RR: One industry, many hobbies.

Trains Magazine General Discussion
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RR: One industry, many hobbies.

I got to thinking and I don’t think any other industry comes to the large number of interests/hobbies that the RR industry has provided for.

There’s the obvious: model railroading, and its sub-categories; scenary, woodworking, electrical, detailing, etc.

But also, things like trains spotting, history, tourism by train, collecting, RR calendars, fascinations with locos, steam, signaling/CTC, etc.

I mean how many transportation industries are there that have literally changed the future for many a town in North America? Many town were exclusivly born because of the RR. There are lots of history in some of these towns. For example I was walking down a car parking lot one day, and had to over by the edge near the trees…low and behold coming out from underneath the payment were a few sets of tracks!! I stopped in amazement…did I walk into a crack in the space-time continuem? Nope…it used to be small yard. This same town had a major CN and CP competitive presence, plus also a fair sized RR serving the northern territory. Generations of familes were RRers!! That’s history!

Then there’s collecting! You walk into a house and he’s got 68 scale locos on his walls. No model RR, never worked with the RR, he’s just a collector. Then you have people who love to travel exclusivly by train. The train ride is a fundamental piece to their vacation, and the enjoyment of their vacation. They take pictures, sit up in the rear car with the skyhigh window, they walk the train, they watch the scenary go by, they go to the car where beer and movies are served…“have train will travel” is their motto.

Then there are the railfans and train spotters. They just love to see trains in action, at the yard, and on the haul…they usually have a scanner, camera, homemade timetables, and often exchange stories in chat forums, and email. While some are retired RRers, many are not.

It goes on…WOW!! Yo

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Actually, planes, ships, trucks, and cars all have their devotees. You’ll see a lot more NASCAR stickers in car windows than rail-oriented paraphenalia, and a lot more houses decorated in a nautical theme than as railroad facilities.

All of those folks have a modelling contingent - some even do dioramas - and we can’t forget about slot cars and RC cars, planes and boats. And they have their rivet counters, too. Some aircraft fans can tell you the difference between each model of the B17 with the same aplomb as a dedicated diesel spotter can explain the different “phases” of F units.

That’s not to minimize the idea that we’ve got a wide ranging hobby, but we aren’t exclusive. If anything, we’re in a rather mis-understood minority.

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Well said! My 27 year old son collects coins, old U.S. coins to be specific. I had no idea how all consuming such a hobby can be. Any sub-hobby of railroading I can name, he can match with a corresponding sub-hobby of numismatics (coin collecting!).

We have a wonderful time each Christmas comparing our respective past year’s hobby actvities. (We live about 600 miles apart.)

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I think that’s why I started liking trains as a kid… It wasn’t just the trains themselves, but there’s so many other things too. Virtually every major industry is connected… Mining, steel making, lumber… It involves electronics, engineering, architecture. And then there’s history… A RR RoW is like a time capsule. What’s not to like? :slight_smile:

Dave
-DPD Productions - Featuring the TrainTenna LP Gain RR Scanner Antenna-
http://eje.railfan.net/dpdp/