Braggarts

[3railguy]

I'd like to get on my soap box for a moment because I find this rather comical. It seems like everytime I stop in my local model railroad store for some equipment or supplies, some dude stops in to brag about his $20,000 brass collection or his massive O scale layout. They'll stand there for twenty minutes, bragging, and go on to say this store doesn't have the class of equipment they collect or couldn't find an ATM on there way (those most classical). They spend $5.00 on a magazine and leave. I must ask, Is it only here in Wisconsin or all over? LMAO!!!

[Medina1128]

Must just be in Wisconsin. LOL. I've never run into this goof at the LHS I shop at (thank goodness)...

[DrummingTrainfan]

Out here in NE if they brag they make sure to have pictures to back them up!

[pcarrell]

Well, let me tell you about MY setup.......

They're just about everywhere.

Our society trains us up in the mentality that we need to be better then everyone around us, maybe even the best. All that really does is end up frustrating a lot of people when they realize they aren't the best. The people that you're describing just haven't figured out that there's always someone better then you out there. It's kind of sad really. They base their own personal value on the value that others place on them. They try so hard to show others that they have value that it becomes transparent that this is what they're doing and others get turned off to what may really be a great person. When those people get turned off, the person see's that, and reacts by trying to get the crowd to like them even more, which only ends up causing the people to turn away even more. It's a vicious cycle.

I try to give that person some of my time and show them that I value them. This usually improves their opinion of themselves. Sometimes they even stop trying so hard to impress and they turn out to be really great people, just no one knew it before. That's when you can make a connection with them and talk about things just like this.

Can you tell I'm going to preseminary school?

[rolleiman]

It's all over. Marlon has just been lucky. [8D]

QUOTE: .... brag about his $20,000 .... and go on to say this store doesn't have the class of equipment they collect or couldn't find an ATM on there way

Says it all. What he Isn't saying is that his O scale layout exists only on paper. Some people have nothing better to do than to BS, which is fine, just recognize it for what it is. That's what I usually think when someone starts in with the "I've got.... and it cost me $$$" anyway.. Those who have it will usually be more modest about it.

[Anonymous]

just look him straight in the eyes,ask is that all you got and walk away......

[3railguy]

QUOTE: I try to give that person some of my time and show them that I value them. This usually improves their opinion of themselves. Sometimes they even stop trying so hard to impress

I consider myself to be down to earth and easy going and tried this many a time hoping to find a new train buddy because there is a real person in there somewhere. I get hopelessly snuffed out due to my ignorance and feeble attempt at being a model railroader.

QUOTE: just look him straight in the eyes,ask is that all you got and walk away......

LMAO!! That's the answer I think.

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by BXCARMIKE
Just look him straight in the eyes,ask is that all you got and walk away......

My reply is usually "So your an amature?" or just "amature".

[HOScaleModelRailroader]

QUOTE: Originally posted by 3railguy

I'd like to get on my soap box for a moment because I find this rather comical. It seems like everytime I stop in my local model railroad store for some equipment or supplies, some dude stops in to brag about his $20,000 brass collection or his massive O scale layout.

Not many brag about brass in my neck of the woods. We'd find it comical someone would be dumb enough to shell out $20K for brass that, 80% of the time, isn't worth dog doodie. On our club layout - it was funny to see these $40 Bachmann DCC units switching around one guy's $800 brass engine that was basically DOA out of box. Just because it's expensive brass, doesn't mean it works.

[3railguy]

QUOTE: Not many brag about brass in my neck of the woods. We'd find it comical someone would be dumb enough to shell out $20K for brass that, 80% of the time, isn't worth dog doodie.

Brass is not something I would brag about either if I were to brag. Today's micrometer digital tooling, diecasting, and stamping techniques along with state of the art plastic composites have pretty much put brass by the wayside. Gorgeous eye popping brass is still being produced but engines like Broadway Limited are nearly just as nice if not nicer.

