What has happened to the people in this hobby?

[Anonymous]

Unbelievable! I can't even imagine that happening - ever. Looks like you got a raw deal with a nutter on his bad day.

I'm beginning to wonder if there are any of those anal-retentive rivet counters left in these forums because it sounds to me like all of you guys are fed up with them :-). Personally it bores me silly to have someone go on and on about minor details and things that don't matter in the great scheme of things, like I have to know all this crap anyway.

At our last AMRA convention here in New Zealand there was a guy who presented a whole clinic on freelance railroad modelling. I didn't attend the clinic (didn't find out about it until too late) but I saw some of his models. Brilliant! An SD80 or 90 (???) painted in Milwaukee colors amongst some other totally dreamed up models, and it looked damn fine to me. Now this guy is one of the most outspoken, loudest members of the American modelling community in NZ so no-one would dare ever diss one of his models to his face let alone smash it.

Now obviously not everyone's big and has a loud voice with charisma and ego to match but if more modellers just went ahead and did just what they wanted instead of conforming just to keep the RR police from picking them to bits, we'd all be enjoying tthe hobby to the full. Ignore them I say. They're just nerds when you flake the thin vineer of useless knowledge away.

Like NTDN was saying, jokes, spoofs, eye-catchers are all good and they grab attention. They make the hobby fun. The public like seeing things that are a bit different at the shows too.

[Anonymous]

Been a lone wolf for years, mainly because I moved around a lot and didn't want to let people down every time I upped sticks. Even had the guilts for sending membership fees to clubs that I never or hardly ever attended.

Thought I had settled down atlast. Met a group of really nice blokes who operated their HO layouts (and I'm an Nscaler). They welcomed me in made me feel comfortable and taught me a lot.

The ineveitable happened - I moved on again.

But they still correspond with me, email me and let me know whats happening on their empires.

These are the sorts of people that make up this hobby - welcoming, generous, fun loving old bastards ( you now know where I'm from) who after only a very short few weeks have become a permanent part of my life and memories.

This hobby is fun and people like that ensure that it always will be


David S

[Anonymous]

Hey Jer, I think the jerk who smashed your model was begging for floor duty, if you catch my drift. That aside, I think it's pretty rotten what you've experienced. The hobby has more than enough room for everyone to do his or her own thing; clearly, you're doing that. Keep at it. I happen to value passenger trains and collecting them more than freight rollingstock. At one area hobby shop I frequent, there's a young guy who kinda rolls his eyes when he sees me coming and has actually said, aloud, "Oh God, it's the Pullman man again." My reply to him isn't fit for print in this forum but I can assure you he won't be making an a** of himself again in my presence. My suggestion? Do your own thing man...and enjoy the hobby. It's your time, money, energy and creativity. Don't allow misfits to detract from your experience. It's not YOU that has the problem--it's THEM. Okay--I'm stepping down from the pulpit now. [:)] Honestly though, reading your letter made me mad as heck. Had to reply!

[Roadtrp]

Wow! As a 51 year-old guy who has just decided to give the hobby a try, this thread is both enlightening and a little scary. I just wanted to have fun, escape from reality for a bit, and watch my little passenger train run around in circles and dream about the days when I was young and could actually get from here to there by train.

I never dreamed it would be so complicated!

(I suppose this means it wouldn't be good to try and incorporate my collection of Star Wars models into my model railroad.)

[:D]

[dave9999]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Roadtrp

Wow! As a 51 year-old guy who has just decided to give the hobby a try, this thread is both enlightening and a little scary. I just wanted to have fun, escape from reality for a bit, and watch my little passenger train run around in circles and dream about the days when I was young and could actually get from here to there by train.

I never dreamed it would be so complicated!

(I suppose this means it wouldn't be good to try and incorporate my collection of Star Wars models into my model railroad.)

[:D]

If you want you trains to fly around like X-wing fighters, its your choice! Dont
let idiots dictate what you do. After reading what happen to this guy, I found
it a little hard to believe. I have never experienced anyone like this. Most
everyone I meet seems helpful and courteous. If this did happen, I'm
sure it was an isolated incident that doesn't happen everyday. Dave

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Roadtrp

Wow! As a 51 year-old guy who has just decided to give the hobby a try, this thread is both enlightening and a little scary. I just wanted to have fun, escape from reality for a bit, and watch my little passenger train run around in circles and dream about the days when I was young and could actually get from here to there by train.

I never dreamed it would be so complicated!

(I suppose this means it wouldn't be good to try and incorporate my collection of Star Wars models into my model railroad.)

[:D]

[:D]LOL...me thinks your Star Wars collectible figures would deem model trains--especially a sleek streamliner pulled by , say an equally sleek E6--a threat...and the 'battle' would be on. Of course, we all know that a speeding passenger train making contact with Darth Vader would mean instant demise--for Darth, of course! [:)]

[Anonymous]

Ouch. I would hate to see what he would do to my four Denver & Rio Grande Western SD90MACs! Because in my world the Grande was not consumed by the Borg...er, Uncle Pete. But is a thriving Black and Grande Gold railroad.
I know that the MRR shows that I have been to, that action would deffinately not been tolerated.
On the other hand, I want to say thanks to the rivit counters. There havbe been some very good models produced lately because of their inputs to the maunfactures.

