Dave
Lackawanna Route of the Phoebe Snow
Fcerney wrote: Bump for an OLD thread... I love THOMAS. I wanted to Build a repro of the Tank from the Show.Im told they are based on O Scale cars. Anyone have any idea which ones? Frank
Bump for an OLD thread...
I love THOMAS. I wanted to Build a repro of the Tank from the Show.
Im told they are based on O Scale cars. Anyone have any idea which ones?
Frank
http://www.pegnsean.net/~railwayseries/ffarquhar.htm will get you to the original layout!! It will tell you all you want about Sodor, Thomas, Sir Topemhat, etc!!
Anything that gets dad and son doing something together is GREAT! We have lots of "Thomas" the wooden railroad around. After watching (and operating, if old enough) the grandkids like to go into the next room and "run Thomas the wooden RR). They always say, "Granaddad play with us." So I sit on the floor and help them.
I bet the LHS guys don't laugh at you when they go to the bank with your money.
BTW if its so "uncool" to buy it at the LHS, why do they sell it?
Keep up the good work with your son. You will never be sorry you did!
Thomas the Tank Engine got me into the hobby years ago when I was probably 2 or 3. Now I'm 15 and I model the Canadian National Railway in HO Scale, but whenever I am at my little cousin's house, I can't wait to play with him with my old Thomas wooden trains. I remember countless times I would walk into a toy store with my mom begging her to buy me another train car, or piece of track, and she'd always say, "Don't you think you have enough?" NEVER! Why would between 50 and 75 trains and countless pieces of track be ENOUGH Now all of that is with my cousin, and at four and a half years old, he is starting to really enjoy them, along with all of my Thomas Videos! I'm just glad that Thomas was around, mind you, my parents aren't too thrilled that I keep on begging them for much more expensive HO scale locomotives and cars today. I'm sure they wish I still preferred Thomas!
Ghonz
- Matt
Simon Modelling CB&Q and Wabash See my slowly evolving layout on my picturetrail site http://www.picturetrail.com/simontrains and our videos at http://www.youtube.com/user/MrCrispybake?feature=mhum
Do the Bachmann Thomas come with DCC or a DCC plug?
Lillen
I think anything you can do with your children is great (I mean, maybe not ANYTHING, but you know, anything wholesome. I wouldn't recommend daisy-chaining M-80s in the mailboxes on your street, for example. At least, not until he's a teenager). Some of my happiest childhood memories are of the time my dad devoted to railfanning. I don't think he had much interest in it, but I did, and he was perfectly willing to stand at trackside for an hour or two at a time, if I wanted to. That's what parenting is all about.
http://mprailway.blogspot.com
"The first transition era - wood to steel!"
Trevor,
I truly respect what you're doing. Given the large amount of available materials (books, videos, etc), the possibilities for Sodor layouts, whether "rivet-counting" accurate or wildly free-lanced, are endless.
I would note that one of the best club layout I've ever seen was an adult-built, adult-run Sodor layout at no less than a National Train Show (Kansas City, more than a few years ago). They built and "populated" this layout before Bachmann released their Thomas product line.
Go forth and have fun! Better yet, give the layout a "new coat of paint."
Juan
Repost: Here is a link to the original Thomas layout
http://www.pegnsean.net/~railwayseries/ffarquhar.htm
lots of great info!
Hi Trevor
I to am a family man but never any sons. Do a Yahoo or Google search for "thomas and friends" or "thomas the train". You will find may links of interest for you and your sons.
rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
richg1998 wrote:Generally society does not like people who choose to be different. Go to http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/index.php and click on the Bach-man forums. There is a catagory for Thomas & Friends.You will have to copy & paste the URL. Someone told me how to set it as a hyper link but I lost the message. In these forums it is not intuitively obvious on making a hyper link like it is in other forums. My stepson who is a programmer for many years has told me more than once, the geeks have won. Deal with it. rich
Generally society does not like people who choose to be different.
Go to
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/index.php
and click on the Bach-man forums. There is a catagory for Thomas & Friends.
You will have to copy & paste the URL. Someone told me how to set it as a hyper link but I lost the message. In these forums it is not intuitively obvious on making a hyper link like it is in other forums. My stepson who is a programmer for many years has told me more than once, the geeks have won. Deal with it.
That should get you there
And here is a direct link to the Thomas part of the Bach-Man
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/board/index.php?PHPSESSID=f76f7ca8e57a7659773572305c1f8c30&board=4.0
Hi Was at a train show recently and a guy there had a small Thomas layout it was one of the more popular layouts with children and adults. It's your dollar remind the lhs of that.
August
Hi Mac-Daddy, welcome out of lurk mode!
My first suggestion for getting off on the right track is for you to start a new thread with your questions. You will get far more response than tacking on to the end of an old multi-page thread like this.
The idea of modelling Sodor is appealing, especially with young children, and there is nothing wrong in wanting to do that. However, I have 2 boys, now 7 and 9 and while they love trains Thomas has long since stopped being of interest to them. If you are going to put resources, time and effort into a layout keep an eye on the future and be able to shift away from the Thomas theme as your son inevitably grows out of it.
First post (after considerable lurking)
I just nabbed a bachmann digital commander twin diesel set for my almost 4 yr old crumbsnatcher (at least that's what I am telling the wife). I was thinking of a mini Sodor layout and then got more interested with the DCC conversions. The box is still wrapped up, but I am starting to learn more and more about DCC. I haven't been on model RRing since the late 70s. I believe I had a Tycho HO set, I just have a gondola car without trucks left over in my old stash of junk around the grandparent's house.
