Dose anyone here have a train hobby?

FriendlyMan · 03-12-2010, 08:51 AM

Do you have a Hobby of scale trains? if yes what scale are you in to? I'm trying to start looking in to it. There is one great train shop in my area http://trainworld.com/
they have so much nice things I dont know which scale to start with.

If you have this hobby can you please tell me a little about it and why you chose the scale yoy have? And a good thread would help.
I see a lot of people go crazy foe the lionel but they look so big, I tohught the N scale was cute.

jsnake · 03-12-2010, 09:49 AM

I work on trains and I hate them. Everyone at the railroad makes fun of the people out there taking pictures and drooling over the trains. We call them "Foamers". Not making fun of you though. I just hate the railroad and anything to do with it. Well, I do like the paycheck and benefits.

I have actually considered starting this for my kids but so far I haven't I have tons of cool things collectors would probably die for. Some I am saving for my kids and some I will sell someday.

FriendlyMan · 03-12-2010, 10:12 AM

Whatch some of the videos on youtube of setups people made your eyes will pop out

M1903A1 · 03-12-2010, 01:28 PM

I have a hobby of scale trains...full-scale, that is!

http://www.irm.org

(For the record, I also work for a "railroad", and I hate foamers too!)

Tredegar · 03-12-2010, 02:47 PM

I like Lego trains better than HO. I do have a Maerklin train set somewhere.

hotreds · 03-12-2010, 02:51 PM

Used to have quite the Maerklin set-up and also some Kleinbahn(Austrian HO scale.)

FriendlyMan · 03-12-2010, 02:55 PM

Is the full scale the G scale?

Hotreds would you tarde it for some fine cigars

Quote:

Originally Posted by M1903A1

I have a hobby of scale trains...full-scale, that is!

http://www.irm.org

(For the record, I also work for a "railroad", and I hate foamers too!)

hotreds · 03-12-2010, 03:00 PM

Alas, all gone over the years! I might still have some scale people, I'll check and see and let you know what I find.

Rabidsquirrel · 03-12-2010, 07:22 PM

American Flyer HO and S gauge is my thing.

M1903A1 · 03-13-2010, 09:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by FriendlyMan

Is the full scale the G scale?

Hotreds would you tarde it for some fine cigars

Nope...full-scale as in 12" = 1 foot!

RGD. · 03-14-2010, 06:47 PM

I love model trains also - but don't have anything left except a few cars and engines. I do have a model of the General is a 4-4-0 in either N or HO - can't remember without looking at it. For those that don't know about the General: Read Here

I also do have The Polar Express with all of the updated cars that I bring out at Christmas. Love that set.

But anyway - for those that have never seen this site, it is the most amazing train setup in history.

Go HERE

Just simply incredible.

Ron

Hot Stuff x · 03-14-2010, 07:00 PM

I used to be into model railroading as a teenager. I started with O27 scale (Lionel), but it was to expensive and took up too much space. Looks great around the Christmas tree, though.

Then I went to HO scale, but then I joined the Army-- it's hard to maintain a train layout when you're moving all the time, so I gave it up.

If I ever get back into it I may go N scale just because it has a smaller footprint.

WyoBob · 03-14-2010, 09:28 PM

My dad and I built quite a setup over several years after I joined Cub Scouts when I lived in Kansas City. He loved trains and he and my granddad had a free pass from the U.P. anywhere in the country because they shipped so many cattle by rail, mainly to the K.C. stockyards. They also took many Shrine trips in those days by rail.

We had an "O" gauge setup with two transformers and two rows of switches. We had a Streamliner (?) locomotive and steam loco you dropped a pill into the smokestack to make smoke. We made plaster "lakes", had tunnels, grass, trees, a depot, town, cows grazing the hillsides, etc. It was all mounted on four 4x8 sheets of plywood.

We had a logging setup where you could dump and convey logs, a coal setup, a milk car where the doors on the milk car opened and a little guy pushed milk cans onto a platform, a "barrel" car that conveyed and dumped barrels and my favorite--- a cattle car with little rubber bovines inside. You pulled up to the stockyards, hit a switch, the doors came open on the stock car and the little beeves vibrated out of the car onto the platform. You could corral them and then open a gate and load 'em back up. What a hoot.

I'm glad I came across this thread as it took me back many years (1950's) to a great time in my life.

