What has happened to the people in this hobby?

[Anonymous]

I've modeled the Chicago and North Western for almost 10 years and recently decided to model the Route Rock as if they never went bankrupt. During that transition time till now I've noticed alot of resentment from many when they learn what I model. This has gone so far as one hobby shop dealer would not help me get parts for some locomotives I was making. He was offended that I was painting Kato models blue and white and placing a big R on the sides. Another incident happened at a train show when I took in a Dash 9 I spent weeks detailing and painting to take pictures of on the display layout they had. Some guy who ran a rather large stand there and came over to me. He asked me about my paint scheme and why I was painting a perfectly good Dash 9 in that scheme. Before I could answer he picked up my loco and threw it on the ground smashing it. What happened to him after I won't say.

I asked my wife who was there if I came off wrong and she said I did not. I'm getting to the point that this hobby is no longer fun. I don't normally share my hobby with anyone except here because I won't be facing any charges from someone who was offended at my way of modeling.

Is this the way the people are becoming in this hobby? I've found only two hobby shops in this state that have no problem with my little world I'm making. Has anyone noticed the holier than thou attitude from fellow hobbiers like I have? Maybe it's just the state I live in I'm not sure. Thanks for letting me share my thoughts.

Thanks,
Jeremy

[dharmon]

They're all out bashing Furlow?

I certainly hope you're buddy there got a) the snot beat outta him, b) some sort of misdemeanor charge, and c) escorted out of the show.

[Hawks05]

not really. i just started and eveyone that i bought stuff from this past weekend was really helpful. the people i went to the show with have like over 75+ years experience with the hobby combine and they are really helpful. i was thinking about making my own railroad but i don't think i will. to much time.

[rambo1]

I am in total shock to hear what happened. I thought modeling was to be a hobbie and not a crime. The railroad you choose to model is your choice. I guess you just to feel sorry for these people. You keep on modeling your railroad you have my full respect. rambo1.........

[vsmith]

Hello Jeremy, Welcome to the "Lone Wolf" club.

I had a similar experience years ago when I was modeling HOn30. Some evil rivit counters dissed my kitbashed loco's and suggested I take up "knitting". I responded by showing them the bird and replying "sit on this and spin!"

Sorry to hear about your bad experience. All I can say is if someone smashed one of my engines he'd be the first person on earth to have a model train inserted nasaly. Seriuosly, I would have hurt him...badly. The surgeon would be wondering how all these train parts got shoved into his body cavity. I hope you took him to court for the cost of your engine.

Now I'm really stinking things up by doing 1/2" g gauge totally freelanced and loving it. I know exactly what your feeling I have had to deal with it for several years and now I'm not taking it anymore. Someone disses my stuff they had better have some good reasons for it, not just "its freelanced" or "it never existed therefore its irrelevent" or they are getting the same salute the other evil rivit counters got.

STUFF THE RIVIT COUNTERS AND MODEL WHAT YOU WANT!!!!

Other hobby shops give you a hard time? Dont shop there and dont be afraid of telling others what they did to you and why you wont shop there anymore, it has an effect. Word of mouth is blood for most hobby shops. Shop at the ones that are accepting your approach, most shops could care less if you were modeling a layout on Mars, your patronizing thier shop and they are going to be helpfull for your business.

There are an awful lot of guys like you doing the semi-freelance thing. This forum has several. Dont let the snot-nosed rivit counters drive you from the hobby, there are others out there that feel your anger. The evil rivit counters are a small and hopefully diminishing group, most people I have met are very open minded to new ideas and dont have a problem with singular visions.

Hey, its YOUR railroad, do what you want with it, paint your own custom engines, JUST DO IT! to rip off a popular add. and dont let ANYONE tell you, your wrong or that what your doing is wrong. They are being wrong-headed for being so hi-falluting and snobbish.

THERE IS NO WRONG WAY TO DO THIS HOBBY, that goes from the humbleist of 4x6 layouts to the room sized empires.

The old-alligator-mouth, Vic.

[AlcoRS11Nut]

Why should that guy care what you model???. To me, what you do is another form of free-lanceing.

[Anonymous]

I have noticed a little of this attitude thing. On the other hand, a man who is well known amoung CB & Q modelers is building a "Burlington & Missouri River" layout. He paints modern EMD & GE locos in long defunct CB & Q schemes. The Chinese Red for one maker's product, the old "blackbird" scheme for units from the ohter builder. The gentleman is an excellent modeler and I have not heard any one criticize his work.

On the other hand I made a goofy comment (just being a bit of a kidder) some time back during an op session at a well know layout and have not been asked back. Apparently the host was offended.

