No, Sheldon, I am not jesting. They cetainly have deeper pockets than mine. Perhaps your pockets are deeper than theirs.
Bear "It's all about having fun."
Paul3For anyone complaining about the NMRA, why don't you do something about it? Start a chapter and run it the way you think it should be run.
you don't need the NMRA to promote the hobby or have a meeting with speakers discussing modeling topics.
re: LCC, it says the OpenLCB group is developing the standard. "That group developed the standards, and the NMRA approved them."
what is the purpose of the NMRA?
greg - Philadelphia & Reading / Reading
I can talk because I have been a member. In fact i tried to become a life member before there were none. They refused to comunicate for over 6 months, then emailed me that the program had ended but it was alive when I tried to join. They must have gotten all those emails to finally get back to me that that was done. As for the standards, the manufactures got together for more profit as lone wolves in manufacturing tend to get picked off. Now this was not true back in the begining. Also alot of standards were set by companys that got adaped by other companys. The NMRA had nothing to do (that I can see) about the coupler standard we use today, Kadee's or their clones. What has made that the standard is Kadee's patents running out.
I can think of at least three reasons why the NMRA is (or seems) less central to the hobby than ever. First there is the proliferation of scale specific groups in N, O and S, and narrow gauge, that have their own organizations, magazines, and conventions. And some are very well attended and are great conventions. Magazine editors and NMRA officials repeat the mantra that "everything we do is equally useful in every scale" but even with the most open mind in the world I think that simply is not the case. Not everything. And the more involved and specific the project is, it is less and less the case. So the NMRA has lost out for those who have a comparable specific interest organization to belong to.
Second, most of the various railroad historical societies now have modeling elements to their activities and conventions, and some are excellent. I think this tends to siphon off activity that could otherwise be NMRA activity. I think it also played a role in the diminished number of model magazines. If you want quality information for railroad A, then the modeling side of its historical society is ALWAYS going to have something for you although not always your era perhaps, whereas the NMRA and its conventions and magazine, in common with MR and RMC, and in days past Mainline Modeler, Prototype Modeler, Model Railroading, Rail Model Journal, and so on, might not ever get around to doing even one thing about your favorite railroad.
Third, and this is related to the point immediately above, I think the growth and strength of prototype modeling has created some serious splits in the hobby in terms of the usefulness of conventions, trade shows, clinics, magazines, and so on. The serious prototype modelers have their own organizations and conventions and meets and shows, again often well attended, and on the theory that you can only "do" so many train shows a year that involve travel and overnight stays and restaurant meals and so on, for a serious prototype modeler the choice is easy. So again other groups have siphoned off activity that in the past might have been NMRA activity. I do not want to criticize any modeler but I can say that the photos of the prize winning models at NMRA national convention the last few years have not impressed me as much, which suggests to me that fewer of the very best models are being taken to national.
We are, in short, less and less generalists it seems to me. And the NMRA is by necessity a generalist organization.
Interestingly it seems all those reasons I just listed apply as much to the general interest model railroad magazines as they do to the NMRA itself. But between scale specific groups, railroad specific modeling, and prototype modeling groups which have moved beyond many NMRA standards and the "good enough" standards, the fact is a hobbyist can be well served with great information and social activities and camaraderie without the NMRA.
As a long-time NMRA member I do think the NMRA does a fairly good job of informings its members of its financial picture and internal doings. The material is made available in NMRA channels of communication.
Unless you are an avid attender of NMRA national conventions, which I am not, the "real" NMRA for members is at the Divisional level and, to a lesser extent, the Regional level. And those experiences are very different across the country, even within close proximity to one another.
Some Divisions have full and active meet schedules with clinics, layout tours, contests, lending libraries of DVDs or books, perhaps even modest swap meets, on a nearly montly basis. Others meet only when somebody gets up the energy to get a room to hold it in. Some Divisions have not had a meet in years. Just last fall I attended a Divisional meet in South Bend that rivaled Regional Conventions in quality of clinics. Lucky guys in that Division.
The NMRA is powerless to "force" Divisions to be more uniform and more active because it all depends on volunteers at every level. And we are less and less a volunteering/joining society.
Some Divisions seem to have no problem recruiting people to serve in key positions, others find the same folks holding the same jobs for years (or have some posts unfilled) because nobody else steps forward. It may look like a clique but some of these folks would love to be able to step down.
Regional conventions can range from ambitious multi-day events to more modest get togethers to very modest events indeed, assuming they are even held. Again that means that your NMRA "experience" is part of what Division and Region your zip code assigns you to.
