It's the end of the line ...

[cookiemae]

I think its a bunch [of rubbish], model trains rule!

 

[betsy662]

I've never had problems taking pix of trains, but then again, I don't get to do that so often anymore since moving to Florida, not very many trains around where I live, didn't have any problems shooting pix when I rode a train from here to NC a few years back, and that was just right after 9-11...............

 

[rwk]

Where I live, there are no longer any hobby shops within a few miles in all directions. I live west of Allentown, PA and the closest train shop would probably be the Hobby Town at Lehigh Valley Mall which used to be a mile down the road from me in a shopping center but moved. Tourist RRs need to attract the next generation in workers and visitors to survive. Unfortunately, the Millennial generation, born 1982 and up, has so many other distractions like electronic gadgets, and other things.

 

[Gandalf0444]

I have a Nscale model trainset with over 60 buildings,4 locos and over 60 or so train cars. And about 2 very large ovals on a piece of wood. And all this set me back a mere 1,000USD at least. Don't get me wrong I love playing and making model trains but just to by a board is like 40bucks and then everythingelse is up from there.But now I don't have the spare room to keep it set up in. Once you get ove just that one single circle and more than 1 train you can no longer keep taking it a part and moving it around. And if you move to another house a lot of the suff(espicelly the stuff in my scale)is very fragile and you will lose about 1/4 of your stuff to it breaking. Then when you fix it sometimes it will look horrible. And once it gets bigger(track wise) it gets harder and harder to clean espicelley whn you can reach the center of the board.like me when I was younger.And it kills me everyday knowing that all the stuff is packed away in boxes in the attic never to be seen agin until me make new roome or move to new house.Then it will start all over with the moving.

 

[perry_weekley]

"May 16, 2003:
The 150th anniversary is completely ignored by the media and"

In 2007 Parkersburg West Virginia had its 150th anniversary of the B&O completion but it was ignored and only one newpaper commented on it being ignored. With out the railroad that "City" would not have become what it is today but they throw its anniversary away like it's nothing. Really Model railroading is sadly becoming an old mens hobby as my mother says. I am 14 and wanting to build model railroads. 1st I have space but down fall is we can't afford anything from US sellers. 2nd there is a dealer in Wheeling but again the downfall is he has such high prices. So unless the prices for model railroading go way down to about 10 dollars a loco or something reasonable this hobby is gonna die and not even show up in newer generations sadly.

Garden railroading is also a downfall right now. It may not be as expensive to get track after you get an engine but still the area is limited.

 

[Gandalf0444]

This is really quite sad though, I am goin to save mine what I have so far hopefull I can give to my nephew or when/if I have a kid of my own I will give to him/her but perry is right the price for a loco is 40USD and up and then if you want a steam loco forget about 80USD minimum.

 

[K4driver]

I get made fun of also for my love of the hobby. I get called train boy, and get chugga chugga chugga choo choo at me, but i really don't care. I am waiting untill all the cars can't run then what will they do.

 

[CoolMatty]

I have the same experience of being tormented. Again I just ignore them. However some people must like Trains. Why without that this site, preserved railways and museams wouldn't be around.

Matt

 

[K4driver]

Where I live, there are no longer any hobby shops within a few miles in all directions. I live west of Allentown, PA and the closest train shop would probably be the Hobby Town at Lehigh Valley Mall which used to be a mile down the road from me in a shopping center but moved. Tourist RRs need to attract the next generation in workers and visitors to survive. Unfortunately, the Millennial generation, born 1982 and up, has so many other distractions like electronic gadgets, and other things.

you got me as a exception to this generation was born in 1992 and love trains. I am a geek at my school so i don't have to worry about peer issues. I have no girl friend either so i get to keep a lot of money. and the only other thing that holds my intrest is guitars and government(I know it is a strange combination)

 

[CoolMatty]

This guy keeps describing me! (without the government and guitars. More of a Trains and more Trains kinda guy). Football just seems to have taken over and most of them don't accept others like something different which is pushing people into the darkness.... But not us. All of us are doing our bit to preserve the past (in a futuristic kind of way). Modelling will always be a great hobby. Papers..huh... what do they know?

Matt

 

[K4driver]

This guy keeps describing me! (without the government and guitars. More of a Trains and more Trains kinda guy). Football just seems to have taken over and most of them don't accept others like something different which is pushing people into the darkness.... But not us. All of us are doing our bit to preserve the past (in a futuristic kind of way). Modelling will always be a great hobby. Papers..huh... what do they know?

Matt

maybe we are related lol but seriously the people at my school are the same I am a geek because i like nascar hate football(when my areas team is losing) and they won't accept that trains are a part of history of my state and area. Note: they also hate history..... I am the only one in my grade who likes history

 

[CoolMatty]

Spookiness! Same here! Motorsport and Trains and History. People don't accept it. How did they go on holiday when they were on a train? They won't admit that they've been on a train, even if they had to.

Matt

 

[campbell5149]

maybe we are related lol but seriously the people at my school are the same I am a geek because i like nascar hate football(when my areas team is losing) and they won't accept that trains are a part of history of my state and area. Note: they also hate history..... I am the only one in my grade who likes history

yes i am a rail and history buff and i get picked on every now and then, but they know that i know they're just trying to get me annoyed. and i like nascar too. hell i drive a dirt track car. check out the link in my siggy.

