Not offended. But it’s probably a little ill-informed especially when directed at the models made by scratch builders.
@Will posted:it seems we had an almost identical topic a few weeks ago. I guess this is a perennial favorite- because there is no real answer. And the hobby runs the gamut from Hafner and Marx wind ups running in loops to scratch-built brass engines and point to point scale layouts. Let's say there is a toy-model continuum, where do you fit on it?
Good point, Will. That reminds of something to share with everyone.................
"As an O-Gauge person are you offended by someone referring to your trains as toys?"
That's almost identical to another question - how many years does it take Saturn to orbit the sun?
There IS a correct answer, believe it or not. 
They are Toys only if you play with them on the floor, wear an engineer hat, or somewhere on the the box it says something like Thomas & Friends.
Who am I kidding, right? What, me worry?
For me, I guess it matters what the context it's used in is.
No offense here, and I often describe my hobby, which includes all flavors of trains, as "playing with trains". I view being offended by someone else's criticism of another's hobby to be a sign of low self esteem on both sides.
The only thing that really offends me in the train hobby is when someone sneers at how another chooses to participate in it. Unless someone is doing something dangerous or misrepresenting their work, how they pursue their hobby is nobody else's business.
Wow, lots of opinions, those toy electric trains we played with (around the Christmas tree) as boys, growing up in the post war years, Lionel trains, 3 rail O gauge, American Flyer, 2 rail S gauge, the battle over which one was closer to Realistic, but, both were toys... Today, most of the train companies we buy from today, make both, Inexpensive toy trains, and Expensive Toy trains, both are toys, so No, the T word doesn’t bother me, it’s all for Fun, and hopefully Fun for all. Happy Railroading Everyone.
I’m not offended. I just tell people that I have a basement full of Lionel trains. Their eyes always open wide and start telling me about their childhood trains and the wonderful memories.
I'll turn 63 years old in a few days and I am now retired, so it takes a lot to offend me. I build Lionel layouts and run Lionel and Lionel-compatible trains because that is the type of miniature trains that I happen to enjoy the most. I have tried other scales but keep coming back to O gauge because it is the best for me. What is best for other people is their business.
They are models unless they are the real thing. Being a model doesn't require any specific degree of accuracy of scale or detail. When your 5 year old makes a Tyrannosaur from play dough it's a model of a dinosaur. Anything used for avocation can be considered a toy. If you had a prototype caboose in your backyard as a hobby - it's a toy.
Well, at one time some of us got put train items at the TOY DEPARTMENT of Sears, Wards, Penny's....
Hmmmmm, Toys are for kids, and I'm a 63 yr. old kid! Jack: Kentucky, Tennessee, All great!!
not really most of what i'm into (tinplate, traditional o gauge and some g scale) are 100 percent a toy
in fact i really only use the term model trains around people that may poke fun at me because i find a deep interest in not just trains but really STEM toys of all kinds
No shame for me. All the vehicles I play with both 1 to 1 and model are my toys. I feel sorry for all the men that don't have the spark within them.
Society says I should be offended but it doesn't much make any difference to me. It brings me joy and that's what counts.
No!
I tinker with my layout, and play with my trains every chance I get.
I don’t want to grow up, I’m a MTH kid!🚂
NO!!!!!
Nah.
Toy trains? Model trains? it is all the same to me!
I forget who said this, but I shall paraphrase: "as we grow up, toys don't go away, they just bigger and more expensive!"
Bryce
@tncentrr posted:I'll turn 63 years old in a few days and I am now retired, so it takes a lot to offend me. I build Lionel layouts and run Lionel and Lionel-compatible trains because that is the type of miniature trains that I happen to enjoy the most. I have tried other scales but keep coming back to O gauge because it is the best for me. What is best for other people is their business.
I turn 60 in a few days and I literally lay down in the grass in my back yard and watch my G Scale trains go by just like when I was six years old. My wife is pretty sure I will never grow up. Probably never will.
Chris S.
It's ironic. Those who get upset when their trains are called "toys" are being childish. When they run their "models", they're actually just playing with their toys!
I love playing with my toy trains. They include missile cars, target cars, TV cars, crayon cars, Thomas and his friends, Barbies as passengers, precious metal/aquarium/poker chip cars, cop & hobo chase cars, giant gatemen, tiny cherry pickers, UFO cars, cartoon character handcars, helicopter/satellite cars, pork/poultry dispatch cars, etcetera!
@Mixed Freight posted:That's almost identical to another question - how many years does it take Saturn to orbit the sun?
One orbit = one year.
they are toys when they dont work and scale models when they do.
@AlanRail posted:they are toys when they dont work and scale models when they do.
Wow! I like this statement a lot! 
@FireOne posted:I turn 60 in a few days and I literally lay down in the grass in my back yard and watch my G Scale trains go by just like when I was six years old. My wife is pretty sure I will never grow up. Probably never will.
