By B. Conley
When one is a model railroader you might expect to see some train pictures on the wall and maybe train and model railroader magazines laying around but, there just might be a little more to it than that. In this article we will reveal some of the obsessive qualities a model railroader may exhibit.
1. Talk Of The Model Railroader-A model railroader probably at some time will be mumbling and rambling on about numbers and letters such as 2-6-0, 4-8-8-4, GP38, SD40-2 just to name a few. If one is unfamiliar with such terms those are descriptions of steam and diesel locomotives. The names of several different men who have been a big influence on the hobby will most likely come up in conversation such as John Allen and George Sellios. Of course they are always talking about expanding the model railroad layout at some point.
2. Model Railroader Furniture-In the home of a serious model railroader you might walk into the living room and find him sitting there watching the latest model railroad DVD by Allen Keller on his custom built cabinet TV that looks like a boxcar and his remote to the TV looks like a railroad flatcar. Of course there is a G-scale train that comes from the kitchen right to his chair side hauling a special load of refreshments in coal cars such as chips and dip, oh and a ice cold glass of ice tea. A coffee table with a glass top so you can see a N-scale model railroad inside it. His decor on the walls consist of railroad memorabilia he has collected over the years and at train show swap meets. He waters his plants with an old railroad oiler's can. His dinning room is of course decorated like that of an old Pullman dinning car. And if a model railroader can score one, a restored wooden caboose sitting beside the house. As you can see it can get quite compulsive.
3.Model Railroads Everywhere-Of course there is a HO scale model railroad consuming the entire basement. A train running around the top of the walls going from room to room throughout the whole house. Model railroad dioramas mounted on the walls. The yard outside of a model railroader's house is occupied by a G-scale garden railroad. There might even be a z-scale model railroad found in his briefcase. Yes, also the coffee table N-scale railroad as mentioned earlier.
4. Model Railroaders Shopping Habits- A model railroader will not go shopping willingly unless it is to a hobby shop. If he goes to the grocery store it is the one located closest to the hobby shop. If sent to the hardware store for the wife to pick up vacuum bags for the vacuum he will most likely come home with tubs of plaster or any other materials he can use on the railroad. He probably have to go back to the store because he forgot the vacuum bags the first time.
5. A Model Railroader's Vacation- Of course there will not be any vacations that do not center around a railroad somewhere. Either to ride the train or to take pictures of it or both. Maybe it might be to go see the world's largest railroad classification yard. Sometimes a vacation might be to spend several days at a model train show and swap meet.
So as you can see when model railroading becomes A Way Of Life it can be quite concerning for family members or friends or the neighbor who is looking in awe when the caboose is being delivered next door who doesn't know that this hobby is quite addictive. A a side note if your are wandering about the wife in all of this. Most likely this guy is a bachelor or has taken the time yet to look for a wife that would put up with all of this. Yes there are wives that have to live with this obsession and we thank you for putting up with us. Until next time keep the trains running!
When one is a model railroader you might expect to see some train pictures on the wall and maybe train and model railroader magazines laying around but, there just might be a little more to it than that. In this article we will reveal some of the obsessive qualities a model railroader may exhibit.
1. Talk Of The Model Railroader-A model railroader probably at some time will be mumbling and rambling on about numbers and letters such as 2-6-0, 4-8-8-4, GP38, SD40-2 just to name a few. If one is unfamiliar with such terms those are descriptions of steam and diesel locomotives. The names of several different men who have been a big influence on the hobby will most likely come up in conversation such as John Allen and George Sellios. Of course they are always talking about expanding the model railroad layout at some point.
2. Model Railroader Furniture-In the home of a serious model railroader you might walk into the living room and find him sitting there watching the latest model railroad DVD by Allen Keller on his custom built cabinet TV that looks like a boxcar and his remote to the TV looks like a railroad flatcar. Of course there is a G-scale train that comes from the kitchen right to his chair side hauling a special load of refreshments in coal cars such as chips and dip, oh and a ice cold glass of ice tea. A coffee table with a glass top so you can see a N-scale model railroad inside it. His decor on the walls consist of railroad memorabilia he has collected over the years and at train show swap meets. He waters his plants with an old railroad oiler's can. His dinning room is of course decorated like that of an old Pullman dinning car. And if a model railroader can score one, a restored wooden caboose sitting beside the house. As you can see it can get quite compulsive.
3.Model Railroads Everywhere-Of course there is a HO scale model railroad consuming the entire basement. A train running around the top of the walls going from room to room throughout the whole house. Model railroad dioramas mounted on the walls. The yard outside of a model railroader's house is occupied by a G-scale garden railroad. There might even be a z-scale model railroad found in his briefcase. Yes, also the coffee table N-scale railroad as mentioned earlier.
4. Model Railroaders Shopping Habits- A model railroader will not go shopping willingly unless it is to a hobby shop. If he goes to the grocery store it is the one located closest to the hobby shop. If sent to the hardware store for the wife to pick up vacuum bags for the vacuum he will most likely come home with tubs of plaster or any other materials he can use on the railroad. He probably have to go back to the store because he forgot the vacuum bags the first time.
5. A Model Railroader's Vacation- Of course there will not be any vacations that do not center around a railroad somewhere. Either to ride the train or to take pictures of it or both. Maybe it might be to go see the world's largest railroad classification yard. Sometimes a vacation might be to spend several days at a model train show and swap meet.
So as you can see when model railroading becomes A Way Of Life it can be quite concerning for family members or friends or the neighbor who is looking in awe when the caboose is being delivered next door who doesn't know that this hobby is quite addictive. A a side note if your are wandering about the wife in all of this. Most likely this guy is a bachelor or has taken the time yet to look for a wife that would put up with all of this. Yes there are wives that have to live with this obsession and we thank you for putting up with us. Until next time keep the trains running!
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