Do Model Railroaders Have Other Hobbies?

Bad Order,

Nice Tesla coils you have got there. I built one when I was younger and the coil would throw almost 3 foot sparks. My hobbies include building old telephone switching equipment and collecting and restoring old phones. Also heavy into computers, smart house control, photography, and electronics.

Of course they do!

1. Fly Fishing

2. Wine collecting and tasting

3. Photography

Matt

My other 2 Hobbies are Collecting Aviation related items from WW2, Korean war, and Vietnam. Collecting pocketwatches. I had over 300 at one time, down to a few 100 now.

Built a 737NG cockpit with a lot of working knobs and switches that function. Grand kids love playing with it. Runs on 5 networked computers and 8 monitors. A lot of add on software and Microsoft Flight Sim 9. Main PC runs 2 video cards for the forward views. The other PC's run all the glass instrumentation.

Too many, honestly and for now work keeps getting in the way of all the "Fun".

Summer is Boating and Golf

Fall/Winter Hunting and Trains

Cars fill in the gaps year-round.

Nelson, that's a really nice aircraft cockpit you've built!

Gilly

guns,aerospace, trains, scale metal cars,national defense,paleontology,drum playing,cooking, model building, collecting old missile models,photography,rocketry,rocket and missile history, airplanes.

A VERY NICE JOB ON THE COCKPIT

Bob C.

Way too many, and way too expensive.  Railroad history and model railroading, modern and vintage autos, photography, and travel...and all seem interrelated,

and there is not enough time or money for any of them.

I have a theatre pipe organ that I built and installed in our home.  The console is from a 1927 Wurlitzer.  The pipes are from various manufacturers.  I built a roll player attachment that plays the organ from piano rolls.  When I get tired of working on the layout I work on this project.

1927 Wurlitzer console

Some of the pipes

Tom

WOW, Guys...I'm Overwhelmed!

Here's my home-made hand-cranked 300,000-Volt Electrostatic "Bonetti" Machine.

A pair of 25" diameter counter-rotating acrylic discs generates the charge, which crashes between the copper terminals when the Leyden Jars let go.

BAD ORDER

But of course.....

Nice cockpit. This was mine for many hours.

Love the Cockpit.  Used to fly gliders.

Trains in the winter, cycling in the better weather (at least 4,000 miles per year)

Fish keeping, fresh water tropical, fresh water african cichlids, gold fish pond, koi pond, smaller marine aquarium.

HEY CHOO-CHOO BOB,

Those are not Tesla coils...what you see is ONE Van de Graaff Electrostatic Generator, which I designed for a yield of 1.12 million volts, which it never achieved due to excessive corona leakage.

The 30" sphere is now a backyard garden ornament.  (The metal spinner charged me $300 to spin the 2 hemispheres)

The other 2 devices are simply ground terminals to give the discharge a complete circuit. 

I stopped building Tesla Coils years ago when I realized that the primary excitation voltages were lethal...they could KILL you!

The super high voltage secondary discharges are harmless, because they're high frequency, which does not penetrate the body, but flows over it externally. 

It's the much lower 60Hz primary voltages that are dangerous...like an electric chair!

BAD ORDER

BTW...in the early 1950's I worked as a dial central office equipment installer for the General Telephone Company.

I installed the old Stowger step-by-step electro-mechanical switches...Line Switches, Line Finders, Selectors, and Connectors.

Ham radio, photography, reading, and spending time with my family.  Sometimes I can even combine them.

Cycling and Running to stay in shape (so I can chase the little one!).

Cruisin' pickups with my pops (mine is the 1972 -- he drives the 1954)

Camping in our restored 1961 Serro Scotty Sportsman.

HEY SINCLAIR,

I'm ex N6CEY

73, BAD ORDER

Just a few{too many!}-

-pair of old Kawasaki sleds in the mother-in-law room{covered trailer}

-what my wife calls my other wife{she's in for new glass seals and interior-not the real wife, the car!}

-a few models for retirement{I should start a hobby shop-really}

-a few restored old tonka trucks for my son{more not seen}

-my Burlington Route collection

...I think that's enough...and in my spare time I play with model trains!!!

HEY JOE,

I always liked Thumpers! 

Here's my 652cc Suzuki Savage "Big Single" and my 1950's era Whizzer Motorbike:

BAD ORDER  (At 77, too old to ride anymore!)

As in my profile, I have a couple other interests, here's a sample:

That's a nice looking Gibson SG there!(?)

On my 40th bday I got a 40th Anniversary Stratocaster from my wife.

Where to start.

Tent Camping in the woods with family.