In a nutshell, I feel somewhat intimidated with the new train technology and the 'purists' who model after actual lines. Any suggestions on getting off on the right track, pun intended?
David Parks I am the terror that flaps in the night!
I just test ran my Bachmann HO Thomas. I got the Deluxe set from a local Department store for $49.00 The engine surprised me and ran good out of the box, and great after a 1/2 hour burn it. His little shifty eyes even worked. Can run it slow with no problems. I'm not as impressed by the EZ-Track. Both Bachmann and Life-like make it in Steel Alloy and Nickle Silver. Why in this day and age for the few cents difference do they still make steel track ? I'm also very spoiled by Kato Unitrack. I plan on Making an Island of Sodor layout and selling it to test the waters for such a thing. Undecided as to whether I should keep the Bachmann track for such a venture or sell it and go with Kato or Atlas. It ran ok on the carpet so it will probably do fine on ply and foam. Just seems cheesey compared to Kato, but like I said I'm spoiled. What has your out of box experience with Bachmann Thomas been ? Thanks, Dave
Also I've never built a figure 8 layout in my life. With the Bachmann 18" curves how many curves and what degree crossing does it take to make a figure 8 ?
Thomas and his pals are the best thing to happen to model railroading in many years. The TV series, books and toy trains have garnered the interest of millions of potential model railroaders for the hobby.
In my experience, HO scale is large enough for little hands and fingers. I introduced my grandson to Thomas when he was 4-years old. He had no trouble putting the locomotive or rolling stock on the rails.
My grandson's interest in model railroading was ignited by Thomas and that interest continues today, 6-years later. He lives and breaths trains.
Thomas, Anne, and Carabelle still take an occasional tour of the BRVRR and probably will as long as there are little people around the house.
Build your layout. I have thought of the same thing myself. I still might do it if I ever get a place with enough room. Think of it. A seperate island with the Sodor Railway on it. Why not?
Good luck and have fun.
Remember its your railroad
Allan
Track to the BRVRR Website: http://www.brvrr.com/
Will the HO Thomas and two coaches make it around 15" radius? Thanks
Should be no problem - could probably make it on some trolley layouts! Go ahead & buy the set!
Have fun with your trains
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
-Dan
Builder of Bowser steam! Railimages Site
Like many others, I have a "model" layout, and may or may not ever run a "Thomas" on it. It does not change that fact that "Thomas" has generated a huge amount of interest in model (or toy) railroading. With the current trends in hobbies, ANYTHING that helps promote model railroading as a hobby is good . I have at least three grandchildren who are interested in having their own railroads, "Thomas" or otherwise, who probably wouldn't have given it a second thought without the influence of both "Thomas" and "Grandpa Choo-Choo's" layout.
At their ages, I put mixed freights out on the line with lots of flat cars so they can load them with things and run the trains around carrying their "freight." Of course this might be considered sacrilege by "serious" modelers, but I've noticed a trend in the RR hobby magazines that you must "model" a particular prototype railroad as it was in one particular week of history, if not a single day, and exactly the exact trains, and sometimes, exact consists the prototype did, in order to be a serious railroad modeler. Before we self-destruct of hobby, we should go back to "Model railroading is fun," even if MR and Kalbach publishing have abandoned th.ie idea. Well I better get off my .
Good luck with Sodor, and I would like to see how anyone's model of Sodor turns out. Hey why not do it in "S" gauge!
daschilling ------ CHICAGO AND NORTHWESTERN -------- in S Gauge!
I have followed this thread with interest as I have long thought it would be fun to build a Thomas layout. Not just for the kids, but for myself. Heresy? No. I'm 57 and I play with trains, just at a more advanced level than I could have when I was a little boy because I can now do all the things that I loved about grownup model railroads.
As can be seen from the responses, there are more than a few grownup model railroaders who like Thomas themselves. And why not? Let's face it; the "layout" built for the television series is really pretty nice and any layout is a fiction, no matter how beautifully rendered or how close to prototype it is. You are simply picking the world you want to create and, as long as it fulfills your dreams and makes you happy, one is as valid as another. A friend and I built a modular layout featuring a completely made-up Old West town preserved as a tourist trap. That layout also features a recreation of some of the scenery from "Jurassic Park" and the fishing village from the "Popeye" movie. We have a first place and third place award at the national level, a Con-Cor award and a fistful of blue ribbons from GATS, so I guess it was okay.
The Railway series locomotives are based on real English locomotives and the author of the original series was a lifelong railfan with friends who worked for the railroads. There are plenty of opportunities for operation, as Thomas and his friends fulfill a variety of roles, from yard switching to pulling mixed consists and extras. And they run on a schedule and obey (most of the time) signals.
Of course, the Sodor Railway does have more accidents than any prototype railroad could have without being bankrupted by lawsuits (even in England) and replicating all those might prove a bit hard on the motive power and rolling stock, not to mention various structures, but one needn't follow everything seen on the shows.
So go for it. Whether you build your own Island of Sodor or just run Thomas on your existing trackage, more power to you.
As for those guys at the hobby shop, if they're not proud enough of the hobby to welcome all comers, maybe they're in the wrong hobby. And if they don't welcome all customers, they're definitely in the wrong business.
And don't forget the most popular "load" of all. During the holiday season, I add an HO HO HO Santa Claus somewhere on the layout. I move him around and the kids love to look for him ...
