| If ever I mention I am interested in model railroading | | | | commute maybe 25 miles or more everyday in heavy |
| when in a conversation with someone for the first time | | | | traffic. Then there is the possible stress at work with |
| (and this may have happened to you too) I get the | | | | deadlines, a boss that keeps piling work onto you or |
| 'look'. You can almost see the thought bubble popping | | | | maybe targets to hit. With your railway model hobby |
| up above their head saying 'but he is a grown man | | | | you can come home and escape to your own little |
| and he is playing with toy trains'. Maybe its just the kind | | | | part of the house, shed or garage and forget all your |
| of people I associate with but it is annoying. This is | | | | worries while you slip into another world. Perhaps a |
| despite the fact it is in the top 5 of the most popular | | | | small country station in the English countryside or a |
| international hobbies or pastimes. At one point, when I | | | | dramatic city layout it is all in your own hands. |
| first started out in model railroads it used to bother me | | | | How about the skills side of things. There is so much |
| and I would squirm slightly when I mentioned it, but now | | | | involved in building a good layout that you improve your |
| I just do not care. What you do is your business and if | | | | skills at many things such as wiring, electronics, |
| something gives you as much pleasure as this does | | | | woodwork, metalwork, planning, modeling and building. |
| for me then it is not a problem. | | | | All this is done at your own pace a with no pressure |
| So why does a hobby that is connected to youth | | | | at all so you can actually enjoy creating something |
| appeal to grown men of all ages? Well the main | | | | unique to you. |
| reason I think is that it rekindles their childhood | | | | Just going back to the opening paragraph again it often |
| memories of playing with their model railway with | | | | makes me smile when I think of some of those folks |
| perhaps happy times spent with their parents and all | | | | who gave me that reaction initially who are now |
| the fun times associated with it. It may even be a | | | | actually involved in some way or another, or cannot |
| good way of having some quality time with your own | | | | wait to see my layout when they visit because I |
| children by getting them involved with the hobby. | | | | actually showed them what it was all about. Nothing |
| Another fascinating aspect is the chance to build your | | | | will stop me from enjoying this great pastime. After all |
| own miniature world and do it your way. And it can be | | | | if its good enough for Rod Stewart, Michael Douglas |
| any period in the history of railroads, whether it is an | | | | and Burt Reynolds, then its good enough for me. |
| old steam layout or modern day electric or diesel trains | | | | If you found this article of interest and would like to find |
| they all can be replicated with some simple skills and a | | | | out more about this fantastic hobby then you might |
| bit of time. | | | | want to visit |
| What about relaxation? Modern life can be so | | | | Happy railroading folks. |
| stressful for the modern executive who has to | | | | |