As far as I'm concerned if you want to model the CB&Q on the moon "it's your railroad". As long as you (and your operators if you have them) enjoy it, then it's ok. If you don't enjoy it you'll probaly do something else anyway.

Ed

[brothaslide]

Did Route Rock do what Enron did to people? Perhaps this dude was a former disgruntle employee.

I have run into many elitist snobs in this hobby and it makes it no fun - but the guy breaking your engine is just plain nuts!

[trainfan1221]

I at least hope you got the guy who smashed your engine to pay you back before doing what you wont tell us to him

[Anonymous]

As a very avid and forthright supporter of this hobby, I am horrified to find out what happened to your model. Had that happened to me, several of my fellow model railroading friends and I (We also costume as mobsters when we are bored) would have made him dissapear quite suddenly. His bones would be found several years later out in the high mountains of Wyoming. Eaten on by bears.

What that person did was certainly out of line and I almost demand that my fellow sane model railroading compatriots (Now there could be valid arguments questioning my own sanity [8D] ) completely cut this guy off from his hobby resources. As for you Mr. Jeremy, I run a custom paint shop and as such am frequently ordering detail parts. I would be more than happy if any of your present suppliers cut you off to order the parts you need and have them shiped to you. If you are interested in this offer use the link below and email me and we will work out the details further. I must admit that I have been somewhat of a secret fan of the Rock Island and enjoy seeing their equipment modeled. Even if it is Dash-9s and SD70Ms.

James

[Anonymous]

P.S. If I find out this guy ever tries to contract my custom paint services I will not do business with him.

[Anonymous]

Are you serious? If the guy actually broke your model that is just so way out of line it's beyond horrible.

I take a little interest in the history but I'm also doing "fantasy" layouts. In fact our church has a layout that has both a union pacific diesel and a hogwarts train running on two lines side by side. considering that one doesn't egsist and moreover if it did it would be on the other side of the pond so to speak... soon they may both see some paint bushes as they become an offical part of the A+O (Alpha and Omega) model railroad ministry

Actually I'm having a real blast working on the plans and fiction of my own personal 1'X3' fictional layout too. Thinking up an entire world around it is just a hoot. Currently it's got a mine, dock, and even moonshine operation planned into it.

Did you see the Mexican railroad in model railroader magazine a few months back? To me that was among the best I've ever seen. Moreover in the last model railroader magazine there were some good comments in the letters to the editor section but also someone who hated it and thought it was a caracture.

Boy I think I would really have to restrain myself not to punch someone in the head if they smashed my model train like that. Not that I endorse violence, but that is just so horrible.

[Anonymous]

I want to tie this bad boy to the bottom of a slow hot ballast train in the Southwest and left on the siding.

If anything like that ever happened people here in Arkansas I gaurantee you there would be a problem. Throwing a very expensive engine to the floor is very childish and calls for very fast and decisive response.

I do hope that you recover the cost of the engine and maybe some damages as well. It is unlawful to destruct property.

With that said, I will attempt to lighten things by saying this: since we dont know "Who" this offender is... (Frankly we should be informed since this happened in a public place) we could off hand mention to a person about a non bankrupt route rock.. IF the resulting person's face turns bright red and fists clench and whiten, there is a good chance you found the man who broke the engine.

[AggroJones]

I would have unleashed the dragon on that guy, no matter how large he was. Then, I would have sued for the cost of the engine.

Some of my modelling isn't appericiated by some of the locals. The main person I'm trying to please is me.

P.S. My layout quality is good enough to be featured in MR, but the room has alot of other objects that would appear in the back ground of the photos. It falls under the catagory of spectacular small layouts.

[Anonymous]

I've been involved in this hobby seriously now for twenty years. I've run show's for a club, and been active in two others. I don't know if it's the modeling or history part of it ,
but this hobby seems to have a larger than normal portion of IGNORANT people participating in it.

What you are doing is what some of my freinds refer to as " Modeler's License". If you go to the Erie-Lackawanna web site you will find a section on what if the RR still existed, which has fictitious rosters.

Some of the BEST MODELERS i have met do not belong to clubs, or even show off some of their work because they are sick of the petty nitpicking.

Do your own thing, some of us do appreciate someones work......just have to find us.

Besides, some of the biggest pain in the buts usually pay someone else to do their detailing, they don't have the talent or the patience.

