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[coalcracker]

You are to be commended for at least having a hobby.  It's tough today to get teens interested in anything other than video games.  You should never quit anything because of someone else.  Follow you interests, after all you are the future of this hobby. 

[ModelTrainLover]

I am 13 (8th grade) and I guess I am extremely weird for modeling. I quit model railroading because I got made fun of it. I am planning a new model railroad right now but hesistating because I may get harrassed again.

you an't the only one, but there is one difference in the way we handeled the pressure. I stuck with trains and just ingored the teasing. You bent under the pressure and quit the hobby.

Let me tell you this. I had a history project on the Civil War in 8th grade. It was a big project and we had to make a diarama. I did a Civil War depo, using some boxcars, my 0-6-0, and a flat car with a cannon on it. everyone was impressed even the kids that were teasing me. Afterwards the teasing was not a severe because I had given them a small sample of what I was capable of given the nessary materials.

 I'm now a freshman and I did a book report on the History of the Santa Fe. once again I turned to my trains and brought in my engine facility, I used my truntable, some of my car (mostly boxcars) and all 4 of my Santa Fe engines. Scence then I have not heard a peep out of anyone about me liking trains, or modeling then. Only questions about them.

I almost for got about this. In wood tech (wood shop, class whatever) I made a 3.5 by 5ft folding table for my trains. it's for the floor so the legs an't that high. The kids in the class were impressed of what I was building, ever the upper classmen.

If you have a class project comming up and you can fit a prat of your layout in it then do so and if it's a good job then you will see a drop in the ammount of teasing.

And with that I'm done, and good luck on building your layout.

BTW: if you do get teased don't let it get to you, and when you get the track down on your layout if you have a stressful day run your trains for a while. It's what I do.

[ModelTrainLover]

Being a closet railroader is NEVER appropriate! I am a model railroader and proud of it. I make sure that everyone at the school knows that is my hobby, that it is what I enjoy doing, and that I WILL be respected as they would expect me to respect them. The problem is alot of teen modelers out there are scared to fight back. You HAVE to fight back if you wish to maintain a shred of dignity and gain any respect! Now you can look at it from another route. The majority of our peers that pick on us will NEVER be have anything to claim other than a well-fair check becuase they were too busy drinking, partying, doing drugs, or being a bad a** while they were in school. This is the reason I can stand the occasional insult. If it is a daily thing, you got to fight back though. THERE IS NO WAY AROUND IT! It is a hard thing to do, but trust me it is better than being treated like crap, just becuase you like something that not everyone else does. THIS ADVICE IS TO THE BOTH OF YOU!!

either that or tell them you like trains and leave it at that and keep a low profile.

[powernailer]

Here's my answer to those smarty pants.  I always tell them that I will give them the remote (Lionel command) and than see if they are so smart. They will have no clue of how to even start the trains.  Take them to a show in your area, they may get started themselves..

[Cheese]

Hmmm,

I never had a problem with it, well, thats not entirly true. I was, and sometimes am, made fun of because of my hobbies, but I don't care. I am an active railfan and model railroader, but I don't tell anyone. Its not that I hide it, in fact, I have never once tried to hide it, but I have made no attempts to say (figuartivly) "HEY LOOK, I LIKE TRAINS".

Of course, people take jabs at me from time to time about it, but I don't care. I don't try to ignore it, or take comfort by telling myself that they are just dumb Jocks and Rednecks and will probably end up flipping burgers for the rest of their lifes or things like that, I just plain don't care. And, even though violence is not the answer, I have bloodied a few noses before.

I mean, as long as you have a (an I use this term very lightly as not to offend) "Life" and friends outside of the world of trains then you are okay. I used to not have those and I was very hurt by what people said, but no longer. Let them say what they want, because its just talk.

Just brush it off. Its not like it hurts that bad anyway.

Cheese

[Anonymous]

yea Im 15 (freshmen) and i have been pushed around a lot not always about trains but  because im apparently not good enough and because im smaller in size than others but am still adverage height i have lots of things that i have been made fun of like actually being able to drive an over the road truck with a 53 foot trailer loaded with cars, my dad owns he company, and i go with him in the summmer and he has tought me a lot of what i know about trucks and how to drive anything with wheels basicly  and other things like mechanicing and i have been called a liar for that but what are the kids that say im a liar and a "gay" do when thay get home? prolly go sit on their fat a** and play video games or go smoke a joint with their buddys then go to a party get drunk and try to drive home and kill some innocent person or sometimes family,  you know ?  and besides  i have other hobbies like nitro R/C  and quadding  trains is  fun for me  and im not afraid to say it but i dont go and tell every person. i say just do it if people make fun of you just remember its something YOU LIKE not everyone else

hope it all works out for ya

 Jason

[Packer]

I never did. Lots of the kids though it was cool, and some of the girls though it was "hot*"

* for lack of better term.

There were a few that teased me, but most didn't. Mos people don't pick on a 6'1," 200lbs guy with a blackbelt.*

*I was 1 rank away, and the place closed before they gave me the blackbelt.

[NSlover92]

I dont really have the problem not to many people mess with a 6'0 160 pound wrestler, farmboy. I am doing a report on the Early GP 7-20. I am going to use some of my models as example. Mike

[oscaletrains]

me thinks teens duth protest too much....

