What is it that makes us so passionate about Trains, especially Model Trains?

If I had to explain it you would never understand.

quote:

Originally posted by omax:
What is it that makes us so passionate about Trains, especially Model Trains?

Well, it's kind of hard to get the real ones in the house.

Someone else took the last of the "cool" hobbies, so here we are.

When I was growing up we didn't have robots, computers or any of the other things that came along with the US space program. WE had trains and that was as high tech and as good as we had then.

We do it to get back at our wives for buying all the clothes they buy. At least I do. Rick

In a Cold Cruel Real world, We like to make our own "Leave it to Beaver"/"Brady Bunch"/"Eight is Enough"/"Happy Days"/"Laverne & Shirley" Neighborhoods... in 3D!



The difference is in the details!

This message has been edited. Last edited by: prrhorseshoecurve,

A real GG1 would use too much electricity, and a real tugboat would take up too much room in the swimming pool.



Click and help, if you can.

They are in a world that we create. They can be an escape from the real world. Some people do drugs... we do trains.

Why not?
laz57

What's not to love?

Reaaly, it is very simple......

Trains are a fun way to be a kid....everyone needs to be a kid when they can.

Let's face it...as adults we are boring.

Because it is something that we can interact with directly in many ways.

Andrew

quote:

Originally posted by omax:
What is it that makes us so passionate about Trains, especially Model Trains?

Asking why we like trains on a train forum.......this may qualify for the(dumb?) question of the year award. Everybody knows REAL MEN like trains!

For me, it has something to do with flanged wheels running on rails.

It beats watching Hanna Montana and all the other kiddie shows my little ones always seem to have on.

Its more like why not trains?

We like trains because, after the demise of the ICC, anyone can run a railroad.

What has always puzzled me is how many real railroaders have model train layouts. To me, that's like bringing work home from the office.

But, on the plus side, they don't have hours-of-service rules to contend with, there is no extra board, and the FRA can't come on the property. Oh, and they can run through a switch without getting suspended.

Because he who watches things go round & round may someday too become a "big wheel."

because they won't let me run the real things when I want, and how I want. It's the same reason why I had tons of Hot Wheels cars when I was little.

A real locomotive won't fit in the driveway or the house, if it did fit in your driveway, how many of your neighbors would have to go get a bigger and more expensive one to outdo you?

It takes all kinds... Someone mentioned about 1:1 train people who often have model trains. I had a retail hobby shop back in the 1990s and had two friends/customers that were an interesting pair: One was a pilot for Freeport MacMoran in their 727 and he modeled HO, mostly MKT & Santa Fe. The other fella worked for NS in new Orleans and flew RC planes. Neither has any interest in their vocation as a hobby!

admiring the details of the prototype in 3D (versus a picture).
admiring the engineering, both from respect of the prototype, as well as how it was engineered to be a functional model.

The sounds, the smoke, the experience.

And the heavy solid weight of the things is impressive to me.

1. Because they're fun.
2. I rode the Amtrak at age 6 in 1976 and when I discovered they made toy trains I got one ASAP.
So 3. Now, it lets me be a kid again.
4. I enjoy seeing the engineering of the 1:1 and the O scale equivalent.
5. I enjoy controlling the operation. It gives me a feeling of POWER.

They make me feel alive in my own world. It is mine. Just love trains, always have, always will. To have the Yanks & Phillies taking the train to and from New York & Philly, well life is good.

Many thanks,

Billy C

I blame my love of trains on my Dad. In the mid '50's, after Sunday dinner, he and I would go to the old Royal Dairy in Lewistown, PA and get chocolate milkshakes. We'd then head to the PRR station in Lewistown and watch trains hoping to see a diesel. (This was when the PRR was dieselizing the Middle Division.)

I like the real ones; I like the toy ones.

Because I need something in my life that I can invest a whole bunch of time, money, thought and effort into and then have it not look or work exactly the way I wanted it to.

Seriously, it all goes back to a December morning when I sat with my dog, father and brother and watched the train run around the tree.