Re: PC: PCHS and Bi-Annual Vol. 1?

["Christopher J. May" <csa4ever@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Very well said! I can go to the next level, below twenty-somethings...as
I am 17. I don't ever recall seeing a a PC locomotive still in PC paint.
The only PC paint I have seen is all super-weathered, barely
recognizable, gons, etc. I got interested in the PC after reading the
bokk, The Fallen Colossus, by Robert Sobel. It was a fascinating book,
and led me to seek out more about the PC. I am in the process of
building a model railroad at the moment, that is partially based on the
PC. (It's free-lanced, but strongly resembles the PC in many respects.)
Well said again, Christian!

Christopher J. May

csa4ever -AT- ameritech.net


Christian Axsiom wrote:
> 
>         First of all, I would be interested in a PC historical society as well.
>         Regarding Evan Ferarri's comment comment about being twenty and his
> question being "stupid" brought something to mind that I've been thinking
> about for a while.  I don't want to anger any older folks out there, but I
> think at times there's a bit too much of an older slant to rail hobbies.  I
> don't think Evan should have to apologize for being young.  I'm 26, so my
> memories of PC diesels are only very faint recollections.  Nevertheless, I
> like PC because I connect it with carefree childhood years -- just like
> those guys who pine over steam locos and diesels in 1950s paint.  They
> probably wouldn't guess that someone could view the early 70s as carefree
> times (Of course they weren't carefree if you were in Vietnam, just like
> the 50s weren't if you were, say, black and in Alabama.), but for me it was
> all jade green boxcars, autoracks you could actually see the cars on,
> waving to brakemen in cabooses, and playing with my Lionels. (I still like
> Lionel, and I'd love to find a PC GP7, although I just bought a Chessie
> GP20 and I can't really afford another locomotive right now.)
>         So I wonder how many of us twentysomething railfans, PC or not, are out
> there.  (Now here's my complaint ...) I here about people worrying over the
> future of railroad hobbies, but have you noticed what mags like Classic Toy
> Trains are doing lately?  There's no more Roland LaVoie saying you can
> build a Lionel layout with used stuff on the cheap, and they rarely show
> 70s-era Lionel stuff.  They want you to spend hundreds of bucks on the
> latest scale locomotive that you need a basement to even run.  That's fine
> if you can afford it and you like that stuff, but just about everything
> they feature is postwar stuff if it isn't new and expensive.  Then they do
> articles on Lionel sales techniques or executives, and one recent layout
> featured a guy who'd named his layout's big mountain after Rush Limbaugh.
> Other featured layout owners are company presidents or even Frank Sinatra.
> It all seems to me like its geared toward REALLY well-off, conservative,
> middle-aged businessmen.  I know, these people are probably spending the
> most money in the hobby right now, but I think there must be other people
> of various ages and viewpoints out there.  I'd really love to see what some
> younger people are doing -- perhaps some people who aren't so entrenched in
> business or conservative politics -- people who might take the hobby into
> the future when everyone else is gone.
>         I know most of you on this list are probably not Lionel fans, and some may
> not share my reading of what's going on, but I wondered what you all think.
>  As PC fans, we seem to care about the eras other people don't, and letters
> like Bob Rothrock's on March 5th seem to indicate that there are people who
> grew up in the 50s who have a very different point of view than what we
> typically here about.  I've really enjoyed reading the alternate history
> stuff that's been on the listserv, and I think that material really
> indicates that rail hobbies don't have to stagnate. They don't have to be
> stuck in "untroubled" 1950s (or other) nostalgia.  I applaud any young
> people who are interested in railroads and anyone who is into PC or
> railroading in the 60s and 70s.  I hope our visibility and our ability to
> get some people to better serve our interests will grow.  There are no
> stupid questions, and no one should have to apologize for being younger.
>         So, any other younger folks, younger-at-heart folks, Lionel fans
> (especially early 70s), etc. out there in PCyberspace?
> 
> P.S.  The fact that this list is at smellycat.com gives me great hope for
> the future.  All together now ..."WHAT ARE THEY FEEDING YOU???"
> 
> At 05:14 PM 4/6/98 -0700, you wrote:
> >
> >Historical Society, I would love to be a memeber.
> >
> >Also i know this is probably a stupid question but I am only 20 and wasn't
> >even born when the PC was around.
> >
> >I have PC Bi-Annual Vol. 2.  Is there a volume 1?
> >If there is, how do I get it?
> >
> >Thanks,
> >evan
> >
> >