Happy New Year! A little rantette(?)

[thor]

Even though I've only been here for a short time I've really enjoyed reading the posts and learning a lot and it makes me feel a lot happier about our hobbys future because of the broad range of input which has been unfailingly helpful, polite and generally upbeat.

Now for the rant bit!

What IS these guys problem? I won't mention any names but I live in Woodhaven, Queens, NY and when the bug re-bit - about two months ago - I went off in search of some trains.

The person I wanted to get them for apart from myself, is a three year old girl, who has seen a ton of Thomas stories on TV and who has shown a huge interest in my various train related, books, magazines, catalogues and InterNet searches, sensible child!

Now I knew that if this devious plan was going to work the trains had to be something that I would want to play with AND they had to be tough enough to stand up to her. The former meant that the BRIO type stuff wouldnt cut it because not only is it too much money for what it is, quite frankly my creaky old self isn't up to prolonged hands and knees action and anyway pushing the train along doesnt cut it. The latter requirement meant that whatever it was had to be (as well as) powered, simple, tough and fun to play with which means you have to be able to put things into wagons.
Space was a problem too.

What I really wanted isnt around anymore my son loved his Playmobil railway they used to make a road/rail system that was battery powered and used clever plastic clips that controlled cars and trains. It was a nice price too but they discontinued it.

Anyway I had a pretty good idea of what would fit the bill but I went around the various retail outlets including FAO Schwarz, Toys'R'Us, various toy stores and hobby stores and what I was told was that modern kids arent interested in trains anymore! Variations on this were delivered to me by all the above.

Wait - it gets better. So I went to a big local store that is well known as a major Lionel dealer and sells almost nothing but trains and there in the entrance was a Thomas BRIO type display table swarming with little boys and their dads all playing with it. At the back of the store one wall was full of more of the Thomas stuff and it was moving out at a good rate as dads bought what they had just seen and played with. Its not cheap either.

Now I've been in and out of this particular store for twenty years so by way of conversation I mentioned to one of the salesmen "Thank heavens for Thomas, he's probably keeping our hobby afloat" to which the man replied "Oh THAT! To be honest I think its a waste of space and anyway its not really anything to do with the hobby, is it?"

"Are you nuts!" - I thought. Quite apart from the hundreds of dollars worth of sales I've been watching go out the door, its a dead cert that at least a percentage of these folks will be back for more and more and gradually they'll make the transition to scale and then they're hooked.

At FAO Schwarz (a famous New York upscale toy shop) their train stuff was tucked away into a hidden corner, not a display anywhere. At Toys'R'Us they could hardly be bothered to point out what aisle it was to be found at and last and worst of all the two small hobby shops (who you would have thought would absolutely depend on something that customers can be relied upon to keep coming back for more of), had a gloom and doom attitude that would turn off all except the most hardy. Just try getting them to actually show you anything.

Frankly I fnd this *** annoying and it makes no sense at all to me. Is there some kind of movement that I'm unaware of to actively suppress model railways? LEGO in North America behaves as though trains are really a nuisance they only carry to do us a favor and yet abroad LEGO sells a much wider range of train stuff.

What a contrast to Kalmbach's upbeat message about 'The greatest Hobby in the World' in their magazines and what a contrast to the way folks here regard it.

So what the hell is the problem?

If someone here hadnt filled me in about some of the 0 gauge brands I'd have never heard of them, talk about putting your light under a bushel!

Yet - I used to be a shop teacher - anytime I've ever introduced my kids to model trains I've never failed to get an enthusiastic response, so why isn't the hobby much more actively promoted by the toy industry in general? Beats me. Or am I the only one who has made these observations?

[Anonymous]

I've been involved in the model railroading hobby for some 40 years (various scales at various times) and have viewed it from both inside the industry and from the perspective of an ordinary hobbyist. I've always believed that the best way to promote the hobby is one person at a time--by personal contact or by simply willingly and openly sharing one's own interest and involvement in the hobby. That invariably trumps any promotional efforts the industry or retailers can do, and is the surest way of generating a lasting and fulfilling involvement.

