How did your love of railroads start.

[Anonymous]

For me, I guess, it was as a kid and we were leaving on the family vacation. It was during the steam era, after we were settled in the coach, my Dad would take me and my brother out on the platform and up to the head of the train to look at this monster hissing steam and letting out little groans. I guess railroads have always meant something good was about to happen. Maybe I sound corny but that's how I feel. How about you?

[Anonymous]

For me, I guess, it was as a kid and we were leaving on the family vacation. It was during the steam era, after we were settled in the coach, my Dad would take me and my brother out on the platform and up to the head of the train to look at this monster hissing steam and letting out little groans. I guess railroads have always meant something good was about to happen. Maybe I sound corny but that's how I feel. How about you?

[sooblue]

When I was 5 my parents bought a house 200 feet away from the tracks at the top of the "big hill" in NE mpls. The first Soo that came through that first night woke all of us up. I can't remember sleeping that night as trains passed every two hours or so. After the first week I never heard a train in the night again. But there wasn't a day that went by that I wasn't down by the tracks. It was that way for the next 15 years. When I go back into the old neighborhood and see what has happened to my old haunts I get blue.[:(]

Now its almost as abandoned looking as the old section of track that Soo used to use to get up the hill before they built the cut off. And it's down to one set of main tracks too!
A shell of it's former self. [V]

HA ! the hobo jungle still exists though. It outlasted the DICKS ![:D]

Soo[:(]

[sooblue]

When I was 5 my parents bought a house 200 feet away from the tracks at the top of the "big hill" in NE mpls. The first Soo that came through that first night woke all of us up. I can't remember sleeping that night as trains passed every two hours or so. After the first week I never heard a train in the night again. But there wasn't a day that went by that I wasn't down by the tracks. It was that way for the next 15 years. When I go back into the old neighborhood and see what has happened to my old haunts I get blue.[:(]

Now its almost as abandoned looking as the old section of track that Soo used to use to get up the hill before they built the cut off. And it's down to one set of main tracks too!
A shell of it's former self. [V]

HA ! the hobo jungle still exists though. It outlasted the DICKS ![:D]

Soo[:(]

[Anonymous]

When I was growing up in the 1950's, Dad took us kids to watch trains at the IC depot in Rockford IL. The IC had E units on its passenger trains and steam (usually Mountain types) on freights until GP-7's started taking over. Then, each summer from 1950 to 1959, family vacations were taken at Rock Lake near Lake Mills WI. Our cottage just happened to back onto CNW's Milwaukee-Madison line which featured a daily passenger local powered by an E unit and a way freight usually pulled by an Alco RS-3. That was enough to hook me! I now model several railroads of the 1950's era in HO scale. I wanted to do something more with my passion for trains, so I wrote and published a novel, Two Track Main, about people affected by the railroads' changeover from steam to diesels. Check it out at: xlibris.com/TwoTrackMain.html

John Baie

[Anonymous]

When I was growing up in the 1950's, Dad took us kids to watch trains at the IC depot in Rockford IL. The IC had E units on its passenger trains and steam (usually Mountain types) on freights until GP-7's started taking over. Then, each summer from 1950 to 1959, family vacations were taken at Rock Lake near Lake Mills WI. Our cottage just happened to back onto CNW's Milwaukee-Madison line which featured a daily passenger local powered by an E unit and a way freight usually pulled by an Alco RS-3. That was enough to hook me! I now model several railroads of the 1950's era in HO scale. I wanted to do something more with my passion for trains, so I wrote and published a novel, Two Track Main, about people affected by the railroads' changeover from steam to diesels. Check it out at: xlibris.com/TwoTrackMain.html

John Baie

[Willy2]

My love for trains started when I was very little. One time I saw a train with my dad and I must have decided that I liked it very much. I would always ask if we could go see trains after that evening. I have seen hundreds of trains since then and I still plan to see hundreds or maybe even thousands more!

Willy

[Willy2]

My love for trains started when I was very little. One time I saw a train with my dad and I must have decided that I liked it very much. I would always ask if we could go see trains after that evening. I have seen hundreds of trains since then and I still plan to see hundreds or maybe even thousands more!

