Trix are for (older) kids

As my first official post to this 'blog', I hope to share with others my interest and thoughts on this very strange hobby called 'model railroading'. I really don't like the term given all the baggage that 'train nuts' tend to unfortunately give to the rest of the world for this particular hobby, and I suppose I must include myself amongst that strange group of people.

Be that as it may, its a fun hobby, and one involving a lot more creativity and novelty than many of the others that I have dabbled in over the years.

Anyway, what's so special about this blog in particular? Well, through an interesting chain of events, I seem to have become a European N Scale modeler (or is it 9mm?) who lives in the far upper left hand corner of the USA. Needless to say, European N scale is NOT the easiest sort of thing to find on the shelves of the Local Hobby Store (LHS as I've seen folks refer to them). Athearn, Lionel, MTH, Bachmann, Atlas, etc... we have our fill (as is right and correct). But Trix (or Minitrix as I prefer), Fleischmann, Roco, Brawa, or Mehano? You would never know they exist but for the internet and a few, interesting, special pockets on the North American continent where these things are pursued.

It would be much easier if I could actually read German, since that community seems to have a lot of web resources dedicated to the hobby, and even for my English speaking peers in the UK, there is some more recognition of the brands and their products from 'the continent', but for a yank like myself, its difficult to find current information and helfpul tips, and just plain old ideas about this hobby, and my strange niche of the hobby, which is the point and purpose of this little blog.

I hope that you find it interesting, and I hope that you'll have something to share as well.