From time to time there are threads on the various forums that attempt to qualify just how the general public perceives us these days. This morning AOL’s opening screen news segment had a piece on the hobbies of the rich and famous, leading off with Rod Stewart and his interest in model railroading, even citing Stewart’s layout as being on the cover of our host’s magazine back in 2007.
While it is always nice to see well known media figures linked to our hobby, hopefully making it seemingly more mainstream and acceptable (as it widely was considered some 50 years ago), the general public’s true current perception of our hobby is most unfortunately exhibited in the report’s very first sentence, as can be seen below.
"Although model trains might make you think “creepy dude in a basement,” it’s one of the most popular hobbies there is. The list of music-world enthusiasts includes Johnny Cash, Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen, but Stewart is rock’s biggest model train superfan. When his massive 23 x 124-foot “Three Rivers City” train layout was featured on the cover of ‘Model Railroader Magazine’ in 2007, Stewart said, “I pity a man who doesn’t have a hobby like this one.”
Considering that some of the other celebrity hobbies were certainly more unusual than model trains, one wonders just why such a negative lead-in was necessary and why has our hobby acquired such a stigma? Is it perhaps the consistently disturbing manner in which Hollywood has portrayed us over that past 20 years?
I’d really like to know just how many Hollywood movies even were done portraying MRR’s in the first place. I’ve seen one show on TV sometime ago that had some guy in the basement with his MR and he came across like some weird person too.
Then again—some think that what Hollywoodites do is perfectly ‘normal’[:-^][%-)]
I think the stigma in some peoples eyes comes from the fact that the layouts you hear about the most is in basements. Most creepy dudes you hear about spends most of their time in the basement. With reporters looking for ratings , it is easy to see why they would mix the two together for ratings. Even if it is not right.
Look at CSI one of their creepiest killers was a model railroader who made scenes on his layout where people are killed.
That’s funny! When I think of the news media I think, “Slime Ball Vulture with a _____” insert appropriate word, PEN, CAMERA, MICROPHONE, KEYBOARD, ETC.
That;s easy. It has to be sensationalized to be news! Without the “creepy” lead-in it’s too boring to report. If it’s not sinister or ugly it’s not real news so the reporter takes a perfectly normal, respectable hobby and tries to make it sleazy because normal and respectable does not sell!
Then perhaps it’s your and I’s responsibility to change that perception. However, having been to enough train shows in the past few years, that’s going to be a rather tall order.
I’ve met some very wonderful folks in this hobby. I’ve also met some rather strange ones, too. I’m sure that this is true for just about any hobby out there. Since “choo-choo” trains is probably more often times associated with little kids, that’s how some folks are going to look at adults who are in the hobby and/or enjoy it. Thankfully, there are folks out there who aren’t necessarily “into” MRRing but do enjoy or understand the appeal of the it, probably because of a family member or their own past experiences.
So, we can either deter the wrong perception cast by the media (and ourselves)…or reinforce it.
Actually, Barry, it’s quite a few, especially if you take movies and TV together. The trend seems to appear in the late 1980’s and goes downhill from there. Two instances that immediately come to mind in which a key film character is associated in a clearly deviant manner with model trains are seen in The Adams Family and Superman Returns. On TV, in police dramas, the situation has recurred as a plot element repeatedly in recent years.
And, yes, I agree that if you want to really talk about weird, Hollywood is a good starting point! [;)]
From Hollywood’s point of view, model railroading is for kids (see: Lionel). To them, there is no difference between Fisher-Price and Athearn Genesis. Therefore, adult men that play with these kiddie toys are considered mentally unbalanced or immature to the extreme. Sort of like an adult women that still plays with dolls (not just dollmaking, but still playing tea parties, etc.), and like adult collectors of other toys that then play around with them (think G.I. Joes, Transformers, etc.). Since everyone “knows” that maturing teens leave childish pursuits behind once they discover the opposite sex, anyone who doesn’t leave these pursuits to concentrate on dating, cars, jobs, etc., becomes a “loser”. Losers are to be mocked and derided as a matter of fact. “Creepy” is one of the milder terms used.
Add in the solitary nature of most model railroaders (alone…in a damp and dark basement…for hours…what evil could such a person be doing down there? Could he be building an exact duplicate of a locomotive, or plotting the destruction of all his neighbors? Ooh, that’s creepy…), and it only gets worse. Add in the “train trolls” and “polyester people” that would probably melt if you washed them, and it’s even worse. Unclean people who would rather be alone for hours on end in an unpleasent environment are obviously anti-social. “Normal” people would rather be freshly laundered with other adult people, not by themselves. And what if they try to lure children to their dank and dark lairs full of toys? Oooh, scary. Therefore, model railroaders are considered “creepy” or worse.
