: 4-Glueing in window glass.
Anyone try that liquid creat a window type stuff that Micro Mark sells?

I haven't used Micro-Mark's, but the Testor's window glass glue works very good. dries much clearer the white glue. Good Stuff.


And my pet peeve: Limited Run models.

[davekelly]

dthurman,

My son also loved watching Pokemon. Although I don't know what the current episodes are about (he doesn't watch anymore) I did watch nearly every episode of the first year with him. There are some social values to be learned from them, which I emphasized to him. In the first episode, Pickichu doesn't really care for Ash, it is only when Ash risks himself to save his "pet" that he earns Pickichu's trust and respect. There's another episode where the bad guys open up a shop and makes a killing selling the latest clothes and hairstyles for the Pokemon so that they will be "beautiful." At the end of the episode, Ash learns that what is important is not what clothes or hairstyles a Pokemon has, but rather what is on the inside. I think these are pretty cool things for kids to learn. There was a clip from the first Pokemon movie that many parents and educators slammed big time. But my son and all his friends that saw it said that in that clip, the Pokemon learned that by working together they could pull their friend out of a log that he got stuck in. I think these are pretty good lessons for kids.

Of course, I haven't yet figured out DragonBall Z lol.

Best of wishes to you in your work with your girlfriend's son. It's not an easy job, but I'm sure it can be very rewarding - for both of you!

Dave

P.S. sorry for getting off topic.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by grande man

QUOTE: Originally posted by Stuckarmchairing

QUOTE: Originally posted by davekelly

huh?

Im 16, and every other model RR my age, at least in my local area are werid christain fundiementalist homeschool kids, not the kind of people i'd like to share something I enjoy with.

Put me down as a weirdo then. [B)]

What you call weird is what I call normal, salt of the Earth folks. The kind that made us a great nation. I hope you'll reconsider your position.

I would also belong to the weirdo camp, I am a Christian as well as I stay home to help raise my girlfriends 16 year old child with downsyndrome and a large number of other mental disabilities. I sold my business to help her and him have a better quality of life.

I have been trying to get him into model railroading but it's tough competeing with the garbage he watches on his TV, Pokemon, DragonBall Z etc, stuff I have seen no social value to. I am able to get him a little excited when we go out to railfan.

As you get older Stuck, I think you will appriciate those fundimentalist people.

[grandeman]

QUOTE: Originally posted by davekelly

Hey, weirdo! Let's face it, we get all excited when a company introduces an electronic chip that makes a model sound like a diesel engine. We spend hours painting the window frames on a model house 4 inches long. We pretent to be railroad engineers. On here we debate the best way to run electrons to a tiny electric motor. Is that normal? Depends on who you ask! Everyone is a weirdo in some way. That's what makes life fun!!

Weirdo Dave

It's good to know there's some fellow weirdos running around Dave. [:D]

[davekelly]

QUOTE: Originally posted by grande man

QUOTE: Originally posted by Stuckarmchairing

QUOTE:

huh?

Put me down as a weirdo then. [B)]

Hey, weirdo! Let's face it, we get all excited when a company introduces an electronic chip that makes a model sound like a diesel engine. We spend hours painting the window frames on a model house 4 inches long. We pretent to be railroad engineers. On here we debate the best way to run electrons to a tiny electric motor. Is that normal? Depends on who you ask! Everyone is a weirdo in some way. That's what makes life fun!!

Weirdo Dave

[Anonymous]

Lack of funding for the railroad. I have the benefit of a CFO who ensures that things like food and shelter are paid for first. Without her I'd have a Big ole layout, but I'd be starving to death, running my layout in the middle of a field somewhere![(-D]

Happy Railroading...

Trevor[:)]

[grandeman]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Stuckarmchairing

QUOTE: Originally posted by davekelly

huh?

Im 16, and every other model RR my age, at least in my local area are werid christain fundiementalist homeschool kids, not the kind of people i'd like to share something I enjoy with.

Put me down as a weirdo then. [B)]

What you call weird is what I call normal, salt of the Earth folks. The kind that made us a great nation. I hope you'll reconsider your position.

[Anonymous]

My #1 pet peeve:

Feeling pressured to buy something

...just because "everybody else" has it![|(]

[Anonymous]

My number one problem is:Not having the Money to buy HO Models.
Allan.

[skiloff]

WARNING: OFF TOPIC - READ AT YOUR OWN RISK

I agree with davekelly. One of the problems in this world is that people only want to associate with people who are similar to them. Sometimes, you just have to go out of your comfort zone and get to know new people. Model railroading is a great way to bridge the gap. The two clubs around me are full of guys that are mostly 20+ years older than me, or just really different. I went in and met the guys, and some of them definitely make me a little uncomfortable. But I'm going to join anyway. I think it would be good for all of us.

