Hi
We had our 8 year old grand daughter over yesterday. She knows I'm building my brand new HO layout and said, 'Can I see your trains Grandad?'
'Sure! But I am still in the middle of building so we can only run trains around the outside back and forth. OK?'
I put on an SD7 with sound and about 6 box cars. 'Wow!' she said and took hold of the NCE DCC controller, pressed the whistle button and the bell and got it to roll around the 30' of track I've so far laid. She slowed, heard the brakes squeal. 'If you think that's good, what about this one?' and I put on my BLI M1b. She was amazed. We then spent an hour running the steamer back and forth.
'You have to finish this Grandad so I can come round and play!'
Great eh? My daughter (her mother) was great too. On my last layout she helped me solder my track.
More women in the hobby!!!!!
Barry
bsteel4065 wrote: HiWe had our 8 year old grand daughter over yesterday. She knows I'm building my brand new HO layout and said, 'Can I see your trains Grandad?' 'Sure! But I am still in the middle of building so we can only run trains around the outside back and forth. OK?'I put on an SD7 with sound and about 6 box cars. 'Wow!' she said and took hold of the NCE DCC controller, pressed the whistle button and the bell and got it to roll around the 30' of track I've so far laid. She slowed, heard the brakes squeal. 'If you think that's good, what about this one?' and I put on my BLI M1b. She was amazed. We then spent an hour running the steamer back and forth.'You have to finish this Grandad so I can come round and play!'Great eh? My daughter (her mother) was great too. On my last layout she helped me solder my track.More women in the hobby!!!!! Barry
At least you know that when she hires on with EWS in 15 years she will give you a cab ride on a Class 66.....
Bill
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig"
I am surrounded by women when the family is present. I have three daughters. My hobby is a part of me that they accept, but they have no particular interest. My nephew, on the other hand, is a keen, if reserved, boy who enjoys running my layout a great deal. My younger brother also enjoys it when he can focus and not have to visit with all others gathered.
I hope one day to have grandchildren who will marvel at the layout, and with whom I can bond. I'd say it must have been a special and memorable day for you. Thanks for sharing your story. I hope you have many other such days.
-Crandell
You just have to start them early. Here's my great grand daughter at Christmas time. She was 6 months old at the time. I will be seeing here again in June. Can't wait!
Tom
Life is simple - eat, drink, play with trains!
Go Big Red!
PA&ERR "If you think you are doing something stupid, you're probably right!"
bsteel4065 wrote:Great eh? My daughter (her mother) was great too. On my last layout she helped me solder my track. More women in the hobby!!!!!
Texas Zepher wrote: bsteel4065 wrote:Great eh? My daughter (her mother) was great too. On my last layout she helped me solder my track. More women in the hobby!!!!! Yeah but it won't last. In my entire lifetime I've know many little girls that love the trains (including my 4 daughters), but they don't remain. Two of the wives of people at our club participated (one even actually joined), but one could tell it wasn't the same level of "hobby". If their husbands would leave the hobby so would they. I've only ever known one woman truely in the hobby.
I know one who drives fullsize trolleys in the summer...
Alex
Mine (now 10) has helped with layouts since she was about 2. First it was shopping for and sorting my nuts, bolts, and washers for the benchwork on my H0 layout. Also a great help with wiring (smart and quick under the tables...). Most recently she built her own n-scale module for our club (and private) layout. She built the plastic kits herself and as well as doing 90% of the scenery.She likes going to shows too and is better at interacting with the public than many in the club. Last year she asked for her own trains and I got her an H0e starter set from Fleischmann.
Her's is the short module in the middle, my wife's is at the far right end.
More power to them.
Peter
-|----|- Peter D. Verheyen-|----|- verheyen@philobiblon.com -|----|- http://www.philobiblon.com/eisenbahn -|----|- http://papphausen.blogspot.com/-|----|- http://www.youtube.com/user/papphausen2
No-one in their right mind would want a cab ride in a 66.............
Steve
Tracklayer wrote:rearrange my cars and trucks - all of which she said were in the wrong places. Okay...
Sound familier....my 3 year old brother likes to drive little cars by my layout when I'm working, one day he came down when I was working on scenery and wanted to help.
He asked why there weren't people on the station platform, so to keep him busy I gave him a box of my "reject figures" who have paint on their faces, peeling paint, etc (it's hard to paint those little guys, one bump on your hand and the paint gets messed up)
He placed them all on the platform, which kept him busy....for about a minute. Then he asked for more people! I told him Amtrak wouldn't get that many people for one train a day....