Computers, Flying Model rockets (Big Ones), Remote Control Planes Jets and Helicopters, Guns, Live Action Role Play with Medieval Armor and weapons (I have a suit and many weapons), Reading, more.

See my website for pictures

HEY OVERLAND,

Ahhh...a Gibson!

Just learn your Major, Minor, Minor 7th, Diminished, Augmented, 6th, 7th, and 9th Chords in all 12 keys (96 chords), and then sit down and have a nice cocktail while listening to Les Paul!

BAD ORDER  (Playing Bass in a Senior Citizens band...they weren't very good, and

three in that picture are now deceased...the Pianist was 98.) 

At at the risk of being picky and technical, there are really only 3 diminished chords--when you consider the actual notes being played. There are four inversions of each chord. 

Jeff C

Collecting potato chips that look like Elvis.

I never understood how someone can only have one or two hobbies. At one time or another I have been involved in:

• Radio Controlled Aircraft, Boats, and Cars
• Slot Cars
• Video Games
• Fishing
• Boating (Speed, Cruise, and Sail)
• Hi-Fi Audio and Home Theater
• Plastic models
• Camping
• Archery
• Kayaking
• Hiking
• Railfanning
• Sports cars
• Motorcycling
• Bicycling
• Model Rocketry
• Computers / Hi-tech

And probably others...

So go renew your ticket.

73, W7OYA

Guns, Shooting M1 Garand, M1 Carbine 1903A3 and 1911 including reloading and camping with the wife and hopefully this summer the new granddaughter. Forgot about collecting diecast trucks and autos used the excuse they were for the layout but have way more than I could ever get on the lay out if it is ever finished.

Ride the bike and hike.
Pittsburgh to DC bike ride.


Salisbury viaduct.

Grand Canyon 2011 Son Matt/daughter-in-law Emily.

Hike between Cottonwood and Bright Angel Campgrounds.

On our way from the river to the South rim.  Break just before Indian Garden

Vermont/Mount Mansfield last summer.

THAT'S RIGHT, JEFF!

There are only 3 diminished chords, BUT they are known by 12 different names! 

With augmented chords, there are 4, also known by 12 different names!

QUIZ:

What is the so-called "Devil's Interval"?

BAD ORDER

Oh yeah, many other hobbies.  I've been shooting since I was 6, and nowadays it's all military weapons, M1 Garands, M-14's ect.  In the warmer months I water ski, boating and so on.  And I am a big John Wayne fan...not really a hobby but what the heck.

HEY MIKE,

Ride the bike and hike, you say? 

Will this one do?

  BAD ORDER

Whoops! Forgot one ham radio N2XSU

Old orphan cars, especially Studebakers,

 restoring antique radios and round screen televisions,

singing acappella, both barbershop and doo-wop,

rebuilding/restoring/converting old car radios for pocket change

being retired and goofing off.

Woodworking (furniture), guns (especially Remington 722 & 721 bolt action rifles), reloading and boolit casting, and target shooting. I also read a lot (historical fiction).

As of course O scale trains, 2R & 3R (for the grands).

Malcolm

Absolutely !!!   Target and Skeet shooting... Gardening,  My Vol Fire Co, my Doberman Pincher and.... oh yea My 1965 GTO Convertible.. 

Since I don't have a layout I don't know if I qualify as a model railroader, but other hobbies, heck ya!!

1)

2) There no 2. 

I have a few:

Genealogy

Stamp Collecting

Photography

Real Corvettes

Art

Gee, a friend of mine's brother was regularly riding his big Honda bike from Washington state to Toledo, Ohio, and then eastern Tennessee and back to Wash. past his 90th birthday, but now he uses a motorhome, or was last I heard.

I could not get those Grand Canyon photos to open.  The mule ride to the river was on

my list, but I never got around to it, and I only did a short raft trip in the lower canyon, not even one of the long camping ones.  The mule ride requires(d?) far in advance reservations, and I was reluctant to lock something in that far ahead.

Certainly a WIDE variety of interests...I did not want to bore people with details

about some of mine....so much for us train people being treated like computer geeks

with narrow interests and tunnel vision. 

- Guns (Trap, Skeet, Competition Pistol)

- Computers

- Motorcycles

- Watches (kind of got out of this one...)

- Scotch

- Cooking

- AV/Home Theater

- Bicycles

I'm a "little" OCD.   If I try something, I have to take it all the way to the point where:

- I hate it

- I love it/keep it

- It kills me

So far, I've managed to avoid the third option, but I do worry about the scotch, guns, and motorcycles.   I don't mix them 

That sure looks like a B-17 cockpit, if I am not mistaken...

