02-07-2009, 09:44 AM
Along the Line: By Don Day Jan, 2007
Introductions
First impressions are important, it may be the thing that cements a relationship or can make or break a business deal. Honesty and experience enters into it as well, but as long as you think someone is being honest with you, all other things can be dealt with, regardless. This is my chance for a first impression, honestly, so let’s start by getting to know me a bit. I’m a writer of sorts; I like to write about things that might be of interest to others, bits and pieces of what I’ve learned along the way, especially historical stuff. I’m an engineer by trade and a model railroader because retirement has blessed me with the time to devote to such tasks. I have an understanding wife that is pleased that I can hunker into a corner for hours on end working on my models and not become a nuisance to whatever it is she does. This has worked out well for us these past 46 years and there’s no reason to change our ways now.
How does someone go about choosing a hobby? Well, I’ve always had an interest in railroading. Not that I was able to get personally involved, but growing up in New Jersey, we had trains running not that far from our house, freights mostly, heading to a rather large yard between us and the Hudson River. We had the Erie Railroad running passenger trains nearby and a short bus ride connected us to an elevated railroad that eventually made its way into the subway system in Manhattan. In the fifties, this was a major way to get around and we rode the trains often. I remember when I was stationed in Colorado and took the Burlington California Zephyr to Chicago, then switched to the Pennsylvania Railroad while heading home on leave; but the significance of all this didn’t register with me until recently. Most all of the railroads of that era are long gone, referred to as “fallen flags”; lines that have either disappeared, or more likely, have merged several times over. So goes the steam engine as well, but we still have an opportunity to ride behind one of those 100-ton behemoths thanks to the efforts of train restorers and the many excursion trains throughout the country. Anyway, over the years I took on an appreciation for things that would never be commonplace again. No, we’re not talking eight-track tape players or dial phones; these things may hold a place in someone’s collection, but not mine. If you choose to become a train buff and collector, just how many old steam engines, cattle cars or wooden cabooses can one fit in their back yard? Now you can see why I chose model railroading. I also considered radio-controlled airplanes as a hobby, but we live in the desert and driving 20 miles to stand out in the 110-degree heat to fly models didn’t impress me as a way to enjoy myself. I’d rather create; I can build an entire town, a towering mountain, a horse pasture or a major railroad empire and not need to worry about building codes, right-of-ways or tax assessments. I can create an industry and be assured that it thrives by also creating a user-base for its products. Mostly though, I can collect miniature, working replicas of these great machines without cluttering up our domain. I’ve got drawers full of rolling stock, freight cars of all types and vintage, and I can cross the steam generation with modern diesels because I’m not bound by the constraints of time. What’s great is, my homeowner’s association isn’t even disturbed by all this, there’s not one outward trace that this vast empire is in their midst. Although I can guess that they’d get a bit testy if they saw a full-size 4-6-4 engine parked in our yard.
Yes, many of the fallen flags are represented on my empire, as is one fictitious one, the Canyon State Railroad. Many modelers pick a name for their railroad, others like to model specific lines. Some take pleasure in accurately modeling an era; the 1950’s seem to be a popular time to model. Maybe because that was when diesels were replacing steam engines and it allows modelers to run both types without fear of loosing accuracy. Some groups thrive on running “operating sessions,” where the operations of a real railroad are precisely followed. Me, well I guess I model the current era, plus I’m happiest creating scenery and structures, making the miniature world look real. As I said, I’m not bound by time and like to mix the old with the new. Just ride the countryside right now and that’s what you’ll find, 100 year-old Main St. buildings with a modern gas station on the corner and down the street from an 1800’s farmhouse. That describes my layout, what I like to represent. Even so, I’m not sure how I can justify a steam engine pulling a consist of Santa Fe passenger cars there, so for now I can run them when no one else is looking, and they make fine displays the rest of the time.
I hope that I’ll have more of an opportunity to talk about railroading, models and maybe just a few things about what goes on in other parts of the west. I sometimes jabber on about things around Arizona, but why not? I’m proud of this history and heritage and the railroad plays an important part of that. I’ve lived in California for a while too, but I’ve not been in Tehachapi or through the loop. Still, I know if there’s one thing that ties us together, it’s the railroad.
