What do you do for a living or is mrrding your living?

[rs2mike]

I am a corporate pilot.  My other hobbies are building 1/24 scale cars and i just finished building a r/c airplane.  I just got into railroad this past year and i am in the colleting for a layout stage.

maybe sometime if i can figure it out i will post some pics of my stuff.

 

mike

[NevinW]

I am an allergist/Immunologist and the chairman of a university pediatrics department. Golf is my other passion. Golf in the summer, building trains in the winter. - Nevin

[Eriediamond]

Over the road trucker.

[rs2mike]

how do u find the time to mrr?  being a freight pilot turned corporate is just loke truckin.

 

[R. T. POTEET]

I am a chief cook and bottle washer! which is another way of saying that I am hanging around the house annoying my wife!

I am, at this particular moment in time, retired which is another way of saying that I am not working although completely capable of doing such.

I do not work well under over-the-shoulder supervision so my most recent employment experience has been as a driver for a courier company - you do your job as it is supposed to be done and they leave you alone. I don't really have to go back to work but will do so before the end of this month. Three years ago a medical condition forced me to apply for Social Security benefits about 18 months earlier than I had anticipated doing so. I am collecting about 90% of full benefits and half of a military retirement benefit - my ex-wife collects the other half. I have entrepreneurial ambitions and hope in the next two to three years to be able to afford the equipment that will allow me to introduce a line of brass hand-crafted N Scale - and perhaps HO Scale also - passenger equipment.

[BRAKIE]

I am a full time model railroader and railfan..You see I am medically retired.

[Lillen]

Right now I'm at the university studying to become a teacher. Before that I worked at the postoffice and as a salesman for a security company.

I also drive a truck to make extra money now.

 

Magnus 

 

[Zandoz]

These days I'm an unemployed/retired/disabled eccentric.  My main function is doggie anchor/escort & human kitty scratching post.  Once upon a time, far away, I wore many hats...from grocery store assistant manager to computer systems analyst, with stops along the way doing such things as classic sports car restorer, custom RV builder, DJ & Light show operator, vending machine maintenance, amature architect, communications systems engineer, commercial printing forms designer, etc, etc, etc.   Being a jack of many trades, and master of none, is a family thing...I just followed in the footsteps of my great grandfather, grandfather, and father <shrug>

[Driline]

I am a corporate pilot.  My other hobbies are building 1/24 scale cars and i just finished building a r/c airplane.  I just got into railroad this past year and i am in the colleting for a layout stage.

maybe sometime if i can figure it out i will post some pics of my stuff.

 

mike

I question your employment credentials. Your grammar (or lack thereof) speaks volumes.

I'm the head lettuce preparer for a local Burger King. I hope to move up to the fry pit someday if I'm good enough.

[sfrailfan]

I am a graphic designer. I am working freelance and gaining my own clients. I believe MRing has greatly increased my ability as a designer since my creativity is willingly being advanced as opposed to what others have to do. (In the 1990s employers started giving us baby toys -YES fisher price to get us to play and be creative—didn't work out to well).

So here's to you Mr. Model Train manufacturer.... You've gone past all the finiacial obsticles of people telling you there's no money in this hobby
(backround singer: you'll go bankrupt)

You've inspired people of all backrounds to spend money on something other than video games
(backround singer: don't wanna push buttons)

You think product should be functionalble, tangable and look real good doing it.
(backround singer: Mr. Model Train manufa ha haaa turer)

[BigRusty]

I am a professional income tax preparer. I am pretty busy 3 months in the Spring, but have lots of time to pursue my hobbies of gardening, golf, fishing, and model railroading. I haven't done much of the latter for 23 years, having moved to Arizona and there being no basements here. Now that I have remodeled my 2 car garage with a/c, fluorescent lighting, and epoxy garage floor coating I will begin with a test oval to get all of the items that have been in boxes tuned and lubed. I have attended Real Estate License school and will hopefully soon have some of the extra income to support the world's most expensive hobbies. Otherwise, it's bag boy time at Albertson's.

[twhite]

I am an assistant Choral Director and Accompanist at a Jesuit Boys Catholic High School.  Before that, I was a Choral Director at a girl's Catholic High School.  I found out that Musicians don't retire.  I tried retirement, it lasted six months before Jesuit phoned and asked me if I was available.  Oboy, WAS I!!

If this is 'retirement', then I'm all for it, LOL! 

Tom

[Driline]

I am a graphic designer. I am working freelance and gaining my own clients. I believe MRing has greatly increased my ability as a designer since my creativity is willingly being advanced as opposed to what others have to do. (In the 1990s employers started giving us baby toys -YES fisher price to get us to play and be creative—didn't work out to well).

So here's to you Mr. Model Train manufacturer.... You've gone past all the finiacial obsticles of people telling you there's no money in this hobby
(backround singer: you'll go bankrupt)

You've inspired people of all backrounds to spend money on something other than video games
(backround singer: don't wanna push buttons)

You think product should be functionalble, tangable and look real good doing it.
(backround singer: Mr. Model Train manufa ha haaa turer)

My son is studying at Iowa State to become a Graphic Designer.

