I got my issue of “Trains” last night, and it made me realize that what makes this the world’s greatest hobby is that it’s not just about model trains. I suppose most of us railfan, if possible, some of us have a scanner, we can subscribe to a TON of different magazines ranging from N scale on up to Garden Railroads, and from Classic Trains to Modern Trains. We have great books to buy, like an O. Winston Link photo book, or Sam Posey’s “Playing with Trains”, or anything in between. Think of all the shows we have, clubs, how many of us photograph…Think of how many great people you’ve met, and have become good friends with. Most of my friends deal with some phase of railroading. There’s just a lot of things that all tie together to make our hunger for trains, in any form, truly a great hobby.
I agree that it is the “multifacited” nature of the hoby. If you like
woodworking
metalworking
modelbuilding
sculpture
artistic painting
architecture
desiging puzzles
working puzzles
electronics
history
geography
geology
landscaping
history
photography
Outdoor pursuits for Railfaning
and others I don’t think of right now, there is a way to enjoy that pursuit in Model Railroading.
And you can enjoy these with family & friends.
Such does not seem to be the case with Stamp Collecting.
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as an Ambasador to the WGH campain I did a train show at work last September, i work for Paccar in the UK it was billed as a family fun day with alsorts of attractions from fairground rides, millitary vehicle displays, stunt riders etc etc, what did stand out to the 4000 visitors was our professional approach, we had yellow sweat shirts and t-shirts with the WGH logo on the front, i handed out hundreds of stickers and WGH booklets supplied free by MR staff, in between watching all the train displays visitors watched the introduction to model railroads video. what made this such a huge PR victory for the hobby was the fact that the visitors who came would not normally go to a train show but after seeing what we had to offer they went away with a very good insight into a hobby that can be incorporated into almost anyone’s life, it will also teach new skills mentioned above by Randybc2003,
THE WGH IS MODELRAILROADING, NOT golf, or cricket, or football, etc etc a waste of a good field, it would be better used as a giant G scale railroad, YESSSSSS
Not to mention that the hobby can cost very little, or be a rich man’s folley. There is more ‘dynamic range’ in model railroading than any other hobby I know of.
I think there is so much more than just the physical part of it,and there are as many reasons as there are modelers.Many of us were born at a time when our Fathers were modelers themselves My father a collector and allways a working layout in our house,passed on to me one of my reasons for thinking this is the greatest hobby in the world.I hopefully passed some of this on to my sons.The other thing for me is sharring with children the look in their eyes when they hear a steam whistle or the blast of diesel horns,at that moment I am not there peer but equal as i remenber my youth,and my memories and all my excitement. with trains.I have not found any other thing in life that allows me this simple pleasure.To me without a dought The Worlds Greatest Hobby.