Chris S.
I watched our grandson lower his head to get level with the trains as they went by. It reminded me of when I was very young. After a few sessions I caught myself doing it over and over. Best view there is for me.
The Vette and boat are frequently referred to as my toys. Since I get sincere enjoyment from them, there is no argument. Trains are primarily my diversion when my other toys are put away for the season. So, want to call my trains toys? Sure, why not.
@penn station posted:They are models unless they are the real thing. Being a model doesn't require any specific degree of accuracy of scale or detail. When your 5 year old makes a Tyrannosaur from play dough it's a model of a dinosaur. Anything used for avocation can be considered a toy. If you had a prototype caboose in your backyard as a hobby - it's a toy.
I agree with this statement wholeheartedly. Much of the woodworking equipment I have in my shop is also available at my place of employment. At work they are called tools at home they are considered toys. Man. I have a LOT of toys!
Tom
Toys is OK. But Ferraris and 1:1 boats and airplanes are also toys.
@phrankenstign posted:One orbit = one year.
Excellent, phrankenstign! Very astute thinking - that is a right answer that very few people immediately think of.
Unfortunately, that's not the answer we get when we google the question. Virtually all google answers to the question state that it takes 29.4 years for Saturn to orbit the sun. So which is it? Is it one year, or is it 29.4 years? There's the catch - since even though both answers are technically right, then that must mean that neither one is the really the correct answer.
So, how many years does it take for Saturn to orbit the sun? The correct answer should be obvious....... .................... It all depends on your perspective! If you're standing on Earth, it takes 29.4 years for Saturn to orbit the sun. If you're standing on Saturn however, you could very well say that it takes one year for Saturn to orbit the sun.
Same thing with our little trains. Are they fine models? Or are they merely toys? The correct answer suddenly becomes clear - there is no right or wrong answer! It all depends on your perspective!
Everybody is offended by something lately. I could care less what you call 'em. If you are enjoying what you have, you can call them toys or models, just don't call me late for dinner.
@Mixed Freight posted:Excellent, phrankenstign! Very astute thinking - that is a right answer that very few people immediately think of.
Unfortunately, that's not the answer we get when we google the question. Virtually all google answers to the question state that it takes 29.4 years for Saturn to orbit the sun. So which is it? Is it one year, or is it 29.4 years? There's the catch - since even though both answers are technically right, then that must mean that neither one is the really the correct answer.
So, how many years does it take for Saturn to orbit the sun? The correct answer should be obvious....... .................... It all depends on your perspective! If you're standing on Earth, it takes 29.4 years for Saturn to orbit the sun. If you're standing on Saturn however, you could very well say that it takes one year for Saturn to orbit the sun.
Same thing with our little trains. Are they fine models? Or are they merely toys? The correct answer suddenly becomes clear - there is no right or wrong answer! It all depends on your perspective!
So which is it? If I'm standing on Saturn are my trains toys or models?
Everybody is offended by something lately.
I'm offended by silly & foolish time wasting topics on forums. 
Embracing the word TOY lets you ignore the word Scale enjoy the word FUN.
Charlie
I just tell people "I play with my Lionel trains". Any further explanation is a waste of time for 99.9% of them.
I am not offended. The trains I have are toys, as opposed to higher-end scale models. My modeling skills are subpar and reality needs to be suspended when viewing my attempts.
I really respect and enjoy other's fine modeling skills, but I know I cannot achieve the realism that other's have. So, I am happy considering my trains as toys (and run them at ridiculous speeds!) 
Not offended.
I will say in my late teens and thru the 20's. I stayed away from them, I thought it was like a kid playing with "toys".
Got over it in my mid thirties. Haven't looked back.
I always figured that if a surgeon friend of ours can refer to his life saving instruments as toys, then maybe being too serious about other inanimate objects is just silly. I can cite many examples of people referring to large expensive pieces of industrial equipment as toys and so forth. A scale model of anything doesn't compare with any of this so why be wound up over what someone else calls it, call it peanut butter if that's what you like, but remember you have the choice to be offended or not.
I agree with MWB. Topics such as this one can easily get out of hand if we're not careful. Overkill I think it's called? I remember this silly dilly when I was still just half as tall as a Texas sized grasshopper in the good old summertime: Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me!
Gads guys, just do your own thing and to heck with the jerks who try and put you down.
Item: A note to the OGR staff......Are there any old wore out topics that have seen better days ever deleted from the Fourm? There seem to be some that closely duplicate others and just take up valuable space.
Call me anything you want, just not late to dinner.
I go downstairs to play so, no, I'm not offended.
One plays with toys.
The license plate on my truck:
TOY RR
Enough said.
John
Models are often toys and toys are often models but models aren't always toys and toys aren't always models. Definition of 'toy':
"an object for a child to play with, typically a model or miniature replica of something."
