Why do model trains get such bad raps?!

[Midnight Railroader]

I've played all kinds of video games ranging from the Mario games to the very popular ones that depict all that violence and gore.  I have not shot any cops (my brother happens to be one), I have not crashed a car (other than your regular accident and I'm sure you mean crash a car on purpose), I have not commited armed robbery, or any of the like. 

No one said ALL video gamers participated in criminal activity.

That's exactly my point.  The same way that not all model railroaders (or any if that) are pedophiles or serial killers.  That's the damage that stereotypes do and because of such stereotypes, music, movies, tv, video games and such are seen in a bad light.  It all boils down to good parenting and education to break stereotypes (as somebody previously stated).

I am fairly certain that the proportion of young people who have been influenced to commit crimes after playing video games involving crime is substantially greater than the number of people who commit crimes after building a model railroad.

[jasperofzeal]

I've played all kinds of video games ranging from the Mario games to the very popular ones that depict all that violence and gore.  I have not shot any cops (my brother happens to be one), I have not crashed a car (other than your regular accident and I'm sure you mean crash a car on purpose), I have not commited armed robbery, or any of the like.  I know that many people out there who play games have the same results as myself.  The reason I don't get brainwashed by tv, movies, and games is because I know that they are not real, only a form of entertainment.  I have common sense and a good head on my shoulders that let me distinguish between right and wrong.  This is because I had good upbringing and parents that taught me to stay clean even if I played in the dirt (so to speak).  I'm willing to bet that some of you out there with kids have a child that plays video games.  Does that mean the your child will grow up to be a serial killer, a high school shooter, or a rapist?  No.  Why, because you guys probably have decent morals and are teaching your children to not be dummies and realize that games and tv are not real.  Yes, model railroading doesn't simulate what video games simulate, and that's the beauty of this hobby, you can filter out the unpleasantries that real life has.  Cops being shot, murder, rape, and other violent crimes have been around since the early days of human life.  It's not like it's a new thing brought on by TV and music and other media.  If we're to believe all that these so called "studies" tell us, then I guess I better quit playing video games and modeling trains or I might become a "cop shooting, road raging, high school shooting pedophile".

Tony,

Would you agree that watching - albeit violent and suggestive video or TV programs - can and does "de-sensitize" the person watching them after a while?  Whether you do or don't carry out what you actually watch, you have to admit that becoming numb to those sorts of visual stimuli can't really be a good thing in the long run.

Tom

Yes I agree 100% with that, Tom.  Unfortunately we can't control what is brought to us by media such as news and radio.  I am up to my limit on what's going on in Iraq (and I'm sorry if this upsets some of you).  Not that I don't care what our poor soldiers are going through, but since CNN and others are constantly telling us that this got bombed, and these people got killed, it's no wonder that a lot of people are turning a blind eye to our guys and gals over there.  I'm sure you know that violence and s-- (I'm not sure if I can put the 3 letter word) sells, so all we can do is limit what we take in to our homes and ultimately into our heads.

[Anonymous]

How bizarre, here we sit offended, and abused and then the words "Class Action Suit" spring from the lips of some of us, when a far more potent weapon exists! I was "exposed" briefly to "Desperate Housewives" for the first time this weekend since it is one of my eldest daughter's favorites. Had I watched it long enough to be offended, I might have taken the time to note who was providing this "entertainment", done a little bit of on line research to get the E-Mail addresses of the sponsors and written them of my displeasure with their sponsorship of their portrayal of me and my fellow hobbyists. Those who pay for this "entertainment" might well have some impact on the story lines that are acceptable to their target audiences. Television like this is after all "commercial" and if the commercials are not forth coming, the cutesy portrayals of customers might change.

I believe that the Disney organization implimented training to identify their "customers" as "Guests" in order for their people to understand how to treat customers. I am sure that if "scrapbookers" were portrayed as serial killers or pedophiles that the advertisers would be a little more careful of their support of some of these story lines. Perhaps we could do a little more active promotion of our hobby that posting videos on "U-Tube" as another tread has promoted recently.

Perhaps it is time to let commercial television that "we are mad as hell" and we aren't going to take it any more! I, for one, am outraged that there has not been a criminal investigation into the pet food poisoning beyond the identification of the "rat poison" identification by the State of New York, but taht is just me!

 

Will   ....    off my soap box for now!

[jasperofzeal]

I've played all kinds of video games ranging from the Mario games to the very popular ones that depict all that violence and gore.  I have not shot any cops (my brother happens to be one), I have not crashed a car (other than your regular accident and I'm sure you mean crash a car on purpose), I have not commited armed robbery, or any of the like. 

No one said ALL video gamers participated in criminal activity.

That's exactly my point.  The same way that not all model railroaders (or any if that) are pedophiles or serial killers.  That's the damage that stereotypes do and because of such stereotypes, music, movies, tv, video games and such are seen in a bad light.  It all boils down to good parenting and education to break stereotypes (as somebody previously stated).

I am fairly certain that the proportion of young people who have been influenced to commit crimes after playing video games involving crime is substantially greater than the number of people who commit crimes after building a model railroad.

