Model Railroading: Fun for Little and Big Kids!

One of my first memories was watching my dad unpack a new train set he just bought. He set it all out on a shelf and warned us not to touch it as it wasn't a toy. Then he brought in a large piece of plywood and we all got to help plan out track and scenery and it became a great family project!

We never did get to run that train although I remember the joy on my dad's face as he ran it. Now its my turn. I have a 9 year old boy and my husband, son, daughter and myself added on to the set that Santa brought. Every time I go into the playroom my son has a whole story line going on. He'll watch a documentary in the background and act it out on his layout. Using the same or similar locomotives and cars and rearranging the buildings and creating mountains with crumpled paper, or a farm with his sisters animals. Its amazing to watch. My favourite is when my husband brings in one of the trains that his father used to run and the two of them are lost in that world of imagination and creativity.

This is one of the sets my son bought with Christmas and birthday money. (I did chip in a bit)

Over the last five years many of the old model railroaders have passed on or just cannot carry on the hobby and the hobby industry started panicking about how there will be no one to sell model railroading too. I have to say, that's not what I am seeing at our Chinook & Hobby West stores (address' at the bottom of this blog).

I get to see adults and kids everyday and the wonder in their eyes as they see the big G scale run around our stores. The beginner sets we have in HO and N are great to start into as you can set them up on the kitchen table to start with. There are Model Railroading shows throughout the world on a regular basis.  Supertrain 2012 is this April 21 & 22 (http://www.supertrain.ca) and is Canada's largest train show with layouts, classes, clinics and vendors to help you find and satisfy your train bug.

Lately with shows like The Big Bang Theory, we see young adults getting into the excitement of the model railroading hobby.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jCNrs23r4DA here is the clip to enjoy!

So, come on down and see us here at Chinook & Hobby West and let us help YOU find the fun!

South Store:
5011 MacLeod Tr. SW
Calgary, AB   T2G 0A9
ph- 1-877-525-5785
hobbywest@shaw.ca


North Store:
2604- 4th St. NW
Calgary, AB   T2G 0A9
ph - 403-984-3438
hobbywest@gmail.com

Have You Lost Your Sense of Wonder?

     Today I was asked the question, "When was the last time you felt a sense of wonder?". I can honestly say I get to see it every day. I get to see it at home through the eyes of my 6 and 9 year old kids. I love seeing it in our store when a customer comes in and notices the G scale train running around above their heads. To see the kids as they notice the Star Wars movie playing in our toy section and my favourite, to see someone get inspired by one of the dioramas or models we have on display around the store.

At both our North and South store you can see a unique G scale train travelling above your head!

At our South Store you can see this 6 ft. Star Destroyer that is an exact scale replica of the one they used in the Star Wars movie "A New Hope".

When was the last time you felt that sense of wonder? The 'Wow is that cool!' or 'I remember that when I was a kid!'. I asked a few people how they might rekindle their sense of wonder.

1. Look at your next task through the eyes of  a child.
2. Make a list of your favourite things you did/built/played with as a child. Pick something off the list and do it. (look up at the clouds and find shapes for example)
3. Take a different route to work, if you can't then make it a point to notice something different every time you stop at a traffic light. (maybe the grass is turning green or there are more potholes)
4. Forget your cell phone at home and walk around your neighbourhood.

Its amazing how much stress dissolves and what great memories are made when you rediscover your sense of wonder. We look forward to you coming down and experiencing the wonder for yourselves!

Let us know what you did!

Val