Please Tell me jobs for this field are lucrative and that he will NOT be spending the next 10 years of his life living in my basement working at Wal-Mart passing out smiley faces.

[youngengineer]

Locomotive engineer, BNSF railway, previously a Grocery store manager, and before that Garden Railway Manafacturer/ layout builder with my father. Haven't had as much time to play trains at home due to a 2 year old, However I hope to start on an indoor empire soon. I am the ultimate rubber gauger with trains from n scale on up to G scale, I think I have finally settled on building an N scale empire.

[Bdewoody]

I am a civil engineering CADD designer who is temporarily laid up on short term disability after having my right hip joint replaced.  I can't wait to get home and get back to work on my shelf layout and finishing a couple of locomotive projects.

[secondhandmodeler]

I am a corporate pilot.  My other hobbies are building 1/24 scale cars and i just finished building a r/c airplane.  I just got into railroad this past year and i am in the colleting for a layout stage.

maybe sometime if i can figure it out i will post some pics of my stuff.

 

mike

I question your employment credentials. Your grammar (or lack thereof) speaks volumes.

I'm the head lettuce preparer for a local Burger King. I hope to move up to the fry pit someday if I'm good enough.

In a year, maybe two, you'll make assistant manager.  That's when the big bucks come in!

[BLinny7]

I have been Medically retired since 2000 and now a Full time MRR focusing on my first Layout  

[Driline]

I am a corporate pilot.  My other hobbies are building 1/24 scale cars and i just finished building a r/c airplane.  I just got into railroad this past year and i am in the colleting for a layout stage.

maybe sometime if i can figure it out i will post some pics of my stuff.

 

mike

I question your employment credentials. Your grammar (or lack thereof) speaks volumes.

I'm the head lettuce preparer for a local Burger King. I hope to move up to the fry pit someday if I'm good enough.

In a year, maybe two, you'll make assistant manager.  That's when the big bucks come in!

Yea, I'm hoping!

I heard assistant managers make an extra 2 bucks an hour over minimum wage because of their managerial skills.

Then it will be good bye 1984 YUGO and HELLO 1989 Ford Escort!

[N737AA]

I have been in aviation for 20+ yrs and currently an aircraft maintenance inspector for a major airline.........shouldn't be hard to figure out which one.  I have been model railroading since I was a youngster when my dad built a small layout in our basement.  Now my two boys and I are building an 36x20 around the room multilevel layout in a finished room above the garage.  Yes it is a big garage!

I have built a few smaller layouts but now I can finally affort to build a larger one.........I think!

 

Mike in Tulsa

[secondhandmodeler]

I am a corporate pilot.  My other hobbies are building 1/24 scale cars and i just finished building a r/c airplane.  I just got into railroad this past year and i am in the colleting for a layout stage.

maybe sometime if i can figure it out i will post some pics of my stuff.

 

mike

I question your employment credentials. Your grammar (or lack thereof) speaks volumes.

I'm the head lettuce preparer for a local Burger King. I hope to move up to the fry pit someday if I'm good enough.

In a year, maybe two, you'll make assistant manager.  That's when the big bucks come in!

Yea, I'm hoping!

I heard assistant managers make an extra 2 bucks an hour over minimum wage because of their managerial skills.

Then it will be good bye 1984 YUGO and HELLO 1989 Ford Escort!

Our buns have no seeds!

[SpaceMouse]

I am an EFT practitioner, (Emotional Freedom Technique), which is to say that I am a holistic health practitioner that uses acupuncture points to release emotions that are stored in the body as a result of trauma and/or repressed emotions.

These stored emotions can color a person's life choices or lead to problems in the areas (such as organs: anger in thyroid & liver, sadness in the pancreas, etc.) in which they are stored. Releasing these emotions, for the most part without having to re-experiencing them, gives a person the freedom to make new life choices or to heal from illnesses that have been hindered by these emotions. I've written a well-received short eBook on the subject if anyone is interested.  

[tomikawaTT]

Happily retired after a military career and a couple of decades of various civilian jobs.

Model Railroading is about 50% of my life.  The other 50% consists of sports (once a participant, now a spectator,) Science Fiction (no, I am not a Star Trek fanatic!  I had read most of the 'new' ideas presented in the various Star Trek series years before they were televised,) and my extended (and widely dispersed) family - which will include my first great-grandson in a couple of months.

Oops!  Almost forgot railfanning.

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

[howmus]

Musical Genius, Retired!  Well kinda, I still own a recording company (On location recording) and do live sound for the school I used to work for, and of course I DJ now and then, Oh I'm planning on making my own album one of these days......  Yep, just like TWhite, retired musician.....

[R. T. POTEET]

I am an EFT practitioner, (Emotional Freedom Technique), which is to say that I am a holistic health practitioner that uses acupuncture points to release emotions that are stored in the body as a result of trauma and/or repressed emotions.

