Are YOU That Guy?

I can enthusiastically say I am NOT one of THOSE GUYS. It really is funny, though, how our perception of value and appreciation of our 'toys' vary and are projected to others. 

Last thing I'd want to do is have my trains sitting in dirt or not maintaining them to a point where they don't work through no fault of my own.

Definitely not one of those guys. The moment my engines let out so much as a squeak I check them out and lube em up.

If I wire anything new to the layout I use a cheapo tester engine to run through the course before I put any high end equipment through it, god forbid the wiring is messed up and I blow out a board.

Trust me, Jon, there are plenty of those folks around in all segments of the hobby. It doesn't take long to recognize who those individuals are. I don't have a "ton of trains", but I do have a lot of them (all brands), and have had very few problems over many years with the vast majority of them. I like to take good care of my trains--Z, HO, On30, O, and G--and the environment they are run, displayed, or stored in.

I'm assuming most of the people here are not "that guy".  But we all must know one anyway...

Jon

No I’m not one of those guys too. I clean the wheels on my locos every other time I run them, oil them up as soon as April, August and December hits. And I don’t run the same train and engine week in and week out.

Since my trains are all in the basement, which often gets damp, including occasional small puddles on the concrete floor when there's a torrent of rain, I recently bought a dehumidifier.

I believe keeping the basement dry so there's no mildew, among other bad things, and proper use of light oil and gear oil goes along way to keeping everything in good working order. When it's not, I'm out of sorts and either fix it myself or hire my train doctor (he's also Italian and Joshua Lionel Cowen would have hired him in a heartbeat) to fix it.

Arnold

What you have described, KoolJock, is one of the aspects of being a denizen on a forum like OGR that I enjoy especially. We meet folks here that amaze me with the variety in the ways they enjoy our hobby, with all of its varied treasures, and certainly in their expressing themselves in making a layout. The variety is stunning. And great fun, for me at least.

I have seen things shared here that would actually not have occurred to me, so they sure are entertaining and edifying to come across in these conversations. I am constantly amazed, and never chagrinned or disdainful.

We visit with folks from around the whole world, ostensibly, at least, a phenomenon that would have been unheard of not-so-many years ago.

This forum is a wonderful ride. And the more characters I see, like those you have mentioned, the better, as far as I am concerned because at the very very least, they afford me perspective on how interesting and fulfilling life can be when we have room for diversity.    FrankM

The funny thing is that "That Guy " would never admit to being That Guy  So I dont believe all the people that say they arent That Guy   As forr this guy I can certainly admit to being that guy sometime 

Hay Ben,

 "You gotta guy, I gotta guy!!!

Steam Forever

        John

I don't know exactly what's meant by "the other guy" statement. What each individual does with the trains they purchased, or were their tracks are laid down, or how we perceive their trains, or layouts, or how they maintain them, is of little concern to me. They are still enjoying what they have. There's an old gentleman in nursing home in Pontiac, Ill. That has an old beat up wind-up train that he runs every day and enjoys it. Would he be that other guy?

As to problems with new purchases, I've had a couple. But were fixed by manufacturer. I maybe the other guy if I say that had a bad experience with a noted go to repair person, (paying list price for parts never installed, rather cheaper version on hand and not returning items as initially agreed upon), but have never started a post on the complaint, nor mentioned name.

As to a person selling a deceased friends collection whatever it maybe, may not be aware of problems, or have the expertise to check each item out. I try to not judge people from others, rather how they treat me. So, maybe I am that other guy? 

Don't even THINK about picking up/handling one of my trains.

'Nuf said.

Andre

 Fortunately, I am not one of those guys nor do I know one. However, I read posts on different products by total idiots. I go online to look at tools or mechanical products and I find one with a star rating of 4.8 where most of  ratings are a 5 but a few 1 ratings pull down the average. You read the posts of the people who rated the products number 1 and it’s obvious they knew nothing about what they bought, they didn’t know how to read or understand the directions and how to properly assembled it and some of their negative statements about the product are totally comical.

My train collecting has always been on a very tight budget. I do everything possible to treat and maintain my trains and accessories to the best of my ability.

Jim

I got called to a guys house because his transformer was bad.  When I got there I saw his lock-on was jammed under the track, with the middle rail clip under the outside rail, the outside clip under the middle rail, and both fahnstock clips jammed under the other outside rail.  This after asking him many times if he read and understood the instructions...

Jon  

Personally, I'm glad "that guy" exists, otherwise I'd have much less work!

That reminds me... are you ready for “this guy” to send you my LionMaster T1 yet?

Jon  

I am also NOT that guy. But think about it, just like anything else. There is always that person there NEVER changes the oil or filter, in there vehicle. They just keep adding oil on an as-needed basis.

Joe Gozzo

There is a guy who bought the Xmas train MTH CP box cars wwith LEDs. In two weeks not one led was left on any of the cars. 

He also blamed MTH for making the box cars too Fragile.

Btw very few of his trains run, can't guess why!!

Dave

There are not many valid excuses I can think of to let anything rust into the dirt, but I must admit the newer stuff is a lot more complicated to fix and maintain than the older stuff.  I am guilty of putting off repairs until I get a group together for a repair bash.  One of my biggest peeves is seeing a crate of old trains all dumped together with no protection from scrapes, dents and dings.  Oh, did I mention the trains are always described as "rare" and advertised as excellent condition.                                                    I wouldn't wish that on on a Hi Point.

Chris S.

Truthfully, and in a not really cynical way, we have ALL been "that guy" to a greater or lessor degree at some time or other!

I love these tongue in cheek threads. As always some take them literally but the content makes you think "that guy".  

My Dad used to say that my Uncle Bud "could break an anvil".

