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Time for a Reality Check regarding this hobby.

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Posted by Dallas Model Works on Thursday, May 10, 2007 11:38 AM

 simon1966 wrote:
Very nice sentiments Antonio.  I guess I am lucky, I have never once experienced any kind of nasty response to my hobby.  Quite the contrary really.  Sometimes people are surprised but I have never had anything but positive feedback.

I agree.

I've always been amazed by the positive reactions people have to model railroading. Even the hippest cats drop the facade and have their eyes light up when you mention it.

Now, on the other hand, tell people that you build model tanks or planes (as I've also been known to do) and they run for the hills. Smile [:)]

Craig

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Posted by shawnee on Thursday, May 10, 2007 11:00 AM

Red - um, the Goring and MR thing...for PR purposes, maybe we ought to keep that to ourselves.  Smile,Wink, & Grin [swg]

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Posted by R. T. POTEET on Thursday, May 10, 2007 12:25 AM
 AntonioFP45 wrote:

Hello Crew, I wanted to post a thread like this before with regards to people we meet that "rip up" on us for being model railroaders.

The "Why do model trains get such bad raps" thread is a good one, but guys if you are indeed put down or "dissed" by relatives, coworkers, or brain-cell-deficient snobsDunce [D)].....then stay cool and don't sweat it!Cool [8D]

This or a similar approach may likely work for us.  I've posted the following before:

My favorite approach is to calmly smile at the offender......name a few famous people that are or were model railroaders.......and then tell him/her that by a mile this hobby beats going to a bar or night club several times a week, smelling expensive perfume and cologne mixed in with unspeakable body odors, and dumping hard earned money on alcohol laden drinks that are going to wind up in a toilet within the hour.  (Funny, but that's what Hollywood says is cool!). In most cases he/she actually thinks about it......and agrees!

My wife's cousin used to spend money like water going to strip clubs.  He told me that he finally woke up one, day over a decade ago, and realized that HO locomotives and rolling stock provided far more satisfaction and were much cheaper.   Now he often talks about the joy he gets out of this hobby.

If you watch tv, tune into shows that you get something positive out of.  Sometimes  I do watch Law and Order and House since the characters have personalities with some realistic "depth" and "flaws" to them.

Guys, feel pity for healthy people who are so shallow that they spend countless hours watching that tube, smoking weed, or getting plastered on booze.  Many of them won't routinely work on things, big or small, that help the mind expand its horizons, make one a more alert person, and become a person that is an excellent source for creative ideas!  I've had my disagreements with some of you here, yet I think I would enjoy running into you at a convention or train show. 

Haven't some of you noticed that many talented "hot shot" architects put together impressive models of buildings out of cheap prefabricated or raw materials?  Another fact:  Hobbiests have far lower rates of depression!  How many of us have heard the doctor's cliche':  Get a Hobby!

Guys, wake up!  Model railroaders are among the most creative people that you will meet. That's you!  If you doubt that, then look at the names on the "famous model railroaders" thread and mention them next time you meet a naysayer. 

Being in this or other scale hobby indicates that you all are sharper than you probably realize......

Peace and High Greens Captain [4:-)]Chef [C=:-)]Cowboy [C):-)]Thumbs Up [tup]

 



I am considerably more tactful than you are:

When I get asked. "Don't you think it's childish to play with trains?' I respond with, "I have a much better question; why, when I look deep into your eyes, I see the back of your head?"

When they say, "Don't get smart with me!" I respond by saying, "If I got smart with you how in the world would you ever know it?"

I have used this: Your idiocy is going to take much more than one beer to fix!

Another tactful quip is: Are you in any anquish at this time: stupidity, you know, is supposed to be painful.

Try this some time; Despite your arrogance I really like you; you remind me so much of myself when I was young and stupid!!!

A couple of others: Which has more wheels, your house or your car???  Remember you only have until five o'clock on Friday to get the air in your head changed.  I sincerely hope that when you finally find yourself you don't look up and wish you hadn't.  If you were trying for a sexy look - you missed!  I used to care but then I discovered they made pills for it!!!  I certainly hope you left those flying Monkeys of yours at home today!!!  And lastly: your lips have been moving for five minutes now but all I've managed to hear is BLAH! BLAH! BLAH!

