Women in Model Railroading!

[Anonymous]

Thanks everyone! Know I know that there are some of us females out there that enjoy the hobby. I have learned alot buy being a member of 2 clubs here in Oregon.
I might add that if you want to get some one interested in it you can take them to see a live Steam engine or have them run one of your models on a layout.
That's what got me started! I enjoy the steam era and model in European steam as well all in HO.
My husband loves doing scenery on layouts more that running trains.
We have fun together by going to Train shows and train swap meets.

Aline

[Anonymous]

Unfortunately my Wife is reluctant to go to model rail shows. She has actually gone in the past but I would be hard pushed to say she enjoyed it. [sigh]

[Todd McWilliam]

My wife is 25 and very pretty, and to look at her, you would not think she likes to build blue box kits when she is bored.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by neil_s_wood

Unfortunately my Wife is reluctant to go to model rail shows. She has actually gone in the past but I would be hard pushed to say she enjoyed it. [sigh]

When my husband and I, and sometimes members from the clubs we belong to attend a show in Portland we usually go to lunch afterwards and visit some hobby shops and some fabric stores. I am always on the look out for train fabric as I make a donation quilt every year for one of the clubs we belong to.
One the way home we take the back roads as it gets boring driving on the freeway and that way we get to see some of the county side here in Oregon.
Some times we even stop at this unique store called "Trader Joes" as we don't have one in Salem.
So we come home with trains, fabric and goodies from Trader Joes!

We just make a day of it!

Aline

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by man o war

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.

I don't know if there was any resentment when I joined the 2nd club but I would at first just sit and talk to the guys about what they were doing and at the same time I was learning how to install decoders, disassemble a locomotive, install kadees. I found that the guys are always willing to be very helpful. I do not do scenery on the layout as that is not my thing even though I know how to do it. I volenteered to be the supply person. I took on the task of keeping other members updated on what is going on in the club with weekly updates by email. I sit in on the board meetings to see what is going on.
We have been there 3 years now and I haven't felt anyone resents my presence.
One thing I like to do is coment on the guys locomotives! And that makes them feel good if I think it is a nice locomotive!

The first club I joined was in need of a secretary so I took over that position and then the next year became the President. After being President for 2 years I went back to being the Secretary.

Sometimes it just takes time to settle in!

[bwftex]

QUOTE: Originally posted by alineb2

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?[?]

Arline,
I don't know why exactly. My wife likes trains well enough I guess but thinks of them more in terms of art or decoration and then only because she knows that I love trains. But there sure are some model railroading women out there so your not completely alone. Take a look at this gals work ! http://www.pbase.com/tracktime/sd45x_elizabeth_allen&page=10
Bruce

[twhite]

Believe me, they are welcome in my garage ANYTIME!! I had a birthday last December, and a lot of the faculty at my high school showed up for the party, and we all ended up in the garage running my Yuba River Sub. The wives had as much fun as the husbands, and some of the best questions I got about how I built the layout were from the wives. One thing I found out, though, was that though the husbands really liked it when I was running one of my Yellowstones, the wives REALLY got into it when I ran one of the smaller locos--in fact, my little Rio Grande 2-8-0 was the hit of the evening. It was CUTE! I don't mean that statement to be 'sexist', but I found that most of the women were more attracted to a locomotive with 'personality' than a big bruiser with heft.

Women in model railroading? I say WELCOME and have a ball!
Tom[:D]

[cmarchan]

Two names come to mind:

Gail Komar and Elizabeth Allen

Elizabeth Allen is an excellent prototype modeler and scratchbuilder. Some of her excellent work is seen here: http://www.pbase.com/tracktime/sd45x_elizabeth_allen

Gail Komar's involvement and contribution to the hobby is equally impressive. She and first husband Ross Allen built the layout on the cover of MR June 2005.

I have met several modelers who are women. Many of their efforts go unsung. I hope many more join this wonderful hobby.

[davekelly]

While there are not as many women involved in the hobby as compared to males, there is a bright side. It used to be that an article in a mag would make it a point to say that the author was a woman. Now, it's not even mentioned. Yes, there are some that think of female participation as an "intrusion" but in my mind the more women that get into this hobby the larger it will grow. The larger the hobby grows, there more products there will be to choose from. More women in the hobby is a win-win situation, with no downside (unless my wife decides to change the era and prototype of the layout).