How Lucky We Are

Very profound Arnold.

Arnold...quite right...quite right.  For me, our hobby is a respite from the madness.

John

Amen!  to that Arnold.  Working on the layout during this time is a real necessity for keeping life in perspective at least for me.

Hummer

Indeed Arnold indeed!

Absolutely correct. Before all of this, the trains were a way to help me relax and put away the stress of the day. Now it has become even more so as the stresses of 2020 have increased. The civility of this and other train forums and working on the trains has truly become a haven. I can't agree more that those of us with family and the ability to pay bills as well as have our hobby are truly blessed.

For those isolated and/or troubled, this Forum can be a life saver emotionally.

For those doing well, this Forum can be Icing on the cake.

Arnold

I always appreciate your positive thoughts Arnold.

Only challenge I have is in AZ we don't have basements or attics.   It's all good because I've been focusing what little time I have from work to do little projects here and there.  However, to have work is a true blessing in these times.

I almost started a new topic about what I'm about to say, but then realized it belongs here.

This is for us seniors.

Reading through the various Forum posts this evening expressing our passion for our trains during these challenging times reminded me of a Twilight Zone episode. It had nothing to do with model trains. It had to do with seniors at an assisted living facility. Some were grumpy; others were not. The ones that weren't grumpy had a child-like quality.

Those with the child-like quality went outside to play a game. I think it was ring-a-levio. One of the grumpy seniors said they were crazy.

When the child-like seniors in this Twilight Zone episode played the game, they literally turned into the children they had been many years ago. The game was a fountain of youth for them.

The trains for us old-timers can be a fountain of youth for us.

How lucky we are.

Arnold

I couldn't agree more. We're very fortunate to have a hobby that is such a great escape, whether it's from the worries of our jobs or the stress of a pandemic.

Our neighbor has a sign in her garden that reads: "An hour in the garden puts life's problems in perspective."

We could very easily substitute train room for garden, and it would be just as accurate.

John

You all are so right about how lucky we are.

I live alone. I am employed.

I was thinking just the other night about being in the same situation during the flu epidemic a hundred years ago - no internet to safely work from home during the day / connect with others at night. No big screen HDTV to pass the time. No radio.

We are lucky indeed.

Model Railroaders in any scale are blessed to have a hobby they can enjoy in the safety of their own home. We can order most anything we need or can afford online and have it delivered to our homes.  Even if times are tight $$ wise as it is for many that might normally be better off $$ wise, we can enjoy what we do have and be thankful for that.  So many bemoan things.  This is a great time to reflect on what we have, both in our hobby an family/personal life and be thankful.   We will all see each other again at the shows once we get this crisis put to bed, as this to shall pass.  And to the ones we sadly lost to this, we will see them all again one day.  Merry Christmas to all of my forum train friends and here is to a better year in 2021!    AD

And CV-19 is exposing another myth:  Do we have to be with other people 24/7 to exist?  Is that sort of mindset healthy?  Is that not accepting those who are more reserved?

It is a life saver to have toy trains. I’ve been a toy train person sense 1946 when my father gave me my first train set. A lionel 224 with a 45 watt transformer. I was hooked from the beginning. My mom had to remind my father that the train was for me. I knew he was a train lover also. With the CV-19 really putting a pinch on life for us senior folks having a mancave to pass the time and stay safe is a true blessing. My space is a three car garage. I saw a Lionel 1700 on EBay early in 2020. I bought it and restored it. Now I have 7 of them. Restored different colors like Lionel use to make. I have a friend in New York that supplies Lionel parts. So when not working taking care of my Beautiful wife sense her stroke I hold up in the mancave working on my O Gauge trains. What a great way to stay alive and get through these hard times. Plus my wife will go to the mancave with me and watch me play. Neighbors say it my therapy.

Life is better with a dog, trains and a good wife!!

Thank you Arnold.

I always enjoy your posts.

Arnold....great opic....we certainly are!!!!

Peter

By the way, this morning I discussed with my wife my post here last night about the Twilight Zone episode. She reminded me that the game the children played outside was Kick The Can. Arnold

TODAY, I feel as lucky as that frog slowly being boiled....................that's a fable, the frog will jump out at about 25C.

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

By the way, this morning I discussed with my wife my post here last night about the Twilight Zone episode. She reminded me that the game the children played outside was Kick The Can. Arnold

Yep, one of many TZ episodes with one of Serling's go-to themes...recapturing lost youth. He should have written one with model trains in it!

