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How long have you been Model Railroading

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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 23, 2005 3:34 PM
I have been an armchair model railroader since i was about 10, my house was too small for a lay out growing up. About 5 Years ago the army shipped me off to Germany where I got a marklin starter set, started building a layout and i have been hooked ever since.
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Posted by UPJohn on Wednesday, March 23, 2005 3:33 PM
I have been obsessed with trains since i was born which was in 1990. Thats almost 15 years for me! I remember setting up a layout with my grandpa when i was about 10 and he crashed a K4 into GG1 which then rear ended an Erie Lackawana SD45 that broke.
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Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, March 23, 2005 3:30 PM
I had a nice N-scale oval about ten years ago, but had to give it up when I moved out of Kansas. I would like to start N-scale again, but I have neither time nor money (college student) at this time.
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Posted by aloco on Wednesday, March 23, 2005 3:25 PM
I bought myself a train set in 1974. I was 12 years old at the time. I played with it for about a year, and during that time I acquired a couple more locos, some more freight cars, a couple switches, and some extra sections of track. I even bought a copy of Model Railroader - the November 1974 issue. All of that fell by the wayside when I got an electric guitar, and from late 1975 to early 1982 I abandoned model railroading in favour of rock 'n' roll. After that seven year hiatus I gave up the pursuit of rock stardom and returned to model railroading. I still play guitar and run trains. I've even done both at the same time.
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Posted by trainboyH16-44 on Wednesday, March 23, 2005 9:52 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by trainboyH16-44

OMG FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!G2gtrainboy

What I mean by that was that the fire alarm went off just then. It was a drill.
As I was saying, in 2001, I got a proto 1000 RDC3 in CPR coloursfor christmas. The next christmas, I got a CP C-Liner AB set, also Proto 1000. I never bought an Athearn again. I got my first Kato in 2003, in June. That made me retire my Athearn -2s. I have since then gotten 1 SD90, 1 SD40-2, 1 SD40(From Kato) 2 GP9s, 1 GP7, 1 S3, 1 RS10, 1 CFA16-4. All in CP colours of course.
Trainboy

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 9:42 PM
Scince i was five. A little oval with santa fe!
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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 8:44 PM
Have liked trains since 1988, when I was 5. Have had HO, since '92. And have been into serious model railroading since about 1999.

Alvie.
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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 7:53 PM
hey guys and gails,
Been doing this fantistic hobby for a week, long time huh? Well my grandfather started in '75 and did it for a few years and got horrible sick, he died in '85 when I was 4 and left it all to me. Now im 24 and starting to get into it. 4 by 8 piece of plywood and 30 year old track and its working. Wish he was here to enjoy it with me. I have loads ofquestions and low money, Im making 23 inch curves from 18 inch curves pieces by hacksaw. Most of my questions are on metal wheels verses plastic on rollling stock. but for now all enjoy this fantastic hobby.
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Posted by AggroJones on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 4:14 PM
Some people like to say from the point when they got some toy train. I say from when I bought my first real model locomotive at 13 or 14 years old. Thats when it began. I've been model railroading for about 9 years.

"Being misunderstood is the fate of all true geniuses"

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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 2:13 PM
I think it wouold have been at the age of 3 or so, when I was given my first Hornby OO set (still have the loco, though it's had a few parts replaced since then!). Went through a phase of avoiding the hobby for about 2 years or so (aged 16-18) but got back into it in my last year of 6th form - bought my first HO scale loco that year (Athearn SD9) as I was fed up with unreliable British N scale models (anyone who's experienced old Graham Farish N products will know what I mean, and I couldn't afford Fleischmann then!), collection has grown ever since, though I'm now concentrating on G scale - I like the metre gauge equipment, which you can get in either HOm or G, and the G scale's not that much more expensive though it's a lot larger and more detailed!
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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 2:06 PM

A couple of decades ago for me.
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Posted by Ibflattop on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 1:11 PM
When I got my 0-27 from Grandpa and Grandma for christmas in 66 and then my H.O. in 68. From there its only history!!!!!!!!!!! :-) Kevin
Home of the NS Lake Division.....(but NKP and Wabash rule!!!!!!!! ) :-) NMRA # 103172 Ham callsign KC9QZW
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Posted by trainboyH16-44 on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 12:07 PM
My dad did something to his back in '94 when I was 4, and he built a model railroad to keep himself active. It was quite something to clean out that room, as we were using it for storage.(Techinically, we still use it for storage, when we store our rolling stock in the yard.) We built plan #48(?) from 101 Track plans, the virginia and trukee one. We had a real mish-mash of rolling stock back then, and we ran it all with 2 SW1200s and a SD40-2. I tell you, an SW1200 does not look right pulling a long drag over a high trestle on a 2.2% grade. OMG FIRE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!G2gtrainboy

