What are the characteristics of the "average" Model Railroader

[grayfox1119]

If you were to guess, what would you say are the defining characteristics of the "average" model railroader? Lets see if we can get enough info to determine. I tried to list as many things as I could that seemed the most important, it I have not listed something, please feel free to add.

Steam or Deisel .................
Gauge modeled ................
Age at nearest BD ............
Student , Working, Retired ........... ( S, W, or R )
Country............................................
Male or Female ...........................
Number of years in hobby .........
DC or DCC, or Both ....................
Track Code used .......................
RTR , Kit, or Bash......................
Size of layout ............................
Shelf or Table Layout .............
Number of locomotives ..........
Number of rolling stock...........
Foam or other ( scenery).........
Sub base material ...................
Table top construction ...........

[grayfox1119]

Here are my stats.


S & D
HO
66
R
US
M
3, just getting back after looong career elsewhere
DCC
83
RTR & Kit
10 X 20
T
8
15
F
F
Plywood, 5/8"

[dragenrider]

I'm afraid your poll may not gather a true picture. You will find many folks over 50 aren't connected to the internet as compared to the number under 50 who are.

On the flip side, I'll be excited to see the results of the age split of those on this forum.

[Anonymous]

Steam or Deisel .................Both
Gauge modeled ................HO
Age at nearest BD ............38 (not there yet, though!)
Student , Working, Retired ...........Always learning, and working toward retirement
Country............................................and city...(oh, country of residence?)...US
Male or Female ...........................Yup! (at least I'm not in between!)...male
Number of years in hobby .........Lost count
DC or DCC, or Both ....................Both
Track Code used .......................83 and 100
RTR , Kit, or Bash......................Mostly kit w/some RTR
Size of layout ............................Not yet
Shelf or Table Layout .............Not yet
Number of locomotives ..........at least 12 with a couple on order
Number of rolling stock...........?Haven't counted in years & have added some recently
Foam or other ( scenery).........carpet (for Unitrack when I set it up)
Sub base material ...................plywood flooring under carpet
Table top construction ...........As above, carpet

Well, I put down my characteristics, not those of the "average" Joe. I haven't yet built my layout, hence the "carpet" and "plywood" comments above. When I do get it built, I am planning to use plywood base with rigid foam on top at varying thicknesses for terrain. Scenery itself will be a variety of materials. I will be building in my 8x16 ft. shed, and will use almost all of it for my layout. I have a lot of stuff in boxes from when I was a kid, and that's why I don't have any idea how much rolling stock, or even how many locomotive I have. I also have two kids that I am working on to get them interested in the hobby, one boy age 11, one girl age 9. This should lower the "average" slightly.

As for the averages among people I know, I would have to say that it's about 54 years old, all white males. There are only about five people I can think of that I know that are into this hobby, including myself. I am 37, two others are about 62, and the other two are about 54 or 55.

It's interesting to see where this hobby has gone in the last couple of decades, but sometimes discouraging as well. It seems there is very little new blood, and that has prompted many of the hobby shops to either shut down or to remove the trains from their inventory. I can remember many local distibutors around the San Fernando Valley when I was a kid. Now there are only two or three that still carry inventory in HO scale, and a couple more that carry just O or just N scale.

-Joe

[Anonymous]

Offering two age groups only in the poll hardly defines "the characteristics of the "average" Model Railroader". It defines the age groups only.

Bob Boudreau

[trolleyboy]

QUOTE: Steam or Deisel ................. both
Gauge modeled ................HO
Age at nearest BD ............34
Student , Working, Retired ........... ( S, W, or R )w
Country............................................can
Male or Female ........................... m
Number of years in hobby .........22
DC or DCC, or Both .................... dc
Track Code used .......................83
RTR , Kit, or Bash.....................all.
Size of layout ............................111/2x131/2
Shelf or Table Layout .............shelf around th walls
Number of locomotives ..........40
Number of rolling stock...........150
Foam or other ( scenery).........foam
Sub base material ...................5/8 ply
Table top construction ...........

[twhite]

Okay--
Over 50
Steam only
HO scale
Retired schoolteacher/still active musician
Shelf layout around the wall w/islands--2" foam base on 1x2 framing
DC--cab w/isolated blocks
Male
Been model railroading since I was 14 (Lionels on rug before)
About 42 locomotives
Have NO idea how much rolling stock--I just keep acquiring it1
Track code--100 and 83
RTR, kit and bash.
Garage layout--expanding to the other side this spring.
Tom [:D]

[Anonymous]

Steam or Deisel ................. Both hopefully
Gauge modeled ................ Normal
Age at nearest BD ............ 28
Student , Working, Retired ...........unemployed currently
Country............................................ USA
Male or Female ........................... Male
Number of years in hobby ......... 1 month after a 15 year hiatus
DC or DCC, or Both .................... DC DCC eventually
Track Code used ....................... code 80
RTR , Kit, or Bash...................... RTR at the moment but all eventually
Size of layout ............................ eventually a 2.5X5
Shelf or Table Layout ............. in table eventually
Number of locomotives .......... currently 1
Number of rolling stock........... currently 2
Foam or other ( scenery)......... all of the above
Sub base material ................... eventually 1/2"ply with 1" foam top
Table top construction ........... Plexiglass box with ply and foam base

Forgot some stuff...

