I have a sense of humor (I think...!) but when it comes to my layout, I've limited my humorous scenes to two; one is a man making a mad dash to the gas station restroom from his obviously hastily-parked car, and the other is a dog tugging on a postman's mailbag.
This is not to say I take model railroading too seriously, but I did work very hard to convey a sense of the PRR and its environment from its glory days. To me, a UFO, a dinosaur, or Death stalking someone would destroy that effect. The "potty emergency" and "angry dog" scenes are quite plausible yet still draw giggles at train shows.
As for life on other planets... Hmm. I've heard it suggested that if intelligent life visits us it has to be peaceful, because otherwise it would have destroyed itself long ago. I'm not sure, but it sounds comforting. After all, we humans are not peaceful, and we've already mastered the technology to destroy our planet, yet we've not made it any farther than the moon. I would suggest we need to work on our own attitudes toward each other before we spread our violence to other planets. That may sound hypocritical (heck, I'm a military officer), but I've been around enough to see we need some serious work. I think we will eventually get there. Thanks to the information age, so much of the end-state of violence has become so highly visible, there is a growing revulsion to it.
Perhaps some day there will be intelligent life right here on Earth!
Modeling the Rio Grande Southern First District circa 1938-1946 in HOn3.
Dave Vollmer wrote:As for life on other planets... Hmm. I've heard it suggested that if intelligent life visits us it has to be peaceful, because otherwise it would have destroyed itself long ago. I'm not sure, but it sounds comforting. After all, we humans are not peaceful, and we've already mastered the technology to destroy our planet, yet we've not made it any farther than the moon. I would suggest we need to work on our own attitudes toward each other before we spread our violence to other planets. That may sound hypocritical (heck, I'm a military officer), but I've been around enough to see we need some serious work. I think we will eventually get there. Thanks to the information age, so much of the end-state of violence has become so highly visible, there is a growing revulsion to it.Perhaps some day there will be intelligent life right here on Earth!
Wow! Very well said Dave.
IMHO, just becasue you are a military officer does not mean you necessarily agree with the historical and seemingly ongoing human need to conquer or with political agendas but with that said lets not have this disintegrate into a political thread.
jeffers_mz wrote:With 100 billion stars in the Milky Way, and 100 billion galaxies in the Universe, the idea that intelligent life evolved elsewhere doesn't bother me a bit.My two cents...
With 100 billion stars in the Milky Way, and 100 billion galaxies in the Universe, the idea that intelligent life evolved elsewhere doesn't bother me a bit.
My two cents...
And don't forget those countless numbers of planets that may be circleing those 100 billion stars.
IF, we are alone in this great vastness of space, some Supreme Being, (read God in my particular case) has played one great big joke on we mortals and we have not gotten the joke yet.
Bottom line is, IT'S YOUR RAILROAD, PLAY WITH IT AS YOU SEE FIT AND HAVE FUN.
Blue Flamer.
Tracklayer, just be glad he didnt see your layout and shrug "Oh, you play with trains?"
Some say these visitors are here to guide our development to a higher intellegence of being, some say they are here just to study us like an ant colony, personally I tend to agree more with Calvin.
Have fun with your trains
No UFO, but a dead one
This newt came into the basement and dried out.
Wolfgang
Pueblo & Salt Lake RR
Come to us http://www.westportterminal.de my videos my blog
Wolfgang-GODZILLA!!!
Blue Flamer- The whole thing about planets outside our solar system is pretty cool! They've already cataloged about 200 in other star systems.
You can choose your friends, family members you're stuck with.
Jon
On my last layout at my parents' house, I had an occasional giant spider stalking my town and the occassional giant centipede.
Kevin
http://chatanuga.org/WLMR.html
http://chatanuga.org/RailPage.html
DavidGSmith wrote:Cant even have a little fun. How many guys have a dinasaur hidden on the layout. Most visitors just laugh and go on.Dave
Cant even have a little fun. How many guys have a dinasaur hidden on the layout. Most visitors just laugh and go on.