[Berk-fan284]

If I may brag a minute.. My brass collection goes as far as the eye can see (unfortunately I'm blind as a bat)...just kidding. Bragging just isn't worth the effort, even if you are top dog on the scene, if you keep yapping it up enough to irk the locals enough , someone will make it a point to beat you for the "top" spot. Being the "best" at anything is usually temporary at best. It's easier to get to the top than it is to stay there.

[Anonymous]

I think it is probably worse in Wisconsin, because after all what does Wisconsin really have? Despite the paper idiots world that thinks Wisconsin has such great education values, I find some of the world's lowest educated, rudest, stupid people existing in Wisconsin. Fortunately for me I live right in the middle of most of them! And if you want to include me with all of them, OH WELL!

[3railguy]

QUOTE: Despite the paper idiots world that thinks Wisconsin has such great education values, I find some of the world's lowest educated, rudest, stupid people existing in Wisconsin.

It gets worth as you go north.

[ICRR1964]

I've run into this a few times over the years at my LHS, meets and Train shows. Some people have endless pits of money, while other look for parts to keep their older items running in the bargin bin. To each his own I always say, I like the look of brass and have just a few older steam units, that spend more time on display than anything.

I have a few freinds of mine who just have to stay on the top with DCC, sound units, and high dollar loco's. One of them just bought some of the Tower 55, and Per. Craft, and paid sugested retail price, I aquired his entire line of Spectrum Steam, and a few of his BLT for a 5th of the price he paid for them.

My other freind has a large amount of high dollar loco's and brags about what he owns to strangers all the time, and cuts down what everyone else owns. Just to let you know he is trying to get a handle on his $75,000 worth of credit card bill's.

I have always had more respect for the person who strives to buy used or old units, and turn them into a gem, than some one who shells out a ton of money and then stands there and brags about how much better theirs is than yours and how much they spent.

[tatans]

Don't be surprised at these "braggarts" implying they have 400 brass locomotives and 50,000 cars stashed away in boxes, they are probably not lying, but really DO have this many trains ferreted away somewhere for some strange reason, some replies to this forum have brought responses of collections that are nothing short of obscene and they think this is normal, if there is a fault to the hobby of model railroading I would suggest it may be hoarding of hundreds of model railroad equipment for unknown reasons, As suggested above, just ignore them. Just watch what happens to these unbelievable collections when they are gone, to the dump or sold for nothing as "toys" at an auction.

[Anonymous]

I lived in Northern California for a long time and you find this same twit at the wine shop, the cigar store, the car dealer, the LHS, and just about every place else. Not a predominant member of the herd, but ever present in small numbers. I came to reagrd them as connoisseurs of BS and compensators for you-know-what.

[oleirish]

It sounds like you meet a freind of mine that lives in WI,He is an exspert on every thing,and will tell you so but he has a heart of gold,next time you see the guy shake his hand an say "BOY I WOULD LIKE TO SEE THAT"an say lets go look!! one of two things will happen he'll say lets go or you will never see him again!
JIM

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by ICRR1964
I have a few freinds of mine who just have to stay on the top with DCC, sound units, and high dollar loco's. One of them just bought some of the Tower 55, and Per. Craft, and paid sugested retail price, I aquired his entire line of Spectrum Steam, and a few of his BLT for a 5th of the price he paid for them.

Whoo Hoo, that is the kind of friends to have. Let them spend the money and you get the down stream benefit.

[fec153]

only bragging I do is that my 9 turnouts work whenever I pu***he remote switch. lol
no roadbed-ballast or scenery. just trains rolling around the layout..
[:D][:D][:D].
Flip

[Texas Zepher]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tatans

Don't be surprised at these "braggarts" implying they have 400 brass locomotives and 50,000 cars stashed away in boxes, they are probably not lying

Well there is a difference between being honest when someone asks how many trains you have, and being a braggart. Often one can put off the question by saying something like too many to count, or more than I need. Then occasionaly one will slip and pull out the real numbers to put a braggart in their place.

QUOTE: but really DO have this many trains ferreted away somewhere for some strange reason

Not having enough space for them isn't a strange reason. Trains consume 1/100th the amount of space when they are packed in boxes than when they have "their space" on the layout.

