After reading EJEman’s post on “spreding th word” I thought it would be interesting to find out if Scouting or other youth programs exposed and influenced your involvement in the Hobby.
Unfortunately I played hockey when I was growing up but involved because my Dad gave up on his layout as it was too expensive and too time consuming.
I was the merit badge councilor for the Railroading Merit Badge for years…I was also the Scoutmaster of Troop 737 in this area for 8 years…I had a great time introducing the hobby to a lot of the boys in my troop and some of them were really good modelers…they built about 70% of my last layout…I hope they continue to pursue the hobby in the future…Chuck [:D]
I was already into model railroading when I was in Scouts, so doing the Railroading Merit Badge was a no-brainer lol. I do remember making my first loco kit (Tyco General 4-4-0) to meet one of the requirements. Fell in love with kits ever since!
I was glad to see that some really dedicated Model Railroaders/Scouters saved the merit badge from being dropped by running the clinic at the National Jamberee. Those guys get my vote for the Model Railroader Hall of Fame - guys like that will ensure that this hobby continues into the future.
When I was a scout ( '64 - '73 ) we had no such Badge in the Netherlands,as far as I remember. If there was one I would have qualified, because I did a lot of trains then, on my own layout, and on the lay-out build by the village vicar, but operated ( or played with) by his son, a friend of mine, also a dedicated cub and scout.
While I had trains as a child, I didn’t get into the hobby until I was an adult at age 24. I don’t remember the merit badge when I was a Boy Scout.
Enjoy
Paul
I earned that badge somewhere around 1975. It was my 1st elective badge, after first aid & lifesaving [:D]
Seems like I just addressed this question in a Forum recently.
Anyway, I had the merit badge books on railroading and told my Scout Master I wanted to get the badge. He told me they didn’t have the appropriate merit badge counselor I would need to get one…
Ba$#t&*ds!!! [:(!][:O][:(][censored][|(][sigh][tdn]
My interest in model railroading was long before scouts but we were never given the opportunity to earn the badge. But then I got thrown out of scouts…I was caught eating a brownie! (JUST KIDDING!!!)
BC