I spend a lot of time in a cockpit myself.

Here are my other three toys:

1989 Pontiac Trans Am GTA

1988 Pontiac Trans Am GTA

1991 Pontiac Trans Am GTA

Other hobbies;

Drinking cold beer

Smoking good cigars

And thinning the world of Infidels 

Yes, other hobbies as well. I've owned many muscle cars over the years starting with my 65 GTO. Current lady arrived just a couple weeks ago , see below. Other hobbies include pet dogs, gardening, enjoy doing 3d modeling design work(play). 

thanks.

jim r from bridgeboss.com

In no particular order:  Bass/Freshwater Fishing, 1968-1972 Chevelles, woodworking, movies, stand up comedy. watching MLB/Cleveland Indians, and am essentially a history buff.

I've been to 25 or so Springsteen concerts.

I can drive a golf ball 240-270 yards down the middle of the fairway...and often 50-100 yards to the right.  Almost at will.  Regardless of where the green is located.

I prepare several hundred tax returns per year....but that's mostly to fund all of my hobbies, pay my bills, and hopefully retire one day.

My model train activity definitely slows down during the Summer....somewhat by design.

I collect Wheelhorse Garden Tractors...particularly the ones produced between 1955 through 1964.There is a "Wheelhorse Collectors Club" with members throughout the country and the national show takes place just outside of Gettysburg Pa the weekend after Fathers Day.They average about 750 Wheelhorse tractors over the span of the 2 day event.



it used to be a real family affair...not so much any more the big kid is a Junior in college and the little guy in the middle is my only companion to shows now. (He is 13)but my daughter will still tag along from time to time. (she is 19)



We haul them around with this 1956 Ford F-100 Flatbed

Camping in a non camping trailer.

"Real Corvettes"...as opposed to those new ones out there?{sorry Jeff-hehehe}...prey tell what{mako...late '50s?}.

HEY ROY BOY,

Studebakers?

I learned to drive in 1950 (age 14) behind the wheel of a 1938 Studebaker Commander Super Six,  just like this one.

It had Overdrive and  "Hill Holder". 

I think the most modern, advanced-looking US car ever built was the 1953 Studebaker Starliner Coupe.

BAD ORDER

Nice, and while I'm a fan of any flathead 6{though I like my spitfires} I'd have to lean towards the '38 Airflow as a clean design, but Zephyrs{cars} were slick too...or a '55 Packard Caribbean....

my other hobby is sailing

Well, if you really want to see early advanced styling, go to the Supercharged 1937 Cord Model 812.

It also had front-wheel drive and was so low that running boards weren't required!

It was nicknamed "Coffin Nose".  (Western movie star Tom Mix died in one)

BAD ORDER

That a BSA in the avatar? Oldest I had was a '73 Kawi H-2 750 triple...wasn't stock. I wanted my father-in-laws '67 bonnie, but the wife put the k-bosh on that{had 3 in the stable back then}...now I haven't swung a led over anything in years. Sure would like that Black shadow I saw a few years ago at a cruise night...daaaaang that was sweet looking...or an old duc.

Too easy...but I've been teaching music for 40 years. Let's see if anyone knows--without looking it up

Jeff C

Our other hobby / business is restoration and dealing of "Midyear" Corvettes (1963-1967):

Our latest National Corvette Restorers Society (NCRS) Top-Flight award winner tucked away in a corner. 1965 small block, one of the best we've ever done.

When I'm not doing either this or trains, I'm out in the Charlotte Harbor with my cousin flats fishing under the old railroad trestle:

2.90- that's sort of stiff! I've got a 3.91 gear in mine and my flathead 6 can only spin 3400 max before bad things happen to the crank- even with 16" steelies and tall WWW I hit 50 max. I'd like something in the 3.55 range...

Oooh, any split windows?

RobRoy and Bad Order:  My cousin's widower's brother, how is that for a title?, was a

major Stude collector...I think his collection, which I never saw,  was dispersed, but I need to check on that.  I went to Bloomsburg, Pa. in the late '60's to look at a car, and the owner  drove us out to look at it in a 1940 Studebaker President sedan.  Nice car.  Before that I hitchhiked home from college once and was picked up by a salesman driving one of those 1950's Stude coupes.  After that, in the winter of '63?  I was walking in downtown Phoenix, Ariz., and passed an unusual car being photographed like a movie scene in front of a building with modern architecture.   Months later I saw that scene in a magazine, it was advertising the just introduced Studebaker Avanti.  My one preintroductory sneak-peek.

