Trains and Planes

[DeeDee]

An observation that has been made by myself and a few girls I know is that a lot of us seem somehow interested in railroad and/or aviation things. In my small group (25 ladies) it seems at least 5 are pilots (active or not). I remember in my childhood having a large RR layout and later in my 40s also....I still have a lot of the HO stuff. A number of girls I know now are very much into trains. We've asked at meetings and such, and the reaction has been that, yes, a lot (maybe 40% by our unofficial and un-scientific research) are.
Just an off-the-wall thread, wondering how many here have similar interests. BTW, a pilots license never expires, just the physical...so keep your heads down DeeDee

[Anita]

Hi Dee-Dee--
I've always been a train buff, and had an American Flyer layout for about 8 years. I got it just before I turned six--pretty young for electricity, but my dad showed me how to handle it all. I was already tired of wind-up trains.

If I had more time, I'd be out there photographing Union Pacific diesels like the other guys on the railroad forum where I go. Which reminds me: a month or so ago, they had a post there that mentioned a guy who would go into the restroom on a particular commuter train, and a while later--voila! come out as a girl. This was on the East coast.

Now, I wonder: was that one of us here? And how many of us are over "there" on my railroad forum?

[Kendra Lynn]

Hello: I've noticed this to a small degree as well-- I've run into several train/model train/ streetcar entghusiasts in the "t" community. Unfortunately the HO train my father purchased for me 40 years ago was never set up and now resides with a cousin just outside Baltimore. I was sad to let that go, but do not have the expertise, knowledge, or space to set up a model train layout. (I have a one bedroom apartment).
I am a regular AMTRAK customer (I do not drive) and have been a streetcar fan ever since as a child I rode streetcars in Baltimore during family trips to visit relatives.
I wish streetcars would come back ("light rail" vehicles just don't have the same aesthetic appeal.).
Cartoonists Bill Griffith (Zippy the Pinhead) and Robert Crumb are also streetcar fans.
Incidentally I wore a femme cheerleader outfit on AMTRAK from Washington, D.C. to NY (for the peace march) and from D.C. to Baltimore (to attend "HONFEST"). The AMTRAK staff didn't seem to care, although there may have been a few interesting looks from fellow passengers. This does tell me that if not supportive, AMTRAK at the very least will tolerate CD's. (there was no way I could "change" upon arrival at either event, so I decided to travel "en cheerleader.")
Are there other streetcar fans on this list?
Peace-- Kendra Lynn

[Absaroka]

No to street cars but I love trains and ships.

I think I have posted this before. A fascination with trains and ships is left from my childhood. I am wondering if this along with cding which began also in my childhood is just a sign that I managed to keep hold of aspects of my childhood more than many. A fasscination with lingerie in particular seems pretty normal at a certain age in a boys life.

In the 70's this was known in a rather positive way as getting in touch with your inner child. I have never felt like I lost touch with my inner child although occaisionally I wonder about my inner adult and where it is.....

The Jungian types might say that these are all means of transportation and this has something to do with the journey we are on as Virginia likes to call it.

Any speculation on other possible reasons for the connection?

Anita what is yoru rail website?

Absaroka

[Jeannie]

I loved train sets when I was kid. I also love machines since I'm a printer and they do such amazing things. There is a great movie called"The Station Agent" with trians as a backdrop. It is a story of friendship,tolerance and caring. It's very good. My Father who died last year had another prtiner friend Red who was a linotype mechanic and machinist. He always loved to fly and built his own plane. He and my Dad were friends for 70 years.
When my Dad died at 91 I called Red the next day and said' Red. Louie died yesterday" He said "I can't believe it. He was in such good shape" I told him I'd call with the details but it never happened. His son Ken came in my shop the next day and said" My father died last night" Red was also 91 and in great shape.
My rent a daughter Fabrizia said her mother always said that when a very old person dies they take their best friend with them. How sweet is that?


Love
Jeannie

PS. I had a linotype parts book manual from 1915 in mint condition and had a 2x3 gold plack engraved with"In loving memory of Hebert"Red" Bullock and gave it to his son at the buriel. He and my Dad were the last of a dying breed. The Greatest Generation with unparalled work ethic and not consumed with the quest for money,power and materialism. My Dad worked with me in the shop on the last day of his life and went swimming across the street at The Boys Clubs as he did 5 days a week. He learned to swim at 73 . He said"Ill be back in a hour" but that was the last time I say him alive. I ran over and took over CPR from the life guard which I learned in The Coast Guard but he was gone. That is a very rough image for me to think of. I try not to go there often. My masscara runs. He had a massive heart attack and died in the pool. We worked together for the last forty years and I really miss him. He was a great guy. I had to wait to come out after he died because I think it would of been upsetting for him and I didn't want him to go to his grave feeling badly about me.It's just not the same in our shop anymore without him. Hugs

[Merinda]

My son and I are out and about photoing and filming trains almost every weekend.

[Virginia]

Leslie,
I think you are more correct than a lot of us realize. Yes we are of above average intelligence and I think that has been proven, we are very inqusitive. We want to know what "makes us tick" and we want to know what "society" thinks is just so "bad" about us and we would like to be accepted. So we "study" about the whys and wherefores of it all.
We seem to also have a very wide variety of interests as expressed by the various responses throughout the whole forum and the vocations that we hold are sooooo varied.
I think it is wonderful!
Love you all!
Virginia

[Connie]

Trains and CDing? Wow does that mean my brother might wear women's clothes?

[DonnaT]

Ask him if he knows trains are for trannies.

[Connie]

Ask him if he knows trains are for trannies.

I'd probably ask him if trainnes are for trannies (it makes a nice anagram).

Does anyone know if the "seriousness' of one's train interest has any affect on being CD? Like, maybe a rail-fan just wears bra and panties but a train-spotter gets fully dressed?

Inquiring minds want to know.

-Connie

[Grace]

I was into electric trains as a kid, so the trend holds. More interesting to me, though, is that my dad was into trains almost fanatically-- he tuned into them on the scanner, and would often videotape them coming out of various tunnels. He always loved steam locomotives especially.

The conjecture that maybe there is a connection triggers this thought: he is extremely anti-CD, as evidenced by his reaction to people cross-dressing in TV shows. As Shakespeare once said, "Methinks the lady doth protest too much," meaning that maybe the protest was a cover. I wonder. Anyway, I never told him, or my mom, about my CDing, and he is in the senile dementia end of his life (not bad, though, for a 95-year-old), so there's no point bringing it up now.

But I wonder.

By the way, I'm a pilot, and have been flying for 40 years. I also jumped freight trains during my college years (not recommended).

Grace

[DeeDee]

Well, I have heard that these interests, which can be considered "macho", are a way to compensate for our feminine leanings. I don't think so. As has been said, we are more inquesitive and perhaps a bit more adventursome than most. Besides, it is always good to have hobbies and other interests, which these are. Sure beats being a couch potato.
DeeDee

[Becky]

had several toy trains in younger years, and loved model airplanes- aircraft carriers that sort of thing. If only to be a stewardess!

[Darth_Wolfenbarg]

Wow.... trains...

I always wanted a trainset when I was a kid. Does that count? I'm into planes though.

[Bernice]

Another pilot here... Never got that far into trains, but there may be some HO lying in storage. I prefer Amtrak to scheduled airlines, but that is mostly the fault of the TSA. Also a motorcyclist, and photographer, and electronics nut (ham radio and extreme Hi Fi).

Inquisitiveness? Indeed perhaps that's the common denominator!

Hugs,

Bernice