Well, here's another idea

Garden Railroading
1

Since joining this forum back in September, I have had the pleasure of meeting some very interesting people sharing the same interest as me, Garden RR’ing.

I thought to myself it would be even more intrestisng to learn a little about each ones background.

I’ve met a River Boat Captain, a Texas Peace Officer and who know what else I’m not even sure of.

So, my idea is: Someone start a new thread listing occupation backgrounds. It doesn’t have to be anything fancy, just a one liner or two let the membership know a little more about you. You don’t have to reveal anything you don’t want to but I for one was very impressed to learn what a few of you did, in real life.

I’ll be happy to start it if there is any interest. Comments?

2

Let’s start it here then. I like this idea very much.

About me:

Occupation: Master Sergeant, US Army

Background: BS in physics/chemistry Virginia Commonwealth U. Study specialty in ballistics, field research US Army. I once dropped a 155mm howitzer round (standard 4 square HE) into a Republican Guard tank hatch at 8,400m on the first shot. Minored in Art History.

Family: Married, 4 girls, 1 boy on the way (due March 07), 1 child deceased (infant), 5 cats, 1 seeing eye dog (retired), about a zillion fish, and one railroad

Hobbies: Garden railroading, Restoring and riding Triumph motorcycles, RC and free flight airplanes, dabble in HO scale from time to time. I read everything, history is my favorite. Huge Dr. Who fan.

That should do for starters…

3

Well alright then: Retrired 1999 Accounts Receivable and Credit Management. Did 8 years USMC from 1958 - 1966. One tour Vietnam. Hobbies include boating, fishing and model RR. Previous experience is in 027 scale.

Had tripple by-pass surgery in 1995. Married two times, 1st for 20 years and had three children. Now have five grand-children by that marriage. Married second time 1983, no children but, have two find step-sons and one super great step-grandson, now 2.4 years old. He loves to look at the trains on the inter-net with me.

Live in middle Tennessee since 1968. Born Miami Florida, 1937. December 24th!!!

Grandfather was a conductor on the E.T.& W.N.C. railroad from 1900 till his death in 1910. My father was with the Southern RR for 30 years, hence my RR’ing interest.

Once sailed alone in a 16’ home made kit boat in the Gulf of Mexico…Have also own several motorcycles in my life includeing a Honda Gold Wing. Rode it everywhere…

Thats me!

4

I have been around in various parts of the planet and I consider myself very lucky to be still intact and of sound mind - some would say not. I like where I live now and I consider myself very lucky - again - to be a garden railroader and talking to you guys about things that don’t matter jack shit.

5

I’m originally from Cleveland, OH but have lived and worked in Pittsburgh, PA, Dallas, TX, New York, NY, Long Branch, NJ, Hammond, IN, and finally Deep River, CT. I’ve been fully retired since 2002. Prior to retirement I worked for an industrial automation company. I transferred four times during my 32-year career with that company while working as a service engineer, district manager, business manager, sales and marketing, etc.

I received my technical training in the Navy and in civilian tech schools. I have attended college sporadically for 25 years taking courses to gain the competence required by my current assignment. But I have never bothered to put it all together into a BS degree.

I’ve been married for 39 years and have three sons and two grandsons with a third grandson due on march 6. I’ve traveled around the world and seen and done much while in the military. I’ve participated in some truly awesome projects while I was working including a weeklong emergency intervention in a radioactive containment structure at a nuclear generating facility. But nothing compares to watching my family grow and prosper over the years.

My hobbies include garden railroading and most recently, On30 railroading, reading (books I should have read 30 years ago), travel (three cross-country trips by car so far), and a quixotic attempt to restore a 1986 Jaguar XJ6.

6

I can tell you there is a lot more to Kim than he is letting on, he has done many things and is quite a talented individual.

However for me I am retired but prior to retirement i was marketing manager to an instrumentality of the Chinese government. My speciality was batteries in buildings, i have written a few books on the subject and was a founding member of two sub committees of Standards Australia (US equiv IEEE i think). Batteries in buildings have nothing to do with cars and trucks and are quite technical, to do with many things such as UPS, Telecommunications. I have taken 4 diplomas in 4 different subjects in 4 different decades. Communications in the 50’s, Electrical engineering 60’s, Illumination 70’s and marketing about 1990. I practiced few of them though, as they were mailny aids to technical selling.

I have travelled all over within my profession such, as every 3 months to Singapore for 5 years as i had a branch there. Malaysia. Hong Kong, Indonesia, USA, New Zealand and Japan.

My hobby before getting into garden madel railways was coastal yachting, I was the owner skipper of a 10 m cruiser racer and i can navigate both coastal and celestial and of course I can sail quite well. I am also interested in international travel; 13 countries in Europe, 11 in Asia, 12 states of USA, 8 in Oceana, as well as Canada and Mexico.

These days we do a lot of house swapping, Germany, England, France and Northern Ireland, Southern France and Spain are planned ofr 2008.