[TRENT B]

Hey Jeremy,
I am HORRIFIED!!! I thought all Model RRers had the same respect for others hard work & imagination! That person has NO business in the hobby!! You just keep modeling and know that it was the exception not the rule! If you ever make another one please take photos I'd love to see them!!

[Anonymous]

I know how you feel! About a year ago I was interested in the local club here.
When I was told that I could come to the next meeting. Then the board meets to vote to see if I could join the club. He used a real attitude, as if to say do you think you have alot of money. come to find out it is most of the 100,000.00 +
a year type.

[Big_Boy_4005]

The problem ain't yours its theirs. Its illegal to discriminate against people based on the color of their skin, it should be illegal to discriminate against people based on the color of their TRAINS. The disgruntled former employee theory was interesting, but even that is no excuse for vandalism. You shouldn't have to take your modeling underground, but you seem to have struck a nerve with some people (who seem to have a lot). Creativity and imagination are wonderful things, but it might be best to share them only with those you trust. Good luck and have fun!

[CP5415]

WOW!!! Sorry to hear what happened to your locomotive Jeremy.
I guess some idiots take their rivet counting too far. Which is too bad considering a hobby is suppose to be fun.
Guys like that should be tied down & forced to watch a parade of "what if's" go around a layout. What if's such as SD90 MAC's in NYC, AC4400's in READING & even DASH 9's in Rock livery.
I'm about to take a perfectly good GP35 in Mopac livery & paint over the Mopac logo on the side & place MEC logo's over that for a "just bought it & put it to work quickly" paint job.
Kinda like what CP has done to some of their GP40's they bought that still have Guilford paint on them. I plan on doing the same with a Rock Island SD40-2.
Don't know if it was ever done this way but since it's my railroad, I'm just wanting to have fun & do things my way.
If the rivet counters have a problem with this, they are more than welcome to voice their concerns in the forums here.

Just my 2 cents

Gordon

By the way, I've seen Dash-9's painted in Reading livery in Model Railroad Magazine.
I have the issue & when I come accross this again, I'll give you the date off of it.

[Anonymous]

Gentlemen, Please!

To think someone would actually take another person's pride and joy and destroy it, baffles me.
As an "off the wall" freelancer and with too many pokers in to too many fires I tend not to hang out with anyone. This could also be because, yes I too have met the rivet counter's who's little curt and supposedly harmless comments cut to the bone. And as this is my hobby I'll do it my way but always with an open mind to making improvements with others non critical advise.

As to the "incident" I don't know what my reaction would have been. Resorting to violence is not the answer, My approach would have been more of a verbal approach, something akin to standing by the tracks, in a tunnel, and having a mallet or other articulated go by with whistle just a screaming as it hauled a 100 car consist, up hill, no less, Buddy's ears would have been ringing for weeks!

Take the high road and hurt the individual where it really counts; THE POCKET BOOK!!! Hurt him enough and yet another Railroad is bankrupt, one that others won't want to model and will as a result die a painful, slow and pitiful death.


Regards

Fergie
Proprietor
the M.E.S.S.
Musquodoboit, Eastern Shore & Sydney
(If some of you are wondering as to why the name change, I've expanded)

[Anonymous]

That is just plain NUTS!!!

Ya know, I have a lot of friends at work that think the Model Railroading is pretty cool. One of my friends constantly asks me what we did at our last meeting, how the layout is coming, etc. I think that I need to convert her :) hehehehe

Rivet counters (im sorry if I offend anyone) can really suck the life out of something fun. You just need to learn how to counter them, and tell them to "sit on it and rotate."

Don't let it get you down. Just count on it as his loss, because he is so narrow minded.

This coming from a Chicago and Northwestern Modeler too :D hehehehhe

Craig

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Roadtrp

Wow! As a 51 year-old guy who has just decided to give the hobby a try, this thread is both enlightening and a little scary. I just wanted to have fun, escape from reality for a bit, and watch my little passenger train run around in circles and dream about the days when I was young and could actually get from here to there by train.

I never dreamed it would be so complicated!

(I suppose this means it wouldn't be good to try and incorporate my collection of Star Wars models into my model railroad.)

[:D]

Yeah, a black streamliner passenger train pulled by a sleek F7 (darth vader's flagtrain (instead of his flagship, the executor)). It could also have black flat cars with TIE fighters and AT-ST's on them. Then a Rebel alliance frieght/passenger mix. The engine (an E6) would be painted grey, with a red stripe on it (like the X-wings) as would the coaches. Then you could have flat cars with X and Y-Wings tied down to them. Hmm, cool idea! Someone should try it! [:D][:D][:)][:)][:p]

[Anonymous]

Jeremy,

I am shocked to hear someone could be that ignorant. I model a fictious company in HO and N Scale. I have even been called nuts for reworking an N Scale Spectrum Series 2-8-0 into a Pennsylvania Railroad H9 Consolidation (with use of a minitrix K4 Shell, some stripped twist-ties, and a dremel.)

like you, I know how that story goes. I have not attended ANY train shows since the train show that had been at the Pittsburgh's Convention Center.

