Rich,
That's a thoughtful response. I didn't want to imply that negative reactions to the idea of an open house are wrong, just that we need to continue to do this, those who can be comfortable with the idea. Or something else. I'd be doing what I'm doing if I were the Last Model Railroader -- but I'd have to rely on others leftovers.
But it is a real problem, the shrinking base of our hobby, at least in terms that can be measured. Charlie Getz's president's column in the NMRA Magazine discusses this in detail. If I were to criticize Howard's statement, it's the idea that open houses will "grow" the hobby.
The reality is we have to do things like that and much more just to get back to the point where we aren't losing people. No, not another tired argument about the Death of the Hobby. Rather, it's a more practical thing I'm discussing.
If we want to continue to enjoy things like RTR and a steady stream of new products, a shrinking base, even if somewhat better off than many, still doesn't supply the financial incentives to producers to keep making new products as it once did. The hobby is always changing, but this is a change to smaller numbers that may cause even more fundamental changes that are likely to make it more exclusive, expensive, and difficult to get aboard, no matter what your age.
Open houses aren't a magic cure and I don't think that's Howard's claim anyway. They're just part of the package we all should think about contributing in some way to in order to ensure a better future for those who follow. We owe a debt to those who came before and gave us this opportunity. If nothing else, in some small way paying that back by helping encourage others to get involved is a small price to pay, no matter what form that takes for each of us as individuals.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
Mike, thanks for your kind words. I appreciate it.
I went back and re-read Howard's various posts, trying to get a better idea of who exactly is invited to an open house. He does mention "inviting unknown folks", so that helps to understand the nature of the demographics involved in an open house.
If I were even to contemplate an open house, beyond such events as family and friends who might be over and simply visiting in a social setting, my first thought would be to limit the invitation to forum members, people who participate in the hobby and have a share passion for model railroad layouts. But, even then, there is always the possibility that some may bring with them others who do not necessarily participate in the hobby or share the passion. So, you are always "vunerable".
Expanding the demographic, an open house invitation could be extended to model railroaders in general, whoever they might be. But, to that, I say, no thank you, because now you lack even the on line familiarity with fellow forum members.
Beyond that, I suppose you could simply post an open house invitation in a local newspaper or whatever. Ugh.
I wonder how Howard and others deal with the invitation list for an open house. Who is invited and how is the open house invitation issued?
Rich
Alton Junction
I usually just invite my train friends for food and trains. The last time I invited my family to see my trains I lost 2 steam engines.
There is no right or wrong way to show off your layout, have friends over but I would be wary of people you do not know. Of course that did not work for me. Who thought family would steal for me, but it happened.
DAVID FORTNEY I usually just invite my train friends for food and trains. The last time I invited my family to see my trains I lost 2 steam engines. There is no right or wrong way to show off your layout, have friends over but I would be wary of people you do not know. Of course that did not work for me. Who thought family would steal for me, but it happened.
mlehmanBut it is a real problem, the shrinking base of our hobby, at least in terms that can be measured. Charlie Getz's president's column in the NMRA Magazine discusses this in detail. If I were to criticize Howard's statement, it's the idea that open houses will "grow" the hobby.
If I may and as a thought..The NMRA is not the best way to measure the hobby base since their membership has fallen over the years.
From my personal observations at the six train shows I attend,while trackside and on you tube the hobby seems to have a lot of young people.
The old school hobby thinking is dead or dying. Today's young modelers knows where to find information and how to shop on line.I would wager the majority may not even know a model railroad club is located in their city or town simply because the club is silent and never holds a open house or has a membership drive..To these gray and white beard clubs the hobby is "dying". To the modelers that seldom attend train shows or go trackside the hobby is "dying". To the lone wolf the hobby is "dying". To some the closing of LHS means the hobby is "dying".
How many silent modelers is out there with their home layouts that never reads MR,yet keeps up with the latest models via the internet, MRH and product reviews on you tube? The computor age has changed a lot of things in every hobby and our hobby is no different..
My next door neighbor may have a layout and I would not be aware of it.
How about your neighborhood?
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
richhotrain....I wonder how Howard and others deal with the invitation list for an open house. Who is invited and how is the open house invitation issued?
Around here, usually in the Fall, various clubs organise layout tours in their general area as fund raisers. Club members or other interested parties sign-on to be included on the tour, providing a brief description of their layout, along with an address. This information is printed in booklet form, and then distributed to area hobby shops and whatever other locations they feel might attract interested viewers. The cost is usually $5.00, and it's up to the individual attendees to decide which layouts they wish to view. While I've not had my layout on the tours, I've been on several and found it quite enjoyable. Crowds seem to be composed of model railroaders, possible model railroaders, and families or individuals just curious about the hobby or just bored enough to make part of the tour as "something to do on a Saturday".A friend has had his layout on the last two tours in his area (he's not really even in that area, but it's the one closest to his fairly out-of-the-way location. One the first tour, he had 28 visitors, including ones from more than 150 miles away. He got enough favourable comments to open his layout the following year, too, and I suspect he enjoys the socialising as much as the visitors enjoy the layout.
Wayne
BRAKIEIf I may and as a thought..The NMRA is not the best way to measure the hobby base since their membership has fallen over the years.
Larry,
Actually, Charlie used mostly non-NMRA metrics in assessing the situation. I agree that NMRA membership alone wouldn't tell you too much. It's the fact that falling membership is correlated to a number of other factors: page count in MR; some other stats that Kalmbach has put out at various times; falling LHS counts; and the steadily rising average age of model railroaders. All are familiar themes here. I'm not going to beat a dead horse over them.
In terms of what you describe as the younger generation and I discussed in terms of the "new media," it's very hard to put numbers on a lot of that. Sure, there's some positive anecdotes out there as you say. But measuring that is very difficult beyond guesstimates. Where there's hard evidence, it's generally downward in the opposite direction.
