The holidays are upon us now, and that brings a sense of dread for many railfans – well-meaning relatives who think anything railroad related is "good enough." Who among us hasn't received a train-shaped empty Avon bottle or generic bargain-table railroad book as a gift? I'd wager more than a few.
Most railfans are passionate – borderline obsessive – about the hobby. That's especially true for modelers. (Nevermind just getting the right scale, a gift giver should also know how many rivets a 1967 Santa Fe boxcar should have.) Their collections and layouts often have a theme.
I model in N scale – the Central of New Jersey in the 1950s and the Milwaukee Road of the 1960s. So I don't have much need for a tri-level enclosed auto rack or a N&W J Class in my collection. Further, I collect a lot of railroad paper, with my primary interest being employee timetables and track charts, as well as original slides. If only my wife knew where to track down Detroit, Toledo & Ironton action shots on Kodachrome...
There is, on my office window ledge, a vaguely train-shaped Matchbox toy. It was a gift from my mother-in-law, a joke at the time, and everybody at the party got a good laugh. But being a joke, it is also a symbol of her understanding of my passion for the hobby, that maybe she doesn't fully understand the interest, but wants to acknowledge it in some way.
So, thanks again.
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