I have one Brooklin '30's Studebaker, but would buy an approx. 1/43 model of that '38 (not to mention the '40 I rode in) from a less expensive maker.

I combine mine with trains!

Oooh, any split windows?

We've had plenty come through our shops but none in stock at the moment. They were pretty hot on the market for a while, we did very well on a beautiful silver w/ red interior split window last year. Now though they are starting to dive back down in price. The years 65-67 are and sort of always have been the most desired years of that generation.

Nice Vettes!

I've always loved the midyears, just could never afford one.

While I enjoy my C6, I'd REALLY love something with 7 bolt valve covers!    and  of course 3 pedals on the floor.

Whenever I have a free spring/summer afternoon, I enjoy either working on or pottering about in my small boat:

Jim

Lots of "Other Interests" Shooting, boating, fishing, crabbing, "Roughing it in Style" and for the Vetters out there, my Mom is still the Original owner of a 68 Stevens flat bottom with a V-Drive, Factory original Vette spec'd 327, that we picked up at the factory when I was 3 years old.

Doug

A little hand hammering metal fab.  I don't get to ride it much anymore.

Dave

Well, I guess it's my ADHD showing through. Can't seem to focus on one "hobby".  Apparently, from the posts here, I'm not alone.

Trains

Computers (35 yrs managing global technology, geek at heart)

Photography (especially family/grandkids, Photoshop, Lightroom)

Guns (target shooting, historical preservation)

Sportfishing

Sports cars.  This baby is 28 years old, raced for 10, then restored to the street.

and, not so much anymore (saturated)

Watches

Fountain Pens

Whew!  It's no wonder I'm retired but have no free time!

Ron

Dave - Why am I not surprised!! Who built it?

Above are my hobbys. Naturally, TRAINS! BUNCHES of pre-war trains! More than I can run at one time!   And my second hobby is Fire Apparatus. I have a small fleet of vintage vehicles that are completely equipped and operational. (These are 1:1 scale!). My third hobby is history research. Topics include railroads, fire departments and WW2. Some boys have BIG toys! Oh! And I belong to a group that owns and operates a 1:1 scale shortline railroad!

Jeff,

I built everything but the engine.  Everything green is hand made.  It took me about 9 months start to finish.  Here are a couple more I did.

http://kingmousecustoms.com/

Dave

Sure do, photography!

See my train photography here: Jim's Train Photography

Or my train and non train photography here:Jim's Photography

Cars

Just to clarify,are you into the Scotch tape,beverage or hopping?

Dan 

My 1951 Servi-Car, Still need to finish the back fenders and paint all 3 & woodworking

Got any better pics of the Mopar?

Frick'en cool! Love the suicide shifter- though on a trike it isn't as suicide....

You need to fix that problem...I do ride for lack of a bike{wife saya I have enough hobbies at the moment- true and lack of parking}.

My last H-2 Kawi was HOK hot pink shimmerin, recovered medium brey seat, lacquer black frame and polished metal- add raasks, clip ons and a gast stage 2...I was in "make a statement" mode at the time.

1931 Model A Ford Victoria Coupe

 1931 Model A Ford Deluxe Coupe

2011 Mustang GT

2006 Mustang GT

Also guns and fishing.

I like anything with wheels and a motor. But I enjoy racing real and slot cars. Its funny how many of my customers I see at the race track..lol

My primary hobby is motorcycles.

Forum handle, two time National Best of Show vs 350 other Nortons.

Track Days. Most fun you can have with your clothes on.

Touring mostly paved roads. States and Provinces traveled on two wheels.

Now taking the road less traveled:

OB Train related 

Destinations:

Pete

Burlington Route: This is the only other one I can fine. I have quite a few but can't find them.

HEY COLORADO HIRAILER, 

Studebaker had a model called the "Dictator", but dropped the name when Hitler came to power in 1933.

FDR also came to power in 1933, so the change from "Dictator" to "President" was natural!

BAD ORDER

HEY OGAUGENUT,

Sailing, huh? 

What type of craft:  Catboat?  Sloop?  Cutter?  Yawl?  Ketch?  Catamaran?

BAD ORDER  (I'm ready to reef my Genoa and do my downwind tack with my Spinnaker...)

