Train Hobby Musings

yes, car restoration. 

G the key statement: "Just funny how we collect and don't run until much later."  or run at all. Then complain why thy don't work or why they are not worth as much as when they purchased them.

 

 

Who is this "we" of whom you speak, sir?  When I get a locomotive or piece of rolling stock, it goes on the layout as soon as possible.

 

George, I know a fellow that has collected HO for 35 years and only recently pulled some of them out of his closets to run on a layout he bought (still don't know how he got it home).

 

The only thing I can think of that I wish I had bought 2 of was my old 1970 Opel GT.  Shoulda bought 2 and kept 1 in a cocoon.  The one I had is long gone.

I've purchased, then run, then sold to purchase something else, then sold again, then stored for future use.  I know of what you speak, to the nines.  Let us all rejoice that we have these choices.  Purchasing, running, selling, storing for the future, it's all part of our chosen hobby.   Bob S.

I'm not a collector so I got all mine out right away upon receiving them for a few years. Then my layout became too small (or I acquired too many trains, I don't think that's possible so it has to be layout shrinkage) and now items have to wait patiently in the box for a while until it becomes their turn. Hopefully there will be a layout expansion later this year and the problem will go away (that is until the layout 'shrinks' again anyway).

 

Selling a few things has crossed my mind, but deciding what to sell is extremely stressful and causes headaches so I can't seem to think about it long enough to decide on anything...and the piles continue to expand.

Some people collect, and never run. That is their intention, and how they enjoy the hobby.

Then there are "armchair model railroaders". I've seen them mentioned in Model Railroad print for as long as I've been in the hobby. These folks read about Model Railroading, but never build a layout.

Some of those armchair model railroads are content to read, others to just plan and dream. The third group buys stuff, and puts it away for a someday layout. For some folks that someday never comes.

And some of us have habits that put us in more than one group.

 

I did that bought new train items and just run and tested it then sit in my closet for 8 years now i pretty much run everything. 

I have a lot of HO that I've never run, but that hasn't been a problem with my O gauge stuff. Of course, my switch to O was brought about by the births of my children, and since they got here I really don't have the same kind of spare cash that I used to have, so my O roster is much smaller. I started to sell my HO equipment, but every time something left I felt bad about it, so I stopped selling. Now I just display the HO in my basement, while I run all of the O gauge.

Been in the hobby for 2-3 years, dropped a few cars and yes an engine to the concrete floor before learning to hold with both hands but when purchased they are  played with ASAP.

Brent

As far as my trains, I run the heck out of everything I have.  However I have been collecting NOS building kits for a future O layout.  

I really wasn't going down the collecting versus running lane.  I run mine too, but it does seem like this is a hobby were folks accumulate more then they can run, or buy before they have a layout and so stuff sits around.  Sometimes for very long periods.

 

Just have seen a few repairs lately where folks say they have recently retired, just broke the train out for the first time and it won't work.  These are new trains from the 90s.  G

It can be a combination of events.  Buying trains is not like buying a tv set, a set of tires or a pair of shoes.  Those you can get at anytime.  But if you wanted a Vision Line Challenger, or any like that, you need to get it when it's available whether you're ready to run it or not.  Oh yes, you could eventually find one, but that's because it's not a necessity.  Imagine if your refrigerator (or beer meister) broke down and you couldn't get a replacement until you found one on ebay six months later!  I tried waiting on the Lionel JLC Penn Central GG1, and now can't find one for less than a million dollars!  Some trains are just not as available as everyday items are.

 

During my layout build I've changed my mind a few times on how I wanted it, but continued to buy trains I figured I couldn't get later.  Now that I've come to a satisfactory layout plan, after discussions with fellow NCHR member and forum members, Once my track is wired up, the floodgates will open and I'll run everything!! (eventually)

Oh yes.  Definitely.  I have a Vignale Fiat 8V that has been in a storage garage,  in boxes, for years.  Maybe someday . . . 

Brian I agree with your post! 

Last year at York I broght the postwar smoking cabose, I still haven't found it yet. It's in a box somewhere.....

Agreed........

Plastic model kits......I have some I bought as a teen mint in box. 

Coins......Dad filled every coin book available about 1967....sat in the closet since.

 

My brother in law has a '69 Opel GT that he's thinking of selling.  He's in Layton, Utah.  Interested?

That's almost as bad as buying that special car you've been looking for.. getting it home... and then finding one new in the box in the bottom of the closet!

Ever hear of the term "safe queen"? Lot's of guys I know have a favorite pistol or two stored away and never use them or even look at them.

 

By far the most bizarre thing to me, are the train folks who buy a special engine or car and NEVER open the shipping carton but store their buy away in them.