Dave
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
snagletooth wrote: jeffers_mz wrote: Unfortunately, the idea that another race could climb out of the primordial ooze billions of years ahead of us, curve space at will, arrive here on earth with predictable regularity, and still can't remember to turn the flipping landing lights on the flying saucer's exterior hull off for a stealthy approach doesn't even cut the mustard on the Maury Povich show.Now that's funny. If they're traveling faster than the speed of light, what do they need exterior lights for anyway? Superman doesn't go around wearing a bulletproof vest!
jeffers_mz wrote: Unfortunately, the idea that another race could climb out of the primordial ooze billions of years ahead of us, curve space at will, arrive here on earth with predictable regularity, and still can't remember to turn the flipping landing lights on the flying saucer's exterior hull off for a stealthy approach doesn't even cut the mustard on the Maury Povich show.
Unfortunately, the idea that another race could climb out of the primordial ooze billions of years ahead of us, curve space at will, arrive here on earth with predictable regularity, and still can't remember to turn the flipping landing lights on the flying saucer's exterior hull off for a stealthy approach doesn't even cut the mustard on the Maury Povich show.
True, Superman doesn't wear a bulletproof vest, but, when the bad guy runs out of bullets and in desperation, throws the gun at Superman... Superman does raise his arms and ducks to fend off the larger slow speed metal missle.
Semper Vaporo
Pkgs.
Semper Vaporo wrote: snagletooth wrote: jeffers_mz wrote: Unfortunately, the idea that another race could climb out of the primordial ooze billions of years ahead of us, curve space at will, arrive here on earth with predictable regularity, and still can't remember to turn the flipping landing lights on the flying saucer's exterior hull off for a stealthy approach doesn't even cut the mustard on the Maury Povich show.Now that's funny. If they're traveling faster than the speed of light, what do they need exterior lights for anyway? Superman doesn't go around wearing a bulletproof vest!yeh, but the gun itself is more dangerous... it could poke your eye out. Or at least leave a really big bump on your forehead. True, Superman doesn't wear a bulletproof vest, but, when the bad guy runs out of bullets and in desperation, throws the gun at Superman... Superman does raise his arms and ducks to fend off the larger slow speed metal missle.
mobilman44 wrote:FYI, when I was 12 or 13 back in the late '50s in Chicago, my parents and I were standing in front of our grocery store on a weekend morning. We heard "jets" in the sky and at that time we all looked up (jet planes were not a common occurance). Well, we saw a long tube shaped object (that could have been the profile from our viewpoint, meaning it could have shown us only its side) very high in the sky, and the military jets were "escorting" it. They were visible to us for a short time - but long enough to know that we had never seen anything like this before. Soo, they all disappeared from our view. My Dad (WWII tank commander) had no idea what it could be, and said "there's a lot of stuff going on that we don't know about" - words that stuck with me to this day.Of course we checked the papers the following day, and didn't find anything. My point is, for those naysayers of what "can't be", tell them to have an open mind or ????Hey, ENJOY,Mobilman44
FYI, when I was 12 or 13 back in the late '50s in Chicago, my parents and I were standing in front of our grocery store on a weekend morning. We heard "jets" in the sky and at that time we all looked up (jet planes were not a common occurance). Well, we saw a long tube shaped object (that could have been the profile from our viewpoint, meaning it could have shown us only its side) very high in the sky, and the military jets were "escorting" it. They were visible to us for a short time - but long enough to know that we had never seen anything like this before. Soo, they all disappeared from our view.
My Dad (WWII tank commander) had no idea what it could be, and said "there's a lot of stuff going on that we don't know about" - words that stuck with me to this day.
Of course we checked the papers the following day, and didn't find anything.
My point is, for those naysayers of what "can't be", tell them to have an open mind or ????
Hey, ENJOY,
Mobilman44
Well fighter jets often escort planes that flew into "no-fly zones" (such as over a high priority military base or in these days over Washington D.C. and other citys) and escort them out (or shoot them down if they don't cooperate).
And yes I have jokes on my layout:
This is the caretaker on my diorama.
Tracklayer wrote: Several months ago I built an N scale size flying saucer about three inches in diameter, painted it silver and hung it over in the corner of my layout.
Several months ago I built an N scale size flying saucer about three inches in diameter, painted it silver and hung it over in the corner of my layout.
TL:
Flying saucers? What flying saucers?
I commend you on your excellent model of swamp gas, mass hysteria, and the planet Venus.