30 years from now the kids may not remember your perfect model of that 2-8-0 but they will remember Thomas and Santa ...
www.oakhurstrailroad.com
"Oakhurst Railroad" on Facebook
Thomas is very serious stuff.
If you don't believe me take a Thomas layout to a MRR Expo if you get it wrong the Kids will soon let you know all about it you can hear the knives being sharpened believe me.
As an aside Hornby now do a very nice range of "PROPPER" Thomas buildings that would look good on any UK model railway never mind a Thomas layout.
We are talking the new ones not the previous definitely toy ones.
Have fun and remember the kids will let you have it if you get it wrong
regards John
rghammill wrote:It's all about having fun. One of the most common 'loads' on my railroad is my daughter's Fisher Price Little People. Randy
Some "loads" that may be seen on my layout may include (but not limited to):
Hoppers filled with "gold" loads (actually iron pyrite, or "fools gold")
Hoppers or gons filled with various crystals, such as quartz
Hoppers filled with various colors of tiny "jewels", such as may be found in costume jewelry
Gons filled with candy (especially around the holidays)
Gons or flatcars hauling tools or supplies around the layout
Flatcars hauling my son's Hot Wheels or Matchbox cars (and tractor trailers)
And, on the G scale side, my daughter's Barbie dolls have been seen sightseeing in gons.
Canned soft drinks have been part of the "revenue tonnage" as have the empty cans
My model mining company ships various precious stone and metals, and they also handle a fair amount of coal, copper, silver and gold ores, granite (both slabs and gravel), and marble (including marble dust, which is used, at least on my RR, in the manufacture of cultured marble goods.) I do run live loads of real coal in my hoppers for operating sessions, as well as real marble dust (more like a sand). Sure, it weighs down the hoppers, as it does in real life, and the marble is quite dense, so one must load the cars short to prevent overloading, and care must be taken handling the loaded hoppers to avoid spillage, just as in real life. I'm looking for some sort of stones or something with a coppery and silvery sheen or coloration to them, so I can load them as "smelted and processed ores". I've seen silvery/greyish looking rounded stones, but I'm thinking more of a gravelly or nugget type texture. Having various types and colors of loads in the hoppers may not be realistic, but it sure brightens up the yard.
Brad
EMD - Every Model Different
ALCO - Always Leaking Coolant and Oil
CSX - Coal Spilling eXperts
I seriously model logging in the 20's in the Sierras in my Oakhurst Railroad. However, I hide my Thomas the Tank Engine and Annie Coach in the engine house. Kids usually let out a "wow" when they enter the room, but they do it again and usually say "Thomas!" when I roll him out for a quick spin.
I thoroughly enjoy watching the PBS show. It is on in my area at 7 AM and 8 AM on Saturday. Only the College Gameday show will make me miss Thomas on Saturday morning!
Keep on modeling Thomas and Friends ...
Marty
I got my grandson his first electric Thomas when he was about 5, a Hornby. He has ADD and a few motorskill problems but LOVES trains. He had no problems operating him (Thomas) and could put him on the tracks easier than my then 59 y/o hands could! He's 10 now & I'm in the process of putting DCC chips in Thomas, James, & Percy - he loves the sound my other DCC units have. You're right about the Atlas turntable, but the roundhouse is not a 1 hour assembly, and operational doors on it are problematic. Bachmann makes Cranky and there are many other HO models that can be used with Thomas. Toot Toot!!
Nothing on walthers.com for O scale, but a bunch for HO scale.
http://www.walthers.com/exec/search?manu=&item=&split=30&category=&scale=&instock=Y&keywords=thomas&start=0
cruikshank wrote:I'm glad I came upon this thread. I was pondering building some small layouts based on Thomas, to try and sell for the holidays. My Wife and I owned a portrait studio for 15 years and specialized in kids. All of the little ones were crazy for Thomas. I had to retire due to 4 back surgeries, so I'm in need of a project and income. Her concern was that the little kids need the wooden Thomas because they would break the HO one. What has been your experience on this ? At what age can a kid play with an electrical train ? Besides 45 which is my age. :) Are the Bachmann's pretty reliable. I'm an "N" scaler so I would love to build it in "N", but the Tomix "N" Thomas are about double a Bachmann in cost. also I guess the little "N" would be hard for the tikes to play with. I read on line that the center piece of the Island of Sodor is the Turntable and Roundhouse. Do you all have those on your layouts. I know the Atlas one is easy enough to use, but easy enough for a 5 year old ? At what age does Thomas become Uncool to a kid ? I know alot of questions, but this seems to be the place for answers. Thanks alot in Advance. Dave in Reading, PA
More suitable for the younger kids would be the Lionel-size Thomas. And it would fit on the same size table as the HO. But I don't know if it's still in production? I know I bought mine (for the kids of course) about 5-6 years ago.
my thoughts, your choices
Fred W
Chuck,
You must remember that "Once there was a train that was afraid of a few drops of rain..." So Henry has to work hard to be a useful engine.
Actually the last time we ran Henry he was pulling seven cars and a brake van up the grades and all with no problems. Now that's useful.
The really important thing is, it's fun for the kids and hopefully an interest that will grow and they will enjoy the rest of their lives.
Tilden
TGG wrote:I have converted Henry to DCC. I had to do exactly as you noted here. I used my Dremmel to carve out a small hollow for the motor and pickup wires to feed through. I had to add extensions to the motor wires and made the connection to the decoder which sits inside the cab. Henry works great, is a good fast puller, and very useful engine.Trevor
"A very useful engine," eh? Isn't that the Fat Director's line? (Or Sir Topham Hatt's, if you are a tubeophile.)