My wife and i have 4 sons between us and 11 gradchildren, my boys have all stopped multiplying but Doreens has yet to start and we may get a few more yet. We have both been married twice.

I lived nearly all my life in Sydney the capital of New South Wales but migrated up here to the Sunshine Coast in Queensland 4 years ago.We live in ideal conditions in a nearly new large architect designed house on a tropical island in the Mooloola river.

Rgds ian

7

I’m retired, as of 30 June 2002, from 42 years’ service with U.S. Army Military Intelligence (I know, Military Intelligence is an oxymoron).

I served 26 years active duty and retired as a Master Sergeant in 1986, and then spent 16 years as a civilian instructor at the U.S. Army Intelligence Center at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.

My active duty years were served in the Counterintelligence Agent and Prisoner of War Interrogator (Russian, German, Japanese languages) specialties, and my 16 years as a civilian instructor was spent teaching Counterintelligence Agents.

Overseas stints included Korea, Okinawa, Vietnam, and Germany.

8

Hi everyone,

This sure is an interesting thread. My turn I guess. Turned 40 this past February. I have a a long automotive backround that dates back to my childhood. Cars were a huge interest for me. Got involved in model rr’ing with HO scale at age 7. Did that on and off up until five years ago when I discovered Large Scale. Sold most of my HO stuff to help fund my layout. Married twice…this time for keeps. The first was one of those dumb things you do when you are young. Three kids, aged 16 down to 8. Two dogs, fish and my hotrod. Still own my first car I bought at age 16, a 1940 Chev Coupe, streetrod. Occupation: Steering and gearing 18 wheelers across the prairie provinces. I have an unquenchable love for chasing white lines in a big rig. My other hobbies include script writing, acting, as well as directing. Plans are to have that replace my current line of work one day soon. I also am very active in an awesome local church. Born in Toronto, raised in Winnipeg, Manitoba Canada, eh. Old enough to gripe about Winter, young enough to stay put. As for Garden RR’ing, I have an 18’x40’ layout, love scratchbuilding and playing in the dirt. It’s great to have an awesome hobby, and you all to share it with. Later eh…Brian.

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FWIW, this sounds too much like myspace.com; if you have teenagers, you might maybe just be a little alarmed that one. TMI squared. Way too much information in too little space.

Why should anyone post so much information for anyone to hone in on? My 2 cents.

Art

10

You have placed mine up there:

Texas Peace Officer, Heavy Equipment Operator ie: Cranes, Dozers, etc…, Owner Landscape Company which fizzled out. Now ill with bi-polar which bites because times my hands shake way to much. Born in Tx and still here. 35yrs old.

William

Oh yeah I have 2 cats and both are really cool dudes!

11

Ok, William brow beat me into doing this. So I’ll tell you about me.

Occupation: Admin Asst, but looking for a new job. Which seems to be about all I do.

Got my LPN back in 1983. Always wanted to be a nurse, but couldn’t get a job then, so I had to find something else to do. Worked in Retail for 7 years. Left that, and have bounced around since then. Just can’t seem to find anything stable. I don’t know, maybe it’s me.

Never married, no kids. Just got my first train, given to me by my boyfriend in Texas. It’s a Lionel Christmas train, and yes I put it up by myself. Although everyone else wants to play with it. I have 4 nephews and a niece. One pushy boyfriend in Texas. [;)] I have lived all of my life in Orem Ut. Basically the same house. I’m 43 years old. In dog years, I’m dead.

I do almost anything that can be done outside. Camp, fish, boat, hike, bike ride, motorcyles. I’ll read just about anything and love historical novels, and am trying to write one myself.

Just learning about G scale and all that goes with that.

Hoping to be able to learn alot from you all here.

Melissa

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I’m not worried, I’ve nothing to hide and I’ve revealed nothing that anybody can’t find out about me through public records. Besides, I am not only a good shot with a cannon, I’m good, scary good, with a rifle…

13

Oh stop your killn me…

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Aw shucks Ian. You’ve got me going all shades of red here. Ok, electrician by trade, served my time and joined the police, street bobby in some bloody awful places. Went into SB and covered Holyhead port at the height of the troubles. Got fed up with that so became a pub landlord and after a few years of that went into hotel management. Saw an advert in a trade mag and a couple of weeks later found myself in Cape Town on an old north sea car ferry and we sailed down the south atlantic - lost a guy overboard - to the Falklands. Spent 14 months doing security and fire watch on a 1000 man wooden camp and wangled myself the camp drivers job so I got into Stanley at least three times per week, drink driving? me? never!! Came home and got a security job in London with a crap company, me and another guy knew we could do it right, so we did and made a lot of money! After a few years I came back up north and set up on my own and made more money, went back into the pub trade and lost the lot! Declared bankrupt a couple of times, I never can see why I should give the tax man money, he doesn’t do anything to earn it! Anyway, drifted round doing agency work and ended up at the university where I now work, came for 4 weeks work 9 years ago. I now ‘look after’ just over 700 first year students on welfare and discipline. Married gail 6 years ago - 3rd one - sucker for punishment me and we live in Blackpool on the west coast. Met Ian and Doreen a couple of years ago and had a very pleasant couple of days with them. Whatever you do don’t mention Blackpool tower to Ian!!Hobbies are garden rr and beer.

