Since this thread seems to be wandering again into "what's wrong with our country" territory again, and because I have actual work to do that's more important than monitoring this thread for the inevitable infraction, I'm calling it. This thread has served its purpose.
--Steven Otte, Model Railroader senior associate editorsotte@kalmbach.com
Howard:
...and maybe a bit of ornery stubbornness?
Tom
Well,
It is now obvious why things are so messed up in government....not enough of our elected officials play with trains. Many of the finest folks I have met in my many years are model railroaders. There could be something to this as stress not only can cause illness, but it brings out the worst in some. I can remember in the several businesses I ran and owned and being quite stressed out on several occasions, going into the train room and spending hours at something I loved made a notable difference in my mental state and then some.
I once heard there was a university study done on stress. One thing that was mentioned was that having a hobby that required some kind of manual dexterity increases life spans dramatially. I have built for the last 50 years several model railroads, model planes, and model ships. I'm now a "collectible" at 78, but I feel like I could do laps with Michael Phelps....then most likely go down like the Titanic...bow first..... but at least I felt well enough to try. I attribute much of my decent health to this hobby ( and possibly luck).
HZ
Uncle_BobLast thing: I think Biden's rides on the Metroliner and the Acela had more to do with convenience, saving money on housing in the D.C. area, and giving him extra prep time on the way to and from the Senate than with actual love for trains, though I could be wrong.
Actually, Mr. Biden was not the only Politician to regularly ride the Metroliner / Acela between his home and the capital. He was a regular rider on Metroliner # 101, and later on, the First Southbound Acela. Other Congressmen and Senators from Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York and New Jersey regularly rode trains in the NEC. Regional # 181 was quite popular with politicians and lobbyists.
I met Mr. Biden the first time, when he visited PCs Edgemoor Yard to meet the workers and seek their votes.
Being a frequent rider, doesn't translate to being a Model Railroader whether the rider is a politician, or a businessman. It just means that the train was a convenient way of getting to and from work.
However, it would not be surprising to find that a number of politicians are either railfans or model railroaders.
This is a tangent, but let's not forget that MR printed an article and plans for "Jimmy Carter's Plain Old Plains Station" back when I was in grade school.
The reason why some people candidates others as "oddballs" for liking trains is because they want voters to think the train guys are either senile coots or immature idiots, and thus a person who's unfit for office. Unfortunately, a lot of people are willing to buy either argument, maybe because they have no interest in real trains or frame of reference for models. It's funny that people see trains as a frivolity, but golf, piano playing, and poker (among others) are perfectly fine avocations for pols.
Both Roosevelts, Truman, Dewey, Nixon, Ike, and Bush 41 all engaged in whistlestop tours. I seem to recall Reagan and Carter doing them, too, but I can't swear to it.
Last thing: I think Biden's rides on the Metroliner and the Acela had more to do with convenience, saving money on housing in the D.C. area, and giving him extra prep time on the way to and from the Senate than with actual love for trains, though I could be wrong.
Not a politician per se, but the late Justice Thurgood Marshall was known to have a model railroad. There has been at least one movie that showed him with one. (Lionel, if memory serves.)
ACY This thread reminds me of a few things: There was a National Government official who was supposed to have been a model railroader in the 1950's. I think it was John Foster Dulles, but I'm not sure.
This thread reminds me of a few things:
There was a National Government official who was supposed to have been a model railroader in the 1950's. I think it was John Foster Dulles, but I'm not sure.
Good example of my earlier point. While he was Sec'y of State, he was visited by someone - perhaps reps from Lionel? - and posed with a Lionel 4-4-0 General wearing an engineer's cap and kercheif with his business suit. No record he ever had any more contact than that with trains, but because of the publicity photo his name comes up every so often when a "famous people who were model railroaders" comes along.
BTW Carol Burnett's big break was her 1950's hit record "I Made A Fool Of Myself Over John Foster Dulles".
Know of a Parish (County)Police Jury Administrator in Northwest Louisiana, that is a BIG Lionel Nut.
I had heard that DeBlasio, mayor of New York City is a model rail...any information?
Donald Schaeffer, longtime mayor of Baltimore and Governor of Maryland, was probably not what we would call a model railroader, but he was friendly to the hobby. Under his guidance, the Chesapeake & Allegheny Live Steamers were allowed to build a 7-1/2" gauge track at Leakin Park and offer rides to the general public on specified run days at no charge (donations accepted). This continues to the present day. I'm sure many successful politicians like Schaeffer could be considered sympathetic.
Mike R. White, former mayor of the City Of Cleveland, Ohio, who held that office from 1990 to 2002 was a model railroader. I passed him in a corridor at a train show once and he had armloads of packages with him. I asked, "Having any luck?" he made a big grin and said "It's all good!"
The media would often make light of his hobby sometimes saying he would rather play with his trains than run the city. He must have done something right to hold three terms.
I don't recall which club was involved but for several years there were model railroad modules set up in the Cleveland City Hall rotunda during the Holidays.
Ed
As for model railroaders who actually ran for public office, I recall a letter to the editor in MR in the 1950's in which the writer said he had lost a local election. The opposing candidate had placed ads that asked whether a public official should be playing with toy trains. I have no idea of the qualifications of either candidate in that election, but it has always seemed pretty strange to question a person's professional ability on the basis of his private recreational pursuits, and it showed a complete ignorance and disregard for the creative aspects of the hobby and the theraputic benefits of relaxing with a pleasurable hobby. It always seemed kind of sad.
