Oh Well, it's a way to meet men, I suppose

[erastes]

I'd been attempting to research model trains for weeks in a half hearted fashion.  In the end I took gehayi's advice and decided to find a Group somewhere and ask for help, like I did with Transgressions and the English Civil War.

So I joined this model train Yahoo Group and nervously introduced myself, and surprise surprise, the 400 members are all men, as far as I can see.  I had a nice warm welcome with a TON of detailed information that left me spinning and then suddenly someone said: I wonder if anyone else checked the web site to see the nature of Erastes writings ?? Is he looking for a special link between the model railway hobby and a fashionable alternative lifestyle choice, or is there some genuine interest in model railways ??

I replied professionally and calmly and tried not to get angry about "fashionable alternative lifestyle choice" and assured them I was truly only interested in their trains. Plus, I added, Junction X is based in 1962, and homosexuality wasn't fashionable. Or a lifestyle.  It was fear.

My web hits went slightly mad for an hour or two while all the train geeks rushed to look at the mucky website.

Then a lot of other train geeks went and stood up for me, in a very reasonable and liberal manner.  I squirmed in my seat quite unnecessarily.  They applauded me for wanting to get the details right and they say that it will be a different view of the train collector/modeller than the rather odd serial murderer image that they usually get.

So, basically - they'd rather be portrayed as sexy gay blokes than sad blokes who wear anoraks and live with their mothers!  *giggles*

Comments

[inell.livejournal.com]

So, basically - they'd rather be portrayed as sexy gay blokes than sad blokes who wear anoraks and live with their mothers! *giggles*

Hee! *HUGS* This made me smile :D

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Well, who wouldn't, basically?

And thanks hun. I attempt to entertain!

xxx

*flails at Lucius icon* I see so little of him, these days.

[fleurrochard]

Heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeh!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

:)

[semioticwarrior.livejournal.com]

HAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!! That's awesome!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

They are rather a nice group, all in all

:)

[maidenform.livejournal.com]

Who wouldn't? :D

[erastes.livejournal.com]

The funny thing is, as someone pointed out to me today, that the main character DOES live with his mother, but he is 17, so I guess we can excuse him.

*G*

[danxsunday.livejournal.com]

I find this....really rather endearing ;)

[erastes.livejournal.com]

heh me too!

[darklocket.livejournal.com]

"...and assured them I was truly only interested in their trains." :D

[erastes.livejournal.com]

and so true!

[slashpine.livejournal.com]

Oh, heee! You tell that very amusingly, and I am doubly amused by your foray into model trains and now model train hobbyists, b/c my brother was one from an early age. And OMG have you got them dead on. I was really a bit worried for you, b/c a lot of them (in any country) are very conservative, too.

My brother is in fact now a rail systems manager and well-known railroad magazine writer. (Warning: this is what that one teeny model train set under the Christmas tree can lead to!) I honestly think he was saved from utter social bigotry by the fact that of all the railfans he met as a teen, his best friend turned out to be an older guy who's gay, neither flaming nor in the closet, just a steady guy working for the railroads himself, and going home to the same man for 25 years now. Seems that over here, too, railroaders's strong values on personal rights and rationality -- and knowing a few gays who are fellow railroad workers or hobbyists -- can win out over any larger tendency to be socially reactionary.

rather be portrayed as sexy gay blokes than sad blokes who wear anoraks and live with their mothers and get featured as odd serial murderers.

*cracks up* Yep, they are a strange bunch but can be amazingly decent people. I'm tickled (and relieved) that you are having such a fun experience with them. And I am definitely looking forward to the story!

[erastes.livejournal.com]

I was almost ticked off for confusing modellers with collectors,for a start!

It's a flipping mine-field, I can see that, someone I thought it was a case of bashing a load of track down and buying a fw trains!!

They are very very helpful and all very nice, I'm very fond of them already and am pleased to be their new pet. *G*

Aw thanks about looking forward to the story, it's only the trains that are holding it up!

[eledhwenlin]

Ao, basically - they'd rather be portrayed as sexy gay blokes than sad blokes who wear anoraks and live with their mothers! *giggles*

*g*

[erastes.livejournal.com]

so cute!

[fleshdress.livejournal.com]

Eee! Brilliant! :)

[erastes.livejournal.com]

*G*

[elisa-rolle.livejournal.com]

Oh! So now I have to see to my brother like a odd serial murderer? or a sexy gay blokes? I don't know... when we were children, my brother collected model trains and we have a huge plastic for trains, with little houses, little station and little mountains around it and also a little lake... better, my brother had it, because I was not permitted to play with it. Now he is married and live in another house, but he is tormenting my mother because he wants back his model trains; they are packed in boxes in an spare room and he want to put them in sight in his new house. BTW if you try to find information, I can tell you that here in Italy we have a very old toys company (about 100 years old, I think), named LIMA, that produce beautiful model trains, for the most handmade. ciao, elisa

[erastes.livejournal.com]

heh. It was a craze that past me by. And it's confusing enough in England without using european trains!

*G*

[aunty_marion]

I was truly only interested in their trains

Oh, SURE!!! Honestly... *g* That's made my morning so far. Not so much giggling, as cackling out loud.

You do know there's a certain ...symbolism... about trains and tunnels, don't you?

[erastes.livejournal.com]

Heh. You know, I didn't even THINK about that when I started this, I can't even remember where the idea of trains came from.

Then when i first described the layout that the young man has I suddenly realised how symbolic it all was...

Oops!

*G*

[pitchblackrose.livejournal.com]

Awww... Ickle train nerds! :D

[erastes.livejournal.com]

they are all very nice chaps!

"My web hits went mad...while all the train geeks rushed to look at the mucky website"

[dubaiyan.livejournal.com]

rofl!

Re: "My web hits went mad...while all the train geeks rushed to look at the mucky website"

[erastes.livejournal.com]

*G*

[julesjones]

[fx: falls over laughing]

[erastes.livejournal.com]

the things I do for research.

I won't mention the time I dressed up as a civil war soldier...

[lyras.livejournal.com]

Ahaha, that's brilliant! How nice of (most of) them all to react like that.