How to tell that you're fully "Sodorized;" you change into a cutaway and top hat to operate your layout.
My take - Go for it!!!
Chuck
We have Thomas, Percy and James under the tree at Christmas. We are just big kids.
Sue
Anything is possible if you do not know what you are talking about.
You know how it is, opinions are like noses. Everybody has one. Not all are positive. If they were, what a boring world this would be.
Most train shop owners drive people out of the hobby with behavior like this
The good news is most are going out of business.
The two problems I've had with the Bachmann series locos are: 1) keeping the wiper pick-ups clean and adjusted, make sure the pick-ups make contact with the wheel at all times especially at the extremes of the side to side wheel play and alcohol wipes for dirt and lint. 2) Slowing Gordon and Henry down (limit the Top Voltage CV) so the little ones don't "fly" them off the layout.
Tilden wrote:Brian, If it's the Bachmann loco there are no DCC plugs, you have to hardwire the decoder. The motor is isolated from the frame though so that's a help. Also, you don't need the circuit board that's in there, remove it. I think you'll find the color of the motor wires are the exact opposite of NMRA standard for DCC plugs. In an overly energetic moment I replaced them, for looks. Also, if you convert Henry, you might want to drill a hole through the metal frame to allow direct routing of the motor wires into the cab area. This will avoid the wires being pinched when you slide the body back on. Don't know the layout of the Hornby loco's. Tilden
Brian,
If it's the Bachmann loco there are no DCC plugs, you have to hardwire the decoder. The motor is isolated from the frame though so that's a help. Also, you don't need the circuit board that's in there, remove it. I think you'll find the color of the motor wires are the exact opposite of NMRA standard for DCC plugs. In an overly energetic moment I replaced them, for looks. Also, if you convert Henry, you might want to drill a hole through the metal frame to allow direct routing of the motor wires into the cab area. This will avoid the wires being pinched when you slide the body back on.
Don't know the layout of the Hornby loco's.
The "Avitar" speaks for itself.
Thomas is very popular with the grandkids (Girls, yet.)
Of course I don't care anything about the little DCC guy.
Jim Murray The San Juan Southern RR
Gunns wrote: ...In the museum restoration community "Thomas" is big Ju Ju. Often a visit by Thomas is the only thing that keeps the place in the black...
...In the museum restoration community "Thomas" is big Ju Ju. Often a visit by Thomas is the only thing that keeps the place in the black...
Yep, Thomas is definitely the rock star of the train world, the one who draws a crowd, the Cheetah Girls or [insert other latest teeny-bopper craze here]...
And you know what? Good! We've been a little too "Muzak" in this hobby for a little too long.
Rock on, little blue loco.
How's this for some Thomas respect?
http://www.railserve.com/jump/jump.cgi?ID=11529
Thomas GIF's!
Hey Jeff, Good Idea. After all, if an Athearn BB SD45 is worth $1200 to $1500 then I figure in 20 years the"rare" Thomas stuff ought to be worth at least 5 grand!!!
Actually you can't really win the snickering thing... I am a member of a club restoring a 2900 series locomotive, and get the snickers about the 1 to 1 scale stuff when I buy N scale stuff for the model I am making of our work site. In the museum restoration community "Thomas" is big Ju Ju. Often a visit by Thomas is the only thing that keeps the place in the black.
Model what you want, vote with your feet if you have to.
Kevin
jeffshultz wrote:This has me wondering if I want to go out and buy some Thomas stuff... for the future. (no, nothing on the way or anything, but never too soon to start you know!)
Tilden wrote: Trevor, If it was between the manager and another employee, it might have been an "I told you this stuff would sell" look. A little payback to a doubting Thomas (sorry about that). Tilden
If it was between the manager and another employee, it might have been an "I told you this stuff would sell" look. A little payback to a doubting Thomas (sorry about that).
No respect for puns that bad....
Nelson
Ex-Southern 385 Being Hoisted
LHS owners can be tempermental. Perhaps many of them are in their business to start with because they're so "into" their hobbies and have strong feelings about them.
At a LHS around here, you get read the riot act if you call a non-operating unit a "dummy unit." When I was younger, I got into trouble for calling a graphic novel a "comic book."
It's a wierd part of the hobby culture. In general, I hear a lot of model train folks justifying themselves, as to why their layout is not "prototypical," or why they are using a fictitious line, etc.
In the end, we're all playing with toys.
Railphotog wrote: Well if you think of it, the Thomas the Tank Engine TV series seemes to be aimed at pre-school children. Most of the material offered for sale is toys. You tell them at the hobby shop that this is what you are modeling and they don't treat you with respect? Perhaps if you were to emphasize that you are building with your young son it might make things more clear? What if another adult said they were modeling a Sesame Street scene? Would you show a lot of respect if you were in the scale modeling fraternity?
Well if you think of it, the Thomas the Tank Engine TV series seemes to be aimed at pre-school children. Most of the material offered for sale is toys. You tell them at the hobby shop that this is what you are modeling and they don't treat you with respect? Perhaps if you were to emphasize that you are building with your young son it might make things more clear?
What if another adult said they were modeling a Sesame Street scene? Would you show a lot of respect if you were in the scale modeling fraternity?
That figures, coming from you, Bob. Fact is, your layout is just as make believe as Thomas or Sesame Street. They all are. I would have expected nothing less from you, though.
TGG wrote:On a time line, the Atlas S1 incident occurred first...
Did you consider the possibility that the jocularity displayed by the owner and manager may have had absolutely nothing to do with your purchases, or with you at all?
