I’m closing in on my 4th month of model railroading and I am becoming a snob. This week I thought it might be fun to build a little 2x4 N scale switching layout. So I started swimming through the great eBay looking for bargains on N switchers. I had no care really what road name the switcher was as long as it was a bargain–or so I though.
I would see a Conrail or NS or B&O and those were okay. Burlington Northerns and Erie Lackawannas were passible.
And I simply gagged at the thought of a Union Pacific or Santa Fe ad clicked off immediately.
But BNSF was okay if not desirable.
I have no logical explanation for this. What is happening to me?
Weelll, I didn’ t want to say anything, Chip, but…[(-D]
Could I convince you that you have become more, shall we say, “discerning”? Your tastes and preferences are likely to narrow in any subject as you mature in it. I have found that with music, reading matter, mountain bikes, cars, and now MR stuff.
Still, it’s good of you to acknowledge that your mind may have narrowed from a more eclectic appreciation of our shared hobby. You can always give yourself a shake and step backwards if you need to. An open mind is a robust one, IMHO.
No, NO, Chip, I think he meant that 2 more weeks you will know why you gag at names like UP and SF… LOL Actually it has to do with your location - PA - that’s more or less Northeast. Those of us in the NE have always gagged at names like UP and SF. We tend to like those great railroads like NYC, PRR, B&O, EL and many others. It is just a culture thing…
Chip, I love your posts, they make my day!
(Disclamer: The above post is not intended to nor written with the idea of insulting any of the fine people in this great hobby. The above remarks are purely a form of humor and should not be misconstrued as factual. Howmus does not nor has ever truely disliked the UP or SF railroads since he has never actually been to that part of this great country that has those specific above mentioned organizations known as UP or SF. The writer does not take sides in the ongoing disput concerning licensing of trademarks or lawsuits pertaining to the use of said corporation trademarks. Nor does the writer actually own any rolling stock, locomotives or other items with the above mentioned trademarks in any scale including but not limited to HO, also known as 1/87 and Horribly Oversized. The fact that the writer does not own any such rolling stock, locos or other items afor mentioned in this disclaimer should not be misconstrued to be meaningful in any way in reguards to the posting of this message at a forum of Trains.com) In other words: this post is meant for Chip only! But enjoy! [:D]
This is getting pretty sad. Ray rattles off acronyms of eastern RR’s and I know exactlly which ones he’s talking about. (Erie Lackawana did throw me for a split second though.) I’ll admit, I’m partial the ones east of the Mississippi.
Don’t get me wrong. I LOVE the west. Beautiful part of our country. (I’ve been to every state of the Continental US but ND.) Great expanses…vistas as far as the eye can see…and (in places) the feel and look for what Lewis & Clark must have gazed upon exactly 200 years ago at this time.
However, the western RR’s always seem (to me) “out there somewhere” - remote. The eastern ones seem more personable and up close. Again, as Ray stated, this is by no means a slight to those of you who model them. [:)] It’s pretty much what you’re used to and/or grew up with.
Tom
P.S. I’ll admit, I am kinda fond of the DRG & W. It just reaks of the ol’ west.
I’ll agree with Crandell. You’ve narrowed your interest in the hobby - his word is discerning. A snob is someone that criticizes or flames what others like - and I’ve seen nothing you’ve ever posted that even hints at that.
Growing up here in CA, the “up-close” & personal RR’s are the ones with big Gray dirty 6-axle diesels passing by on a daily basis. (mind you, they’re all yellow now, but you get the point).
Growing up in the NE my favorites are CNJ, PRR and LV. I will admit, though, that those big Gray dirty 6 axle diesels were something to watch pulling a long train through the desert!
Chip, You are getting favorite road names!!! Congratulations!!! Haha. I as well am no fan of UP. If I get anything painted UP Ill repaint it for Southcross and Western. Of course I may be biased because here in san antonio there are as many UP trains in the river as on the rails… Anyway, I like the modern Northeast stuff. Don’t ask me why…
I think it is a safe general statement to say we gravitate to what we know. I grew up with Canadian National running in my backyard. Not surprisingly I have choosen to model early Canadian National (green & yellow road). I don’t remember sitting down and saying/thinking that’s the way would go, but something drew me in this direction. Whatever it was, I’m sure it wasn’t being a snob towards other roads, it’s more a matter of embracing something in my past…I think…
I think for me it is more psycological. I associate SF and UP with the cheap toy trains I bought before you guys straightened me out with the quailty stuff.
You’re hitting a very sensitive nerve. I’m just starting a new layout–in the planning stages really, and if I am going to make a change now is the time. The problem is the money already spent on HO. And the spectrum that my son will suddenly want to run his Hogwarts–which, by the way thanks to you, is now a 2-8-0 Spectrum with a Soundtrax chip en route.
And I am beginning to like diesels more and more. My two favorites are the PRR S1 and Atlas GP-38 Buffalo and Pittsburgh. My two Broadways are an E7 and an M1A, so I’m even scattered there.
Excuse me while I go into contemplation and try to focus…
Hardly snobbery - you’re not “putting down” other roads/brands/modellers for their choices. I’d say it’s being more discerning - everyone goes through an early stage of collecting all manner of equipment in assorted roadnames (I still have three Chessie cabooses but no matching locos!) but in more recent years I’ve been trying to narrow my purchases to equipment that matches what I have, and that a museum could feasibly have (few modern high-horsepower diesels and plenty of oddball and unusual types).
I’ve found that the longer I’m in MR the more I’ve grown to love Alcos, might have something to do with the fact that my grandfather worked for years at the Alco plant in upstate NY, and they are just beautiful locomotives. I’ve found myself liking EMD hood units less and less, especially second generation models.
I’m also partial to Canadian railroads, the CP being my favourite. I truly can’t stand many southern railroads, to the point actually where, even though I was going to repaint it, I bought a Delaware and Hudson locomotive instead of a Central Of Georga even though the CoG unit had the correct truck colors and i had to repaint the DH underbody. Oi, lol I guess it’s just my Canadian heritage, I’ve got nothing against people who model lines south, in fact I’ve always thought that Southern Railway locomotives were beautiful, I just couldn’t bring myself to buy one.
No snobs here. When some one digs out a engine there is usually a moment of silence and then the words “Let’s see that thing run!” as cars and track is made ready.
I think I heard at one time “The little engine is just as important as the big engine”
I dont really have any problem with western railroads. But UP is something I choose not to run on my road.