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Women in Model Railroading!

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Women in Model Railroading!
Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, May 21, 2006 10:22 PM
I have been wondering how many women or young ladies are into model railroading?
I am the only female member in two model railroad clubs and I keep waiting for another female to join.

Why aren't there more of us out there with an intrest in this hobby?[?]

Thank you,
Aline
Salem, OR
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Posted by accord1959 on Sunday, May 21, 2006 11:10 PM
Good for you, ther are many women in the industry, so you are not alone, It's an amazing hobby, and an even more amazing job.
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Posted by Bob grech on Sunday, May 21, 2006 11:21 PM
All of the Campbell models featured in the original catalogs were assembled by a lady named Sherry Collins. She was also a great draftsperson. in addition, those wonderful isometric drawings found in the instructions sheets were drawn by her.

Have Fun.... Bob.

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Posted by SpaceMouse on Sunday, May 21, 2006 11:24 PM
There's a teenaged girl in our club. But to tell you the truth, she probably wouldn't be there if it wasn't for her boyfrieind being a member. Still she works on the layout with the rest of us and drives a 4-8-4.

Chip

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

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 22, 2006 12:30 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by SpaceMouse

There's a teenaged girl in our club. But to tell you the truth, she probably wouldn't be there if it wasn't for her boyfrieind being a member. Still she works on the layout with the rest of us and drives a 4-8-4.


How does she get that in the parking lot?
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Posted by tcwright973 on Monday, May 22, 2006 12:34 AM
With a full head of steam, anyway she wants...
Tom

Tom

Pittsburgh, PA

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Posted by NevinW on Monday, May 22, 2006 5:34 AM
I had an open house a few weeks ago for my model railroad. I noticed more women seemed interested in the railroad and asked good questions. Some were clearly more into it than their husbands. I think the days when model railroading was exclusively men is gradually going away. This is good. - Nevin
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Posted by GAPPLEG on Monday, May 22, 2006 8:09 AM
I too am a little surprised at the lack of female modlers, I work at GE and many-many of the top enginners, and supervisors in the shop now are female, our last division vice-president was female also. I can't believe that they don't become infected with modleritis ! I think most women have more patience and skill than men for this type of work (hobby) than we think !
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Posted by jeffrey-wimberly on Monday, May 22, 2006 8:41 AM
My experience is this. Get them emmersed in the hobby, starting with the basics. It snowballs from there. Next thing you know, you're pushed from the mainline as she religates you to yard duty so she can have fun with your layout. Hope she builds her own soon.

Running Bear, Sundown, Louisiana
          Joined June, 2004

Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running Bear
Space Mouse for president!
15 year veteran fire fighter
Collector of Apple //e's
Running Bear Enterprises
History Channel Club life member.
beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam


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Posted by SilverSpike on Monday, May 22, 2006 9:11 AM
My wife is very interested in assisting me with our layout, we enjoy doing many things together, and model railroading is one of them. As a matter of fact her mother likes running trains too.

Ryan Boudreaux
The Piedmont Division
Modeling The Southern Railway, Norfolk & Western & Norfolk Southern in HO during the merger era
Cajun Chef Ryan

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 22, 2006 9:22 AM
My wife and I both work on our home layout. Occaisionally we've had friends and their daughters visit to help out, and we've been teaching them modelling and painting.

Cheers,
Maureen
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Posted by zgardner18 on Monday, May 22, 2006 10:14 AM
I was lucky to have a son born and I've brainwashed him into loving trains. My wife still thinks that we are crazy, but I'm hoping to get her interested in helping me when it come times to build my layout when we move into our new home. We plan on having more kids and if I do get a daughter, then I will try to get her interested too.

Look at May's issue of MR; the gentleman on the cover story, his daughter was pictured running a train.

--Zak Gardner

My Layout Blog:  http://mrl369dude.blogspot.com

http://zgardner18.rrpicturearchives.net

VIEW SLIDE SHOW: CLICK ON PHOTO BELOW

 

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 22, 2006 11:04 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by SpaceMouse

There's a teenaged girl in our club. But to tell you the truth, she probably wouldn't be there if it wasn't for her boyfrieind being a member. Still she works on the layout with the rest of us and drives a 4-8-4.


Last post was on the way out to wrk this morning... and it's been bugging me all day...
Does that count as an RUV?

