Model Railroads.

[Captain Caveman]

Even as a toddler, I can't remember a day that I didn't like them. I used to be wanting more and more of anything and everything I could get but these days I am more selective as I specialize more, and I have learnt what I like and what works best for me.
Is hard for me to think outside of model railroads. Except when I am involved in one of my rare few other interests.

But is this normal to have always had the same interest since being very young?

 

[Tom]

I would say its not unusual for people on the spectrum. I've had one main special interest that goes back to my earliest memories age 5 or so.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Think I was around 3 - 6 months old when it started, but also with toy cars. I let my interest in cars subside when I was around 16 when I realized there was no way I could ever afford to learn to drive and get my own car whenI reached 17, as one had to have pretty wealthy parents to do that. I think I was around 21 when the insurance was more affordable and I had an income when I took lessons? My Dad passed his test just before me as he had been driving his 3 wheeled car for years on his motorbike licence which was why those 3 wheeled cars had exploited the market, as they could be driven on eother a motorbike licece or a car licence, and years ago, not that many people could afford to pass their tests for a ca r, but many could afford to run a motorcycle and pass on one of those. (Why another popular choice was the motorbike and sidecar). Three wheelers were classed as tricycles if they we ighed less than 400kgs so some very clever designs were made, and don't listen to thlse who say they are unstable as they had to pass strict tests. Tests that the Honda offroad trikes and quads used in farms couldn't pass so were not allowed on UK roads. (E.U later changed the UK laws to allow these and also try and destroy the UK car industry as Reliant was far more profitable and successful than the MG/Rover group and was at the time Britains second largest car industry, making both 3 wheeled and 4 wheeled cars. (Reliant 4 wheeled cars were designed for specific gaps in the market such as the Reliant Fox which was designed for farmwork so they could be used where Landrovers could not (E.g. cross dykes using planks of wood, as well as being vehicles one could use on the road and drive into town which quad bikes were not allowed in those days until the EU changed the law).
The other segment Reliant dealt in was the sports car market and the mass supply of its lightweight engines for military use to powef pumps and generators etc. (UK forces used both the Reliant engines which I believs were in standard form of 850cc by then, and the Rover V8 engines. UK forces made more use of Reliant egines because they cpuld be lifted by a single man (Though two men were preferred.I once lift ed a Reliant engine when I was a teenager).

The Reliant sports car market was limited as Reliants we re expensive, but they did sell well. The Scimitar either used the Ford V6 or the Rover V8 and as it was light weight and cleverly designed, their top speed and 0-60 times were almost spot on similar to a Corvette which had an engine almost twice the size! I was told that the Royal family bought a few Scimitars after the Jenson Interceptors they had before had let them down due to reliability issues. I don't know much more excspt that my Dad said Princess Ann liked them.

 

[MildredHubble]

I still think Jeremy Clarkson's obviously staged roasting of the Reliant Robin was very funny! I always liked the Bond Bug as to me as a kid in the 80s it looked like something from a sci-fi cartoon! Very sporty, even if it only had 3 wheels

I think it's quite normal for ND people to keep their interests from early childhood I certainly have. For me it's 8bit computers. I first encountered one when I was 3 years old, it was an Amstrad CPC 464 with a green screen that my dad got, possibly for his birthday. He sat me down at it, I was more puzzled by the weird little green TV we seemed to have now, but he showed me how to load tapes and from that point on, they became fascinating to me. I have over 100 computers now and waaaaaay too many examples of Amstrad CPCs for one human being, but they always whip up the same curiosity and excitement they did when I first saw one for the first time.

I also like HiFi and music and I love listening to vinyl records which also fascinated me as a kid and I listen to them on basically the exact same speakers my dad had back in the 80s. Playing a record on them just instantly teleports me back to being 3 years old and trying to understand how they worked. As a result of those two interests I now have a degree in sound engineering!

