Model railroading and trying to maintain a peaceful relationship...

I don’t know if it was luck, or just good timing, but I have a wife that not only supports my hobby, she enjoys it too!

In the last several years Iv’e been doing more collecting than modeling, so I hear more comments like “When are we going to work on the layout” or “Don’t buy another engine until there is room to run it”.

My wife is very tallented with crafts and wood working, so her input and ideas are always welcome. Sometimes I wonder who’s hobby this is, her’s or mine, but it is great having that kind of support.

IMHO, there is nothing as fullfilling as a supportive spouse, but we have to be supportive as well. It is always very important to keep peace on the home front, but all aspects of this life require a degree of “give and take”. Although at times it may seem like it’s more give than take.

My addiction just happens to be playing with trains, even if it is just looking at them. Her addiction is flower beds, the yard and a garden. It would be nuts not to support her interest if she supports yours!!

Patience has the effect of keeping everyone’s blood pressure down. So does having a hobby!!

I musta got a guud un!

Yesterday my wife and I celebrated thirty-two years of marriage.

She has always been supportive of my hobby and me of hers.

Neither one of us have ever spent a dime on any part of each others hobby without letting the other know first.

My wife didn’t fully understand what my hobby would turn out to be, but now that my son is really into it, she is more supportive and we even bought her her own train that she thought was so cute. We’ll be “breaking ground” on our new layout in a month or two and she has already given the green light to the 6x9 space it will require in the corner of the basement. I keep trying to get her involved in projects (she helped build a few structures) and I’m quite sure she enjoys it, though she won’t admit it outright. I think once we get building and she sees the mountains and tunnels and river start to come together, she’ll be right in there with my son, daughter and I.

Smart move skiloff, no wonder you were successful!!! Best of luck with your new layout!

My wife and I have been married for about 25 years. Now that I’m retired (she still works), I clean the house and take care of the yard. I have about an acre and a quarter to keep up. I handled most everything else except the cooking. I also travel to a nearby town once a week to look in on my 93 year old mom. Therefore, the time I have left and theres lots of it, is mine. As far as trains she is very supportive of it. I think it could be most anything and she’d be fine with it. BUT… I try to sit and talk with her about how her day as been etc. We laugh together a lot.
You have to give as well as take.
Jarrell

quote “Javern- I’m at an age now ( 41 ) where I don’t “need” women like I used to, I don’t allow them to give me ultamatum. I send them packin. Plenty of fish in the sea.” i COULDNT have said it any better.(i"m 40) emphissis on “plenty of fish in the sea”.[;)] [8D]

Okay, okay,okay. I admit it guys. I’m as hungry for female companionship as the next guy, but I’ve had so many bad experiences with women over the years that I finally became cold and bitter. I appreciate what grayfox1119 said, and his suggestion of trying an on-line dating service, but I’m kind of old fashion when it comes to things like that and prefer to meet women out in the real world. I just have a bad attitude when it comes to women that I’m going to have to come to terms with. It’s really nice to know that there are those of you out there that were blessed with compatable girls and good relationships. I envy you, I really do…

Tracklayer

My wife likes my trains, but we have only been married a month, so you can guess that I am a whole lot more interested in her than the trains.

You go big Todd… (Congratulations, and my best to both of you.)

Tracklayer

Well, I like women. They aren’t perfect, but neither am I. I had a great first marriage for 27 years, but then it went off a cliff and we got divorced after 32 years. She changed, I did not. I am grateful for my two lovely daughters.
I am in a good relationship now, and if something happened and I had to choose between the trains and her, I would pack up the trains again without hesitation. Like the people crawling out of the rubble on the Gulf coast keep saying, they are just things. I love her and she loves me, and I think that what each person’s definition of what that means has a lot to do with how they view the trains vs. woman situation. I only know what it means to me. I do not fault anyone else for their views.
She is quite tolerant of my hobbies and I am of hers; we have no arguments over those areas.

My wife likes all of my hobbies but the trains she seems to be slowly losing interest in. I’m still laying track and with summer here nothing really is going on in the train room.

“Has anyone else out there been told by their wives or girlfriends that they spend way too much time with their trains and not enough time with them ?”.

We wished! Once…

Best solution I heard went along the lines…

“You want the seat and lid down? Grip here. No, not there, here. Now move them this way… …and you want me to teach you to drive”?

Hey! Second thought… You tried telling her she doesn’t need to go shopping for another outfit?