[:p]

Got to go and answer the Q about parking horses now...
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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 22, 2006 11:17 AM
I got my Mother in Law in to it. While she has been visiting, she has been help experimenting with different types of N-Scale Unitrack Patterns. She even bought her own passenger train this weekend, a Kato Amtrak Ph4 Genisis and Set A of their superliner also in PH4 paint scheme.....
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Posted by BRAKIE on Monday, May 22, 2006 11:23 AM
Aline,The HO club that I was a member of had 7 husband/wife members out of the 47 members.
The N Scale club I am a member of has 2 husband/wife members out of the 19 members.The HO club I am a member of now has no female members.

Larry

Conductor.

Summerset Ry.


"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt  Safety First!"

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 22, 2006 11:51 AM
Hi Aline
I asked the same question a couple years ago. Women model railroaders.
I know there are a few ladies who have earned the title of Master Model Railroader in the N.M.R.A. Achievement Program.
I'm sure there are plenty of other women (and many us guys too) in the hobby who don't take it so serious. I know I don't. I just like to have fun with it, take pride in doing the best I can do and challenge myself to do better. Maybe some folks feel their skills aren't good enough and are shy to talk about it or ask questions.
I believe most, if not all, forum members don't care what level of skills someone has and no one should worry about asking a stupid question.





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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 22, 2006 12:01 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by gsetter

Hi Aline
Maybe some folks feel their skills aren't good enough and are shy to talk about it or ask questions.
...
I believe most, if not all, forum members don't care what level of skills someone has and no one should worry about asking a stupid question.


[blue]If you don't know the answer there's no such thing as a stupid question... what is foolish is not to ask. ... Ask any woman whose partner refuses to ask the route in a strange town...[/blue]





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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 22, 2006 12:21 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by zgardner18

..... My wife still thinks that we are crazy, but I'm hoping to get her interested in helping me when it come times to build my layout when we move into our new home. We plan on having more kids and if I do get a daughter, then I will try to get her interested too.


If I've learned anything about women, it's that they're good at details. With all the nit-picking that goes on around my home there's no small detail that goes un-noticed.
If you want your wife to get interested in the layout, ask her if she'd like to add details to a structure and place figures in and around it. Tell her it's kind of like a doll house, but smaller. Scenery can be a part of that too.
Then, when she's hooked, Explain to her that you can get more figures and details for less money, but they need to be painted. Maybe she'll take up that part of the hobby too. Remember if you want her to be crazy too, it has to be relaxing and enjoyable for her. Save all the frustrating and tedious stuff for yourself and the boy.
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Posted by cwclark on Monday, May 22, 2006 2:50 PM
My wife's into MRRing...I tell her i need to go to the LHS and she takes me down there...[:D]...chuck

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 22, 2006 4:47 PM
I would of put the just kidding up front. :) hahaha

Man I love that Turbine. I don't model UP.

I ran my friends at a show last year. The sound was awesome. People asked me tons of questions which of course I did my best to answer.

I did really well until I was distracted by a beautiful blond in the distance and ran into the back of another train. Very embarrassed. No damage done. SP guys had a good laugh.

QUOTE: Originally posted by 8500HPGASTURBINE

1. They wouldn't be able to use nail polish on weathering rail cars.

2. Who would make supper.

3. How would you get anything done with all the complaining going on.

4. Can you imagine a new brass engine barreling down the rails and hitting a fake nail that fell off on the tracks.

5. Hand Cream on the airbrush would drive me nuts.

6. She's trying to get romantic while you have 3 pushers helping a 100 car coal train round a dangerous curve.

[:D]

Just kidding.
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Posted by tatans on Monday, May 22, 2006 5:58 PM
Does anyone care if a hobby prefers men or women, each gender drifts toward their area of interest, it would seem not too many females are attracted to model railroading, hence the very few women in the hobby, I'm sure they would be welcomed at most organizations and probably rejected by a few jerks, If I, (a big strong hairy male) wanted to learn how to sew, I would go to a class on sewing, but NOT be surprised if I was the only male there, and would not care as long as I learned how to sew. welcome ! !
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Posted by brothaslide on Monday, May 22, 2006 7:27 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by alineb2


Why aren't there more of us out there with an intrest in this hobby?[?]