It is all a matter of tact!!!

From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet

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Posted by red p on Wednesday, May 9, 2007 8:25 PM

well my mother is always telling me im to old to to play with toy trains. I also railroad for a living, And my co workers dont think much of it, so i keep pretty quite about it. There are a few other railroaders I work with that model though.

        I did see something interesting on the history channel once. Did you know that there was a prominate Nazi leader during WW2 that had an elaberate marklin layout?

It was Hermann Goring

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Posted by Left Coast Rail on Saturday, March 31, 2007 2:26 PM
"Reality is merely an illusion, albeit a very persistent one."
-Albert Einstein
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Posted by loathar on Saturday, March 31, 2007 2:24 PM
 SavaTheAggie wrote:

If you think you guys get put down for 'playing with model trains', imagine being involved in the LEGO hobby, or worse yet, the combination of the two - LEGO Trains!  At least model trains are considered by the majority as being 'adult' oriented.  Try pulling out a pile of plastic blocks and try to convince people you're an adult.  :)

--Tony

The adults that do the R&D for Lego make a pretty darn good living. I wouldn't care what people said about me if I was drawing their pay. The ones that build the models for Lego Land ain't working for minimum wage either.

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Posted by Zandoz on Saturday, March 31, 2007 2:04 PM
Reality...an interesting concept with no successful applications, that should always be accompanied by a "Do not try this at home" warning.

Reality...an interesting concept with no successful applications, that should always be accompanied by a "Do not try this at home" warning.

Hundreds of years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...But the world may be different because I did something so bafflingly crazy that my ruins become a tourist attraction.

"Oooh...ahhhh...that's how this all starts...but then there's running...and screaming..."

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Posted by wctransfer on Saturday, March 31, 2007 10:55 AM

Glad to have "another one" Tyler! Keep doing what you like, and dont let people try to tell you its stupid.

Alec

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Posted by Virginian on Saturday, March 31, 2007 5:14 AM

quote   " When put that way, there are very few things that anyone does that could be considered rational, let alone logical. Just look at your diet, for instance."

Thanks, I'd rather not. Smile [:)]  The 'nutritionist' at the doctors office started in on that proper diet, more exercise, etc. the other day, and I stopped her cold.

"You do realize" I said, "that if I did all that, I probably would never have come thru the door in the first place.  I am here for more of those great little pills that let me eat what I want and have a cholesterol level of 124.  I believe in better living thru chemistry.  When I get home from work, where I have been since 6:30 AM, and it is cold and rainey, like it has been a lot this year, there ain't no way I am going to go walk two miles in it.  Not any more.  If, repeat IF you can convinnce me there is a way to get out of this life alive, keep talking, otherwise, let's enjoy the silence, please."

I enjoy tinkering with little toy trains.  If anyone else doesn't like it, sc**w them.  It makes every bit as much sense as fertilizing your lawn so you can cut it more often, or growing a few veggies for twice what it costs to buy them, even assuming you are only worth $3 an hour.  My favorite punchline is, "My other hobby is shooting.  Keep it up."

What could have happened.... did.
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Posted by LD357 on Friday, March 30, 2007 10:03 PM

Hmmmmm,  interesting observations.

  I have had several people say ''this is what you do?  play with little tinker toy trains in the basement?  omg!  thats so pathetic''..........then I ask them what they do for a hobby,  none of the nay-sayers even had a hobby, and some were so un-creative [is that a word?] and unimaginative, that they couldn't even get a paint-by-numbers set to look like anything!   lol

   Then there are those who marvel at the thousands of details and little scenes on a layout, the level of detail on a loco or the weathering on a boxcar, and the fact that it all works.  Almost all of those sort of people say ''I wish I had your talent'', they are the ones I like to talk with, and explain how and why I did something, and most of the time they say they didn't realize that it doesn't take an artist to use an airbrush, or an engineering degree to make parts, I think that the ones who would ridicule and poke fun, don't have any idea what we do, and how much fun it can be.

  It doesn't matter what someone else thinks, what matters is you are enjoying yourself and your hobby.

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Posted by Metro Red Line on Friday, March 30, 2007 9:48 PM
 AntonioFP45 wrote:

My wife's cousin used to spend money like water going to strip clubs.  He told me that he finally woke up one, day over a decade ago, and realized that HO locomotives and rolling stock provided far more satisfaction and were much cheaper.   Now he often talks about the joy he gets out of this hobby.