Check out “Night of The Meek” with Art Carney as a troubled Santa. Opening shots feature American Flyer trains

@Brad Rock posted:

Check out “Night of The Meek” with Art Carney as a troubled Santa. Opening shots feature American Flyer trains

Indeed, great vintage department store train set up. One of my favorites.

Arnold your insights give us pause to consider, and appreciate, that we are fortunate. It is my belief that our hobby also promotes longevity. For example, we may look at an area of the layout and ponder something we want to change. This sets off our neurons as we assemble the new image in our minds. From there we have to plan the next steps: doing a search on the forum; recalling an article we read in one of the hobby magazines; going on a reconnaissance trip  to the LHS; assembling the components. Then comes the practice with hand-eye coordination to put it together. Also consider what’s involved with the wiring; that may have to be done.
So it’s not just playing with trains it’s the ongoing growth, and reinforcement, of neuronal networks. Importantly,it’s working on your emotional and cognitive  well being.

Jay

I was in a very bad motorcycle accident years ago. What motivated me to walk again was getting down to the basement to run trains. Eventually I was able to go to the hobby shop where the club originally was to run trains there. They've since moved the layout to a different location. I really think running trains helped me. I still struggle, but I get around much better.

Going to York was another motivator because I had to walk to and through the halls. I took my time and sat down a lot.

@Tranquil Hollow RR posted:

Arnold your insights give us pause to consider, and appreciate, that we are fortunate. It is my belief that our hobby also promotes longevity. For example, we may look at an area of the layout and ponder something we want to change. This sets off our neurons as we assemble the new image in our minds. From there we have to plan the next steps: doing a search on the forum; recalling an article we read in one of the hobby magazines; going on a reconnaissance trip  to the LHS; assembling the components. Then comes the practice with hand-eye coordination to put it together. Also consider what’s involved with the wiring; that may have to be done.
So it’s not just playing with trains it’s the ongoing growth, and reinforcement, of neuronal networks. Importantly,it’s working on your emotional and cognitive  well being.

Jay

I totally agree, Jay, and thanks for sharing your insights. Arnold

@DennyM posted:

I was in a very bad motorcycle accident years ago. What motivated me to walk again was getting down to the basement to run trains. Eventually I was able to go to the hobby shop where the club originally was to run trains there. They've since moved the layout to a different location. I really think running trains helped me. I still struggle, but I get around much better.

Going to York was another motivator because I had to walk to and through the halls. I took my time and sat down a lot.

Very inspirational, Denny, it's wonderful that the trains helped you recover from your accident. Thanks for sharing.

Indeed, I have enjoyed and liked everyone's contributions here.

Dominic:  RIGHT ON!

Great Thread Arnold'. lot's of sensible responses.  I would just add, mental and physical health is also an important factor to be thankful for'...👍🌲🎅🏻😁...

Well Arnold i I've got to hand to you again, you know how to bring a nice warm glow of happiness to a grim situation.  The layout and trains have been getting more attention lately and my dad and I have been doing much more work on his layout too.

I hope everyone has a nice Christmas and better new year in 2021!!

@Brad Rock posted:

Check out “Night of The Meek” with Art Carney as a troubled Santa. Opening shots feature American Flyer trains

That's a great episode!  Just a minor point,  that layout is Lionel  and is the same layout used in the Addams Family TV show in the 1960s.  The layout is shown in several scenes including operating a few accessories. 

I have old friends that like me are retired. They have no hobbies and are lost without work. No one loved their job more than me. Seeing the world on someone else's dime was for me paradise. Now I have my own world that I can create. I can work on it for hours, days and weeks, then leave it tell it pulls me back, and it aways does.  No deadlines, pressure, just fun. Don

Excellent observation from Scale Rail.
Very early in my career I was mentored by a gentleman who was several years away from retirement. He offered that,    ”Everyone prepares for retirement financially but you have to prepare for it psychologically too.” Very sage advice that I have always kept in mind.

Jay

I was lucky to work for a company that brought in a person to help guide the folks that were close to retirement. One of the things she told us is don't move for a few years. Even if you have been dreaming of some new place to live for years. She advised us to rent a place for weeks or months to see how we really liked living in a new location. After getting used to being retired for a couple of years we did that very thing. Renting a house, twice. Hawaii in are case. We almost always vacationed on Kauai but renting and living there we realized it was too slow paced. Oahu was out of the question and the big island of Hawaii was....well too out of the way. Maui was the fit for us. Don