03-08-2011, 02:24 AM
Warning, light at the end of the tunnel may be approaching rant!
Sometimes this hobby makes me feel really alone. The community here is awesome, and I don't mean it towards you guys (I know no one here is like the following), but sometimes its frustrating.
I occupy a niche of a niche of a niche- I enjoy electrified railroads, and the niche within, electric commuter operations. And I'm 21.
The part that frustrates me is that electric railroads and commuter trains really ARE a small niche. I have only met a handful of modelers who actually will follow through with that sort of prototype, and a few more who at the very least, know what I'm talking about when i say the word "Silverliner". Most Modeling I encounter appears to either Transition Era or relatively recent, and that's great, I'm familiar with it all. People can discuss such stuff ad nauseum. However, whenever I'm just looking to talk about an MU car or an E33 electric or whatever, I encounter glossy eyes and blank stares.
I don't expect people to be interested (its unreasonable and silly to expect such, and besides i haven't done anything interesting for months now), but after a while, it throws me through a loop. I've got almost no one to talk to, no one to ask questions, few to share with. Electrified railroads and commuter operations are almost never featured in model railroading magazines, and when they are, its like some unsatisfying little article that only just touches on the bare bones basics. You would think even on this big world wide web that I'd find something, but i've already joined many Commuter modeling groups and am active on forums where such things are discussed, yet i still find it irritatingly devoid of anyone to really discuss things with.
I think the worst part is, that my niches also appears to attract the more "unusual" members of the modeling crowd. I have been to some "commuter/transit" shows, and have actually had people tell me "Thank god you're normal". I can't say that these people are wrong. A large portion of the attendees to that show did not appear all there. I mean no ill will towards anyone of that nature (and i do feel like a jerk putting it so bluntly), but you can understand why it is difficult to talk to them or have any meaningful conversations. It also hovers above my head like a dark cloud, as the trend is not lost on other people.
The Young people in my age range also are quite a collection of people. Once again, the "Thank god you're normal" is whispered to me at some shows. I can only thank god that i get along well with the older crowd. Still, i've only met in person THREE model railroaders in my age range (early 20s, late teens) who i could hold a real conversation with.
I suppose its bad enough when non-model railroaders poke fun at the Toy trains (this doesn't bother me for the most part), but even within the hobby, it feels like its just me sometimes.
Sometimes this hobby makes me feel really alone. The community here is awesome, and I don't mean it towards you guys (I know no one here is like the following), but sometimes its frustrating.
I occupy a niche of a niche of a niche- I enjoy electrified railroads, and the niche within, electric commuter operations. And I'm 21.
The part that frustrates me is that electric railroads and commuter trains really ARE a small niche. I have only met a handful of modelers who actually will follow through with that sort of prototype, and a few more who at the very least, know what I'm talking about when i say the word "Silverliner". Most Modeling I encounter appears to either Transition Era or relatively recent, and that's great, I'm familiar with it all. People can discuss such stuff ad nauseum. However, whenever I'm just looking to talk about an MU car or an E33 electric or whatever, I encounter glossy eyes and blank stares.
I don't expect people to be interested (its unreasonable and silly to expect such, and besides i haven't done anything interesting for months now), but after a while, it throws me through a loop. I've got almost no one to talk to, no one to ask questions, few to share with. Electrified railroads and commuter operations are almost never featured in model railroading magazines, and when they are, its like some unsatisfying little article that only just touches on the bare bones basics. You would think even on this big world wide web that I'd find something, but i've already joined many Commuter modeling groups and am active on forums where such things are discussed, yet i still find it irritatingly devoid of anyone to really discuss things with.
I think the worst part is, that my niches also appears to attract the more "unusual" members of the modeling crowd. I have been to some "commuter/transit" shows, and have actually had people tell me "Thank god you're normal". I can't say that these people are wrong. A large portion of the attendees to that show did not appear all there. I mean no ill will towards anyone of that nature (and i do feel like a jerk putting it so bluntly), but you can understand why it is difficult to talk to them or have any meaningful conversations. It also hovers above my head like a dark cloud, as the trend is not lost on other people.
The Young people in my age range also are quite a collection of people. Once again, the "Thank god you're normal" is whispered to me at some shows. I can only thank god that i get along well with the older crowd. Still, i've only met in person THREE model railroaders in my age range (early 20s, late teens) who i could hold a real conversation with.
I suppose its bad enough when non-model railroaders poke fun at the Toy trains (this doesn't bother me for the most part), but even within the hobby, it feels like its just me sometimes.
Modeling New Jersey Under the Wire 1978-1979.
![[Image: logosmall.png]](http://i543.photobucket.com/albums/gg445/CAB_IV/Model%20Trains%202013/logosmall.png)