To be Lone Wolf or not to be Lone Wolf, that is the question!

[Anonymous]

To be, or not to be: that is the question:
Whether ’t is nobler in the mind to suffer
The slings and arrows of outrageous fortune,
Or to take arms against a sea of troubles,
And by opposing end them?


For those of you who may not recognize this quotation, it's from Shakespears' HAMLET but I thought it fitting in this case. I was over on the Atlas forum this morning for a few minutes and someone had posed this same question a short time ago, "Do you Lone Wolf", Amazingly, the vast majority said yes, some all the way accept for the forums and some had very limited exposure to the outside world thru the NMRA, but the vast majority didn't have any thing to do with the NMRA or local clubs citing politics and other undesirably qualities of clubs as the reason. Now I know this has been kicked around in the past but this seems to be a growing trend now-a-days. Are we beginning to see the demise of local clubs in favor of the Lone Wolf or is this a new trend growing that will run parallel to a much smaller number of clubs across the country. Clubs, after all, have left a bitter taste in many a mouth in recent years, and from what I'm reading, so has the NMRA. What's your honest opinion. Please no flames, only honest reflection and opinion.

[Roadtrp]

I'm a lone wolf, and will probably stay that way. I wouldn't mind if an interested neighbor wanted to come over and 'play' with my trains, but I really don't want any type of joint ownership thing going on. However pathetic it might be, I want my layout to be MY layout. I would not want someone telling me that I shouldn't do something I really wanted to do.

A club would hold no interest for me at all. Besides the negatives I've read here about clubs (rivet counting, snobbish, etc), I wouldn't want to have to go someplace else to run my trains. I realize I could have a layout at home and still participate in a club, but I would rather invest all my $$ in a layout that is completely mine.

I am very appreciated of forums like this, because it gives us "lone wolves" a place to share information.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Roadtrp



I am very appreciated of forums like this, because it gives us "lone wolves" a place to share information.

Ditto.

[lupo]

[#ditto]
I am not a lone wolf,
I am a wolf!
[8D]

I share this hobby with my son (7) and my brother in law and his son (7),
allthough I am into US railroads and he is a Märklin collector-modeller, the four of us go railfanning together, we go to trainshows and swapmeets and other assorted railroad activities.
and I like hanging around with the guys at the forum!

[IRONROOSTER]

In my case, the primary issue has always been time. While I have belonged to the NMRA for over thirty years, I have only been to two division meets. Not because I didn't enjoy them - I did, but because I usually have something else going on. When my boys were growing up, I was active in the cub scouts and boy scouts. Then I went back to school to finish up a bachelors's degree. Add in a couple of family situations which required time and it just hasn't worked out for me except as a Lone Wolf. Even my current layout, which has been under construction for several years is just now getting the second mainline track laid. Now that the boys are grown, the degree finished, and other things getting under control I hope to be less of a lone wolf in the future. At least I'll go to more division meets, maybe a regional. And get that layout further along.

While I have heard the horror stories, my limited experience has been the opposite. People are friendly and inviting. I just have to make the effort.

But I also have to confess, I like doing my own thing by myself a lot of the time.

Enjoy
Paul

[warner brook]

i would say i`am a lone wolf.i often thought of trying to get something going.i`am retired and living in a area in western penna.where the major recreation is hunting and fishing most of the local folks don`t have much money left over for a hobby that can be expensive.i just got back in the hobby myself as my legs don`t seem to want to carry me through the woods to far.i know what your thinking that hunting and fishing can be expensive too.most of the guys hunt with bare bones out fits and they do quite well with what they have[oops]how i digressed.i started back in by making a logging diorama.when i`am finished, i will start a modest layout,besides i`am at the age where everyone that i know are starting to die off [:(]

[fiatfan]

I would submit that membership in this forum is a variation of a club. What with the busier lifestyles now, this forum allows us to converse, pick each others brains, show off our modeling techniques, build and operate layouts, all according to our own schedule. We get many of the benefits of memebership without the commitment of weekly or monthly meetings.

Tom

[warner brook]

well said tom[^]

[Anonymous]

Lone wolf here. The forums and my LHS are the only place I share my hobby. I guess you could call me a closet model railroader. I've met some fellow modelers around here but they are all kinda strange. That coming from a weird guy says alot.[:D][:D]. Besides they don't like what I model anyway.

