To all;
Thank you for the kind welcome to your website. As I stated in my 1st blog, I am getting back into the hobby, thanks to my son. We watched a model train show on TV a few months ago and he (we) became facinated with model trains. I do have to admit that I am "pushing" him a bit to help me work on "his" layout. I just have to remember that he is 5 and his attention span changes with every new commercial on TV. I am trying to convince my wife that the trips to the hobby shop are indeed "educational". Furthermore, it's a father - son bonding experience. Besides, it gets him away from that Nintendo DS that belongs to his sister anyways. I am tring to involve everyone with the hobby. My daughter, who is 11 (loves to color and decorate things), already signed up for the "scenery session", when we get to that stage. That makes 3 out of 4 family members "ready to go". I'm sure that once the wife sees how much fun everyone is having, she will show support as well. I even told her she could pick out her very own engine. That did'nt go over as well as I planned but I'm sure if I throw in a new pair of shoes from the mall (a 2 for1 offer) maybe she will listen then.
About me, I am a "former" railroader. I left the railroad once the kids came along. You just sometimes have to make those decisions in life. I wanted my kids to know who daddy was. But, I still miss the job and someday hope I can get my "20 year pin". You can take the railroader away from the railroad but you can't take the railroad out of the railroader. It was, and is, a unique way of life. You may have worked for different railroads but you were all brothers. We all carry a certain passion for the job that sounds strange to those who were not part of it. There was always that sense of urgency on the railroad. The railroad was always moving and they needed people to move it. Friends would tell me that I "was nuts" for answering the phone at 2AM. But you did because the trains had to move. There is, at least to me, a sense of pride to be an engineer. It was a childhood dream of mine. I went to work at age 19 as a part-time signal maintainer. At age 20 I was hired by Conrail as a trainman (brakeman). By age 21, I was a certified engineer with Conrail. It's all I ever wanted to be. By age 21, I was living my dream. While some of my high school friends were still looking for a part time job, I was running UPS and mail trains over the Chicago Line at 70 MPH. It was something I strived for. I always wanted to work for the railroad and I was very fortunate to get that chance.
As with everything, life moves on. I now find myself fortunate to work for FedEx. I have a "normal" work schedule that has the family seeing me every evening and on weekends. That is unheard of on the railroad. I can now find time for the things that I "put aside" for a later time. That includes a model railroad. I have always been a "HO Scaler". I am just facinated with all the new products. It is a very exciting time to get back into the hobby. I can't wait to share my experiances with my kids. It makes me a kid gain too.
Steve
Still a NJ Devil's Fan!!!!!
Steve