Ethnicity............. Mix breed ( 1/4 native american, and then your average euro mutt)
Hair Style............. Long right now because I can't afford a hair cut
Sex............. Yes Please )but only women need apply)
Married............. Not yet ----- still looking for the right woman.
Kids.............. None at all (Thank God)
Height..... 6'-3"----- over 2m for those metric people out there
Weight............. 165lbs
Eye color............... Blue
Hair color............. Dark Blonde
Handed............. Right
Sight............. havn't been to an optomitrist in years and years so I don't know.
Handiness............. Very good with tools and can build thing fairly well.

Belong to a club............. Not at the moment

[davekelly]

40, male, divorced (until March 5!), 1 kid (the greatest), HO, mid60's to mid 70, PRR/CNJ prototypes, code 83, walthers and microengineering turnouts, DC, prefer kits to RTR.

[PistolPete]

Deisel
HO
55
Working High School teacher
USA
Male
10+ overall, with 20 years off restarted 1.5 years ago
DC
83
RTR/Kits
8x10x12x13
table/self combo
9 new 6 old
120 +
will be foam and/or ceiling tile
none
2" foam on beanchwork

[Anonymous]

I am new to this hobby at the "serious" level, though I've owned different train sets ever since I was 6, and now I'm 35... but I think I finally caught the bug.. I'm just now starting with modern freight, and will also get into Steam at some point.

Steam or Deisel ................. 1 Deisel, 4 Electric
Gauge modeled ................HO
Age at nearest BD ............35
Student , Working, Retired ........... W
Country............................................USA
Male or Female ........................... M
Number of years in hobby .......... 3
DC or DCC, or Both .................... A/C Marklin Mobil Station Digital
Track Code used .......................n/a
RTR , Kit, or Bash......................
Size of layout ............................20' x 8'
Shelf or Table Layout .............floor / temporary layout
Number of locomotives .......... 5 (2 br152 / 2 Br1116 1 V100 diesel)
Number of rolling stock........... 32
Foam or other ( scenery).........temporary
Sub base material ...................high grade carpet
Table top construction ...........

[Anonymous]

I'm over 50, have been back into model railroading for about 4 years. I played with my Dad's American Flyer "S" gauge from about 5 until 10 years old, when I got my own American Flyer HO and set up a layout which I had until we moved when I was 14.

A few years after that, my HO was given to my nephew. My Dad, now 81 still has his American Flyer, though it is packed away in its original boxes. He sets up a small HO around the Xmas tree every year.

[Anonymous]

Here are my answers, but no I'm not available for a date. [:I][(-D][:D]
These questions really add more to the poll, thanks for asking them.

Steam or Deisel .............................Deisel
Gauge modeled ..............................N scale
Age at nearest BD ...........................34
Student , Working, Retired .............W
Country................................................US
Male or Female .................................M
Number of years in hobby ...............10 actual years, divided over the last 20 years
DC or DCC, or Both ..........................DC
Track Code used ...............................80
RTR , Kit, or Bash...............................All
Size of layout ......................................9.5 x 9.5 U shape or 61 sq feet of layout
Shelf or Table Layout ........................Table
Number of locomotives ....................3
Number of rolling stock.....................20 or so
Foam or other ( scenery)...................Foam
Sub base material ..............................Ply 1/4"
Table top construction .......................Grid

[SpaceMouse]

Steam or Deisel ................. Steam at home both at the club
Gauge modeled ................HO
Age at nearest BD ............51
Student , Working, Retired ........... W
Country............................................USA
Male or Female ........................... M
Number of years in hobby .......... 1/12
DC or DCC, or Both .................... DC at home but soon to become DCC DCC at club
Track Code used .......................100
RTR , Kit, or Bash......................RTR and Kit
Size of layout ............................4.5 x 8 now, adding 11.5 x 11.5
Shelf or Table Layout .............table
Number of locomotives ..........11 running 5 more in various states of disrepair.
Number of rolling stock........... =/- 50
Foam or other ( scenery).........foam
Sub base material ...................1/2 ply cookie cutter and foam
Table top construction ...........1x4 frame 16" o.c.