Whenever the topic of not running trains comes up, I always think of the exchange in the movie "This Is Spinal Tap" where the "filmmaker" and "Nigel" the prima donna rock star are discussing Nigel's massive guitar collection, which includes a guitar that's never been played:

 

[discussing Nigel's Guitar collection]
Nigel Tufnel: Look... still has the old tag on, never even played it.

Marty DiBergi: [points his finger] You've never played...?

Nigel Tufnel: Don't touch it!

Marty DiBergi: We'll I wasn't going to touch it, I was just pointing at it.

Nigel Tufnel: Well... don't point! It can't be played.

Marty DiBergi: Don't point, okay. Can I look at it?

Nigel Tufnel: No. no. That's it, you've seen enough of that one.

Spinal Tap is available on Netflix right now, if you need a good laugh.  It's not as funny as Best in Show, but it's all the same people, and the humor is in the same ballpark.

 

Steven J. Serenska

 

Yeah, lots of gun owners lock old firearms into gun safes, never to be seen by anyone (icluding the owner in many cases) ever again.

Heck, a guy in my re-enacting group owns several crew-served weapons that are functional but has never even thought of firing them. He even owns a M-2 .50 caliber heavy machine gun. I've offered to set the headspace and timing for him (really simple of you have the right gauge to set it, only takes about 10 seconds at the most) to fire the thing, but he has no interest in firing it.

I also know a guy who spent over $150K for a Sherman tank and its restoration. It's only been fired up as a test when it was being restored and getting it onto and off off the 18-wheeler to his place. Assuming the batteries are good, he could fire it up any time he wanted. But he never will. And eventually, it'll need to have the engine rebuilt again from sitting around for who knows how long until someone buys it from his estate once he passes on.

I'll never understand that mindset.

I do, however, know someone who owns a prototype machine gun. I won't go into the details, but it's the onyl one in existence. I can see why that guy never fires it due to its rarity, but he does display it sometimes at shows. I'd also agree if you had the last suviving type of an airplane and you never flew it.

But production stuff, sitting in the dark and never being used?

Man, that doesn't make any sense.

p51,

   Got to agree with you about the gun collectors, however I use both the trains and the guns each Christmas & Grouse season, guess I am not the typical owner!

PCRR/Dave

 

Me, neither. I'm not a hunter (I'm not against it for others, but it's just not for me) but I used to shoot competition in various classes. I go plinking when I can. That, and I'm an avid WW2 living history type, so I love shooting my WW2 stuff with blanks at events, live ammo when I can, and showing off my 1:1 scale toys often:

Everything on the camo cloth, the Jeep, chairs and assorted WW2 camp stuff is mine. Only the metal barrier and modern trailer behind me and the 1/2 ton truck ahead of my Jeep to the far left is not owner by me...

FYI, that's an original WW2-made Ordnance Unit sign to the left in my display. Got it from the vet himself. Not bad for a 72 year-old sign, huh?

When I got into O the first set I got was used around the tree or days when I wa noted to 'exercise' the set between the holidays. Then I started acquiring additions here and there with the premise of "adding on" for the holiday layout. I'm glad my trains now have a permanent layout to run on

G

I know where you are coming from. I like to say I run all my trains. I do run everything when I buy it but I have so much that some sit in the closet for years without running. I even forget I have some. (That;s pathetic - or old age)    The good part is when I come across a train I haven't run in a while, it's like I'm running a new train again. Like Christmas. 

 It took me 10 years to gather the parts for "thee" race motor" at a good price.

Stored them for 10 more waiting for the right car .

  I sold it all last week.

I cant drive fast anymore, let alone torque on a wrench.

But I can lift a train most days

Life can change overnight  & ghosts can't run trains 

Get "whatever" out of the closet NOW, while you can do it without help .

 

G

Its kind of funny as I been following this. I realize I am become one of those guys who buy engines and rolling stock but don't have room on the layout for them. As I eagerly await my 3rd Rail CBQ FT. It pains me to decide which CBQ engine I will have to pull from the lay out SD9/U25B/SD24. I already have this issue with my GN engines FA1/GP30/SD9/SD24 and is about to get worse with a purchase of a GN FT AB set and planed purchase of an FA2 and U25B. Currently I have ATSF SD24/SD45/E3, Seaboard SDP35, ACL C628, SP C630, And my N&W C630 Coal drag (14 coal cars) off the layout. Oh yes planed purchase of a CBQ F3/GP9/GP30/SD9(3rd Rail) and on the hunt for a CBQ F2. Rolling stock is the same issue as I have quit a few that are no longer on the layout. 7 kits that still need to be built. Its a good thing I am planning a new layout that will give me 6 sidings of which I only have four now. Yep, I think I am becoming one of those guys.

Right now I'm buying a few things that aren't going to be used right away simply because I don't have a platform for my layout..... yet.

 

I'm working on it, I'm working on it.