It's the same reason that most men aren't into scrapbooking (The 2004 SIA survey on scrapbooking estimates annual industry sales at $2.551 billion, representing a 27.8 percent increase from 2001.) I've said it before; the mrr industry could learn a thing or two from the scrapbooking industry. My wife and her friend started their own scrapbooking business with "webisodes" www.kariandgina.com The only "webisodes" I've found for mrr are on the Model Railroader website - and those are mostly product demos. Let's face it guys, we need to stop being basement geeks (I include myself in that comment) and get out there and start evangelizing for mrr!!!
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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 22, 2006 7:50 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by 8500HPGASTURBINE

1. They wouldn't be able to use nail polish on weathering rail cars.

2. Who would make supper.

3. How would you get anything done with all the complaining going on.

4. Can you imagine a new brass engine barreling down the rails and hitting a fake nail that fell off on the tracks.

5. Hand Cream on the airbrush would drive me nuts.

6. She's trying to get romantic while you have 3 pushers helping a 100 car coal train round a dangerous curve.

[:D]

Just kidding.


Gas,
You MUST be single! ROFL!![(-D][(-D][(-D]
We have had, and still have a few women in our club, and experience has show they are sticklers for the detail of still life. They really don't care (for the most part) what the difference between and GP-40 and a GP40-2. But they will remind you that the details of a scene, flowerbeds, dumpsters, cats, dogs,street signs etc. ALL have a place, and they will tell you where! As a soon to be remarried male, I say ENJOY it! Nurture it. Plus they might show you a new thing or two. I never used acylic craft paint until my ex dragged me kicking and screaming into a Jo-ann fabrics one day so she could buy some material. Since then I've found paints, chalks and dried plants all suitable for the layout all within easy reach, and open 7 days a week!
Nothing worse than becoming a grumpy old man growing old in his train room. [:D]
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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 22, 2006 9:14 PM
My wife joined the local club with me and for the most part she is accepted however there are a few males who do seem to resent her presence as this is their territory.
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Posted by tcf511 on Monday, May 22, 2006 9:18 PM
My wife is interested in the hobby and helps me out. She has a good eye for detail and builds building kits. Twice at large train shows, she spent more than I did. God I love that woman.

Tim Fahey

Musconetcong Branch of the Lehigh Valley RR

 

 

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Posted by rolleiman on Monday, May 22, 2006 10:15 PM
You guys with wives participating in the hobby of model railroading, I've a question.. Would they be interested if you hadn't introduced them to it? Or did they introduce you to the hobby (could happen [:D])??
Modeling the Wabash from Detroit to Montpelier Jeff
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Posted by bnnrailroad on Monday, May 22, 2006 10:33 PM
Model railroading (or atleast running trains) has been a family tradition for decades in my family. The HO pike I presently have, which was started in 1950 by my grandfather for my dad, used to be torn down in February and rebuilt in october. We used to fini***his thing on Christmas Eve. My mother and grandmother used to paint figures as the pike grew. They would also clean the structures and rolling stock while the men cleaned the locomotive and repaired the wiring. My mom used to help setup the sceens on the pike. She would place the people, houses and trees. My dad and I along with my 2 brothers would set the signs and vehicles around.

Since 1993, I've lost my grandparents, my dad and 1 brother (he's not dead...it's a long story and another forum). In 1999, my wive and I became parents of a girl. She is following in her dad's footsteps!! I come home now and she either says "are we going to run the trains tonight?" or "are we going to start the new layout soon?"

Hopefully, she will carry on the family tradition of Model Railroading!!!!
Ray Boebel Boeville & Newtown RR http://home.comcast.net/~ccmhet4/trains.html
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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, May 22, 2006 10:38 PM
I hope to get my girlfriend into the hobby. She asks alot of questions, but doesnt go near my layout. Shes very understanding, even when I am frustrated about an obstacle in my layout....but she put her foot down when I asked if I could wear my engineer hat to bed.
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Posted by bjshelbe on Monday, May 22, 2006 11:40 PM
My husband & I are a team at mrring. When our last child left home, we had a heart to heart. I brought the subject of model rr up. That was in 1999. We haven't regretted that decision once. Our LHS loves to see us come. I love that steam & he is deisel so we are HO transition. Also love this forum. Lots of good help. Thanks. Been a member forever just don't say much.
Judy
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Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, May 23, 2006 12:41 AM
QUOTE: Originally posted by kbfcsme
Nothing worse than becoming a grumpy old man growing old in his train room. [:D]


There's plenty. Really hope you never find any of them [:)].

Grumpy Old Railwayman. [:p]

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