# What are your other hobbies?



## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

As far back as I can remember, trains have always been a part of my life. From my grandfather and uncle working on the B&O, to me helping fill thousands of B&O coal cars, trains have always been in my blood. My father who loved trains as well, helped me along the way, building an HO layout in my bedroom next to my bed when I was only 3 or 4 yrs old to building much grander layouts in the basement. My dad and I would make weekly visits to the local hobby shops and stores that sold trains and toys around Fairmont WV back in the 50s and early 60s. Sometimes, as often as once a month, we'd go to Pittsburg, Pa to A.B. Charles & Sons hobby shop to check out the trains, slot cars, models and other toys. My dad also started me collecting toy cars at a very young age by purchasing the very early Matchbox cars and trucks. No, they didn't sit on a shelf, I played the paint right off of them or at least the ones I really liked. I even got several of the Schuco Piccalo toy cars bought from all places, a candy store in my home town. Along the way my dad turned me into a train lover, toy lover and a real car lover as we always had to stop at the different dealers to see what was new and exciting. So today, besides trains, which I have HO, American Flyer S Gage and G, I collect toy Corvettes, other Chevrolet toy cars, automobile memorabilia, bobble heads, Cobalt blue glass, and I'm a real car enthusiast owning a Mini Cooper S, Chevrolet S-10 Xtreme pickup and a Corvette Z06. I love just leaving the house on a sunny day for a drive with no particular destination. 

So, what do you collect besides trains? What do you like to do besides trains?


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

Randy;

I would say that music is the other big one for me. My Mama had a photo of me in one of those cherub choir outfits - where the red bow was probably bigger than my head. I was probably about 4 or 5 years old. Had about 4 and a half years of piano lessons. Later sang in the adult choir at my home church and in about three music groups at my high school. Also did a lot of folk singing in the 1960s. Still get out my 21 cord autoharp and sing the old folk songs from time to time. Even wrote a ballad about the time I split a switch on the Dry Gulch RR at Hershey Park - set to the tune of _The Wreck of Old 97._ 
Presently my wife and I are in Chancel Choir and Handbell Choir at our church, and we both are in steel drum bands through Quest School of Music. Starting in September of 2013, I started learning to play the bass steel drums. That means I have six full-sized 55 gal oil drums (adapted to play bass clef notes) surrounding me when I play the drums.

Have fun,
David Meashey


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## josephunh (Mar 27, 2013)

I am getting back into trains now that I am in my 30's and have the disposable income to do so. As for other hobbies I am into computers and gaming. I have customized both my rigs at home with lighting and water cooling. Right now I am enjoying playing World of Tanks and virtually collecting the different vehicles I wish I could have in real life but sadly cannot afford.


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## riderdan (Jan 2, 2014)

I like old stuff... I collect cylinder phonograph cylinders (to play on my Edison cylinder phonograph), old books, and swords. 

As far as other hobbies, I have a pinball machine and video game cabinet, and am working on a Model A speedster. I had to sell my 1931 coupe when we moved to Kansas, but I've always wanted a speedster, so that turned out OK. I used to be really into computers, building them, programming, etc, but since my full-time job is for a software company, I get all the computer time I want (and more) during the working day. 

Like most guys, I have a lot of other interests that I can't find time to turn into hobbies: I've found it's best to pick two or three and focus on those


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

I get the conection between us now Randy!! 

It's not the trains of our youth or now. 
The hot cars 
1/18 scale Muscle Machines..and others... 
The lions roar of a Hi-po engine running at 7000 grand... 
The freedom one feels flying model aircraft either,... 

Nope... 

Its the blue glass collection man!!! 
I'm saving bottles in particular for a stucco wall. I want to embed the bottles bottom out to present the year of our property..with hidden lights in the wall to shine thru them at night!!!!! 

Got ta be it!!!! 
....Dirk 

;-)


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## Dennis Paulson (Jan 2, 2008)

RC airplanes  , electric powered with lipo batterys .   Biplanes mostly , the slower flying the better , for me .    








