Well guys I've got some crazy news! HA! I'm still in disbelief! Anyway, I've been single and all for the longest time... But I do however have a friend that we go out and all on a date and all. Well Today (Monday) I get a package in the mail. To my surprize I thought it was either the parts I ordered or something that was being shipped to me for the shop for repairs. well I go on so in opening it and here to find an unexpected 2 Athearn boxes, The new style box. Well to my anxiety I open to see just what it is and all. To find a piece of paper and a card! I didn't open the box to then look at the paper and card, to see just what it said or had on it. The card was a Christmas card, and the paper told me "Merry Christmas I hope you like it" Signed Alicia" Well I got the box and I opened it to find 2 brand new Athearn G.E. C44-9W CSX # 9003 & unnumbered. To my surprize of this I then put it down and got on the phone and called her and all. Well we been dating on and off for 3 years. To what I was told on the phone. I'm not single anymore. It was a Christmas gift to me from her to be in a serious relationship for awhile to see if we both want it and all. Well, that goes to say I think this ones from keeps guys, Shes into my hobby. altho she likes the little trains (N scale) because their really little HA HA. But she enjoys comming to the shows I do for the Christmas season. I guess i'm no longer a single man! God bless her soul. I never ever imagined this! Some gift. More then any though was the fact she excepted me for who I am and all and that gives me 3 gifts, actually 4 the 2 C44-9W's and her and the plus side, she likes model railroading even if it is N scale! Its TRAINS! I guess my Christmas is going to be alot better then I ever expected it to be this year! I got a gift more important then the actual presents. Something to spend time with and all and to get that in return. Well guys if it isn't seen or felt in my words here, I'm speechless. The saying that "things happen when you least exspect it, will happen" Boy I know that saying now! I never expected this for the slightest second! But I'm getting 2 for the price of one! A model Railroaderette and someone to love... All I can say is WOW!
Sounds to me like it would be a great time to change scales!!! I have been an HO modeler for probably 40 years, but I recently started concentrating on N-scale. I haven't touched my HO for months! (I don't plan to sell it yet...just in case my eyes go bad or my fingers get too unsteady.) So far, though, I'm really N-joying the change. I'm also planning on going DCC with my N-scale, which might mean that the HO will be "moth-balled" forever! Perhaps you could buy her an N-scale engine as a way to start....
Well John, you don't seem speechless to me But your happiness shows clearly in your words The very best of luck - and yeah! change to N scale
John, Best of Luck, Who knows, maybe she'll join Trainboard, mine did! You don't have to change, just intagrate N into your layout. It can be done, and nicely to, Best of luck and hope to hear wedding bells to boot!
A great post John as Alan said you can see your happiness spilling into your post. The best of luck to you both.
Thanks guys for the encouragement! I just am like WOW right now I mean HA I never expected it from dating to get serious. And well it did but, shes a wonderfull person which is why I dated her in the first place! Overall though I got the best of 2 worlds! Her, and railroading.. Nahh i'll never change scales! I got to much HO.. 20 years (almost 21 years) worth! I know at least $20,000 worth if not more! So, no change their. Multiple scales??? Thats possible! 2 layouts? Thats even possible! But she figured that I'd call her as soon as I seen the cards and letter so.. And she was right! Knows me well.... Reason she knew i'd call which I do almost everyday, but to ask or see what emotions I had and how I took the gift and the one offered! Well shes no longer going to have to look for a man! As for me. I'm not single anymore. I've put off asking her the same thing she beat me to! But I was weary alittle on it and all... I'm just the type to take things at one day at a time so... But we've went out and seen eachother for 3 years on and off. So... anyway I'm a happy camper! Thats what counts shes done things in ways alot of girls tried to and never came through. And thats like anyone in a relationship and make them special in a way that is felt within, what I mean is my heart. I mean I've had my girlfriends and all but none tried to get my heart, were Alicia has and done long ago, I just didn't have the heart to say for a reason of not excepted. I was afraid of this so. I just kept it within, and left time do the work. Anyway time did the work as I forseen. And now life might be looking good in the future as far as this goes. I guess i'm going to get more for the holidays this year then I got in previous years... Anyway I'll be seeing her probably everyday this week and all and see if she'll join Trainboard here... Don't get me wrong now guys, shes nothing like we are. She kinda liked the smaller trains from shows we've went to and all... N scale, but I got her to actually get into running them and liking them. how so you ask? Well shes a big history buff... Well guys railroading is our nations backbone! Its what made this country to grow what it is today. Well she got to thinking and reading and all and came back with a reply to me that I was right. But, she still likes the smaller HO scale "junker" 0-4-0 I have that chugs smoke.. I can't seem to get her into the articulateds! Oh well, HA shes got her own spot in my heart no matter what. As long as she can stand being surrounded in their with a bunch of trains! HA
John,you got someone to love who loves YOU. Ya just can't get better than that. Best wishes to the two of you from a guy who's been loved by and been loving the best girl I ever met for just over 36 years now.
