# women and train modelling



## trainbuffmargaret (Sep 9, 2011)

hi marg here most of the time that i say that i am involved in modeltrain building the general reaction is total surprise is women involed in modeltrains so rare? would be interested in your thoughts on this


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

I would say that a woman doing model trains by oneself would be considered a rare thing but it seems that a wife helping their husband with the modelling and enjoying it is not as rare as several members on here have wives that help them all the time with it and enjoy it.


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

I have my layout set up in my second hand store where I'm open Fri,Sat and Sunday. It's amazing how many women of all ages come in with their husbands and get all interested in the trains. It's set up so that several people can run different trains at the same time and the women just have to try it out while the husbands usually just watch. There is also a 10 or 12 year old girl who comes in with her parents and heads straight for the trains. She gets up on a stool so she can see what's happening and runs the trains all the time her parents are shopping around the store. She loves the trains and I encourage her to try switching cars ect. It's great fun for me to see a youngster so interested in the trains and she seems to enjoy being taught how they operate. 
I see no problem with women being involved with trains on any level. I mean what the heck,we let them vote don't we? So why not run trains too. There are lots of women pilots and women race car drivers women ship captains and what have you. Lots of women engineers on trains too. So if you like it then have at it. I'd help any way I can. Pete


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

My wife is involved enough to support me in the hobby and that is about it. Although other wives in the modular club I was once a part of would do things like build the buildings, scenery, One even had her own module that was a carnaval that was next to the tracks. Her husband built her the basic module and she took over and did the rest. It eve had an N scale train that was bashed to look like a ride and it went all the way around the park. Her ideas and her build. 

I like it when I see wives get involved with the trains. It also pleases me when a young girl would come up to the display asking to run trains with us. As always with any kid I would give her a quick lesson on how the train throttle works and then let her run the engine around a lap or two.

Massey


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## minitrucker (Apr 28, 2011)

My husband has NO interest in my hobbies whatsoever he will take me to shows and humor the Grandkids cuz they like "Grannies ole stuff" Julie


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Julie what are your hobbies? My mother used to do water color painting, my sister does jewelry and an ex-girlfriend has a huge line of pottery that she sells all over the world. All like to see what I'm doing with my railroad but none ever got involved with it or the hobby. Pete


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## jzrouterman (Nov 27, 2010)

My wife has been a very big major part of my layout in different ways. She built, painted and weathered ALL of the structures. She also helped in picking them out. She painted the figures. She changed several engines' roadnames over to Rio Grande, stripes and all. I mean, they look like they were always Rio Grande. The only one that actually came as a Rio Grande is an Athearn GP35. She changed all the rest. They consist of an Atlas RS32, Athearn GP38, bachmann SD40-2 and an Athearn SW1500. She also redid the roadnames of a couple of cabooses. She's really talented. 

She also worked with the research phase of it, as she help me figure out where to locate just about everything. At one time in her life as a child she lived very close to the freight yards of St. Louis. Because of it, her knowledge and suggestions have been invaluable. She has not only suppoerted me in the hobby but she has been a major part of it from the beginning. Though she tells everyone that it's my hobby, I consider it more as being ours together, as she has been right there every step of the way.

She has recently gone into another hobby. Putting together a dollhouse kit. Plus all of the interior (furniture, wallpaper, rugs, curtains, etc.) It's been something that she always wanted to do. So, we bought her a victorian style dollhouse kit. I've helped her with different parts of the overall construction and painting phases of it, and I'll have to admit that I've really enjoyed doing so. Us both working together, be it on the trains, on the layout and on the dollhouse, it's all been a heck of a lot of fun. 

Routerman


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)




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## cabledawg (Nov 30, 2010)

Both my wife and my daughter enjoy model railroading. My wife loves the painting and craftwork for the buildings/scenery, and my daughter just loves watching the trains go 'round. Her little Thomas tank engine has sound and she'll sit at the controls and press various buttons to make him whistle, ding, chuff, grind, and whatever else is on there. My neighbors wife would also help him with his layout (I got him hooked ) and the girl down the street loves to come over and drive the trains. As mentioned before, having girls interested in trains isnt that uncommon.


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

Marge, I think it's because of the "boys play with cars, girls play with dolls" indoctrination too many of us received as children. Parents would buy their son a slot-racing set or a model train because they're manly and would prepare him for his role as breadwinner. Daughters would be given dolls and kitchen stuff---you know all about that sort of role-programming. 
As we get older and find we have a bit of spending money, it's easy to focus on what's familiar and get back into it. My girlfriend collects Raggedy Ann dolls and teddy bears, while I do the train thing. Her interest in it has allways been distant until I suggested she use the train layout as a place to do her Christmas Village stuff year-round. Now, her attitude is "What'dya mean, you don't have the track laid and wired in, yet? I want to get started on my part!" I guess it comes down to finding a way to connect to the hobby.


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## Massey (Apr 16, 2011)

If I buy my son a slot car track I better have bought my daughter a car to run on it too. if not there will be a fight. She likes her dolls ok but she loves her hot wheels and her Thomas trains.


Massey


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## Reckers (Oct 11, 2009)

That's great, Massey---let 'em go for what they like and forget the rest. By the way, my 32-year-old son is a great cook in part because I like to cook and he was interested. And I probably bought 90% of my girlfriend's bears and Annies: she loves the things, so I had to learn to be a bear and Annie aficionado. I don't know Barbie from Skipper, but I know my Raggedy Ann dolls!


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## aionta (Apr 9, 2010)

*women can do what ever they want*

My wife likes trains but she doesn't help
But she does like to help build trees with my mother-in law.


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## franko70 (Sep 29, 2011)

All the train friends I know are men. My wife likes to help every once in awhile. But it does seem that women train modelers are pretty rare...


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