Since we’re not about the change the “creepy factor” of adults playing with kiddie toys, the only thing we can do is to try to change the opinion that model railroading is only for children. Adult hobbies are okay in Hollywood’s eyes as long as they are
From Hollywood’s point of view, model railroading is for kids (see: Lionel). To them, there is no difference between Fisher-Price and Athearn Genesis.
Heck, We even mock ourselves. Some don’t know that Lionel produces some that rival HO Brass for detail,(of which I have many examples, but so as to not upset King Paul again, I will refrain from posting pics of them) and some choose to forget that HO and N scales have cheap train set junk as well.
If We can’t respect each others choices in the Hobby, How can We expect others to respect our choice of Hobbies?
Frankly, I don’t care how Hollywood sees us or me and my hobby and I have never had “creepy” comments anyway from people I associate with. I have been a modeler since college, so I have served 5 different church congregations as a pastor while also working for the Federal Reserve Bank and the Santa Fe as a computer guru and no one has ever belittled my hobby. I have had a lot of people through my basement from various sources and all have been at least complimentary if not enthusiastic about it.
Based on the behavior I see in the pop culture, and the lack of morals and values deminstrated by many in the “social” side of our culture, I would much rather be associated with or though of as some “nut who plays with toys in the basement” then be associated with those who think they are “normal” because they “socialize”.
Recent studies actually show that 60% of us are introverts and if not taken to extreme, may well be a mentally healthier because of it.
As for what others think, I learned long ago you obtain much more respect by being true to your own feelings and beliefs than by even considering what “others” think of you. If you are true to your self, and you have made good choices in beliefs and behaviors, others of quality will like and respect you, the rest you do not need.
“My self esteem is not invested in others opinion of me”, especially not the opinions of strangers who’s own behavior is questionable.
What is “mature” about professional sports? Mature in the eyes of a bunch of people who think a tailgate party is “mature” behavior? Again, not things I want to be associated with.
Happy to not care what those people think of me, as I’m sure they don’t care about my opinions of them.
Wow thats a very crude and absurd statement for the author of the report to make. When people say things like this, its just sickening to hear such demeaning stereotypes. Is stamp or coin collecting “creepy” as well? Its far more useful to have a hobby like this than say to waste your money on alcohol and strippers. But thats what many of today’s music videos seem to be about, yet the people who listen to and watch this crap think modeling is disturbing?
Or hey, lets go watch some Saw movies and eat popcorn, thats not creepy at all.
One thing that I “yam” not is a windsock. I dont give a fistful of ratfeathers about the opinion of some technologically/statistically challenged media type who probably doesn’t know which end of a screwdriver fits in the slot. Nor do I go out of my way to meet somebody anybody else’s standards.
I am a lone wolf, but not antisocial. My railroad is in a garage because I don’t have a basement. (I wish I did! It would be bigger and cooler.) My bathing habits reflect my deep attachment to Japanese cultural standards, and if anyone smells anything around me it’s probably mouthwash. I count my own rivets, and leave the task of counting someone else’s to that person. If anyone has a problem with any of that, it’s their problem, not mine.
As for childish behavior, as well as just plain weird behavior, take a look at the entertainment gossip (if you can stomach it.) I have a very simple definition for most of Hollywood’s theatrical and televised output - a total waste of time which can be better spent elsewhere (almost anywhere elsewhere.) Ditto for the people whose foam-at-the-mouth fans who think they can do no wrong and are vociferously negative when the courts disagree.
Over to a major science fiction character (Lois McMaster Bujold’s Aral Vorkosigan) for the final word…
“Reputation is what other people think they know about you. Honor is what you know about yourself.”
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - below the media radar)
It’s crazy what people say about us. It’s just stereotypical nonsense. Model Railroading to me is an art. Our layouts are no different than a painting an artist just created. People who know nothing about the hobby think that trains are just toys meant for kids. Before any of my friends knew I was a Model Railroader and before they actually saw it in person they all thought it was silly, & meant for kids. They would even kid around with me by making jokes. When they saw my stuff in person though their opinions changed 100% because they saw the actual craftmanship, the scenery details etc. and how much time was put into it to create something like that. Now they all love it and have an entire outlook on the hobby. My friends love to come over and watch my trains.
Actually, the killer turned out to be someone else (one of his foster kids). However, the ‘creepy train guy’ character the show established did it’s damage…
It’s true that the mainstream media (mainly Hollywood) has a dim view of our hobby. The sad truth is that they (Hollywood) are full of creepier people than we have ever been accused of. They just deflect it back on other groups so they can look ‘cool’.
I remember an Ellery Queen episode with a model railroader who was using his trains as a cover for some invention he was working on. He was the victim as I recall.
I know he’s not a good image for us, but I love seeing Gomez Addams with his trains.