KOOLjock1 posted:

That reminds me... are you ready for “this guy” to send you my LionMaster T1 yet?

Jon  

Ship away.

Mike Wyatt posted:

My Dad used to say that my Uncle Bud "could break an anvil".

IF said bumble fingers can do so with a rubber mallet, then he equals some of the fine chaps I've known over the decades.

Andre

Yeah, been around a couple of those. Not sure if "my guys" were as bad as the one you describe, but one thing these couple of guys had in common was complaining about how lousy their trains were and how they were always "messed up". "Lousy Lionel/MTH/you name it".

Just watching one of them remove a piece from a box was traumatic - for the piece, too. Absolutely no sense of basic mechanics or physics, like a 5-year-old; as in, if you keep pulling on it, it will break (one of Fudd's Laws of Physics).

I have also known people who could take a perfectly good new automobile and, within 12 months, have the interior, at least, completely trashed - as in actual trash, as well as scratched dash, torn upholstery, stained carpet. This takes talent. Plus - no kids were involved.

Same guys, I imagine. It's a sort of genius.

That’s who we’re talking about!  

Jon  

I would love just to be in a position to discard a nearly new car for no good reason except carelessness and laziness.   That's to say nothing of expensive trains.  It takes all kinds, right?    We have all owned cars that made us sorry we bought them.  Wouldn't it be a blast to just trade it in and buy another?  What freedom it would be.  I think of the guy I saw driving a Bentley convertible in downtown Chicago eating a huge, greasy sandwich looking like he couldn't have been happier.  I guess if you have enough loot, it doesn't bother you if the thing gets dirty. Just go buy another one and not look back.  That's not my personal goal but can't help envying someone who's so free from worry.  I have waited my whole life to buy some beautiful O scale 3-rail trains and value them so much I have most in their boxes waiting for the occasion when I have a layout to enjoy them on. (carpet central)  Some are in a display case where they give me pleasure every day.   They are still as clean as the day they were made.  That's a kind of accomplishment.  

Having worked part time at a local hobby store, I can certainly attest to seeing my share of repair work come in from "That Guy". Some high end locomotives would come back just a few months later with numerous layers of dirt, grease, scratches and broken parts. One episode I'll never forget was a customer who purchased a Legacy Big Boy (2007) for their 5 year old, needless to say just about everything that could be broken was.  What was most puzzling was the parent who bought the 5 year old the Legacy Big Boy, he just couldn't understand why a $1700 high end loco couldn't withstand the abuse of a 5 year old.

Not one, but do know one. He bought a Key imports HOn3 D&RGW K-36 locomotive, and carried it around in his shirt pocket. No S...!

I'm kind of odd about this stuff.  I believe in good preventative maintenance, and my automobile is usually spotless, including the engine.  

But, after a family crisis, I just had a hard time making myself do the simple repairs on some of my equipment.  However, I have resolved to get this back on track, and have already repaired one car and have scheduled repair of two others.  Hopefully, by Easter, I'll have everything once again shipshape and keep it that way.

Hi Jon, I think those guys are born not made by training. I have two nephews and I bought all kinds of trains and mechanical toys for both of them growing up. One kept his toys in pristine condition, in fact he still has most of them as a young father.

The other would destroy them within a few days. He grew up to be a business man who loves to play golf and a lot of aggressive sports.

The keeper is a first class electrician today. Both grew into good men and as their uncle I'm equally proud.  But, nature is nature.

That guy seems to have zero ability to diagnose let alone fix the simplest issue.  It baffles me how that guy can enjoy the hobby in this day and age. It must be stressful and frightening for that guy to even run his trains, and just frustrating overall.  I feel bad for that guy really.  Fishing perhaps?  Coin collecting?  Ooh, railroad paraphernalia collecting might be fun. 

That’s funny.  I still have a few HO trains I had 40 years ago.  Last I checked they still ran.  My two little brothers would break their’s in two days. I remember we were all excited that my one brother got a toy called Dune Buggie Wheelies one Christmas.  It was broke in a half hour.  I’m not sure, but he might be That Guy...  

I'm with Jeff, Simple troubleshooting and diagnostics is something you need to have or at least willing to develop in this hobby. Growing up with Postwar and MPC, my dad taught me alot about electricity, wiring, and general repair. Being on a farm, these skills were well taught and learned. I almost enjoy troubleshooting and fixing trains as much as I do running them.

I know of folks who Jeff described above, but they are at least willing to learn and ask questions.

If I'm not running it it's in the box.

We have a guy in our club who gives me stuff to repair. Every time he tells me what’s wrong, there’s two, three, maybe more things wrong. Not to mention there’s no lubricant on any points needing it and he jokes about that fact! Also, he takes his fine detailed models, wraps them in towels, stuffs them in a tub, and wonders why all the details fall off!

In addition, a good friend of mine, who was a dealer in WNY many years ago, had a customer who bought all the latest and greatest Lionel stuff to run on his attic layout. There was no heating or cooling for the space and he had to be careful where he parked his trains because the roof leaked! 

Allan Miller posted:

Trust me, Jon, there are plenty of those folks around in all segments of the hobby. It doesn't take long to recognize who those individuals are. I don't have a "ton of trains", but I do have a lot of them (all brands), and have had very few problems over many years with the vast majority of them. I like to take good care of my trains--Z, HO, On30, O, and G--and the environment they are run, displayed, or stored in.

You have z scale trains?My friend ether you have super real sharp eye sight.Or you have one heck of a magnifying glass.

Just ran my first Flyer engine that I got for Christmas 70 years ago for three hours! Now the new Flyonel engines will never do that. I service every thing diligently.

Gunny

No, but I have one who’s a good friend of mine.