Do You Get Made Fun Of?

I never get any grief for it, because I don't tell anyone I'm into it unless they ask.

Lemme tell u guys something. A good amount of people that are bullies dont do well in school. But all u railfans that want to work for railroads and be conductors or engineers or w\e, u do good. Just remember this 20-25 years from now when you have a job for the railroad. And think about your other friends. Are they gonna have a good job like you? Or are they gonna get a job no better then working at Mcdonalds?

Heres an example thats true. I got a job at a sports arena. My bully has tried for 3 jobs and has been shot down in all of them.

Not at all! I asked my friend if he would like to go railfanning, and he seemed excited.

Everyone at my school likes to play video games or ride skateboards. I don't have time for all of that.

I'm no fan of video games. All the shooting and blood that goes on just rots kids' brains in my opinion. I would bet money that kids who are always before that console are the ones who get hit by trains! [/quote]

lol! Some of my friends do tell me that what I do is dumb. But they dont do anything better. They think they're soo cool since they play sports. At least I have a hobby and im not a lazzy bum!

I was just reading some of the blogs that are written in here and it seems like nothing has changed since I was in school. So I figured I would say something here. I am 32 years old and have a family, my own home, and work full time. Believe it or not I still get slack from people that I like trains. I work at a YMCA that is very close to a CSX mainline, and everytime that whistle blows I go to the window to see what I can see. The folks think its funny! I have a layout in my house, my wife tells me that I spend too much time "PLAYING" with my trains. I tell her I dont "PLAY" with trains, and that I "COLLECT" trains. She says they are toys, there is a difference between electric trains and toy trains. SO this continues on from school. I graduated about 15 years ago from school, we didnt have a train club nor did we have to many people that were intersted in it! There was one time that I recall, we had open house for the whole school, and there was a hobby and collectible show in the library. There were a few that attended, some of them were sports jocks and book worms etc etc. Well any way I believe there was a kid who brought his coin collection, another brought his mystery book collection welll there were a few anyway. I had done a HO Scale model of the local railroad depot and area, there was a milk plant and some othe buildings as well. I ended up getting first place overall. So thats my story. Even when you grow up you still are a kid at heart. I have enjoyed trains for many years and will enjoy them for many more. Keep your heads high and dont let these guys bully you around because you enjoy something that has history behind it. Besides collecting barbie dolls or play video games DID NOT have anything to do with our wars or our country. Trains did. Keep trains alive as they are making a comeback!

I was just reading some of the blogs that are written in here and it seems like nothing has changed since I was in school. So I figured I would say something here. I am 32 years old and have a family, my own home, and work full time. Believe it or not I still get slack from people that I like trains. I work at a YMCA that is very close to a CSX mainline, and everytime that whistle blows I go to the window to see what I can see. The folks think its funny! I have a layout in my house, my wife tells me that I spend too much time "PLAYING" with my trains. I tell her I dont "PLAY" with trains, and that I "COLLECT" trains. She says they are toys, there is a difference between electric trains and toy trains. SO this continues on from school. I graduated about 15 years ago from school, we didnt have a train club nor did we have to many people that were intersted in it! There was one time that I recall, we had open house for the whole school, and there was a hobby and collectible show in the library. There were a few that attended, some of them were sports jocks and book worms etc etc. Well any way I believe there was a kid who brought his coin collection, another brought his mystery book collection welll there were a few anyway. I had done a HO Scale model of the local railroad depot and area, there was a milk plant and some othe buildings as well. I ended up getting first place overall. So thats my story. Even when you grow up you still are a kid at heart. I have enjoyed trains for many years and will enjoy them for many more. Keep your heads high and dont let these guys bully you around because you enjoy something that has history behind it. Besides collecting barbie dolls or play video games DID NOT have anything to do with our wars or our country. Trains did. Keep trains alive as they are making a comeback!

i often keep to myself, so i usually don't end up being made fun of. when people do find out i'm a railfan, the most common responses are "go get a girlfriend," "why on earth would you do that?" "that's so pointless/boring," or just a plain old "why?" actually on saturday night i was at a dance, and i asked some random girl to dance and in our conversation it came up that i am a trolley motorman. she then mentioned that there's a trolley museum near where she lives. it was, indeed, the seashore trolley museum she was talking about, making her the first person i've ever met to know where that place is! i got her AIM screen name

Been called poor for liking trains. Most kids in my class think trains are stupid and airplanes are better. I asked them have you ever been on a train? There answer....no. I tell them how could you say that if you never been on one. Well airplanes are faster.....

I wonder if some of those kids even heard of Amtrak or understand the concept of the commuter rail and etc...

But when we do go on field trips and take I-95 (follows CSX/Amtrak/Tri-Rail tracks) I notice that some people say look theres Tri-Rail or Amtrak.

Just wait till there fathers or mothers. They will say to their kids that trains are fun. Considering they ridicule everyone else for liking them.

Well they both have a valuable asset to the world. But when I was in scholl back 15-20 years ago I had the same problem. I notice now that children have a thing for speed (because of TV). Being in a model railroad club and attending many train shows thats what the first words out of Kids mouth is "can you make it go faster?". Some kids dont understand the concept of modeling like you guys on here. There is now one train that does go faster than any plane and that is the French Hi-Speed train. Im sure most of you have seen it or even heard of it.

TO CHRSJRCJ - dont let them bother you. If they call you poor that usually means they have never had anything like trains. Get a price guide for trains and show them the value that some of your equipment has.

TO STEVO - I had interest in girls when I was in school and along with trains. Your one of the few that are lucky that you can have a conversation with a female about trains. I purchased a Digital Camera for my wife for x-mas. She loves taking pictures and now she does all of picture taking of trains.

These are only my opinions so if I offend anyone please dont take it to heart. Good luck guys and keep on a Chugging - KEEP TRAINS ALIVE

izzy: i totally agree with the faster concept. there is a family that sometimes comes over for dinner, and they have 4 little kids who love to watch me run the trains, and they always want me to bring out the fastest ones and run them at full speed. also, of all the girls i am friends with, none of them have yet come to the trolley museum

but i will definitely keep trains alive!!

Well I don't typically talk about trains too much but when I am asked what mode of transportation I am taking for my trips (thinking either plane or car) I say train and people are like WHAT? or WOW. People say that the train is too slow but for me I don't care and I consider it to be part of the trip. Long live the train.

I don't get made fun of because the way I approach trains with my friends is that I say a lot of the stuff was my Dad's (which it is) so I got it passed onto me. And plus, I'm putting a 1/8th scale train line in my backyard. My friends are begging me to get it done to ride on it, even the girls too. 8)