Jeremy

[dickiee]

I, too, am a "Lone Wolfe". Mainly because I want to be in charge of my layout, not that I don't appreciate advice. I live in an area where there don't seem to be too many MRR's around, however I haven't gone looking for them. Perhaps I will discover some local modelers through this forum. I have to admit I enjoy the give and take of this forum. I do wish more people would update their profiles. It's fun to read the topics and then see where they are coming from. I have been surprised by the # of young people that are interested in Model Railroading. I find their enthusiasm for the hobby is fun for me.

Richard

[CP5415]

I have to agree with Tom as well. This forum is like a club without the politics
Except for a friend that comes over once every couple of months, I'm a lone wolf as well.
I welcome his input, or anyone elses for that matter.

Gordon

[Eriediamond]

Nice topic emeraldisle, kind of gives us all a chance to know each other a little better. I'll jump in with both feet and say I'm kind of a semi lone wolf. I do belong to a club, but unable to spend the time for meetings and work days (usually Sat mornings), nor the time to spend on my own layout because of my job as an over the road trucker. That will change in a couple of years when I retire however. I must say that my club has the best members you would ever want to meet and we are a small club (about a dozen members) with about half of us actually active. We are also quite informal and not only a model railroad club but also highly involved with the historical sociaty in restoreing the old depot we are located in and get grants for our model railroad through them. What is really great to me is that anyone here on this forum should not feel like a lone wolf. I've been modeling since the middle 40's, both trains and airplanes, yet with all that experience behind me, I am thankful for the friendship, help and ideas given me by both young and older members here on this forum. Thanks, Ken

[pkeppers]

It would be great if I could find someone in my area thats interested in the same sort of model railroading I am. We have a club at the museum. Their main interest is running a train around a sceniced loop. Nothing against that but I'm interested in building a model of a railroad, real or fictional. They actually took all the switches out of the double track mainline. The typical response when I ask them what they model is a list of every railroad that served this town and there were about a dozen at one time. Nothing wrong with that if that's what you enjoy. I just see a misc. collection of equipment and see a nice display of model train equipment, not a model railroad.

[Anonymous]

I started life as a lone wolf, and I shudder to think of where I would be skills wise if not for the experinces and education that being a social creature has brought me.
Yes, clubs can be a pain-in-the-[oops] if you let them. The key here is YOU have to make an effort to keep yourself from being entagled in political [:p]mire and cliques[}:)]. Or if they are really out of hand, [banghead]find another venue.
Round-robin or operating sessions at yours or someone elses home are an alternative. Home layout run sessions seem to attract a core crowd of like-minded folks.
Other than just my general modeling skills, my past experiences with groups have honed my operating skills, and have given me valuable contacts in the hobby.
So for me, it's no lone wolf, but then again, thats my [2c]

[tomwatkins]

I lone wolfed it for a lot of years due to work commitments. I'd leave Monday morning and get home Thursday or Friday afternoon just about every week. So when I was home I wanted to be at home. I knew there was a local model railroad club in the area but wasn't involved with it at all.

Since I retired about a year ago I've gotten involved and am really enjoying it. It's a good group of people. There are some excellent modelers but no rivet counters in the negative sense. Politics is limited to what is needed to run the club. We had a modular HO layout but since we lost our meeting place it is now stored. We are very likely to get a long term lease on a restored depot in the area in the near future and are in the planning stages of a sectional layout which will depict our area and the railroads which operated here.

I enjoyed model railroading on a lone wolf basis but now I have the best of both worlds and it's even more fun.

Tom Watkins

[Anonymous]

I'm a lone wolf primarily due to my health. I'd see if there would be a club to join in the area, but depending on the group, I might not feel like joining. I can handle a few politics, but it really depends on how well I fit in. I might find myself a part of a normal operating group instead.

---jps

[Anonymous]

Great topic! I would have to count myself as a lone wolf unless working with a son changes that equation. Why? My work schedule is such that (a) I would not be able to contribute effectively to a club (in this regard, I note that many of the club members I've met at open houses seem to be retired) and (b) boy, when I'm home, that's where I want to be. And although I would love to have a round-robin group involvement, once again it would be hard to fit with my work schedule. But I use the magazines and the web as vicarious non-lone-wolf activities.