I make it a personal goal to get at least one person actively involved in the hobby on an annual basis. If every person on every forum did the same thing, just imagine the sustained growth we would see in the hobby of model railroading.

[pbjwilson]

Good stuff thor. The observations and comments you made come up on occasion on the forum. I think that it's social and economic change that we're dealing with here.

The mom and pop hobby shops and even the other outlets, tire stores, hardware stores that built the post-war train boom are goin the way of the dinosaur. Large discount, no customer service chains are the current "retail" trend. These stores hire low wage labor with little experience and knowledge.

Also it's the computer age. Kids of today start on computers in preschool. The computer is a major distraction for me and for a kid it's a way of life.

Where are the trains? Other than commuter trains and an occasional Amtrak, where are the trains. Kids don't see trains anymore. I live in the burbs of Chicago, the shipping hub of the nation, and I have to seek out freight trains. My kids rarely see a freight.

And yes Brio is a big hit. Even my local hobby shop carries it. Thomas is big. It's also for little kids. Does the train interest carry over into there teen years? Not to often.

Face it, the train hobby is for older adults. It takes time and money to participate in this hobby, something a great majority of us lack.

Time - The lack of spare time. I think I hit on something there. People don't spend their free time on hobbies. Well actually, people don't have spare time anymore. Look how the hobby has changed just in the past few years. In the smaller scales, premade structures and rolling stock, ready to run out of the box. The car "kit" was a staple in HO. It's almost gone. Ready to roll is easier and less time consuming.

That's my little raant for this morning.

Happy New Year!

Future modelrailroaders?

[Anonymous]

Hey there Im originally from Queens, South Ozone Park.My parents still live there and Im familiar with the dealers (and stealers) from Queens if your looking for trains.There are a few you want to stay away from because thell rip you off with there prices .[:O]Some on the other hand will talk trains with you for hours.If you have any questions about places in the area that are respectable train guys just ask or email me.Thomas is great for the kids and I like it also!!.Lionel has just come out with a new engine, that go along with Thomas and his friends that run on O-27.[:)]

[Anonymous]

Great Pic Paul,!!. yes our hobby seems to be in good hands[tup]

[cnw1995]

I invited the guests to our party last evening to visit the layout and run some trains - trying to do the one-convert-at-a-time. I'm going over to one fellow's house tomorrow to look at a set he mentioned he has and try to help him set it up. It's the relationships that I find enjoyable in the hobby - a few 'real' but most virtual.

I also hope to hit at least three hobby stores in the two hours my youngest and I have free while the rest of the family are rehearsing for a church drama this weekend...there's some sort of echo-effect or ripple-effect I've observed if you have toy trains as part of your family experience...there's the trains / layout of dad / granddad - younger kids enjoy them - then disappear as they become older - and a few 're-appear' as adults - they may take on the trains after dad/granddad passes on and the cycle may repeat - impacted also by a preference for electronics / lack of spare time / and one other thing: the relative 'fragileness' of modern toy trains.

Anyway, my 11 year old has gone through the cycle - and into his Play Station Personal - though I can still thrill him and his friends when they visit the basement - and I honor the cardboard factory and other things he's created for the layout over the years... Now my 3 year is into it. My 14 year old is long gone. And another truisim - they all enjoyed the wooden train sets too.

Happy New Year!!

[ChiefEagles]

Thor [and the rest], you are our best ambassadors. Here is an example of how it is done. "Adopted" brother [long story] has new first Gramdson [adopted Greatnephew]. His first Christmas, I send him a Thomas set. Pops had train when he was young. Pops sees how much Grandson likes trains. Pops gets Polar Express. Now small layout but it is going to get larger. [;)]





An older generation revived and a new generation started.

[pbjwilson]

Doug,

Your post reminded me of an experience I had a few years ago. I was launching Estes rockets in the park with my kids one saturday afternoon. A guy with a young family came over and introduced himself and we started talking about rockets. The conversation turrned to trains as we recolected other boyhood hobbies. Anyway, this guy got so excited talking trains he just had to go home and dig out his old train set. I think it's great when peoples interests get rekindled like that.

Happy New year to you and your family.