TGG wrote:Wow! I was just venting a little frustration and didn't expect many replies.
Sadly the "Hey Bob look at this..." winks and nods were from the owner to the manager, and I don't think I was supposed to notice. It wasn't like they stood back and openly mocked me. That would be suicide. I just got the feeling that because I wasn't buying high end brass, BLI or Tower 55 that I was something less than a "real" model railroader. It happened one other time as well, with the same two guys, and I was buying an Atlas S1 that was marked down in price.
I say Build Thomas!! I am lucky enough to have Cabbose hobbies in my backyard and they have a whole row devoted to Thomas!! It is great to see the kids there playing with the wood set. I am 24 and used to watch thomas on the local PBS station and loved it. I feel it is a very educational show that teaches kids today something that we lack as a country, and that is "IMAGEINATION" It is what this country was built on and our younger generations have less and less. But any ways off my rant now.
Curt
Sodor rules, dogs drool!
If you return to the LHS you might share your impressions with the owner/manager to make them aware of a situation that is probably afflicting their business on other levels beyond your experience there. The Disney people addressed their public by stressing to the staff that the public were guests at the theme parks and that the staff was expected to treat them as guests. Your impressions may be a little over sensitive, but no less valid. Retention of a customer is the most expensive aspect of business and probably the most over looked. While they may spend large sums to advertise to attract new customers (ie. new $s) through the doors, little is spent in retaining those individuals once they have visited.
I terms of your modeling, I cannot think of a more rigid prototype to follow, or better reasons to pursue it. The inter action between a father and son is priceless. The learning aspects are innumerable. The reason railroads grew up and continued to exist was the need to move people and products from a point of origin to a logical destination. Gather up milk from the farm, take it to the dairy, pick up bottled milk and ice cream to be delivered to the camp grounds for the picnic which the trains had hauled passengers to attend. Sounds like an economic microcosim to me, and you thought you were just "playing trains" with your son!! I wonder if the snickerers at the LHS have as good a grasp of the "island" that they model?
I hate the "it's your railroad do what you want" theme. I don't expect that you will run a Big Boy or Challenger on your version of Sodor pulling a stack train of intermodal containers, but your son may develop an understanding of why those containers are going by in the real life trains he may see. What ever your course of action with regard to the LHS, continue to enjoy your time with your son!
Will
Thomas the Train is a bit creepy for me! A talking train? Ranks up there with clowns! Just kidding! Anyways, who cares what those guys think. It is great bonding time with your son and may perhaps get him turned onto modelling trains later in life. Go for it and enjoy!
TGG wrote:. The funny thing is, (and the point of my post) when I go to my LHS, the staff give me the impression that I'm not as respected as other model railroaders because of my choice of "road". I've seen the raised eyebrow, and heard the little snickers. To be honest it seems a little immature to me. I mean they had no issues when I was dropping big bucks on a HO scale, DCC/Sound equiped, CN F3A-B. If the store wasn't so well stocked, I'd probably take my business elsewhere. Am I being overly sensitive or do you think this is as wrong as I do?
The often quoted saying of, "It's your railroad and you can do as you please" may be true but in doing so, remember that at the same time it comes with the caveat that you can't expect your work to be taken seriously by everyone else either.
CNJ831
http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php/cat/500/ppuser/4309
'My name is Jon, I'm 43 and I model Thomas the Tank Engine' (Thomas Anonymous)
Model whatever you like. After all, we're all only 'playing with toy trains'. Those snickers will come from the non-modelling fraternity anyway.
Happy modelling,
Jon
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Next time you go to your LHS, ask them what they are laughing at?. Is it me or my dollars? No matter what they answer they lose. If they are laughing at you then you wont be bringing your dollars to them anymore. If they are laughing at your dollars, well you won't bring them back.
Many years ago, at a time when I had little funds to spend on my hobby, I came across a dealer who told his assistent at a train meet not to waste time on me as I had not much money to spend. Until then I had spent a few dollars at his shop. Now that my economic situation is so much different He does not get one cent from me. Best of all he knows why.
Anyway you do your own thing and enjoy this great hobby.
kchronister wrote: twcenterprises comment about a 1:1 Thomas reminded me... I've taken the kids to ride on the 1:1 Thomas twice now, over at Strasburg. I think I get more of a charge out of it than they do. They dig the ride, then want to know if we can go buy a new piece for their Brio-style Thomas wooden train set. I just want to go have another ride.
twcenterprises comment about a 1:1 Thomas reminded me...
I've taken the kids to ride on the 1:1 Thomas twice now, over at Strasburg. I think I get more of a charge out of it than they do. They dig the ride, then want to know if we can go buy a new piece for their Brio-style Thomas wooden train set. I just want to go have another ride.
Let's hear it for "purists" everywhere!
Japan has its own Thomas knockoff, SL-man, part of a preschool superhero cartoon. When the tourist-oriented Otaru Railway temporarily modified a C11 class 2-6-4 into SL-man, bright red paint, white wheels and "arms" growing out of the side tanks, the Japanese railfan community was incensed! How DARE the owners desecrate a real, operating Japan National Railways locomotive, even temporarily? (On the other hand, the kids and a lot of parents loved it.)
I remember when the 1:1 Thomas visited Nashville. The base for the visit was the original Tennessee Central station, and it was wall-to-wall folks! A lot of them took the opportunity to take a look at the club layout which was also on display.