QUOTE: if there is a fault to the hobby of model railroading I would suggest it may be hoarding of hundreds of model railroad equipment for unknown reasons

Liking trains and having enough to re-create prototypical situations isn't an unknown reason. A bunch of our club people went to a swap meet together.
One of them was buying some new locomotives. Another member asked of a third, "He already has a bunch of FT units how many does he want?"
The answer was, "How many did the real railroads have?".

We have people in the club who the museums go to when they need to put together certain "scenes". I am certain one fellow has at least one model of every D&RGW locomotive ever produced, and every road number of every one produced in the last 10 years. But he is not "braggy" about it at all.

[Anonymous]

All The Time In Leominster lol. there is this guy and he comes in every saturday and talks about his Z Scale That He Says Is Huge Havent Seen Pics Yet Though lol.

[warner brook]

it sounds to me that he was referring to his brass monkey and not to his brass engines.

[Anonymous]

Car shows are also good for this. You often get some guy ramblin' on and on about how this car makes like a gazillion horsepower has Chip Foose wheels, and blah blah blah. Then when you ask him about it he says oh it's in the shop or I don't take it out if it looks like it's gonna rain. Talk's cheap. Or if this *** is telling the truth about his $20,000 brass engines he probably doesn't mention he's also 3 months behind on his car payments and the banks looking to foreclose on his house.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dirtyd79

Car shows are also good for this. You often get some guy ramblin' on and on about how this car makes like a gazillion horsepower has Chip Foose wheels, and blah blah blah. Then when you ask him about it he says oh it's in the shop or I don't take it out if it looks like it's gonna rain. Talk's cheap. Or if this *** is telling the truth about his $20,000 brass engines he probably doesn't mention he's also 3 months behind on his car payments and the banks looking to foreclose on his house.

Add musicians to the list. It's great fun to listen to some jerk ramble on about the number and vintage of guitars his or she owns. But.....ask them to play a simple 8 bar riff. Let's just say the silence is deafening.[:0][;)][:p]

[Ibflattop]

Its got to be the Cheese in Wisconsin, cause here in Indiana its with the corn!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kevin

[rolleiman]

QUOTE: Originally posted by csxtrains23

All The Time In Leominster lol. there is this guy and he comes in every saturday and talks about his Z Scale That He Says Is Huge Havent Seen Pics Yet Though lol.

Huge for Z scale could be 4x8 [;)]

QUOTE: TZ said: ... Well there is a difference between being honest when someone asks how many trains you have, and being a braggart.

The difference is, the Braggart usually isn't asked.

[Anonymous]

Unfortunatley, Idiots are universal. [:(]

What drives me crazier is the guy is the guy who is standing at the front counter, BS'ing with the owner or clerk, and asking a bjillion questions about what is available from what manufacturer, yapping about who should be making what instead of who is, when I walk in the store. Meanwhile I find what I need, place it all on the counter (thinking he may get a hint) while the windbag continues to blow. Then finally, he leaves without buying or ordering anything!!!! Meanwhile I've blown 20 minutes on a 5 minute stop.
Can't some folks just step aside, and let the LHS make a few bucks???? [:(!]

[METRO]

Now I live in the the big city (Milwaukee) here in Wisconsin, and usually when I head down to Greenfield News & Hobby it's not brass but sound that everyone is bragging about. It seems like everyone that walks through the door has Tsunami or QSI decoders in every piece of motive power (even the one's there aren't decoders for yet hehe.)

Now I don't have a single sound eqquiped anything (I am looking to do a couple though to see how I like them) and when these guys come and tell me about how their AC4400s make the coolest sound when they transition, I know it's BS.

Cheers!
~METRO

[Anonymous]

I've been fortunate enough not to run into any of these, yet. I don't care. My layout may be a postage stamp, but I enjoy operating it. Therefore, I win.

[grayfox1119]

As a very famous person once said thousands of years ago...."those who exalt themselves shall be humbled, and those who humble themselves shalll be exalted"