There are times I wonder why I even continue to try anymore. Not even a year after having pulled myself together I now find myself essentially back where I started. With expenses higher than I can afford and the only way to stave off insolvency is to sacrifice the model train collections.
The instigator of this finaincail crisis is my very own specimin of the most inferior mode of transportaion on the planet, my car. Just over a week ago my car decided that it was time to break the lower main crank pully on the way home from work. Since I work out at one of the powder river basin coal mines loading trains you can imagine that when this happened I was some distance from town. I was fortunate to get my car limped back to town, but of course the process of doing so further damaged my vehichle no doubt adding expense to the repair. (Of course if just one of the people that did stop to help were going the same direction I was, I probably could have just let my car sit. But but luck is not something I seem to have in abundunce these days)
So it is with some sadness that I must announce that I must temporarily leave the hobby until I can get my personal life back in order. This sadly also means that I must sell a signifigant portion of my model train collection. I plan on putting what I will sell up on E-bay, but am willing to arrange a direct sale to interested parties. Those that wish to see what I have to sell can e-mail me and In about a week or so I should have an inventory put together and we can haggle over price. (Yes bergie I know such “announcements” are against forum policy.)
There is a bright side though, when I do make my return, I will have a clean slate and can go in a whole new direction. As well as practice my craftsman skills that I preach so much about. Also until I get my life stabalised I will have to stop subscribing to Model Railroader and stuff, but I just renewed so I may be able to stay in touch till this crisis wheathers.
Dang, James. Seems like you’ve seen more ups & downs than most roller coasters (cliche metaphor, sorry). Do what you need to address the really important stuff, but then again don’t do anyhting too rash and let go of something you’ll later wish you’d kept.
And you’d better darned well not become a stranger on this here forum.
If you can stand another cliche, James, every cloud has a silver lining. This is character-building, and at least it isn’t nearly as desperate as you were not long ago. Your whole tone and approach seems much more rational, if you will excuse me, and you have accepted this with a mature resignation that so many of us do. Good for you. As you say, another start will allow you to go in a fresh way, and that is hardly ever a bad thing.
Hang in there. The car will be fixed, your work-a-day routine will restore itself in a jiffy, and you will soon find your mind turning to that nice AC4400 that you always wanted.
Well James; here’s hoping that your life soon restores itself back to that which you had become accustomed to. We all have our moments…My car was recently struck in the school parking lot; so I’m in a bit of a hiatus as well…
Good luck with everything James; we’ll be looking for ya around here for news and updates.
That is so true. At times I wonder if I am fated to live in a soap opera. Seems like everything I try to do ends up with a trap door opening just when success is just within my grasp.
That is so true. Given the fact that I have a fine motor control problem (A modeling handicap I have always had) HO has been getting very tedious to work in. Since I am conduction a mass liquidation, the thought of changing scales has been very tempting in deed. I just have to decide if I want to do Hi-Rail O scale (So I can run my grandfather’s Lionel Trains) or do 1/32 scale live steam. I will keep you all addressed with what I come up with.
As for that AC4400, I think not. I operate those every day at work and they are pieces of junk. Having gained some actual operating expereince with the various EMD and GE AC traction models I will take anything London puts out any day over Erie. However an AC4400 is a much more pleasurable machine to operate than an Evolution Series Loco. ES44ACs do not play well with others at all. Not even other ES44ACs The last ES44AC I ran gave me an ulcer.
Dont sell everything, keep a few choice peices as breeding stock for the future. Also consider a micro layout or something similar to keep the juices flowing, Hang in there!
I don’t mean to be unsympathetic or mean, but this will probably come off as both, so I’ll apologize for it up front.
This is the second “crisis” I recall that you’ve shared with everyone here. and I think there was at least one more (though I don’t recall what it was) - you seem to almost be a professional victim.
Why don’t you just get your car fixed and get on with life? Can’t afford it? Do it yourself (that may take some action on your part to learn about car repair, if you don’t already know something about it). Too much damage to repair? Junk the car and buy an old beater until you can afford something better. Unless things have changed an awful lot out there in the past few years, you can get a servicable wreck for (much) less than $1,000. Can’t afford it? Get a loan! Can’t get a loan? Bum rides with friends and co-workers until you can save enough to get a replacement car. Maybe a temporary job (if the first job hours and such allow for that), say at the local McDonalds or someplace like that, will help you get back on the road a bit faster.
To a very great extent, we all make our own luck. Bad things happen, sure - that’s called life. Nearly everyone suffers setbacks - not meaning to minimize them, so far yours are pretty pedestrian. You seem to have your health, and you live in a country where you can make your own opportunities. Quit floundering in your misfortunes and take charge of them! If you want to sell your models, do so. If you don’t, find another way to resolve your problem.
You have a choice that you might as well make now - you can live your life, or you can let your life live you. Strikes me that you’ve been doing the latter. I strongly suggest the former.
Again, I’m not trying to be mean or unsympathetic, and I apologize if I’ve offended you or anyone else. What I just wrote is advice from people I’ve known, coupled with lessons I’ve learned
Sorry about your bad luck. I have to agree with Mark, cars break down everyday.
