+1 from the West Suburbs of Chicago

[drolmaeye]

Well, I've been lurking for about ten days. Every time I look there are about 100 members and 500 guests online, so I thought it was time to take the plunge and join the minority.

Looking from the outside this hobby strikes me as a little odd, but it's definitely growing on me as I learn more about it, so I guess I am going to take the first steps (one can back out anytime, right?).

So far I have invested almost $7 making my first purchase . . . I bought John Armstrong's Track Planning for Realistic Operation.

Next I may go to an operating session. As fate would have it, my sister-in-law's husband's mother's husband (no really, that's not a joke) is a MMR with a large O-scale layout. He mentioned they get together every Friday and I was welcome to participate (didn't know then exactly why people would meet weekly to look at a model train, but now I know he meant an operating session).

Next month I may go to the big monthly train show at the DuPage County Fair Grounds (learned about that by lurking here).

Anyway, that's enough of a personal story for now. Much more than anyone needed to know, but thought someone might get a smile if he/she fell into a similar trap in the recent/distant past. I can't start any construction until we get into a yet-unpurchased house, but that should work itself out in the next few months, and after that only time will tell.

Thanks for all of the interesting posts I've come across so far, and thanks in advance for the wealth of information I'll enjoy here as long as I continue down this line (an my railroad is funded).

 

[Burlington Bob]

Welcome to the Forums! You've found the best place on the internet for model railroading with a lot of talented and friendly people. Everyone has a story to tell of how they became hooked on trains, with some starting at a young age and others well past that. It is one of the few hobbies that let you decide how much to get involved and how much to spend. It can be a fairly cheap hobby if you are just a train watcher or a very expensive one if you go all out on a large layout with all the deluxe trimmings. I'm trying to keep it somewhere in the lower middle myself.

One word of caution. Once you are thoroughly hooked there is no known cure! Doctors widely agree that this is a lifelong addiction...................albeit a very enjoyable one.

Even those who leave seem to always come back, right Larry?

 

[Gary B]

Welcome from the far SW side. Bob's right there is no known cur. The Du Page show will give you quick fix but it's only temporary. I go about once a year. Remember we love pictures here.

 

[vic2367]

welcome aboard

 

[drolmaeye]

Another long post

Thanks, Bob and Gary, for the welcome. It looks like this hobby is alive and well in Illinois!

I received my book the other day . . . lots for a newcomer to absorb but I am enjoying it. I have no experience with railroad history or operations so I am learning a lot in just the first few pages.

Bob, I too plan to be on the lower middle budget plan. I take things at a slow pace (ask my boss) so I think I can save little chunks of my dedicated hobby dollars (that's how wife put it into the budget) and grow my empire over time.

Gary, I am curious to hear more what you mean about the show. Will I be underwhelmed? I guess the easiest way to know is to just go and find out. As far as pictures, I don't know if you are talking in terms of my (non-existent) layout or my (non-existent) stunning good looks, so I decided to put up an avatar related to my work, it's a pic of the insides of a diamond anvil cell.

Alright, back to my reading, I was gonna be an HO guy for sure, but maybe N will give me the freedom I need, but wait, HO is the REAL model railroad scale, but do I have the space? I don't have to decide tonight . . .

Edit: Thanks, also, vic2367. You're message came while I was writing the novella above.

 

[Gary B]

I'll be interested in what your impression is of the show. Remember they have a coupon online for the wife to get in free. Take her once and she'll let you go by yourself with her blessing for everafter. (Worked for me) Willowbrook? You're right down the road.