How Many Love Their Wife, or Significant other…But..

So far, solo since I go to the club to run trains. That may change when I build a home layout. However, she has threatened to purchase some of those offending "pumpkin" diesels which would make her persona non grata with respect to the layout.

K.C. Jones,

    My wife is involved with her Ceramic houses, barns, grist mill & such, she helps with the Bear Christmas Tree each year and she purchases different engines for me, and we have the Christmas Train Layout in the formal living room every year, so I guess you can say my wife is involved to some extent.  Her music is her passion however, not the O Gauge train hobby.  I believe I am lucky she shows the interest she does.

PCRR/Dave

My wife isn't into anything I enjoy:

• Model trains are silly to her, and not in an endearing way. She laughs at all the derisive comments that the female characters say about model trains on "Big Bang Theory" because she agrees with all of them
• She can't stand my WW2 Jeep because of the smell of the treated canvas seat covers (which I have to concede really make your clothes smell funky afterward)
• She has no interest in the space program, so I hit NASA facilites alone
• She feels nothing from the past should be commemorated, so naturally she married a historical re-enactor. No chance I'll ever get a WW2 WAC uniform on her for an event someday, which is a shame as she's a tiny little thing and would look smoking hot in 40s outfits...
• Sci-Fi stuff? puh-lease. never gonna happen. Dragging her to a sci-fi con would be a sure sign that we are indeed living in the end times
• She tolerates riding real trains, but only once. She firmly feels there is no need (other than transportation, like a commuter line to a city) ever ride any RR line more than once. We're going to Alaska this summer, for the first time since our honeymoon 15 years ago. We'll be in Skagway and were looking into what to do. I mentioned the White Pass (no way I'm going that far and not riding) and she looked at me with genuine shock. "Why would you want to ride it again?" she asked. I looked at her and said, "Seriously, have you met me yet?" Really, she doesn't see any need to ever repeat a train ride, whether it's been 3 days or 30 years!

Now, all that said, she's supporting of all my insanities, in that she allws them both time-wise and financially. She green-lighted a week-long NASA trip for me to go with two friends of mine to Kennedy Space Center and then to Space camp in Huntsville in October that she really didn't have to. I thank her often and sincerely for all she puts up with me.

but no, she doesn't wanna go most of the time...

My wife supports my interest in the hobby.  I can pretty much do what I like within reason.  I am extremely lucky.

My wife does like to ride trains to the Grand Canyon, the Durango & Silverton, Cumbres & Toltec, etc.  I think that she likes the activities at the destination of these trains.  

She will attend one or two train events per year especially if some of the other wives are involved.  Beyond that, I am doing train stuff with all my buddies.  

Joe

I like it solo ... I go downstairs and its stress free unless another lionel smoke units fails then I fix it and it's stress free.. 

Its Solo, but honestly better to get away alone sometimes to think out the layout. 

Ever since a bat flew down the furnace stack and I had to remove from the basement the Cave became mine! I don't think my wife has been down since...

My wife used to go to the train shows with me.  She would even walk around the show with me.  After a while,  she would still come with me but she would bring something with her to do, like a book to read or school work (she's a teacher).  She enjoyed going to York because we got to spend time together going out to eat and shopping at York.  Now, however, she never goes to any train shows with me or York.  She doesn't care what or how much I buy or spend.  But, I don't think she will ever step foot in a train show again.

Rick 

Probably 75-80% solo. My wife comes down and fiddles with things every once in a while and asks questions and makes suggestions. If I ever get to scenery, she wants to do some of that.

Running trains = solo

If I ever get to the point that I stop being a dork and constantly rethinking and rebuilding the entire layout and start some scenery she said she'd help!

Everyone has a different story regarding this subject. My wife of three years loves the hobby and loves the trains. She enjoys this as much as I do. We both lost our spouses of many years to cancer and were very fortunate to have found each other. We both appreciate how nice it is to have someone dear to you take significant pleasure in something that is very important to you.

I just am very thankful for this support, interest, and wonderful company is we enjoy O-Gauge trains together. The photo speaks volumes of just what I mean.

PTC, that is a very affectionate photograph. 

Thank you for posting.