It sickens me to no extent to know that someone would break somebody's masterpiece. If someone would take one of my reworked N Scale Minitrix B6 0-6-0's, H9's or even my reworked HO Scale Proto 200 series 2-8-8-2 off my layout and destroy it. the guy would not only get the **** beat out of his sorry ****, but I would also take him to court over the cost of the destroyed engine(s) and make sure a restraining order bans him from even coming 100 feet near my layout again.

On the other hand, the guy might also get the remains of my destroyed masterpieces shoved pretty far somewhere.

*The doc is definitely going to inquire how all those model trains got up there....*

Tom Pearce

[Anonymous]

A couple years back I saw a guy had an SD90 painted in the last MIlwaukee Road livery. Beautiful job! I then thought it was a cryin' shame. A shame the Milwaukee Road went belly up, not that someone painted a locomotive in the colors of a fallen flag. I sometimes wonder what would have happened if the the MILW, CNW and RI merged? Access to west coast and great lakes ports, "chemical coast" traffic, and Powder River coal access!

I like to run my layout as if the MIlwaukee Road never died out. I run MILW trains along side Montana Rail Link trains. I run Amtrak Superliners next to CB&Q streamliners. Why? Because I think they look neat. Don't let anyone else tell you how to enjoy your hobby.

The way Class I railroads are casting off branches, who knows? maybe some short line or regional will resurrect the old nomes and paint schemes! Maybe we "protolancers" are just ahead of the times.

[Anonymous]

If it were me this happened to, I would be taking the guy to small claims court and billing for my time to detail. I can guarantee you the judge would be sympathetic, especially if you have a witness.

[BRAKIE]

Sadly the hobby is fast becoming my way or no way and if you don't model 110% correct you are scorned and be littled..
Sadly most don't get the big picture you that we are just playing with adult toy trains.

[rf16a]

It is your railroad, your locomotive, and your money, model whatever you like, do what is fun for you, rivet counters be darned.

If anybody did something like that to my engine, my initial reaction would be to want to repeatedly kick the living snot out of him and then insert the remainder of the locomotive up his "nose."

The better thing to do would be to call the police, press charges against him and go to court. He'll have to pay for a lawyer and the legal consequences for him will last far longer than the effect of a single punch in the nose.

Don't let one or two idiots ruin your feelings towards others in the hobby.
The vast majority of model railroaders are good people.

I've made several good friends through model railroading and railfanning.

[Anonymous]

I've been away from small scale for almost 20 years, driven out by narrow minded people very much as you describe. You know the type I'm talking about.....If your not modeling my favorite railroad in my chosen scale and gauge then you are some how wrong.

I was hoping all this childish behavior had gone by the way side when I decided to build a HO city style switching layout.

My main layout is built in "G" scale out in the back yard. So far garden railroading hasn't been infected by these jerks. But I do worry as more and more small scalers are making the jump to large scale, hope only the good guys make the jump.

OLD DAD

[earlfrye]

Some people think everybody thinkslike they do and believe if you don't there is something wrong with you.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by HighIron2003ar

I want to tie this bad boy to the bottom of a slow hot ballast train in the Southwest and left on the siding.

If anything like that ever happened people here in Arkansas I gaurantee you there would be a problem. Throwing a very expensive engine to the floor is very childish and calls for very fast and decisive response.

I do hope that you recover the cost of the engine and maybe some damages as well. It is unlawful to destruct property.

With that said, I will attempt to lighten things by saying this: since we dont know "Who" this offender is... (Frankly we should be informed since this happened in a public place) we could off hand mention to a person about a non bankrupt route rock.. IF the resulting person's face turns bright red and fists clench and whiten, there is a good chance you found the man who broke the engine.

Sorry about your engine, I would never do anything like that and I can't believe that some dope would throw an engine on the ground like that!

[Anonymous]

Everybody is talking about slamming this bozo against some kind of RR equipment but I have a better idea. Why don't we tie him in front of a layout and run RI Dash 9s, PC SD80MACs, CB&Q SD50s, and Conrail big boys?

[Anonymous]

Actually such depraved behavior as that exhibited by the person who destroyed Jeremy's model is indicative of some sort of mental illness. A sane person would not destroy someone elses property just because they believed in "rivit counting" or were a disgruntled former employee of the old Rock Island. This man obviously needs psychiatric help before he does something even worse! I hope you called the police to get the ball rolling so he could get some help.

Scott

[Anonymous]

Good point!

[rambo1]

Gee1 I found a Rock switcher on my roster. Hope he dosen't break the house down on me.rambo1.........