I thought an opinion from the younger generation might
be in order here.
I am 18 years old and about to begin college. I've
only been able to work for 2 summers, so I don't have
a lot of spending money. I would say a good 75% of
the money I do get though, I spend on Q items, whether
it be models or books and other items on E-bay. I
would love to buy more books and models, but cost
plays a big role. My current quest is trying to
obtain "Trail of the Zephyrs," but I keep getting
outbid on E-bay and it goes for about $150 in stores.
I have splurged on the models and buy P2K. I usually
wait until they come down in price, though. The
Zephyrs were what got me started with the Q in the
first place and I would love to have a brass
shovelnose, but I can't get that kind of money. I
don't like to view myself as stingy because I do the
best I can for the money I have. Once I get out of
college and start making a living, I hope to be able
to indulge in my hobby and interests more. I just
feel its wrong to criticize others if you know nothing
about their personal situations.
There have been some very good points made that I
totally agree with. The bottom line is that people's
financial situations are different and there may be a
good reason for not being able to buy more things.
So am I stingy? No. To others, it might seem that
way. But I do the best that I can for the dollars I
have.
Bryan J. Howell
tubaman21@yahoo.com
--- zephyr9903 <zephyr9903@iowatelecom.net> wrote:
> On Thu, 31 Jul 2003 22:39:08 -0000, nycbqfan wrote
>
> And Marshall reples,
>
> <You make some good points, but I'd like to expand a
> bit on some . . . I'll
> insert my comments at the appropriate spots, framed
> <thusly>
>
> >
> > 1. Actually, my opinion of late (after being in
> this hobby 35
> > years) is that we have more great stuff in CB&Q
> than ever. I can't
> > ever remember being in a position where I
> actually have to decide I
> > will buy this but not that because there is more
> available than I
> > can afford. God bless the likes of Life-Like for
> the great plastic
> > diesels and the Heritage Steam, not to mention
> some of the brass
> > companies that have stepped up to the plate (cost
> notwithstanding).
> > I think this hobby allows a price point for
> anyone.
>
> <True, but I also think it would be good if we
> recovered and improved some
> old skills . . . for example, if I wanted an o2
> mikado, and a brass model
> were offered at $1200 or so, I think I'd pick up an
> Athearn from the swap-
> meet at $150 or less & whomp up a new superstructure
> from styrene sheet . . .>
> >
> >
> > 2. I do agree that part of what affects what is
> bought and
> > therefore what can be offered is the audience.
> I'm guessing that
> > CB&Q followers are not as numerous as the PRR
> group. I also think
> > some of these other groups enjoy better
> participation because the
> > railroad was more concentrated geographically.
> The New Haven
> > society seems to have a pretty good group, and
> geographically it
> > was a small railroad. But it was built in an
> area of the country
> > that had a high population. It's also easier to
> get a good
> > attendance at an annual meeting because most of
> its membership, I
> > am guessing, live fairly close to each other.
>
> <As it happens, I had occasion to correspond at
> length with Marlin
> McLaughlin, long-time officer of the NHRTIA. He
> lived in Mobile AL, as I
> recall. I think on-line population density is a
> major influence . . . but so
> is the attention the old tinplate and early scale
> model manufacturers.
> American Flyer popularized the New Haven a lot . . .
> the popularity of the
> Santa Fe War Bonnet has to be partly credited to
> Lionel, and a lot more
> people became familiar with the Reading in steam
> days because of John Tyler
> at Mantua. Also, the amount of print-space in the
> magazines used to be
> extremely influential . . . How much attention would
> the CMSt.P & P have
> gotten without Bill Walthers and Al Kalmbach???? >
> >
> > I am continually amazed that the authors find the
> time and have the
> > knowledge and resources to put these books
> together. Free plug to
> > Ed Derouin on his CUS book. How the heck did you
> do it, Ed? I
> > can't imagine the time commitment. It's a
> wonderful book, too.
> >
> > I think at the end of the day the free market
> rules. If people find
> > a product or service to be of value, they will
> buy it, if they can
> > afford it. If it is not of value or they cannot
> afford, they won't
> > buy it. Some very good things never get made or
> printed because
> > they are too expensive.
> >
> > To take it one step further, our group and any RR
> historical group
> > face a huge problem as the members age. At 51
> years old, I was all
> > of 18 when the CB&Q went into history (1970). How
> many 25 or 30
> > year olds have a clue about this railroad -
> certainly none from
> > first hand memories.
>
> <I corresponded a few years ago with a Q modeler who
> was younger than the
> BN . . . he had become interested in the Q solely
> because the redbird paint
> scheme caught his eye at a hobby shop, but went on
> to become quite involved
> in and proficient at modeling the CB&Q . . .>
>
> > Not to put too fine a point on it, but as the
> > people with the information and recollections
> pass on, who fills in
> > behind them? These may well be the good old days
> of our model
> > train and railroad enthusiast hobbies.
>
> The Midwest Old Threshers steam traction engine show
> started here in Mt.
> Pleasant in 1950. It was organized by men who had
> grown up in the 20s and
> 30s and ran those engines on their daddies' farms.
> 53 years later, that
> entire geberation is gone - and the show continues
> now in its third
> generation of "apprentices" who can not only
> maintain and operate the
> equipment, but who (in most cases) can still pass on
> the stories they heard
> as they learn. The CB&Q will live on in its
> modelers . . . who will have
> been *our* apprentices!>
>
> Marshall Thayer
> Mt. Pleasant, IA
>
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