Your work history and your RR

[dharmon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by vsmith

I like modeling old beat up engines and ratty desert towns of questionable character.

Kind of what you do in reality in LA.....[;)]

[Big_Boy_4005]

OK guys how's this? In the past I have worked in a hobby store (twice), built architectural models for a living, built train layouts for money, and owned a train display that was open to the public. Of course none of these things will be on my layout, as I will be modeling the local prototype.

Come to think of it, this really isn't a hobby for me anymore. It's a way of life.[swg]

[dragenrider]

Being a firefighter/paramedic has resulted in a fire station being built on each stretch of road or each town on my layout. Always out front, too! I've got almost as many fire trucks as locos!

Naturally, there has to be a fire scene. Or two. And a car wreck. Two ambulances at McDonald's (don't ask). Firemen washing a truck at the station. Two or three rigs on the roads...

My other job as a flight nurse has no impact what so ever-other than to help fund the layout! [:D]

[shawn-118]

Krump
Did you make it over to the show in Edmonton a few weeks ago? The 'Kickin Horse Pass' club had this amazing layout. It was multi level with running water and the sound. These guys had suds that made the floor vibrate, made you feel like you were standing beside the tracks as the train passed. If only I had the tallent to make something like that...oh well...I've time on my side so who knows I might get there yet. Shawn

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by cjcrescent

I too am modelling the era and part of the area I was raised in. My work history has had no impact on my modelling. After all, how many RR's serve a hospital?

The Milwaukee Road served a small coal fired power plant for a very large hospital complex here in Milwaukee. The Milwaukee Road is gone the power plant gets it coal by dump truck now.

I am a Steamfitter and I love heavy industry, so there is a steel mill, power plant, and other large industrial facilities on my layout. I also grew up in a city that once had many large industries served by the Milwaukee or the CNW, everything I just listed is gone. So I guess I am modeling memories. But big industrial plants had allot of switching going on around them.

[krump]

Shawn - never got to Edmonton's show, busy with the family, school, work, activities - makes it difficult to get away. sounds like it was a good time
At least going for Quesnel - we can pull it into a family visit

[cjcrescent]

45144;
Well there are exceptions, especially when they needed to be supplied with coal for heating and power. But except for this most hospitals on this side of the pond, even in the early days, were supplied from offsite warehouses. These warehouses could be served by the RR's directly , but generally did not provide service to the hospital itself. That's what I was trying to say.

[fiatfan]

I have worked in a pet food factory for the last 24 years. I will have one on the layout because it is a great traffic genrator. Over the years we have shipped as many as 10 railcars a day. In addition, we used to receive some of our ingredients by tank car.

Tom

[Anonymous]

No relation to my work history at all!! Strickly a fantasy layout with some parts modeled after scenes in some books I've read over the years.

[darth9x9]

Only two of my previous employers will have representation on my eventual model railroad empire. I will have a train of military equipment consisting of equipment from a field artillery unit (I spent two years of military career at Ft Sill, OK) and I will have a UPS facility providing lots of intermodal traffic (I spent 8 years at UPS).

[Anonymous]

My railroad is built after my town in the 50-60s. So I guess it would be preserving the history of the area. I have had model trains since I was about 7 so I can't say it had anything to do with my work, which I ended up years later working for the State Police for 25 years.