Trains in review 2012.
So before 2012 I had no interest in trains whatsoever. They were an invisble part of our everyday world. Then thanks to the best video game in the world Train Simulator 2012 now free upgrade to 2013 on Steam it's a growing interest of mine. I'm patricuarly fond of the kintetsu tokyu and kyuko as I use this line for work and I like the trains. Also steam trains are a thing beauty. The few that exist back home in the UK.
Before this year trains were just a mundane mode of transport to get from A to B and ocassionally C. Now I feel I've unlocked a new world of hobby and enthusiasm. Far from the level of memorising train routes and collecting time tables I've found an interest in the miniature side of the hobby. N Guage is a very small scale that would fit a track circuit on a few boards. Smaller than a gaming table. A quarter the size even.
I have made quite a few videos for you tube this year of either trains at tsu shinmachi station or Exeter and me driving the train sim in character. I have quite a few subscribers to my channel now, mainly RPG people but even they have watched my train vids and said they didn't know what it was about them but they found themselves strangely drawn in and relaxing.
Sad as it may sound I'm not ashamed of this interest and find it quite intriguing. In fact I was just in the Tamiya shop an hour ago buying some grass, rice fields and scenery (a nice waterfall) for my gaming board when I mentioned I was getting interested in trains. The lady running the shop launched in to this very inticing sales pitch about how inexpensive it was 10,000 en for a decent looking train and another 18,000 en for a starter train set. Not complicated, an 8 year old could put a set together. I thought, ay up, I've been here before in GW but with Orcs and Goblins. The staff getting all excited about my wallet each payday. The only difference being I actually thought the prices for the stuff were in line with peoples wages and not a heinous rip off and not something we would have to feel guilty forking out for. I mean the white council as MiJ said is a little steep even if does look great in the film.
Anyway it was all very convinving and I thought to myself thank you Japan you have the prices for the hobbyists all worked out don't you, in line with what a worker may receive as his/her allowance each month. You could build a full set in about 6 months I reckon. Similar to what you may spend on a brand new wargames army.
But what do you do with it once it's built?
Well there are people who try and run their trains to schedule and have a lot of fun with that but really I believe it's the zen of making the scene. The diorama and the attention to details is something to be cherished.
With all the other projects on the go. Well only one actually. English Civil War. I doubt if I'll make a train set next year but it's defintely something for the future. A dream. As Lovejoy once correctly pointed out "Trains, that's the future".
Ash, starship Kintestu signing off.