What I have found about this hobby is that it is multi-disciplined you design the layout, build the benchwork, install the track (straight sections, form curved sections, uncouplers, wye, switches, etc.,), install the switch motors and do scenery work. The next section is wiring the switch motors, soldering track connections to the tin plate track, wiring the common buss wire, wiring the block sections to a control panel(s), building of car kits(Intermountain and Red Caboose), painting and decaling unpainted cars, personal choice of engines and railroads to model, building building kits or scratch building structures, detailing plastic scale people and a project that I wanted to due for years design and install directional lighting in Williams engines using diodes, resistors, wire and styrene tubes cut to mount the led's. So this hobby can be all inclusive or not, you can be an operator, modeler or both based on personal choice. Overall I find this hobby challenging, not boring, an indoor project you can do year round and take personal satisfaction in the tasks you accomplish. Many years ago in the early 1970's I considered RC aircraft as a hobby this also is a multi-disciplined hobby one buys the kit, builds the plane, buys the servos, engine and fuel tank and finally a multi-channel transmitter. This is a summer hobby most RC people I know build the planes in the winter, I was told you start with an overhead wing aircraft and 3 channel transmitter to learn how to fly an RC aircraft. You need a cut field for takeoff and landing and weekend hours to fly the plane. I was early in my career as a mechanical engineer and could not dedicate the time to this hobby. I returned to model railroading in 1990. Retired after a 40 year career and enjoy my free time with my wife, house projects and maintenance, vacations and the model train hobby which keeps you mentally stimulated.
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