Ten signs of a model train fanatic

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

After reading Dick Hafer’s model railroad cartoon book This is not the Honeymoon I Anticipated, it made me think of some people I’ve encountered during my 25 years in the hobby. It inspired me to come up with a list of traits that describe the archetypal model train fanatic. Feel free to add to this list.

  1. Always wears an engineer’s cap to model railroad functions

  2. Also wears a vest covered with railway logo patches

  3. Has railway logo signs hanging above his layout, even those of railways he doesn’t model

  4. Reads major model magazines and the Walthers catalogue like the Bible

  5. Never afraid to give other modelers advice, even when it’s not called for

  6. A nit-picker in the worst way, always commenting on details

  7. Spends 90 per cent of his leisure time railfanning and modeling

  8. &n

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  1. you think how other hobby supplies will work with model rr
3
  1. You worry about your wiring/scenery/benchwork etc. in bed.
4

Heh…oops…[:I]

5

13 , States he is between layouts…has been designing layout for past six years

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  1. Has a junk drawer in his garage that’s actually a drawer of junk, pilferred from trash piles because it might someday represent something on the layout.

dwRavenstar

7

How about a footlocker, two large cardboard boxes and a half-dozen mailing tubes…

In the same vein:

  1. Goes to garage sales and buys ancient junk toy HO (sort of) to kitbash.

Chuck (who gets that ancient etc when his sister goes to yard sales)

8

  1. He squints like a mole when out in the sunlight because he’s spent so much time in the basement (does a mole squint?).

  2. His skin is “pasty” looking because again he’s spent so much time in the basement and flourescent light really doesn’t cause much of a tan.

  3. Spending so much time alone, he looks at you like you’re from Mars when you ask him a question and he can’t find his voice and doesn’t know how to answer.

Actually, I’ve only met a few guys like the ones I’ve mentioned and most guys are pretty cool.

Mondo

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18.) You have a cat named Chessie

Dave

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  1. Instead of saying “Once, at band camp” he starts stories with “Once, at a train show…”
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  1. “That’s good hold it right there” will be etched into the tombstone one day.

  2. Stressing about a bad feeder wire while kitchen lamp malfunctions in kitchen.

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  1. Flips thru railroad calendars slowly and with more enthusiasm than a pin-up calendar.

Rick

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  1. Has the center-spreads of Trains or MR hanging on the workshop wall… instead of pin-up calendars :slight_smile:
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  1. His car’s horn is actually a train whistle!
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  1. his car has been modified to run off a DCC controler
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and:

24A. He blows two long, one short, one long at every unprotected intersection.

24B. He uses the appropriate number of short toots to bring in the flag before proceeding at a stop sign.

Chuck (who would love to have a whistle for a horn)

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#1 spends more time on this or another forum than with his family. Some of you guys qualify for this one.

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He must be talking about those people in the other room that ask me to come out and eat every now and then…

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Or tend to the second computer for the wife so she can browse HER forums =)

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Hey I make most of my plans laying down at night in bed!!

Has a long white beard,with a red bandana (like thing) and wears overalls.