just curious

[bevernie]

C'mon, guys!! A lot more have looked at this thread than have replied to it, so tell us a little about yourself! To be a family, we at least ought to know each other!! What if I surprised you with a gift in "o" scale, only to learn that you are doing "n"??  What if I got the scale right, but sent it to Vancouver, VT, and , when it was returned, found out it should have been Vancouver, WA!!

[BIG BEAR]

          I was born and raised in Wisconsin. First few years spent in west central Wis. along Mississippi River and Northern Pacific line, literally 70 feet from tracks and 100 feet from River.
          Folks moved to south east Wis. and eventually settled in Sturtevant.
I'm still here 40 years later. I watched Millwaukee road and always made the trip into town 6-8 miles to see Baraboo Circus Train. from 1988-2002
it was easy, just look out the window or back door of work. the train and that business are both gone. I still see or hear 40+  trains a day Amtrak,
CP, UP, less than 1/2 mile either direction to tracks, and an Industrial siding just 100 yds. from my home.
         I've been married for almost 28 yrs. one Son & one Daughter and
2 Granddaughters age 2+ and 8 Mos. I also enjoy train shows, camping,
hunting, fishing, canoeing, hiking ,biking (peddle type). I am a Boy Scout leader and a Hunter safety Instructor.
       

[Stephen D. Richards]

Hmmmm.....always did find it difficult.  I was born and reared in West Virginia.  My home has always been there.  Been around B & O, C & O, And western Maryland railroads but only just to see them passing by!  Got into the model railroading hobby just last Spring and have been going at it ever since.  I was brought up around firearms (Grandfather was a gunsmith) and love and have done just about any and all outdoor activities you can come up with.  I'm a career law enforcement officer(should retire in seven years or so; need to now!  lol)  I have served and continueing to serve in the military as a reservist.  Six years active duty!  I have four children, seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren, so far!  I have lived for short periods of time in just about every place in the world.  I've never been to Australia, yet!  I have served with some Aussies and have a lot of respect for them.  I would love to visit there for a while.  And it is sad to say I have never been to Canada!  Although the Toronto Police Motorcycle demonstration team comes to Elkins WV every year, and I get to interact with them a good bit.  Enjoy it thoroughly.  I guess that's the short version anyway.  Stephen

[Barry BBT]

Well, I wasn't going to respond, but saw so many Wisconsinites.

Born in Racine, Wisc., 17 schools all over the country before High School.
Army in Germany, married in WI, Dodge City, Kansas;  Chicago, Il, Fridley, Minn: Dallas Tx for 20 years, Las Vegas, NV, 10 years, Phoenix AZ for three years.  Married and widowed twice.  35 years designing computer systems and conversion from manual to computer mainframes.

Created Barry's Big Trains specializing in repowering Bachmann Big Haulers, both as 4-6-0 and 2-8-0s.  Have also done trolley conversions, many customs, Porters and soon to repower and regear the Bachmann Connie.  Started in a Hobby shop in Carrollton, TX. in 1992.

Had Lionel as a boy, HO, and N, fell in love with large scale Christmas of '88.  Still going strong, really trying to catch up.

And I know Terry Schellenberger, Hi Terry.

Barry - BBT

[keddiewye]

math teacher from sacramento, california, spending my days nostalgic for the great fallen flags from this area (western pacific, southern pacific, etc.)

i've got two small shelf layouts, one in my office at work ,and one here at home. Someday I may do something bigger, but for now these small layouts give me tons of fun;)

[Ralph-On30]

Live in Southern Calif., Near Los Angeles.
Spent most of my life working as a machinist for
North American Aviation-Rockwell International.
And, How many people can say they loved their work.
Three years in the Army. Saw a lot of German Steam.
Grew up not far from Union Pacific tracks, Pacific Electric tracks,
and a little farther west, Southern Pacific.
Lived a little part of my life in the town of Yermo.
Just off the Vegas side of the Union Pacific main line.
Saw some of the U.P.'s biggest steam,
The City of Los Angeles, and some great railroadin.
On trips out of town saw Cab Forwards and Santa Fe steam.
As a kid I could ride my bicycle to the Union Pacific's East Los Angeles yards, could actually ride into the yard and take pictures,
got some shots of the early Turbines.
Also rode to the Santa Fe's Redondo yard,
the Round  house was still full of steam.
And a sad thing, saw long lines of S.P. steam waiting for the torch.
Rode the P.E. Big Red Cars, and the L.A.T.L. Yellow cars.
Went to The T Loop several times,
saw the
Royal Hudson Train pass through the Loop.
Saw the 4449 Freedom Train after it left Chatsworth.
As a child had a Marx wind up.
Never had Lionel.
Had an American Flyer set.
Started HO in the fifties.
Got a Märklin set.
Finally, recently started On30,
Working on my desert-mountain-mining empire.
Saw a lot of great Railroadin in my life.



RC Colas and Moonpies.
We ain't too smart,
But we do have a good time.

[CubanRailways]

I'm Stephen, and I live in Billingshurst in Sussex, England.

Yep thats right Billingshurst - I know - no one has heard of it! It is about 20 miles south of Gatwick Airport, so about 50 miles South of London (Where I work).

Currently working for an engineering consultancy group in the rail division. started off in Rolling Stock, now doing P'way.

Spent a lot of time in Cuba driving and photographing the steam there - have also done China was well.

Lived and worked in New Hampshire (USA) for half a year, so have an interest in the railways around New England.

Also been dating a Canadian girl from Ontario, so now have an interest in Canadain steam, past and present (South Simcoe Rialway etc). Saying that I have always had an interest in Canadian Railways seeing as my old man used to work for the shipping side of Canadian Pacific.

I model in O gauge - British 1950's and 60's steam (Somerste and Dorest Railway). But also have started a Cuban Sugar Cane model in On30. I also have a lot of British OO, some Canadian HO (1980s) and also a bit of US HO - mainly Southern Pacific steam (GS-4 etc).

At the weekends I work on the 'real railway' (!) - The Bluebell Railway in Sussex where I am training to become a fireman, then eventually driver.

Going to Poland for a week to drive steam on the mainline in April, which should be a great way to spend a holiday!

When I am not doing anything railway related, I sample many different types of English Ale, and enjoy the great British rain!

All that at the age of 28! Can't wait for the mid-life crisis!

Cheers,

Stephen.

[CJCrescent]

OK!
Southern by birth. Alabamian by the Grace of God! Roll Tide!
Born and raised in Selma, Al. Lived in Mobile 20yrs. Have lived in Hoover (Birmingham) since 1989.  Workin' on my final layout, since I'm retired now, thisin' is gonna take a while. My main modeling is directed toward Southern in steam days, but to "get in" some models the SRR didn't have, I also have my own road called the Alabama Central! Plans can be seen at: http://home.bellsouth.net/p/pwp-acrr , under the photo albums.

Been modelin', and chasin' trains since I was 5. Started with AF, moved to HO at 8, been there ever since.

Bevernie
Love the area you live in! To me the greatest place in the world, my mecca, if you will, is there at Saluda, NC! I've made many a day trip from B'ham to there and many a overnighter as well! Sure wish the NS would take it out of railbank and reactivate it. It would be good to get back up there and watch the trains fight that grade. Nothing quite like watching three SD's going up the hill in what can only be described as sounding like notch 8, pulling just 10-15 cars, and not moving faster than 10-12 mph the whole time!

[brad]

Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada. Moved here in 1984. My Dad was with the RCMP so we moved every 3 years, lived in every province west of Quebec and for 3 years in the Yukon. Have been from Alaska to Florida on road trips.

I have work for the last 16 years as a automotive tech speciallising in European cars. My second hobby is old VW's of which I've owned 20 including my current rides a 1967 T3 Squareback and a Manx dunebuggy that I slalom race.

I started MRing again 11 years ago. My layout is my 3rd a rural branchline with a logging extension. I LOVE  craftsman kits from Sheepscott, Sierra West, FSM, Campbell, JV Models, and Keystone and have several on my layout. My rolling stock represents everything from the early 20's to the end of steam.


brad

[HOplasserem80c]

ok i was born in st.louis i am 13 year old model rail roader. i am kinda new at this but i am learning. i have a 4x6 layout HO scale. i love trains in general. i spend my time reading about trains i general. toy trains,trains,model trains. i am a union pacific fan. My father works for them. he ran the excursion with the challenger one year. My grand father worked fo unio pacific from (1938-1955) he was born in 1918. he was 20 when he started, His job was to couple the trains, until 1941 when he started running trains. the first train he ran was a f7 an d for a week he ran it then they gave him the number 4001 big boy. he loved that engine. in the 50 he just ran engines and took my dad on trips. until my dad started working in 1954.he was born 1934. he was also twenty. he did switching for all of his years,and now works in the restoration shed. until excursions come around.now me i am going to follow the same path as them. working for union pacific. thats my story

[Guilford Guy]

Hi Guys.
I'm Alex from outside of Boston!!!

[traindude109]

My name is Matt and I am 15, I will be 16 in less than 3 weeks. I was born in the capitol, Sacramento, CA but now reside 175 miles north, in Redding, CA which my dad is the city manager. I got addicted to train when I was 2 years old and my parents took me to the California State RR Museum in Sacto. My dad built me a small N scale layout when I was 3, but obviously that did not last long. Then I got a Life-Like train set for Christmas one year and had a 4x8 layout in the garage with a small staging yard. Then we moved in 2003 to a much bigger house and bigger yard. I ran and rebuilt my HO layout twice before selling it in April 2006, then all the rest of my stuff (I mean everything!) last Ocotber 2006. I now have only 1 piece of HO rolling stock, which is a Model Railroader 65th Anniversary heavyweight, and a 9" piece of Atlas code 100 straight track. My train hobby now is garden railroading, in my backyard. No offense to indoor modelers, but I love it soooooo much more than HO or any of that. Although I am currently helping my brother build his N scale layout. I am a member of the Shasta Garden Railroad Society and recently really got into detailing and weathering.

[SteamGene]

CJCrescent,
My brother and sister-in-law live just outside of Bessemer.  He worked for one of the steel mills until he retired recently and she works for the Department of Agriculture at the university.   We'll be going down to see their new house soon.  Maybe we can get together.
Gene

[murfling]

My name is JOnathan Murphy, currently residing in Bucksport, ME.

What used to be a Maine Central Branch line, now owned by guilford rail corp, runs through to the mill at least twice a day, and sometimes a couple of nights a week.

My Dad got me started in model RR when I was 6, and sadly, my first great layout was lost to a house fire when I was 19. After college, marriage, and three childre (one whom is out on his own now) I've built a 20'x20' "shed" in the back yard that will, ultimately hold my HO layout. I have many trains that I have collected over the eyars, but so far, have only been shelf models. My wife tells me if I stop spending money on trains, and start spending money on the shed, I may actually get the layout going, but you know ... something comes along ... once in a lifetime opportunity .... at last count I had 56 powered locomotives, probably a third of them Bachmann.

I am almost 40 now, I expect the layout will be done sometime close to retirement. 

[Ken Huck]

SEMO, Southeast Missouri, (Ste. Genevieve to be exact)

Note to Terry Toenges:  Been down to 'Tracks Ahead' hobby shop in
                                       Farmington yet ?