You said that the crank pulley broke. As you may or may not know this will disable charging, p.s., a.c. and more importantly the cooling system. Attempting to drive a vehicle with a disabled cooling system is a disaster.
You’re not the first person to make this mistake or the last. Depending on the ambient temp and distance you drove the engine may have internal damage. Head and intake gaskets or much worse.
Having it towed would have been a better choice. A 200-dollar repair turns into a 2 k repair quickly. Better to spend 100 on a tow.
Take a look at the residual value of your car and the repair estimate; you may be better off getting another car. A used engine instead of a re-man is also an option.
Once I was a young man out of high school. Every week the car broke, taking much of my meager paycheck. One day the motor seized. The car was a muscle car with a big V8 and my hammering took its toll.
I could not afford to fix it so I pulled the motor myself to lower the repair costs. Took me a long time but eventually I got the rebuilt engine installed. Felt great for 2 weeks then the trans went and the process was repeated.
What I thought was a disaster turned out to be the best thing that ever happened. This lead to a career as a professional auto tech, later service engineering. Cars have been very good to me.
I hate to said it but i also agree with Mark B. 100 &10 %. This is your third melt down. Its time to give up the drama and growup. We have all had to do it in our lifes. My first 3 cars came from the junk yard I knew very little about them, but I found that almost every parts store was more then happy to help me and give advice. Ask around you will be surpised how many guys we lend you a hand when it comes to car repairs.
Mark gave you some great tips on what you can do to turn things around, but its up to you to buck up and do it.
Sorry for your misfortune, been thru a rough time my self but all seems fine now but that could all change with the next phone call. So I will venture some good advise. If your credit is good you can get a used car from a rental place when they sell their older cars, it will only be 2 to 3 years old and come with a compleat repar history and the last time we as a family bought one it was only about $6,000.00. payments were very low but we had the money so for us no loan. Even if you got bad credit you should have a someone you trust who could buy it and turn it over after its paid off, insurance would be more this way thou.
You all make valid points. And I apologise if the sharing of my problems grates on you all so. I apologise that my credit is so bad, that I can’t even get a flippin credit card. I apologise that I went to college entirely at my own expense and student loaned my self into oblivion. I apologise that I am forced to drive a 30 year old piece of junk that keeps me locked in a bitter cycle of being forced to pay increacingly costly repair bills, which keep me from paying off afore mentioned loans and keeping my credit bad. I apologise for doing these things to my self. I also apologise that burdensem eneugh on my family. Did you know that my things are presently in a storage locker while I stay with an aunt, who wants me to find an apartment as soon as possible. Well I apologise that I am in that situation. I also apologise that have not yet earned the respect of my co-workers so that I can carpool back and forth to work. The week that I tried it when my exaust pile fell off, (something I did not share with you fine people by the way) and I had to have my car looked at to make sure I didn’t mess my tires/rear axal/wheels up, that the two people I was riding with outright called me a “burden”. I also apologise that because of my terrible credit situation, I distrust the solution that rrebel proposes that having some one I trust buy the car and I make the payments. I have seen to many people get burned that way. Finally I also apologise that I thought there would be some people out there who if they didn’t outright care, would at least be interested in picking up model railroad equipment for a good price.
While you four have me torqued off and on a rant, I apologise my financial status is not the same as yours and you rich people can afford your Brass CB&Q Consolodations, and your BLIs and your PCMs and your DCC and your Sound, and me with my lowly athearn blue box locomotives and Blue Box, MDC, and Walth
You all make valid points. And I apologise if the sharing of my problems grates on you all so. I apologise that my credit is so bad, that I can’t even get a flippin credit card. I apologise that I went to college entirely at my own expense and student loaned my self into oblivion. I apologise that I am forced to drive a 30 year old piece of junk that keeps me locked in a bitter cycle of being forced to pay increacingly costly repair bills, which keep me from paying off afore mentioned loans and keeping my credit bad. I apologise for doing these things to my self. I also apologise that burdensem eneugh on my family. Did you know that my things are presently in a storage locker while I stay with an aunt, who wants me to find an apartment as soon as possible. Well I apologise that I am in that situation. I also apologise that have not yet earned the respect of my co-workers so that I can carpool back and forth to work. The week that I tried it when my exaust pile fell off, (something I did not share with you fine people by the way) and I had to have my car looked at to make sure I didn’t mess my tires/rear axal/wheels up, that the two people I was riding with outright called me a “burden”. I also apologise that because of my terrible credit situation, I distrust the solution that rrebel proposes that having some one I trust buy the car and I make the payments. I have seen to many people get burned that way. Finally I also apologise that I thought there would be some people out there who if they didn’t outright care, would at least be interested in picking up model railroad equipment for a good price.
While you four have me torqued off and on a rant, I apologise my financial status is not the same as yours and you rich people can afford your Brass CB&Q Consolodations, and your BLIs and your PCMs and your DCC and your Sound, and me with my lowly athearn blue box lo
If I offended you I am sorry. I was merely trying to give you some automotive advice. I can see now that was a waste of time.
