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I was wondering, do we as toy train nuts only collect toy train related items?  Or do we have other interests.  I was thinking about this, I myself collect a few different things and have found a problem in doing so, the money being the main problem.  In the hobby world, we use "play money" and I see that the money I would like to spend sometimes isn't there.  So I wonder what others do, for me I collect O scale, specifically Anthracite railroads for my layout.  I have some postwar that I enjoy.  I also collect railroad memorabilia, German WW2 items, some Yankees items, I am a semi pro/ amateur photographer,  Fire memorabilia from my department as well as a 1929 Brockway firetruck that my brother and I are bringing back to life, and some 80's toys I lost as a child.  I have tried to limit all that I collect because I have learned that I can't have everything.  Now that will all change when I win the lottery and am independently wealthy.  So let hear what others do, and who knows maybe this might end up with some of us helping to add to each others collections.  After all isn't this what being in a hobby is all about..

Last edited by bbsfdl60
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Originally Posted by N.Q.D.Y.:

As I also have a strong interest in photography, I collect Nikon (And some Leica) cameras too. But this collection is also used to photograph train related subjects, so there is no real conflict. 

I love shooting trains, It gives me many ideas as to what to incorporate to my layout. 

Interesting you should ask as today my boat was picked up to de-winterize and get it ready to go in the water. From now until October, we spend a good deal of time on the water when not involved with train related activities. Our dog Cody loves the trains and the boat and is with us all the time for both activities.

I am a hobby "addict".  Even though I have either collected or operated Lionel trains since getting out of the Navy I always dipped my hands into other interesting past times.  R/C airplane, model builting (Navy of course) and the latest is Military vehicle restoration with my Vietnam era mechanical mule............

 

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Thats cool, I would live to have a ww2 jeep, I go every year to a ww2 weekend at the Mid atlantic Air Museum, there are hundreds of re-enactors, a skirmish, and a main battle, as well as dozens of displays.  THere I get to see all sorts of machines
 
Originally Posted by TexSpecial:

I am a hobby "addict".  Even though I have either collected or operated Lionel trains since getting out of the Navy I always dipped my hands into other interesting past times.  R/C airplane, model builting (Navy of course) and the latest is Military vehicle restoration with my Vietnam era mechanical mule............

 

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Too much stuff...all confined within limits or themes to keep under control....once

collected 35 MM cameras that took the Pentax K mount...about 15 different brands

all using interchangeable P-K  lenses...now almost worthless and OBE'd by digital.  Still use those...don't want to fool with learning a new medium.  I like interchangeable... a blessing of the "lobster claw" coupler...other areas are not

blessed..

Also die cast and other model vehicles, 1/43-1/50. to go on layout, all of 1940

and prior protoypes.

 

I have several other hobbies, here they are in no order

  • Railfan - enjoy watching and photographing trains
  • Fire apparatus and other public safety vehicle photography
  • Collecting Matchbox scale emergency service vehicles for display and to by custom painted for my fictional M-Box fire & rescue department
  • Rabid Hockey fan following Boston Bruins, Providence Bruins, Providence College and NY Islanders teams
  • Fire buffing, I belong to the Box 52 Association in Boston, which is the oldest fire buffing club in the US founded in 1912 I serve as the news letter editor

Love to type more the Bruins are on Game 2 against the Rangers!

 

I almost forgot the hobby my wife HATES! I collect and restore old Blow Mold plastic Christmas Decorations from the 60's - 80's

 

Last edited by franksansev
I am a Lt. in the Scranton Fire Dept. Local 60.  My late father was our historian and volunteered his time for 23 years  being a videographer , teaching me .  I still photograph fireground scenes when off duty. When he died my mother bought a new house and his collection of 300 badges, dozens of ribbons, helmets, one of a kind pieces of Scranton fire and thousands of photos all found their new home.  If you check out the dept website under fireground photos you will see what I do,.  We also have a 1929 brockway in our garage and working on getting it ship shape, currenty overheating bad.  I would love to see one of your newsletters, pleasure to meet another buff contact me via email.  
 
Originally Posted by franksansev:

I have several other hobbies, here they are in no order

  • Railfan - enjoy watching and photographing trains
  • Fire apparatus and other public safety vehicle photography
  • Collecting Matchbox scale emergency service vehicles for display and to by custom painted for my fictional M-Box fire & rescue department
  • Rabid Hockey fan following Boston Bruins, Providence Bruins, Providence College and NY Islanders teams
  • Fire buffing, I belong to the Box 52 Association in Boston, which is the oldest fire buffing club in the US founded in 1912 I serve as the news letter editor

Love to type more the Bruins are on Game 2 against the Rangers!

 

I also like vintage decorations... love boxed items from the 40's-70's.. Gurley candles Tavern candles are tops on my list \
 
Originally Posted by paulp:

Besides the trains, I collect model fire equipment, porcelain and ceramic buildings & accessories. Plus anything that I can find that I can use in my animated displays that I create and build for train displays.

 

I also like taking videos and video editing to go with my collection of movies and documentary's. Tons of music to go along with all of my DJ equipment & lighting effects. And lastly I love Christmas time and all of the different decorations that I have collected over the years.

Besides the trains, I collect model fire equipment, porcelain and ceramic buildings & accessories. Plus anything that I can find that I can use in my animated displays that I create and build for train displays.

 

I also like taking videos and video editing to go with my collection of movies and documentary's. Tons of music to go along with all of my DJ equipment & lighting effects. And lastly I love Christmas time and all of the different decorations that I have collected over the years.

 

And I also use all of my talents in the fire service in which I still volunteer with over 46 years and I retired last year as a career fire lieutenant after 40+ years.