BAD ORDER:  I just checked, and the Brooklin Stude I have is a 1935 Dictator...I

think Brooklin makes/made at least one other 1930's Studebaker.   I am no authority on Studebakers beyond my general interest in medium price orphans of the '20's and '30's. Studebaker managed to make it out of the Depression, as many did not, and through WWII.  Interesting to see that my thought that a lot of train guys were also, like me, into cars is again verified.  I first got that notion decades ago,  in an old car magazine (might have been Cars & Parts), when the car they were featuring was photographed in a northeastern Ohio garage, with stacks of Marx train set boxes behind it.

funny it seems hot rods/bikes and railroads go together. here's mine

2001 v6 mustang converted to a 2001 roush with a 4.6 swap 3.55 gears.

1991 z28 picked it up cheap and am in the process of restoring it. it runs and drives but don't trust it yet it sat for over 10 years.

1986 Iroc z28 it sat in a field for 8 years the list of what has been done to this one is long. Ill start with it was repainted hugger orange removed the 305 and dropped in a 454 BBC removed the red interior put in black. pulled out the 700r4 and put in a built th400  3 inch exhaust. the motor is a 1973 ls6 just under 600 hp. new wheels and tires. 2 shows for the car and 2 trophies

HEY COLORADOHIRAILER,

I'm sure you're aware that Studebaker made Covered Wagons in the 19th Century before entering the Automobile business in the 20th.

BAD ORDER

I enjoy machining, build miniature railways in 5" scale, 15" gauge, and restore full size locomotives.

Seems like this topic goes around once a year, but I've noticed a pattern of a lot model railroaders also interested in almost anything else that has wheels and a motor.

For me the list outside model railroading is:

Freelance musician (trumpet)

Antique cars

Civil War reenacting

Local History

Vintage Audio

I'm probably the only Forum member who is deep into bel canto opera.  I have over

400 recordings and DVDs.  P.S. Bel canto opera was written between 1810 and 1850. The major composers were Rossini, Bellini, and Donizetti.

Lew Schneider

Pete, is this like the NCRS meets where they judge and award for factory originality and / or correctness of restoration?

Nick, This is by people's choice, ie. other Norton Owners at the National Norton Rallies held once a year in different locations in Canada and US. This was in 1985 and 1993 when the majority rode their bikes to the rallies. I built this to be ridden, not as a show bike. Today many trailer their bikes and some of the bikes are professionally restored. Different crowd and standards.

Pete

I do auto resto and race r/c boats and collect die cast cars..

Dear Bad Order Hal,

Before becoming totally blown away by this hobby in 2005, (a hobby that had been packed away for over 40 years in a long forgotten attic), yes I did have hobbies.

The hobby which took me away from toy trains was competitive swimming as a young boy and baseball card and comic book collecting. When I moved to Staten Island I had to swim for another club but my baseball cards and comic books came with me for a brief while I recall that the American Flyer Train set came out but was quickly stored for posterity by my father again because he wanted to save them for when I could appreciate them.

I married my college sweetheart and moved out at 23 this was in 1980 and have been working ever since for the family business.

When my wife and I had a daughter in 1990, I became interested in showing her a hobby of mine so at Christmas time in 1995 I bought her a K line Christmas Set which I put around the tree without much success.......her interest was dolls!

Little did I know that in 2005, that my Dad would reawaken my train hobby by giving me a starter set so late in life (I was 48 he was 78). As a matter of fact in the next year he gave me back my S gauge trains, by that time I had an O gauge train table well under construction and no more room to build an American Flyer table.

Over the years I had many different hobbies going to fishing shows, and boating shows, car shows and I recall being quite skilled at model plane building.

Mike Marice

With my 2 kids in middle school and high school, a lot of my hobbies involve coaching or watching them participate in spring and fall sports.

When time permits, I try to keep up with:

Running

Boating/Sailing/watersports

Travel

Golf

R/C cars and helicopters

Music (still working my guitar skills)

you sound like me

auto resto cars are in a above post

r/c boats use to race them (electrics) still have a national record in namba

diecasts well have them too not many about 20 total

HEY MIKE,

Thanks for the interesting history of your hobbies! 

BAD ORDER

This thread should have ben titled:

I like the Earnhardt IROC car Jhainer!

Other than trains, I like to draw.  

Here is a picture of two of my wife's cars..

 I also made the frame out of 1x3 pine

A couple trains..

I also enjoy woodworking, you can see a couple pictures below of a computer desk I designed and built from scratch, a couple tables, and cat tree (all from a couple years ago).

LOL.R/c boat...IMPBA here....Id forgot to post my pics...the white spaceshuttle boat down to the jeep are mine and all won trophys for best paint work..second is my black neon and wifes yellow neon....third pic was on old show truck that id won 57 trophys and was in off road mag..last one is my 68 charger that id prostreeted and my first car...been in storage for 16 years....well last pic is my wife with madison IN driver steve davdison and kyle perkins....