Model Railroading > The lack of personal hygiene of model railroaders

The temperature is up, so is the humidity. Time for clubs to get after those members that smell, reek, have soiled clothing, and get them to bathe, brush their teeth, use deodorant, and wash their clothes. I have been to a couple shows and some open houses lately and some people just smell horrible. Guys, and in some cases gals, smelling like old urine and fecal is gross and there is no need for it.
If money is tight, don't buy another freight car, buy soap, shampoo, tooth paste, tooth brush, and laundry detergent.
Smelling of body odor from not bathing for a few days, not wiping properly after using the rest room is inexcusable.
No one is asking you to bath every five minutes, just ounce a day, preferably before coming to the club or show.
And for clubs to allow this type of behavior while having a open house is just sad. Remember, you have to smell them too.
And those that open your home layouts for tours you may want to give it some thought also.

Once I saw this thread by you, Deja Vu set in and I did a search and you posted this exact thread almost a year ago to this day.

<http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?3,2236871,2236871#msg-2236871&gt;


Bruce

I think if they are adults and still smell, the time for them to have made changes and seen the light are long gone. This comes up from time to time and after working with the public for 21 years, there really isn't a way to change these people. It is how they are and how they think.

This thread is perfectly insane.

needles_sub Wrote:
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> The temperature is up, so is the humidity. Time
> for clubs to get after those members that smell,
> reek, have soiled clothing, and get them to bathe,
> brush their teeth, use deodorant, and wash their
> clothes. I have been to a couple shows and some
> open houses lately and some people just smell
> horrible. Guys, and in some cases gals, smelling
> like old urine and fecal is gross and there is no
> need for it.
> If money is tight, don't buy another freight car,
> buy soap, shampoo, tooth paste, tooth brush, and
> laundry detergent.
> Smelling of body odor from not bathing for a few
> days, not wiping properly after using the rest
> room is inexcusable.
> No one is asking you to bath every five minutes,
> just ounce a day, preferably before coming to the
> club or show.
> And for clubs to allow this type of behavior while
> having a open house is just sad. Remember, you
> have to smell them too.
> And those that open your home layouts for tours
> you may want to give it some thought also.

Yeah, I wanna see the reaction you get the first time YOU try to tell somebody they can't go in because they stink.

aehouse Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This thread is perfectly insane.


lɹɯ ˙ɹɯ

Dude....seriously?

Posted from Android

Newman Wrote:
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> Dude....seriously?
>
> Posted from Android


Having been around some persons at a train show last weekend that could have caused paint to peel off the walls, yes.

brfriedm Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Once I saw this thread by you, Deja Vu set in and
> I did a search and you posted this exact thread
> almost a year ago to this day.
>
>
>
>
> Bruce


Yes I did. I guess you might say the idea to post again hit me, or enveloped me last weekend at a train show.

Years ago, there was a very famous model railroader whose layout was often featured in the mags, and I understand he had the same problem... He got so wrapped-up in his hobby he forgot the niceties...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

PHall Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> needles_sub Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The temperature is up, so is the humidity. Time
> > for clubs to get after those members that
> smell,
> > reek, have soiled clothing, and get them to
> bathe,
> > brush their teeth, use deodorant, and wash
> their
> > clothes. I have been to a couple shows and some
> > open houses lately and some people just smell
> > horrible. Guys, and in some cases gals,
> smelling
> > like old urine and fecal is gross and there is
> no
> > need for it.
> > If money is tight, don't buy another freight
> car,
> > buy soap, shampoo, tooth paste, tooth brush,
> and
> > laundry detergent.
> > Smelling of body odor from not bathing for a
> few
> > days, not wiping properly after using the rest
> > room is inexcusable.
> > No one is asking you to bath every five
> minutes,
> > just ounce a day, preferably before coming to
> the
> > club or show.
> > And for clubs to allow this type of behavior
> while
> > having a open house is just sad. Remember, you
> > have to smell them too.
> > And those that open your home layouts for tours
> > you may want to give it some thought also.
>
> Yeah, I wanna see the reaction you get the first
> time YOU try to tell somebody they can't go in
> because they stink.


Well I did. The person I talked to became very upset and did not feel the need to bathe more than three times a week. I'm pretty sure I'm off his Christmas list.

Same can be said of railfans as well, not just model railroaders!!!

It isn't just modelers with that problem. There was a well known member of an NRHS chapter in Florida who was infamous for it. If you were cooped up in a coach on an excursion and he happened to pass through, it was a good 3-4 minutes after he walked by before the air was breathable again. Even outside, you had to give him a wide berth. Once, he talked another member into sharing a hotel room by phone before a convention and the roommate threw him out once they got into the room. He wore the same suit, shirt and tie for months.

I also knew a man who owned a steam locomotive who had the same habits. It got so bad that I told him to take a shower once which he did but soon the smell was back.

John Allen? I heard that before but wasn't sure it was true.

MojaveBill Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Years ago, there was a very famous model
> railroader whose layout was often featured in the
> mags, and I understand he had the same problem...
> He got so wrapped-up in his hobby he forgot the
> niceties...

My club guys are fine. Who you hanging out with?

Sniff. Sniff. This whole thread stinks.

Posted from Android

Working in a service-oriented industry that puts me in a half-dozen or more homes per day, I can tell you that this is a society-wide issue. It is not unique to those in this hobby. Walk the aisles at Wal-Mart on any given day of he week, or the halls of your favorite local university and you will run into the same issue. Filth and neglect have no economic or social boundaries, to such a degree that you tend to remeber the clean ones more.

-Ryan

Luckily I haven't come across too many model railroaders or railfans like that, not more than you see in society in general.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

This isn't something that is limited to USA - it comes up on threads in forums in UK all the time, particularly about shows.

While I'm sure it isn't limited to model railroaders, I've run into the same problem at the large Ancaster, Ontario show.

Some of you may think this is a topic not worth discussing but it's definitely an issue. Perhaps some of those hygenically-challenged folks might be TO members AND get the hint.

Personally, I time my yearly shower to coincide with the day before the show...

:)