# POLL: ASPECTS OF THE HOBBY



## Choobacker (4 mo ago)

Please pick what you find is the most important aspect about your hobby.
If your choice aspect is not on this poll, please select 'Other'.
Thank you for participating.


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## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Choobacker said:


> Please pick what you find is the most important aspect about your hobby.
> If your choice aspect is not on this poll, please select 'Other'.
> Thank you for participating.


Can't vote, I pick all but set history, era..........


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## OilValleyRy (Oct 3, 2021)

All of the those.


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## Choobacker (4 mo ago)

Surely anyone could favour over all the others by a tiny smidgen.


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## OilValleyRy (Oct 3, 2021)

Choobacker said:


> Surely anyone could favour over all the others by a tiny smidgen.


Going with Other.


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## Berrychon (4 mo ago)

Done !


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## Murv2 (Nov 5, 2017)

I like building things.


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## Booly15 (Aug 16, 2017)

Layout followed closely by operation and collection.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

I agree with several others: no, I can't pick just one. It's the combination of all of those things that makes ithe hobby attractive. To me, there would be little point in doing any of those aspects of the hobby without the others.

The only things I don't particularly enjoy are wiring and ballasting track, both necessary evils.


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## Steve Rothstein (Jan 1, 2021)

I voted for trains and rolling stock overall. I like all of them, but any layout or landscape without the trains is just a diorama. It is the trains I like most.


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## SF Gal (11 mo ago)

I choose operations as I like puzzles. I designed a bottleneck and multiple yards in the layout to maximize the logistics of getting car "A" to yard "C" while in a consist of multiple cars going to different yards. Make the turnout right and keep the mainlines rolling while switching in the yards. Trying to keep at least 3 locomotives running with DCC without a automated system. It is a challange. Scenery is also fun for me. The worst is repair and maintaining locomotives, cars and track...I tire of it easily. I have soooo much to repair, upgrade, fix, and sell off...UG! 😟


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## RedJimmy1955 (Aug 23, 2021)

I love/hate the hunt for what I want. Longvago I set parameters of just a narrow amounr of acquisition....seen too many folks with large collections lose money.Also, running trains for personal or guest pleasure is a treat going both ways!


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Seems like almost all the choices are dependant upon having trains and rolling stock….can’t operate without the trains, could build track and scenery without trains, but why?

But I guess we all have favorites, so….


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## Oomowmow (10 mo ago)

Locos and freight (or passenger) cars are the centerpiece, but building a convincing and eye-catching layout for said trains is paramount. There's a ton of great examples on this forum, Eye candy for a modeler! 
I use my layout to chill out, so I keep operations short and sweet, so I can get down to the serious business of being mesmerized by the moving train


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## Gramps (Feb 28, 2016)

I'm curious about the votes for "Other". Anyone want to give details?


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## MohawkMike (Jan 29, 2018)

Depends on the day and my mood. Some days I want to run trains. Others I want to add buildings and/or work on scenery. Sometimes I place a new car/truck in just the right spot. Others, I might find the exact historically correct NYC engine or car for a particular train. Sometimes I just turn the lights on and look over the layout and do nothing.


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## Chaostrain (Jan 27, 2015)

My "other" is tinkering: solving issues with engines, cars, track, then there's buildings, design, planning, hunting for material, and sometimes just watching trains run.


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## pmcgurin (Sep 7, 2010)

Chaostrain said:


> My "other" is tinkering: solving issues with engines, cars, track, then there's buildings, design, planning, hunting for material, and sometimes just watching trains run.


This is a lot of it for me. Over the years since about 1980 I have bought N scale locos, freight cars and passenger cars. I spend a goodly amount of time repairing and updating stuff, as changing a lot of incandescent illuminated passenger cars to use LED lighting, and selling locos and passenger car sets to pay for it. Then there is repair work. There always seems to be something to fix or maintain.


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## Oomowmow (10 mo ago)

Ah yes...repairing....
Oh look a truck fell off! This hopper isn't rolling-omg! Look at the crud on the wheels! And let's replace that coupler that broke... it's all good though. Gotta keep the trains running!


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Other: I love projects where I build something or do something new - a new area of the layout and buildings there, or working on the layout - changing the landscape or making a road into an operating road, etc.


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## Traindiesel (Sep 8, 2015)

If I didn’t have the trains, I wouldn’t be doing the other things.


