Mil Vet Railroaders

[wairoa]

9 years active army(USA). 2 years Royal New Zealand Navy. Will have 10 years in the army when I leave the army in Feb 07. Going back to school and will train dogs professionally. This means trains, trains. trains.

[Anonymous]

Retired from 31 yrs in the RCN, Royal Canadian Navy.

Happy MRRing

[oleirish]

USARMY retired in 1982 (23years-E-7)moved my trains in an old steamer trunk I had built for that perpose,of course I could not get everthing in it to day,but still have the trunk!!
JIM

[jeffshultz]

I did a total of about 14 years active in two stints - the first was 12 1/2 years between 86 and 98. Bought a lot of model railroaders the first few years, then got into computers.

Got stationed at Ft. Meade as my last assignment that time (2 1/2 years) - would you believe that the National Security Agency had a HO modular club? That got me back into it until I ETS'd, then I didn't have room.

Graduated college, got married, and started getting MR again. Got recalled to active duty in early 2003. By the time I got out in August my father-in-law had decided to start a layout himself. By December I was working on my own again.

[MudHen_462]

Hello to all the Mil Vet model railroaders out there... and thank you for your service !!!

I am a retired USAF M/Sgt (C-130 Loadmaster), and have just been back into MRR'ing the last three years or so. I started building loco's and cars back in 1950 (mostly Varney), and when I got orders for my 2nd tour in Viet Nam in 1964, I packed it all away and never opened the boxes again until 2003. (Have you ever seen GREEN track ???) Since I had just retired for the second and final time, I decided to resurrect my old hobby. I, like others, continued my subscription to MR all the while I was in Nam... it provided a great "get-away", and throughout the years I continually read MR just to stay in touch with the hobby.

I model the Great Northern and the Montana Western, circa 1950... HO scale, and I am loving every minute of it....

Bob

[willy6]

Retired USN,1972-1992, Submarine Service. Spent about 7 of 20 years underwater. Got back into hobby after retirement. Proud of all the vets who served their country.

[Anonymous]

I served 6 years USAF Security Police and modeled in N-scale in those years. I had a foam shelf running over my bed on the back wall of my room in the NCO barracks. While the commander and flight chiefs would periodically conduct walk-throughs of the barracks they saw my layout while I was at work on the flightline and asked me to build a model of a portion of Mt. Home AFB which was utilized during base exercises so I spent my last couple months in service building this 4x8 of the base. I got out April 88. It was featured in the base newspaper and the base commander came by and wanted to "commendier" it for himself. I don't think the cops gave it to him but I do know that they put a Police Badge right on the front of it in case he did. [:D]
Mike P.

[tsgtbob]

Well, I was active duty Army from '82 to '89. Served in Georgia, Germany and Ft. Hood. (which is a world to itself) While on AD, I had several N scale layouts, 2X4 (and made from the end of a M113 tranny shipping crate LOL), but at Ft. Hood, I discovered O scale.
Being a Traditional Guardsman, it was somewhat easier to be an active model railroader. By the time I retired from the W.Va. ANG, my Drill paychecks were able to go to my "addiction".
There were many days, while either bored out of my skull on some duty, or in my off hours, a copy of MR, Trains, RMC, Railfan, or a hardback book allowed me to keep my sanitiy.
One thing Iv'e noticed in this thread, the majority of "active" modelers are AF. Wonder why?

[BRVRR]

I did 30 year as a Coast Guard Naval Engineer. Moved a lot. Did a little modeling when my son was young. Now that I'm retired (sort of) I spend a lot of time on my layout with the grandson. Still looking for the perfect track plan and the basement to put it in.

[Anonymous]

I retired fom the US Navy in 1996 but it was in 1982 that I started reading MR I found a copy in the base exchange at NAF Atsugi Japan and I have been hooked every since the only thing I regreat is not going out to the local store and buying as much N scale stuff as possible. Isn't hind sight wonderful?

[JPowell]

Back at the beginning of Dec, I brought in my engines for my co-workers to check out since I talk about my collection and future layout all the time. Needless to say, they all had a good time checking them out and asking questions about them and the hobby in general.

JP

[cwclark]

4 years in the U.S. Navy ..got out as a PO3 Boiler Tech......went to Great Lakes for Basic and spent the rest of the time in the Med. aboard the U.S.S. Canopus AS-34 and the U.S.S. Saipan LHA-2....it sure seems like a long time ago...78-82....chuck

[stokesda]

I'm currently on active duty in the Navy, going on 8 years. I am a Civil Engineer Corps (CEC) officer, so most of the jobs I've had have been somewhat normal "office work" with regular business hours, and for that I am very fortunate and thankful.

I just started getting into the hobby in earnest in the last couple of years, and my layout is currently under construction. I am making a sectional layout in 2' x 4' sections for ease of moving in the future. My current job is a regular office job, so I have free time at night and on weekends to work on the layout. However, I'm on the short list for going on a 1-year assignment to Iraq, Afghanistan, Kuwait, etc, but have no idea when/if it might happen. That will definitely put a crimp in my MRR efforts for a while.

[Anonymous]

I spent 10 years active duty in the USAF,AMMO..1984-1994.Got out only because of military budget cuts.3 years at RAF Upper Heyford,United Kingdom.3 Years at Hill AFB,Utah.1 year on the ROK,and then 3 years at K.I.Sawyer AFB Michigan.many tdy's including 1 to Howard AFB Panama,and was there before and during operation "Just Cause".Before the Invasion I was in country for over amonth and was able to see some great sights,the canal and some local railroad yards,cool.my best time was in England,visited many railroad museums,lived in a flat across from a major train station,and many weekends would watch british steam trains come thru,ie: Sir nigel gresley,flying scotsman and others. my sons first look at a real steam loco cab was the gresley.as for modeling during that time it was sparodic.I was able to purchase some
oo scale items.but mainly I stick with HO.I now model Colorados "Great western Rwy"
of Sugar beet fame.still have no room for my dream layout but hope too soon.I do work on my buildings,rolling stock,and locomotives,so i'm ready when i find the space.

[Billba]

Good evening all,
I was in the Navy from '67 - '73, ETR3. Two "free expense paid tours" of sunny south east Asia, U.S.S. Aludra in '69(reefer, frozen food), U.S.S. Newport News in '72(gunfire support off South Vietnam, H & I, and bombarding North Vietnam).
I was surprised to find so many bases with pretty nice hobby shops, and several with model railroad club layouts on base. I learned to hand lay track and scratch build turnouts at the club layout at Great Lakes Navy base while I was in Navy electronics school.
There was no room for storing many models or rolling stock on any of the ships I was on, a reefer, a destroyer, and a heavy cruiser. However, the home port of all of these ships was within a weekend drive of my home in S. E. Michigan, allowing me to take my models home and place them in the loving hands of my little brother and my sisters. Most of them did survive!!!
To all of you that are out of the service, a heartfelt "WELCOME HOME"!!
To all of those that still serve, Thank You, and we veterans will keep "The World" warm for your return!!

[Anonymous]

It's been several years since I've had the opportunity to do any model railroading, but since returning from my second year in Iraq, I have decided (with my wife's blessing) to begin "redecorating" the basement of our house in Colorado Springs. I must admit that this does seem a very uncommon hobby in the Army these days, but if they don't know what they're missing, then they are just missing out.

Chris Palmberg, Medic
3d ACR

[Anonymous]

I am on active duty in the Air Force. I work as a Fuels (POL) specialist. I am currently serving in my 4th deployment to the Middle East. I have always been interested in railroading since i was a kid. My father and I spent countless hours modeling prototypes. Well now, being stationed in Alaska. I have ample time to model, especially in the frigid winters! I am starting a N Scale layout of my own. Ill be sure to have more as it comes along. But base housing isnt forgiving when it comes to space in the basements!

(S)Sgt John Unfried
379 ERLS Al Udeid

[Paul W. Beverung]

Well lets see. I joined the Army in 1965 after completely blowing a calculus exam in college. I joined up to fly helicopters and that is what I did for 7 yrs. I did one tour in Viet Nam, June 66 to June 67. As for model railroading I’ve been playing with trains since Dad got back from the Pacific in 1945. He and Mom got me a Lionel set up for Christmas in 1946. After that it was American Flyer and at age 11 I got into HO. I took a box car kit to basic training and did a little on it there. In flight school I bought a steel covered foot locker at the PX. I got 3 pieces of fiber board at the hobby work shop and built a small switching layout in the shape of a “T”. I keeped the pieces in the foot locker. This was in HOn3. You should have seen the look on the TAC NCOs face one Saturday afternoon when he saw it. He just shook his head and left. I did 2 layouts in Viet Nam. The first was in Bien Hoa in my room at our villa. Hay If you got to go to war go comfy as possible. Anyway, it was great to come in from flying combat assaults and do a little modeling. Hot LZs have a way of making you a little tense. The 7.62 wasn’t to bad, but those 12.7s looked like comets coming at you. Anyway when I got transferred in a DEROS shuffle I built a shelf layout in my area of the hooch. Both these were HOn3. After RVN I did mainly locomotive and car building until I got married and we finally got a house. Now I have a layout in the basement and 71/2 inch gauge outside. So that’s my story. I wonder what the folks who took over my old rooms thought when they saw the layouts with out rail. As in the real world I pulled up the rail when I abandoned the lines. By the way Walthers delievered supplies to me and replaced what got lost when I got home.

