Pet Peeves of model railroading I’m not sure why but I know when my biggest pet peeve in model railroading started. It was a warm July afternoon. I was in 8th grade. The local model railroad club I belonged to had set up are portable HO layout at the county fair. These two jolly heavy set ladies, walked into the hall where we where on display and proclaimed: “ look at the boys and there big train set, isn’t that quite…….” I was standing next to John our PR guy and a another older member. I Was chewing on my tong to keep from saying anything, when the older member muttered something to the effect of “ train set…what the…” as he was cut off by a sharp jab of the elbow from the PR guy john. Later in a members only discussion it deemed that anyone who used the words “ Train Set “ to refer to a model railroad was going to be hung at the earliest opportunity. After all a train set is something you buy at the hobby shop / store and take home and set up and let it run round and round. Where as a model railroad, was something had to be built, painted, arranged just right. I know that a train set and a model train are really the same thing, but comparing them like that makes my skin crawl even today some 20 years latter. I’ve sheared my model train Pet Peeve, so lets here your Model Railroad Pet Peeves. You know like “ That’s not prototype “ or “ the coal car behind the locomotive, instead of the tender “ or when someone refers to a “ steam locomotive as a unit “ and so on.
The dreaded "Not in Stock" tag by most things in the Walthers' Catalog or on-line at the Walthers' site. Same thing at the local hobby shop in this area. This is really a pet peeve when, say on a Friday or Thursday, I want to get something NOW that is critical to the layout and I plan on "fixing" or working on over the weekend. I get all jacked up to do a particular task, and I either have to alter the way I do it because "it" isn't available OR I have to wait until I can get "it". SO, I guess my pet peeve is my own impatience.
This thread covers several Pet Peeves I've encountered before. 1) "These guys are still "playing with trains". I look 'em in the square I the eyes, state "Yep, and I'm having a lot of FUN too! What do you do with your spare time? Watch the Boob Tube?" I'll get a soft chuckle or the person will walk away. 2) The "Rivet Counter" who will proceed to pick apart mine and everybody's models on the layout. I'll usually ask the "Rivet Counter" where is his layout and when could I come see it? And almost always get the statement: " Oh, I haven't built a layout yet, but I will SOON(with in my life-time maybe!). I'll ask what contests has he entered models in and did he get 1st or 2nd place in said contest? That usually lets the "Rivet Counter" know I could care less about his comments. I am a great believer in the KALMBACH PUBLISHING COMPANY'S statement:"MODEL RAILROADING IS FUN" and I intend to keep it that way!!!!
I have three, two of which have already been covered. 1- Playing with trains, 2- Rivet counters, and, 3- Planning some structure or scenery feature for my in-progress layout, getting everything ready, and then finding that there j-u-s-t isn't enough space, usually missing a quarter inch of so. Dave.
Traction tires a dreaded necessity until someone eventually figures out how to produce a hard pulling steamer that will make the climb without them. In the meantime I'm forever changing out traction tires and finding... the replacements for older steamers, a lost cause. I got used to people saying things like "Playing Trains" or "What a Train Set". Ignorance is bliss. Given enough time with a visitor or visitors I can usually spark some interest in "Model Railroading". Now I need to get back to playing with my trains, running my train set, doing a little rivet counting and seeing if I can order something that is out of stock... I said with a forced grin! Have fun!
I'm afraid I'm a bit of a 'bridge nerd' (OK, rivet counter :embarassed: ) and my pet peeve has to be modellers that have all their stock and engines detailed within a day of their lives, but run them over bridges that are soooo wrong it makes me cringe. Often seen in MR actually
Pet peeve - heavy emphasis on RTR locos/rolling stock in N scale to the almost total exclusion of any actual kits anymore. Also, lack of steady supply of not horridly expensive chassis for Nn3. Most kits rely on Maerklin Z scale chassis, but with the US dollar in the toilet and Maerklin chassis being kind of spendy (since you have to buy the whole loco) anyway, it's not unusual to have spent a load of money before you even get to the modeling phase. I would love more kits of parts available for all my modeling endeavors, since, given my budget, I am much more able to build a killer piece than buy something equally cool in RTR.
Well, RTR is nice. But I must admit- I really enjoyed building the InterMountain N scale kits. I had created a little assembly line. And they were not at all difficult. I could have a car complete, including adding weight, and body mounted couplers, in about 45 minutes. Also, they were cheaper as kits... Boxcab E50
I would love to have RTR AND kits, so that way people could have their RTR and I could fiddle around with glue and decals and paint.
Yep, many of those, plus the rivet counter and self-proclaimed locomotive experts who do not use the conventional way of entering the wheel arraingement of steam locos. A Pacific is a 4-6-2 not a 462. To me 462 would be the roadnumber.
Hear Hear. Nice scenery, pretty trains, and .. that bridge would collapse under it's own weight.. Trying to think of a peeve, and the only problems I can really find with model trains lie within me - my own wonderful collection of faults Maybe if I was perfect I could find something "out there" to be upset about. The nearest I can come is the fact that New Zealand is a long way away from anywhere; so internet stores often don't ship here if they do, freight costs more than what you bought! just try getting detail parts But that's nothing another business trip to America won't fix
How about the totally obvious way the manufacturers ( especially KATO ) ignore any modeller east or north of Chicago. Check out their usual fodder of releases - UP , Union Pacific or UP. As I have said before - the hobby shops must be crammed full of yellow. In their defence - they have thrown us Canadian modellers a bone once a decade. Thank goodness there are undecs and som of us have good friends who paint.
My only pet peeve is people who nitpick other people's ways of enjoying the hobby. Everyone has personal tastes and if someone wants to do something "unprototypical" who really cares as long as they are enjoying themselves. Let's face it, no matter how many rivets you count, a model railroad is just that - a model, a representation of something. It's not real, it's just something we pretend is real. Personally, I have no problem if someone thinks I'm "playing with trains" on my "trainset" - I take pleasure in the fact that I'm having fun. Every now and then a coworker or friend stops over and, no matter what say about my hobby, they always want to check out how progress is going on my layout. Personally, I always encourage it, and make sure that the next time they come over they bring their kids and their wife. In my house model railroading is a family thing - even though I do most of the "work" on the layout - but everyone in the house likes to play. I bet you would be hard pressed to show me someone who doesn't like to "play with trains"! Just drop a throttle in someone's hand and their whole demeanor changes - they become a little kid who can sit for hours watching the train go round and round.
My pet peeve, and it occurred with great frequency again this weekend at the Amherst Rail Show, is train show behavior. I can't stand it when adults crowd out the kids who are trying to see a display or looking at merchandise. All too frequently it's train show regulars who are adorned in railroad pins, t-shirts, and hats so they're hard to ignore. What kind of image do you think that projects to the young family whose child might be tomorrow's model railroader, other than that this is the typical model railroader, and we're all inconsiderate jerks? Be considerate as if it was your own children or grandchildren. Kindness to that child and their family might help ensure that our hobby lives on for another generation. Either that, or blame yourselves when your collection have no future value because there is no one to buy it.