 
And the shooting sports , clay targets or paper punching or ring the gong  steel targets  ,


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## Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

Other hobbies for me are fishing, boating, walking (and picking up trash at the dam site). 

Don


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## Crusty Old Shellback (Jun 3, 2013)

I didn't grow up with trains, more GI Joe and model cars. 

But recently my Wife's grandfather got me interested in them. I started with N scale but have decided that they are too small for my eye's, so I'me moving over to G. I'm working on building a back yard layout.

As for other hobbies, I think I've got too many. I enjoy working on Vechiles, building what ever. I've built 600 HP Blown Small Block chevy engines and dropped them into a '63 Chevy truck just because I could and wanted to be different. Bult a full on custom Harley, engine, body and paint. Built a '04 Chevy 4X4 lifted and custom body work and paint. I just like building things. I've got a ~'56 Cushman scooter that I got from my dad when he passed away that I'm working on to make it road worthy so I can ride it. I've bought a '13 harley that I'm going to try and leave stock, but we'll se how that goes. My next dream project is to build a '65 Shelby Cobra Replica. I just love those cars. 

I'm also a avid woodworker. Everything from house construction/remodeling to custom cabintry. I've been rebuiling my 1950's house one room at a time. I've built a 12' X 30' sunroom addition by myself. I've designed and built the fireplace mantel, coffee tables, and dining room table in our house. And I built the cabintry to cover my 400G salt water aquarium to make it look built in. I enjoy the designing and building aspects of woodworking.

Which is another one of my hobbies, and probably the one I've had the longest, aquariums. I've had them since the 70's when I was a kid growing up. I've now moved on up to salt water reef aquariums with my 400G tank. It's relaxing to sit and watch the fish swim in and out of the live corals growing in the tank. Almost like diving.

 
One of my more recent hobbies in the last 5 or so years is home brewing. I've been brewing beer and wine now for some time and have really learned to like the different flavors/styles of beers that I never would have thought of trying before. I very rarley buy beer or wine from teh store now as my home made stuff taste soo much better.

One last thing I enjoy is going for rides on my Harley, either solo with a group of buddies, or just me and the wife. It's so refreshing and free.

Years ago I used to do a lot of offroad motorcycle riding and working for the races in Baja Mexico. After getting married, having kids and moving farther north, I quit doing all of that. But last year I went to a reunion with some of my old buddies and they have talked me into going back down for the races. I enjoyed it a lot last year and am making plans to attend the races this year. I'll be part of a pit group that pits the big Rock Star trophy truckof rob Machrain. Lots of fun camping out in the middle of nowhere and watching racing as wellas the adrilin rush of changing tires when the race truck pulls in.

So yea, I've got a few hobbies. The wife always says I sould sit and relax. I just tell her I can relax when I'm dead. She knows I get bored easily if I'm sitting doing nothing.


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## TOM_1/20.3 (Mar 28, 2013)

Trains started early when my father built up his windup train around the Christmas tree.










I liked looking at them real close and at their level.










I loved cars and driving since my first ride in my dad's 1938 Buick special.










Ships were great since my voyage to Europe in 1952.










When I was there I learned to build stuff with my Granddad's (he was architect) brick building set.










An came to appreciate old trains at the Chiemsee Bahn in Prien, Germany.










One Christmas I got a Märklin HO train layout. My mother painted the backdrop.










I built all sorts of prefab models.










Four wheeling is fun. This was my first Jeep.










Got into computers with my first Apple a MacPlus (1 Meg ram) about 1985.










About the same time I got into LGB with a cellar layout.










I combined some of my hobbies when I took my second Mustang convertible to Europe and back again on the QE2.










During my time in Innsbruck I started building up the LGB in my apartment. (Was all in the container that took our car and furniture).










Then I got into 1-gauge as part of a club in Hall in Tirol, a few miles from Innsbruck.










Europe is great for trains. Took my kids on the Zillertal narrow gauge.










Like cruising. Was on the Costa Concordia before the disaster.










