How did you get into the hobby?

[iis612]

I had a train set that my Dad made for my brother and I one christmas. We trashed it, and I lost sleep over it. Move ahead many years, I went to work for CSX as a rail cop. My unit shut down and I was transfered into train service as an engineer.
I hated the job (for reasons I would rather not go into here), but I loved trains, always have. I gave up model airplanes for railroads.

 

[Cannonball]

I had a train set that my Dad made for my brother and I one christmas. We trashed it, and I lost sleep over it. Move ahead many years, I went to work for CSX as a rail cop. My unit shut down and I was transfered into train service as an engineer.
I hated the job (for reasons I would rather not go into here), but I loved trains, always have. I gave up model airplanes for railroads.

What are the requirements for being a rail cop? I was never aware that railroads hired their own security. I always figured it was beat work for regular cops to patrol the railyards.

 

[cmhockman78]

my cousin got a train from his dad and had to go to the hobby shop to get some track for it
so i went with him and needless to say i bought a train
that was only a month ago
4 engines and about 30 cars later i think maybe i need to slow down

 

[oldtanker]

I got my first set when I was 4, then another when I was 8 both HO, then another with 1 switch N scale when I was 14. Didn't really get hooked until serving my first tour of Germany, went to the Stars and Stripes book store and saw a Model RR mag so I bought it, that had to have been around 76 or 77. After looking through it I was hooked!

Now I finally have the time and space I'm trying to get it going.

Rick

 

[trainnut65]

Well it all started about a year ago. I was big in to the RC planes. I friend of mine we also in to planes and trains. well he got tired of the plane thing and i was getting tired of the planes as well. Then one day i was talking to him on the computer and ask what he was doing. he said messing with my trains. And i thought trains what can be fun about model trainsl. Thay just run around and around on the floor. well he sent me some links to some site on the net to check out. Man was i blowed away by what i had seen. And it was not long after that i started selling off rc plane and buying HO scale Trains. I now have a house full and i still love it.

 

[Amrap1]

Almost 2 years ago I found a 1950's Marx Trainset in the garbage at the Apartment Community I work at. Commodore Vanderbilt Engine, coal tender, 4 cars and a cabose. The track and transformer were in the box, so I set it up on the floor at home and it RAN. Thinking it may be worth some money I took it to a train show. It just so happened it was the biggest train show I've ever been to and I've been to many! I was blown away by the layouts and wanted to build my own layout.

Ed

 

[CNWman]

It was only natural

I like making models of stuff and I like trains, so I guess it was only natural. I also liked to mess with brio as a todler and almost worship the Layout of 1950 Cincinnati at the Cincinnati Union Terminal displaysign1 . gosh that place rocks. Even saw the back of the place, it's an intermodial yard now i think, saw the big cranes