MODEL RAILROADERS by AGE, my observations
1-5 Asks his dad, uncle etc "Can I run the trains?". 6-12 While operating "Over the Rug' layout gets advice, comments and memory recalls from elders: These usually start "Back in the day..." 13-15 Now able to think for themselves, joins club, listens to older modelers giving advice. These usually start "That doesn't work, here's how....." Young man can leap tall BS with a single bound. Can recall the most minute trivia concerning railroads, with astonishing accuracy. Builds model of amazing accuracy and detail. When these are shown at the local club the older fellows say "Wonder who built those for the Kid!". 16-18 This is period where the mind tends to wander from trains to girls etc. Older guys at club tell dirty jokes. These usually start "Have you heard the one about the......" Laughs and says inwardly "Why are those old guys always talking about sex?" 19-22 College years, much study, beer and summer at the beach. Great time 23-29 Establish a career path, draw plans for the all time basement layout with a house over it to keep weather off those models that are being bought and squirrled away for the big day. Read 6-8 monthly model railroad mags. Can quote from at least 5 of them with a 80% accuracy. 30-40 Basement complete, house also. Most money going for the mortage, kids clothes,new car etc. Finally builds a small layout. Runs into some problems. Joins another club, hopes he can observe how to correct his problems. Would look in his vast collection of model RR magazines but doesn't know where to start. Has 15 years of 6 different mags, all in a closet that his wife wishes they weren't. Subscribes to a talk-list, lurks for a while, then decides to impress all with his knowledge. These posts usually end "Not at home now so don't have my reference at hand...." or I read that and as soon as I dig it out will post....". What they are saying is "I read it somewhere, don't know where, don't know when". Wasn't that an old song??? I heard it somewhere... 41-50 Established in career, salary increased to point where there is some loose change. Digs out those old drawings of the dream layout, can't make heads or tails of them. Thinks to himself, I must have been a dumb kid to think these plans could work!. Buys a drawing program for his computer and will put his plans of the dream empire on the hard drive. One day while at the club, he mentions he has a drawing program that he is using to plan his basement empire. Mentions he has a small problem with the program, a fellow member says he doesn't know anything about computers but a new member is very good with them.. New member turns out to be 14 years old! Without revealing anything, asks the 14 yr old to come over and look at the program. In the back of his mind he is thinking, this young *smarta.. will not be able to help. 14 yr old takes one look, says let me at the keyboard and proceeds to whip up a layout in about an hour that the 41-50 yr old has been working on for a month. 14 yr old asks many salient questions the 41 yr old hadn't even thought about. At next club meeting 41 yr old looks around to make sure the 14 yr old is not there that night. Announces to the club he has developed his layout and will start building shortly. Wishes he could remember what the 14 yr old did to get all that work done. How did he do that??????? Oh well he opines, if I can't astonish them with accuracy, I'll baffle them with BS. 51-60 Kids grown, house paid for and new car no longer a top priority. Wife has finally resigned herself to the fact he will never lose his childhood fascination for model trains. Layout begins in earnest, sometimes slowed due to inability to remember where he put that tool, track componnent, etc. Layout is approaching completion but now wishes he hadn't built that duckunder. The 14 yr old is now 24 and has no problem with the duckunder or remembering where the 51 yr old puts things at end of a session. Has accumulated 100 hoppers, decals and paint for them, just wishes he could find all at the same time. Approaching 60 decides to buy all ready to run hoppers since he never could remember where he stored the decals. Advertises the undec hoppers and paint for sale. Sell them at a good price to the 24 yr old. Another 14 yr old is visiting one session night and asks what the 60 yr old is going to do with all those hopper car decals he found in the box labeled "decals". Decides he must learn how to catalog all his stuff on that computer. Bribes the 14 yr old with the box of decals to help cataloging his stuff on the computer. 61 and up Have finally learned that a sponge(brain) will only absorb so much water. Now depends on the computer spread sheet catalog to locate their vast collection and obtain facts about almost anything. Fires up the computer, opens a spread sheet to locate that box car of the North Pole purchased 10 years ago. Spread sheet has the item, box number etc. Looks in the closet where the box is located. Cannot find box, asks wife about box. She says OH! I moved that to the closet in the kids old bedroom. He now realizes the boxes that were in the kids old bedroom are moved also. Wonders if he can get that kid back to help redoing the spread sheet. Many of the 16-18 year old members of the local club are now in their 40-50's. Can't wait to get to the club and tell the latest sex joke. The new 14 yr olds will have to suffer through it again.....© S.A. McCall