Willy

[Chazmort]

When I was only 3 or so, we would take the MBTA subways across the Boston area. I only remember being on the Orange and Blue lines. Then, in Michigan, we lived across a vacant lot from the Ann Arbor RR, long before it became the TSBY. My Dad was from Wyoming and my Mom from Nebraska. Both grew up in towns right on the UP line. A few years ago I visited that town in Nebraska and was awake much of the night listening to freights blow through town. It was great.

[Chazmort]

When I was only 3 or so, we would take the MBTA subways across the Boston area. I only remember being on the Orange and Blue lines. Then, in Michigan, we lived across a vacant lot from the Ann Arbor RR, long before it became the TSBY. My Dad was from Wyoming and my Mom from Nebraska. Both grew up in towns right on the UP line. A few years ago I visited that town in Nebraska and was awake much of the night listening to freights blow through town. It was great.

[atl126]

My love of railroads came when i was 4 when my grandpa took downtown fremont ohio and we watched trains and he took me over to Bellevue to the rail musuem i love trains thats all i can talk about and now for the past 5 years i've lived 200 yards from the tracks i may only be 17 but all my life all i've wanted to do is work with the railroad and have been able to talk with some people that work for norfolk southern outta bellevue and have seen what i have to do go get in with them well thats all i guess laters andrew

[atl126]

My love of railroads came when i was 4 when my grandpa took downtown fremont ohio and we watched trains and he took me over to Bellevue to the rail musuem i love trains thats all i can talk about and now for the past 5 years i've lived 200 yards from the tracks i may only be 17 but all my life all i've wanted to do is work with the railroad and have been able to talk with some people that work for norfolk southern outta bellevue and have seen what i have to do go get in with them well thats all i guess laters andrew

[JoeKoh]

Start with an older brother who put me on the front of his bike or buckled me into a car everytime a train(N&W) came through town.Have a family friend in Indianapolis who started with Nyc and retired as a yardmaster .with Conrail.Then in 1976 family moves to Defiance.Dad could have got a house anywhere in town but he choose one 1/2 block from the B&O(chessie then csx) main line.Also find out your step-grandfather(who died before you were born) worked for the NKP.I like to take matt to the park and get back to that old neighboorhood as much as I can.I will be there tommorow after work mowing a former neighboor ladies yard.Who knows what Csx will have come down the line.
stay safe
joe

[JoeKoh]

Start with an older brother who put me on the front of his bike or buckled me into a car everytime a train(N&W) came through town.Have a family friend in Indianapolis who started with Nyc and retired as a yardmaster .with Conrail.Then in 1976 family moves to Defiance.Dad could have got a house anywhere in town but he choose one 1/2 block from the B&O(chessie then csx) main line.Also find out your step-grandfather(who died before you were born) worked for the NKP.I like to take matt to the park and get back to that old neighboorhood as much as I can.I will be there tommorow after work mowing a former neighboor ladies yard.Who knows what Csx will have come down the line.
stay safe
joe

[Anonymous]

all good stories. I guess there is something about trains, steam or diesel, that gets to us. It could be that it was a way to see what is over the hill. When we saw what was there it was a way home. With the changes too many times you can not go back and find much left. But memories and people to talkto are great. These forums are good for that I think.. Bernt T.

[Anonymous]

all good stories. I guess there is something about trains, steam or diesel, that gets to us. It could be that it was a way to see what is over the hill. When we saw what was there it was a way home. With the changes too many times you can not go back and find much left. But memories and people to talkto are great. These forums are good for that I think.. Bernt T.

[Anonymous]

I guess it all started with the train set under the tree way back when and the bug has always been there - stronger some years than others - always wanted that setup in the attic but no one builds attics anymore[:(]
I even built a 4x8 basic layout for my son but it never really caught on - not enough space to make it a semi-premanent structure and the wiring still eludes me[B)] - one day my dream will come true and I will have the whole basement to play in - I even told my wife [:X] that today - she laughed again [:D].

[Anonymous]

I guess it all started with the train set under the tree way back when and the bug has always been there - stronger some years than others - always wanted that setup in the attic but no one builds attics anymore[:(]
I even built a 4x8 basic layout for my son but it never really caught on - not enough space to make it a semi-premanent structure and the wiring still eludes me[B)] - one day my dream will come true and I will have the whole basement to play in - I even told my wife [:X] that today - she laughed again [:D].