Go here for my rail shots! http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?userid=9296

Building the CPR Kootenay division in N scale, blog here: http://kootenaymodelrailway.wordpress.com/

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Posted by hoscalelarry on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 11:14 AM
I've been in the "planning" stage for the last 2 years. Now the addition to house is almost done and the 12 foot by 30 foot part of the basement will be ready for my 'vision' of the layout [latest version] I planed. I've been reading and reserching all I could and now I get to see if things will work like they look 'on paper'. Thanks to all of you who have given your knowledge and experiance ini these form's so us "new bees" can learn and not make to many mistakes. As always, anyone who has a layout this size, and has any "tips" on construction can always e-mail me. Thanks again to alll of you for your help. Larry
Larry VIETNAM VET -- please remember -- FREEDOM IS NOT FREE !!!!! After 3 years of battling cancer in 2 areas -- FINALLY getting started on the 12 foot by 30 foot train layout room. YES I'm blessed with that much area to build in.
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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 10:39 AM
i HAVE NOT YET STARTED BUT BADLY WANT TO START
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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 9:20 AM
I said 1-5 since I am getting back in after a 20+ year hiatus.
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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, March 22, 2005 9:16 AM
Yeah I've had my trainset ,and love of the hobby for about 3 - 5 years but have loved trains all my life.
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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 21, 2005 8:35 PM
I got my first Mantua 0-4-0 shifter in 1952, and bought my first brass engine in 1959. We used to buy the Tenshodo 0-8-0's in kit form for $29.50 and I had to put it on layaway because it cost so much. My first layout was completed in 1957.

Bob
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Posted by ericsp on Monday, March 21, 2005 6:47 PM
Almost 19 years. Of course I did not have much time for it while in college. Now my power pack died and I am still trying to decide if DCC is worth the price for a small layout, so I have not replaced it yet which means no trains are currently running.

"No soup for you!" - Yev Kassem (from Seinfeld)

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 21, 2005 6:11 PM
I got my first train set in 1957, 58 and my first HO set in 1961 or 62. I was hard into it for a couple years until cars and other teenage endeavors took over. After getting out of the ARMY in 1972, I got into R/C model airplanes and did that until 1992. In 1988 I got interested in trains again. I still go between airplanes and model railroading. I have always been interested in WW1 airplanes and build 1/48th scale WW1 airplanes when the MRR bug leaves me alone for a while. I might have mentioned that I enjoy building models in other threads.
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Posted by Fergmiester on Monday, March 21, 2005 4:06 PM
I would have to say I've been modelling seriously for the last two years. However I started when I was about 13 stopped at 18 and picked it up again about 10 years ago.

Fergie

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If one could roll back the hands of time... They would be waiting for the next train into the future. A. H. Francey 1921-2007  

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Posted by cjcrescent on Monday, March 21, 2005 4:01 PM
Can't really remember a time I didn't have a train of some kind. So I would have to say almost 50 as I'm 52 now. Really got serious as a builder starting about 8. I still have my first kit, a Silver Streak (craftsman kit) SRR 40' wooden automobile car. Its has been updated with good trucks and KD's but is basically still how I built it then.

Carey

Keep it between the Rails

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Posted by leighant on Monday, March 21, 2005 3:58 PM
Since 3 years old in 1947.

My childhood neighborhood, Magnolia junction
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Posted by jdolan on Monday, March 21, 2005 3:52 PM
Got a train set from wife at Christmas 1969 and fiddled with trains till I changed wives in !988 and this one really got me going into building nice layouts because she likes to build scenery.
Jack
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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 21, 2005 2:49 PM
Armchair model railroading about 25 years.
The real thing for two months and I kick myself for waiting so long.

Tom
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Posted by IRONROOSTER on Monday, March 21, 2005 2:34 PM
I started in 1971 when my wife gave me a train set for Christmas. I think she had a Christmas decoration in mind instead of a hobby, but the day after ChrIstmas I found Model Railroader in the PX bookstore and was hooked. My first layout (4x8) was built 5 months later, it lasted 2 months until our first son was born (I thought they could share a bedroom, but wife said they can not, though to this day I am still not sure why). But the master bedroom was big enough for a 6x6 1/2 ft layout. I worked on this until we moved home 2 years later.

Enjoy
Paul
If you're having fun, you're doing it the right way.
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Posted by tstage on Monday, March 21, 2005 1:20 PM
I would fit in the above catagories. I've only been modeling since May 2004.

Tom

https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling

Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

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Posted by SpaceMouse on Monday, March 21, 2005 1:19 PM
How about one for us beginners like 0-3 months 3-6 months, 6 months to a year, etc.

Chip

Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, March 21, 2005 1:19 PM
I was born with a train in my hand.[:D] That was 30 years ago.

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