I started model railroading 2 years ago because my son got hooked on wooden Thomas the Tank engine. In fact, it’s because of wooden Thomas that I got into the hobby. Now, after going through a couple encarnations of my HO scale layout, I have decided to build my own HO Scale Island of Sodor, Thomas layout. I have been buying the Bachmann Thomas equipment, and for the most part I am impressed with the running quality of what is for all intents and purposes a “toy” train. It converts well to DCC.
The funny thing is, (and the point of my post) when I go to my LHS, the staff give me the impression that I’m not as respected as other model railroaders because of my choice of “road”. I’ve seen the raised eyebrow, and heard the little snickers. To be honest it seems a little immature to me. I mean they had no issues when I was dropping big bucks on a HO scale, DCC/Sound equiped, CN F3A-B. If the store wasn’t so well stocked, I’d probably take my business elsewhere. Am I being overly sensitive or do you think this is as wrong as I do?
Am I the only 40 year old modelling the “Sodor” road? I don’t really care about that point, I’m just curious. My son and I love it and are having a lot of fun modelling Sodor, and that’s really what it’s all about.
You may be the “only 40 year old modelling the “Sodor” road,” but connections like this are a great way to get the younger generation exposed and possibly involved in the hobby. I’m sure in the next decade or so when we read about great model layouts, we’re going to start seeing “I got started with a small Thomas the Tank Engine set” as a lead in to the builder’s background. Programs like “Shining Time Station” and the Harry Potter movies have brought to the market several specialized theme sets that can be the intro needed to start people in model railroading.
Yes, Thomas is the Rodney Dangerfield of model railroading. I think it’s all BS though, because Thomas is cool. I got my grandson a Thomas plastic set from Wal Mart and it’s his favorite toy when he comes to visit. I think that Thomas the Train makes it very easy to introduce children into the world of model railroading. Nothing wrong with adults modeling him, either. You’re correct about DCC conversions. They are easy. Cheap, easy to work on, the children love it and it’s reliable. I don’t think you could ask much more. To hell with the LHS if that’s how they feel. At least you’re modeling.
Model what you want. Model what you and your son will enjoy.
Yeah you might be the only 40 year old who models Sodor, but so what?
And at 40 I’d quit worrying what other people think.
I am disappointed that any hobby shop snickers at a customer who is buying something. I guess that’s to be expected in your case, especially from other customers…but in the case of a LHS employee making fun of your Thomas purchases…that may well be on the immature side, but it’s also not a real good business practice!
I started out modeling Hogwarts so that my kids would be involved. Who cares whether your hobby shop likes or dislikes what you are doing. Besides, you can probably get what you want cheaper on the Internet.
Doing things with your kids is far more important than your LHS’s opinion of your road name.
I support your decision all the way! If you and your son are having fun doing the “Sodor” line then that is all that is important. Any chance you can get to bond with your son is worth more than the snickers and jeers that the LHS is giving you.
It really surprises me that they are not giving you the support especially since you are spending good money on things you like.
Hobby shops are a dying breed and if you are not comfortable with them I am sure there are plenty of online options available to you. One of the main reasons I enjoy my LHS so much is the one-on-one contact I can get in supporting and answering all my questions, but if I did not have them I would be going online again.
If I were in your shoes and the next time I went to that shop to spend some $$$ on items and I got a jeer or a snicker from them I would have to assert myself. I would have let them know that it makes me uncomfortable when I spend my money at their shop and they are making rude comments. I would also ask to speak to the owner or manager and let them know that I can take the business elsewhere.
In today’s shrinking local hobby shop market it makes good business sense for them to make their customers feel welcome and want to spend money in their shops.
I have never modeled Thomas but when I was a kid I checked out all the videos from the library. I now have a nephew who likes trains. He is 5 years old and loves the HO scale 4 x 8 layout the uncle sets up, but I suspect he loves Thomas also.
If you like Thomas go ahead and model it. The “hobby shop” that thinks your nuts, well I think they just lost a customer. Am I right?? They have no right to laugh at you since you model Thomas whether you are forty or four.
Something else needs to be pointed out about snickering in a hobby shop, in case you are relatively new to the atmosphere…I don’t see it as much anymore…but in the old days you’d see Missouri Pacific modellers making fun of Rock Island modellers and vice versa.
I’m not saying that makes it right to snicker at you, but for some folks in a hobbyshop, some of the snickering just comes with the territory.
Plus you should be thanked for supporting, and hopefully continue to support your local hobby shop. Although that was a good suggestion about maybe confronting the owner or manager about the ungratefulness shown.
I can remember when I first joined the TCA as a teenager and had to “justify” collecting Marx tin litho (back when it was “cheap tin junk” as opposed to nowadays when it’s become “fine collectable lithographed tin-plate art” - 20-odd years later my trash has truely become a treasue!). If you LSH wants to act like that, take the above advise and go mail-order. I’d even suggest looking into British prototype stuff from Bachmann and Hornby since the wheels, couplers etc. are completely compatable (I say this because I also collect Brit outline OO and, well, Hobbytown has these nice tank wagons that just happen to have “Sodor Oil” on the side instead of “BP” or whatever - and look good behind my Class 37 regardless).