I only do one hobby at a time as I have better sense and not enough green stuff to do more. Now it's trains. I started my hobby/collecting career by collecting record albums and high end audio equipment. I was particulary fond of anything using vacuum tubes and have had equipment by Counterpoint, Quicksilver, and Audio Research. I also was fond of turntables and have owned turntables by Oracle, SOTA, Linn, and AR. Then I moved on and started collecting Ford Mustangs. At one time or another I've owned a 65 2+2 fastback, 67 GT fastback, 69 Mach 1 4-speed with original shaker hood, 89 LX 5.0, 90 LX 5.0, 93 GT 5.0, 93 Cobra 5.0, and a 95 Cobra 5.0. I took the 93 GT and turned it into a full road race car and pulled it around the eastern half of the U.S. racing at amateur events for about 4 years. I took the Mach 1 and restored it and took it to car shows. At this point in my life I'm pretty sure trains are going to be my last hobby.

I have always been a big fan of 3-D photography, so I collect it, and even shoot it with vintage cameras. I collect stereoview cards (1880s-1930s), View Master reels (1939-present), and 3-D/stereo slides that people took of their "everyday life" from 1948-1960 (I have over 4,500).

I also collect outstanding examples of "roadside America" and "transportation" postcards made between 1930 and 1950 ("linen" era), as well as Holiday postcards made prior to WWI.

I also like colorful cameras made by Kodak during the 1930s, like the Kodak Beau Brownie.

And last but not least, about 300 nice quality 1:43 car models.

My wife and I have a lot of old and oddball items in our 1889 house.

I have other hobbies/interests as my life doesn't revolve around trains.

 

Still checking in on the forum once a week.


I love vintage analog hifi.Both transistor and vacuum tubes.I have a large collection of rock and classical records.

 

I own three Hammond tone wheel organs(C3,L100 and an A100) and several newer and vintage electronic music synthesizers.I also own three small pipe organs currently in storage which I plan to restore sometime.

 

Astronomy and digital photography.I'm a Nikon guy all the way! Have a couple of nice telescopes,both Maksutov-Cassegrains.

 

I also paint in watercolors and acrylic.

 

Presently,trains are on the back burner.I'm really cutting back on purchases.

 

 

 

 

 

Besides toy trains.

 

Boy boats - specifically 1:87 scratch-built models of Napoleonic-period warships.

 

I collect books with submarines on the cover (quirky - but that is the sole criteria.  Over 200 of them).

 

Sports cars - I have had a fantastic collection of sports cars, 43 to be exact - generally one or two at a time, gradually moving up the automotive food chain over the course of my live from Sprites and Spitfires in the late 60s to an Italian exotic now.  I'd own more than one if I could but I no place to put a second toy car.

Besides trains, I collect Studebakers (7 of them) have two Ramblers (one Nash and one Hudson) and one Buick. I repair/rebuild/convert old car radios for car collectors, I have a collection of wooden cathedral radios and round screen televisions, plus I sing acappella barbershop and doo wop.

Originally Posted by RoyBoy:

Besides trains, I collect Studebakers (7 of them) have two Ramblers (one Nash and one Hudson) and one Buick. I repair/rebuild/convert old car radios for car collectors, I have a collection of wooden cathedral radios and round screen televisions, plus I sing acappella barbershop and doo wop.

Well rounded! Any straight 8s or flathead 6s? After I bought my car I started liking swing music- go figure.

Can I send you an pm about radio repairs?...model 800 mopar...

In addition to model railroading, I seriously enjoy woodwork/cabinetry and in fact have made a few train display cabinets for my neighbor.  I enjoy full sized trains but usually only photograph something if I want to remember for a toy train reference later.  I used to volunteer for a tourist railroad but don't have that kind of time nowadays. 

I am just getting into repair and modification of my toy trains.

 

JZ.

Aside from being a MTH collector and operator, my other primary hobby interests are involved in birding, leading guided walks and taking photos of them.  I've taken pictures of over 600 different species, so I "collect" bird pictures.  Additionally, I now have begun to pursue the same interest in butterflies, finding them and taking digital pictures of them to "collect".  Lastly, I have an extensive collection of Doonesbury books and other items G.B. Trudeau has written/produced.

Originally Posted by coloradohirailer:

Too much stuff...all confined within limits or themes to keep under control....once

collected 35 MM cameras that took the Pentax K mount...about 15 different brands

all using interchangeable P-K  lenses...now almost worthless and OBE'd by digital.  Still use those...don't want to fool with learning a new medium.  I like interchangeable... a blessing of the "lobster claw" coupler...other areas are not

blessed..

Also die cast and other model vehicles, 1/43-1/50. to go on layout, all of 1940

and prior protoypes.

 

FYI the new Pentax Digital style DSLR cameras still take your K-mount lens, that's one reason I upgraded to digital Pentax.

 

I also have hobbies in boating and cars. I collected nearly everything, but it gets to be a bit much. Just think of old 'band aid' cans that were metal, now that's gone. I also use to collect Coke & Pepsi things. I try to control myself, but when I see something out of style, I just put it aside.

Well Besides the Lionel, American Flyer, Marx, Marklin, and a few MTH trains, I have been attempting to get back into Control Line Stunt and Carrier building and flying which has been great fun.  I also have a '72 Porsche 911E and a '67 C code Mustang to dilly with in my spare time .  The problem is there is not very  much spare time with three young kids and an active house remodel

I have over a dozen guitars. Several Fender amps. I have rebuilt or built a few guitars and amps through the years. I always have a sports car of some type. Currently my son and I have a pair of 1992 Mazda Rx7 twin turbo rotary engine cars. I have the RC planes and cars.  Baseball cards.  Coins.  Done it all through the years. I believe people say I have an addictive personality disorder. I say I like to have fun. 

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