Why does model railroading seem to be so popular in Ontario. In going through my old MRs I've seen more than a few contributors from there. Theres a few guys on the forum from there and I was just wondering is it just me or the long Canadian winters,or what. I think its a good thing by the way and would like to live in a place where there are a few more modelers. Theres a few here in Idaho but mostly in the Boise area which is five hours from here, 100 mile north is Spokane which has a pretty strong community too.Anyways,anybody got any answers? Lonesome Bill in Idaho
Hi Bill , I'm one of those Ontario guys,but I don't have a solid answer for you.Ontario is the most populated Province ,so there are more stores etc which may have something to do with it. There are quite a few clubs as well I was a member of one of the older more finished ones for about 15 years until i moved over an hour and a half away. Lots of Western Canadian modlers as well from the prairies,I would think the winter temps are more of a reason for them though.
I suppose you could immigrate to be around more modelersmind you in all seriousness theer are lots of good modellers spread pretty much accross both countries,one does have to drive as bit to find them sometimes though.
Rob
Hi,
I've been thinking the same thing. There seems to be a disproportionate number of Forum members, not only from Ontario, but even more so from my home town, London.
Will all of the Forum members from London please reply. I am very curious as to the number of fellow ferroequinologists who are from London.
Blaine's
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Blaine's Trains Hi, I've been thinking the same thing. There seems to be a disproportionate number of Forum members, not only from Ontario, but even more so from my home town, London. Will all of the Forum members from London please reply. I am very curious as to the number of fellow ferroequinologists who are from London. Blaine
Blaine
Now you got me curious---which London? Me? I'm here in London ON---originally Woodstock ON
Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry
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Blaine's Trains I am very curious as to the number of fellow ferroequinologists who are from London.Blaine
I am very curious as to the number of fellow ferroequinologists who are from London.Blaine
Hi folks, checking in from Ottawa, Ontario. Can't answer your question about why so may of us are here - just wish there were more of us! As already stated, Ontario is the most populous province, so the odds are in our favour. Cheers.
Uhh, Reklein -- CA is the abbreviation for CALIFORNIA, and there is an Ontario, California. Your subject line is very misleading.
cacole Uhh, Reklein -- CA is the abbreviation for CALIFORNIA, and there is an Ontario, California. Your subject line is very misleading.
And we use CA to denote Canada--as well as California----as well as a certain glue---
Aren't Abbreviations FUN!?
I can see how MRR would be popular in Ontario, Canada. Looooong, dark winters, lots of snow.
Ontario, California covers a pretty large area in San Bernardino county, just to the west of Los Angeles; population about 200K. Fairly low cost of living for that area, but a correspondingly low per capita income.
For some reason, Ontario California also seems to be prominently featured in a lot of home improvement shows, and a lot of movies.
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"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford
That was my thought when I saw the thread title, too: I don't ever recall seeing Canada, despite its size, being abbreviated.
Much of southern Ontario was well-served (although not necessarily served well ) by railroads in earlier years, which may have influenced some of us. My hometown of Hamilton had 4 common carrier lines serving the city (albeit three of them using the same tracks) in addition to numerous industrial lines.
Wayne
Ontario, California, was my initial response also, until the original OP started talking about long, cold winters, LOL! However, there are TONS of model railroaders in Southern California, and a great many up here in the northern part of the state.
But I've noticed a lot of our Canadian buddies on the forum with some absolutely masterful layouts, so my thoughts are: Ontario Canada or Ontario California, it's just nice to see that the hobby is so alive and well.
Tom
Tom View my layout photos! http://s299.photobucket.com/albums/mm310/TWhite-014/Rio%20Grande%20Yuba%20River%20Sub One can NEVER have too many Articulateds!
Hi,Just an exert from the Elgin County Railway Museum, located in St. Thomas, Ontario, included in the London Metropolitan area,The railway has been a part of St. Thomas since 1856 with the completion of the London and Port Stanley Railway. Since then a total of 26 railways have passed through town making St. Thomas to be known as the "Railway Capital of Canada".Blaine
Running trains is apparently Ontario's most exciting night life.
From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet
R. T. POTEETRunning trains is apparently Ontario's most exciting night life.
Perhaps not the most exciting , but probably one of the few not taxed (after the initial acquisition) almost out of existence. I'm sure that the pinheads at Queens Park (the Provincial Legislature) are working on it, though.