[Anonymous]

I rember my 6th grade orientation. My mom went with me to meet my teachers and spilled the beans about my love for trains. Later on the teacher also spilled the beans to the rest of the class. A couple people chuckled but didn't really make a big deal of it. Sometimes the things that are really personal to us we keep hush hush. I guess that's why so many railroaders are closet railfans. Don't let the ignorance of others stand in the way of the things in life you are passionate about. I'll be 30 in a couple years and I still have a strong interest in railroads, and I am also a conductor. Like some others who posted earlier, I was a shy skinny kid with not much self asteem. But I never let others influence me to do things or not do things. I never followed the crowd, I was an outcast. Now I'm 6' and around 230 and no one talks trash about what I do. I have done more with my life than most people I went to school with, and I have a job that I enjoy. And I garantee I've been flashed more times than those jocks have, because the woman love us railroaders.

[arkansasrailfan]

We all have something in common, for I'm 14 and in 8th grade.
but the thing is that people actually show interest, unlike a few girls who are stupid and call others stupid , (bunch of bullies) but the UP runs by my school! Yes! If you have Google Earth and type in Episcopal Collegiate School, you will find it to be very true. The Little Rock Western also runs by, and right now a Arkansas Midland engine is running on that line because one of the C420s had to be shipped to Kansas City for a generator replacement.
But actually I have one other classmate who is a MR.
In fact, I will be a vendor at the Pine Bluff train show, and my friend is going to be by there too.
But a bunch of your classmates who spout off their hate for railroading are very ignorant.
Helps to have a newsletter with you on the front, and another with you on the inside.

Hmm, Packer, you and I have a lot in common with the "hot" thing, one girl said,"you're hot"
and I just started to laugh and say "yeah right"
But as I say about say, "I'm a one-way train, and I ain't comin' back"
(Packer's post is above)
But I do know and have connections with some rr employees, who let me ride the UP excursion train.
(only because I'm a friend)
So really I'm way high in being a lucky railfan.
Actually i have seen Lightweight cars, switchers on trains(intow), Late Amtrak(10 xs), MP and Katy heritage unit, one of one UP SD40-2 with silver trucks Union Pacific and # on nose and long hood, and logo on cab. It was the verison from the late 70s/ early 80s, last one before Mega merger w/MP
But my parents say that being a railfan wil get me a girlfriend because I am the oddity of the grade!!!
(and also because I don't like rap and hip hop, or any "hip" culture) In fact, railroading has made me have a very high goal, starting my own railroad company, which I've chosen a name, Arkansas Pacific Railroad Services Inc. I'll have a leasing branch, shortline branch, parts, wrecker, rebuilding, etc.
So if you ever hear of the AP you know who it is, me. But the AP actually one time almost exsisted.
In the 19th century, the AP was chartered in the state of AR, but was never built.
So really, I'm not hiding anything.
Steel and all!!

[arkansasrailfan]

To add some things, first, if anyone insults railroading,I take it personal, and there have been some incidents. I'm becoming more popular, but I will always be a railfan.
But almost everyone in the grade has a better knowledge of railroading thanks to me.

But things will change in the next few years. NRHS is showing signs that it will no longer be run by itself, that it will one day break up. The Ar. RR club is considering breaking away from the NRHS, because we don't think the NRHS is going to be around much longer.
In 10 years the railfan world will be noticably smaller, because of less younger generation getting interested. But interset inthe railroads will never disapeer.
Once, someone said, "i'm going to graffitti a train" What did I say,'"I hope you get hit by one"
No one has said anything about grafftti to me ever since.
But I think some girls do like me:)----:O
But some have seen my layout, but I tore it down, and now I weather my engines and cars.
My SD70 I took to school and it attractted a lot of attention.
I have also taken my Big Boy and it survived(don't tell anyone)
It now has black handrails, and all of my fleet looks real.
But don't weather a N Atlas H-20-44, because when you take it apart, you may not be able to put it back together.
I also like to look at lumber mills torn down, because that and rr grades make me excited, and I acutally groan when I see a rr grade(then the question-what is it)
I'm also generally left alone these days because I beat up a tough kid from a tough school(he was throwing basketballs at my head) he too, I have not seen again. seems like people now know that when I lash, I lash hard.
But I tend to be quiet, so I won't be disturbed. Maybe thats why I'm so well liked.
But on with the railroad. I follow my interest, I'll join all the clubs I want, as many scales, as many anything. But people ask if I play with toy trains or if I have a train setup/set, but I say no , and say I collect some and I'm into the real thing.

[Bapou]

I have been Homeschooled all of my life, except taking Gym class in 6th and 7th and Tech-Ed in 7th and 8th. I am now in 9th.

[steam_marc]

I am 13 (8th grade) and I guess I am extremely weird for modeling. I quit model railroading because I got made fun of it. I am planning a new model railroad right now but hesistating because I may get harrassed again.

I'm seventeen and in high school. While I don't have "train" written all over me, all of the classes and the teachers know that I like trains. Instead of being made fun of, they have gotten used to my quirks and my teachers use me for references in history class for the railroads.

[Anonymous]

I am 17 and a junior also....In a town that is known for it's steel,(which dried up a while ago) it's neighboring city, 30 miles away, which has a famous hockey, Football and baseball, it is hard for a railroader to get a long.   espically when i only like hockey and NASCAR, i get picked on for railroading....it dies down after awhile, or you get used to teh teases. As long as you have another hobby(Guitar, cars,sports, etc..)you;''ll be fine.  I volunteer at the local Model RR club.