[Walrus942]

My father was a railroader, as was his father. I had 2 uncles and a cousin working for the RR also. My uncle was a hostler at the deisel repair shop and I used to ride engines around the yard with him....that's what got me hooked, I think. Been chasing and modeling trains since I was about 10 yrs old.....there's nothing better.

[Walrus942]

My father was a railroader, as was his father. I had 2 uncles and a cousin working for the RR also. My uncle was a hostler at the deisel repair shop and I used to ride engines around the yard with him....that's what got me hooked, I think. Been chasing and modeling trains since I was about 10 yrs old.....there's nothing better.

[BNSFNUT]

When I was very little we lived on an LV branch line. The tracks went through the back yard. You had to cross the tracks to get to the old barn and chicken coops.
The crew would throw the New York City papers off the caboose for my father, he was responsible for inspecting the milk cars for 5 creamerys that where on the branch when they were delivered.
My grandfather was an railroader for about 50 yrs , He passed way before I could remenber him but my father always telling me storys about him.
I guess getting daily doses of coal smoke got me hooked.

[BNSFNUT]

When I was very little we lived on an LV branch line. The tracks went through the back yard. You had to cross the tracks to get to the old barn and chicken coops.
The crew would throw the New York City papers off the caboose for my father, he was responsible for inspecting the milk cars for 5 creamerys that where on the branch when they were delivered.
My grandfather was an railroader for about 50 yrs , He passed way before I could remenber him but my father always telling me storys about him.
I guess getting daily doses of coal smoke got me hooked.

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Chazmort

When I was only 3 or so, we would take the MBTA subways across the Boston area. I only remember being on the Orange and Blue lines. Then, in Michigan, we lived across a vacant lot from the Ann Arbor RR, long before it became the TSBY. My Dad was from Wyoming and my Mom from Nebraska. Both grew up in towns right on the UP line. A few years ago I visited that town in Nebraska and was awake much of the night listening to freights blow through town. It was great.

Going to take a stab at this an ask if it was Alliance NE?

Mook

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Chazmort

When I was only 3 or so, we would take the MBTA subways across the Boston area. I only remember being on the Orange and Blue lines. Then, in Michigan, we lived across a vacant lot from the Ann Arbor RR, long before it became the TSBY. My Dad was from Wyoming and my Mom from Nebraska. Both grew up in towns right on the UP line. A few years ago I visited that town in Nebraska and was awake much of the night listening to freights blow through town. It was great.

Going to take a stab at this an ask if it was Alliance NE?

Mook

[Anonymous]

For me it started as a fear! As a boy of three or four I remember taking my father to the Rte. 128 train station outside of Boston so that he could ride the train to work. The New Haven engine was big, and loud, and with steam escaping everywhere and the McGinnis paint scheme, it looked and sounded like a dragon on cold New England mornings. I was so afraid I couldn't get out of the car, but I was fascinated! I've been hooked ever since.

[Anonymous]

For me it started as a fear! As a boy of three or four I remember taking my father to the Rte. 128 train station outside of Boston so that he could ride the train to work. The New Haven engine was big, and loud, and with steam escaping everywhere and the McGinnis paint scheme, it looked and sounded like a dragon on cold New England mornings. I was so afraid I couldn't get out of the car, but I was fascinated! I've been hooked ever since.

[Anonymous]

When I was 15 I took a 2-1/2 day trip from Montreal to Edmonton on CN. No sleeper just coach but what a great trip. Hanging out in the vestibule with the half door open. Meeting all kinds of people, seeing all kinds of nature. The whole coach singing with a guitar player and a harmonica player just jammin'. Eating the dinner meal in the Cafe/Lounge car, was one of the highlights as was the 3 hour layover in Winnepeg at 2AM.

[Anonymous]

When I was 15 I took a 2-1/2 day trip from Montreal to Edmonton on CN. No sleeper just coach but what a great trip. Hanging out in the vestibule with the half door open. Meeting all kinds of people, seeing all kinds of nature. The whole coach singing with a guitar player and a harmonica player just jammin'. Eating the dinner meal in the Cafe/Lounge car, was one of the highlights as was the 3 hour layover in Winnepeg at 2AM.

[bigboy4024]

i was born into the hoby my uncle works for the BNSF in dilworth minnesota big boy

[bigboy4024]

i was born into the hoby my uncle works for the BNSF in dilworth minnesota big boy