I couldn't say for sure. I have always wondered this, because though I can continue to come up with REALLY FRUSTRATING things with the hobby, I can sometimes have a hard time figuring what there is to enjoy about it. And yet, I persist! I definitely would not drop the hobby, so why do I stay?

I do enjoy the construction aspect of it. Though some tasks are difficult, and not particularly fun, the finished product is the end of it, and its always worth it. Some of the engineering aspects of it are definitely fascinating and intersting to me.

I guess I'd compare it to rock climbing. It is a tough, arduous activity, and it sure feels crappy while I'm clinging on to some near verticle space and under strain. However, the view at the top is always worth it, and I'd rather the view for 5 minutes than sit on the ground.

Speaking of the view, I also like to observe the fruits of my labor. Its fun to just sit down so the layout is at eye level and watch the trains pass, or set up photos, or what have you.


I also like that one can choose nearly anything to model. There are so many interesting locations and protoypes out there, spanning a 2 or 3 decades shy of 200 years of railroading. They all have their stories to tell, and they are all preserved, even if just in miniature, on our layouts.

The hobby encourages us to dig deep, and maybe study a facet of the world that may be long forgotten (an old factory that was once a major producer, or perhaps a ghost town that was once THE place to be). There are stories everywhere, and there is always deeper level one can attain. Thats more than can be said for many other hobbies.

I suppose its the move vaporous, intangible parts of the hobby that really bring me enjoyment.

One of two things:
-the first time I assemble the sub-assemblies of a car...where it begins to clearly resemble the prototype
or
-whenever I finish creating a detail part, running gear, or some detail painting and I see that it is a 3d representation of something in a picture or from a plan

For me, it is still what lead me into the hobby in the first place. The unlimited variety of things to build models of.
OK, there's the trains. Locos, rolling stock, Cabeese, but then there's all the rest of the miniature world those trains "live" in, right down to individual rocks!
With the "New Modules" I now also have plenty of "water" for boat, and ship models too !!!
The other beauty of modules?..........I can play with my toys in public !!!!!!
Well...... that, and, hopefully inspire, and teach at the same time.

I like operation. I would rather switch out an industrial area than anything else in the hobby. I haven't figured out which operating system I will use. Having never worked for the prototype except to fix some refrigeration units for them, I'm not all that familiar with their paperwork processes, and I'm not sure that I want to duplicate that aspect so much anyway. There is a point where "play" crosses the line to become "work!"

My most favored aspects are building of model cars from the base, searching documents in web, studying details of the original cars and finding solutions for well detailed sratchbuilt models. And trying to build more fine and prototypically yet, with each new model a bit more.

I like almost all aspects of model railroading. If I have to come up with a true favorite then it is "modeling". I like building structures and rolling stock. I like scenery from ballasting to tree-making, painting figures (over 600 so far), and watching it all come together. I just wish I could take better pictures...someday maybe!
willie

SF Willie....
Good pictures...Bad pictures...They're better than no pictures at all....

So...Let's have a look..!!

Starting with this...



...and ending up with this...



...while doing just enough scenery and weathering to pose them like this...



...and all on a budget that would starve a church mouse.

Wow sheygets you do nice work.

The question on dislikes is easier to answer. The reason for that is I never took typing in school and now I am using one hand that isn't working very well right now. I really enjoy all of it except paying for it so I guess I don't have a favorite aspect as they are equally liked.

lears2005 Wrote:Wow sheygets you do nice work.

Thank you for the kind words...the 2-6-6-2 had taken a 3' header off of a layout and was given to me for the price of postage. The Big Boy was an online purchase gone bad...poorly packed, it took quite a beating before it arrived at my house, the weathering hides the 30 year gap between the older locomotive and the newer tender. The hunt for parts, the remaking and repairing of things broken, the Frankenstein-like thrill of watching it come to life after all that work---these are the things that I enjoy in the hobby now.

Running trains on my layout, and especially operating sessions when I get to watch numerous trains moving in different directions (making meets) and locations on the layout the same time.

For me its prototypical switching operation..

Brakie Wrote:For me its prototypical switching operation..

Bringing freight cars to life with kitbashing, weathering and then railfan them on the layout! ;-)

Matt