Catt, Yep thats right! I couldn't want anything more in life! And hopefully if it goes to be something permanent in time.... 36 years won't ever be long enough! But guys, slow down a second here! Wedding bells isn't going to ring till I know for sure and feel I know that I'd be making the right choice! Thats where I'm going to let time do its work again! As alot of old says are true, heres another... "Only time will tell"
Good luck John. I met my wife in February of 52. She proposed to me on our 3rd date in a drive in movie on Feb. 29th (Leap year) and we got hitched October 29, 1952. We just celebrated out 49th anniversary
John, you say she likes the smaller 0-4-0 junker...might look into the early 1900-late 1800 bachmann stuff...small, cute, colorful, and it still fits on your rails! And the Idea of an integrated folded wishbone Loop of N twisting through the layout might actually look really cool...herald back to the old days of Little Golden Books and Dr. Suess! Good luck!
Dick, WOW thats something you know when you found the right one! Its something that can not be mistaken for anything less then worthy of... I kinda have this feeling and all but I just want to make sure i'm doing the right thing thats all... I want to do the right thing for all the right reasons.... Not to make the choice for all the wrong reasons. I'll admit though, it never ever was a mistake dating her! I spent some of the best times of my life with Alicia! Which feels good to say and feels even better to realize it. I'm sure of the fact that I could grow old with her and not because of her, all in all though I may end up doing just that! And Benny, I got a thought of taking a road I had installed on my layout (not a railroad but a side raod as in highway) and making a few rounds of N scale to do the "Forced Prospective" thing to make it look larger and farther away. Sadly the N scale stuff will only be seen in the rural areas and alot of graded areas which it will be out of sight probably 50% of the time and another 50% seen. Which is good and its about ummm I'd say close to 20 to 32 inches in depth to the outer loop of HO scale. So its back in the layout (in deep) which is good to force distance on the main part of my layout and closer to the outer edge in one respect, on the the other leg so.... The main part of my layout is the town area and the srruondings and so on and then a country region and so on into a out skirts of town type thing with my loco facilities, with a back ground of mountains leading into the country from the opposite dirrection. In those mountanous areas and weaving in and out of the town area and all I can make it look deeper by use of smaller scale to force the depth and perspective. A picture would look like alot more then it actually is... If nothing else I can take the N scale (Forced Prespective) and run it through my layout to do the exact thought I have here into a smaller 4X8 or something over and away from my layout into an other layout. Kind of like a Junction. like one railroad to another but it would be like the B&O and C&O and their junctions and go from one scale to another. This is going to be a fun one to do! HO scale for me and N scale for her.. Only thing.... I'll have to take a few of my already built HO scale loco's and cars and reproduce identical loco's and cars in N scale like for example, a B&O SD-7/9 #774, and do a N scale SD-7/9 #774 to replicate the same train when at close range to the same at a distance... Would work and look like a new silver dollar. Inother words take an identical HO scale loco and an a N scale loco and make the HO disapear into a staging yard and then bring the N scale loco out. This would take say one scale mile and turn it into 3 scale miles just by the actual HO/N illusion. I like it already! Just the thought of that, I mean the running sessions are endless! And not so much the running sessions but the actual spending time and all with the lady and all plus her and I both having fun running trains if it consists for her running mine or whatever. I do however forsee that my little 0-4-0 that chugs smoke is going to get excessive wear! Oh well... Its a el-cheapo Bachmann so... And I've bought a bunch of them, so if I ever need parts and or whatever or if I want more of them to run, I'll have them. Which ever you know. But shes fond of the Chessie system and C&O (passenger colors). Where I'm fond (as if you all don't already know) B&O and Western Maryland. Which is all ok.. They all combine and turn into CSX when they come out in the wash. So it brings all the roads together. I hope she doesn't see the new Allegheny!!!! HA! Ohh my... Hey guys.. SSSHHHH snicker, snicker HE HE [ 21 November 2001: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]</p>
John, That ROCKS!!! My wife is into the hobby, not quite as much as I am, *see my signature if unconvinced....* but she likes the 1800's era stuff... If you returned the favor with a pair of Dash 9's in N scale, that may run quite a few bucks... But AWESOME! My wife is the meanest.. She keeps throwing hints of what she got for me...and going to the hobby shop to get it, even...Yikes! The suspense is killing me! I got her a gorgeous heart-shaped locket... Black Hills Gold. She'll flip!