[mikebonellisr]

Joined up when I was 17...spent 17 mo.,4days in korea.While there I spent a lot of time overseeing a civilian work crew at the railhead in heaundae,unloading freight cars of ammo.Both for storage and for disposal.There were all kinds of steam traffic that I never bothered to get shots of because I did'nt realize that when I returned most of the state side traffic would be diesels....missed some great opportunities.After all these years,I'm back into modeling and I rack my brain trying to recall the sights,sounds and smells of the way railroading was in the steam era.

[Anonymous]

Served in the U.S. Army 1981 - 1987 Drove APC's at Fort Benning, saw no action. I used this time to mature and "grow up". I was still interested in the history of RR's ( mostly Pennsy) during this time, never had the time or opportunity to do any modeling while on active duty. Only recently ( last 5 to 7 years ) got serious about the hobby.

[Anonymous]

USAF/NYANG, 6 years Active Duty and 18 years with one major call up for Desert Storm.
462/2W1 for most of my career, but finished things out as a 8F000 First Sergeant with 5 years of service. Retired almost 6 years ago.

Travelled to many bases over the years, mostly European, 3 year stay at RAF Lakenheath where I got into going to Steam Fete's on the weekend. Great Steam Museums over there also.

Chris

[dean_1230]

7.5 years in the USAF, but that was before model railroading. been out for over a decade now. No overseas assignments...

When my grandchildren ask me what i did during Desert Storm, i'll tell them i commanded a LMD* in Dayton ohio....

Dean

* Large Metal Desk

[navygunner]

17 years US Navy Silent Service, 2007 days submerged. Thank God for "Right Sizing" or I would have racked up another 700 plus days. The Skipper on my first boat allowed us to run an N Scale train on a 9 3/4" R circle under a 2' tall Christmas tree on the mess decks. Let me tell you, not even the most perfect track work will keep em on the rails with 30 degree rolls and a 20 degree up angle at the same time!!! People thought it ran on SuperGlue.

Bob

[jeffshultz]

Army, Active Duty Jan 86 - May 98, IRR June 98-Feb 03, Active Duty Feb 03-Sep03, IRR Sep 03 - present.

The Army is a nice travel agent - Monterey, CA, Oahu, Hawaii, Augsburg, Germany, Ft. Meade, MD.... and a couple places I don't talk about.

[mopacforever]

QUOTE: Originally posted by docpalmberg

It's been several years since I've had the opportunity to do any model railroading, but since returning from my second year in Iraq, I have decided (with my wife's blessing) to begin "redecorating" the basement of our house in Colorado Springs. I must admit that this does seem a very uncommon hobby in the Army these days, but if they don't know what they're missing, then they are just missing out.

Chris Palmberg, Medic
3d ACR

[mopacforever]

Buddy,
I think you and I chewed some of the same sand. I see you are in the 3rd ACR. I was where the 3rd is now when they arrived. Glad to have you home.

QUOTE: Originally posted by mopacforever

QUOTE: Originally posted by docpalmberg

It's been several years since I've had the opportunity to do any model railroading, but since returning from my second year in Iraq, I have decided (with my wife's blessing) to begin "redecorating" the basement of our house in Colorado Springs. I must admit that this does seem a very uncommon hobby in the Army these days, but if they don't know what they're missing, then they are just missing out.

Chris Palmberg, Medic
3d ACR

[M&PWJOHN]

I spent 21and a half years in the USAF.1966 to 1988(with a short break) Never had to stop model railroading while on dduty. Sometimes it required careful planning of what to take along. Model Railroader always found me, and other pubs as found. I always joined whatever club was around. I had the only operating U.S. prototype model railroad in Thailand while stationed at U-Tipao RTNAFB. Had three brass loco's runniing and quite a good selection of cars and buildings. Scenery was a challange as the natural materials were all new to me. I enjoyed the challange.

[railroadyoshi]

A History Teacher from my Junior High School who loves trains is currently in the Massachusetts National Guard and serving in Iraq. I hadn't found out of his passion for trains until it was too late and he was deployed. I had wanted to start a railroad club at the school, but dismissed the idea thinking i'd never find a teacher who'd sponsor the club (The carpentry etc teachers aren't eligible). That was last year, and this year, when I found out, he was gone.

[jlgrise]

Spent 20 years in the USN, 74/94. Most of that time deployed all over the world. Only had a little time to build kits between deployments. Now that I am retired from active duty, work is in progress on my railroad empire.

[csmith9474]

QUOTE: Originally posted by docpalmberg

It's been several years since I've had the opportunity to do any model railroading, but since returning from my second year in Iraq, I have decided (with my wife's blessing) to begin "redecorating" the basement of our house in Colorado Springs. I must admit that this does seem a very uncommon hobby in the Army these days, but if they don't know what they're missing, then they are just missing out.

Chris Palmberg, Medic
3d ACR

I am up at the Academy. Shoot me an e-mail if you want any help "redecorating". And BTW, welcome to the forum. Also, have you found your way to Custom Railway Supply yet? They are off of Garden of the Gods and are about the best deal in town for model railroading.