An editorial in a recent MRR magazine posed the question of when enough was enough...or even too much...in our hobby. On thinking it over, I decided that this was a Foxworthy moment deserving of serious consideration:
If your hobby building has more square footage than your home...it's too much.
If you can't remember what your living room looks like, but can visualize every square inch of your layout, it's too much.
If you haven't seen your wife in so long you have to keep a picture of her over your layout, it's too much.
If your layout represents the budget of a Third World nation, it's too much.
If you have more rolling stock than many prototypical railroads had in their prime, it's too much.
If your solid brass locomotive cost more than your first car, it's too much. If it's cost more than your current car, you should seek expert clinical help.
If your home is entirely decorated with railroad themes, logos and colors, it's too much.
If your bedsheets are decorated with trackplans or blueprints, it's too much.
If you refer to all colors by their railroad names, such as Boxcar Red or Sante Fe Yellow, it's too much.
If you can no longer look at objects without considering their use in a layout, it's too much.
If you refer to your home as the "home depot" or "end of track", it's too much.
If you and your wife have ever gone out in public wearing matching railroad overalls and engineer caps, it's too much.
If you cannot travel anywhere without including a railroad stop, it's too much.
If you give all directions based on your LHS as the initial reference point, it's too much.
If you drool when entering your LHS, it's too much.
If the sight of the latest model locomotive with full digital sound and control works better for you than Viagra, it's too much.
If you can no longer speak to strangers or give directions without using railroad terms, it's too much.
If you have ever referred to your wife as "your cute little DCC controller", it's too much.
If your cellphone or doorbell has bells, whistles or other train noises, it's way too much.
If your porch lights are red, green and yellow, it's too much.
If your nickname includes the words "Engineer", Fireman" or "Conductor", it's too much.
If you do not go to bed, but "head for the roundhouse" at night, it's too much.
If you refer to your grandchildren as "gandydancers" or "track monkeys", it's too much.
If you find yourself going "choo-choo", "huff-puff", "chug-chug" or "too-toot" under your breath during quiet moments alone, it's not only too much, it's also too late to get help.
If your hobby building has more square footage than your home...it's too much.
If you can't remember what your living room looks like, but can visualize every square inch of your layout, it's too much.
If you haven't seen your wife in so long you have to keep a picture of her over your layout, it's too much.
If your layout represents the budget of a Third World nation, it's too much.
If you have more rolling stock than many prototypical railroads had in their prime, it's too much.
If your solid brass locomotive cost more than your first car, it's too much. If it's cost more than your current car, you should seek expert clinical help.
If your home is entirely decorated with railroad themes, logos and colors, it's too much.
If your bedsheets are decorated with trackplans or blueprints, it's too much.
If you refer to all colors by their railroad names, such as Boxcar Red or Sante Fe Yellow, it's too much.
If you can no longer look at objects without considering their use in a layout, it's too much.
If you refer to your home as the "home depot" or "end of track", it's too much.
If you and your wife have ever gone out in public wearing matching railroad overalls and engineer caps, it's too much.
If you cannot travel anywhere without including a railroad stop, it's too much.
If you give all directions based on your LHS as the initial reference point, it's too much.
If you drool when entering your LHS, it's too much.
If the sight of the latest model locomotive with full digital sound and control works better for you than Viagra, it's too much.
If you can no longer speak to strangers or give directions without using railroad terms, it's too much.
If you have ever referred to your wife as "your cute little DCC controller", it's too much.
If your cellphone or doorbell has bells, whistles or other train noises, it's way too much.
If your porch lights are red, green and yellow, it's too much.
If your nickname includes the words "Engineer", Fireman" or "Conductor", it's too much.
If you do not go to bed, but "head for the roundhouse" at night, it's too much.
If you refer to your grandchildren as "gandydancers" or "track monkeys", it's too much.
If you find yourself going "choo-choo", "huff-puff", "chug-chug" or "too-toot" under your breath during quiet moments alone, it's not only too much, it's also too late to get help.