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## Steve on Cattail Creek (11 mo ago)

Lee Willis said:


> Other: I love projects where I build something or do something new - a new area of the layout and buildings there, or working on the layout - changing the landscape or making a road into an operating road, etc.


Yeah, I ended up with Lee and others who chose "other" by default, because my focus on any given day shifts between just about all the other choices. Sometime the shift is dictated by circumstances (a larger project that spins off into other sub-projects, or generates the need for unexpected repairs on a bad day!), and sometimes by discovering something new to try, or deciding to revisit old favorites. Probably the least favorite options for me would be operations and historical recreation, though at times both enter into my current enthusiasm or project.


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## Tom47 (Dec 8, 2012)

Operating the layout was my first pick followed by train and rolling stock the remainder I feel are end result of the others.
I enjoy running trains. I will start doing scenery and end up running trains but eventually the project gets done after several starts.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Traindiesel said:


> If I didn’t have the trains, I wouldn’t be doing the other things.


Now that makes sense….


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## Choobacker (4 mo ago)

Assuming that most of the "Other" aspect was chosen mainly due to indecision of a single favourite aspect. Nevertheless, it is so far clear that the majority consider the actual 'train and rolling stock' the most favourite aspect. Followed by watching their trains in 'operation', and travelling through their 'landscape'.

These three favourite aspects, in sequence of proportion, makes common sense.










This poll has helped me to understand the fascination of model trains, by others, a little more.
It certainly has questioned my own favourite aspects, especially how it has changed from before involvement to now as a newbie (without a layout). I am sure it will change again as I get more involved with the whole indoctrination of buying train and track, putting it together, and finally have some fun in operating the system.

Thank you all for participating with this poll.
I will keep watching this to see how it develops with more voters.


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

Gramps said:


> I'm curious about the votes for "Other". Anyone want to give details?


I chose other. I think that what I like is taking old busted up trains/ accessories apart and fixing them up. Giving new life to a 70 year old toy for me just makes me feel good.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Choobacker said:


> Assuming that most of the "Other" aspect was chosen mainly due to indecision of a single favourite aspect. Nevertheless, it is so far clear that the majority consider the actual 'train and rolling stock' the most favourite aspect. Followed by watching their trains in 'operation', and travelling through their 'landscape'.


That's a completely false assumption. Not that many of us don't have a favorite part of the hobby, but that failure to strongly prefer one aspect over another constitutes some level of indicisiveness.. There is no requirement that one have a favorite. I'd argue that those who don't have a preference have a greater appreciation for the whole breadth of what the hobby covers than those who do have a preference. Not that there's anything wrong with having one either. But I think your assumption fails to understand that many of us appreciate the hobby and all of its possibilities holistically.

These polls are also not statistically valid, because there is no control over your sample. How many people who don't have a strong preference rolled their eyes at the poll and simply didn't participate. Ji hadn't voted until a few minutes ago. So you have no way of knowing whether your "other" category is under-represented.


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## Choobacker (4 mo ago)

CTValleyRR said:


> That's a completely false assumption. Not that many of us don't have a favorite part of the hobby, but that failure to strongly prefer one aspect over another constitutes some level of indicisiveness.. There is no requirement that one have a favorite. I'd argue that those who don't have a preference have a greater appreciation for the whole breadth of what the hobby covers than those who do have a preference. Not that there's anything wrong with having one either. But I think your assumption fails to understand that many of us appreciate the hobby and all of its possibilities holistically.
> 
> These polls are also not statistically valid, because there is no control over your sample. How many people who don't have a strong preference rolled their eyes at the poll and simply didn't participate. Ji hadn't voted until a few minutes ago. So you have no way of knowing whether your "other" category is under-represented.


I started a poll so I could get a better understanding of the hobby. Even though the poll was not a well thought out one, after all what would a newcomer know, it did give some insight. Even your critical analysis of the poll helped me to understand the hobby better. So, 'thank you for your response'.


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## sjm9911 (Dec 20, 2012)

It is what it is, a poll. You get out of it what you want to. Some are more passionate about the hobby then others. And TBH, dosen't matter what aspects you like best, as we all have an intrest in it. So ,the poll, while not technically a correct slice of the population, its good enough for some. The main thing is have fun doing what makes it fun for you. There is no wrong way to have a hobby.


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