When I finally had a house big enough to set up the train set, I went over to my mom's to retrieve it. Mom said my brother had picked it up several years earlier. He never had a danged thing to do with it, ever. He sold it. Probably for booze and drugs. I still get burned when I think about it. I've got twin grandson's, now. I'd love to have that train set in my downstairs to amaze them (though they might be a bit young at 13 months).

WyoBob

FriendlyMan · 03-15-2010, 06:02 AM

WhyBob that's what my dream is to build some thing nice.
I'm sorry to hear what happend to your set up but you should know that this is one of the things that did not die yet in this coubtry. I did go in to one hobby shop in manhatan and the later at the register tells me that no one is in to hobbies these days only computer games.
But from my little research I found many many people still interested in trains and the same companies are still makeing trains for hundred years. I found one very big train shop a few minutes from my house www.trainworld.com they have so many trains in all scales that you can go crazy. I took my son and we both felt we want to go with lionel/o scale the others where nice and cute I like them all but if I need to stick to one for now we like the live look in the O Scale.

I just want to tell you one thing, if you have the time and the $$$ of course its not to late to start some thing with your grand kids. There are so many places you can find trains people to talk to about trains, than when you were a kid there was no interenet. :

I was on craigslist I saw a guy selling trading and repairing post war models. You might even find the exact style trains you had back then.

I was thinking of starting with some NYC trains from my era that are being pulled off the lines and maybe from before, then I might get and old fasion one or two that might be cheaper. Unless its something special. And the most interesting thing of all you find mostly adults who are in to these trains.

03-12-2010, 08:51 AM	#1
FriendlyMan Still Watching My Back Join Date: Jul 2009 First Name: JACK Location: NYC Posts: 212 Trading: (7)	Dose anyone here have a train hobby? Do you have a Hobby of scale trains? if yes what scale are you in to? I'm trying to start looking in to it. There is one great train shop in my area http://trainworld.com/ they have so much nice things I dont know which scale to start with. If you have this hobby can you please tell me a little about it and why you chose the scale yoy have? And a good thread would help. I see a lot of people go crazy foe the lionel but they look so big, I tohught the N scale was cute.

03-12-2010, 09:49 AM	#2
jsnake Have My Own Room Join Date: Feb 2010 First Name: Jake Location: Your mom's house Posts: 1,309 Trading: (22)	Re: Dose anyone here have a train hobby? I work on trains and I hate them. Everyone at the railroad makes fun of the people out there taking pictures and drooling over the trains. We call them "Foamers". Not making fun of you though. I just hate the railroad and anything to do with it. Well, I do like the paycheck and benefits. I have actually considered starting this for my kids but so far I haven't I have tons of cool things collectors would probably die for. Some I am saving for my kids and some I will sell someday.

03-12-2010, 10:12 AM	#3
FriendlyMan Still Watching My Back Join Date: Jul 2009 First Name: JACK Location: NYC Posts: 212 Trading: (7)	Re: Dose anyone here have a train hobby? Whatch some of the videos on youtube of setups people made your eyes will pop out

03-12-2010, 01:28 PM	#4
M1903A1 Have My Own Room Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 1060 W. Addison Posts: 1,573 Trading: (4)	Re: Dose anyone here have a train hobby? I have a hobby of scale trains...full-scale, that is! http://www.irm.org (For the record, I also work for a "railroad", and I hate foamers too!) __________________ "It's the cigars that bring us together, but it's the people that cause us to stay."

03-12-2010, 02:47 PM	#5
Tredegar Sing along with me Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 670 Trading: (9)	Re: Dose anyone here have a train hobby? I like Lego trains better than HO. I do have a Maerklin train set somewhere.

03-12-2010, 02:51 PM	#6
hotreds Ephesians 2:8 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 5 miles past "Resume Speed" Posts: 11,658 Trading: (63)	Re: Dose anyone here have a train hobby? Used to have quite the Maerklin set-up and also some Kleinbahn(Austrian HO scale.) __________________ God loves you so much, that he made you read this, just to let you know.

03-12-2010, 03:00 PM	#8
hotreds Ephesians 2:8 Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: 5 miles past "Resume Speed" Posts: 11,658 Trading: (63)	Re: Dose anyone here have a train hobby? Alas, all gone over the years! I might still have some scale people, I'll check and see and let you know what I find. __________________ God loves you so much, that he made you read this, just to let you know.