doctorwayne R. T. POTEET Running trains is apparently Ontario's most exciting night life. Perhaps not the most exciting , but probably one of the few not taxed (after the initial acquisition) almost out of existence. I'm sure that the pinheads at Queens Park (the Provincial Legislature) are working on it, though. Wayne
R. T. POTEET Running trains is apparently Ontario's most exciting night life.
Hey---i thought we already pay taxes to run our trains! We pay the GST AND PST---and after they harmonize---- After all taxes generated from paying the electric bills---and all the dang take out bills are tallied up on ops night and -----
Taxes? Taxes? We don't need no steenking taxes. I want to know more about Ontario, Canada. I have a brother in Port huron MI.Thats Michigan not Mississippi.I see London ,Ontario ,Canada, is not too far from Port Huron,Michigan. Also I see there's 1.2 Jillion lakes in Ontario Canada is that why it rains and snows so much there? I been watching the weather channel this past summer and the area is always green,'cept now its white. Anyways nearly everyone must have a lake home . BILL
Any one that does not live in Ont. will tell you that we continually hear that Ontario (specifically TORONOTO) is the centre of the universe, this may explain the profusion of MR's I always thought Toronoto was the Lone Ranger's sidekick.
rekleinI been watching the weather channel this past summer and the area is always green,'cept now its white.
I been watching the weather channel this past summer and the area is always green,'cept now its white.
I dunno about the rest of Ont-ari-ari-o, Bill, but it's mostly brown around here.
reklein Anyways nearly everyone must have a lake home .
Anyways nearly everyone must have a lake home .
You got that one right: relatively speaking, I've got Lake Ontario out front, Lake Erie out back, and Niagara Falls next door.
tatansAny one that does not live in Ont. will tell you that we continually hear that Ontario (specifically TORONOTO) is the centre of the universe, this may explain the profusion of MR's
Any one that does not live in Ont. will tell you that we continually hear that Ontario (specifically TORONOTO) is the centre of the universe, this may explain the profusion of MR's
Actually, it's only some of the people in Toronto who think that and also that the sun shines from a certain part of their anatomy.
tatans I always thought Toronoto was the Lone Ranger's sidekick.
I always thought Toronoto was the Lone Ranger's sidekick.
The reason for that misconception is simple: you're pronouncing the name of the city incorrectly. It should be Trawna.
You've apparently never experienced duckpins - or a really hot curling contest.
BTW two-letter country abbreviations are common in computer / internet usage. For example, my employers website is www.taxes.state.mn.us with the .us meaning "United States". IIRC "ru" is Russia, "ca" is Canada, "uk" is the United Kingdom (Great Britain), "de" is Germany (Deutschland) etc.
tatans Any one that does not live in Ont. will tell you that we continually hear that Ontario (specifically TORONOTO) is the centre of the universe, this may explain the profusion of MR's I always thought Toronoto was the Lone Ranger's sidekick.
You must've run into some of our more---aherm---coff coff---vociferous Torontonians----I've fell over a few of THOSE---
Bill H.Blaine's Trains I am very curious as to the number of fellow ferroequinologists who are from London.Blaine Ferroequinologist? Hmmmm... I will admit having had no clue as to the meaning, so it was off to Google. Now I know. Learn something new every day.
Ferroequinologist? Hmmmm... I will admit having had no clue as to the meaning, so it was off to Google. Now I know. Learn something new every day.
Ferroequinologist - One who studies the Iron Horse.
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Gary M. Collins gmcrailgNOSPAM@gmail.com
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Jason Shron - President - Rapido Trains Inc. - RapidoTrains.comMy HO scale Kingston Sub layout: Facebook.com/KingstonSub
It's already been mentioned, but i think the combination of a large population and a great number of trains is the reason for so many railfans and ferroequinologists alike in Ontario, particularly southern Ontario. A good amount of railroading diversity doesn't hurt either. Coupled with that is the fact that there are many great hobby stores within a relatively small area (in southern Ontario) which support and are probably a result of the seemingly high number of modellers up here. Not that the long winters with plenty of indoor time aren't conducive to spending time on model rarilroading either
BTW, though I'm from Hamilton, I call London home as i am here for school most of the year.
Peter.
Could this huge interest in model railroading in Ontario have to do with the fortunes of the Toronto Maple Leafs?
I also am a resident of Port Huron, Mi., and I get the feeling that Ontario must be pretty much "full up" because about 400!! trucks a day are bringing trash from Trawna into Michigan to dump. That's not to mention all the gons hauled through the "Sarnya"/St. Clair tunnel filled with scrap from Ca-na-da (eh?). All that aside, the CN/GTW is a great road to use as a prototype. A ton of history for the steamers, and still quite a bit of action for a modern era modeler like myself. Gerry S.
wojosa31 Could this huge interest in model railroading in Ontario have to do with the fortunes of the Toronto Maple Leafs?
Or the Toronto Blue Jays----or the Toronto Argos----or the Toronto Raptors---or the----
Jason,
Ya forgot the two little railway companies as well, South Simcoe RR & the boys in Uxbridge who run to Stouffville.
Gord
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Thanks guys.Its nice to know stuff about other places. Someone reminded me that Toronto was where the Lone Rangers Tonto retired to. I understand he's teaching Esperonto (an invented language someone expected to be universal but never panned out.)
Gerry,I stayed in the Thomas Edison hotel right under the bridge to ca.That explains at least part of the heavy traffic. BILL