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Where is everyone from?

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  • Member since
    April 2006
  • From: THE FAR, FAR REACHES OF THE WILD, WILD WEST!
  • 3,672 posts
Posted by R. T. POTEET on Saturday, May 12, 2007 12:53 PM
 jasperofzeal wrote:

 R. T. POTEET wrote:

I reside in the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west.

I suppose THESIS is a valid word assocated with your question although I would probably have used "premise."

I'm not sure about the validity of your THESIS; there is a flaw in your topic narrative and that is your use of the word "majority'.  "Majority" is a pretty big word.  The majority of the population of the United States probably does reside between the Ohio River and the Pacific Coast but that doesn't necessarily prove that that region has the majority of modelers.  California has many; to the best of my knowledge Idaho, Montana, and Wyoming have relatively few - boy am I going to get raked over that statement.  Define Texas!!! Western or Southern State.  I ask because Texas has very strong roots in both regions.  It also has Dallas/Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio all major metropolitan areas.  Incidently, demographers advance that by the turn of the twenty-second century Texas will be the nations most populous state; Wyoming will probably continue in last place which doesn't bother those who reside there at all; after all, they have one representative and two senators up on Capitol Hill which gives them the most substantial representation in the country.

Model railroading is PREDOMINANTLY an urban hobby and where you find a large urban population you are going to find a large model railroading population.  The midwest is richly urban but then so is the northeast; the south, as well as most of the west - even including Texas - is still predominantly rural.  California, with the nations largest population, is one gigantic traffic jam.  Model Railroader magazine used to publish data on "Where the Modelers are' based upon their subscription records - I haven't seen one of these in many years.

I would SPECULATE that the majority of modelers in the good ole' US of A reside north of the Potomac River, north of the Ohio River, and east of the Mississippi River.  Throw California and Texas into that mix and I'll bet that you account for two out of every three (active) modelers in the country.

  

I'm beginning to like you.  Not in a funny way, I just like how you speak.



Judging by some of the more profound (personal) e-mails which I have received you are in a very exclusive minority; most people think I am long-winded and pompous.  Few really get the acclaim they deserve in their lifetime. 

From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet

  • Member since
    February 2001
  • From: Canada
  • 21 posts
Posted by milkman on Saturday, May 12, 2007 12:00 PM
I am from  mid-western Ontario Canada,   Harriston... To be exact,, N scale layout in the basement,, TH&B, CP,    Pictures to follow soon   Steve
  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: AUSTRALIA
  • 308 posts
Posted by Teditor on Saturday, May 12, 2007 11:02 AM

Midwest - of Brisbane, Qld, Australia in the Garden City of Toowoomba.

A very large N scale North American based layout resides in my second home, the Darling Downs Model Railway Club, come and visit - ddmrc.com 

Teditor 

Teditor

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Posted by Dallas Model Works on Saturday, May 12, 2007 9:42 AM
Take a wild guess... Wink [;)]

Craig

DMW

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Fountain Valley, CA, USA
  • 607 posts
Posted by garyla on Saturday, May 12, 2007 8:54 AM

I live in Fountain Valley, California, adjacent to the better-known city of Huntington Beach.

Boy, would I love a basement!  However, as the name of my city might indicate, I live in an area that was once almost a marsh and has a very high water table--building anything with a subterranean level would be a bear.  I don't know for sure, but I suspect that seismic standards here would also tend to make approved construction very expensive.

Maybe that high water table will come in handy for me, though.  When the big earthquake hits, I'll be able to tread water after the ground opens up.

If I ever met a train I didn't like, I can't remember when it happened!
  • Member since
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  • From: near omaha ne
  • 209 posts
Posted by ramoutandabout on Saturday, May 12, 2007 8:00 AM

im from Fremont Ne.  just about 40 miles west of omaha. grew up in omaha  just a few blocks from  gibson yards (burlington).  father and is best friend worked for the up and were rail fans  big in to pics and all gosh do i wish i had some of those pics.

