Non-Robotic Related Hobbies

[Madison]

Originally Posted by jwallace15

Look at mine...
Not as spectacular, but I've worked hard on it since I was about 7. I put it away for a few years, but as of 2010 I set it back up and starting collecting again!

The one on the link you gave is HO scale, which is very small. I find that larger O-Gauge trains are more fun, in that they have more detail. Most train sets showcase older times in America. I focused on the modern era of railroading. There is a NASCAR track on the left table surrounded by light poles. The light poles each have 1 functioning light thata illuminate the track. There is a clock, caution light, and green light on one tower (if you are a racing fan you would understand). Some have lights used for the train platform (the innermost loop). There is also a binary switch controlling 3 additional lights which illuminate the opposite side of said train platform. I also took the speakers from an old toy (an electronic piano keyboard) and soldered then to wires for a 3.5mm jack (a.k.a. a headphone slot) so I can play iPod music over loudspeakers. My main "Board", as I call it, contains over 40 terminals (although not all are used), 2 main breakers (which I use as control switches for all accesories and for the power to the track), a keyed ignition (for the track power ), a switch for the stadium lights, and 2 emergency stop buttons (one is on the opposite side of the table) that shut off all 18 VAC circuits (there is also a 12 VDC transformer from my old PC as well as 3 AA's for LED's).

The locomotive is a GE-9-44CW (also known as a DASH-9). A photo of the actual locomotive can be found here. The rail line is BNSF, based around the northwestern United States. I have 2 other locomotives- an EMD GP38-2 from Santa Fe (almost the entire western USA. Mine is a different paint scheme) and a 2-8-4 Berkshire Steam Locomotive, although I don't use the Berkshire much.

Sorry for the novel-post, but I'm just a train nut!!!

Cool! I grew up with model trains and even worked at a hobby shop for awhile selling them. In addition to my dad's HO trains from when he was a kid and my brother's Lionel trains, I have my own collection of N scale equipment -- probably about 20-30 locomotives of varied sorts (N&W J, D&H PA1 A-A set, NKP GP35, UP E8 A-B-B-A, among others) and a few dozen freight and passenger cars. Before I moved to Seattle, I was working on a 12' x 12' two-level N scale set that focused on switching operations.

I live in an apartment now so my trains sit in boxes at home, but I've been thinking about building a small layout in N or Z scale in my spare bedroom.

So, since I've come this far -- in addition to liking model trains a lot, I also like some other things.

- I love karaoke. I am not a great singer (or maybe not even a good one), but karaoke is a blast. I'm usually pretty shy, but I'm totally fine with singing in front of strangers.

- I love theme parks and roller coasters. I've been on about 160 different roller coasters to date and am going to Disneyland and Magic Mountain in a few weeks to catch a few more.

- I have a lot of shoes.

- I like to DJ parties

- I play a fair bit of League of Legends and DotA 2.