These stored emotions can color a person's life choices or lead to problems in the areas (such as organs: anger in thyroid & liver, sadness in the pancreas, etc.) in which they are stored. Releasing these emotions, for the most part without having to re-experiencing them, gives a person the freedom to make new life choices or to heal from illnesses that have been hindered by these emotions. I've written a well-received short eBook on the subject if anyone is interested. 

Chip, I use Chivas Regal and Foster's for the same thing but I always thought they were called distillers and not EFT practitioners.

[Ted Marshall]

I'm a land survey party (crew) chief by trade but I lost my job in March. The extremely weak housing market which drives the local economy here has left me looking for work where ever I can find it. I've even tried to get work at local grocery stores and fast food joints but with my [honest] resume and extremely good pay earned over the years that they can't even come close to, they pass me over. I'm not the only one affected here either, by no means. The local unemployment rate is almost 10%. For every job that I've applied for, there have been a dozen or so other applicants. My lack of experience doing anything other than surveying isn't working in my favor either.

The last 6 months have been particularly hard because I've had to sell much of my mrr stuff on ebay. So I guess you can say that mrring has been my living. I'm not selling any more though, gotta keep my BLI locos and favorite cars.

My girlfriend has been really cool floating me since my benefits expired a few months ago but she's really getting irritated now. She earns good money as a bank manager but not enough to support both of us.

I have a modular, double track, HO code 100 floor-layout that I made for my apartment. It's 15' x 12', has 34" and 36" radius curves with numerous crossovers and is built on 3/4" plywood. It's r/w width varies from 6" to 10" and is kept together with dowels and steel mending plates. It is quite rigid and heavy. I disassembled it when I moved in with her back in May; I live with her now. Needless to say, I haven't used my layout any time latey.

Here a link, if you'd like to see what it looks like: http://tinyurl.com/2e6x83

I may have to move away to another part of the state or even the country if I'm to continue the pursuit of my (our) hobby. I doubt that if I take a $9.00 or $10.00 an hour job around here, I'll be able to continue mrring. I'm used to earning twice that amount which is how I was able to get started mrring seriously in the first place.

Maybe when we're in Chicago next month, I'll find employment opportunities in surveying and convince her to move there. Who am I kidding? She'll never move away from Florida. 

[sfrailfan]

Please Tell me jobs for this field are lucrative and that he will NOT be spending the next 10 years of his life living in my basement working at Wal-Mart passing out smiley faces.

IOWA!!! I have friends here in NYC from Iowa. Well, the ultimate answer is good, this is an industry where once you get outta college you have to kinda make your own way. But there are some must dos to be successful:

Don't try to start your own design firm off the bat...
1. Pay your dues... it's partly a learning experience; as necessary as college is the first job or two become kinda like grad school. Tell your son to STOW THE IGO AND NOT TO BE AFRAID TO LEARN. This industry is now flooded with premaddonas... everyone thinks thery are the best.
1a Learn to take critisim by a. observing where it comes from, if this person doesn't know what they are talking about: disregard them b. If they do know their stuff: take the advice c. In either case if the person is outwardly rude: feel sorry for them

2. Although production is very boring, it MUST be mastered. Be aware that unless your son intends on doing production forever (there's nothing wrong with that) be sure he does not get pigon-holed into this.

3. The bigger cash is usually near the cities but this is not a rule.

4. As in all industries be aware of those that want to take advantage, again this can be a learning experience.

5. Finally YES, as long as he is at least half way talented and interviews well he can expect $35,000-55,000 to start depending on whats available in your area. Start finding that out now.

DanZ
VISION

[Nagrom1]

I  am a student. I work at a corner store on weekends. Hobbies include fishing, hiking, mrr, and I am a volunteer firefighter (for about a month now, anyways). Some hard to make a model railroad on part time work while trying to keep a car going.

 Nagrom

[Pathfinder]

I am in the forest industry as a registered forest professional, running my own consulting firm.  I specialize in auditing forest practices (I am a certified environmental auditor) as well as putting on training sessions for environmental management, WHMIS and other related stuff.  In BC, we have a huge push towards having all workers in the woods safe certified, and I am working with a variety of companies getting them through their training and auditing needs.

I have never done model railroading as an income generator and probably never will.

[R. T. POTEET]

sfrailfan, you mean to tell me that you have friends from Iowa living there in New York City; these people are definitely in need of the services of an EFT Practitioner - put them in touch with Chip SpaceMouse immediately!!!

[loathar]

Nothing right now!!!
I've been in printing for over 20 years as a pressman and production manager. Then I had to move to the middle of nowhere to take care of my mom. No descent print shops within 50 miles of where I live. Most of the good factories around me have closed or laid most of their workers off. Been out of work for almost a year now.

Driline-Graphic artists make pretty good money in the printing biz. About $30K-$40K to start depending on the area. You can make REAL good money in a big city like NY or LA.