Poll #1 Hobby Stability

[on30francisco]

I think the hobby is growing despite the facts that mors LHSs are closing and the subscriptions to modeling magazines are down. For better or worse, the number of online hobby shops have increased dramatically in the last several years offering the hobbiest much lower prices, the convenience of home shopping, and many more products - especially for us modelers in minority scales and gauges - than most LHSs. I realize that the LHSs have higher overhead costs compared to internet shops and have to charge more, but a few LHSs I've been to were very inflexable and charge list prices and had bad attitudes to boot. If the LHSs wi***o survive, they will have to be more flexible with their prices and stock and provide helpful, courteous servive to ALL their customers.

There is a lot more diversity in this hobby than there was ten to thirty years ago and it is impossible for one general magazine such as Model Railroader to cater to everyone's interests. Almost every special interest, prototype, scale, and gauge has at least one dedicated magazine. There is also a lot of information about modeling on the internet. A lot of the information available online will probably never be published in any modeling magazine. I believe the reason the subscription rate for MR is low is not because the hobby is declining but because there are many more sources of information available today than there was years ago. I know many modelers who used to subscribe to modeling magazines but don't anymore because they utilize the alternate resources available today to get the modeling information they need(myself included).

There are also many more products available today than there were years ago. Years ago you had to be either wealthy or a master craftsman to model narrow gauge, traction, or any other area of modeling outside the mainstream. Today there are products available - at very reasonable costs, and at all skill levels - that even a beginner can now model almost any facet of railroading. There are also many more detailing parts and scratchbuilding materials available than there was in the past.

[Anonymous]

I think it is in decline. Even the "toy train sets" that used to be on display everywhere around the holidays are gone. Although they weren't of any high quality, the Model Power and Bachmann plastic structures and the Bachmann train sets are not being carried anymore. The latter is what got me started in the hobby. I received a Bachmann train set as a gift about 10 years ago. It remained in the box until 2 years ago. Now I have a small fleet of P2K locos and about 30 Athearn BB freight cars, not to mention 20 or so structures and the beginnings of a moderate basement layout. If it hadn't been for that TOY set, I never would have given trains a second thought. I think the same will hold true for many. If they don't get that extremely economical start to spark the interest, they won't go any further. Like the saying goes, you don't know what you're missing!

[jacon12]

As someone new to the hobby and not really qualified to answer the poll, I have made observations that I'd like to share. I've found that in my area the majority of model railroaders are not very good salespeople. The general attitude is one of aloofness and if you ask questions about the hobby they're mostly answered in a condesending manner. I've noticed that when clubs have their layouts at places such as the fairgrounds, with hundreds of people stopping for a minute or two to watch the trains, what are the club members doing? Everything but trying to recruit new members to the hobby. Oh they have a few club promoting literature sheets lying around, but they're sitting in a chair drinking coffee and watching the trains go round and round and round. I asked one man where did they meet and when, that I'd like to attend a meeting. The answer was "Oh, we meet at indivdiual members houses about every two weeks or so". And that was it. End of conversation.
I've been active in photography for over 45 years and have been a member, even president of the local camera club. Believe me, we had membership drives all the time. We gave prizes to whoever brought the most 'recruits' in a given month. And we called members that had not attended in a while to see if anything was wrong.
I don't see this in model railroading in this area. It's almost like if you want to do it fine, if you don't that's fine too. Whatever floats your boat.
Model railroading is chock full of skills that have to be learned. We all know what they are so no use in repeating them all. You probably all remember how bewildering it was in your beginning years. Experienced modelers, if they care about the hobby, whether it lives or dies, should help and teach as many beginners as possible and at least half those that they do help will be hooked for the rest of their lives. Don't be condesending to them, tell them about it's a LOT more than watching a train go round and round. So much more.
Now, if I'd answered the poll I think I would have said it is barely stable to losing ground.
But, it doesn't have to be that way.

[CNJ831]

I think it is very telling that after nine months and quite a few posts to this thread, not one poster could provide a single documented or verifiable indicator/statistic showing that the hobby was either stabile or growing. All that has been offered to that affect is baseless personal opinion.

