Some thoughts on kids and trains

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Some thoughts on kids and trains






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  • Nothing wrong with your beliefs or dreams!
     Follow them!!!
    I grew up in the 50's and 60's and have always been interested in trains, and several years ago, had both the capablity and a place to pursue this hobby!
     I also have another passion in life, and that was flying, and model airplanes and full size airplanes.
    I now enjoy both, trains and airplanes.
    It is interesting to note though that many of my full scale flying buddies are also model railroaders.

    It all started for me on a Saturday back in 1956 when my Grandpa took me to work with him at Sears and Roebuck(the week of Christmas) , and saw how much I liked the trains in the display windows, he took me over and turned me loose with the guy who ran all the Lionel trains in the display windows.
    There were about 3 or 4 trains all running at once and this was a BIG layout!
     Tunnels, bridges, train stations, all sorts of accesories. I was in a "magical land" that day, and NEVER FORGOT IT!!!
     That set my dreams of wanting my own layout someday!
    It also helped that my Dad and several uncles worked on the Pennsylvania Railroad when I was young also, and I got to see some really neat stuff!!!

    I can still see and hear those trains running in those display windows!

     Follow your dreams!!!

     The K4Kid

     Working on the Pennsy



  • I have opinions, generally let's keep it simple though.

    Some people like trains, some people don't. My son loves trains, we're moving up from wooden Thomas and Whittle this year to O at Xmas. He's 5 and I bet he'll like trains (even if he isn't a true model railroader) his whole life.

    My daughter is 2, she likes trains but not like my son. She can't sit still long enough to appreciate something that for the most part travels in circles, etc. She prefers to be throwing, hitting, running, jumping, climbing, etc. At 2, my son could sit for a long time!

    I think my son is going to get my interest back from liking trains to having a layout of some kind, I've always enjoyed them but haven't had a layout since I was about 10.

    My wife is somewhat annoyed by the trains of all shapes and sizes taking over the house, but other than rolling her eyes and calling me a dork once in a while, she does things like stops to let my son see a train if they cross the tracks and one is coming, goes to the farmer's market a town over instead of in our town because the LGB club set up there, etc. I don't expect her to enjoy trains, she allows me and my son/daughter to enjoy trains.

    As far as people who don't enjoy trains and think they're kiddish, who cares. That other kid probably grew up in a house where trains were considered loud and annoying by his parents, so he picked that up. Don't alienate people because of your hobby, your hobby is yours to enjoy - no need to remove yourself from society to focus on your hobby. Consider this potential irony:

    Someday, when your circle of friends (dwindling or not) is in their mid- to late 20's and some start having kids, "Uncle Gearhead" is going to have the trains everyone looks forward to seeing! Pretty soon your friends who think it's silly now will be asking you how to set up a Xmas train... no need to be anything but patient, you can secretly enjoy hooking their kids on model trains someday!

    Oh well, my two cents.

  • Hitsua, i can kind of see eye to eye with you. my dwindiling group of friends have little or no intrest in railroading. im 15 and going to a tech school. (i took autobody) at one point, i was flipping thru an issue of MR waiting for the spraybooth to have an empty spot so i could paint my project. i put it down for whatever reason, and came back to see someone looking thru it.
    me"like what you see?"
    him"pretty stupid really"
    i have NEVER been more proud of my hobby than i was at that moment.
    (listen to green day, "minority" hehe)
    i sat back up on the work bench and fineshed the article i was reading, with the cover of the magaziene held up for everyone to see. earlier, i had been talking to this ***hole, and he said that he lived by the railroad tracks.
    "man, you have no idea how luckey you are"
    "i hate trains theyre so annoying."
    i could only shake my head in  dissapointment

    so it would seem that the godforsaken majorities dont lack an intrest in thains, thay outright hate them.
    am i losing the respect oif my peers, friends, and the few remaining shreds of my pathetic social life? yes.
    do i have a hobby that makes me happier than all of those things? HELL YEAH!

    from the forementioned song by green day,
    "without a doubt,
    singled out,
    the only way i know,
    i wanna be the minority"
    GEARHEAD426



  • Hitsua, Good to read your interesting comments.

    I'll be taking your advice and mete out the mags as suggested and hope they'll be devoured by the lucky few who would be interested and perhaps intrigued.