 

ray

 

  • Member since
    April 2006
  • From: greenville,south carolina
  • 297 posts
Posted by dwhitetop2 on Saturday, May 12, 2007 7:43 AM
Greenville, S.C. I have my layout in the basement.         Dave
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    July 2004
  • From: Southeast U.S.A.
  • 851 posts
Posted by rexhea on Saturday, May 12, 2007 12:51 AM

Tuscaloosa, Alabama

"Roll Tide"

Rex "Blue Creek & Warrior Railways" http://www.railimages.com/gallery/rexheacock
  • Member since
    July 2005
  • From: Lauderdale Co, Alabama
  • 612 posts
Posted by joeyegarner on Friday, May 11, 2007 10:17 PM
From the North woods of Alabama. Anderson to be specific.
Pay attention to what you read here, you may actually answer someone's question!
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  • From: Aurora Ohio
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Posted by dansapo on Friday, May 11, 2007 9:30 PM
I'm originally from a small town called Marcellus NY(just outside of Syracuse),But for the last 15 years Geauga / Portage county Ohio.
Dan Sapochetti
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Posted by mmartian22 on Friday, May 11, 2007 8:26 PM
from dayton oh.  where norfolk southern seems to rule here,
  • Member since
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  • From: Carmichael, CA
  • 8,055 posts
Posted by twhite on Friday, May 11, 2007 6:31 PM

I live in Carmichael, CA, an 'unincorporated' portion of Sacramento County.  I'm midway between to really fine hobby shops, one in Sacramento called BRUCE'S TRAINS, and one in nearby Roseville (site of one of the biggest railyards west of the Mississippi) called ROSEVILLE HOBBIES.  If I can't find what I want at one, the other one probably carries it.  And like the majority of Californians, my MR is in the garage ("California Basement"). 

Carmichael is midway between San Francisco and Lake Tahoe, either of which is about a two-hour drive either West or East.  I can head east into the Sierra toward Donner Pass and be in a completely different climactic zone in about thirty minutes watching those long freight trains on the edge of impossibly deep Sierra canyons. 

Life is good. 

Tom Tongue [:P]

  • Member since
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  • From: Plantsville Ct
  • 102 posts
Posted by dbradley on Friday, May 11, 2007 5:36 PM

Trains and I live in a basement in Plantsville Connecticut.

Den

  • Member since
    August 2004
  • From: Virginia Beach
  • 2,150 posts
Posted by tangerine-jack on Friday, May 11, 2007 5:22 PM
Virginia Beach.  That is in what is called the "Tidewater" or "Hampton Roads" area of Virginia.  It's really 5 overlapping cities (VA Beach, Chesapeake, Norfolk, Portsmouth, Suffolk) with two more on the peninsula (Hampton, Newport News) for a total of a seven city area.  Lots of good hobby stores in the area, but no basements (too flat and too close to sea level).  I expect the most common place for a layout is in a spare room or garage.

The Dixie D Short Line "Lux Lucet In Tenebris Nihil Igitur Mors Est Ad Nos 2001"

  • Member since
    April 2007
  • From: Goldsboro NC
  • 117 posts
Posted by railroadinmedic on Friday, May 11, 2007 4:44 PM
Building it in NC, the RR is in TN and all of those trains in Frankfort Ind is what got me started.
Building the CF&W, (Caney Fork & Western), short line-in and around Rock Island TN, 70's to present...
  • Member since
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  • From: New Brighton, Minnesota
  • 1,493 posts
Posted by wctransfer on Friday, May 11, 2007 3:31 PM

I live in New Brighton Minnesota, right by Minneapolis. Lots of modelers in Minnesota, and for a good reason. The Twin Cities are still very busy train wise, but the scary thing is that it used to be even bigger. Oh well.

Alec

Check out my pics! [url="http://wctransfer.rrpicturearchives.net/"] http://www.railpictures.net/showphotos.php?userid=8714
  • Member since
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  • From: Sweden
  • 1,808 posts
Posted by Lillen on Friday, May 11, 2007 3:22 PM

I live in Sweden, Indal a small community north of Sundsvall.

 

 

Magnus

Unless otherwise mentioned it's HO and about the 50's. Magnus
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Posted by Anonymous on Friday, May 11, 2007 2:55 PM
Well so far it appears as though the Midwest dominates on here.  Midwest and west coast.  It may change at anytime though.
  • Member since
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  • From: East-Side Seattle
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Posted by bpickering on Friday, May 11, 2007 2:32 PM
 Hoople wrote:
Umm its meant to say "Seattle, WA"  I think sue and I are the only people on this forum that are from WA.