[MisterBeasley]

QUOTE: Maybe you should try the small, "cute" engines, like an 0-4-0 Dockside...or you could try a 2-6-6-6 Allegheny. Your choice.

I ended up with the small, "cute" girl. For nine months she was a 2-6-2, but then we had another small, "cute" girl and the first one went back to normal.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Stuckarmchairing

QUOTE: Originally posted by davekelly

huh?

Im 16, and every other model RR my age, at least in my local area are werid christain fundiementalist homeschool kids, not the kind of people i'd like to share something I enjoy with.

. What is wrong with normal people? Is this a form of discrimination?

[Anonymous]

Not many teens are into the hobby. Most of us left it during high school and came back to it during adulthood. I expect that my kids will move away from the hobby when they are in their teens. So I understand what Stuckarmchairing is talking about.

One of the real draws for adults who return to the hobby is to re-create railroads, eras, worlds and equipment we remember as kids but no longer exist.

[davekelly]

Seems like you're missing a chance to learn more about people that are different than you are and for them to learn something about someone that is different than them. A common ground, in this case, model railroading, can often be the means to bridge the gap between different people. I dare say the folks on this forum are from many different religeons, different races, both sexes, the entire spectrum of the social economic scale, ages, educational backgrounds, occupations, political beliefs etc. While there are many debates (yeah they're off topic, but fun anyways) here - but bottom line we all love this hobby.

Do you plan on only associating with those that are like you when you get older? Gonna be hard to find employment. Give it a chance, you may be surprised.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by davekelly

huh?

Im 16, and every other model RR my age, at least in my local area are werid christain fundiementalist homeschool kids, not the kind of people i'd like to share something I enjoy with.

[davekelly]

huh?

[Anonymous]

Not many people my age that are into it, and if they are they arent the kind of people i like to associate with.

[TrainFreak409]

QUOTE: Originally posted by davekelly

And more money for trains!!

DUH! How could I forget to add that with "More time for trains?" Stupid me...[:p]

[davekelly]

And more money for trains!!

[TrainFreak409]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CARRfan

Yeah man, you've got to keep your MRR'ing under wraps until you've snagged the girl.

All my wife knew when we were dating was that I was "sort of into trains". I didn't have a layout when we were dating.

Now when we talk about our retirement home (in 30 years) with a huge room for trains, she wonders what she got herself into : )

I think it may freak girls out to see so much involvement with such a relatively obscure hobby. Luckily, my interested wained when I was "on the prowl". Now that I'm settled down (was never wild frankly), it's easier to get back into this hobby.

I think trains are super cool, but I'll take girls (now wife) over trains any day.

Keep model railroading under wraps? IS THAT WHAT I'VE BEEN DOING WRONG?[(-D]

Hmm, well, I once let my interest in trains lessen, and I became very depressed, because a) I have no luck when it comes to girls, and b) I had no other hobby. And when model railroading was brought back into the picture, I was perfectly fine.

Maybe I'll try again in a few years, but as of now, I feel that I don't really need a girlfriend, which gives me more time for trains![:D]

[Anonymous]

To add my story about women and trains, I had been into model railroading since 6 years old up to about 15, then cars and girls took over, when I finally got out of the getting tickets for speeding/drag racing etc (when gas and a Mustang had a V8 that you could work on and afford), I got back in for a little while at 18, my now ex-wife didn't have a problem with my hobby. I got out for about 20 years and the new girlfriend wanted to know why I wasn't doing my train stuff anymore, I kept blowing it off that I couldn't afford to get into it again, she kept pushing, even set aside the room in the basement once the oldest of her son's moved out. To sweeten the pot, she loves power tools, so I bought her a power miter saw, and other power tools, which I was able to use to build the layout, thank God she doesn't know what I have spent, though I am sure she has an idea [:D]. So there are decent women that will see the value in a man that is into trains, I would bet many had fathers and brothers that were into model railroading, so you may be suprised AggroJones!!! Keep waiting, they say you find the one you should have when you are least expecting and looking. I know, I speak from experience...Hang in there...

[Anonymous]

first time posting (been reading for months.)
re: coupler springs - after stabbing them in the middle with a knife, touch one end to C A, then, touch spring to bump in coupler body and hold...... release knife slowly. PRESTO!! spring stays. you then attach the spring to other end of coupler. i had a box of these hateful couplers w/o springs , done them all in one nite.



DOC

[loathar]

Nathanial-The smell of dullcoat- You must be using Testors.(that smell makes me sick!)
Try Krylon matte coat. Smells better and I think it looks better (duller). WAY cheaper.$3.50 for 11oz can. Haven't had any white hazeing problem with it.