what do non railroaders think of your layout?
- Thread starter eve_9d9
- Start date
We get this topic in a thread every two years or so.
But its kinda nice to hear some of the comments.
I think my favorite one I got was when I brought a friend into the basement to see the trains. His comment:"Take out the toy trains and you could put a pool table and a bar in here. I could help if you need it."
My response..."Don't think so......"
Never came around again.
But its kinda nice to hear some of the comments.
I think my favorite one I got was when I brought a friend into the basement to see the trains. His comment:"Take out the toy trains and you could put a pool table and a bar in here. I could help if you need it."
My response..."Don't think so......"
Never came around again.
I hope you explained to your friend the dangers of operating massive equipment like trains when there is alcohol involved!
Doesnt OSHA have something against that?
I look at a pool table a a pre-grassed spot for trains, and wonder how hard it would be to scrape the green stuff off to lay track.
A small bar, though, might be handy for conversion to a work space.
A small bar, though, might be handy for conversion to a work space.
Dansco - If I told you I'd have to...nah we won't go there. LOL!!!
I have a beer fridge right next to my layout and workbench. Which probably explains some of the more interesting results I've achieved while making trackwork. Its a good thing the liquor cabinet isn't close by!!!
I have a beer fridge right next to my layout and workbench. Which probably explains some of the more interesting results I've achieved while making trackwork. Its a good thing the liquor cabinet isn't close by!!!
I guess I've had most of the above reactions plus a few more. How about "oh, look at the cute little trains" or "I would never have the patience for that". Just goes to show you that we have a hobby that isn't for everybody. Is it us or the rest of society thats nuts?
I get that "oh, hobby trains...hmmmm...I see" a lot. Oh well. There are those who appreciate all the work and want to share their stories about running trains when they were a kid (usually followed by the, "I got this old Lionel set, how much would it be worth" question). And there are those who politely listen and that's all. To each - his own.
When I was in N gauge, I got some similar reactions wondering aloud how working with something so tiny was fun - so it was an educational opportunity 
but I got so the layout didn't come up when we had guests. There is something different about O gauge - especially my now more 'toy-trainey' layout. Everyone has a story about a Lionel train... and they're wowed by the lights, sounds, etc.
but I got so the layout didn't come up when we had guests. There is something different about O gauge - especially my now more 'toy-trainey' layout. Everyone has a story about a Lionel train... and they're wowed by the lights, sounds, etc.All of the above and wierd stuff like "those bushes need lights". I politly smile and think to myself where the #$%& do you see lights in bushes and in the middle of the Karoo (Semi Arid region in South Africa).
I get the most appaling looks sometimes like ''oh shame'' and "wtf".
I get the most appaling looks sometimes like ''oh shame'' and "wtf".
One of my wife's niece's looked at the layout for a while and then offered a story for why there were no children around the school.
I've had the full range of emotions from people towards my layout from uninterested to fansinated, smart ass comments to true appreciation. Only fellow model railroaders can understand the time and effort that makes this hoppy great. I'm a Machinist by trade and an Engineering Technologist and I love solving problems, working with my hands and creating something from nothing. The bottom line is-"Do what makes you feel good and forget the rest".
I have to say my most common response is "you play with trains?".
I'll usually respond with something along the lines of "i build highly detailed models that are worth more than you get in a week" (being in school, this one works pretty well in most cases). When i show them how much i have, and then how "thick", my wallet is, i effectively win the "I'm richer than you" war.
i cheat though, i put the big bills on top, and then stuff it up with a bunch of singlessign1:mrgreen:
atleast thats my creative way of approaching this problem. I'm not really that rich, lol.
anyway, I usually don't care. The only people i've noticed who will pursue me with the "plays with trains" nonsense are the same kids that have no life outside of harrassing others and making trouble, so they have no weight.
Most everyone else says "to each their own". AS long as i don't make a train nerd out of myself (must take good things in moderation!) i'm set.
I'll usually respond with something along the lines of "i build highly detailed models that are worth more than you get in a week" (being in school, this one works pretty well in most cases). When i show them how much i have, and then how "thick", my wallet is, i effectively win the "I'm richer than you" war.
i cheat though, i put the big bills on top, and then stuff it up with a bunch of singlessign1:mrgreen:
atleast thats my creative way of approaching this problem. I'm not really that rich, lol.
anyway, I usually don't care. The only people i've noticed who will pursue me with the "plays with trains" nonsense are the same kids that have no life outside of harrassing others and making trouble, so they have no weight.