 

He still gets to spend his money on HOs. :) 

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Posted by Metro Red Line on Friday, March 30, 2007 9:47 PM
 twhite wrote:

Most of my friends are like me, musicians.  And most of my musician friends think that my model railroad is really COOL!  (Yes, we still use that great Jazz term, because it works!).  Funny thing, though, as I said on another post, a lot of my high school students have discovered my Website, and THEY think it's Cool, also.  "Yo, dude, you seen Mr. White's TRAINS?  WOW!" 

 

That's probably because most diesel horns let out a minor 7th chord. :) 

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Posted by oleirish on Friday, March 30, 2007 8:17 PM

Bow [bow]Bow [bow]out standing peace of work!!!!!!!!!1

JIM

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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 30, 2007 7:33 PM

Thanks! I haven't been working on the RR for a while becouse it's been so cold here, but now its warming up there might be progress soon. I am working on a site about the model railroad (instead of the corperate site for the freelanced railroad) with more pictures and a track plan, it'll probobly be finished sometime before May.


Tyler

Springfield Central Railroad

Route of Pittsfield Pass

http//

 

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Posted by AntonioFP45 on Friday, March 30, 2007 7:21 PM

TrainmanTy,

Way to go!

Good website.  I liked your photos, especially the overhead shot of the Conrail unit.  What's cool about is that years back there was a TRAINS magazine issue with almost that same type of overhead shot of a Conrail EMD wide-cab with the CEO's picture "cropped" right next to the locomotive. 

Keep us posted on your progress.  If you update your photos or layout, please let us know here.

"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"

 


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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 30, 2007 7:04 PM
wctransfer

Well, maybe Im the person this thread is aimed at. Im 14, live in Minneapolis Minnesota. Im a somewhat popular kid, and most of my friends (and people that arent my friends) know about my interest. Im definately a RARE breed in this hobby! I listen to Rap, I wear "gangsta" shoes, I play basketball, and am in the "in crowd". But one thing Ive also had, was values. Im more against drinking and smoking than probably anyone here (sorry If there may be someone more, but Im pretty anti), and for most of my friends, they cant really believe it. Im not the average teenager, on the outside I may be, but inside, I have an interest that most cant fatham. I have many railroad friends, not one being my age. Im in with the 20 and up crowds, most are pretty well known. Im sure a few of you have heard about a Bob Rivard, SOO modeler, and Frank Jordan in model magazines (Frank has made a few books also). I take pride in my hobby, although I rarely just start talking about it with my friends. Most dont ever bother me about it, and people who do, I could care less about anyway. Ive always been happy to be "popular" and a die hard railroad fan since day one. I dont care what people say, I love seeing a pair of SOO SD60s or a pair of GE Dash 8s roll by with a loaded grain train. I find it an easy time not to car about anything else in life, and just enjoying the day making that kit or watching the real things. I have had my fair share of "trains? Why?" and laughter ensues. But, It doesnt bother me to the point that I truely feel hurt. Now, if my bestfriend or family member started saying things, I could definately see getting hurt, and think its just a shame that people cant open there eyes to other things. Its a damn shame some people think smoking weed or even cocaine is cool. Drinking has always been my pet peeve, and Im pretty sure I wont ever drink anything but maybe wine due to special events. Maybe I ventured a bit off topic, but please, any young members here, dont let yourself do something that you know is wrong. Dont even try it. I find myself hurt when my friends promised not to smoke or drink. What do I do the next morning? Hop on the bike and go railfanning. Its a great way to be creative, to get stress off your mind, and to know that you are smarter than most. This hobby has always been target to the name callings, but I'd rather go do something I enjoy than go get drunk. Let others make stupid decisions while you finish up that nice weathering job on the new engine you just bought!

Whew, Im done!

Alec

Hmmmm.....

I guess I'm kinda like you, I also think drinking and smoking and things like that are totally stupid, I'm 12, and I am a total train freak![:D]

I am homeschooled, so I don't meet a lot of kids, so I mostly have a group of 4 or 5 best friends, but my very best friend, and the only one who likes trains, moved to Texas a couple years ago, leaving me all alone with no other train friends. I know a couple people who like trains, but they're all adults.

