Found Collection

As a child, I tried to mimic what I say from my window so that it could be
me that was in control of something so large and powerful.  I went through a
period after that, when the tracks were torn up and I moved away, that the
interest had left me too.

Now, as I have long since left school and got on with life, the fascination
that I had at the time is fascinating to me now, if that makes any sense.

I look at it as being a slice of time in my life where there was a pure
magic and I did not know how to share that emotion.  Now, I try to do so by
recreating that magic.

--

Joseph

Jeff

Well, for starters, I've had a lifelong fascination with trains - beign
socially [slightly] disabled, I've found relating to all things
mechanical much easier.

Ahem.

Anyway, a couple years ago, I found myself with too much time on my hands
(being on disability means LOTS of free time!!) .. so I started model
railroading! Having finally chosen gauge and prototype, I'm now busy
working on my layout - my friends say I'm nuts, I spend too much money on
my trains - but, I challenged them to tell me a hobby that DOESN'T cost a
lot of money when pursued seriously!!!!!!

And of course, IT'S FUN!!!!!!!
[And I damn well don't need any other reasons!!!]

--

Modeling Japanese N Gauge - and loving it!
Visit my layout: http://www.xs4all.nl/~tsunami/yumekaigan/

Oh boy, I see this thread going on forever....

Tony Burzio
San Diego, CA

Boys play with toys.  Men play with more expensive toys.  

Frankly, I don't know what women do with their time.  As far as I can tell,
most don't do any of the "fun" stuff.

V II
ps "Juvenile" is what jealous people say about those who are young at heart.

That said, I have been a model railroader since before I can remember (I
have been told this). As a kid, I loved anything with wheels. I tried the
slot cars in the '60's, but they didn't go backwards, like a real car, and
they had two speeds. Off and supersonic. I wanted something in-between and
switched to HO scale from Lionel, when I was 11. I was in control, I was
'god' I had power over something. I built it with my own two hands! I
created it. (And I was pretty good at it too.)
Now, as an ***, I am refining my technique and trying to improve things in
a subject/hobby that not many other people do. I also enjoy getting the
compliments on my modules and techniques when I show them to others. But
mainly, I just enjoy the precision. What other hobby lets you get a similar
view of the real thing and the object of the hobby? You stand trackside, and
get a view of the train, you can build your benchwork so your track is at
eye level and get the same view as trackside. I can't think of any other
hobby that can do this.

I know, I know, I am rambling on and most thoughts aren't too cohesive, but
. . . .
I'll stop now.

--
Frank R.

Please change my entry in your address book.
Thanks.

But some of the most immersive models I've ever seen were done by diorama
types.  Notably, a former coworker did a garage, complete with oily rags, an
engine block sitting on a workbench, and a Playboy calander, all in (iirc)
1:48.

Actually . . . it sounds a bit like OUR hobby, doesn't it?

--
Steve, BFD
"The Silverplate Line"

I do it as stress relief!

I suggested a diorama and he took the idea and ran
with it.

He got a ping-pong table and set it up like a truck stop
with the service plaza, shop, parking and along one edge
a flat for the restaurant, what have you.

Most of the details he scratch built and he said he finally
understood why model railroaders spend so much time
on things that "weren't trains".  He said he'd never had
so much fun in his life, going around to real truck stops,
taking pictures, measurements and strange looks from
the people there.

He started taking pictures of his work using the diorama
for his backdrop, and started making models of some of
the rigs he'd photographed, all of which led to still further
activities like doing models for drivers of their rigs and
so on.

Slowly, it spreads.

Fred D.

--
Frank R.

Please change my entry in your address book.
Thanks.

My simple, non-professional take on this complex question is that it
would be a pretty boring and mundane world if all humans thought the
same, ate the same food all of the time, all had the same interests,
lived in the exact same type house, and that all males were plumbers
and that all females were teachers, etc..  Mankind wouldn't advance
very far if this "condition".  I think "someone up there" made us all
different "just for the heck of it" to advance mankind and keep us out
of the doldrums. Just think of the millions and millions of things
that would not exist in the world today if each and every male and
each and every female had the exact same makeup?

But as Rodney Dangerfield would say,  "What am I talkin' about?"

Mark