steam_marc wrote:Tell him that he should stand next to a 10,000 ton train moving at 50 mph, and let him say that it is not awesome.I think the reason we like trains is probably because humans are obsessed with size. The bigger, the faster, or the more powerful something is, the more we're attracted to it. Trains encompass all three of these requirements.Another reason we like trains is how they actually tie into the real world. You might think there is a real world and a train world, but think of all of the effects railroads have had. Railroads are a combination of culture, science, technology, geography, mathematics, economics, and politics.Yet another reason: think of how much influence trains have had on your daily life. These things deliver all your goods, power your electricity, and even help to mobilize nations in times of war. You're just taking pride in a national asset.
*** good point right there! This hobby is so great to me because I was born and raised in the city of railroads (Chicago). Amtrak was my father, Metra and Northwesthern was my sisters and the CTA train lines was my big brother. Watching freights and metra move around most of the day was and still is the highlight of my life. For the most part it's for the love of taking a piece of the real world and putting into the perespective of a small world and give it life by adding trains. When you see models, layouts, sceniery, etc. you can tell me that doesn't take you there! some people see a layout design from there home town or a big city back in the days and they can say "hey, i use to eat there, shop there or live there. Model Railroading is the one of the greatest hobby there is.
leave us not forget.....that this Nation was built by Railroads and those who ran them...and those of us here know this and appreciate it....for me personally this is the allure...the history of the Industry
J. Edgar wrote: leave us not forget.....that this Nation was built by Railroads and those who ran them...and those of us here know this and appreciate it....for me personally this is the allure...the history of the Industry
Very very true, before car were made and people on horses. The train went almost every *** where you could think of. There are still trains stops I have not heard of yet. Even when men and woman fought for this country in the wars of history. There was always a train envolved.
Amtrak77 wrote: J. Edgar wrote: leave us not forget.....that this Nation was built by Railroads and those who ran them...and those of us here know this and appreciate it....for me personally this is the allure...the history of the IndustryVery very true, before car were made and people on horses. The train went almost every *** where you could think of. There are still trains stops I have not heard of yet. Even when men and woman fought for this country in the wars of history. There was always a train envolved.
not taking anything from our fighting men and women.....but WW2 was won by the American Steam Locomotive....it was almost as if the Iron Horse knew it was the last hoorah for steam....and went out in style
Hi - It's not just those sights, sounds and feelings of a heavy train starting from a dead stop, or of a train racing past you that so many of you have mentioned, but it's also the fact that you can take this hobby in so many directions that has always amazed me.
I certainly second the earlier statements about the great appreciation of history you can get from this hobby. You can take photos and collect them, as well as so many other things you can collect related to railroading or transportation (timetables, equipment data, etc.), so it gives you a sense of organization. It can teach you about geography and how the railroads coped with those impacts/limitations; or strength of materials if you get into the construction of the lines and how they changed (along with equipment designs) over time. There are countless examples of mechanical engineering or the other engineering disciplines in railroading that you can imerse yourself in to the extent you wish to.
You can study how railroads or rail transit lines influenced the development of one city or suburban area over another, so that leads you into social histories. There's also the related area of industrial archeology in which the railroads are so intimately involved.
Art
wisandsouthernkid wrote:hey man not to oppose you but my dad is actually very much a gearhead he has an absolutley awesome 1968 firebird and he and me and all of our friends all are musclecar gearheads but he just thinks that them things that run on rails are boring (in his words) YAY my 40th post!!!!
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