[Anonymous]

I went Proto-Freelance a few years back beacouse of people like that...i am sick and tired of hearing that im placing the wrong type of air horn for BNSF and crap like that...Now that im Proto-Freelance...SCREW what people think...it IS my railroad and i will run it the way i want. Now keep in mind that there is a very convincing story behind my railroad (if anyone wants to hear it all id be glad to tell them about it). But i have encountered the "Know it all" people out there...you know the ones im talking about...the ones who even if your knowedgeble on a subject have to either correct you...or ad in some really small detail that you missed just to make them look like they know more than you...i had this problem a few years ago with some dork on an AOL forum...and i flat out told him that it bothers me that he has an answer for EVERYTHING...he accused me of being jelous...i wasnt jelous...i was more irritated that if somone else posted information before he did that he had to CORRECT their post so that his was the end all be all. So i went proto-freelance. Another thing that greatly bothers me are the people that will nitpick every little thing on a model that you built...and im not trying to blow my horn...but i superdetail, paint, decal, and kitbash museam quality models (of which i have had my work mentioned in several publications beacouse of that...and at 24 years of age im damn proud of myself) but even then...and im sure its beacouse of my age...the nit pickers will still try and find something wrong with a locomotive...hey did you miss an air hose there on that SD70 pilot??? These people are the ones that make this hobby NOT FUN...and well...being an OTR Truckdriver and having a mouth that comes with the job...i have told many of them what i think of them using severl explatives that im sure are not fit for this all ages forum LOL. I left my last model railroad club beacouse of that...i have since joined another on that is not quite like an rectal-exam...and everyone there is "great people". Damn i been ranting a while...i guess to close out...SCREW THEM...if they dont like what YOU are modeling...well then that their problem...its like i say over the CB all the time to other truckers...."You drive your truck, and ill drive mine"....You play with your trains and ill play with my trains.

Johnny Dash 9

[Anonymous]

Sick, just sick. I could care less if your layout was based on prototype or not. if it looks good I'll compliment you, if i don't like it, i''ll move on. it's your choice how it looks, and if your happy with it, well, i''m happy for you to.

I've seem steamers pulling modern passenger cars, is it right? who knows, the owner thougt so, i thought it was a a pretty interesting idea. And after talking with the owner, you realized he did it as a spoof, an eye catcher.

If you want to paint your cars bold pink with blue poka dots, by all means do so, it's your line! you own it, you built it.

As for the moron who broke the engine, not sure of the original value, but if all the time, labor and costs equal over $250 in the US, you can actualy have him arrested for grand larceny (he did take it off your layout without your permission, theft), and destruction of private property.

[Anonymous]

I've been in this hobby since 1953 and i've seen this RIVIT COUNTER attitude increase every year, especially the last 10 years. To the Rivit Counters I say, stick it where the sun don't shine, this hobby is for everyone, not just you...

[bruce22]

once a jerk always a jerk! don't lower yourself to their abysmal level. as my dearly departed dad (who died at 91) said "if u can't change it or won't change it, ignore it". words I try to live by. Hang in1

[Anonymous]

I didn't think that people in this hobby could be so disrespectful. Every one I meet in this hobby are pleasent decent people. In fact, every one who has visited my layout has something nice to say about it. It's as if they are afraid to offend me by finding something they don't like. One of the reasons I have open house's is to invite constructive critisisim. Hey, I just had a brain wave while writing this. I'm going to have a questionaire for visitors to fill out. Maybe people are more willing to give constructive critisism if they dont have to do it in person. They can remain anonymos. Sorry,I've gotten off topic. My point is, in my neck of the woods, I have never heard of anything like this ever happening and can't imagine it happening any where else. ( not that I doubt you ).It's true what they say about the bad apple. It only takes one to spoil the barrel. I hope this bad experience doesnt stop you from reaching your goals in this hobby.

[douginut]

WOW! you have my sympathy completely.
The Jerk does too. he needs a hobby, badly.
Model Railroading helps me to retreat into my own little world
And be more forgiving of those who offend my sensabilities.
To be patient with my (adult) kids and grandkids.
and to just ENJOY.
I just dream on as if the CNS&M and the Milwaukee Road still prospered.

Doug, In Utah

[Anonymous]

Cool ! Rock Island was my all time favorite line. Have you gone to the rock island preservation society website. I don't have the link handy but yahoo could find it. What part of Iowa are you from? I am in Cedar rapids and currently starting my dream layout of our downtown switching yard an I have several red rock loco's as well as a couple blue.
I have some UP since they come now here but certainly prefer CNW .