I, too, have encountered a few individuals of questionable manners at shows and LHS. Once, after I mentioned my choice of prototype, a parlor patriot sneered, "Watzamattuh? America ain't good enough fer ya?" When I flipped out my military ID and asked what branch he'd served in, he got VERY quiet.
So, for all the modelers who wish to get off (and well away from) the beaten track, more power to you, and good luck in creating your dream.
Illegitamati non carborundum!
Chuck (modeling central Japan in September, 1964)
Hey Trevor,
I am in the middle of converting a Thomas engine to DCC...and I just say PSHAW to those who snicker. My son love two engines... Thomas and my lionel Challenger and heck, that is one of the big reasons I model railroad... so I can have some fun with him! Quick question, does the Bachman have a DCC plug or did you "wire it". I have a lil cheapo thomas with a wire wound motor that I am having difficulty getting to work right... (the motor I think)...
Brian
Let's face it: we're all reliving our childhoods in one way or another through our modeling (the adult term for "playing with trains"), and so what? It's healthy, creative, and as you've proven, provides a fantastic way to bond with the next generation. The sky is the limit as far as creativity goes, and as much as I admire the rivet counter's masterpiece photo spreads in Model RR'er, the rivet counting can become really obsessive, to the point that many people feel intimidated by the hobby. That may partially explain the falling number of model railroaders. Unless you're modeling a museum piece, a layout is much more attractive (especially to kids) if it involves elements of humor & whimsy. It's your world, so what you say goes.
You're son is learning so much from doing this with you, as well as spending a lot of quality time with Dad. The guys at the LHS, assuming they were really unkind and not just mildly amused, are shooting themselves in the foot. It's that sort of elitist attitude that will do this hobby in -- this belief that only a select few carry the torch of model railroading, and the rest of the people are just playing with toys.
Ah, but that's the wrong shade of blue on Thomas....
Something that isn't always recognised is that while the original Thomas stories were simply based on bedtime stories told by Awdry senior to Awdry junior, much of the later books was based on their model railway.
Henry was rebuilt from an LNER prototype Pacific to an LMS prototype 4-6-0 because Awdry had obtained a model of an LMS Stanier "Black Five" and painted it green as his "Henry".
"Duck" was called that because the particular model Awdry had on his layout (a "Gaiety" GWR 57XX 0-6-0 pannier Tank) had a bad waddle, and when running looked like a duck.
The selection of diesel locomotives reflected the availability of models in the early 1960s, BoCo being the Hornby Dublo Metropolitan Vickers Type 2 and the other being the Triang Beyer Peacock "Hymek".
The visit of "Flying Scotsman" to Sodor "from the mainland" coincided with the release by Hornby of a model of the preserved locomotive.
In 1948, of course, the private Sodor railway was nationalised, as was the rest of the British Railways, and Sir Topham Hatt, who had been the "Fat Director" of the private railway became the "Fat Controller" of the nationalised "Region". This character was in fact based on a well known railfan and friend of Awdry (whose name escapes me)
While Bachmann base their models on the drawings from the book, the Hornby "Thomas" models are all recycled British prototype models. The "Hymek" is of course the original Triang moulding that Awdry used on his layout, Hornby now providing a face moulding on one end.
Awdry's Sodor, in the books at least, adhered to prototype practice somewhat more than the TV stories, but more than most model railways. Following the books would be a good guide for a scale British layout, as well as a Thomas collection.
Take an original Thomas book to the Hobby shop, and explain how you are following a real prototype, as well as a sadly little known but very influential classic layout!
M636C
Ya know what...? If I had the space and there was more Thomas the Tank Engine in N scale...I would love to model Sodor.
I'm still a Thomas fan; and I'm 17. So if I were to build a Thomas layout...It would be for me as I have no children at this moment in time. I don't think I would be critized at my LHS...Because I work there and am good friends with everyone. They would probably think it would be a fairly cool idea. However, if it was spread around the school that a high school senior is playing with toy trains that came from a show for four year olds...I'd be laughed at around every corner. Would it bother me? It may get annoying after a few weeks...But I wouldn't stop doing it.
Don't worry about the people at your LHS. And if it does bother you, just explain to them that the layout you are building isn't just for you to run trains on. They'll support the idea that you are helping to bring in a new generation to the hobby.
But there is always that magic about Thomas that seems to linger with train enthusiasts everywhere.
Scott - Dispatcher, Norfolk Southern
Railphotog wrote: What if another adult said they were modeling a Sesame Street scene? Would you show a lot of respect if you were in the scale modeling fraternity?
Something else that hasn't been said, "Sodor" would, in a sense, be a freelanced line, based on the fictitious prototype. That is to say, the real "Sodor" exists, only in model form. If you built your own version of "Sodor", would you be any less the modeler than anyone who builds their own version of the V&O, or the G&D, or freelances any other road? You LHS folks may think so, if their snickering isn't just "all in fun". If I went into my LHS and bought the Thomas line, and I started hearing the jabs, I would probably say something like "these are for my son" (probably truthfully), but I would also be tempted to say something like "yeah, I plan on running Thomas right alongside my BLI F units, and my Spectrum steamers, so what? I'm not ashamed to admit it" or to ask whether any other modeler has any other kind of unrealistic rolling stock, be it a Southern Railway F45 (I have one, even though Southern never did), a SF GG1 (I've not seen one, but you never know), or if their scratchbuilt flatcar is missing a row of rivets, or whatever.
