I’m fifteen years old, and I enjy this hobby but I’m busy with school and activities and I cant always find money all the time for my train projects. Whaat did you do or what would you do at my age, its an awkward time to try to continue my hobby even though I still love it.
Everything about 15 is awkward. Of course every age has its challenges. I was probably in college the year you were born, and I still have trouble affording my projects sometimes. [:)]
It’s easy for us to forget sometimes in this era of $1,300 locomotives that not everything has to be expensive. I really enjoy making my own stuff, which usually costs less than buying it outright, but I enjoy it enough that I would probably do it even if the cost were the same. The old books by Raymond Yates on the hobby, written in the 1940s and 1950s, are extremely dated, but they have lots of information on making your own stuff. Back then it was a necessity–lots of things didn’t exist, and often what did exist cost more than the average family could afford. And the Yates books are cheap today, because everyone’s forgotten about them.
Creativity solved most of my problems, both in my hobby and elsewhere in life, but I didn’t really start relying on it heavily until I was much older than you. If you can learn to tap your creativity and apply it to the problems you face in your hobby, it will serve you richly later in life too.
It’s also possible that some of the classes you can take might help with your hobby. I can think of uses for painting, drawing, drafting, metal shop, and computer classes. It won’t all directly apply, but I sure wish I’d taken metal shop, for example. I also wish I’d been younger than 21 when a teacher showed me that everyone is creative but some of us are just haven’t learned it yet.
Fifteen was a really tough age so I can empathize, but you also have a lot of opportunity. I hope you’ll be able to find it and make something of it.
now add 30 years. you have a house payment,car payment,electec bill,wife and a couple of kids that like to eat.the hobbies have to come after that stuff. being an adult is like being a kid in some ways. I save for things I want, work some overtime.scrounge the junk boxes at the shows for rebuilders. don’t get discouraged. I think having to save and work for things makes them mean more to us.
I agree with both of the previous posts. There are so many aspects of this hobby to enjoy. If you can’t afford to own everything you want, there are so many other things to be involved with. I particularly like Dave’s words about using your creativity. I had great empires for my trains to run through, with buildings and industries and roads, all made out of boxes and things I could find around the house. When it has not been possible to purchase items to add to my collection I have focused on learning about the items I collect, or reading and collecting information and stories. It is also a wonderful part of the hobby to be able to swap stories. I think there are as many stories about the ones that got away in this hobby as there are in fishing.
What ever you do, enjoy the time and energy that you put into your hobby, it is supposed to be something that brings you pleasure.
BTW, every age has its own awkwardness. I need “progressive lenses”, now and help figuring out how to use the remote.
Greg
do you have any trains? My advice is find a local club that is into the stuff you are into and join. I have always been fairly mechanical and if you are I can tell you how I afforded my trains when I started. I used to go to the train shows and buy the boxes of broken and beat up stuff under the tables, take it home and clean and adjust while watching tv then I would sell them at the next show and pick up another box plus something I wanted. sometimes you even get cool stuff in these boxes. make sure you learn what things are worth so you know which boxes are a good deal. always haggle, most guys don’t want to take that junk home. selling your stuff on ebay is also an option. buying on ebay for resale is trickier. you have to always figure shipping into what you will pay when you buy and what you get when you sell. also if you got it for a certain price that is likely what it will go for unless you buy fixer uppers. if you are looking for a new set, the ad that is usually at the top of the page (Trainworld) has starter sets that are pretty nice for around $200.00. it doesn’t take long to get that much up. just curious what stuff do you like?
Scott
Hey, Nick, buddy…it’s girls. The trains will be waiting for you, when the ladies are thru.[;)] Trust me, you’ll have all the time in the world…
…and I happen to know a couple of blonde-haired princesses…[}:)]
Nick,
Been there… done that.
Back in the day my father and I were building an HO layout, then we went back East to see my grandparents and my father brought out his old Marx train… I’ve been hooked on O ever since. For my 16th b-day I asked for an engine, and some rolling stock - since my father’s Marx stuff wouldn’t run and we couldn’t find a place willing to fix it. That is all I had till I turned 30, and the trains had sat unused for the better part of that time as well.
My advice is: look at what is available and dream. Save your dough and when you have enough buy what you want. Keep in mind that part of the fun of this hobby is RUNNING the trains, so don’t forget the track and a transformer. You can find some real bargains at trainshows, now the stuff may not run 100%, but you are young and industrious (I hope) so learning to fix this stuff now will lead to big savings over the years.
You have one HUGE advantage over me… these forums… there are guys, and gals, here that can help teach you how to care for and repair your stuff, so take advantage of their knowledge…
#1 rule - don’t be afraid to try and fix this stuff… you can always pay someone to fix it if you can’t get it right.
#2 rule - HAVE FUN!!!
#3 rule - stay away from Fife’s princesses… they are pretty, but they’re tough cookies, and you have to get by Fife (he looks like a bulldog, but he’s as gentle as a collie)!
=P
Nick,
Concentrate on the social things with friends. If your friends like trains, then embrace it. Most probably wont at that age. Trains will wait for you. Get out of the house and have fun while you have the freedom to do so.
[#ditto] [#ditto] [#ditto] [#ditto] [#ditto]
If you think 15 is “awkward”, add 50+ to that! [2c] Enjoy what you have, save for what you want and, most of all, remember that it is only a “hobby”. This will sound like a broken record (?-tape-disc) but there ARE more important things in life like an education and extra-curricular activities. All the best. [:)]
Nick,
Fifteen is a hard age, this hobby ain’t cheap, and the girls should already be lookin good to you. So my advice is, if you love this hobby stick with it, if you need some cash, get a part time job. But most important do what you want to do, as long as it’s legal, what I mean is if you feel like going out with the guys, or that special girl, then by all means do it, don’t spend all your time with the trains. A kid your age needs to have serveral things in his life in order to develope properly, there’s no reason you should have to choose between a normal teenage life, and this hobby, just do what you feel like at the time, and if you really love this hobby, you will find the time for it as well. BUT what ever you do don’t let your school work suffer on account of this hobby, or anything else!!
Paul
Keep up with the hobby! You’re better off with trains than girls, frankly. Trains cost less, they complain less, and they are much safer to handle. Girls will wait: once they get old enough to be lower maintenaince than the trains, your relationships with them will be more pleasant and profitable.