Of course you can be an NMRA member in one of those more active Divisions and Regions and if you do not avail yourself of what is available then the NMRA has relatively little meaning. But assuming an NMRA member who takes full advantage of what their Region and Division has to offer there is still no uniformity whatever as to what that experience involves.
As far as promoting the hobby that is what the World's Greatest Hobby thing was supposed to do. You don't hear much about it in MR anymore other than a show announcement here and there. But beyond shows -- what? Menards stores are doing as much to put trains in front of the general public as any model railroad organization I know of.
Dave Nelson
The NMRA looked into an ad in AARP Magazine and found it was way too expensive. Maybe submitting an article would work.
Mark Vinski
mlehmanif you want the latest annual financial statement for the national, it was published in the September 2018 edition of NMRA Magazine.
It's so high level a summary as to be almost pointless. You can't even tell how much money they receive in dues from members. They even say they say that "Detail beyond here is considered either Business Confidential (confidential contract details) or divulges Personal information (salaries and benefits)"
Business Confidential??? - what, they have a competitor who might gain some kind of competitive advantage?
And how much they receive in dues from the members is "confidential contract details" - really???
There was a time when the organization was open about its finances, but not now. If it weren't for the importance of the standards, I would cease being a member.
Paul
mvlandswThe NMRA looked into an ad in AARP Magazine and found it was way too expensive. Maybe submitting an article would work. Mark Vinski
Yeah, the article would have to be the way to go. Expensive? You've got to be kidding!!! How about over $430,000 for a half page b/w. I feel it would quite work well for promoting the hobby, but the cost?
Still our hobby and us get little repect from the non-model railroad community. My pike is fairly well know and I get many visitors each year from "unwashed" civilians. I do possess the ability to hear words between spoken words, even though most if not all are quite positive. But in most civilians minds and thoughts........."Is this guy nuts!!" Then around this time every year, there is always a visitor who asks if I set up for Christmas and take it down in January. Our hobby is well known and promoted OK....but only within the hobby. Here is where work is needed if we are to grow. NMRA.....where are you?
It would seem logical rather than spend money on expensive ads, spend it on a **** good public relations firm or person who knows how to get free multi-media coverage. This is how we grew our train show from 90 tables and 7000 sq. feet to over 900 tables and 166,000 square feet.
Thoughts?
This is personal for me...
.
What happened to the Private Roadname Special Interest Group in the NMRA?
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Howard ZaneMy pike is fairly well know
LOL Howard,you're showing your age! PIKE?
I'm staying out of this conversation.
I was an NASG member for many years and tired of their active promotion of the scale and hobby. They promoted very heavily but TO THEMSELVES! Duh! Maybe it's changed now but I don't know. Quite similar to what you guys are hashing out...............again.
oldline1
IRONROOSTERIt's so high level a summary as to be almost pointless. You can't even tell how much money they receive in dues from members.
It's an audited financial statement. It has to meet certain requirments to be that, which is actually important, even if the details don't get down to the level you want. I'll bet if you asked a specific question that you'd likely get an answer if it isn't covered by the exceptions.
I'd venture what you're looking for is found in the first two lines under "NMRA Income" where Operations and Magazine are listed. You don't have to get the magazine, although it's part of the dues structure. But if you add the two figures, you can then divide by $75 and come up with a value of somewhere around 13700. That is very roughly about how many yearly dues paying members the NMRA has. The Life members and others add to that total. I think the actual number is around 17000+ but I couldn't locate things to be more specific with the time I have right now.
Business Confidential and Personal Information are widely accepted exceptions in such audits and the NMRA is simply sticking to accepted practices here. What is it you think is being "hidden"? They have 2 full time and 2 part time employees, so there's not much that can be hidden anyway under those exceptions. I prefer to look at how well the organization meets its budget goals. In this case, they were within $30000 on a total income of almost $2 million. Better yet was that expenses, allocated at $1.8 million, came in almost $300000 lower, pretty darn good cost control when it's roughly 15% lower than projections.
As for mfg's "deep pockets" I think that is assuming a whole lot. However, the growing NMRA Partnership Program with various hobby vendors offers substantial discounts to members from about 3 dozen hobby vendors, with several more added every month.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
SeeYou190 This is personal for me... . What happened to the Private Roadname Special Interest Group in the NMRA? . -Kevin .