Now, if you're modeling Mars, PA you have every reason to include an alien spacecraft:
http://www.purvisbros.com/mars/saucer.jpg
I haven't gone in much for alien craft, although I have been known to include 1:72 Saracen horsemen visiting the gas station, and some of my scale vehicles are indeed "more than meets the eye". (for instance, look at my blurry house photo in the Cheap Trains thread)
Tracklayer wrote: Anyways, from there it went into religious beliefs and all of that and we had to shut the subject down. Oh well. Each to their own.
Anyways, from there it went into religious beliefs and all of that and we had to shut the subject down. Oh well. Each to their own.
This part of you message says a lot. I take it this family member is highly religious, and I believe to each his own, but I've also had run in's with people who are basically religous zealots (or however you spell that word). they always want to throw in the religious aspect and how you can't be a proper christian if you believe in extraterrestrial life. but why not? could not the same god have created multiple civilizations through out this universe?
I don't know why people want to insist that we are all there is, because if this is the case then it's the biggest waste of space (literally) ever. Also I'm a firm believer in evolution as well, but most people who are religious extremists absolutely refuse to even consider that possibility, to which I always say...wouldn't it be more glorious, more prestigious to think that mankind has evolved from lesser forms of life into the intelligent being he is today, rather than to think we were always like we are now, and have not progressed one bit except for technology.
I respect other's rights to believe whatever they believe whether it's the Holy Bible taken literally word for word, or some other religion such as Buddism, Wiccan, Judism, Hindu, Moslem, Satanism, Athiesm, or even the Church of the Subgenius...but I have found that all too many so-called christians don't respect others in the same manner.
I personally have a belief which is modelled on Christianity not taken so literally as some do, I am comfortable with it, and if I saw your UFO hovering over your layout I'd definitely appreciate it. If you told me that your religious beliefs involved worshipping at the altar of a giant watermelon from another dimension...I'd atleast listen to what you had to say...who knows you might have a point!
After some consideration, my take is that your relative suffers from terminal insecurity. What else would cause a person to consider an improbable model of an implausable prototype to be an attack on that person's belief/value system?
If a model flying saucer (note that I did not say UFO!) gets him all pushed out of shape, how does he react to other ethnic people in their native costumes, doing their ethnic activities (many of which involve THEIR beliefs and value systems?) If he truly expects the rest of the world to jump into the same narrow-necked funnel he has chosen to travel, he is doomed to disappointment.
As a sometime writer of science fiction, I have no problem with millions of populated planets, each with its own dominant species, multiplicity of divergent cultures, ambitious politicians, honest (and otherwise) businesspeople, fanatics and would-be Galactic Emperors. My problem is with people who assume that they already know everything, and close their minds to the inevitability of change.
I've run into the same kind of thinking among model railroaders who, after seeing one of my wild feats of imagineering (with TTT herald and reporting marks,) berate me because, "There's never been any such thing." Well, I beg to differ. Since I built it, it exists. So be it.
Chuck (modeling Centrel Japan in September, 1964 - but not fanatical about it)
Autobus Prime wrote: I haven't gone in much for alien craft, although I have been known to include 1:72 Saracen horsemen visiting the gas station, and some of my scale vehicles are indeed "more than meets the eye". (for instance, look at my blurry house photo in the Cheap Trains thread)
I can't find that thread?
Rotor
Jake: How often does the train go by? Elwood: So often you won't even notice ...
UFO's were here but they left...........................................couldn't find any intelligent life.[:o)
Rotorranch wrote: Autobus Prime wrote: I haven't gone in much for alien craft, although I have been known to include 1:72 Saracen horsemen visiting the gas station, and some of my scale vehicles are indeed "more than meets the eye". (for instance, look at my blurry house photo in the Cheap Trains thread) I can't find that thread?Rotor
Nevermind...I found it.
