You’ve apparently never experienced duckpins - or a really hot curling contest. [;)]
BTW two-letter country abbreviations are common in computer / internet usage. For example, my employers website is www.taxes.state.mn.us with the .us meaning “United States”. IIRC “ru” is Russia, “ca” is Canada, “uk” is the United Kingdom (Great Britain), “de” is Germany (Deutschland) etc.
You must’ve run into some of our more—aherm—coff coff—vociferous Torontonians----I’ve fell over a few of THOSE—
Ferroequinologist - One who studies the Iron Horse.
Toronto isn’t the centre of the universe.
York Region is.
Rapido and True Line Trains are based here, and their respective owners live here as well - I’m in Thornhill and Darren is in Richmond Hill. George’s Trains is also in York Region, as are the Richmond Hill Live Steamers. Three model railroad distributors are based here as well. VIA, GO, ONR, CN and CP all run through here. Toronto? Almost three million people and no train-only stores (though Hornet has a good selection).
York Region is definitely it.
Regards from the centre of it all,
Jason [:D]
It’s already been mentioned, but i think the combination of a large population and a great number of trains is the reason for so many railfans and ferroequinologists alike in Ontario, particularly southern Ontario. A good amount of railroading diversity doesn’t hurt either. Coupled with that is the fact that there are many great hobby stores within a relatively small area (in southern Ontario) which support and are probably a result of the seemingly high number of modellers up here. Not that the long winters with plenty of indoor time aren’t conducive to spending time on model rarilroading either [;)]
BTW, though I’m from Hamilton, I call London home as i am here for school most of the year.
Peter.
York Region may think they are the center of the universe, but when it comes to Model Railroading, Ottawa is where it is at. A number of local layouts have been featured in various publications, probably a higher per capita than anywhere else in the country. Along with a good number of active modellers. Not to mention the rich railroading heritage of the capital. Names like CP, CN, CNor, NYC, and a number of others. The Chateau Laurier was built by the Grand Trunk, whose president perished aboard the Titanic, which sank with the hotel’s furnishings in the hold.
Could this huge interest in model railroading in Ontario have to do with the fortunes of the Toronto Maple Leafs?
I also am a resident of Port Huron, Mi., and I get the feeling that Ontario must be pretty much “full up” because about 400!! trucks a day are bringing trash from Trawna into Michigan to dump. That’s not to mention all the gons hauled through the “Sarnya”/St. Clair tunnel filled with scrap from Ca-na-da (eh?)[:D]. All that aside, the CN/GTW is a great road to use as a prototype. A ton of history for the steamers, and still quite a bit of action for a modern era modeler like myself. Gerry S.
Or the Toronto Blue Jays----or the Toronto Argos----or the Toronto Raptors—or the----[(-D][(-D][(-D]
Jason,
Ya forgot the two little railway companies as well, South Simcoe RR & the boys in Uxbridge who run to Stouffville.
Gord
Being a diehard Leafs fan I would have to say no. I still spend more time watching them play and drinkin beer then I do model railroading in the winter months. Hey, they finally beat up on Boston last night.[dinner]
Nope, playing and watching hockey is.
Thanks guys.Its nice to know stuff about other places. Someone reminded me that Toronto was where the Lone Rangers Tonto retired to. I understand he’s teaching Esperonto (an invented language someone expected to be universal but never panned out.)
Gerry,I stayed in the Thomas Edison hotel right under the bridge to ca.That explains at least part of the heavy traffic. BILL
The reason that Ottawa probably has more ACTIVE modelers is due to the fact that ALL Federal politicians from across Canada gather at the legislature up on Parliament Hill, right next door to the Chateau Laurier Hotel. The resultant hot air from them arguing what to tax us on next and where to spend the income from said tax instead of paying down our considerable debt, melts all the snow and ice for at least 50 MILES around. That allows the modelers in the area to get out in shorts and sneakers to get to their local Hobby Shop when the rest of us are up to our derriere in snow and the snow plow just blocked the end of our driveway with 3 feet of frozen slush. LOL[(-D]
I was searching through a number of calenders and I could not find any holidays named “seasons greetings day” or “happy holidays day”, so I will call it what it is and wish you and your families a “MERRY CHRISTMAS” and political correctness be da**ed.
Blue Flamer.
Most of us used to call them, “The Falling Leaves”, but now I just call them “Compost” 'cause they can’t fall much lower. [(-D]
Blue Flamer.
I’m venturing to guess that all those Londoners built their model railroads when the Spitfires was one of the worst teams in the OHL. [:D]
Since 80% of Canadians live with 2 hrs of the US border, southern Ontario will probably seem like it is the mecca of Canadian modelrailroading. I have noticed we have a few of our francophone friends on here as well. Well, I am guessing they are francophone since they are Quebecois, but realize they probably speak francaise and anglais fluently.
It’s probably a good thing that Canadians have other “house” hobbies in the winter. I have noticed the tendency for homes is that they are rather small ones and if they practiced that “other” long, dark winter time activity their homes would be filled with children and they would need bigger homes.
I have visited Ontario a number of times and love all the places I have been to. I had the bug so bad in the late 80’s that I wanted to move there. My fiancee was recently looking at grad schools for Geology. Univ. of Toronto was one of them and I was all excited about that. The pics I have seen on here of the Canadians modelrailroads are amazing. Keep up the good work, eh. IIRC the Niagara Region NMRA is very active also.
This is a very silly thread.
[:)]
Hi,
Yes, it’s a silly thread, but remember this,“Maturity is knowing when and where to be immature.”
Blaine
Rapido,
Yes, it is a silly thread but you are here so you must be as silly as the rest of us.
As the good Doctor (Who) once said, “What’s the point of being grown up if you can’t be childish sometimes?”
-Jason