How about the people that get influenced by watching "police wildest chases" and "columbine revisited" (not 100% sure on title) which they are going to air soon?  I'm guessing that these kinds of shows probably stir up the "I bet I can do it better than them" attitude.  Besides, reading about how some of you guys come accross problems building your layouts, I'm surprised that I don't hear about some train guy shooting up an LHS. (bad taste joke, I know)

[loathar]

I was stuck in a doctors office yesterday reading a copy of Entertainment Mag. They had the top 20 TV shows list. I can honestly say I've never seen a single episode of 19 of them. Scrubs is the only one of the 20 that I watch. So I a guess I am voting by not watching the trash that's being put out. I'm just real anti Hollywood brain washing these days. Does anyone think Goldmez Adams portrayed model railroading in a bad light?

PS-The "class action lawsuit"comment was just a joke.

[BDT in Minnesota]

You want "real life" bad raps...

I took my oldest sister and little nephew out to my train room to check out my layout a couple of years ago. My nephew was very impressed, and enjoyed wearing the engineer's cap and pushing the horn button each time the train approached a crossing. After about five minutes, my sister told my little nephew - Okay, that's enough of watching uncle Mark's train go round and round the track over and over again. Let's go. I was like, what's up ?. My sister replied that she didn't want him interested in such things, and hoped that he would focus his life on more important and serious ambitions!. That's the day I found out what my sister thought of me and my train hobby, and yes, it hurt because in her eyes model railroaders are losers...

Tracklayer

   I built a large layout for our family when our kids were quite young....We all enjoyed that layout and the workings that go with it....None of us have ever been arrested for anything.. I still play with trains,, I gave my grandsons a G gauge Thomas the Tank Engine Set for Christmas..Their dad, my oldest boy, Is a supervisor at a local foundry..His younger brother will soon graduate with an Engineering Degree.(7years of college, now, I wonder where this interest developed).  My baby girl will be winding up a college degree in Social Work within a year... ....I remember one incident that occured when the kids were quite young....My oldest boy was watching that so-called cartoon crap that featured all the fighting and warior themes...My wife said he was enacting that same crap on his little brother.....I wasted no time in unplugging the TV and getting that thing out of the living room....I  said that the TV will be gone for 30 days.....My wife was SORT of pissed.....About six weeks later, I asked her if I should bring the TV back upstairs....She replied "No Way,I can't believe the change in that kid's behavior"!!......... My tv viewing is still very limited....I have no use for most of the programs....A TV set can be a horrible baby sitter.................A train layout can be a model of real life.....Kids learn  the different colors of the railcars...They ask questions about the different cars, and the loads that are carried....They learn where loads come from, and their destination.....They learn how to read the names on boxcars..These trains can be used to get young brains thinking...(ya, on the right track)......  People are always asking about my trains....Trains are a great hobby...I enjoy sharing them....My mother recently entered a nursing home at the age of 86....I am planning on the purchase of a "suitcase layout" in Z scale..that way, I could easily bring it along on visits....Those old folks are some of my best freinds. My mom can be credited with the arrangement for my first 8 by12 foot layout..I spent hours on that layout, and the ones that followed....I could repair things that other kids my age hardly knew existed....I never stopped fixing electrical and mechanical stuff...Electronics play a large part in our life today.....I have put in a full career doing repair work...Yep,, I started out playing with trains, and ended up as a Certified GM Goodwrench.....My specialty was electronic fuel control...I still work on cars and play with trains....    Well, thats my side of the story, and I will stick to it ......BDT

[on30francisco]

If you had been to a train show lately, you would see where they get their inspiration for model railroaders as deviants.  I am not kidding.

I completely agree. It's almost as if the only time these people come out of the cellar is for train shows...

The same was true when I attended Ham Radio affairs in the past. Some of the attendees were downright scary.

I still enjoy both hobbies, but months can pass without even thinking of trains or radios, especially in the nice weather. GET OUTSIDE!

Golf, vintage cars, boating, motorcycling, camping, etc., and not in any particular order... 

I also agree. I have had the same experience with the people at train shows and many hobby shops that I've been to. Some (not all) of them fit the stereotypes of grumpy, obese, aloof, know-it-all, scruffy characters with a vest full of railroad buttons whose world revolves around model railroading to the exclusion of everything (and everyone) else. Unfortunately, this stereotypical minority is the most visable group within the model railroading community thus showcasing our hobby in a negative manner.

The same could be said of most special interest groups. I love Lost In Space , Star Trek (both the original series), old scifi shows and movies, obscure vinyl (and shellac) records, etc. Unfortunately, at these types of conventions there are the same group of fanatics whose whole purpose in life revolves around their particular special interest thus giving outsiders (and many insiders) a very negative view of something interesting and enjoyable.

 I also agree most shows on primetime television are geared toward the lowest common denominator.  

[twhite]

Boy, after reading some of these posts, I'm glad that I've never run into a lot of the people we've mentioned. 

For instance, my sister has always liked my hobby--so does her son and my grand-nephew.  Every time they're down, the first place they head is to the garage to see what's new and run a train or two (sister included!). 

Most of my friends think that my hobby is really NEAT! 

Interesting story--at my high school, last year, some of my students and I were discussing Websites--you can Google up YOUTUBE on the school computer--and they asked me if I had one.  When I said yes, one of them asked me what it was.  I told him, and within three days, it had spread around the choir that Mr. White had the COOLEST website with the COOLEST trains!  

So I've never really run into a lot of this other stuff. 

But then, as I said in my previous post, I don't watch much TV, either.

Tom