Kevin,
Most likely, given that SIGs are independent entities who may or may not be affliated with the NMRA, there was a lack of active participation on the part of the members of that SIG. Again, these are all volunteer groups like the divisions and regions. Get some folks together and revive it and I'm sure that if it meets the requirements for recognition it would again be so.
The SIG recognition requirements, etc can be found here:
https://www.nmra.org/sig-policies-guidelines
The current SIG list:
https://www.nmra.org/special-interest-groups
Ultimately SIGs are as active as their volunteer/members make them.
oldline1LOL Howard,you're showing your age! PIKE?
Yeah, I'm a dinosaur at age 80, and quite proud. In my lifetime not only did I see what many of you younger critters dream about, I had the opportunity to live these dreams by riding in the cabs of racing steam locos during the late 40's as I had two uncles who ran steam. Uncle Ike let me run his K1 on the Erie from Allendale to Jersey City, but of course with his hand over mine. Uncle Ed's K4 on the PRSL was even more exciting....but this not what this thread is about.
I was not aware that "pike" was an outdated word, but then again so are dinosaurs!
Howard Zane oldline1 LOL Howard,you're showing your age! PIKE? Yeah, I'm a dinosaur at age 80, and quite proud. In my lifetime not only did I see what many of you younger critters dream about, I had the opportunity to live these dreams by riding in the cabs of racing steam locos during the late 40's as I had two uncles who ran steam. Uncle Ike let me run his K1 on the Erie from Allendale to Jersey City, but of course with his hand over mine. Uncle Ed's K4 on the PRSL was even more exciting....but this not what this thread is about. I was not aware that "pike" was an outdated word, but then again so are dinosaurs!
oldline1 LOL Howard,you're showing your age! PIKE?
Just use outdated words around younger folk and you'll find out it is outdated. Oh, you just did!
Howard Zane Still our hobby and us get little repect from the non-model railroad community. My pike is fairly well know and I get many visitors each year from "unwashed" civilians. I do possess the ability to hear words between spoken words, even though most if not all are quite positive. But in most civilians minds and thoughts........."Is this guy nuts!!" Then around this time every year, there is always a visitor who asks if I set up for Christmas and take it down in January. Our hobby is well known and promoted OK....but only within the hobby. Here is where work is needed if we are to grow. NMRA.....where are you? It would seem logical rather than spend money on expensive ads, spend it on a **** good public relations firm or person who knows how to get free multi-media coverage. This is how we grew our train show from 90 tables and 7000 sq. feet to over 900 tables and 166,000 square feet. Thoughts?
My feeling having spent some time in England and being married to a Brit, is that our American culture has a lot to do with attitudes about model trains and train hobbiests being "crazy" or "nuts". Hollywood and TV are partly to blame IMO.
Now in England, model RRing seems to have a much higher number per capita of model and real train enthusasts and it's not seen as a nerdy thing or silly thing but a legitimate interest. For sure more so than here.
So IMO we are combatting public perception and losing the war in our USA culture.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
mlehman IRONROOSTER It's so high level a summary as to be almost pointless. You can't even tell how much money they receive in dues from members. It's an audited financial statement. It has to meet certain requirments to be that, which is actually important, even if the details don't get down to the level you want. I'll bet if you asked a specific question that you'd likely get an answer if it isn't covered by the exceptions. I'd venture what you're looking for is found in the first two lines under "NMRA Income" where Operations and Magazine are listed. You don't have to get the magazine, although it's part of the dues structure. But if you add the two figures, you can then divide by $75 and come up with a value of somewhere around 13700. That is very roughly about how many yearly dues paying members the NMRA has. The Life members and others add to that total. I think the actual number is around 17000+ but I couldn't locate things to be more specific with the time I have right now. Business Confidential and Personal Information are widely accepted exceptions in such audits and the NMRA is simply sticking to accepted practices here. What is it you think is being "hidden"? They have 2 full time and 2 part time employees, so there's not much that can be hidden anyway under those exceptions. I prefer to look at how well the organization meets its budget goals. In this case, they were within $30000 on a total income of almost $2 million. Better yet was that expenses, allocated at $1.8 million, came in almost $300000 lower, pretty darn good cost control when it's roughly 15% lower than projections. As for mfg's "deep pockets" I think that is assuming a whole lot. However, the growing NMRA Partnership Program with various hobby vendors offers substantial discounts to members from about 3 dozen hobby vendors, with several more added every month.
IRONROOSTER It's so high level a summary as to be almost pointless. You can't even tell how much money they receive in dues from members.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL ... All the NMRA needs is for all its critics to join, and for 10% of them to volunteer to do something......... Sheldon
...