He also put a bunch of police and fire vehicles next to the platform telling me they were taking the train.
Hi verheyen
The look of concentration on your daughter's face is a picture.
More power to her!
Well done......
This topic seems to focus on the girls in the FAMILY. So its more like getting more family members into the hobby not woman. alot of you guys talk about young girls that say wow but they are not women. as one stated they grow out of that. Your topic should read Getting the FAMILY in
You do not go out promoting to average woman to get into the hobby. They will think that you are one crazy old man. LOL
Here's one of the little engineer and me on a railfaning excursion....
Bob Berger, C.O.O. N-ovation & Northwestern R.R. My patio layout....SEE IT HERE
There's no place like ~/ ;)
Tailspin wrote:This hobby is mainly a loner one anyway. Typically Woman and hobbies do not go together. Plus I can imagine the woman that are into it would be just like the women in the police, firefighter, basketball type of positions. Manlike woman who like to do dude stuff. Now I may not be right but I think I am speaking the truth for the majority of women.
Could it be that women are scared away from the hobby when assumptions like these exist?
aloco wrote: Tailspin wrote:This hobby is mainly a loner one anyway. Typically Woman and hobbies do not go together. Plus I can imagine the woman that are into it would be just like the women in the police, firefighter, basketball type of positions. Manlike woman who like to do dude stuff. Now I may not be right but I think I am speaking the truth for the majority of women.Could it be that women are scared away from the hobby when assumptions like these exist?
What? Stop it because you cant be serious. Scared away from assumptions like this? Its not like model railroaders gather together and hold hands. No one would really know if they didnt want to say they were MR. Your statement was very weak, sorry try again.
Us and them.
People love to choose up sides, don't they?
What are "man like women" and what, exactly is "Dude stuff"?
I know many very feminine women who like, and play sports, watch and drive racing, build model railroads, etc. I even know some that consume wings and beer at Hooters with their men.
My granddaughters love my trains.
Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Tailspin wrote: aloco wrote: Tailspin wrote:This hobby is mainly a loner one anyway. Typically Woman and hobbies do not go together. Plus I can imagine the woman that are into it would be just like the women in the police, firefighter, basketball type of positions. Manlike woman who like to do dude stuff. Now I may not be right but I think I am speaking the truth for the majority of women.Could it be that women are scared away from the hobby when assumptions like these exist? What? Stop it because you cant be serious. Scared away from assumptions like this? Its not like model railroaders gather together and hold hands. No one would really know if they didnt want to say they were MR. Your statement was very weak, sorry try again.
In another thread, Tailspin, you cried....
Youve only been a member for three days and this is what you are requesting? whoa, slow down. You have 48 post replies in 3 days. That is a lot of action, too much IMO. I have only been here for just under a couple of weeks but I am not making and silly request like this. I have to earn my respect here and you should relize that too.
You have an awful lot of time on your hands to tell people here how much they should post, that women aren't interested in hobbies, accusing people of making 'and silly request' and then my personal favorite...
I have to earn my respect here......
I have very serious doubts you know Anything about women, let alone what they like or don't like. You've been here around 2 weeks yourself, done little but pick fights with people (or try with flaming failure) and have done ZERO to earn that respect. If you Want it, you have to Give it.
Well...We digress!! Again!!
I originally thought I had 2 cents worth to share here....But now wonder if I want / need a "food fight"!
Congratulations! A few of you have managed to take what started out as a wonderful post and raked it through the mud with your negativism and bickering. Can we please keep this a positive discussion? Thanks.
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Wow!!!! So where did all THAT come from???
OK..... so, my grandaughter likes my trains and wants me to finish my layout so she can play. You know, none of this is to do with anything really except I wanted to post a nice thread about my terrific daughter and my wonderful grandaughter who come visit and occasionally spend time with my hobby. You know, like sharing a nice thought.
Is this hobby a masculine hobby? Yeah, probably. Is it nice that girls show an interest? Yeah of course. Will it change the world? Nope!
For my grandaughter, I've spent a lot of time pretending to be in a shop and buying things, I've helped her deck out her dolls house, I've applauded her when she put on a stage show!!!! I think it's called sharing and spending time across generations so we'll both have great memories. Maybe she's doing the same for me.
Cheers
NO TRAINS! NO SOOGES!
And they say there is no differnce between girls and boys!
majortom