Saw the narrow gauge train in Spain.










Rode the Austrian Crocodile. 










Still like 4-wheeling with my 1975 Pinzgauer,










And absolutely love to drive my latest most awesome muscle convertible (Silver Streak) the RS4 Cabrio.










TOM


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## xo18thfa (Jan 2, 2008)

Plink shooting. We like older military weapons. Lee-Enfield in .303, K98K Mauser 8mm, M1 Garand, old style M16 (repo). Also like black powder shooting. #1 Remington Rolling Block in 45-70 and built from original parts Springfield Trapdoor. Want to get back into miniature black powder cannons someday.

Mathematics, calculus, infinite series, math history and economics, micro, macro, banking.

Girl watching.


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## jwalls110 (Dec 12, 2012)

Brewing beer, reading, listening to Big Band/Swing music. 
And computers.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Collecting old 45's to play on the Seeburg jukebox I restored.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Collecting old stylish tools (I don't care what they do, it's how they look doing it) and driving my 4x4 to abandoned mines looking for gold....


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## work4fil (Jan 4, 2008)

My grandkids! When theyare not with me, then my bass. My wife got me lessons for my 60th birthday and I have been going weekly for eigt months. I play mostly classics from the psychedelic era, which kind of puts her in a foul mood. I also have been known to waste time, takes a lot of my attention away from my hobbies. 

Fil


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## cocobear1313 (Apr 27, 2012)

Building/designing and competing with RC scale aircraft. Below is my 1/3rd scale Albatros DIII in flight.








I also enjoy my MGA


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## Dr Rivet (Jan 5, 2008)

I guess i am the DULL BOY in the class. My definition of enjoying another hobby is to work in a different scale. Unless one counts prototype research as a different hobby I guess I have a ONE TRACK mind. have never done model cars, planes, boats, full size automobiles. All that cut into my train budget. When in college I did sacrifice train funding to buy beer... a requirement of all engineering students in the 1960s. 

I do enjoy construction projects like building full sized buildings... but I don't count that as a separate hobby since they seem to fill up with trains.


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm really boring, went from 027 Marx to HO scale , to G to 1" . Building, landscaping, designing , painting , bashing. OH, my other hobby is model trains.


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

I have a fun obsession with antique snowblowers and garden tractors, and making webpages about them:

Ariens snowblowers 

Snowbird snowblowers 


Scots 1964 Wheel Horse 

I haven't torn one down yet to do a full restoration, but its on the list of projects! 

My first car was a 1981 Mustang..bought it used when I was 19 in 1988..I loved that car!
and I have always wanted a 1965 or 1969 mustang to restore..
problem: they are *really* expensive!!  Im still not there yet..
I have found that collecting and (soon) restoring antique snowblowers and garden tractors is a nice
substitute for those classic car urges..at 1% of the cost! 





























Scot


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## Martan (Feb 4, 2012)

My other hobby is a flying machine. Here she is at York PA last spring- http://www.gscaletrains.org/pics/P1030509.jpg 
She is an expensive girlfriend. But I love her so and also pimp her out to student pilots, so I more or less break even


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## denray (Jan 5, 2008)

I am a clay target shooter, I started shooting sporting clays in 1996, when I first started I was shooting 800-1000 rounds per week, I took classes from different instructors, I would plan shooting 
trips with my business trade shows. Between work and vacations I have shot in 22 different states. I have won several tournaments, won a few guns. I had worked hard, practiced hard, worked the mental training game hard, and worked my way to the Master Class. Once I got to the master class, my career at shooting in the large shoots were over, there is no way I could compete against the professional shooters. 2009 hit and my income went way down, It was going to cost to much to do the travels and keep up with the needed shooting practice. So I had been railroading for 2 years and really enjoyed it, so I turned the little income mostly towards the RR. I would still compete once maybe twice a month. Not competing in the large shoots the NSCA dropped me back to the AA class, I can compete in this class, but most of my $ and focus went to the RR, they dropped me back to the A class, I only compete locally and mostly for fun only. 
I did do a milestone that only about 1/10 of 1% percent of sporting clays shooters do, that is shoot a perfect score of 100 in a round of sporting clays. That was the hardest mental game I have ever shot. So worth it though. 
I still shoot a couple times a month, but do something in GRR every day. 
Dennis


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## Semper Vaporo (Jan 2, 2008)

They don't eat much and are quite gifted conversationalists.