All the NMRA needs is for all its critics to join, and for 10% of them to volunteer to do something.........
Sheldon
I couldn't have said it better myself, Sheldon. Nice construction, and well said.
Our hosts have the same problem. They have endless numbers of suggestions and requests for articles from people who would rather read them than generate them. They can't do it all, try as they might...and do.
I believe I have related the following in years past: there is such a things as 'social loafing'. It's the phenomenon where, when three or more gather for what is ostensibly a mutual pursuit or interest, approximately 2/3 of their number will actively apply their skills, knowledge, and time to the cause. The others break off to the side to talk about stuff, go for coffee, excuse themselves for periods, and generally ensure that they are unavailable. Later, they complain about the results, and hastily add that they had little part in them, so they can't be blamed. They may even add more affront by claiming they weren't allowed to participate, or that they weren't polled, or that their advice wasn't heeded.
rrebell mlehman IRONROOSTER It's so high level a summary as to be almost pointless. You can't even tell how much money they receive in dues from members. It's an audited financial statement. It has to meet certain requirments to be that, which is actually important, even if the details don't get down to the level you want. I'll bet if you asked a specific question that you'd likely get an answer if it isn't covered by the exceptions. I'd venture what you're looking for is found in the first two lines under "NMRA Income" where Operations and Magazine are listed. You don't have to get the magazine, although it's part of the dues structure. But if you add the two figures, you can then divide by $75 and come up with a value of somewhere around 13700. That is very roughly about how many yearly dues paying members the NMRA has. The Life members and others add to that total. I think the actual number is around 17000+ but I couldn't locate things to be more specific with the time I have right now. Business Confidential and Personal Information are widely accepted exceptions in such audits and the NMRA is simply sticking to accepted practices here. What is it you think is being "hidden"? They have 2 full time and 2 part time employees, so there's not much that can be hidden anyway under those exceptions. I prefer to look at how well the organization meets its budget goals. In this case, they were within $30000 on a total income of almost $2 million. Better yet was that expenses, allocated at $1.8 million, came in almost $300000 lower, pretty darn good cost control when it's roughly 15% lower than projections. As for mfg's "deep pockets" I think that is assuming a whole lot. However, the growing NMRA Partnership Program with various hobby vendors offers substantial discounts to members from about 3 dozen hobby vendors, with several more added every month. I just went over their tax returns, $400,000.00 in compinsations.
I just went over their tax returns, $400,000.00 in compinsations.
So that is only 8-10 paid positions at relatively modest wages.....or 4-5 people at a wage someone can actually live on......
Depends where they're located - 50k is a bit tight here, but livable for a single person.
-Dan
Builder of Bowser steam! Railimages Site
mlehmanI'd venture what you're looking for is found in the first two lines under "NMRA Income" where Operations and Magazine are listed. You don't have to get the magazine, although it's part of the dues structure. But if you add the two figures, you can then divide by $75 and come up with a value of somewhere around 13700. That is very roughly about how many yearly dues paying members the NMRA has. The Life members and others add to that total. I think the actual number is around 17000+
So the 13700 dues paying members are carrying 3000+ member who don't pay dues?
mlehman I couldn't locate things to be more specific
Exactly
mlehmanWhat is it you think is being "hidden"?
Well that's the question? - we don't know is the answer.
So that is only 8-10 paid positions at relatively modest wages.....or 4-5 people at a wage someone can actually live on...... Sheldon
You can buy a nice house there for under $100,000 and rent average for 2 bedroom under $1000. Now compare to where I live with average house over $700,000 and rent for 1 bedroom at $1700. Just over the bridge where I used to live houses were around $2,000,000 and rents for 1 bedroom close to $2500 or more.
When I joined in 1972 the dues were $5.00.
Adjusted for inflation (using the governments CPI Inflation Calculator) that would be $30.76 today.
Actual current dues are $75.00 - that's a $44.24 difference. Might be one reason people don't join.
And why isn't the magazine distributed digitally? My region and division do it quite easily on a much smaller budget than national. I don't know what the printing and mailing costs are, but I would think it's a significant part of the $388,590 cost for the magazine.
Well, this does not look good.
If you Google the NMRA, it says it is "Permanently Closed".