More on this:
http://marklinstop.com/2011/12/marklin-at-carinhall-hermann-goerings-miniature-railway/
Simon
I only know of one for sure - me.
I was a councilman in the Borough of Merchantville NJ for three years (elected and everything!), and I'm into model trains in a big way.
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
wjstix FWIW legend has it that Hermann Goehring had an extensive O-tinplate layout / collection, mostly Marklin I would assume. Don't know that it's ever been proved.
FWIW legend has it that Hermann Goehring had an extensive O-tinplate layout / collection, mostly Marklin I would assume. Don't know that it's ever been proved.
I have 3 N boxcars featuring presidents: Zach Taylor, George Washington, and 3rd, nameless as he is still living. As a genealogist, I don't mention the living, only the dead.
Well, senior politicians are probably too busy to do anything else than politics... However, our club is located near Ottawa (Canada's capital as you know), and we had two members of Parliament among our club members until very recently. Clubs in the vicinity of Washington DC may also have politicians among their members...
Neil B.One of Al Kalmbach's close model railroad buddies was three-term Milwaukee Mayor Frank Zeidler. Reportedly, Zeidler had a big layout in his attic, I presume O scale. Zeidler was Milwaukee's mayor from 1948 to 1960.
Frank was in town some years ago for a political event sponsored by some friends. He was just modestly surprised when I whipped out my current NMRA membership card for him to autograph, as Frank was a charter member of the Association (the last of which died just a couple of years back - Frank's been gone a decade or so, RIP.) Frank told me he hadn't had much time for model railroading since being elected mayor...but he did enjoy the hobby.
Sadly, I suspect our hobby might not fare well in the current media environment. Too many chances for people to make a stink about not focusing on public business. Personally, knowing someone running for office was a model rail would tend to humanize someone in a positive way. We could probably use more fun in politics
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Thread has been cleaned up to remove off-topic posts that I very specifically warned you to avoid. One participant earned himself a three-day suspension. I hope the chuckles were worth it.
See, this is why we can't have nice things.
wjstixFWIW legend has it that Hermann Goehring had an extensive O-tinplate layout / collection, mostly Marklin I would assume. Don't know that it's ever been proved.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
And more from Canada about politicans and trains: Our former PM showed no love for VIA Rail, but he had fond memories of going to the railway yard with his dad as a kid.
Some of his "fondest memories are of walking to the old Leaside station with his father to watch trains come and go," one article put it.
One thing politicans in the U.S. and Canada used to do was whistlestop tours by train. The last Canadian Prime Minister to do so was Pierre Trudeau (father of our current PM) in 1974. The last time a federal politican used a train was In 2008 when Green Party leader Elizabeth May travelled across Canada to meet voters.
Read more about this on my blog at http://cprailmmsub.blogspot.ca/2015/11/canadian-and-us-elections-and-whistle.html
John Longhurst, Winnipeg
Why are you being so PC about politicians? Afraid they will stand you up against a sandbag wall? I think most of them are into railroading, railroading us into the poor house.
richhotrain Steven Otte So you know, folks... because this thread has the word "politicians" in its subject line, I'll be keeping a close eye on it, and will be less tolerant of off-topic deviations than usual. Talk all you want about political figures' affection for model trains, but do not get into forbidden territory of discussing other aspects of those politicians or your opinions on them. Thanks in advance. I guess my question is, why do we even start threads like this? And, to what good end?
Steven Otte So you know, folks... because this thread has the word "politicians" in its subject line, I'll be keeping a close eye on it, and will be less tolerant of off-topic deviations than usual. Talk all you want about political figures' affection for model trains, but do not get into forbidden territory of discussing other aspects of those politicians or your opinions on them. Thanks in advance.
So you know, folks... because this thread has the word "politicians" in its subject line, I'll be keeping a close eye on it, and will be less tolerant of off-topic deviations than usual. Talk all you want about political figures' affection for model trains, but do not get into forbidden territory of discussing other aspects of those politicians or your opinions on them. Thanks in advance.
I guess my question is, why do we even start threads like this? And, to what good end?
Simple reason for this thread. If any well known figure be it sports, entertainment or politics is into our hobby, it is certainly good for growth. I personally have met a few folks who entered the hobby after reading about Rod Stewarts really well done pike.
The reason that so few policiticans are MR's is because they could never unify their base. Imagine trying to get HO and N scalers together! Or have Steam and Diesel fans in lock step. Never would rivet counters vote with free-lancers.
And this just scratches the surface... on it goes with eastern roads vs. western, narrow vs. standard, proto operators vs. toy train collectors.....
Jim
Rich
Alton Junction
Biden is the only one I can think of.
(My Model Railroad, My Rules)
These are the opinions of an under 35 , from the east end of, and modeling, the same section of the Wheeling and Lake Erie railway. As well as a freelanced road (Austinville and Dynamite City railroad).
One of Al Kalmbach's close model railroad buddies was three-term Milwaukee Mayor Frank Zeidler. Reportedly, Zeidler had a big layout in his attic, I presume O scale. Zeidler was Milwaukee's mayor from 1948 to 1960. As a footnote, Zeidler's older brother Carl was elected mayor in 1940, joined the Navy, and died at sea during WWII.
Neil B., editor
Neil Besougloff
editor, Model Railroader magazine
joe323,
I have signs already saved on my computer I could send but I'm sure the lock would come out.
I attach them to e-mails going to people I like to aggravate.
Bob
Don't Ever Give Up