[Anonymous]

I'm a lone wolf as well, these forums are about as much as I do socially in regards to model trains.

I just have a small setup and like to tinker around on my own time, whenever I feel like it.

Sometimes I work for hours, sometimes I just sit and look.

[Anonymous]

Most are lone wolf; either they chose that existence, or geography forced it upon them, or they just don't know the good times of being with a group of friends working the layouts.

I've done both and definitely prefer to be around friends. I help them with their layout and they help me with mine, we run on each others layouts. Life is better with friends in the hobby.

Forums: I've been part of RR forums for about 6 or 7 years now (I've lost track). I started out with Atlas, after the company started its own forum and moved away from Yahoo or another like it - can't remember. I am busy on several forums. A nice place to go is to the guage forum and visit on chat at around 9:00 PM EST. You will meet others active in the hobby. When I first entered forums, I consider some members friends, but friendship on the net isn't the same as friendship in the flesh.

Model Railroading is an incredible social hobby and if you can get into that side of the hobby you will be richly reward and occassionally frustrated, but the rewards are greater than the frustrations.

If you want to become involved ask at your LHS about who to contact about volunteering at the next train show - they almost always need people. And the people who volunteer there, are the ones deep into the hobby.

[ClinchValleySD40]

Last post is the best. Friends. There are so many great people in the hobby, it is a shame not to get to know some. I'm not endorsing clubs, but visit and/or operate with other modelers in your area is probably the best part of the hobby. And if you can find a few others in your area, I advise starting something of a round robin, it is fantastic.

Please try to meet others, the people are the best part of the hobby.

[rogerhensley]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rsn48

Most are lone wolf; either they chose that existence, or geography forced it upon them, or they just don't know the good times of being with a group of friends working the layouts.

I've done both and definitely prefer to be around friends. I help them with their layout and they help me with mine, we run on each others layouts. Life is better with friends in the hobby.

And I have no wi***o... :-)
When it comes to my layout, I'm a lone wolf, but when it comes to the hobby, I'm very active in my local NMRA division sharing the hobby with others thorugh the web sites, clinics, Meets and Layout Tours. I listen to what others are doing, and am willing to tell what I am doing and display some of my structure models, but I far prefer to do as I wish on the layout. Oh, I certainly bring down a couple of grandsons and granddaughters, but no other modelers. Hey, I'm an old duck with a 'mature' layout and I guess that I like it that way.

Oh, don't count polls done on a web forum as being anything other than the opinions of a handfull. They may or may not represent the hobby as a whole. :-)

[n2mopac]

I suppose I am a lone wolf, but not necessarily by choice. I would love to have a few operators to share duties on my layout with, but my small area has no other modelers that I am aware of. I am not interested in someone else building my layout for me, though some educated advice now and then WHEN SOLICITED would be nice. There is a club within reasonable driving distance from me, but the dues are steep in order to maintain a club layout, and I would rather sink my limited $$$ into my own layout. I suppose that leaves me where I started . . . a lone wolf.
Ron

[Anonymous]

Aren't we all lone wolves when it come to building our layouts and models??? I like help with certain stuff (benchwork comes to mind), but lots of other things I would rather do myself. Not because I am afraid some one else will mess it up, but because I enjoy doing these things.

I was a lone wolf for many years. I joined a round robin group about four years ago and my enjoyment of the hobby expanded exponentially. I learned an enormous amount and I have some people who I can talk to about things like grab irons and curve radi. Some one who can appreciate that scratch built water tank. I think my wife may be happier too because I have another outlet for my train activity and don't bug her as much about it.

All of the guys I know still built their own layouts. We all pitch in to help each other when asked, but mostly it's about cameraderie at trains hows, operating sessions and just goofing off. So I guess when it comes to certain things, I am a bit of a lone wolf, but think I am enjoying the hobby more now that I can share it with some other trainnuts.