More correctly, you see that if you use google maps. They sold that building in 2013 to the Tennessee Railway Museum
https://ogrforum.ogaugerr.com/topic/the-nmra-in-our-hobby-s-changing-times
Henry
COB Potomac & Northern
Shenandoah Valley
Piedmont Division member here and have read some interesting comments above. We are blessed with an extremely active Division here in Atlanta with 450 members. Our monthly meetings average around 90 or so in attendance - and clinics at each meeting are a strong draw.
We have a booth set up at every show in our area with free information on the hobby, and a muliscale test track which gets a lot of use by kids and adults.
There are dozens of both formal and informal operations groups, some of which go way out of their way to include newer model railroaders. We also stage the Piedmont Pilgrimage for six weekends each fall with up to 80 layouts open to the public with thousands that attend.
i understand some of the thoughts above, but we get out of an organization what we are willing to put into it. Getting back into the hobby five years ago, I benefited greatly from getting active in my local Division of the NMRA, made numerous friends and had the opportunity to operate and learn on some world class layouts!
Mike
Howard Zane This question has dogged me for years and I do not know the answer, but I'd suspect the NMRA could do more to promote our hobby.
This question has dogged me for years and I do not know the answer, but I'd suspect the NMRA could do more to promote our hobby.
Why would it be the task of the NMRA to promote the hobby? That is not what the NMRA is set up to do.
I will agree that it would be great to see National Geographic, History or Discover channels do a program on model railroading, but it wouldn't bring youngsters into the hobby. It has become an old man's hobby simply because its time has come and gone.
My six grandkids all ooh and ahh when they see my layout, but it isn't something that they want to do. And it won't be when they grow up. It's over.
Notice that I didn't say that the hobby is dying, but the hobbyists are dying. Nothing lasts forever. And, besides, how many of us really care, other than paying lip service, whether youngsters will take up the hobby. Personally, I could care less.
Rich
Alton Junction
rrebell So that is only 8-10 paid positions at relatively modest wages.....or 4-5 people at a wage someone can actually live on...... Sheldon
Everybodies idea of a nice house is different, I just bought one for $375,000 here in Maryland. We own rental, nice three bedroom townhouses, we get $1650 a month.
But $50,000 a year is hard to live on most places. And a $50,000 salery typically costs an employer about $75,000 total.
So, $400,000 does not buy much in the way of employees.
bearman I looked into joining the NMRA and discussed the organization with a club member who was a Division Superintendent at one point.My feeling was/is that the NMRA does a good job on standards and recommended practices, and, as Paul noted, this is important. However, at this point, before the organization can promote the hobby, it needs to promote itself to the vendors, manufacturers, and, yes, publishers like Kalmbach. I base my opinion on almost 40 years of experience with national professional associations which have special membership categories of this nature. The club member agreed with me. There is one disturbing comment in this thread. There should be complete, total and unconditional transparency regarding the NMRA finances including an annual budget and year-end financial statement audited by an independent CPA. Otherwise, I would not think twice about joining the organization.
I looked into joining the NMRA and discussed the organization with a club member who was a Division Superintendent at one point.My feeling was/is that the NMRA does a good job on standards and recommended practices, and, as Paul noted, this is important.
However, at this point, before the organization can promote the hobby, it needs to promote itself to the vendors, manufacturers, and, yes, publishers like Kalmbach. I base my opinion on almost 40 years of experience with national professional associations which have special membership categories of this nature. The club member agreed with me.
There is one disturbing comment in this thread. There should be complete, total and unconditional transparency regarding the NMRA finances including an annual budget and year-end financial statement audited by an independent CPA. Otherwise, I would not think twice about joining the organization.
Kerry
Yea, location makes a difference. My wife and I live pretty decently on ~$50K. While our modest suburban home (outside a major city) is paid for, I still have to pay for my own medical insurance because I'm only working part-time. Property taxes aren't exactly inexpensive where we live but we do manage with only one vehicle and have done so for the past 21 years.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
SeeYou190 I really do not want to start another argument about this, but Howard asked what the NMRA is doing to promote the hobby. From my point of view... nothing. Shameful. -Kevin
I really do not want to start another argument about this, but Howard asked what the NMRA is doing to promote the hobby.
From my point of view... nothing.
Shameful.
Oh, to disagree!
For the few years I belonged, nearly every issue of the magazine spoke - ad nauseam - to what a great hobby model railroading is, what great friends one can make by joining, earning MMR status, etc., etc. To the membership. What it seemed most interested in promoting - ad nauseam - however was the annual convention.
And the organization's jaw-droppingly laughable membership recruitment strategy announced in an e-Bulletin early this year:
"Membership Retention is the best and most economical way to grow our numbers."