http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/1333223/ShowPost.aspx
bladeslinger wrote: Tracklayer wrote: Anyways, from there it went into religious beliefs and all of that and we had to shut the subject down. Oh well. Each to their own. This part of you message says a lot. I take it this family member is highly religious, and I believe to each his own, but I've also had run in's with people who are basically religous zealots (or however you spell that word). they always want to throw in the religious aspect and how you can't be a proper christian if you believe in extraterrestrial life. but why not? could not the same god have created multiple civilizations through out this universe? I don't know why people want to insist that we are all there is, because if this is the case then it's the biggest waste of space (literally) ever. Also I'm a firm believer in evolution as well, but most people who are religious extremists absolutely refuse to even consider that possibility, to which I always say...wouldn't it be more glorious, more prestigious to think that mankind has evolved from lesser forms of life into the intelligent being he is today, rather than to think we were always like we are now, and have not progressed one bit except for technology.I respect other's rights to believe whatever they believe whether it's the Holy Bible taken literally word for word, or some other religion such as Buddism, Wiccan, Judism, Hindu, Moslem, Satanism, Athiesm, or even the Church of the Subgenius...but I have found that all too many so-called christians don't respect others in the same manner.I personally have a belief which is modelled on Christianity not taken so literally as some do, I am comfortable with it, and if I saw your UFO hovering over your layout I'd definitely appreciate it. If you told me that your religious beliefs involved worshipping at the altar of a giant watermelon from another dimension...I'd atleast listen to what you had to say...who knows you might have a point!
Just be glad you don't have to press "2" for English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_ALEdDUB8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hqFS1GZL4s
http://s73.photobucket.com/user/steemtrayn/media/MovingcoalontheDCM.mp4.html?sort=3&o=27
I found this model interesting. It actually flies.
Somebody did some nice work.
That certainly fits the definition of a UFO...
in reverse order...
It does appear to be an Object
It appears to be Flying
And from my viewpoint, it is Unidentified.
Guessing I'd say it is part of a Bar-B-Que burner.
You say "It actually flies." Is that "flying" as in the way a "rock" flies, or is there some sort of selfcontained propulsion system?
Speaking of controversial layout items, have you guys seen the Sexy Scenes products from Noch?
For those that haven't, they contain one piece of furniture and two figures.
I'll let your mind fill in the rest...
Craig
DMW
Autobus Prime wrote: Tracklayer wrote: Several months ago I built an N scale size flying saucer about three inches in diameter, painted it silver and hung it over in the corner of my layout. TL:Flying saucers? What flying saucers? I commend you on your excellent model of swamp gas, mass hysteria, and the planet Venus.Now, if you're modeling Mars, PA you have every reason to include an alien spacecraft:http://www.purvisbros.com/mars/saucer.jpgI haven't gone in much for alien craft, although I have been known to include 1:72 Saracen horsemen visiting the gas station, and some of my scale vehicles are indeed "more than meets the eye". (for instance, look at my blurry house photo in the Cheap Trains thread)
oOOHH Bud-ump-bum.
Although, I was gonna try a similar idea involving the ark on the way to Tehachapi.
"You know, I've decied one thing about these humans, and that's that there isn't any intellegent life."
Yeah? why?
Well, for 200 years there's been a railroad running past us, and they still haven't noticed the crashlanded spaceship...
-Morgan
Did I mention you don't really exceed the speed of light when you use "Warp" speed?
Tilden
Tilden wrote: Did I mention you don't really exceed the speed of light when you use "Warp" speed?Tilden
"MAYBE NOT ON YOUR PLANET, EARTHLING"
concretelackey wrote: Tilden wrote: Did I mention you don't really exceed the speed of light when you use "Warp" speed?Tilden "MAYBE NOT ON YOUR PLANET, EARTHLING"
Lois McMasters Bujold, in her Miles Vorkosigan stories, seems to prefer wormholes.
Just what the galaxy needs - superphotic worms.
OTOH, several of her planetary cultures seem to be making good use of monorails for surface transportation.
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - writing about happenings in the 23-37th centuries)
Dallas Model Works wrote: Speaking of controversial layout items, have you guys seen the Sexy Scenes products from Noch?For those that haven't, they contain one piece of furniture and two figures.I'll let your mind fill in the rest...
W.O.W.
Semper Vaporo wrote: That certainly fits the definition of a UFO...in reverse order...It does appear to be an ObjectIt appears to be FlyingAnd from my viewpoint, it is Unidentified.Guessing I'd say it is part of a Bar-B-Que burner.You say "It actually flies." Is that "flying" as in the way a "rock" flies, or is there some sort of selfcontained propulsion system?
No, It's actually some kind of remote control model. Don't know what kind of propulsion. There's a video of it on the web. It's about 10-15' long and lifts straight off the ground. It flew around for about 1 minute and landed. It's got a bunch of weird hieroglyphics on the bottom of it. Someone recognised them as some old Japanese language. They say it's for a movie or video game that's coming out in Japan. Looks pretty convincing if you don't know it's a 10' model.