I haven't been very active in the forums of-late, but I still live in Washington. Big Smile [:D] 

Brian Pickering "Typos are very important to all written form. It gives the reader something to look for so they aren't distracted by the total lack of content in your writing." - Randy K. Milholland
  • Member since
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  • From: Northern Va
  • 1,924 posts
Posted by yougottawanta on Friday, May 11, 2007 2:20 PM
I am in the middle of no where (and like it like that) in a place west of Warrenton Va. Which is approximately 2 hours west of washington depending on traffic Banged Head [banghead] 1 1/2 hours in light traffic. I am very lucky in that there is a great LHS in warrenton. The owner (Tony) has actually hired some model railroaders who know the hobby. He also automatically discounts everything 10% plus you can sign up for a hobby card which gives another 5% off. And it is only about ten minutes from my house. And its nice they know most of their customers by name.     
  • Member since
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  • From: Alexandria KY
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Posted by Zandoz on Friday, May 11, 2007 2:18 PM
Originally from a small town in NW Ohio called Defiance, then 18+ years near Sandusky Ohio, now in Newport Kentucky.

Reality...an interesting concept with no successful applications, that should always be accompanied by a "Do not try this at home" warning.

Hundreds of years from now, it will not matter what my bank account was, the sort of house I lived in, or the kind of car I drove...But the world may be different because I did something so bafflingly crazy that my ruins become a tourist attraction.

"Oooh...ahhhh...that's how this all starts...but then there's running...and screaming..."

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  • From: Alabama
  • 343 posts
Posted by BMRR on Friday, May 11, 2007 1:33 PM

Anniston, Alabama.

Stan.

THE SOUTHERN SERVES THE SOUTH.

  • Member since
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  • From: Alabama
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Posted by cjcrescent on Friday, May 11, 2007 12:59 PM
Alabama, Birmingham area.

Carey

Keep it between the Rails

Alabama Central Homepage

Nara member #128

NMRA &SER Life member

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Posted by AltoonaRailroader on Friday, May 11, 2007 12:49 PM

I'm from Central PA, Altoona, home of the "World Famous Horseshoe Curve", but it seems that outside of RailFans it's really not that "world famous" at least not anymore. I grew up 2.5 miles away from the HSC and used to play on the mainline all the time as a kid and hunted the mountains around there too. My great grand father used to hate having to stay over night becuase the trains kept him up, now it seems I can't sleep well without them. My home now is less than a mile as the crow flies from the Altoona Locomotive shops and the mainline and sometimes you can hear the big bang when a train stops to suddenly or if they're building a train and car gets to get going to fast when it couples.

 

Later,

  • Member since
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  • From: Germany
  • 1,951 posts
Posted by wedudler on Friday, May 11, 2007 12:49 PM

far away, but this planet Smile [:)]

I'm in Germany. My layout is in the basement.

 

Wolfgang

Pueblo & Salt Lake RR

Come to us http://www.westportterminal.de          my videos        my blog

  • Member since
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  • From: Olympia, WA
  • 2,313 posts
Posted by gear-jammer on Friday, May 11, 2007 12:20 PM

My husband, Larry and I are from Olympia, Washington.

 Hello Hello

Sue 





Anything is possible if you do not know what you are talking about.

  • Member since
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  • From: Almost Heaven...West Virginia
  • 793 posts
Posted by beegle55 on Friday, May 11, 2007 11:57 AM

 Rangerover wrote:
Jim from Elkins, Almost Heaven, West Virginia. The nearest hobby shop is 60 miles one way, so I buy my stuff on the internet.
I knew their was someone else in good ol West Virginia! I think there is only around five fellow West Virginians on this forum. I live in Ripley, about 40 minutes north of Charleston, and 40 mins away from Parkersburg. Their are 2 hobby shops in the Charleston area and their was two in Parkersburg, now their is one good one. Thought I'd share.

 -beegle55

Head of operations at the Bald Mountain Railroad, a proud division of CSXT since 2002!
  • Member since
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  • From: ny
  • 42 posts
Posted by hdbob on Friday, May 11, 2007 11:00 AM
NANUET NY 20 miles north west NYC
  • Member since
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  • From: Nashville, Tennessee
  • 165 posts
Posted by cpeterson on Friday, May 11, 2007 10:41 AM

Nashville Tennessee here.  My wife and I are from west Texas but after coming here for a wedding, I think she decided that trees and rain are pretty nice and we made the move.

Havn't found any good LHS here yet though.

  • Member since
    March 2007
  • 211 posts
Posted by cheese4432 on Friday, May 11, 2007 10:33 AM
I live in sandiego county.
Remember the only stupid question is the one that isn't asked! Quote from Bill54

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