Yep. Keep the ones (who are largely older and dying off) we've already got and we'll grow. Economical it certainly is.
kasskaboose The NMRA could easily encourage new blood into the hobby. Forget about social media blitzes and instead tap into STEM! There are many young kids engaged in robotics, wiring, etc. Coupling that with DCC is a fantastic way of potentially steering kids toward this hobby. Bottom line: the NMRA has limited value. Their standards are of some help, but leave much doubt about their ability to draw new members. Gaining new blood is critical to encouraging the next generation of Howard Zane, Andy Sperandeo, etc.
The NMRA could easily encourage new blood into the hobby. Forget about social media blitzes and instead tap into STEM! There are many young kids engaged in robotics, wiring, etc. Coupling that with DCC is a fantastic way of potentially steering kids toward this hobby.
Bottom line: the NMRA has limited value. Their standards are of some help, but leave much doubt about their ability to draw new members. Gaining new blood is critical to encouraging the next generation of Howard Zane, Andy Sperandeo, etc.
For those to happen, there first has to be the will to do so. Without that, the U.S. would never have gone to the moon.
Howard Zane I have heard arguements that promoting hobby in mass media like Cable TV and other magazines would be futile. I'm not sure.
I have heard arguements that promoting hobby in mass media like Cable TV and other magazines would be futile. I'm not sure.
Forget the traditional TV or film media... Do any of you have any idea what small hobby produced content online is doing to spread the hobby? How many people might start working on model railroading because they watched a few videos on YouTube? How many railfans were born just because as a teenager they had a camera on their phone; vague memories of watching Thomas the Tank Engine as a kid, then in a moment turned that camera towards a train, snapped a picture and said "gee that's neat. I should take more!"? No, the NMRA is doing nothing to add to that; but online production of content via amateurs is doing it. That teenage kid trackside filming with his camera is going to return home to his computer and tell his friends on social media what train he saw, and spread the hobby via that. I know plenty of people chime about not wanting to use Facebook to check the hobby groups there, but please do at least once. You'll notice that those online groups are a healthy mix of people from their senior years through middle age and down to the teenagers who just got their driver's license. The problem's though are a translation of skill and money. Camera's are cheap. Layouts, even in their smallest form are not... It is more cost effective to buy a train sim and a few DLC packs than it is to build a proper layout. The struggle of the hobby will not be finding people interested, it will be teaching them how to transfer their 'digital' knowledge into tangible work. And again that is why so much 'amatuer' content online is so important to the hobby. Show a guy a Luke Towan video, and he will be scratchbuilding structures in no-time. Show that same guy a long NMRA list of specs and standards? He is going to go back to his video games, unless he has already learned the construction/engineering skills needed to make sense of those specs. Model railroading is not the only proof of this to. Go watch a Scott Manley, Everyday Astronaut or a Vintage Space video if you want to see how amateurs are legit teaching rocket science casually online. Go watch a You Suck at Cooking or Binging With Babish video to see how people share how to cook meals. Dive into ExtraCredits for a combination of literature, game design and science discussions. Or watch some Overly Sarcastic Productions videos on Greek myth and history. Get on a Cody'sLabs video and see how people are legit smelting raw rock into metals in their backyard and teaching other people how to do it via the internet. So many skills are being taught via casual hobby-folk right now for free its crazy. Now is their going to be a bit of a 'crunch' in the hobby as Baby-Boomer's age out of it? I will bet. That is a massive generation now retired in their years of 'disposible income' aplenty that no longer has to worry about getting their kids through school, working a job, etc. Furthermore, it is the last generation in America to have had any exposure to railroad's golden years with streamlined passenger trains and common steam engines. When that group is gone I will bet the hobby does take a hit; but it won't be the kind of mortal hit the naysayers might proclaim it to be. Trust me, plenty of younger generations are already primed to pick up the torch when they reach the right moment in their lives to invest in the hobby. So yeah, what Model Railroading needs to pass onto "the next generation" so to speak is lots of well produced, well executed, and entertaining online content. Somebody will stumble across it, and fall in love with the hobby because of it. Could the NMRA contribute to that? Sure, they could reach out to some of their more skilled and charismatic members to work in producing such content (but to be honest, as time goes on the group really is seeming less and less like a hobby advocate and more of a member's only social club. Reform will be needed eventually to survive, but I don't want to speculate how that might happen and what needs to change). But its nice to know the lay person can really get that spark of inspiration and use their skills themselves to share the hobby via their own means, isn't it?