Truth is, most of us have compromises in the level of realism in our equipment to varying degrees, and there have been photos of 1:1 versions of Thomas, so who's to laugh if you're buying the model? The only modelers who could even have a legitimate arguement would be those who have scratchbuilt or superdetailed their models to the Nth degree, and who have replicated a specific place and time so meticulously, that even an expert museum curator could not find any discrepancies in their efforts. These modelers are so few and far between, aside from all the modelers who strive for this level, but still have a ways to go, that I would doubt there are maybe 100 in the world. The rest would have at least 1 discrepancy on their layout, be it an out-of-place car, locomotive, detail on said car or locomotive, structure or whatever.
My point is this: even if you're in your 40's or 50's or even older, what's so wrong with running Thomas? Even if your kids are grown, you may have grandkids, or nieces/nephews or other extended family. Along those lines, what's so wrong with fixing up an old Tyco/Model Power or other "low quality" engine? Some of us have sentimental attachments to these old engines, and would like to be able to run them occasionally "for old time's sake". I have even been known to upgrade an old Tyco type car with Kadee's and metal wheels.
Bob Boudreau
CANADA
Visit my model railroad photography website: http://sites.google.com/site/railphotog/
"Besides, if you can model to the standards on the show, you can model ANYTHING well."
I totally agree with what ElMik wrote.The modelling on TTTE is an excellent standard for all of us. Just turn the sound off and watch sometime.
I'm sorry to hear about your troubles at the LHS. Mine sells the Thomas stuff and it's right down there where the kids can find it. My kids. I'm glad they loke the hobby shop, and Thomas is a character who is attracting children to the hobby -- a few adults too. There will always be kids who love trains, and the challenge for the hobby is to help those kids become model railroaders. Hooray for you for honoring your child's interest and getting involved.
I think a weathered Thomas would look cool.
You know, a lot of the guys are still trying to live down the "playing with trains" moniker, and I wonder if what you're doing hits a little too close to home for them. So just relax.
My only objection to Thomas is that he has big flanges and I'd have to replace the wheels to get him to run on my code 83/70 layout.
Enjoy!Peter
I absolutely concur. 10-20 years down the road, you'll hear "I got started with Thomas" as often as you hear "I got started with a Tyco/Bachmann box set" or a "Lionel setup" today.
Plus, if the Thomas stuff is so rotten, why does the store carry it? Can't be that bad.
I don't think there's anything wrong with Sodor as a layout. If you took the one I see on TV with my kids and pulled off the bright-colored, smiley-face trains and replaced them with something more "real" I bet those same guys who poo-poo it would talk about the nice scenery, the cool use of real running water, etc. and so forth. I, for one, would LOVE to see some overall photos of the layout, a documentary on the modelling aspects of the show, or even a tour!
And while my layout is not Sodor, I do own several of the Bachmann Thomas trains in order to get my kids involved, and I have no shame about it. They live in the roundhouse with the 'real' locos - I don't "hide" them when the kids aren't around. Heck, I put DCC decoders in 'em that cost more than the dang loco! Now that's crazy-talk right there!
It's not just Thomas. You get many who 'look down their nose' at those who don't:
See, there's a whole hierarchy of skills and a whole hierarchy of how intense you want to get versus just enjoying it. I think the skill of 'imagining' is woefully undervalued in this hobby. Is it a matter of "you'll never be good enough." OR, is it a matter of "You'll never be bored..." It's a matter of attitude by those with the skills.
Now, I msyelf do some of those things above, and some I don't do. I think ALL of them are great, and I think doing ANY of them is a fine skill. I hope one day to do all of them myself (except maybe the truly slavish prototype thing... That's not for me).
More importantly, I hope they're all skills people are willing to share rather than hoard. It's a lot easier to sniff at someone who doesn't know how to handlay a turnout than it is to teach them how to do it.
Seek out the clubs, shops and groups that lean toward the latter. They do exist.
Gee Trevor, I bet the LHS still took your money!!! Next time pay in small change and claim it came from the piggy bank.
I don't model Sodor...but I would if I had more room. I got a Thomas for my girlfriend's boys. Now I have them all, with cars and Toby on order. They are all converted to DCC and Gordon and Henry have sound. The boys LOVE running them on the layout. The biggest crisis weekend before last was trying to explain to a 4 year old why he couldn't pull my daylight cars behind Henry (haven't converted Thomas stuff to Kadees).
It is a great way to get the younger generation initiated into the hobby. They identify with Thomas and their imaginations do the rest. As I said, if I had the room I'd add a 5x9 Island of Sodor with harbor and quarry. I'd even tack a scale hand painted sign on the Isle of Sodor sign saying "No Deseasels".
As far as the equipment goes, it's simple and sturdy. The motors are Spectrum motors because Bachmann said it wouldn't be economical to set up a seperate line just for Thomas stuff.
Don't be afraid to send pics when you get going.
And Mr. Beasly, don't worry about the code 100 and plastic wheels, it just means you're not really in the hobby..snicker, snicker. (Just kidding)
One Track Mind wrote:Something else needs to be pointed out about snickering in a hobby shop, in case you are relatively new to the atmosphere...I don't see it as much anymore...but in the old days you'd see Missouri Pacific modellers making fun of Rock Island modellers and vice versa.
GearDrivenSteam wrote:Yes, Thomas is the Rodney Dangerfield of model railroading.