[IRONROOSTER]

Sadly, no matter what the leisure activity there are folks who have taken it way too seriously. I have personally seen this in golf and bridge, but I know it happens in others as well. Years ago there was a big flap over Penn Central steam engines. I'm not a big fan of diesels, but I would paint a Dash 9 in Brunswick green, with gold pinstripes and the Pennsy herald on the side. I'll be sure to keep it hidden in my basement where I can run it with outside braced boxcars and a caboose on the end just because I like them. I'm surprised that a hobby shop owner is making so much money that he can be snooty with his customers, but the solution there of course is to not shop with him and tell all your friends about it. Like you, one of the things I most enjoy about this hobby is the chance to create my own world the way I want it.
Enjoy
Paul

[Anonymous]

I was horrified to hear about this - as mentioned before, I hope you got that guy to pay for the cost of the loco. I've seen a lot of "what if" models of newer prototypes in old liveries (or old prototypes in new liveries), and they're usually very convincing if properly done. So what if they're not "prototypically correct"? It's your RR and you can run what you want in my opinion. Do real trains have metal rod hanging down from their couplers, or switches that throw instantly? No, but many models do (I know slow motion switch machines are available, but they're too expensive for me).

Your best bet might be to tell all your friends about this incident - that way this guy won't have any customers left in a very short time!

[Anonymous]

this F***ing man does not really know what hobby means.....
A hobby is a way to escape from our day to day life... a kind of way to be " the Lord of the trains".... Everyone should be ( and must be!!! ) able to model his railroad as he fell it... And must also accept the way other modelers are having fun with it.

I feel very sorry about what happend to you and hoppe they aren't too many fanatic... of any sort in this hobby.

[Anonymous]

I hope that idiot that smashed your locomotive has paid dearly. What a moron!

Cindy

[eastcoast]

HOW RUDE OF HIM !!!!!
Some people have HUGE chips on the shoulder, eh.
I for one would first demand a payment or replacement,
or file charges of destruction of property. That stands up in
small claims court .
Look, not everyone out there is like this. I suspect this man
was probably disgruntled about the Roadname and not your
model personally. He sounded as if maybe he lost a job or was
done wrong by his employer. Alot of folks will carry around anger
after a major company goes away and resent the new guy.
STAY IN THE HOBBY. MODEL WHAT YOU WANT. There are many
fallen flags out there that I want to keep alive as well. "The Rock" was
an awesome road. Keep on modelling man.

[AltonFan]

There is no excuse for a person to take someone else's property and destroy it because he doesn't like the roadname or color or whatever. None whatsoever.

[Anonymous]

We have some of these same type people posting on this forum. They are close minded self centered old farts. They are the ones who still use homasote and hard shell and get hateful and offensive at others for using foam and other new fangled ways. They are the ones who call freelancers unskilled hacks. Just read some of the pasts posts about homasote v foam, and "is freelancing dead" to see them at their best. I meet them at the hobby shop I hang at sometimes and we all laugh and chuckel at them after they leave. Sad thing is they ususally have a small poor timid creature for a wife who they have abused all their life and if you disagree with them they take her home and beat the crap out of her that night. As to hobby shops acting that way, just go elsewhere. One opened and I went in the first time ever and wore a Hawaii shirt. The owner smarted off that I was blinding him. I let that slide. He then said I needed to go back home and change into adult cloths. I told him to F!!! of and walked out. He treated other that way and his store lasted 6 months and he went bankrupt. Funny isn't it, now who's laughing? FRED

[Anonymous]

That guy should be locked up!!!!!!!!!! What kind of a sicko does something like that?!! Anyone who is that fanatical must have some serious mental problems and should be banned from the hobby! I'm still fuming after reading your story! I can tell you that if it was myself who had this happen to me I would be sure to get a few punches in on the guy, no matter how big he was! I would definetly take him to court, maybe even Judge Judy, where he could get a real earfull!

Besides having HO trains, I'm also a collector and operator of prewar and postwar O and S gauge toy trains. They're not scale and a lot aren't based on real prototypes. They still look and run beautifully and I love them. Not all trains have to be perfect scale models. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but isn't the prupose of this hobby to have fun?

I would have loved to have seen your RI Dash 9. I'm a big fallen flag fan and like seeing items that might have existed if these roads were still around. The modelers who create these things that didn't exist have amazing creative genius and should be applauded for their efforts.

For those of you who might have something against modelers who model their own made-up railroad, read this. In the mid-80's there was a modeler named Lou Jaquith who had a layout of the then ficticious Paducah & Louisville RR. Lou worked for ICG's lines in Kentuky and when they were purachased by the Canada & Gulf Terminal he suggested to the new owners to give the line the name and paint scheme he was using in his HO layout and they actually did! I wonder what anyone who might have disliked him not modelling prototype thought after that.