 

[Captain Caveman]

I was trained on the Commodore Pet and the BBC Micro when in secondary school. The BBC's were new in those days, but even the Commodores were advanced as we used those large floppy disks one had to keep inbetween the pages of a hardback book! They were easy to bend and damage as they were only protected with card that was only a slight bit thicker than paper! Cereal packets had card much thicker than those discs! But they were much quicker loading than casettes. Be at least half an hour

 

[Jumpinbare]

I would say its not unusual for people on the spectrum. I've had one main special interest that goes back to my earliest memories age 5 or so.

My first special interest was electronics. It's still right up there at the top. The job I retired from was in electronics.

 

[thejuice]

I still think Jeremy Clarkson's obviously staged roasting of the Reliant Robin was very funny! I always liked the Bond Bug as to me as a kid in the 80s it looked like something from a sci-fi cartoon! Very sporty, even if it only had 3 wheels

I think it's quite normal for ND people to keep their interests from early childhood I certainly have. For me it's 8bit computers. I first encountered one when I was 3 years old, it was an Amstrad CPC 464 with a green screen that my dad got, possibly for his birthday. He sat me down at it, I was more puzzled by the weird little green TV we seemed to have now, but he showed me how to load tapes and from that point on, they became fascinating to me. I have over 100 computers now and waaaaaay too many examples of Amstrad CPCs for one human being, but they always whip up the same curiosity and excitement they did when I first saw one for the first time.

I also like HiFi and music and I love listening to vinyl records which also fascinated me as a kid and I listen to them on basically the exact same speakers my dad had back in the 80s. Playing a record on them just instantly teleports me back to being 3 years old and trying to understand how they worked. As a result of those two interests I now have a degree in sound engineering!

I'm going to see if that Clarkson clip is on YouTube so good!!!

 

[Sherlock77]

And don't forget the Sabra sports car (AKA Reliant sports car)... The car from Israel that was likely imported straight to North America from England... I've only ever seen one Sabra, and just the one time...

Classic cars, especially British, European and Japanese interest me, and I know far too many useless facts

More on topic, I remember being in the The Bay store at Market Mall here in Calgary as a child, and showing strong interest in a hard cover classic car book at Christmas time, yup I got it for Christmas and still have the book... Plus when I was 12 years old and discovered Road & Track magazine at a store, I had a subscription for many years, initially from my parents...

I still have a very strong interest in classic cars, and the history of them

 

[kriss72]

But is this normal to have always had the same interest since being very young?

As the others have said, it isn't uncommon for NT's - Most of the things that I find interesting now are the same as when I was young.

 

[Gerontius]

I grew up playing with Bachmann HO gauge trains. The Spectrum ones were better quality than regular Bachmann. Ironic.

My fiancee wants kids when we get married and we move in. Kids love playing, and I think trains (toy or model) are fascinating because they're using imagination with all trains and a certain technical knowledge as well. Pun very much intended, but why are toy trains a great way to teach STEAM subjects?

The model trains are beautiful, the old toy "tinplate" trains are delightful, real trains are my favorite although sadly underutilized here in the States for passenger service.

Not modeling right now but I have been building a tiny stash of antique A.C. Gilbert American Flyer trains for future kids. These were bought for their play value not for their collectibility. American Flyer made good trains for the 1940s and 50s and I think that most children have not changed too terribly much. Space so I bought a small collection of straight and curved track, some freight cars, and two old steam engines.
.
It's not working yet but I can fix it up. A C Gilbert trains are not rare.
The scale was S gauge, a nominal 1:64 which makes them the same size as Matchbox cars and a lot of toys and miniatures. Ideally since these are quite rugged and it's easy to scratch build rolling stock in this scale, should Mrs Gerontius bring forth Puerus et Puella G. as she is hoping, they will be able to add rail to the LEGO/building block/Lincoln Logs/cardboard box villages most kids inevitably build if given time, toys, and Imagination.

Letting kids play with a 70-year-old electric appliance has its attendant dangers, putting valuable antique trains out for kids to play with is probably risky for one's collection, and I don't look forward to stubbing a toe on the route of the Dropleaf and Eastern at the interchange with the Carpet Central (route of The Baseboard Limited). Still cool though.

