Speaking of trains and TV, does anyone remember the Ellory Queen episode with the big 3-rail train set.
Skip ahead to 6:55...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cBCHK2bmVcY
Steve S
tallcaptI love this hobby and I know its great for sanity, dexterity, and for kids as well as adults. However, a large section of our society will always view it as 'men who never grew up playng with trains.' Some things will never change.
Attitudes over "never growing up" might start changing over time. If you don't follow college culture, you may not know that a surprising (or unsettling, depending on your perspective) number of 20 somethings still cling to Super Mario, Pokemon, and even (for some bizarre reason) My Little Pony. I've seen pictures of Mario tattoos, Mario wedding cakes, and the like. Compared to that, model railroading wouldn't seem quite so strange anymore, would it?
That show is hilarious and my wife and I enjoy it, maybe her more than me.
I love this hobby and I know its great for sanity, dexterity, and for kids as well as adults. However, a large section of our society will always view it as 'men who never grew up playng with trains.' Some things will never change. My own mother even asks me from time to time when she sees the progress on my layout "How old are you?"
I would argue that the representation is a good one simply because if it gets just one person interested in it enough to go visit a hobby shop or get into the hobby, that is a good thing.
I've seen a few of the episodes where Sheldon's model railroading is referenced. The ideal in our hobby is a fully sceniced prototypical or freelanced operating layout. Sheldon is 'way short of this standard. He is at the stage of running out-of-the-box locomotives and rolling stock around a table top oval while wearing a pristine engineer's outfit. I think it's meant to look comical, perhaps even ridiculous and it certainly does nothing to showcase our hobby as most of us know it. His repeated ejaculation of the words "woo woo" aren't helpful either.
An idiot-savant is more like "Rain Man" - someone with unusual ability in one area, but completely unable to handle day-to-day life. Big Bang Theory is about four guys who are young geniuses (and are described as geniuses numerous times) who are professors a university, but who have problems dealing with social situations, especially regarding the opposite sex. But they're still able to go to work and teach classes and live a 'normal' life.
Can Sheldon really handle day-to-day life on his own? We've never seen him without a roommate (or perhaps more correctly, an enabler). He's multi-phobic. He doesn't drive (his one-time assistance of Penny notwithstanding). Whatever the problems of the other 3, Sheldon is the person least capable functioning totally independently.
And... we're getting off the subject. Anybody who objects to Sheldon's rather childish approach to trains (in keeping with the character) needs to go out and buy a tanker truck load of perspective. It's a very minor part of his character. Pretty much like my addiction to chocolate. If it's around, I'll eat it, but I don't go out of my way to buy it. However, I do plan to hunt down and destroy the practical joker who got me a gift certificate for a pound of See's.
Andre
andrechapelon She pointed out that - despite his personality quirks - Sheldon is a genius With all due respect to your wife, IMHO, idiot savant would be a more appropriate description of Sheldon (Cooper, not Atlantic Central).
She pointed out that - despite his personality quirks - Sheldon is a genius
With all due respect to your wife, IMHO, idiot savant would be a more appropriate description of Sheldon (Cooper, not Atlantic Central).
"From age five until I went to college, my father made me watch football. It was the longest seven years of my life."
PARTSGUY Hi Rich, This is an odd photo of Sheldon with HO scale especially when his mantra is: "it's O scale or no scale".
Hi Rich, This is an odd photo of Sheldon with HO scale especially when his mantra is: "it's O scale or no scale".
Actually, that's from the episode where Sheldon goes to what he thinks is going to be an O-scale lecture at the train store and somehow gets back home with an HO scale train. His explanation: "I was wrong, the smaller the scale, the larger the magic." That same episode ended with him balancing an N scale diesel on his tongue, LOL!
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!
twhite As Sheldon would say: "Fascinating." I taught Sheldon for four years. In fact, I taught a LOT of Sheldon's for a lot more than four years. Yup, the Geeks were in my choir right along with the football players and the Rugby team (this was an all--boy's school) and I wouldn't have it any other way. That's why when I started watching "Big Bang Theory", I just settled back in my chair and grinned, because believe me, people, I was watching REAL LIFE, LOL! Especially Sheldon. I'd just watched one of my own Sheldon's graduate high school (with Honors and a full scholarship to a prestigous East Coast private university) and there were a couple of underclassmen Sheldon's coming right along behind the first. Two of my Sheldon's over the years have liked trains, so Sheldon liking trains (not just model trains, but all manner of trains) just made me feel a lot more comfortable about both the character and the show. I found out later that Jim Parsons, the marvelous comic actor who portrays Sheldon, had two things written into the script of his character when the show started--that he be from East Texas (Parson's birthplace) and that he like trains (Parson's passion, alongside being a very good pianist). So for me, Sheldon liking trains is a huge plus to his character. In fact it made me kind of a 'hero' among my choir students when they found out that "Doc" White, like their TV hero Sheldon, was also into trains. So for some of them, trains are suddenly 'cool'. I don't think that would have happened without Sheldon. So, thank you, Sheldon, and thank you, Jim Parsons. You've more than made up for that creepy serial killer that had the elaborate model railroad in an early episode of "CSI Las Vegas." BAZINGA!! Tom
As Sheldon would say: "Fascinating."