Just so you know, I own no BLI or brass engines. I still use DC (by choice), and the only PCM’s are under my vehicles dashboards. The majority of my car fleet is also MDC, BB Athearn, Walthers and Atlas. Feel better?
We are not an entirely sympathetic bunch I suppose. Sorry I was not there to give you some advice when it might have helped. It IS mostly about money. Note those who say it isn’t usually have plenty of it.
When my daughter wanted to major in one of the wonderful feel good “works for the greater good” curriculums in college, I informed her there was no way I was going to even pay towards a ‘$25,000 a year for a $20,000 a year job’ education. I practically forced her to chose to go into business, or (horrors) to simply go get a job. She is now the ex-site Controller for a Fortune 500 Company, and currently is the Controller for a financially heathy manufacturing company. She makes more than I do with much better benefits. She and her husband are probably close to the $200k per annum mark.
I almost went into Forestry and Wildlife. I know it was more fun than Engineering, but…
You all make valid points. And I apologise if the sharing of my problems grates on you all so. I apologise that my credit is so bad, that I can’t even get a flippin credit card. I apologise that I went to college entirely at my own expense and student loaned my self into oblivion. I apologise that I am forced to drive a 30 year old piece of junk that keeps me locked in a bitter cycle of being forced to pay increacingly costly repair bills, which keep me from paying off afore mentioned loans and keeping my credit bad. I apologise for doing these things to my self. I also apologise that burdensem eneugh on my family. Did you know that my things are presently in a storage locker while I stay with an aunt, who wants me to find an apartment as soon as possible. Well I apologise that I am in that situation. I also apologise that have not yet earned the respect of my co-workers so that I can carpool back and forth to work. The week that I tried it when my exaust pile fell off, (something I did not share with you fine people by the way) and I had to have my car looked at to make sure I didn’t mess my tires/rear axal/wheels up, that the two people I was riding with outright called me a “burden”. I also apologise that because of my terrible credit situation, I distrust the solution that rrebel proposes that having some one I trust buy the car and I make the payments. I have seen to many people get burned that way. Finally I also apologise that I thought there would be some people out there who if they didn’t outright care, would at least be interested in picking up model railroad equipment for a good price.
While you four have me torqued off and on a rant, I apologise my financial status is not the same as yours and you rich people can afford your Brass CB&Q Consolodations, and your BLIs and your PCMs and your DCC and your Sound, and me with my lowly athearn blue box lo
Hi, I just jumped on board today, however, I am sorry to hear of your plight. I can relate, I’m trying to return to the hobby after a 10yr hiatus, in fact, I’m now trying to put my p/u back together after it decided to blow its second motor.
Hopefully you can pull it together soon, but, in the meantime I would like to see that list when you get it together.
You all make valid points. And I apologise if the sharing of my problems grates on you all so. I apologise that my credit is so bad, that I can’t even get a flippin credit card. I apologise that I went to college entirely at my own expense and student loaned my self into oblivion. I apologise that I am forced to drive a 30 year old piece of junk that keeps me locked in a bitter cycle of being forced to pay increacingly costly repair bills, which keep me from paying off afore mentioned loans and keeping my credit bad. I apologise for doing these things to my self. I also apologise that burdensem eneugh on my family. Did you know that my things are presently in a storage locker while I stay with an aunt, who wants me to find an apartment as soon as possible. Well I apologise that I am in that situation. I also apologise that have not yet earned the respect of my co-workers so that I can carpool back and forth to work. The week that I tried it when my exaust pile fell off, (something I did not share with you fine people by the way) and I had to have my car looked at to make sure I didn’t mess my tires/rear axal/wheels up, that the two people I was riding with outright called me a “burden”. I also apologise that because of my terrible credit situation, I distrust the solution that rrebel proposes that having some one I trust buy the car and I make the payments. I have seen to many people get burned that way. Finally I also apologise that I thought there would be some people out there who if they didn’t outright care, would at least be interested in picking up model railroad equipment for a good price.
While you four have me torqued off and on a rant, I apologise my financial status is not the same as yours and you rich people can afford your Brass CB&Q Consolodations, and your BLIs and your PCMs and your DCC and your Sound, and me with my lowl
I can definitely sympathise with you as I am in similar situation myself. Getting hit with multiple legal bills (not my fault at all) and I thought I have hit rock bottom then my car decide to quit yesterday as well. It seems the battery is dead and then it’s overdue for service hence possible mechanical too. It seems this is going to be a bad year for me as all these happen within the first month of the year…sigh
However, the model rairoad stuff seems the only thing that’s keeping me sane at the moment…just mucking around with the stuff and seeing them going around the world I have created just relaxes me. I am forced to sell stuff from my other hobbies though…I just hope all these bad luck would go away though…
It’s times like this you get to sort who your real friends are…normally they all brag about how much cash they got lieing around not sure what to do with them and then when their friends is in need, they all somehow need to go somewhere…funny how that’s everyone’s case.
Anyway, try to cheer up, it’s probably just a test of your character…I am sure things couldn’t have possibly get worse, right?