Also you can scratch build or 3d print trains in this scale in case I get kid requests for dieselization or electric power. Not sure how an SD70MAC would handle tinplate curves but it's at least worth experimenting.

In the meantime, I and my future bride have not been playing with the electric trains but we do go out exploring on a light rail line with modern electric trams. Tram cars are awesome and I dare say more fun than riding in automobiles.

 

[Captain Caveman]

Nice! I tend to scratchbuild, kitbuild (Simple resin kits), kitbash, RTRbash etc. because in the scale and gauge I model in it is only an option in ready made form if I want big American locos or if I happen to find German locos, they are only available secondhand and cost too much.
I model in 0-16.5 and it is very easy to scratchbuild in this scale.

 

[Neonatal RRT]

Even as a toddler, I can't remember a day that I didn't like them. I used to be wanting more and more of anything and everything I could get but these days I am more selective as I specialize more, and I have learnt what I like and what works best for me.
Is hard for me to think outside of model railroads. Except when I am involved in one of my rare few other interests.

But is this normal to have always had the same interest since being very young?

Absolutely. My interest in plants has been a constant since I was very young. I will travel thousands of miles across the country to visit botanical gardens and conservatories. When I retire in a few years, we will sell our current home and build out in the country where I can have my greenhouses and indoor gardens. I currently have about 50 tropical plants in the house right now.

Both my boys, now 27 and 29, were also interested in trains. It started out when they were toddlers and playing with the wooden Thomas the Tank Engine trains, building tracks, collecting all the trains, cars, buildings, etc. They watched all the TV episodes. We built a huge electric train set in the basement when they got older. We would travel as a family to steam train museums and take rides. Recently, we went to a steam power festival (trains, tractors, etc.). My youngest son graduated with a mechanical engineering degree and is working for this company in Minneapolis, Minnesota as a train engineer, as in he is literally designing the next generation of locomotives and railway maintenance equipment. He also is working with Lego creating kits of his designs and has sold them to many of the corporate executives. In May, we are all traveling to Scotland as a family, and two legs of this trip will involve steam trains.

So, to answer your question is it "normal to have always had the same interest since being very young?", I would say it is in our family.

 

[Judge]

I enjoy trains relative to all the benefits and visuals of the real thing.

Though for model railroading, what has always attracted me wasn't so much the trains or even the tracks, but rather the miniature world one can create to their heart's desire. It's why I love those YouTube videos where some intrepid model railroaders place a camera atop a train engine and take you for a tour of their little worlds. To see other things like streets, cars, landscaping and buildings. There's just something very relaxing about this to me.

Too bad I don't have the space to build a "little world" of my own. I'd like that very much. Though with the smallest (T) gauge of model railroading, on occasion I wonder what I could do in a very small space.

 

[Gerald Wilgus]

My interest in fossils and deep time really started when I was 8 years old and it has been going strong.

Trains I like and enjoy riding on them. Some nice rides.
- Cumbres and Toltec on the east side of the San Juan mountains. A great and scenic ride.
- Durango and Silverton, Another great steam train excursion.
- The Shinkansen from Tokyo to Osaka.
- The AVE from Barcelona to Seville 430 km/hr (267 m/hr) on that one. Pic below
- The Canadian Pacific from Toronto to Vancouver.

 

[AuAL]

@Gerald Wilgus, riding the Shanghai maglev train…

 

[Captain Caveman]

I enjoy trains relative to all the benefits and visuals of the real thing.

Though for model railroading, what has always attracted me wasn't so much the trains or even the tracks, but rather the miniature world one can create to their heart's desire. It's why I love those YouTube videos where some intrepid model railroaders place a camera atop a train engine and take you for a tour of their little worlds. To see other things like streets, cars, landscaping and buildings. There's just something very relaxing about this to me.