Festive cheers, Kim

15

Well …I’m a newby here , and have a great deal of trepidation in doing this, but here goes…

I’m retired…early as it were with corporate mergers and consolidation in the telecommunications business. Worked for Verison nee GTE for 25 years in their information management and Marketing orgainizations, before that worked in banking as a credit and loan officer,and in the computer and electronics business for Texas Instruments as a production grunt while I was in college. Before that oilfield roustabout and drilling… Been to Singapore, Indonesia, Sumatra, South america, and Greenland with these various jobs, and enjoyed them all.

Spent 20 years in the Dallas Fort Worth area and now live in West Central Texas on 50 acres with my lovely bride of 24 years in a town of 1200 (or less). We raise Boer goats and occasionally cattle and I work harder (physically) on any given day than I ever did over the last 20 years.

I am just getting into Large scale after looking at them for over 5 years, and I haven’t had a train in over 40 years. I am really enjoying the hobby and the work it takes to put it together.

mr

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OK, here goes. Born & raised in Wildwood,NJ (right down at the tip, next town up from Cape May) and went right from high school into apprenticeship to become Delaware River Pilot.

(Interesting aside) I’m told that Pilots were the last apprentices in both Pennsylvania and Delaware to actually sign indentures. { amongst others, “shall not be found in a public house or a house of ill repute!”} That was 1958, they still used the same indentures into the 1980’s.

Completed 4 years apprenticeship, and then did 35 years as pilot guiding ships from warships to tankers, and passenger ships to freighters into ports along the Delaware. Also got a Master’s license along the way.

Joined the ranks of the retired (or is it retarded) at age 57. Got into garden railroad (after 15 years of thinking about it) in 2001. It’s nice to have a hobby and something to go do when the wife gets too demanding!

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About me:

Occupation: Retired First Sergeant, US Army Corps of Engineers; Retired Civil Service; having a blast “working” at Wal~Mart, this is the most fun job I have ever had.

Background: BS Civil Engineering, BA in Education, Teaching Credentials. Spent a number of years trying to educate someone else’s brats. Built a few bridges, used explosives to bring down a few.

Family: Married, 1 married daughter, 9 Koi, 4 Papillions, and one railroad

Hobbies: Garden railroading, dream about rebuilding the old N scale empire, (realistically know the eyes and joints will not handle the job.) Devout fan of SG1 and Dr. Who.

Places I’ve lived: Born in, then not so smoggy, LA. Dad spent a career in the US Army Air Corps/Air Force combined with my own career, let’s see? California (3 times), Texas, Florida, London England, Liverpool, Madrid Spain, Germany (5 times), Viet Nam, Korea, Colorado, Kentucky, Missouri, Kansas, New Mexico, New Hampshire, Illinois, and moved back to California (San Diego) in 1989, bought this house and intend to stay put.

18

well here it goes…

occupation: currantly a Nisaan forklift techican, three year collage degree, some where in there I have three years of mechanical drafting. My dad was a airforce engine mechanic and also was a liftruck mechanic for last 20 yrs of his life. I started helping my dad when I was about eight years old. The largest piece of equiptment I worked on with my dad was a 1946 international TD9, 9.5 tons without the blade.

Family: two niece’s 10 and 12yrs, three shelties one 14 year old and two three month olds. My eleven year old sheltie died on 12-1-06 three days after a kidney operation.I’m now using my train funds to pay off a huge vet bill.

hobbies: I’ve had dogs all my life(for almost forty years now). One five foot circle of track and an LGB xmas street car under the tree. Misc H.O. train parts from the 1970’s.

abductions: too many to count. one thing is for sure, they keep bringing me back[:slight_smile:]

19

OK, I’m in. I served four years in the Marines 1958-62, screwed around for two years in college and then joined the Las Vegas Police Department for something exciting to do. I spent the next 30 years doing just about everything in law enforcement and retired as second-in-command of the department. During that time I picked up three college degrees including a Master in Public Administration, attended the FBI Academy and the National Executive Institute. I was a competition pistol shooter and an instrument/multi-engine rated pilot. I retired ten years ago, moved to Northern Nevada and never looked back. I got into GRR this summer after my son got me a starter set. A couple of thousand dollars of my own money later (something I remind my son of frequently) I’m pretty well hooked.

20

Wow, what an interesting bunch of guys (and gals) Would love just to spend time with some of you “chewing the fat” as it were.

OK now, the rest of you who have viewed this post but did not respond, lets get with it! We want to hear from you too…(247+views to date)

Cooper: Out tours in the Corps overlapped from 1958-62. I was at PI in Sep58, Camp Lejeune most of 1959, and then Hawaii, late 59 through 62.