how old are you?

[Anonymous]

Old enough to know better, but not old enough to care. ;p

[dave9999]

34, been in the hobby about 2 yrs now.

[Anonymous]

I'm 20, soon to be 21, and I've been a railfan since I was tiny - my parents have a photo of me "operating" (with assistance) dad's OO scale GWR (Great Western Railway) layout aged about 1!

[CBQ_Guy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by rsn48

I'm glad this question was asked. I thought this forum was skewed to a younger modelling audience - now I know. This is not intended as a value judgement, just an observation.

I agree, so now that there's such a large number of younger people here. We older guys keep saying how the younger people won't be able to afford getting into the hobby because of the wildly rising prices on all the RTR stuff, high cost DCC systems, lack of kits, etc. So what do you say? How are you "yutefull" people managing it? Expecially teens and students on limited incomes?
(Looking to learn here, not to start flames . . . necessarily!)

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Scottydog

I am, in what they call the golden years, 66. I'll be damned if I know why they call them golden, it seems like a bit of the body kind of gives out or gets arthritis with each passing year over 55. You kids are in your golden years so enjoy them, old age comes way too soon.

You readen this Paul, I'm 58, got a hernia, bad knees, and hemeroids, other wise I feel great. Be d@&%*$ if I can figure out why these are called the best years of our lives, I know they're the most painful. Anyway, look what you younger guys have to look forward to. [:D][:D][:D][:D]By the way ***, your first words may have been TRAIN, mine was GAAA,GAAA, and that was when I was eyeing this great looken little number from next door.[}:)][:D][:D][:D]Paul, I hope you and I can arrive at 66 in better shape than we are now, that is if your paying for the abuses of your younger days like I am.[:D][:D][:D]

[Hawks05]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CBQ_Guy

QUOTE: Originally posted by rsn48

I'm glad this question was asked. I thought this forum was skewed to a younger modelling audience - now I know. This is not intended as a value judgement, just an observation.

I agree, so now that there's such a large number of younger people here. We older guys keep saying how the younger people won't be able to afford getting into the hobby because of the wildly rising prices on all the RTR stuff, high cost DCC systems, lack of kits, etc. So what do you say? How are you "yutefull" people managing it? Expecially teens and students on limited incomes?
(Looking to learn here, not to start flames . . . necessarily!)

being 17 and in high school i have a part time job. also when i was in 8th grade through the beginning of last school year i think i had a job and i saved every single penny almost from that. i wish i could get some money back that i spent. like i wish i could sell my paint ball gun. i never use it so why have it. anyways back to topic. my parents are not getting involved with this so its all my money that i'm spending. i make probably $250 a month if i'm lucky. like my last pay check was only $98. i put that all into checking. then i had this gallon jug of change that i cashed in today for a total of $409.68. i took like $193 out so i could make a car payment and then have $100 for a show this weekend that i'm going to. i guess what i do is spend wisely now. living like 2 blocks from school i don't waste a lot of gas going to school. i only drive around town during the week. my town has like 2200 people living here. so i don't have to waste a lot of gas. then like going to this show on saturday i'm not driving so i don't have to use up gas. i haven't had to put gas in my car for almost 2 weeks i think and i still have half a tank. its awesome. i'm a penny cruncher so to say now. i try and make every dollar worth it. also i've only bought one thing new so far and that was a RTR CSX boxcar brand spanking new for $5 normally like $13 i think at a show 2 weeks ago. thats the only thing i've bought new. i got my track used, i got the power pack thing used/brand new. its never been used but i still got it for $20.

how do i get so much you ask? buy used, make every dollar count, buy things that are needed, and ask for money from my parents even though they aren't helping. (being an only child rules)

[Anonymous]

41 to 46 age been in the hobby for about 11yrs after a long time away from it.

[eastcoast]

I started modelling at 13.
I have been doing this for 18 years.
Doing the math, flip the 13 !!!!! (31)

[Anonymous]

42 and holding! Not getting any older!!! I've had enough!!![:D]
Been MRRing since I was 4 (Lionel HO, and I still have it). Yes, I am starting to use "reading" glasses to do detail work, and there are times I would rather take a nap that work on a kit, but I persevere, and am turning out better stuff that I did 10 years ago.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by CBQ_Guy

QUOTE: Originally posted by rsn48

I'm glad this question was asked. I thought this forum was skewed to a younger modelling audience - now I know. This is not intended as a value judgement, just an observation.

I agree, so now that there's such a large number of younger people here. We older guys keep saying how the younger people won't be able to afford getting into the hobby because of the wildly rising prices on all the RTR stuff, high cost DCC systems, lack of kits, etc. So what do you say? How are you "yutefull" people managing it? Expecially teens and students on limited incomes?
(Looking to learn here, not to start flames . . . necessarily!)

I buy an awful lot of trains and have a basement full of stuff. The reason I have as many trains as I do is because probably 95% of my trains have been bought used. The only new trains I buy are the President's Choice train sets that come out each year here in Canada (see the thread I started on them) and the odd cheap freight car. I'm able to find many amazing bargains at antique stores, pawn shops, flea markets, garage sales, etc. If I bought all I have brand new I'd be dead broke many times over. Besides HO, I also have prewar and postwar O and S gauge tinplate trains, which obviously can't be bought new. Also, having generous parents helps a great deal!

[EL PARRo]

I'm 17

[CP5415]

Pushing 35 next month

Gord

[cacole]

I'm pleasantly surprised to see so many young people in the hobby. As a general rule, you could expect more older people to be in the hobby because we now have the money to invest and not have to rely on parents or paper route money. I'm 66, and have been in and out of the hobby several times over. I had American Flyer trains when I was young, and then got into HO scale in my early 20s (1964-67). Because I was in the Army at the time and moving around a lot, I got out of the hobby for awhile. When my son was old enough and we were in Munich, Germany between 1975-78, I bought some HO items and built a layout for him. It had to be discarded when we moved back to the U.S. in 1978 and I never got serious about modeling again until after I had retired from the Army in 1986. In 1989, I discovered the local HO scale club, joined it, and have been adtively modeling since then. We have 5 young people in the Cochise & Western Model Railroad Club in Sierra Vista, Arizona, ranging in age from 8 to 18.

[Anonymous]

I'm 62 and have been in this great hobby since 1947.

I started with a wind-up 2 rail set because we didn't have electricity on our farm.

When we moved to the big city in 1948 I switched to Lionel 3 rail.

In 1956 I changed to HO scale and when "N" scale came along I switched once more.

About 1983 I lost interest in modeling but continued to "railfan" for almost 10 years.

Then my wife and I saw a Large Scale coach in a hobby shop window and have been in the back yard ever since.

However, my HO infection never did clear up, so now I have started a small HO scale CITY style switching layout in a room 7'x11'.

Having fun all the way.....OLD DAD

[deevs]

I'm 74

[Anonymous]

26 years old but becuz of my job I feel like Iam 40 no offence to that age!