Too bad I don't have the space to build a "little world" of my own. I'd like that very much. Though with the smallest (T) gauge of model railroading, on occasion I wonder what I could do in a very small space.

I think I am using the "Quote" right. It went from a + to a - when I clicked it?

I model in 0-16.5 which is also known as 0e in Europe and 0n30 in America. The reason why I mention this is that it is space saving and yet is a larger scale. It is 7mm to thefoot scale using 16.5mm gauge which is the same as H0 or 00, but why I say it is space saving is because I can turn my trains on a 2ft wide layout board. The loco and five four wheel coaches which is in some narrow gauge lines about an average train is less than the length of three bogie coaches in H0 or 00, so though it is a larger scale, it is space saving with it if one is selective to model a typical Welsh (UK) or European line. Most American lines tended to be much larger in their loads carried and the sizes of their locos and stock, so one has to be selective in what one runs if one wants to turn on a 2ft wide board. Same as UK or European prototypes, but smaller prototypes were more common in the UK and fairly common in Europe.

 

[Gerontius]

I think I am using the "Quote" right. It went from a + to a - when I clicked it?

I model in 0-16.5 which is also known as 0e in Europe and 0n30 in America. The reason why I mention this is that it is space saving and yet is a larger scale. It is 7mm to thefoot scale using 16.5mm gauge which is the same as H0 or 00, but why I say it is space saving is because I can turn my trains on a 2ft wide layout board. The loco and five four wheel coaches which is in some narrow gauge lines about an average train is less than the length of three bogie coaches in H0 or 00, so though it is a larger scale, it is space saving with it if one is selective to model a typical Welsh (UK) or European line. Most American lines tended to be much larger in their loads carried and the sizes of their locos and stock, so one has to be selective in what one runs if one wants to turn on a 2ft wide board. Same as UK or European prototypes, but smaller prototypes were more common in the UK and fairly common in Europe.

On30 in the United States gives you the illusion of 2.5' narrow gauge tracks. They use wider track for an On3 layout to represent 3' gauge but it works for a lot of modelers to just use On30.
Narrow gauge, N and Z scales, and digital simulation are many ways railroad modeling is evolving to be viable in smaller living space.

 

[Captain Caveman]

I like making things but recently bought a few secondhand locos and rolling stock that another person has made.

Not sure if I am allowed to share a link to a site I have a thread with pictures of the things I have made?

 

[Captain Caveman]

I hope this works. Please delete if it is not allowed.

I did not make the larger of the V skip waggons as I bought that secondhand. The others I made.

 

[MNAus]

I was never interested in the trains themselves but have a fascination with tracks. I used to build tracks everywhere as a kid, and in every form. Tunnels round the house, marked tracks on the beach, matchbox plastic track round the garden. Key to me was the idea that there were "hidden" sections which provided shortcuts. The idea of "Oh right, it starts there, but ends there" is AMAZING!

My biggest and only joy of going to Ikea is the shortcuts. They are nirvana to me. (My poor wife, now I think on this). If my family are traipsing around looking at couches for the umpteenth time I simply must nip off, go through the short cut and come back to where we are. It feels like I'm going through a wormhole, to arrive back at where I was but in a parallel universe.

I love the idea of meta-layers. Of organisation that is not apparent in every day life. My poor wife, again, gets to hear about my love of the tv towers locally every time we drive past. There were three. And the idea that these giants were coordinated while below we passed our time like ants was amazing. A different world, different concerns, different patterns.

I also lived in plenty of places with tram tracks. Less interested when these just went along normal streets, but when they ducked behind buildings and popped up somewhere else? Oh man, that was great.

For this reason I love playing OpenTTD, and in particular the point in the game where you start needing to expand tracks and therefore build bigger junctions (purrr). This bad boy, for instance, it wonderful:

OpenTTD | QuadBranchMergeJunction.png

I can't tell you the peace it brings me to watch little pixelated trains all following their own little routes around that thing, passing each other in a little dance.

So there you go. And can you believe people were surprised when I said I was autistic?