Most of my relatives think it's pretty cool that im into trains, and I have developed some part time operators; one of my relatives, my age, 2 of my friends, and my brother, 10. My friends here that I allow to operate and be around my trains are girls, they're more carefull and appreciate that it's a model and not a toy.

The rest of my friends mostly want to make car chases with the automobiles and train wrecks! [:(!]

Good luck Alec!

 


Tyler

 

Springfield Central Railroad

Route of Pittsfield Pass

http// 

 

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Posted by jamesbaker on Friday, March 30, 2007 5:05 PM

I think she does like you a little bit.
Go Getter!
Then let us know how it works out.

 

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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, March 30, 2007 3:48 PM

If you think you guys get put down for 'playing with model trains', imagine being involved in the LEGO hobby, or worse yet, the combination of the two - LEGO Trains!  At least model trains are considered by the majority as being 'adult' oriented.  Try pulling out a pile of plastic blocks and try to convince people you're an adult.  :)

--Tony

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Posted by AntonioFP45 on Friday, March 30, 2007 3:35 PM
 tstage wrote:

Roy, 

She's jealous of your hobby...that's all there is to it...Smile [:)]

Tom 

Also sounds like the "slight hint" of her maybe having a slight crush on ya!Tongue [:P]

"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"

 


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Posted by tstage on Friday, March 30, 2007 11:58 AM

Roy, 

She's jealous of your hobby...that's all there is to it...Smile [:)]

Tom 

https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling

Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

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Posted by trainfan1221 on Friday, March 30, 2007 11:55 AM
Ironically, almost as soon as I posted on this topic the other day, my non train liking friend sneaked up on me at the library here and then proceded to tell me what a loser I was for being on a site called Trains.com.  I simply told her to go on the internet some time and see how many of us there are out there.  For somebody who has no actual hobby herself, she a lot to say.  And needless to say, I loved every minute of it.
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Posted by tangerine-jack on Thursday, March 29, 2007 4:00 PM

I picture modern trains running to Punk rock, especially Amtrak (I can hear Johnny Rotten now belting away "no future, no future, no future for meeee).   It fits the grungy, post modern ideals somehow.  Steamers run always to Big Band, Glen Miller and Dorsey.

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Posted by wctransfer on Thursday, March 29, 2007 3:49 PM

Thanks for the compliments! I should have also stated im into all types of music too! I love Hall & Oats, and many other classic bands from the 60s 70s and 80s. When I hear a rap song, I instantly think of chasing a train. The up beat tempo really gets your blood going. When I hear the classic rock I think of the "good ole' days". Some of those songs really make me a little sad too, but not in the bad way. Just thinking of how much things have changed.

 

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Posted by SpaceMouse on Thursday, March 29, 2007 12:15 PM

 Virginian wrote:
Performing a reality check relative to the passtime of fooling with little toy trains is irrational.

When put that way, there are very few things that anyone does that could be considered rational, let alone logical. Just look at your diet, for instance.

Chip

Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.

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Posted by Virginian on Thursday, March 29, 2007 12:08 PM
Performing a reality check relative to the passtime of fooling with little toy trains is irrational.
What could have happened.... did.
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Posted by AntonioFP45 on Thursday, March 29, 2007 10:55 AM

Alec,

It's refreshing to read your post. Great that you're sticking with good values, as today the pressure to "go with the flow even if its wrong" is heavier than ever.  A very good thing that you're doing is staying active.  Hopping on a bike to go railfanning is a good workout combined with enjoying watching trains in action. 

Many adults feel that today's teens are essentially a rude, obnoxious, lost group that's heading for a societal "train wreck" as Rome did before it collapsed.  But there are many kids out there that do resist a lot of the peer pressure, apply themselves in school, volunteer to help their communties and see past the "instant gratification" urges of their peers. 

Gratifying to see that in this age of video games (I play too them too!), web blogging, and MP3 players, that there are still a significant number of young people that are getting into this hobby and staying in it.  IMHO, some of these young people will be the ones that in a few years will help make significant advancements in the hobby technologies, like dcc and sound.  Best thing we can do is to continue to help and encourage them. 