I taught Sheldon for four years. In fact, I taught a LOT of Sheldon's for a lot more than four years. Yup, the Geeks were in my choir right along with the football players and the Rugby team (this was an all--boy's school) and I wouldn't have it any other way.
That's why when I started watching "Big Bang Theory", I just settled back in my chair and grinned, because believe me, people, I was watching REAL LIFE, LOL! Especially Sheldon. I'd just watched one of my own Sheldon's graduate high school (with Honors and a full scholarship to a prestigous East Coast private university) and there were a couple of underclassmen Sheldon's coming right along behind the first. Two of my Sheldon's over the years have liked trains, so Sheldon liking trains (not just model trains, but all manner of trains) just made me feel a lot more comfortable about both the character and the show.
I found out later that Jim Parsons, the marvelous comic actor who portrays Sheldon, had two things written into the script of his character when the show started--that he be from East Texas (Parson's birthplace) and that he like trains (Parson's passion, alongside being a very good pianist).
So for me, Sheldon liking trains is a huge plus to his character. In fact it made me kind of a 'hero' among my choir students when they found out that "Doc" White, like their TV hero Sheldon, was also into trains. So for some of them, trains are suddenly 'cool'. I don't think that would have happened without Sheldon. So, thank you, Sheldon, and thank you, Jim Parsons. You've more than made up for that creepy serial killer that had the elaborate model railroad in an early episode of "CSI Las Vegas."
BAZINGA!!
Good post, "Doc"! (Or, would that be post-Doc? )
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Tom, I have to agree with you.
With the exception of 2 shows and weekend sports, network TV is dead to me. NCIS (ahh Ziva) has some merit, even though I am tiring of Gibbs "Dead Marine, grab your gear!" I also get a real kick out of watching "Wipeout" , mainly because after 35 years of knowing her, I still get turned on by hearing my wife laugh so hard!
Other than that, I have too many other distractions in my life to worry about the TV. (this place being one of them!) And whether some *** parades around a TV screen babbling about his choo-choo is of no concern to me.
Remember, sitcoms and other mindless TV are one of the reasons its referred to as the idiot box!
Thankfully, we still have NatGeo, ESPN, Discovery and the History Channels!
Karl
NCE über alles!
Andre:
I'm glad YOU were able to figure that episode out, LOL! I got so confused that all I remember is the layout.
The whole miniature killer thing lasted over multiple episodes. While I don't have an eidetic memory, it seems my memory for TV programs approaches the eidetic. My wife's luckier. If she hasn't seen something for 3 months, it's new to her. Me, I could see a rerum of a 50 year episode of "77 Sunset Strip" and tell you how it turns out after watching it for 3 minutes. It's a curse.
andrechapelon You've more than made up for that creepy serial killer that had the elaborate model railroad in an early episode of "CSI Las Vegas." The train guy wasn't the serial killer, it was his foster daughter who was the killer. Andre
You've more than made up for that creepy serial killer that had the elaborate model railroad in an early episode of "CSI Las Vegas."
The train guy wasn't the serial killer, it was his foster daughter who was the killer.
First I have to say that our house loves the show and yes we laugh about Sheldon and his trains, I dont' probably wonder about me and my hobby but when they see pictures of what I do on my Facebook they are very impressed with what I do and then realize I don't just have a simple circle that I watch go round and round. And when you look at people who wonder into a large display at a museum or just one of our clubs displaying at a mall for Christmas and other shows the looks on their faces as they take the time to look it all over shows me the respect they have for what we enjoy doing.
Dugan
Thanks for the heads up, TA. I would have to do that over at someone else's house because my TV doesn't pick up ANY reception - by choice. I do watch and enjoy good movies and documentaries from our local library or personal collection.
And you and I are in TOTAL agreement in regards to the topic that neither one of us wants to get "started on".
