Toy train guys are after the sort of things they had when they were a child. Stuff like Lionell and American Flyer. The larger sized trains with 3 rails if you remember that. There were all sorts of accessories you could buy seperate to make your trains do more and interact with the children.

Scale model railroaders want to make thier trains look like the real thing. And not just the trains. The citys, towns, mountains, rivers, etc. They are after a minature world that looks real. Most modelers will also take thier locomotives and rail cars out of the package brand new and paint rust, soot and dirt effects onto the fresh paint to make them look as if they have been out in the elements for several years. Plus they will even tag thier cars with grafitti. Afterall, there isnt a whole lot of real life railroad cars or locomotives that arent dirty or rusty. Even brand new stuff gets grime on it after a few days.

They even go as far as to operate like the real thing with industries and businesses on thier layouts with comodities that are served by a rail road. Passenger train schedules. They use time tables just like the real railroads runs thier trains across the continent.

Also, around the early 90s. Computers have finally entered the hobby in a big way and now instead of controlling the polarity of the track. You are controlling the locomotives. In the old days, you either moved forward or backward and if you had 2 locomotives on the same track. They both either moved forward or backwards. Now, locomotives are available with a micro chip inside that allows you to operate it individually from the rest of the locomotives no matter where the others are. For the first time since the old days, actual head on, or any sort of train accident is potential now. These type of systems require a system to operate the trains instead of the old transformers that connect to the track though. As its a computerized system that you connect to the tracks. Instead of the old small transformer box like in the old day.

Dont get me started on the hot new thing the last few years. Sound equipped locomotives. Companies are using professional sound equipment and recording the real locomotives to use for sound in the same make of minature locomotives. Right down to the idle sounds, horns, air brakes, etc.

Just a few pics I had saved to kind of show what its all about. This is not my work personally.

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/h...road/CNWF7.jpg

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/h...lsonbridge.jpg

that's something I got into as a kid, but dropped it after I got into cars.

Those are pretty effing sweet, Chris.

I used a VPI 16 for years until I broke down and got the 16.5

To put how much I like vinyl in to perspective. My turntable costs more then the car I drive. Mind you not our chevelle but our daily driver. Gotta have your priorities straight ya know.


Nothing wrong with a disc washer but you may want to try one of the mofi brushes.

pff, if you were really serious, you'd have one of these :D

http://www.dccblowout.com/product.aspx?pf_id=odyssey

Lat time i got a record from DCC it cost close to that much :eek:

I guess I know what to keep my eyes open for at thrift shops :eek:

http://www.dccblowout.com/product.aspx?pf_id=parkenight

1995 4.0 with 255k runs like a top..

Just joined recently....
Big game hunting; especially in Africa. Been on two safaris and going back July 2011. Hunted Canada for bear, moose. Deer in a mess of states. Pig, dove, you name it.
Love shooting. Retired homicide detective and have owned my trophy company for 16years after retirement.

I actually was a car guy first but have been into trains since around my early teens. I have been in to cars before I was 10, if you can really call it that. All I wanted up till then was hotwheels and matchbox cars for christmas every year. Started getting hooked a little more in the HO scale model train stuff in the mid to late 80s. Then when I got my 66 in 1993. That hobby pretty much took over and just recently started getting back into the train stuff along with the cars.

I totally forgot to add another picture I found which was the whole reason I wanted to post some pictures in the first place. Found this picture online a few months back and had to save it. Model Railroaders are car guys too. I know several car guys whom are also in the model RR hobby.

Gotta put something here Chevelle related.Waving

The hoods open on many of these small cars so thats why it looks like its not closed all the way.

http://i257.photobucket.com/albums/h...ChevelleSS.jpg