BTW: a couple of you mentioned music.  I always mentally picture trains with modern (1980 thru today) smooth jazz. Not the slow tunes, but the more upbeat instrumentals.  The cool beats often make me visualize the sway, motion, and sounds of passenger trains.  I usually play some Joyce Kooling or Paul Brown when I'm working on my trains.  Blew me away when some kids told me that a lot of young people listen to jazz as well.

 

"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"

 


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Posted by wctransfer on Wednesday, March 28, 2007 6:40 PM

Well, maybe Im the person this thread is aimed at. Im 14, live in Minneapolis Minnesota. Im a somewhat popular kid, and most of my friends (and people that arent my friends) know about my interest. Im definately a RARE breed in this hobby! I listen to Rap, I wear "gangsta" shoes, I play basketball, and am in the "in crowd". But one thing Ive also had, was values. Im more against drinking and smoking than probably anyone here (sorry If there may be someone more, but Im pretty anti), and for most of my friends, they cant really believe it. Im not the average teenager, on the outside I may be, but inside, I have an interest that most cant fatham. I have many railroad friends, not one being my age. Im in with the 20 and up crowds, most are pretty well known. Im sure a few of you have heard about a Bob Rivard, SOO modeler, and Frank Jordan in model magazines (Frank has made a few books also). I take pride in my hobby, although I rarely just start talking about it with my friends. Most dont ever bother me about it, and people who do, I could care less about anyway. Ive always been happy to be "popular" and a die hard railroad fan since day one. I dont care what people say, I love seeing a pair of SOO SD60s or a pair of GE Dash 8s roll by with a loaded grain train. I find it an easy time not to car about anything else in life, and just enjoying the day making that kit or watching the real things. I have had my fair share of "trains? Why?" and laughter ensues. But, It doesnt bother me to the point that I truely feel hurt. Now, if my bestfriend or family member started saying things, I could definately see getting hurt, and think its just a shame that people cant open there eyes to other things. Its a damn shame some people think smoking weed or even cocaine is cool. Drinking has always been my pet peeve, and Im pretty sure I wont ever drink anything but maybe wine due to special events. Maybe I ventured a bit off topic, but please, any young members here, dont let yourself do something that you know is wrong. Dont even try it. I find myself hurt when my friends promised not to smoke or drink. What do I do the next morning? Hop on the bike and go railfanning. Its a great way to be creative, to get stress off your mind, and to know that you are smarter than most. This hobby has always been target to the name callings, but I'd rather go do something I enjoy than go get drunk. Let others make stupid decisions while you finish up that nice weathering job on the new engine you just bought!

Whew, Im done!

Alec

Check out my pics! [url="http://wctransfer.rrpicturearchives.net/"] http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?userid=8714
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Posted by tangerine-jack on Wednesday, March 28, 2007 6:38 PM
 selector wrote:
 tangerine-jack wrote:

...I am a Triumph owner, so would you please explain the word "beg" to me, I am unfamiliar with it... 

 

You've never had to beg your Triumph to perform better?  Golly, every time I passed one, it was parked on the side of the road and its hapless owner was on his knees, pleading with some power to make the SOB start.  Big Smile [:D]

 

Oooch, that's below the belt!  And that would be the God of Lucas Lord of Darkness.  Actually, no, I've never had a problem with my bike.  Many of the original problems are now solved with the miracle of electronic ignitions and high output solid state alternator kits.  Honestly though, I have begged my Harley riding buddies to try and keep up with me on the twisters!

Oh yeah, the topic....  I just added some more scenery on my layout, that is to say Lowe's was having a sale on cedar mulch and I dumped 3 fresh bags down and pulled some weeds.  I also added a garden gnome for no other reason that it's a garden railroad and what garden is complete without a gnome?   Looking good for the summer!  I've got my B'mann Annie to service, and some of my rolling stock could use a little paint and my town is covered in dust and pine needles.  So much to do- so little time!

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Posted by selector on Wednesday, March 28, 2007 5:43 PM
 tangerine-jack wrote:

...I am a Triumph owner, so would you please explain the word "beg" to me, I am unfamiliar with it... 

 

You've never had to beg your Triumph to perform better?  Golly, every time I passed one, it was parked on the side of the road and its hapless owner was on his knees, pleading with some power to make the SOB start.  Big Smile [:D]

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