I don't doubt that the internet has changed much. I know it has for me. I also know many of the model railroaders around and most do not have layouts, although many wish they did. Not too surprising in a university community, since it's so mobile and full of other demands on people's time.
I suspect there's just as many interested in the hobby as before, but their economic impact per person is falling. People have less disposable income, first of all. But as everyone's connections to the hobby, like with many other things in life, turns towards the virtual world, well, they buy less and less of the physical manifestations of the hobby. Even simple things are not available, cost too much, and are unfamiliar to use for many, because most of what they know about the hobby was gained online. They may be knowledgeable, but it's like a pond that's an inch deep and a 100 miles wide, often a very fragile skill set and limited investment compared to building and operating a layout.
Thus, this why I don't think we shouldn't worry too much about "new blood" when we need to focus on holding those already in the hobby a little closer, helping them when we can, and showing the public in the ways we can manage that it is an acessible to as many as possible.
mlehmanPeople have less disposable income, first of all. But as everyone's connections to the hobby, like with many other things in life, turns towards the virtual world, well, they buy less and less of the physical manifestations of the hobby. Even simple things are not available, cost too much, and are unfamiliar to use for many, because most of what they know about the hobby was gained online. They may be knowledgeable, but it's like a pond that's an inch deep and a 100 miles wide, often a very fragile skill set and limited investment compared to building and operating a layout.
I don't think that's a real cause judging by the mob of shoppers I seen in Target and Meijer yesterday evening..It looked like every fast food joint,Golden Corral and Denny's was packed so,I decided to go to Skyline Chili instead and that place was busy. Contrary to what the doom and gloom "experts"in the news says people seems to be enjoying life.
I do think smaller layouts and ISLs may become the norm since they are cheaper to build then your average basement filling layout.
Another thought..How about all the monthly announcements and the new model companies that has started business in the last 10 years?
Of course we may have met the enemy and he is us. A club has a open house and then watch their attendees like they are going to rip them off,not talking to them or giving them sticker shock instead of saying depends on how much you want to spend.
Even the header of this topic would be cause for many folk interested in the hobby not to attend a club or home open house.
BRAKIE Even the header of this topic would be cause for many folk interested in the hobby not to attend a club or home open house.
Folks,
As mentioned, my exposure was most likely greater than most. Beginning around 1985, after each Timonium train show, I allowed (actually invited) both attendees and vendors to come over Saturday eve and play with the big train set. This became a ritual to about 2005. Sometimes as many as 85 would attend as the train room grew to almost 3000 sq. feet. I pulled the plug when I lost a 4 truck Key shay, and my suspicions were from a fellow who came in with a box and asked if he could run his loco. I said sure....just ask one of my helpers as I was then in another part of the house. My guess was the box was empty and left with the shay. Not one of my helpers remembered this guy further cementing my suspicion. There were other thefts....one from a local club member who then sent me an email telling me he stole a locomotive and try to catch him. The letter was also peppered with anti-semantic ravings. Even with the help from local good guys and FBI as this was a hate crime, he was not caught. I suspect who the culprit was, but I can not act on a suspicion. I did refuse all club members future visitation and vendor privildges at the show as they did nothing to help and claimed I was nuts and off base. This happened during a club visit .After these happenings, I restricted visits to vendors only on train show evening, and never again to the general public....only to established groups and clubs, and then I will vet them before I give the nod.
Also, I was hit during an open house from a middle age lady who arrived early claiming her husband was in the group and she was to meet him here. She asked if she could see the layout, and of course I said go ahead. She had a large hand bag which I thought nothing about as I was then trusting everyone. She apparently left when the crowds arrived. Afterwards I noticed I was missing three kit bulit R-70 reefers and an Alco brass Trainmaster. There were more, but minor items.............so this is how I came up with my rules in beginning post. As mentioned during the last three decades I had a serious mess of vistiors and 99.9% were just great and complimentary...although some of the comments were "strange".
I still accept and welcome visitors, but they must adhere to my rules.
HZ
HZ,If that happen to me I would end open house visitations except for those I trust.
I will relate a story about a "stolen" engine..
Way back in '85 I was a member of a rather small club that held open houses 4 times a year (two was for holiday food drives and one toys for tots..Anywhoo a engine went missing and the member threw a real hizzy fit and wanted to stop having open houses and visitor nights. Well,we found his engine on a shelf under the layout the following week..
Apparently the BB GP7 lost its clip on coupler box and coupler and one of the younger members placed it under the layout until he had a chance to take it to the meeting room and place it on the "fix me" shelf as per the club's rules but,he had forgotten about it. A honest mistake for a teenage member whose attention span could be counted in seconds if a certain member's daughter showed up.
The engine was united with its owner but,I'm not sure if the young lad ever got the girl he had his heart set on.
Actually I was so pissed after the last theft, I did cancel all open houses and then later allowed only folks I knew to visit the pike.
I do miss having "civilians" visit the layout, and I enjoyed some of their comments as strange as some were...........but I don't miss the worrying and watching everyone in fear that somethig will find its way into a pocket or a whatever.
Today as mentioned, I'm honored that folks want to visit, but now only groups, clubs, or visiting model rails. I do now vet all visitors if unknown to me.
My dad was my mentor having a huge O gauge/O scale pike in our home in New Jersey, but he was completely secretive about it and would never allow visitors unless they were good friends or other model rails he knew well. At social gatherings at our home, I can remember him being asked about his trains. He would reply with...."What trains? Oh yeah I have a few toy trains, but nothing really to see". His nothing to see was a fully upholstered O gauge and then scale 95' x 16' pike. Me...? I'm just the opposite, but have been whittled down somewhat by the thefts.