Unfortunately, facts and figures supporting the opposite position, that the hobby is in decline, abound. Just a few include:

1. Steadily declining readership in essentially _all_ the model railroading magazines (figures posted in detail several times in earlier threads)
2. LHS heavily into model railroading disappearing across the country (everyone admits this)
3. Very limited runs at increasingly higher prices (the exact opposite of what we saw when the hobby was at its actual peak a decade and more ago (we're all complaining about this one and it's the same way the brass market evolved over the last 40 years)
4. WGH program, an obvious act of desperation by manufacturers who recognize a flagging interest in the hobby (not ever targeting those who might become longterm hobbyists)
5. The recent gobbling up of major manufacturers by distributors, something that would be very unlikely to occur in a field showing significant growth and promise - watch as this process grows over the next year or two (this sort of thing doesn't tend to happen when times are really good and there are big profits to be made)
6. Disappearance of train sets from toy and other classic commercial outlets that used to heavily invest in them for the Christmas Season (who hasn't notice this - the hobby has become all but obscure)
7. The current age of the "average" model railroader is very close to 55 years based on conservative extrapolation from 40 years of published MR readers surveys (again, figures have been cited in many earlier threads)

Need I go on?

Now believe me, I am pro-hobby and would love to point to indicators that said it was expanding but there just don't seem to be any. So, if someone can provide _verifiable facts/figures_ that clearly point in the opposite direction, please, let's hear them!

CNJ831

[darth9x9]

The biggest problem is that the average age of model railroaders is getting higher each year. More needs to be done to bring in MORE of the younger crowd.

[rexhea]

It is very difficult for me to add anything to the excellent depth and insight already expressed on this subject, but I would like to try with a few thoughts.

In the consideration of todays young people, I believe with many of you that traditional hobbies have a great amount of competition with the "quick fix" new technologies. If you ask a teen, he will tell you that his video games, CD collection, and etc... are his hobbies. I didn't have this technology in the late 50's and early 60's, but I did have cars, girls, and sports and very overactive hormones. There was no way I was going to spend my very very valuable free time in a hobby that was going to jeopardize my new found independence to cruise and smooze. Don't you remember?

It was not until my late 20's and married that I decided to start a hobby in Model Railroading. Well, this sounded good until I realized that like most young marrieds, i really didn't have the money or the space and little time. Today, if you take a long look at our society; Has that changed? Family members with their own cell phones, soccer moms ran ragged chasing from one after school event to another, both parents working to support all this. If there's money, where is the time?

Prices? I don't really think that they are any different than the late 60's when you consider inflation. My goodness, I use to buy a Coke for a nickel, but 5 dollars an hour was very good wages. What you need to do is compare a medium priced boxcar of the 60's to one of present. The difference is incredible. The improved injection molding process providing the smallest of detail and the laser printing with crisp letters that can be seen only with a magnifying glass. You can get this with an $8 car or a $30 car. An $8 car now was about $3 then and trust me when I say it looked like the whole thing was stamped out. And of course the high tech that's now in MR. Wow! What a jump.

I believe that the biggest failure in MR is the lack of promotion of a hobby that can capture the imagination of all ages. Who's to blame? All of us: the Model Railroading publishers, the manufacturers, the LHS's, and the Hobbyist. So many people have told me that they haven't thought of model trains since they were children. Antonio and others has already stated their thoughts and ideas about this and its time for all of us to make an extra effort to re-introduce our hobby to all.
Sorry, but a traveling boxcar won't get it.[:D]

REX

[Anonymous]

I just recently got back into the hobby after a 40 year absence. From what I've seen in this short time, I would say that the hobby is just barely holding it's own or starting a slow decline.

The younger people just don't have the same appreciation for the hobby that the ,,,,, "Baby Boomers" have! We were brought up with the magic of model railroading! For me, this hobby is a link to the past. Of a happier time!!!! The present generation didn't have that connection,,, no fault of their own!!

Hopefully, it will continue with the help of us older folks introducing the excitement of the hobby to the younger set!