Introductions
First impressions are important, it may be the thing that cements a relationship or can make or break a business deal. Honesty and experience enters into it as well, but as long as you think someone is being honest with you, all other things can be dealt with, regardless. This is my chance for a first impression, honestly, so let’s start by getting to know me a bit. I’m a writer of sorts; I like to write about things that might be of interest to others, bits and pieces of what I’ve learned along the way, especially historical stuff. I’m an engineer by trade and a model railroader because retirement has blessed me with the time to devote to such tasks. I have an understanding wife that is pleased that I can hunker into a corner for hours on end working on my models and not become a nuisance to whatever it is she does. This has worked out well for us these past 46 years and there’s no reason to change our ways now.
How does someone go about choosing a hobby? Well, I’ve always had an interest in railroading. Not that I was able to get personally involved, but growing up in New Jersey, we had trains running not that far from our house, freights mostly, heading to a rather large yard between us and the Hudson River. We had the Erie Railroad running passenger trains nearby and a short bus ride connected us to an elevated railroad that eventually made its way into the subway system in Manhattan. In the fifties, this was a major way to get around and we rode the trains often. I remember when I was stationed in Colorado and took the Burlington California Zephyr to Chicago, then switched to the Pennsylvania Railroad while heading home on leave; but the significance of all this didn’t register with me until recently. Most all of the railroads of that era are long gone, referred to as “fallen flags”; lines that have either disappeared, or more likely, have merged several times over. So goes the steam engine as well, but we still have an opportunity to ride behind one of those 100-ton behemoths thanks to the efforts of train restorers and the many excursion trains throughout the country. Anyway, over the years I took on an appreciation for things that would never be commonplace again. No, we’re not talking eight-track tape players or dial phones; these things may hold a place in someone’s collection, but not mine. If you choose to become a train buff and collector, just how many old steam engines, cattle cars or wooden cabooses can one fit in their back yard? Now you can see why I chose model railroading. I also considered radio-controlled airplanes as a hobby, but we live in the desert and driving 20 miles to stand out in the 110-degree heat to fly models didn’t impress me as a way to enjoy myself. I’d rather create; I can build an entire town, a towering mountain, a horse pasture or a major railroad empire and not need to worry about building codes, right-of-ways or tax assessments. I can create an industry and be assured that it thrives by also creating a user-base for its products. Mostly though, I can collect miniature, working replicas of these great machines without cluttering up our domain. I’ve got drawers full of rolling stock, freight cars of all types and vintage, and I can cross the steam generation with modern diesels because I’m not bound by the constraints of time. What’s great is, my homeowner’s association isn’t even disturbed by all this, there’s not one outward trace that this vast empire is in their midst. Although I can guess that they’d get a bit testy if they saw a full-size 4-6-4 engine parked in our yard.
Yes, many of the fallen flags are represented on my empire, as is one fictitious one, the Canyon State Railroad. Many modelers pick a name for their railroad, others like to model specific lines. Some take pleasure in accurately modeling an era; the 1950’s seem to be a popular time to model. Maybe because that was when diesels were replacing steam engines and it allows modelers to run both types without fear of loosing accuracy. Some groups thrive on running “operating sessions,” where the operations of a real railroad are precisely followed. Me, well I guess I model the current era, plus I’m happiest creating scenery and structures, making the miniature world look real. As I said, I’m not bound by time and like to mix the old with the new. Just ride the countryside right now and that’s what you’ll find, 100 year-old Main St. buildings with a modern gas station on the corner and down the street from an 1800’s farmhouse. That describes my layout, what I like to represent. Even so, I’m not sure how I can justify a steam engine pulling a consist of Santa Fe passenger cars there, so for now I can run them when no one else is looking, and they make fine displays the rest of the time.
I hope that I’ll have more of an opportunity to talk about railroading, models and maybe just a few things about what goes on in other parts of the west. I sometimes jabber on about things around Arizona, but why not? I’m proud of this history and heritage and the railroad plays an important part of that. I’ve lived in California for a while too, but I’ve not been in Tehachapi or through the loop. Still, I know if there’s one thing that ties us together, it’s the railroad.
Don (ezdays) Day
Board administrator and
founder of the CANYON STATE RAILROAD
Board administrator and
founder of the CANYON STATE RAILROAD