Guy

[mondotrains]

Hi Guys,
I have always been a lone wolf, mostly because I hate having to be at a regular meeting of a club or group. Also, it's difficult to get a bunch of guys together. A few years ago, my wife decided she would like to get a bunch of her high school friends together at our house. She called 12 women on a Thursday and they ALL came over the following Thursday. These were women with children, many of whom had careers. I would submit to you that it would be virtually impossible to get 12 men together, even with months of advance notice. Most would say that the "wife' wouldn't let them out of the house. Or, the "dog died", or their mother is in the hospital. Let's face it....most guys are "lone wolfs" and that's that.

I do enjoy having a couple of train buddies over once in a while, but haven't been able to get the 2 of them together in over 2 months....the wife needed hand-holding in one case and the mother of one needed a prescription filled....just happened to be on Friday night...Train Night.

Let's face it, it's fun to be president of the railroad without anybody telling you what to do or screwing up your enthusiasm with criticism and "rivet-counting" as we call it. I got downsized from my company after 22 years and considering the bull I went through those last few years, with politics, back-stabbing etc., I really don't want to spend much time with "people".

With all this negativity aside, I must say that I've enjoyed "meeting" you guys on this forum and have already learned much and had fun sharing some of my expertise.

Mondo

[Anonymous]

Mondo,
Every Friday night a group has been meeting in a friends home, working on his layout for over ten years now - maybe more. It isn't a club, just an informal meeeting of basically the same guys. Some come, then fall away, some come when they feel up to it, and have time for it. Others are as regular as clock work.

For some who don't have a layout, this layout will act as " club" layout, allowing them to run their equipment. For the owner, he has been the project manager of his layout building for some time now. We all chip in and work on what we know, or acquire the skills to help out. I remember four years ago I can remember thinking I didn't have a clue as to how to build panels for a layout - toggle switches, track plan and push buttons. Now I have built three of them for "John's" layout. In fact, one group has issued us a challenge as to who will lay be the first to lay the "golden spike." I think I have still have a copy, but you can read in it the good humour and fellowship that exists, trans layout.

[trainfan1221]

I model by myself, though occasionally I will go to my friend's house and operate his
layout with him. I think its fine to just have your own layout and do your own thing.

[Anonymous]

From what I'm reading here, the Lone Wolf trend is definately on the rise. Just a few years back, hardly anyone was a Lone Wolf but I guess experience has taught a lot of good people, some hard lessons, and I quess thats good, because if you're not happy with a club, you won't enjoy the hobby. I agree, the forum here is a sort of non-club, club where all of us can come and go at will and get to know one another in some sense. It's good to know you folks are out there.

[Anonymous]

Kinda yes and kinda no. I have a group that comes to operate the layout, but that's it. I prefer to make my own mistakes on my layout, that way I can't get after anyone but me. I also model straight steam, so not many folks share my vision of model railroading in my immediate area. I do go to model railroad shows if and when they are held in my area. I make no effort to attend the big national events. Did it just one time. You want to feel totally alone? Go to the NMRA Big Show. I like losing myself for hours on end working on the layout or working on things that will eventually be on the layout.

I also like to scratch build. I do have some kit stuff, but it is disappearing as more and more scratch built items make it to the layout. I find this also puts me in a separate slot, one not many modelers in my area are interested in. So I bump into the crowd when it pleases me and I stay away from the crowd the rest of the time.

I have no axe to grind about the hobby. I approach it in the manner that is most pleasing to me, the manner that generates the most enjoyment for the time I spend. I am not part of the "inner clan" that has a need to be in the spotlight. I am quite possibly a model railroad nerd, so far out of the current mainstream that I am happy.

Tom

[timthechef]

I'm a lone wolf, I would like to join a club and meet with more modelers but between work and family I just don't have the time.

[philnrunt]

I tried the NMRA, they put me in the Dayton (Oh) Division, about 21/2 hours away, instead of the Ft Wayne (In) Div, about 50 minutes away. Guess I could have gotten it changed, but like a true lone wolf I just went about my railroading and let the membership expire.
I also agree with the idea that my RR is MY world, and I like that. Any small bit of control over your life without outside influence is rare these days.
But don't misunderstand, I would gladly wa***he feet of the masterminds of model railroading to just be able to sit with them and pick their brains. There are sooo many things I'm not to accomplished at, and I know they have met and solved each problem that I stumble over.
Some folks are social creatures, and some ...not so much.
Its a choice we make, and then live with.