 

[WileeCoyote]

Plbst, must be related, I'm also a train freak, am rather unkown to most people excepting the local model shop owners (and by name too woohoo!), have no girlfriend (first I shall even find a girl, than one who can stand me), and am not interested in much else lest it is diesel powered or flies. However being berated or mocked for being a railfan? This is new to me, most kids are too busy spending money on expensive clothing and stereos for crappy honda's (or just to dim to know there is such a hobby) to care, all the tiny tims in town love me cos I've got more trains than they will ever see.

WileeCoyote

 

[Harry_James_Potter]

I mistakenly thought that this country (U.K.) was the only country (outside of Totalitarian regimes) where this was happening. There has been comments and letters in my "Railway Magazine" about this very subject.
Scary!

If you arm yourself with a camera and this helpful guide from Network Rail, http://www.networkrail.co.uk/aspx/777.aspx and follow all the guidelines in it, then you should have no problem. Spotters and their cameras are more of a defence against an idiot with a bomb than the rail companies would like to admit because a spotter knows what should be there on a railway and what shouldn't!

regards

Harry

 

[Harry_James_Potter]

I get made fun of also for my love of the hobby. I get called train boy, and get chugga chugga chugga choo choo at me, but i really don't care. I am waiting untill all the cars can't run then what will they do.

Yes... And when it happens to me, I turn round and tell them that my vehicle has a 24 litre diesel engine and can do 0 to 25mph faster than their cars can.

When they ask about the Horsepower output, I say 'only 275hp'

regards

Harry

 

[skiingiggy]

I'm a small time model railroader. If i had the money or the expirience i'd get more involved but hey, a teen can only do so much. I don't really get made fun offor my love of trains though, because all of my friends are in MB with me and we all have unique and different interests.

 

[cookiemae]

I am also 14 and have a model rail collection of my own. It is really sad to see the media backstab railroads like this. Its like the railroads dont exist to them. I dont understand why they see it that way. Maybe railroads ought to come up with publicity campaignes (sorry for spelling) or something. Maybe a BNSF Nascar, Union Pacific blimp that goes around the country like the goodyear one does, I have seen Norfolk Southern commercials on T.V but they come on at uncivilized hours so who knows about that. The media is really bad, but that just takes the cake. Oh yeah, K4DRIVER I wish I could get a look at those people you were talking about, everyone knows I like (love) trains but they wouldnt dare to say something bad to me about it. By the way, I have a girlfriend, an attractive one too if I can say so myself. Keep up the spirit though guys, hang in there.

 

[Gandalf0444]

I am 16 and, I do too have a girlfriend who doesn't mind my hobby,actually I think she is into it a bit as she likes to ride on trains when we go on trips to another part of the state,and she asks me a lot of questions about trains,which I really don't mind answering(sp?) but all the other kids do make fun of me to an extent but they know when I've had it with them seeing as I'm older than everyone of them and bigger to. I love to play football,but like nascar to. But you know what as long as I am happy and I know my girlfriend is happy,what the heck do I care about what they say. But most of the kids trat me so-so I'm of course not with the popular crowd but I'm not with the over the edge geeks,which I think no of you guys on here are,because you all share the same intrests as mine.

 

[Spawn_of_Chaos97]

Hey, I'm 19 and probably more into model trains than any of you! (Er...not really I guess lol...) Anyways, I've been helping out at my local model train shop. Yes, you read that right, not just a "generic hobby shop" but a MODEL TRAIN shop. And I'm willing to drive 100+ miles just to run my trains on a real layout. Oh, by the way, every bit of train equipment I currently have I bought with my own money. Nothing was paid for by my parents; in fact, they'd be happier if I had never bought any of it (lol so much for the family support...). Model trains just need to be more showcased! I went to a train show in Monroe, WA back in February. I was the ONLY TEENAGER there, yet there is a "Teenage NMRA." Their site was last updated in uhh 1995 lol...

I will NOT allow the hobby to die even if I'm the last one in the world with a model train and I'm only 30 or so. LONG LIVE THE PHYSICAL MODEL TRAIN!

I hate to say this here, but Trainz is a far-fetched second place to physical model trains to me. I'm currently planning a 20X50 layout for my basement, in HO scale. I have a Big Boy, 2 DD35s, a U28C, a GP20, and a 0-8-0 of UP's and an F3 A-B set in GN for my Empire Builder. I plan on running loooooong freights and many passenger consists. Until my layout is complete, though, I'll just have to stick to short stuff on my dining room floor...

That is honestly the longest post I have EVER created!

Edit (and now to make it longer):

Maybe railroads ought to come up with publicity campaignes (sorry for spelling) or something.

UP should refurbish their own Big Boys and actually use them on posters again. That's why the Big Boy is probably the most well-known "mallet" style locomotive; it's because the moment UP got their first one, it was on EACH AND EVERY UP POSTER IN THE COUNTRY! If they'd just do that again, the railroads would get a lot more business, I'm sure of that.