The guys at the LHS are stupid for laughing at your choice of road....I'd tell them if they don't appreciate it, I could very well take my business elswhere if they find it so amusing...(I'd also have a great urge to dot both their eyes, but prison isn't that appealing to me)...That's just plain wrong on their part...Thomas the tank engine is cool and i try to watch it every chance i can on PBS even at 40+(closer to 50)
Maybe you can get Sir Toppum Hat to put out a contract on those imbeciles and rough them up a bit . He's the guy with all the connections.......chuck
I'd be tempted to see if they snicker when told that you're only there to look at the item because your son is excited and just can't wait for the UPS truck to arrive on Monday.
Then I'd ask to purchase a couple packs of track spikes. Leave 'em wondering just how much product they're no longer selling to you and their lost future customer.
dwRavenstar
- Mark
My education is at odds with my temperament; the former says I should be polite and learn if the snickering is genuinely derisive or if it is a sign of something else. The latter says I should ask the person about their amusement, and if the answer is not satisfactory, to tell them that it is so unfortunate that I will no longer be able to support the business, and that I would be advising my friends to stay away.
Snickering about one's choice is likely a sign of rigidity, and that is never a good thing for a business, nor for someone to whom you go for advice or help. If people don't advance, they fall behind (attributed to Seneca).
Finally, their apparent position begs the question- why sell what you deride? If you know or believe that something is in some way deficient on a given dimension, why would you make it a practice to offer it to valued customers?
Yeah, and there are people who won't respect my layout either, because I use Code 100 track and some of my cars have plastic wheels.
I'd like to see your layout on Photo Fun some weekend. We always appreciate a good modelling job, and something like a "serious" Thomas layout would be worth seeing.
If I had train-friendly kids or grandkids, I'd probably go out and get a Thomas set myself, just to run for them.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
I also support your idea to model Thomas. I have my own large HO scale layout but I built a smaller Thomas layout for my two young Grandson's. I also purchased the Bachman sets and have continued to add more cars and engines to their layout. It really keeps them busy for hours and also keeps them from trying to run mine which is considerably more complicated to operate. My LHS never says a word about what I buy. I even took an engine and cars to our clubs layout one afternoon to run for a group of kids that came to watch the trains run. As always, Thomas was the star of the show. They were watching it more than the large intermodel and mixed freight trains that were also running.
George
Model what you want - it's your railroad.
I can remember when I first joined the TCA as a teenager and had to "justify" collecting Marx tin litho (back when it was "cheap tin junk" as opposed to nowadays when it's become "fine collectable lithographed tin-plate art" - 20-odd years later my trash has truely become a treasue!). If you LSH wants to act like that, take the above advise and go mail-order. I'd even suggest looking into British prototype stuff from Bachmann and Hornby since the wheels, couplers etc. are completely compatable (I say this because I also collect Brit outline OO and, well, Hobbytown has these nice tank wagons that just happen to have "Sodor Oil" on the side instead of "BP" or whatever - and look good behind my Class 37 regardless).
Something else needs to be pointed out about snickering in a hobby shop, in case you are relatively new to the atmosphere...I don't see it as much anymore...but in the old days you'd see Missouri Pacific modellers making fun of Rock Island modellers and vice versa.
I'm not saying that makes it right to snicker at you, but for some folks in a hobbyshop, some of the snickering just comes with the territory.
Plus you should be thanked for supporting, and hopefully continue to support your local hobby shop. Although that was a good suggestion about maybe confronting the owner or manager about the ungratefulness shown.
I have never modeled Thomas but when I was a kid I checked out all the videos from the library. I now have a nephew who likes trains. He is 5 years old and loves the HO scale 4 x 8 layout the uncle sets up, but I suspect he loves Thomas also.
If you like Thomas go ahead and model it. The "hobby shop" that thinks your nuts, well I think they just lost a customer. Am I right?? They have no right to laugh at you since you model Thomas whether you are forty or four.
-dekruif
I support your decision all the way! If you and your son are having fun doing the "Sodor" line then that is all that is important. Any chance you can get to bond with your son is worth more than the snickers and jeers that the LHS is giving you.
It really surprises me that they are not giving you the support especially since you are spending good money on things you like.
Hobby shops are a dying breed and if you are not comfortable with them I am sure there are plenty of online options available to you. One of the main reasons I enjoy my LHS so much is the one-on-one contact I can get in supporting and answering all my questions, but if I did not have them I would be going online again.
If I were in your shoes and the next time I went to that shop to spend some $$$ on items and I got a jeer or a snicker from them I would have to assert myself. I would have let them know that it makes me uncomfortable when I spend my money at their shop and they are making rude comments. I would also ask to speak to the owner or manager and let them know that I can take the business elsewhere.
In today’s shrinking local hobby shop market it makes good business sense for them to make their customers feel welcome and want to spend money in their shops.
Ryan BoudreauxThe Piedmont Division Modeling The Southern Railway, Norfolk & Western & Norfolk Southern in HO during the merger eraCajun Chef Ryan
I started out modeling Hogwarts so that my kids would be involved. Who cares whether your hobby shop likes or dislikes what you are doing. Besides, you can probably get what you want cheaper on the Internet.
Doing things with your kids is far more important than your LHS's opinion of your road name.
Chip
Building the Rock Ridge Railroad with the slowest construction crew west of the Pecos.
Model what you want. Model what you and your son will enjoy.
Yeah you might be the only 40 year old who models Sodor, but so what?
And at 40 I'd quit worrying what other people think.
I am disappointed that any hobby shop snickers at a customer who is buying something. I guess that's to be expected in your case, especially from other customers...but in the case of a LHS employee making fun of your Thomas purchases...that may well be on the immature side, but it's also not a real good business practice!
My solution would be to use mail order, save money in the process, and avoid the hostile local hobby shop crowd.