03-12-2010, 07:22 PM	#9
Rabidsquirrel Moderately Confused Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Pennsylvania, US Posts: 576 Trading: (5)	Re: Dose anyone here have a train hobby? American Flyer HO and S gauge is my thing.

03-14-2010, 06:47 PM	#11
RGD. God Like Status Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Ron Location: Alexandria, Virginia Posts: 971 Trading: (1)	Re: Dose anyone here have a train hobby? I love model trains also - but don't have anything left except a few cars and engines. I do have a model of the General is a 4-4-0 in either N or HO - can't remember without looking at it. For those that don't know about the General: Read Here I also do have The Polar Express with all of the updated cars that I bring out at Christmas. Love that set. But anyway - for those that have never seen this site, it is the most amazing train setup in history. Go HERE Just simply incredible. Ron

03-14-2010, 07:00 PM	#12
Hot Stuff x FNG Join Date: Jan 2009 First Name: Les Location: Seoul, Korea Posts: 89 Trading: (4)	Re: Dose anyone here have a train hobby? I used to be into model railroading as a teenager. I started with O27 scale (Lionel), but it was to expensive and took up too much space. Looks great around the Christmas tree, though. Then I went to HO scale, but then I joined the Army-- it's hard to maintain a train layout when you're moving all the time, so I gave it up. If I ever get back into it I may go N scale just because it has a smaller footprint.

03-14-2010, 09:28 PM	#13
WyoBob Still Watching My Back Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Bob Location: Buffalo, WY Posts: 155 Trading: (1)	Re: Dose anyone here have a train hobby? My dad and I built quite a setup over several years after I joined Cub Scouts when I lived in Kansas City. He loved trains and he and my granddad had a free pass from the U.P. anywhere in the country because they shipped so many cattle by rail, mainly to the K.C. stockyards. They also took many Shrine trips in those days by rail. We had an "O" gauge setup with two transformers and two rows of switches. We had a Streamliner (?) locomotive and steam loco you dropped a pill into the smokestack to make smoke. We made plaster "lakes", had tunnels, grass, trees, a depot, town, cows grazing the hillsides, etc. It was all mounted on four 4x8 sheets of plywood. We had a logging setup where you could dump and convey logs, a coal setup, a milk car where the doors on the milk car opened and a little guy pushed milk cans onto a platform, a "barrel" car that conveyed and dumped barrels and my favorite--- a cattle car with little rubber bovines inside. You pulled up to the stockyards, hit a switch, the doors came open on the stock car and the little beeves vibrated out of the car onto the platform. You could corral them and then open a gate and load 'em back up. What a hoot. I'm glad I came across this thread as it took me back many years (1950's) to a great time in my life. When I finally had a house big enough to set up the train set, I went over to my mom's to retrieve it. Mom said my brother had picked it up several years earlier. He never had a danged thing to do with it, ever. He sold it. Probably for booze and drugs. I still get burned when I think about it. I've got twin grandson's, now. I'd love to have that train set in my downstairs to amaze them (though they might be a bit young at 13 months). WyoBob

03-15-2010, 06:02 AM	#14
FriendlyMan Still Watching My Back Join Date: Jul 2009 First Name: JACK Location: NYC Posts: 212 Trading: (7)	Re: Dose anyone here have a train hobby? WhyBob that's what my dream is to build some thing nice. I'm sorry to hear what happend to your set up but you should know that this is one of the things that did not die yet in this coubtry. I did go in to one hobby shop in manhatan and the later at the register tells me that no one is in to hobbies these days only computer games. But from my little research I found many many people still interested in trains and the same companies are still makeing trains for hundred years. I found one very big train shop a few minutes from my house www.trainworld.com they have so many trains in all scales that you can go crazy. I took my son and we both felt we want to go with lionel/o scale the others where nice and cute I like them all but if I need to stick to one for now we like the live look in the O Scale. I just want to tell you one thing, if you have the time and the $$$ of course its not to late to start some thing with your grand kids. There are so many places you can find trains people to talk to about trains, than when you were a kid there was no interenet. : I was on craigslist I saw a guy selling trading and repairing post war models. You might even find the exact style trains you had back then. I was thinking of starting with some NYC trains from my era that are being pulled off the lines and maybe from before, then I might get and old fasion one or two that might be cheaper. Unless its something special. And the most interesting thing of all you find mostly adults who are in to these trains.