Most everyone else says "to each their own". AS long as i don't make a train nerd out of myself (must take good things in moderation!) i'm set.
Interesting...another fan of loud music, black clothing, and trains here--in my case, noise, industrial and punk, as both a fan and as a performer. As I got older and realized that rock stardom probably wasn't in the cards for me, my interest in other forms of "industrial metal" returned.
I have even used recordings of locomotives as the basis for experimental noise performances, and used my experience in producing CDs to re-release an old recording of electric locomotives that has proven quite popular with fans of ambient noise music!
My friends are generally quite impressed with, and supportive of, my hobby and my layout, even if it's not their bag. I think my social circle is mostly used to "outsiders" not understanding what we're into, or thinking we're a little weird, and so are a little more tolerant in that regard.
My wife just loves it. She's not a model railroader, but she loves trains and likes the fact that this hobby keeps me home nights instead of jumping around on stage in some dive singing about monsters.
Electric Locomotives? what types? those would be useful for me, i'm trying to compile as many sounds as possible that belong to electric locomotives, since most are GG1 files, but there are so many more out there.
A General Electric steeplecab locomotive, recorded in 1965, and a Holman interurban combine, recorded in 1962, both in Marysville/Yuba City, California, on the Sacramento Northern. They were recorded by SN engineer Tom Irion and released as a vinyl record in the mid-1960s; I own a copy. There was an interest in CD copies of the recording, and I knew Tom, so I set up a deal to have the album remastered and re-released it as a CD. I'll post the album info in the "For Sale" section of the board if anyone is interested in ordering it.
I entered MRR in my teens, as a hobby, and that was "nice for a young person to have a pastime". I took a 25 year holiday from it as life changes and came back into it a few years ago. My experience since:
Alot of the "stereotypical" lifetime modellers and even some hobby store staff look at my wife and I (DINKs) and seem puzzled by our fasination and our willingness to invest time and money.
My wife thinks its great...she's into early steam, I'm late diesel. We run her train as a tourist excursion while an AC6000 passes them by...it works for us. For good or bad, her plans for a layout are bigger than mine...
Our families are understanding...they have alot of their own time consuming niche hobbies. There is respect for each others hobbies...
Outside of that is a mixed lot...the reactions mentioned above, fascination, curiousity, and more often, keen interest, especially when we can show someone an AC6000 with DCC and sound doing its thing, or a 0-4-0 with lights and smoke running a loop. The toyish perception disappears...
I work in an office of 250 people, there are 3 MRR modellers, and about 5 interested, but can't find time/money. It seems to be a more popular hobby than knitting...
Alot of the "stereotypical" lifetime modellers and even some hobby store staff look at my wife and I (DINKs) and seem puzzled by our fasination and our willingness to invest time and money.
My wife thinks its great...she's into early steam, I'm late diesel. We run her train as a tourist excursion while an AC6000 passes them by...it works for us. For good or bad, her plans for a layout are bigger than mine...
Our families are understanding...they have alot of their own time consuming niche hobbies. There is respect for each others hobbies...
Outside of that is a mixed lot...the reactions mentioned above, fascination, curiousity, and more often, keen interest, especially when we can show someone an AC6000 with DCC and sound doing its thing, or a 0-4-0 with lights and smoke running a loop. The toyish perception disappears...
I work in an office of 250 people, there are 3 MRR modellers, and about 5 interested, but can't find time/money. It seems to be a more popular hobby than knitting...
I seem to attempt to refer to modeling trains as 'I model' LOL then I have to explain TRAINS what were you thinking?? I occasionally build airplanes and cars, usually in the same scale.
I told my co workers that I built trains and they all wanted to see some of them. They were impressed, but almost everyone I talk to about it says that seems like it takes too long.
It seems like it takes too long to watch TV with all those commercials. Needless to say I rarely watch television. Man, I must really be weird!!
ASH
Edit:
strange I wonder if there is a correlation between trains and loud music? I also listen to Heavy Metal / Industrial / whatever is loud and has a good beat.
I also wear mostly black, and my Girlfriend offered to go with me to a train museum.
I told my co workers that I built trains and they all wanted to see some of them. They were impressed, but almost everyone I talk to about it says that seems like it takes too long.
It seems like it takes too long to watch TV with all those commercials. Needless to say I rarely watch television. Man, I must really be weird!!
ASH
Edit:
strange I wonder if there is a correlation between trains and loud music? I also listen to Heavy Metal / Industrial / whatever is loud and has a good beat.
I also wear mostly black, and my Girlfriend offered to go with me to a train museum.