I guess you could say I am a part time modeller, but trains in general are my full time past time. I like to railfan whenever possible. The truck (with 18 wheels) has been to known to go out of route to see some railroad attraction. I have changed the company that I drive for just to be home more so I can get back more into my railroad pastime,and spend more with the wife. You have to get your priorities straight folks, none of us are getting any younger, enjoy what you have, 'cause nobody is gonna get out alive! So I guess I could say I am a full time train nut!!
There's a lot more members out there who haven't voted yet. Sticky is on the point there and I'll say there are more folks out there involved directly with the business. I'd love to see some more folks voting. Arm chair modeling is fine. I do it at my desk at my desk at work when I'm not busy. Just sittin' there reading Model Railroader or whatever. One thing I should have included was, "RAILFAN, NOT A MODELER". Anyone out there fit this description?
Sorry, but this isn't accurate at all. Polling is a science that includes complex math and sampling techniques. What you have is an inquiry that was seen by those who choose to open it, AND choose to answer it, IF they're aware of it. The same could be said for the age poll. I can assure you that no business will base any decisions based upon these polls.
Ed the manufacturers don't care what we want anyway, so let us have our fun. It is true we USED to be able to write directly to the manufacturers and they would write us back with answers and advice. They even would ask us questions, and sometimes acted on it. We could even buy a boiler, or pair of wheels from them, to make an engine they didn't have on thne market. When we sent them a photo of our new engine, some put out one like it later, and they sold those too. Today "Scratch Building or Kit-Bashing" means re-painting and maybe adding a few small details, but a replacement part like a frame, or motor almost costs us what a new engine would cost. They discourage us from building our own engines as much as they can. Those days are long gone now. They don't even reply at all now. As long as we pay their price, they keep on making money. People are so wealthy today, they pour money on top their kids, and they keep the prices going up because they feed the manufacturer's coffers. If people boycotted a manufacturer because he was too high priced, he would have to come down, or go out of business. It wouldn't be so bad if their product was actually worth the higher price and came with good metal boilers or shells, good wheels, and decent couplers.
I read it but didnt answer. The "Full Time" vs "Part Time" threw me off. If FULL TIME is defined as someone that has no job, is financially independent, and chooses to be responsible only to his modeling.. then.. I am not a full time modeler. It is NOT my job. If Full time modeling is defined as one's main source of diversion, and the one hobby one would choose to spend free time as opposed to other tasks, then I am a full time modeler. However, I do have a "day job" as it were. So, I am only able to model on weekends when I have free time, and in the evenings if I am up for it after a days work.
I am full time retired. I model all day, or run trains, or eat, sleep etc. and have a pension. So what would you consider me? I feel like (at last), I am a full time modeler, part time lazy good for nothing bum. Having paid my dues, I am thouroughly enjoying my train hobby, full time!
well let me see I describe myself as PART TIME. I work 8 hrs daily,5 days a week. Sleep 6-8 hrs per day watch tv or play the XBOX for 1-2 hrs per day and model rr when in the mood. I have a huge backlog of rs to modify. A loco or two (he he he) w/o handrails (ATHEARN, of course) and 3 structures to build PLUS I have to figure out what track plan I want to build. So I work on rs when I want and sometimes I may not work on a piece of train equipment for about 2 weeks and at other times I may assemble (athearn) rolling stock the whole long day and run trains during that time. so to sum it up I am not an armchair modeler--someone else does not do the work (if I gather what the poll meant by armchair modeler) nor do I model trains all day everyday, wait till retirement for that. jai