The LHSs near me wouldnt care if you were modeling Mr Rogers Neighborhood as long as you were coming in and buying the stuff from THEM and supporting their business, rather than buying off the internet.
You might remind them of that simple fact…“Ya know, ya keep snickering I might switch to buying from the interent” and also if their such “serious” modelers, why do they even bother stocking Thomas items in the first place?
How much is actually closet jealousy? When I’ve run my gauge 1 James and Lehmann bubble car at shows it quite often draws a LOT more comments, and smiles, than the “proper” modular layouts…
Besides, if you can model to the standards on the show, you can model ANYTHING well.
I also support your idea to model Thomas. I have my own large HO scale layout but I built a smaller Thomas layout for my two young Grandson’s. I also purchased the Bachman sets and have continued to add more cars and engines to their layout. It really keeps them busy for hours and also keeps them from trying to run mine which is considerably more complicated to operate. My LHS never says a word about what I buy. I even took an engine and cars to our clubs layout one afternoon to run for a group of kids that came to watch the trains run. As always, Thomas was the star of the show. They were watching it more than the large intermodel and mixed freight trains that were also running.
Yeah, and there are people who won’t respect my layout either, because I use Code 100 track and some of my cars have plastic wheels.
I’d like to see your layout on Photo Fun some weekend. We always appreciate a good modelling job, and something like a “serious” Thomas layout would be worth seeing.
If I had train-friendly kids or grandkids, I’d probably go out and get a Thomas set myself, just to run for them.
Don’t worry what others think of your choice of modeling, whether it’s Thomas or any other other type of railroad. This is a hobby and the main purpose is to have fun. I sometimes get strange looks at hobby shops when I ask about supplies for Lagre Scale logging equipment or anything else that’s not mainstream. I mostly use online and mail order hobby shops that are much cheaper, more helpful and knowledgeable, and better stocked than most LHSs. If I were you I would shop online or through mail order hobby shops. Some LHSs can be very cliquish and hostile toward customers that model anything outside of mainstream interests.
My education is at odds with my temperament; the former says I should be polite and learn if the snickering is genuinely derisive or if it is a sign of something else. The latter says I should ask the person about their amusement, and if the answer is not satisfactory, to tell them that it is so unfortunate that I will no longer be able to support the business, and that I would be advising my friends to stay away.
Snickering about one’s choice is likely a sign of rigidity, and that is never a good thing for a business, nor for someone to whom you go for advice or help. If people don’t advance, they fall behind (attributed to Seneca).
Finally, their apparent position begs the question- why sell what you deride? If you know or believe that something is in some way deficient on a given dimension, why would you make it a practice to offer it to valued customers?
Model whatever you want and makes you and your son happy.
As for the hobby shop, I am reminded of a basic tenet of retail that I have had to remind a few businesses in the past when discussing “their policy.” The relationship between the hobby shop and you revolves around your money. As such, you will decide how to use it. If they want to foot the bill, then they can decide.
How do you think they will respond when you follow up that lesson with “are you buying?”
In this hobby, there is always somebody wanting a snicker at somebody else’s work. They snicker at you over Thomas, Spacemouse over Hogwarts, and probably at me because I model a freelance road that never has nor will exist. Operations-types snicker at model “railfan” types and vice-versa. Scratchbuilders snicker at kitbuilders who snicker at ready-to-run folks. LHS loyalists snicker at online buyers who snicker at ebay buyers who snicker at swap-meet buyers, who snicker at LHS loyalists. And yet, to one degree or another, we are all grown adults playing with trains, creating our own miniature world, or both.
I’d be tempted to see if they snicker when told that you’re only there to look at the item because your son is excited and just can’t wait for the UPS truck to arrive on Monday.
Then I’d ask to purchase a couple packs of track spikes. Leave 'em wondering just how much product they’re no longer selling to you and their lost future customer.
The guys at the LHS are stupid for laughing at your choice of road…I’d tell them if they don’t appreciate it, I could very well take my business elswhere if they find it so amusing…(I’d also have a great urge to dot both their eyes, but prison isn’t that appealing to me)…That’s just plain wrong on their part…Thomas the tank engine is cool and i try to watch it every chance i can on PBS even at 40+(closer to 50)
Maybe you can get Sir Toppum Hat to put out a contract on those imbeciles and rough them up a bit . He’s the guy with all the connections…chuck
Try modeling the PC in the middle of PRR territory PRR, NYC, and NH fans hate us because our road “killed” theirs…even though all 3 were damaged goods long before then.
But seriously, I don’t know why some people have this “need” to put down the modeling efforts of others. To me, the hobby is big enough for all of us. I don’t go around slamming the work of others, especially when mine’s not perfect either–take a look at my layout photos, especially the one of the BN E7 to see what I mean.
Not too long ago, I was insulted by an LHS. I was down there attempting to get parts for an old Model Power steam engine. The shop owner said that he couldn’t understand why I wanted to fix that “piece of crap.” Needless to say, unless he has some out-of-production cars or kits, I don’t shop there unless I have to.
But, I do know a guy who just loves to turn the tables on these kinds of folks. He’s kitbashing a set of Lionel F units in PC colors just to torque off the purists
PRR, NYC, and NH fans hate us because our road “killed” theirs…even though all 3 were damaged goods long before then.