What is the"operative" word in O scale for you?

Michael:  Your word, "relaxing" is a great one.  Without taking away from it, I would add serenity and serendipity.  They help to explain the overall feel of the whole hobby, as I experience it.

you hit the nail on the head. I'm only 43 but with 5 kids one with CP, a wife, a granddaughter, owning my own business, my father living with us and his health issue's. my relaxation comes from the train room even tho mine is in a loft over looking the living space in the house so I see and hear everything going on it is still relaxing. yea I spend a lot of time up there.

We all have our on ideas about how to enjoy our hobby and life in general.

Two words,  ENJOY YOURSELF   And let everyone else do the same.

My trains are something of a refuge to me from the job, etc.  I "de-compress" there.  

Setting my trains to running, and just watching them, is wonderfully relaxing.  

No train room or layout, but I find hours of enjoyment on this forum, watching trains I want on youtube clips and reading all I can on the steam era.  It is my way of forgetting about things for a few hours each day.

Connection. The train room is a place where I can connect with my grandchildren, family members and friends. When they enter the room and our focus point is trains, we have a connection in an environment away from anything demanding.

It allows me to impart some practical lessons to my grandson. It provides a place to relate with others. It always seems to conjure up fond memories. Pleasant conversations occur.

The result is relaxation and fun, as previously mentioned.

Michael,            "Peace In That Special Place"

We each find that,"Special Place"when we are with our trains. Once in that,"Special Place"I feel complete,"Peace". I find that it's easy to draw strength from the peace felt in my train room. It makes me feel good inside when others comment about it.

ESCAPE

Ditto...

- Mike

You hit the nail on the head with "relaxation"!  It also means "friendship" to me due to all the great folks I've met over the years of being in the hobby!

--Greg

Fun!

O gauging is a great way to reduce cares and stress.

Ed Boyle

Creativity

Art

I couldn't say it was the province only of "O" scale, but model railroading has so many

facets....that can keep your mind working, and your legs, too, if you hoof it through

York, other shows, and along abandoned (or not) railroads.  All the different ways you

can pursue it, many of which require you to exercise your mind, learn some history, and go where you have never been before to find, maybe, something you did not know was there, and the ability to create something tangible from that, beat a rocking chair

on the front porch, or watching hours of re-runs.

Tinker.

I just can't leave anything alone.  Even if it's brand new, I must take it apart.  Sometimes I tweak things, and sometimes I just open things up to see what's inside.   I admit that sometimes I like tinkering more than running the trains.

Sound!  Love to hear the roaring Legacy diesel engines with their horns a blastin'!

Rick

For me, it's a way back to a pleasant part of my youth. But I'm fully command control now, getting down to change switches or speed is not appreciated by my knees now.

It's also great when my 5 month old grand daughter is fussy and All I have to do is start the train.

She loves the sound and motion of the steamer going by and the lights in a couple cars of the MOW train.

She has been known to fall asleep on the carpet watching it go around.

All of the above, it keeps me sane in an insane word.  Aii the beat Jim R.

We are indeed blessed with the sounds of these marvelous engines. Indeed, not our fathers' trains.

Rail fanning - watching the real thing - is indeed relaxing to me.

Model railroading, however, is not. It can be enjoyable, exciting even (like when that

latest scratch-bashed steamer project comes out really well), as well as infuriating

and annoying.

Also, I do not run trains unless I'm actually running trains. Sitting at the workbench

while something is running in the background is distracting, and I never do it.

I'm a model railroader for all sorts of good and bad reasons, but "relaxation" is not one of 

them.

My "Operative Word" for the hobby is "Creativity".

I would say interest.

Nostalgia.  My Dad and Grandfather introduced me to toy trains and even though they passed to the other side many years ago I always make a conscious effort to bring thoughts of them with me when I'm running trains.  Even when I am running the new stuff.  They would have absolutely loved our new modern locomotives.

DIVERSION FROM REALITY.

Richard

Two things:

Engineering. From every possible discipline and function.

Attempting to create my concept of a time before my birth.

Gilly 

There is only one thing for me----FUN

Amen Brother!

My word would definitely be "creative".  I use to paint all the time and work on customizing motorcycles and vehicles but now I pour all my creative time into this hobby!