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## Garratt (Sep 15, 2012)

Dollies! Ooooh yuk! 

Andrew


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## Michael W (Oct 10, 2012)

I thought I could not miss out on this one, I have just recently rediscovered trains my other hobbies are Wargaming( miniture) Ice Hockey, cooking reading and generally DiY and tinkering with stuff...
Regards Michael


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## Ironton (Jan 2, 2008)

Reenacting French and Indian War, reading, military history, wargaming (primarily pre 1775), sailing, walking, etc. etc. etc.


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## barnmichael (Jan 2, 2008)

I thought there would be more ham radio operators in this hobby. I guess that's why I never see anyone wearing a walkie-talkie at train shows. 

Michael 
WA7SKG


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## dbodnar (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By barnmichael on 06 Feb 2014 01:09 PM 
I thought there would be more ham radio operators in this hobby. I guess that's why I never see anyone wearing a walkie-talkie at train shows. 

Michael 
WA7SKG 
Michael - you have at least one more ham - I have been N3ENM for several decades.


Other hobbies include cycling (I typically do 7,000+ miles on the road each year), electronics (especially microcontrollers), wood working, 3D printing, computers (including little ones like the Raspberry Pi), writing (I have published a number of articles in assorted magazines over the years), cars (tooling around in my red Corvette!) and a few that I have forgotten!

Lots of stuff to keep one busy!

dave


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## TAAudi (Dec 6, 2012)

not many words. I want to let speak pictures ...... 

Peterbilt (scale 1/8)
 

Audi S4 (360hp) .


Rallye - Golf 16V


greeting from Germany 
Thomas


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## Ray Dunakin (Jan 6, 2008)

My other hobbies include rocket aerial photography, using rockets of my own design in various sizes:



















































http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Rocket_Aerial_Photos.html


Since I started my railroad in 2006, the rocketry hobby has taken a backseat. These days I only do a little of it during my annual Nevada trips. Which brings me to my other hobby, camping and exploring old mines, mining camps and ghost towns.


http://www.raydunakin.com/Site/Ghost_Towns_and_Mines.html


I also collect gospel music, mostly "Southern gospel" and country gospel, and I love to sing. (Note I said I love to sing, not that I'm good at it.)


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## scottemcdonald (Jan 11, 2008)

You see my other hobby every time I post a video - video editing and production. There's also music, still playing trumpet in the community band and birding. -- Scott


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## HaBi Farm (Aug 28, 2011)

Depending on the season and my mood: golf, cutting firewood, burning firewood, genealogy, trim work on my house, poker. 

the other Rodney


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## Lawman (Aug 4, 2013)

An amazing variety of alternative interests connected to this hobby! 


Just beginning to enjoy retirement after 26 years in the USAF and 15+ in the Department of Corrections here in Omaha... 

Interests include Ballroom Dancing (Big Band etc), Golfing, and Sport Shooting..... The recent jump into G-Scale may put me in the poor house and end all the other interests! 


Charles


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By barnmichael on 06 Feb 2014 01:09 PM 
I thought there would be more ham radio operators in this hobby. I guess that's why I never see anyone wearing a walkie-talkie at train shows. 

Michael 
WA7SKG 
Michael ...Kind of hard to use Ham radios in this day and age with in my old days (1954) using my old BC610J Transmitter w/ 250 Th final strapped to my hip. But was a good hobby for a 
while then as K6WGZ.


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## CliffyJ (Apr 29, 2009)

Collecting ephemera, and doing research, related to the Virginia & Truckee RR and Comstock mining in general. 
Man, it sounds so boring now...! But, I like it.


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