    One thing the wonders of computers and the internet have done for me, is, to allow me to enjoy such great news items and information on this wonderful subject of Railroading and the views of people like yourself and Tinplater and all the other readers and contributors.

    Thanks to all.

  •      What an interesting post. The article brings up some points that are true and also invokes some nostalgia on my part. When I was your age (in the 60's) Christmas was the only time that a model railroad was able/allowed to be set up. Trains were not available to the basic public until after the Thanksgiving Holiday (the old start of the Christmas Season). The great part of shopping with Mom was being able to see the layouts at the various stores (re: the beginning of the movie "A Cristmas Story".)  Living in the city, there were only a few stores that carried model trains of any variety, and the others carried only the basic train stuff. The imagination could only run wild by looking at the Lionel Catalogs that were available. Most of the good equipment was only able to be seen from the specialty hobby shops. Income back then was limited and trains were not high on the list of things to get. Today with the internet and the wide array of shops available, I'm seeing more and more layouts that are permanent, and the opportunity to buy stock is everywhere. Don't feel like you are in the minority, the opportunity to enjoy your hobby throughout the year is now able to be realized. I was allowed only 3-4 weeks of enjoyment before they had to be put away for another year.

         Granpaps today won't let the hobby die down. Although the days of the "Lumbering Behemoth" are pretty much long gone, it is still a very intriguing hobby. Learn all you can about the industry/hobby, as the only thing constant in life is change. This and other web sites like it keeps the fascination going. Heck, we were lucky to have a phone (party line) in the house. The internet wasn't even thought of yet. I'm rather fortunate in that I have a couple of gransons to play with, and you gotta believe they have trains exposed to them. If/when you are able to do a layout, make it a piece of artwork. Put your heart into it and believe me, it will be admired by many.  KTF (Keep The Faith.)

  •     It is too true.  I'm 16 myself, and all of my friends are preoccupied with video games and television.  Any form of labor to them is unknown.  I've spent the last week outside all day redoing the landscaping of my front yard.  Whenever I'd tell them that, they'd ask how much I was getting payed, and were surprised to learn I did it out of personal interest.  It is the same way with model trails. 

        The only instance I can think of involving youth in my community having some interest in model trains is a 4-H program (youth group/commuity service sort of thing) building a layout and entering it in the county fair.  After the fair I actually ended up purchasing it at an auction.

        If you're looking to donate magazines, local youth groups would be a great place to start.  Don't drop off all of them at one spot, but one or two should do it.  Atleast a few kids should pick them up and maybe some of them will even be interested in it.

  • Tinplater, What an interesting letter and your thoughts and observations. I know exactly where you're coming from [as they say these days].

    I was born in South Africa and during WW2 received Lionel Electric trains and American Flyer models which served me up until I started work and became interested in many other things. When I lived in Canada during 50's and early 60's unfortunately I did not get into model-railroading again. What a missed opportunity!!  For the last 40 odd yrs have lived here in Australia.  

    After a visit to Canada in 1985 I got the itch and bug again and upon returning home immediately got involved with all that goes with RR modelling in HO CNR/CPR 40's/50's prototype. I get much enjoyment from my layout and the wonderful Kalmbach magazines.

    I would like to give many of my Trains and Model Railroad Craftsman magazines to local youth who may find them interesting. So far I don't know how to go about this and do not want to frighten anyone off. Any suggestions on this?

  • Don't feel bad about having trains my young friend. Stores used to carry trains all the time now you can only find them in hobby/specialty stores.Most kids don't know what rewards work can give you.The parents just say here take it.Not me. My Dad helped with the benchwork but then it was my ideas to build,wire,rewire,landscape,paint etc the layout.It is something I will pass on to Matt.
    stay safe
    Joe

    Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").

     

  • Don't feel bad about having trains my young friend. Stores used to carry trains all the time now you can only find them in hobby/specialty stores.Most kids don't know what rewards work can give you.The parents just say here take it.Not me. My Dad helped with the benchwork but then it was my ideas to build,wire,rewire,landscape,paint etc the layout.It is something I will pass on to Matt.
    stay safe
    Joe

    Deshler Ohio-crossroads of the B&O Matt eats your fries.YUM! Clinton st viaduct undefeated against too tall trucks!!!(voted to be called the "Clinton St. can opener").