Hemi, Yes it certainly does! I never imagined I'd get that lucky but I did.... And it feels GREAT! I just might try to find an N scale 0-4-0 in N scale identical to my HO scale one that chugs smoke for her... HA! Then she can run it once I get the N scale track laid and all on the layout. buy up a bunch of N cars like my HO only N scale for her to run... And about 4 bottles of smoke fluid! snicker snicker HE HE
Real happy for you John! There is a serious shortage of good woman who understand a mans [or a woman's, by the way] need for a hobby-it's not just a luxury but a way to balance our lives- and finding one that actually enjoys what we do as well is truely wonderful. You are also VERY wise to say you will take your time before getting married. I spent many years with a woman who encouraged me to enjoy my hobby and alone time with it, then weedled and guilt-tripped me at every turn for spending money and time doing it. I am now blessed with a wonderful woman who loves my hobby-real stuff and HO-and wants to help with backgrounds, etc. when we are together. It is a great feeling to have a woman encouraging me to spend money on trains! Take your time John, and if she is the right one you'll both figure it out and follow thru in time. Curt
Curt, Thats exactly how I see it. If its ment then it is and i'm happy to the fact it is. And if not, then either I or herself will get hurt in some way which I don't want to happen for her sake or mine. But things do happen just like that in life.. Its hard to live down but if the will to strive forward is strong enough anyone can get through it! And one thing tho is the fact that we know each other well and all. We've spent alot of time together and so on and all. I been wanting to ask her if she would except me for who I am and she beat me to the question! And asked me the question being I was more or less worried about being not excepted. So I just thought things through and left time do the work and show through in the end. Which it did, I mean she liked me enough to go out all the times we did and all. And here to find myself looking to my future and seeing things that I want. And well being I know her pretty well and all and the same for her, its like time had done its work to draw her and I closer which now it has. Its just the fact to me that I was excepted ya know. I mean she excepted me for who I am and what I am not for what I could be! And if thats something she wants in her life in time and the same with myself then yes I don't see anything wrong with it. But I plan to let time do the telling and see where it takes her and I and all. I know that this day in age, that real honest to goodness love is hard to find. Specially if its single. And thats exactly what I want. And if its not their then i'm afraid I don't want it. If it is their, well then I'm going to do what I can to keep it in my life, being something of that nature in this day in age is hard to get and all I don't want to make a mistake that will haunt me for the rest of my life. Just like if she does have the gift of honest to goodness love in her heart, I sure don't want to spend the rest of my life with that as well and after its to late to realize I made the mistake and jumping head first into it. In time it will all come out in the wash...
Congratulations to you both John. You are a fine man and have a level head on your shoulders. Life will work out well if you keep the same attitude and do spend time with her too. Tell her I have always said you were are sharp as a tack! (and twice as flat headed too!) Snicker snicker snort choke guffaw I just couldn't resist that! Many good wishes for a long lasting true love between the two of you old Buddy!!
I proposed to my wife on the Long Island Railroad. Got down on my knees on the train. Coming home from Westbury. Cheeze. Then we ended up getting married in South Dakota. I told her I married her because her father loved trains. Good luck to you, John! I think you should get married at the Meyersdale train station! Perfect scene! And Pete could be your Best Man! Hope all goes well!
Ohh geez. ok Now that we married him at the station, they catch the next train out of town for their honey moon lol hehe Gaffaw
John, Congats! My little lady likes my trains too, that's why she's getting a sparkler,(ring) for christmas! It's not proposal time yet, (we've only been dating since August), but come next christmas, who knows? My gal has expressed an interest in structures and interior decorating in HO, (she thinks my N scale stuff is too small for that). So I figure, hey, I'm cool with that! 2slim