Trust me, NP. I have a VERY good sense of humor and we might even laugh at some of the very same things. I'm glad you find merit and humor in the show. I haven't watched prime-time TV in years and - frankly - don't miss it one whit.
tstage And the moral of this story, boy and girls...is... Watching prime-time television warps anyone's sense of reality. So the "watchers" are no better than those who are portrayed in it. Tom
And the moral of this story, boy and girls...is...
Watching prime-time television warps anyone's sense of reality. So the "watchers" are no better than those who are portrayed in it.
This is almost as stupid a comment as the O.P. concern about how the hobby is being protrayed by this show!
I look forward to this show every week with anticipation! Not because it has deep meaning; but, because I always laugh, almost to tears! I suppose there is some reality to it that I can relate to which probably brings it home for me.
It appears to me that some of you are truly humorless and I think that is a sad state to be in!
NP 2626 "Northern Pacific, really terrific"
Northern Pacific Railway Historical Association: http://www.nprha.org/
richhotrain But, that said, I came across this photo of Sheldon.
But, that said, I came across this photo of Sheldon.
That seems like pretty clear product placement there; wonder how much Bachmann paid for that. The real motivation perhaps?
Streamlined steam, oh, what a dream!!
King of the Hill had a character that was.
He was a wealthy, powerful man that was well respected and influential in his community.
It came up once and was not a defining part of his character.
richhotrain Larry, 'fess up. Is that you in the photo? Rich
Larry, 'fess up. Is that you in the photo?
Rich
Naw,My mug would break the camera..
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
BBT and model trains area relatively MINOR sideshow compared to the MAJOR frying comic book collectors, video game addicts and Sci Fi TV and movie geeks receive on a far more regular basis on the show.
That said Sheldon reminds me of the nerdy kid in "The Polar Express", only all grown up.
BTW as soon as my older Sis found out I had a layout, she inmmediatly started calling me Sheldon
Have fun with your trains
It's funny that people here focus on Sheldon as possibly negative for model railroading.
How about Rajesh Koothrapali? Is he typical of technically savvy emigres from the Indian sub-continent? Especially those with really hot sisters?
Is Howard Wolowitz typical of engineers? Or Jewish males in general?
As for Leonard Hofstadter? Is he typical of really, really, really lucky guys who are geeks but get the hot girl anyway?
I asked my wife about this...I've watched the show a few times (and liked it) but it's one of her very favorite shows. She pointed out that - despite his personality quirks - Sheldon is a genius, and portraying a genius as a model railroader should be a good thing...especially compared to the 50% of model railroaders who she said are "dumb as a box of rocks".
(I think she had one particular model railroader in mind with that last part by the way. )
TA462 He just chooses not to drive. I think most people think of model railroaders as stinky old men with no life so any spot light put on the hobby that doesn't include stinky old men is a positive.
Hey!!! Who you calling OLD???
Don't forget the cartoon in the Sunday paper I think it the For Better or Worse. The father is an avid MR.
This is worse for the hobby than Sheldon Cooper. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z-PyFAfA7JI
Generally most of the public has a positive respect for our hobby.
Pete
BTW Love the show.
I pray every day I break even, Cause I can really use the money!
I started with nothing and still have most of it left!
Boy, am I glad that I don´t have to worry about what the generally uninformed public thinks about my hobby. Model railroading is very well received in my country, some top brass hats in politics and business are known to be model railroaders.
No, Angela Merkel is not among them , but maybe her husband.
Model railroaders are gentile folks, a little bit obsessive, but hey, anyone taking his/her hobby serious usually is.
So who cares what if model railroaders are portrayed as geeks in a cheap TV production?
"My question is this. Are portrayals like this good or bad for the hobby? I understand that, to a degree, any exposure is good exposure, but are we being helped or hurt by Parsons's representation of a model railroader"?
Let's say, for the sake of argument, that Shedon's portrayal of a Model Railroader was a very bad thing for Model Railroading.
What could be done about it? Would the people participating here on these forums rise up to present a United Front for the Realistic Portrayal of Model Railroaders (UFRPMR)?
When will there be a place to send donations to You-Frep-Mir, to fight for the cause?
andrechapelonSheldon's love of trains is just one aspect (and an extremely minor one at that) of his personality. Far, far more important are his lack of empathy for other people, his narcissism and his excessive literalism (i.e. failure to understand the symbolic nuances of human language). Jim Parsons, who plays Sheldon, loves trains and insisted that that interest be part of the Sheldon character. Do you want to blame him for portraying Sheldon's interest as infantile? After all, if he were a fully functioning adult, his interest would manifest itself in an adult manner. He also wouldn't be Sheldon Cooper. Andre
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch