R. T. POTEET wrote:THERE IS LIFE OUTSIDE THIS HOBBY???
What's a hobby? Isn't this life?
Besides playing with my 2 boys and spending quality time with my wife, I try to fly fish (steelies, 'bows, cutt's or salmon) as much as I can! Once the boys get to school, I plan on a lot more!!! I am also in the process of building a small (600 or so bottle) wine cellar and I enjoy collecting (and drinking) wine...
Brian
I follow a few sports (gymnastics, track and field, NASCAR,) chase rail routes (mainly on maps and satellite photos, in person when possible,) read military history, read (and occasionally try to write) science fiction, and travel across and around the country to see family or visit places my wife and I haven't visited before.
Other than that, I eat too much and sleep too little. And work on the railroad, of course.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
Is that a 68 Charger in the first picture ? Is that yours ? I had one when I married my first wife. Loved that car , still love that car. My first wife sold the car for 1000. dollars by forging my name and later divorced me . I better stop before I get mad again.
I'm a rocket scientist, but to us rockets are "targets." We're in the missile defense business, and I really, really hope our products are never needed. Not because I don't think they'd work (we're actually getting pretty good at this,) but rather because I'm afraid of what our leaders might do in response. I'm more on the computer end of things.
In a previous life I was the first human being to see the Grand Canyon of Mars. Saw it one night as just some X's in the wrong place on a line printer plot, running a planetary radar astronomy operation. Of course, the Viking orbiters made it to the red planet a few weeks later, so my tidbit of information became meaningless amid the glorious color photos.
I'm 60 years old now, but I still play competitive ice hockey once or twice a week. Most of the guys are in their 30's, so we joke a lot about how I've been playing hockey at that rink at 8 PM on Tuesdays since Nixon was in the White House. The funny thing about that joke is that it's true.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
This is one cool thread! So much for the idea that everyone who plays with trains is some kind of strange nerd that dwells in a cave. .
Dave, first of all, thanks for your service. I've been kind of an amateur meterologist since I was about 12. I took some meteorology courses in college before I fainally relaized I'd never get past the all the math, darn it. I still have my own weather station and was a co-op observer for a while. Your research looks really interesting. I even understand some of it. Now, if you can find a way to increase the precipitable moisture, get our lapse rate going, and jack up our atmospheric instability, we could get some rain here in Alabama and you'd be a hero here.
I'm really impressed by all the vocations and avocations I've seen here.
Okay, for reals.
I am an EFT practitioner, which in case you have never heard of it means Emotional Freedom Technique. Basically it deals with the idea that negative emotions are stored within the body's bio field and exist as "short circuits" of this energy. By tapping on the body's energy meridians these emotions no longer exist much the same way that an electrical spark no longer exist when you separate the wires. It is very powerful stuff and I am using it almost exclusively in my health practice. Since nearly every dis-ease has an emotional component, EFT often works when nothing else will.
I wrote a short eBook on the subject if you want to spend 15 minutes reading up on it. It's free at my website. http://www.ChipEFT.com Also on the website, I'm interviewed on the radio by an MD, etc.
Recently however, I have been combining the "Law of Attraction" with EFT because it seems that most of the people that fail when practicing the Law of Attraction are doing so because they have emotions that interfere with their intending process. This has worked so well with people one-on-one that I am creating a series of teleseminars that should go live around November or December. These will correspond with the release of three books I currently have in production.
Hence the lapse in my layout construction, I've been researching and writing in every spare moment.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
Jay
C-415 Build: https://imageshack.com/a/tShC/1
Other builds: https://imageshack.com/my/albums
I am recently widowed, 5 months tomorrow. What was my usual life and desires are somewhat up in the air these days. I have 3 great children, two of which are heading out to college next week. The youngest is just starting UMass Amhearst, the middle has graduated and my oldest is in her 5th year at Northeastern a photo and art major. Really helps with some great RR pics. All 3 kids like trains to a degree and when younger where able to run the expansive DC club layout from any cab or yard.
I am a general contractor, specializing in kitchen/ bath remodel. A finish carpenter for 30+ years, I will on occasion do stairs/ ballastrade and trim for myself or fellow builders. I really enjoy restorations on some of the beautiful old homes around Boston. Always a nice change of pace.
I love automobiles, especially custom, racing, restoration and Detriot muscle cars. For years I built and raced, owned many, many of some of the fastest production cars. My altime beast was the Chevelle LS6, unbelievable rocket ship. Mopar 340s are actually my favorite, for 16 years and almost 1/2 million miles I ran one of my modified work vans with a slightly detuned version of the 340 GTS, shift kit and posi(Sure grip) A 14 sec Dodge van once first done. Now I still dabble with mine but mostly offer my experience to friends and some local shops.
Camping, backpacking some fishing are other pasttimes always enjoyed.
Like the yard work and gardening. Do some cake decorating as well.
Even though I work with wood on a daily basis, I always enjoy repairing some furniture, building a cabinet or just doing some craft.
Lately Trains have been taking a back seat as I just can't seem to get back into any of the club scenery or the various projects scattered on the work bench. In time my desire should return. Feel like I have a whole new life to start these days.
Modeling B&O- Chessie Bob K. www.ssmrc.org
Bob,
My deepest sympathy on your loss. I kind of know what you're going through since my wife of 38 years died in November, 2004. It took me about two months before I did anything but wander around the house in my bathrobe so it's not surprising your interest in trains is not what it used to be. Just let things go for now. It will all work out the way it's supposed to in the end. Hang in there.
I am in radio broadcasting. I program BIG COUNTRY 1027 in Fresno. I am also on the air here. www.bigcountry1027.com We are working on our HD-2 station and have a huge web platform.
What a great thread. We had one awhile back about "secret modelers". You really dont know who does and who doesnt. Kinda neat to see such a diverse group. Definatly, breaks the "sterotype" mold.
For a day job, I own a 4x4 fabrication shop. I am one man business that has been at it almost 10 years. Finding the train hobby was almost a "god send" as I was beginning to brun out. I am also a avid offroader and camper. The "trains" have helped me to break the day up and get away from it all.
But my other passion would be my involvment with our county's Sheriffs Office. I volunteer with them and help them out alot where I can when it comes to things in the dirt. And out here in Arizona.... we have A LOT of open desert. With illegals coming in, drug smuggling, and those that are abuseing our deserts, I help the department out by giving rides and supporting their other 4x4's. I do other stuff for them, but not as much fun as this. This picture was taken just before a night detail. It is also a bit outdated as the buggy has changed a little, making it more law enforcement freindly. I originally built back in mid 2005. This thing takes up a lot of my time... and money. Parts.... I am sure Cuda Ken knows exactly what I mean,.
Best Regards, Big John
Kiva Valley Railway- Freelanced road in central Arizona. Visit the link to see my MR forum thread on The Building of the Whitton Branch on the Kiva Valley Railway
Conrail12,My favorite team the New York Islanders spanked the Pens this season. Also, I golf (just took 2nd in a tournament out of 30), play guitar, basketball (someday I'm going to face WCfan one on one), I like dirtbiking and ATVs (my friend has a track in his back yard), I also like swimming when there is scorching weather.
Conrail12,
My favorite team the New York Islanders spanked the Pens this season.
Also, I golf (just took 2nd in a tournament out of 30), play guitar, basketball (someday I'm going to face WCfan one on one), I like dirtbiking and ATVs (my friend has a track in his back yard), I also like swimming when there is scorching weather.
Hi John,
I thought I had seen it all but that's the first time I've seen an S.O. dune buggy. Sheriff Joe always seems to be willing to try just about anything. It took about three years to get our sheriff to approve the purchase of two dirt bike.
Big John,
I used to do that in the 60's. As high schoolers we used to party in the sand dunes. A couple of friends of mine and went thirds on a $25 VW bug that ate a telephone pole sideways. We took off the doors and windows and called it a dune buggy. Right about that time another friend found a 6 volt flashing red light, so of course we wired it in.
Naturally, we knew where the parties were so we would come flying over the dunes with the red lights flashing and watch our classmates scatter.
Very handy for collecting free beer.
In my professional life I am a project architect for a small firm in St. Louis, specializing in schools, churches, non-profits and housing. I'm currently finishing up drawings for the Salvation Army corps in Centralia, Illinois.....and yes, their new facility has the IC/CN main line in it's back yard.
In my personal life I have been married for over 25 years to the same woman and our son starts his sophomore year of college tomorrow. We all serve in various ministries at church, my wife and son in children's Sunday school and I as one of the keyboard players in the worship band. I play three synthesizers (Ensoniq SD1, Roland JV1080 and Alesis Ion) and will have an original song included in the forthcoming Keyboard Corner Compilation Vol. 13 (produced by these good folks: http://forums.musicplayer.com/ubbthreads.php/ubb/postlist/Board/18/page/1 ).
Here I am piloting the keyboard rig at Worship St. Louis 2006 at the Roberts Orpheum Theatre, 9 Feb 2006:
Bill
"Never try to teach a pig to sing. It wastes your time and annoys the pig"
This is a great thread! I am a television and film camera operator, editor and technical director....so I shoot, edit and direct everything from news and documentaries to extreme and traditional sports. I did work for CSX at one point as a conductor (one of the highest scoring new hires ever on the tests) but after some time doing that and not getting much sleep or time off EVER, I decided to keep railroading as a hobby and return to television....its fun!
As far as other interests, I play ice hockey and I'm an avid hockey fan, i'm into motocross and sportbikes, traveling, snowboarding and other outdoor activities. Here are some fun pictures...
Thank you very much, Conrail, for starting this thread. What a great idea!
MisterBeasley, I am very pleased to meet you. What are the chances of two hockey-playing rocket scientists meeting in this size group?
And EspeeEngineer, what about two hockey-playing motorcyclists meeting here?
I grew up in eastern Massachusetts, and the rest of my family is still there. I always wanted to be a rocket ship designer, so you can imagine my delight when the U.S. Air Force sent me for my first job out of college to Cape Canaveral as a test engineer on the Gemini space program, a key step to the moon. Later on I worked on a couple of satellite programs, missile and space defense in the mid-70s, NATO AWACS, and the Joint Cruise Missile. After retiring from the Air Force, I worked for the Navy for 20 years buying radios and electronic control equipment.
I have always had multiple hobbies. In my school years they were bicycles and motorcycles, classical music, foreign languages, electronics, model railroading, and railfanning. The intensity of and the money spent on hobbies took a back seat while my wife and I were bringing up four boys, although I always had a motorcycle and living in Europe for five years let me work on French, Dutch, and German.
I started playing hockey in 1988 and continued until spring 2005. Two of my sons still play in amateur leagues. My wife and I both retired in 2005, and I am now thinking of starting up with hockey again. I am building a new HO model RR and spending a lot of time chasing and watching 1:1s.
I learned computer programming on a Commodore 64 in the 80s. My son, a professional programmer, and I are analyzing railroad radio signals and writing programs to display the data from them.
I'm also riding two motorcycles, a Honda XR650L trail bike and a Harley Davidson Sportster (not at the same time - LOL), and currently am on Lesson 14 in learning Spanish. Finally, I'm in the middle of building a hobby speed radar kit, which is what spurred my contributions to the soldering threads.
I guess that explains the slow progress on the layout.
This may sound a little different since it is from the female perspective.
I am a dental hygienist which allows me to play hard. I raised quarterhorses when I first was out of school. I started mountain climbing which branched into rock climbing. I still climb every week at a local rock gym.
I was a skier and that branched into backcountry/telemark skiing. I also mountain bike, ride dirt bikes, lift weights, collect guns for target shooting, quilting, and last summer my husband and I bought a telescope, and have added astronomy to our interests which is limited due to our Pacific Northwest skys. On our farm we have beef cattle, and noble fir christmas trees.
Was that windy or what?
Sue
Anything is possible if you do not know what you are talking about.
Hey Cordon, yeah it is interesting to see what similar interests everyone has on this forum! I have been playing hockey since high school (about 6 years ago) and I really enjoy it...plus it helps motivate me to continue working out and stay in shape. I love my motorcycles though, it is therapy for me when I am riding, O and when I am running my trains, ha ha ha.
Sue, sounds like you stay pretty busy! Rock climbing sounds like fun, that is something I have never tried.
Lots of interesting people doing lots of interesting things. My other favorite hobby is Cowboy Action Shooting - using single-action revolvers, lever-action rifles and double-barrel (or pump) shotguns to shoot at big, close metal targets. No bullseye shooting, just hit the target. To add to the fun, everyone dresses in period clothing and adopts a cowboy alias. Some people have chosen names from history, some from the movies or television and some go for a humorous name. My alias is Oracle Jones, a character in The Hallelujah Trail, an old western comedy with Burt Lancaster and a host of other recognizable actors.
No target is so big or so close that you can't miss it.
If you can't shoot good, you can look good shooting.
Yee haaa!
Now that I am retired, I have time to do many things that I wished to do while part of the working community.
I have White Water rafted the East branch of the Penobscot River in Maine, Class 5 river, did this river twice, found out how long I could hold my breath while under a raft while being dumped in a huge hydraulic. We also did the Kennebec River in Maine.
Travelled to Alaska, rode the Alaska RR fin Kenai Penninsula, and from Anchorage to Denali, and Denali to Fairbanks. Then we rode the White Pass RR from Carcross, Yukon to Skagway, AK.
Panned for gold in Dawson along the Yukon River ( only got $35 worth in 1/2 hour )
Climbed Mt Willard and Mt Crawford in NH. Love to hike in the mountains.
I also like to photograph trains and nature, do my own electrical work, plumbing, gardening, lumber jacking for winter wood supply, and solar energy projects.
I love to read science articles, and anything Railroad history, locomotives, old Railroads in New England.
Anyone who says they are bored in retirement, needs to get a life, shut off the TV, and get going.