Me being interviewed for Mainline China about MRR'ing

[rsn48]

I was volunteering at the train show in Greater Vancouver when a chap with a microphone and a camera man appeared.  Most everyone organizing the show "disappeared" so I was dragged over to be interviewed by this chap for news in Mainland China.  I didn't know there were so many english speaking Chinese model railroaders on the mainland?

Anyways, the interviewer billed me as one of the organizers of the show, I am not; but apparently I'm slower on my feet than the organizers were....lol! 

So I'm Rick Nicholson and you'll see and hear me talking about the hobby.  For some reason the interviewer wanted me to talk about how expensive the hobby is and kept returning to the money issue, so I had a little fun with him: [This video was never shown anywhere in North America]

http://www.cncworld.tv/news/v_show/29375_Model_Train_Show_in_Vancouver.shtml

[ljudice]

Excellent job Rick!

There are three types of model railroaders - and then of course there's Railwire members....

[up1950s]

Cool how you put those elitist white ball whackers on the financially silly shelf where they belong . Model railroaders don't have to wear expensive shoes with cute little bows or tassels to look the part . Nor do we take up acres and acres of property that would be better served as parks , housing , and hobby shops .

[kalbert]

Nice work sir, tell it like it is and have a little fun!

[packers#1]

Priceless 

[elnscale]

Cool how you put those elitist white ball whackers on the financially silly shelf where they belong

Richie,

I think that's a pretty ignorant comment.

I believe you do fantastic modelling work. I'm not sure your analysis here fits the same definition of a quality product. At least not in my book.

I am what you would call a white ball whacker. I am not elitist, never have been, never will be.

I enjoy model railroading, when I have time. I enjoy white ball whacking when I have time and when it's not snowing here in Michigan (the State with the second most white ball whacking facilities after Florida). Enjoy walking the dog too. That gets me relief from the onslaught of white ball whacker haters.

Sorry for momentarily hijacking the thread, Rick. No back to the video.
Steve

[Bremner]

hey, there are a$$hat white ball whackers too

[Kisatchie]

...I am what you would call a white ball whacker. I am not elitist, never have been, never will be...

Hmm... I prefer to whack
orange balls...

[Bremner]

Hmm... I prefer to whack
orange balls...

do you like to wack balls like this?

[Kisatchie]

do you like to wack balls like this?

Hmm... make that martini
a banana daiquiri, and I'll
whack anything...

[Rossford Yard]

Actually, I am a golfer, and even in the golf biz, but that didn't upset me too much.  And golf is similar in that we worry we are catering too much to the well heeled middle age guys to max out current profits, without growing the game.

I understand both passions.  I might be buried with both a locomotive and golf club..... At the end of the day, (or life) they both produce some great memories.  Only model railroading leaves something for your next of kin to tear down......

Funny, someone asked me the other day what my lifetime spending on MRR was, and I ventured the same $100K, and I hate to say it, but it might be double that over 53 years.

Overall, that was a pretty sympathetic look at the MR hobby. Wish there were better visuals! (The trains, not the interviewee....)

[rsn48]

Well if I dropped 50 pounds that would improve the visuals... lol!

[up1950s]

I figured that would have raised more comments of hate towards me than it did . I was going to soften the post but I decided to have some fun . I am smiling right now . Yes I have played golf on base at Barbers Point a couple of times . Kinda felt as if I was in a un-rushed private bubble , till the better play threw wishers caught up to us . I was at least double par , but I got up at bat more then most others .

[kornellred]

Any leisure activity that involves great enjoyment is bound to be expensive - not just model railroading and golf.  Mr. Nicholson might have had a hidden motive for selecting golf as his point of comparison - or maybe not.  The fact is that many golfers are downright fanatical in their enthusiasm for the game.  What really distinguishes model railroading as a hobby from the game of golf is that model railroading just keeps getting better.  Golfers hit a peak pretty early in their endeavors.

[packers#1]

At the end of the day, (or life) they both produce some great memories.  Only model railroading leaves something for your next of kin to tear down......

Great shot