Out of the attic Gil Freitag comment 2003

[yougottawanta]

While reviewing some old magazines I ran across an article long forgotten about Gil Freitags Stony Creek and Western.

While his layout is very impressive what I found even more impressive were two things --

First - the heading on page 55 "A shared vission" Gil had his wifes support and vision - WOW How great that is. How many modelers can claim that ?

The second and I think even as great is his comment : "SC&W is a tool to promote model railroading" - Just curious how do you promote the hobby ?

YGW

[retsignalmtr]

I am a member of a club. We setup and run our traveling layouts at model train and toy shows in both N and HO. We also setup at non-model railroad exhibits.

My club has a program that we do at shows called Kids for Cars. For a small donation to our club, the child and his/her parent assemble an Athearn blue box kit and get to run it in a train on the layout. The kid then takes the car home hopefully to start a layout or add to an existing one. It has been a successful endevor for us.

[yougottawanta]

That is great. I have thought of some ways to reach kids. adults etc is for people to donate their old magazines to kids doctors offices, Hospital waiting rooms.

Have a stand at a local firemans carnival or at a fair. Help facilitate a school club. Offer model rr classes through a local hobby shop.....

[leighant]

Gil has promoted the hobby by giving clinics at conventions and train shows, and by opening his massive layout to the general public at model railroad month open houses, publicized by a local club and at train stores.  Gil has shared tips in magazines, etc. how to make things more workable.  Admittedly, some of this goes to folks who already have an interest in model railroading, but showing how to avoid pitfalls and accomplish great stuff more easily helps KEEP people in the hobby.  Gil has been a great guy.  Continued even with serious health problems.  I don't know his current status.  (Last November I visited his layout.  He has a monorail lift to get his wheelchair to the 2nd floor for the layout...)

[yougottawanta]

One comment that I enjoyed rereading the article was his comment about when he visited other peoples layouts they would comment I started in the hobby because you ( Gil ) inspired me ..."

If we all did that think how much this hobby would grow in numbers, health, selections, innovations etc...I relly hat "us four and no more" attitudes

["JaBear"]

yougottawanta

Gil had his wifes support and vision

I can only claim the support though I’m certainly not complaining. When I first got into the hobby her-in-doors was rather lukewarm to the idea, a grown man playing with a trainset. But over the years she now, not only, sees the advantages of having a hobby, but because I didn’t have a passenger service bought me six 2^nd hand Athearn Heavyweights.

yougottawanta

....how do you promote the hobby ?

When I was a member of a Club, part of our charter was to promote the Hobby, and as a Club official that was my main aim; so we held an annual show, open days, hosted cub and scout groups, and a couple of us also took a small portable layout to old folks homes. Unfortunately the Clubs vision became more insular, selfish, and at variance to my views so we parted company.

That said the modular group that I’m loosely associated still likes to exhibit, though to be fair, having a run, showing off our modelling, and generally having fun, have a greater priority than consciously promoting the hobby.

Cheers, the Bear.

[yougottawanta]

JaBear wrote "That said the modular group that I’m loosely associated still likes to exhibit, though to be fair, having a run, showing off our modelling, and generally having fun, have a greater priority than consciously promoting the hobby."

Understand but I am glad to hear that you are not self absorbed and do nothing.  I talk to people, show them web sites, show them my models, let my nephews and grand children play on a spare track system that they can set up and take down ...