My wife hates trains and anything to do with toy trains. She thinks they are for kids and wishes they all would just disappear maybe one day I will come home to nothing.

My wife can't stand train shows because of the smell of the hygiene-deficient men who go to them. Can't say that I blame her.

But the odd thing is that if I go to a show or hobby shop alone, I run the risk of catching a lot of grief when I get home if I've spent anything more than buying a magazine. But if she comes with me, say, to a hobby shop, I find that she's usually fine with me spending within reason if it's something I really can use. And if I make an order to Micro Mark (like for the replacement turnouts for the ones that broke during the build which prevented operation), if I explain to her what I'm doing, she's usually okay with it.

In the past, when she has come to shows or hobby shops, I'll be drooling over something and she'll walk up, nudge me and say, "Just get it already!"

One thing I truly love about her is that she has a odd way to tell when something's truly important to me. I find that once I've thought back, most of the time I'm denied doing or buying something, it really was something I could live without.

We used to go shooting together but she has no interest in my other hobbies. Since she has her own money she does not care what I do with mine.

Solo for me as well, my sons take some interest from time to time.

_______Trains!

You fill in the blank as your wife has referred to them.

A little of each. We go to York together and have a great time--especially in April as it's our first taste of spring after a long New England winter. I generally go to the small local shows on my own or with friends. Bottom line, she's very supportive of my hobby. My avatar is a private-commission painting of my Dad and me that she gave me for my 40th birthday. If that doesn't show how supportive she is of the trains, I don't know what does.

We do trains together in winter and gardening in summer ("but honey these ALL look like weeds....").  We go to train shows, flower garden walks, botanical gardens, Master Gardener programs ("So OK, that is NOT a weed...").

Hey after 44 years the magic is still therein all we do.

Especially this week, after coming out from jaw cancer surgery and awaiting pathology reports .  She is a real trooper, (but then I was the trooper when she was in the 2012 horrific car crash). 

Solo. The only hobby we share is golf. We are getting ready to celebrate our 36th anniversary in April, so I must be doing something right.

Gilly

My wife as been gone 1 years now so everything is solo but,in our day, we did some things together. She loved trains, real and toy, like to go antiquing and even got in to re-enacting with me and did very well. We did Rev War and Native American. I did a lot of WW II for awhile but she wasn't keen on that. She liked old cars and fast cars. When she died I inherited her 96 Impala SS. Hot car!!  But my son got it eventually. I think a mix of solo and together is best. BTW-p51, we have had numerous WW II jeeps.

Jim; my wife is also gone almost 2 years. SOLO Sucks

Jim,

I'm very sorry to hear of your loss (tstark, you too). A good friend of mine lost his wife at a very young age, early into the marriage from a drunk driver. That was right after I'd got engaged.

A few months before that, I was almost killed in the military. I think it all left with a serious appreciation for life and understanding that regret is the worst emotion ever. Everyone I love darned well knows I do. If I will have any regrets with anyone close to me passing, it'll only be I didn't chance to tell them i loved them one more time, and not regretting I never said it when I could have.

From seeing how it nearly killed him from a broken heart, I've made a point to tell my wife how much I love her and how much she means to me every day, ever since. Haven't let up one day in almost 15 years now. She may have many fair complaints, but one won't be that I never tell her how much I care for her...

I am very lucky...  For me the Hobby is solo, but my wife loves the trains and enjoys when we have company to show them off to.  We visit train shows and open houses together. I often bounce ideas off of her and she offers great suggestions. 

On the other side of the coin her hobby is quilting.  And guess what...  It is a work of art! I go to quilt shows with her and see beautiful work.  I offer advice when asked and share her passion without actually participating in the work of her hobby.

We both prefer riding trains and often take them on our East Coast trips.  We have a very nice balance.  

PS - KC I so clearly know the meaning of this comment posted by you: 

Sometimes when I say,” I’m going Downstairs”- she seems excited….

Yup, sometimes getting out of each others way is a blessing..... 

For the most part, it's solo.  OTOH, she does go to our club open house and when we have modular displays, she comes as well.  No complaints here, I don't ever get grief about spending money on trains, and I don't ever give her grief about spending money on what she want's to spend it on.

