Young Guns - 50 and Under - Share Your Photos

p51 posted:

Some might think of a age of 50 as a cutoff for 'young' folks, but it is quite valid.

I've been to a few local club and MMRA events where, in my very late 40s, I'm still the youngest inb the room by quite bit!

It's not 3 rail, but seeing I don't turn 50 until November, here we go:

It feels like I could step right into this photo and get offered some sweet tea down in TN. Great shots!

Arnold D. Cribari posted:

I am way over the 50 year cut off, but just wanted to chime in and say this is an excellent topic, and I love all of the above photos and comments by our young hobbyists. 

By the way, although I am no longer young in years, I am definitely young at heart, as are just about all Forum members. Arnold

Thanks Arnold. I always enjoy your posts. Your creative way of seeing the hobby is always enjoyable. You are a true ambassador for the hobby. 

JD2035RR - Great topic!    It's a good thing I didn't have to show my ID before reading this thread ... LOL!! ... because I'm way past the cut off point in years but certainly not in heart.    

I've really enjoyed EVERYONE's posts and photos!  Obviously" young guns" have great passion for this hobby as did and I and other Boomers who have loved & love this hobby so incredibly much since our childhoods.  Reading everyone's wonderful posts/photos here is certainly most invigorating!  

I think it would serve the hobby well if OGR would run a regular feature on younger modelers telling their stories and featuring photos of their collections/layouts.  

I've always been of the mindset that model & toy trains is just not a Boomers thing.  Over the years, I've consistently observed an abundance  of families at train shows and holiday displays in my area.  Kids and parents are curious and excited about trains!  I see our hobby as having a bright future and this thread is further proof.  

Model railroaders of all ages .... lets keep our imaginations going wild ... building, changing, and adding to our layouts.  Lets keep those train running on time!!   

Mallard4468 posted:

Good stuff all.

I express my age in hexadecimal, so I'm only 3B.

LOL!!  So you got me thinking; next year I'll hit the big 4-0 in hexadecimal!!  

trumptrain posted:

JD2035RR - Great topic!    It's a good thing I didn't have to show my ID before reading this thread ... LOL!! ... because I'm way past the cut off point in years but certainly not in heart.    

I've really enjoyed EVERYONE's posts and photos!  Obviously" young guns" have great passion for this hobby as did and I and other Boomers who have loved & love this hobby so incredibly much since our childhoods.  Reading everyone's wonderful posts/photos here is certainly most invigorating!  

I think it would serve the hobby well if OGR would run a regular feature on younger modelers telling their stories and featuring photos of their collections/layouts.  

I've always been of the mindset that model & toy trains is just not a Boomers thing.  Over the years, I've consistently observed an abundance  of families at train shows and holiday displays in my area.  Kids and parents are curious and excited about trains!  I see our hobby as having a bright future and this thread is further proof.  

Model railroaders of all ages .... lets keep our imaginations going wild ... building, changing, and adding to our layouts.  Lets keep those train running on time!!   

I couldn't agree more with your whole comment, Pat!!  As to the highlighted sentence, that reminds me that years ago Model Railroader ran a monthly column called 'Teen Corner' or 'Teen Something'.  The focus was just what you mentioned!!  Great idea!!

36 here and have had trains around as long as I can remember. My first was a 2037 and then several semi scale pieces on a multi level layout that was roughly 10x6 or 10x8. In my late teens and early 20s the trains took a back burner and sat as I focused on work and power sports. In the last 7 years life changed again and I made a basic double loop for around the Christmas tree which now doubles as my year round layout that I modify after Christmas and relocate to a spare room. During this past time period I also dove into the scale O world and TMCC/Legacy control. Most of my semi scar pieces are now at my dads either on display or running on a double loop around his sitting room. Here is my “layout”. If I get frogging, I usually run track around the living and dining room to get enough room to really build a consist. In the picture I have diesels pulling duty. The J is in the picture and I have a Class A not pictured and a 0-8-0 not pictured along with a good bit of rolling stock. Here lately I have taken interest in the Gunderson cars.

Well I am a little over 50 add 3 years.Any way I have always liked trains.And growing up not to far from the tracks.And going to a school that was close to the tracks.I switched from h.o. to o gauge.I do not have any pictures.But I have a few videos.

I am just a bit past 40.

Beautiful layout, Mike!!  You packed a lot of great scenes in!  What are the overall dimensions?

Hump Yard Mike posted:

I am just a bit past 40.

Mike, gorgeous!

Dave

Thanks Mark and Dave.

The layout is in a space of 24x15, but really more slanted at an angle.

That’s great, Mike!!

Sid's Trains posted:

Cool. I do have a lot of trains for my age. To much actually.

Wrong! One can never have too many trains!!! Enjoy them now. Your interests may change in the future; but if they do, keep your trains, you will come back to them.

PRRMP54 posted:

Sid's Trains posted:

Cool. I do have a lot of trains for my age. To much actually.

Wrong! One can never have too many trains!!! Enjoy them now. Your interests may change in the future; but if they do, keep your trains, you will come back to them.

I don't think I will ever forget or get away from them.

I didn’t!  Yes I did change scales a couple times, I have always had trains since I bought my first over 50 years ago.

It's funny reading baby boomer stories here, in CTT, or OGR magazines.  They all start with "I got started the same as everyone.  My dad brought home a Lionel/American Flyer, etc."  That was definitely not the case for me.  I'm 47.  Until two years ago, I never knew a thing about model trains.  I never had them as a kid.  My friends didn't have trains either.  I never even knew anyone who had a train around the Christmas tree. 

And yet I was drawn to them.  Before Christmas of 2017, I bought my first O Gauge train.  Since that time, I have really gone crazy for it.  I've picked up a fair amount of Standard Gauge also.  I can't explain it and I don't try to.  Maybe that's a good sign for the future of this hobby.  Your dad didn't have to bring home trains in the 40's or 50's!  There are people like me who are still interested.

I built my first layout last year.  It's definitely not the layout I wanted.  We'd like to move if we can find the right house.  So I didn't want to burn a lot of calories building a permanent layout in this house.  I just needed a place to run trains.  I chose to do a simple layout of turf carpet and FasTrack.  I refer to this as the layout I was forced to build. 

The only available space was in our basement storage area.  And that space wasn't really available.  It was still needed for storage.  I had to leave underneath the layout open for household stuff (underneath is filled with Christmas decorations, tubs full of kids clothes, etc.).  Also, I needed to cram in a Standard Gauge loop.  The layout is 10x15 with a big open space (duck-under) in the middle so we can access the underneath storage.  There's a 12 foot L off to one side for a turnaround loop.  The layout operates flawlessly but the design limitations are a source of frustration for me and I can't wait to move and tear it down.  But for now, it's better than no layout. 

Here are some pics and one picture of last year's Christmas layout: