| Author | Messages | |
Greg Vocks
1st Class Member
Taylorville, Illinois
Brakeman
Posts:82
Send Message
 | | 09/02/2008 7:31 AM |
| Or a Matthias Baldwin?
I think many times the way we perceive different facets of the hobby depends on our own interests, abilities, dispositions, etc.
But yet, where would railroading be without the James Hills (Empire builders), Matthias Baldwins (Locomotive builders), or Casey Jonses (Locomotive drivers?) All engineers in one form or another, all risk takers, all who are well known for their contributions, but are also representitive of the many others who have built railroads, locomotives, or reputations with steel, steam, and stamina.
I relate to James J. Hill. I enjoy looking at the lay of the land and devising ways of forging paths through the landscape that are both interesting and representative of railroading in general.
I appreciate those model builders whose work I admire, and hold them in great esteem, but I lose stamina when trying to emulate their work. Keep up the great work and high standards. (But please don't hold me to the same standards; I just won't hold up.)
I also appreciate those who enjoy operations; making up trains, filling switch lists, keeping to schedules, delivering the goods. (but please don't expect me to do the same; I would lose interest.)
But I also relate to my 15 month old grand-daughter whose eyes light up when she hears the crossing bells, sees the lights flash, and the crossing gates go down, hears the horn of the diesel, and the pure look of delight when she sees the train go by. She lives about a block from a rather busy railroad line, and even though she sees many trains per day, still gives a look that says "Did you see that?!!"
I think that's why like my loop railroad. I can still feel surprised when the train comes by. I can still be entertained by the mere passing of a string of cars while I am busy working on other aspects of my small empire, or enjoying my grandkids, or a rootbeer, or visiting with friends.
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Greg Vocks
Taylorville IL | |
| astrayelmgod
1st Class Member
Ventura CA
Foreman
Posts:118
Send Message
| | 09/02/2008 10:44 PM |
| Well, I appreciate the thought, and I have gone through stages of each area of interest. However, for the sake of nitpicking, Baldwin wasn't an engineer, he was a jeweler by training.
James J. Hill, the Empire Builder, was an entrepeneur, running large and very successful businesses in steamboats, then coal, and banking before getting into railroading. | | | |
| joe rusz
1st Class Member
Foreman
Posts:347
Send Message
| | 09/02/2008 11:56 PM |
| | Casey Jones. Devil may care and ready to take chances. | | | |
| Richard Smith
1st Class Member
Port Orford, Oregon
Foreman
Posts:490
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| | 09/03/2008 9:30 AM |
| I look at myself as more like "Angus McSnuff"; laborer, roustabout and toilet attendant. 
Aside from that I guess I'm a combination of all of the above. I really enjoy operations and the planning and building of the "sets" to operate the trains in. I also enjoy trying new techniques in construction and reporting the results.
No lil' ones up here to roundy round for so a point to point suits me just fine. | |
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| ralphbrades
Village of Winster, Peak District, Derbyshire, UK
Foreman
Posts:196
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| | 09/03/2008 12:33 PM |
| I belong more to the Messrs Beyer Peacock than Baldwins... I am a builder and designer of locomotives (with some rolling stock). Proof positive of this could be found in this mornings post. The quarterly magazine of the Gauge 3 society had in a flyer in it for plans of locomotives to build. The sheet of A4 had 10 designs and prices on it. I looked at them and then at my wife. She smiled and said the worst words possible: "Himself can haes one, an onlys one!"
So in the best manner of the Kaligari's Question:
BR Class 9F "Evening Star" £35
BR Class 7P "Brittania" £35
BR Class 4MT "2-6-4T Tank Engine" £30
SR West Country Class "Lyme Regis" £40
GWR Castle Class "Earl Bathurst" £35
LNER Class K2 £32
CR No.903 "Cardean" £30
GWR 14XX Tank Engine £25
LMS "Duchess of Montrose" £42.50p
FR 4-6-4T Tank Engine £32.50p
So, after a days careful thought about what sort of track it will run on, and who will be using it there were only two possible candidates... I rejected the GWR 14XX tank engine -because it did not fit in with the era and ethos of the Cabbage Patch Railway. this left me we with a locomotive capable of taking, (in real life), 5 chain curves and was reverersable, (I have as yet no turntable or plans for one).
It will make for an interesting comparison to my, (as yet not even started!), EE-1 -as they are contemparies...
So, I have decided on my method of execution -I will build the loco found on the wrapper of "Kendall Mint Cake"!!!
regards
ralph | |
The Home of Articulated Ugliness | |
| DKRickman
1st Class Member
Salisbury, NC
Foreman
Posts:376
Send Message
| | 09/07/2008 5:21 PM |
| Posted By joe rusz on 09/02/2008 11:56 PM
Casey Jones. Devil may care and ready to take chances.
I feel the need to point out that Casey Jones, however wild he may have been, was by all accounts an excellent engineer, and had a record of never being involved in any accident which killed a co-worker or passenger. He died with that record intact, and very likely gave his own life to prevent what could have been an even worse trajedy.
As for the original question, at work I see myself in the same light as Casey Jones, but at home at the workbench, I'm more of a Baldwin (or maybe Mason...) | |
Kenneth Rickman - krickman1@carolina.rr.com
Salisbury, NC
If at first you don't succeed, use a bigger hammer! | |
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