Jim and tstark, sorry about your losses. I can't begin to imagine how I would cope...

I was fortunate that my wife bought me a beaten up Lionel 2037 steamer in 1994 which brought me back into toy trains after being out of the hobby for 10-15 years.

That turned in to writing a book with the support of many people contributing.

We still do one show twice a year in our area (White Plains, Westchester County Center). She goes with me, we enjoy chatting with my friends and hopefully selling a few books. Since it is a Toy & Train show she enjoys looking for teddy bears...we never manage to leave with too much money, but it is fun.

  Tom

I just wish my wife had a hobby of her own. It's just not in her to have something in her life that presses her on, like we do with model trains (or anything else, for that matter).

 She's not into trains, but I can't keep her out of my muscle cars. 

And, I like it that way.

I listen to her talk about quilting/sewing and she listens to my train crap.  once in a while we'll be in the basement; she sewing and me train'n and we'll visit each other once in a while.  been married 20 years.

My wife is totally suportive. She loves going to swap meets and once a year when I sell at a local show she's rearing to go.

She has signed me up for the Valley Railroad Hand on the Throttle Steam and Diesel Program coming up this April. Can't wait.

Scotie

My wife likes a lot of the little vignettes I do, and some of the models and buildings.  And she loves the fact that it gives me a way to 'de-compress' from work and other pressures.  i don't think she cares that much about model trains, but she cares about my hobby because it is my hobby, and I love her for that. 

I misprinted, my wife has been gone 13 years this past Wed.  Tell them that you love them every day.

I posted earlier about how affectionate this photo is of Elizabeth painting their 2015 Christmas layout.  One can also appreciate PTC's wisdom and foresight in providing Elizabeth with good knee protection for the task--smart guy, our PTC.

My wife liked my train's she clamed some of them for own and she loved to go on rail fan trip's she would mostly stay on the train wile I got off and did the runbys , but she passed a way 5 year's ago here's what I did on her head stone she loved it down at Cass I had a Shay put on it .

Guy

I am really blessed.  My wife is and has always been supportive of the few hobbies I've enjoyed over the years.  While trains do not really interest her per se the fact that I enjoy them keeps her interested in them as well.  She always goes with me to the local shows and accompanies me to York whenever we can make the trip.  

A big added plus is that my wife is an "expert" shopper.  And as a good salesman can sell anything, so can a good shopper find great buys on anything. the same is true of my wife.  Truth be told she has a much better eye at finding neat stuff For a good price than I.

Conversely she is an avid quilter and I encourage and support her whenever I can.

We've been married 47 years and I think it's safe to say she is a keeper (As long as she keeps finding great train stuff)

Ed

The only time my wife gets upset with me regarding trains is when I'm not working on the layout.  She wants to see trains running!  She will be the 'city planner' when we get to the scenery with her Department 56 buildings she collects for the layout.  And she always goes with me to train events.

Here we are at last October's OGR Thursday at Tuesday's event during the York Meet:

All bundled up for a November trip to the PRR Horseshoe Curve:

In sweltering 118 degree heat at Chicago's Wrigley Field for a Phillies road trip:

And she's always ready during NHL Playoff time!

She's all in!

Oh, and here she is getting photo bombed by OGR forum member and fellow Northern Central High Railers member Paul Edgar on the Steam Into History excursion train.

Another provocative thread, I'll bite...

If your wife/GF/SO are not supportive of your hobby, it is best to do it solo else they will know "how much" this addiction costs...

Without sounding arrogant and I am not, when I was married to the EX wife she never "allowed" me to do anything. She had no power in "allowing". It was my money, I worked for it, paid the bills, took care of my kids, cooked and fixed everything.  Allow? 

My wife of 43 years cannot stand my train hobby. She hates my spending money on it.  Her hobbies are watching TV shows, reading library books and selling stuff on Ebay. She spends little money on anything. Therein lies the problem. Still, she tolerates my hobby and other pursuits I follow, and for that I am thankful. (She does love it when I decide to sell something from my train collection, of course, and is happy to put it up for auction!)

And she is a great spouse anyway (he was quick to add).