[Odd-d]

At age 63 and retired on disability for the past several years I have no need for a cellphone as I never go anywhere and any business I conduct is done in person or over my regular telephone. My brother in law, sister in law and 18 year old niece just left after two short visits this week. They all had cellphones that had little video screens. All the while while chatting they were all three toying with their cellphones. How sterile! They would suddenly get engrossed in their cellphones and then there would be a tinkly tune played on the ringer and they would get all excited about it. Think about it, a rendition of Beethoven's 5th tinkling out of a cellphone....Beethoven would be apalled. I'm sure he thinks I am daft for being interested in trains...but telephones? They were looking at things through their little cellphone cameras......Big deal. Is that the legacy to be left behind for posterity, cellphones? Aaa-ahh, it's a brave new world, but I don't care to be involved in the triviality of it all. Odd-d

[thor]

Originally posted by ChiefEagles

Thor [and the rest], you are our best ambassadors. Here is an example of how it is done. "Adopted" brother [long story] has new first Gramdson [adopted Greatnephew]. His first Christmas, I send him a Thomas set. Pops had train when he was young. Pops sees how much Grandson likes trains. Pops gets Polar Express. Now small layout but it is going to get larger. [;)]

Good one ChiefEagles and the rest of you!

Chief I'd hazard a guess our 'long stories' are the same. Asherah isn't my grand daughter, I think technically she's a niece, as close as I can figure it but the truth of the matter is she might as well be our daughter but we won't go into that! Good thing someone likes kids, whats the matter with biological parents these days? Ooops, sorry... grin.

Darn it the little guys are FUN! I mean how dumb do you have to be not to see a heaven sent opportunity to buy toys with a clear conscience? "Its for the baby..."

"Oh, really? Pretty advanced for a 3 year old girl then?"

"Oh yeah, sure, I mean you should see her matching the outputs on the ammeters to get a smooth triple header! Only thing she likes more is Lego Technic"

BUT all joking aside, people dont give kids credit for just how smart they really are if you'll only give them a chance to show you. Sometime I'll find and post pictures I took when she was 2 (no exaggeration) she didnt know I was watching as she quietly and competently disassembled a mechanism I'd bought for her to play with and then put it back together again. She was so absorbed she never noticed me peeking and taking flashless pictures. Okay so she didnt get it quite right but it was a small error and she wouldnt let me fix it, I had to tell her how to do it so she could do it herself.

Yeah kids have short attention spans and yeah they'll sometimes throw a massive wobbler right when you wi***hey wouldn't but they're little guys, give 'em a break! I love kids. I remember with great clarity exactly what it was like and which adults I preferred and why. Then, just to really cap it, despite being either ignored or patronized by those who should love them the most they are so patient and loyal to the same folks.

They're NOT little saints but give them half a chance and a helping hand and keep your temper and they'll usually come up trumps.

The great thing about our hobby is it teaches patience, ingenuity and self reliance and any child you get hooked into it I can virtually guarantee will soon be head and shoulders ahead of the pack just because of what the hobby more or less demands from its practitioners.

Now my lovely wife of three years is an artist of no mean ability, she took a jewellery making program at F.I.T (Fashion Institute of Technology) but never had any interest in trains till she met me and had no choice in the matter! So I took her to Trainland in Lynbrook to show her what was what and predictably she was entranced. She's an RN and has a magic touch with children and with her connivance our little friend will - I hope - have found herself a hobby that will teach her so much without her being aware of it.

As a teacher I used trains again and again to teach 'Technology' and as I said before, the worst and toughest kids were fascinated with them and treated them with great care. These are the sort of kids one tends to stereotype as thugs in training and I found them to be well worth the trust and risk.

I took a crew of them to the FIRST Robotics competition Finals at Disneyworld a couple of years ago and most of them subsequently were awarded full scholarships - over half of the crew - and went onto various technical colleges. So I know whereof I speak as to the educational value of trains. After all a layout is essentially a one dimensional robot, as I told them when they initially hooted with laughter when I outlined my training program. The hardest part of the whole task was persuading Administrators, Heads of Departments and other such pig headed, narrow minded busybodies, that the most effective way to instruct is to amuse!

Ooops sorry I guess I got a bit carried away there.

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