The Howard Zane video? I've watched it, and let me tell you, it may be, ahem, HO, but wow, what a piece of work his layout is! Just stunning!
You can't read the article unless you are a WSJ subscriber, but there is an associated video that can be viewed by anyone by clicking on the videos link at the top of the page. It's worth it.
I have figured out what is wrong with my brain! On the left side nothing works right, and on the right side there is nothing left!
I couldn't read the whole linked article, a "tag" said you have to be a subsciber.
No matter, I get the gist of it. Personally I'm pretty optimistic about the survival of the hobby. At every big train show I go to I see quite a few young families, all quite interested in what they're seeing and quite engaged, so I'm sure some of it's bound to stick. And of course, taking the family to a train show is probably a hell of a lot cheaper than going to the movies or a ball game!
Then again, there's the shows I go to where I'm "The Kid" at 62!
I'm in my 30s know a quite a few people my age into trains - real & model. One thing I have noticed is most of the people I know who are into models are with HO & N. The main reason they state is the price of O Gauge
Chris
Check out my train photography FB page - https://www.facebook.com/EasternRailsPhotography/
or Flickr - https://www.flickr.com/photos/cesposito2035/
Surprisingly, the front page of today's Wall Street Journal includes an article by James R. Hagerty titled " As Model Trains Near Line's End, Aging Hobbyists Trundle On". The prime focus of the article is the struggle to find new "platform" for a once popular pastime and participants continue to age. Hopefully the following link will allow you to read the article online.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/end-of-the-line-for-model-trains-aging-hobbyists-trundle-on-1455157546
Makes me feel good to be in a group where the average age is ONLY 64.
Have a great day,
swede
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