[TurboOne]

Steam or Deisel ................. deisel for now
Gauge modeled ................ HO for now
Age at nearest BD ............ woo hoo in the under crowd 46 Also son 6, daughter 9
Student , Working, Retired ........... ( S, W, or R ) wCountry............................................ USA
Male or Female ........................... m
Number of years in hobby ......... 2 mo
DC or DCC, or Both .................... both
Track Code used ....................... 100
RTR , Kit, or Bash...................... both
Size of layout ............................ 4 x 8 growing to 14 x 8
Shelf or Table Layout ............. table
Number of locomotives .......... 12 + 3 sick steam engines
Number of rolling stock........... oodles
Foam or other ( scenery)......... structures, will be adding bridge and mountains
Sub base material ................... plywood
Table top construction ........... plywood



[:)] Bob, lighten up. [:)] I believe this will show the bulk is over 50. Also the younger crowd seems to be in N, G, and O scale.

I like the question. I have an old 1965 train magazine, it said the average age of a MRR was 33. He also spent $6.58 cents a week on trains. He was a male with kids.

Tim

[CBQ_Guy]

Steam or Deisel .................D
Gauge modeled ................HO
Age at nearest BD ............52
Student , Working, Retired ........... ( S, W, or R ) R
Country............................................USA
Male or Female ...........................M
Number of years in hobby .........49
DC or DCC, or Both ....................DC
Track Code used .......................100
RTR , Kit, or Bash......................Mostly KIT
Size of layout ............................24 by 38 feet
Shelf or Table Layout .............Shelf & Freestanding Peninsula's
Number of locomotives ..........70
Number of rolling stock...........Several hundred
Foam or other ( scenery).........Foam
Sub base material ...................1/2" Homasote
Table top construction ...........1/2" plywood


Also use cork roadbed.

[Anonymous]

The Characteristics of the average Model railroader is

Black Men
Under the age of 30 yrs old
above average IQs
Medium Build and in shape
A Badboy....

Oh that was just describing me sorry. No I am just playing. I am definitely not average I am a minority Modeler but its all good.

[IRONROOSTER]

Steam or Deisel ................. Both
Gauge modeled ................ Standard and 2 foot in S scale
Age at nearest BD ............ Will be 58 in April
Student , Working, Retired ........... W
Country............................................USA
Male or Female ...........................M
Number of years in hobby .........33
DC or DCC, or Both ....................DC
Track Code used .......................100, 83, 70
RTR , Kit, or Bash......................RTR, KIT, BASH, Scratch/parts
Size of layout ............................11x18
Shelf or Table Layout .............Table
Number of locomotives ..........10 + 1 on order
Number of rolling stock...........80+ (increases with each train show)
Foam or other ( scenery).........not yet
Sub base material ...................plywood
Table top construction ...........grid sections built from 1x4's on 4x4 L shaped legs with plwood top, some sections lowered for future scenic effects.

Not all of my engines and rolling stock are operational yet, some are kits waiting to be built or bashed. While I'm always working on something, the unassembled kit collection grows faster than I can keep up. Maybe in retirement I can catch up.

Enjoy
Paul

[orsonroy]

[Steam or Diesel ................. mostly steam
Gauge modeled ................ standard (HO SCALE)
Age at nearest BD ............ 35
Student , Working, Retired ........... working
Country............................................ USA
Male or Female ........................... Male
Number of years in hobby ......... 30 (off and on)
DC or DCC, or Both .................... DC now, planning for DCC
Track Code used ....................... 83, 75, 70, 55
RTR , Kit, or Bash...................... RTR, Kit, kitbash and scratchbuild
Size of layout ............................ 12x25 three level
Shelf or Table Layout ............. shelf
Number of locomotives .......... 125 or so
Number of rolling stock........... 500 or so
Foam or other ( scenery)......... foam
Sub base material ................... 1/4" Lauan plywood
Table top construction ........... 1/4" Lauan plywood and 2" foam

[whitman500]

Steam or Deisel ................. Both
Gauge modeled ................HO
Age at nearest BD ............29
Student , Working, Retired ........... Working
Country............................................US
Male or Female ........................... Male
Number of years in hobby .........4 months currently, 2 years back when I was a kid
DC or DCC, or Both .................... DCC
Track Code used .......................83
RTR , Kit, or Bash......................RTR, Kit
Size of layout ............................12x4
Shelf or Table Layout .............Table
Number of locomotives ..........4
Number of rolling stock...........12
Foam or other ( scenery).........NA
Sub base material ...................plywood
Table top construction ...........plywood

I get the impression that the average model railroader is getting older. I remember 15 years ago when I was last involved in the hobby that most major toy stores carried a good amount of toy train products. Today they carry nothing. I think it is something to worry about in that it seems like most hobbyists start as kids and then continue on in or return to the hobby as adults. I'm not sure how many 30-year olds who never had a model train decide to get into the hobby. If this trend is indeed true and continues, it will be a bad thing for all of us since it will inevitably impact the range and cost of products and the availability of ideas and assistance.

[cmrproducts]

Steam or Diesel ................... Diesel ( CR ’75 to ’85 time period)
Gauge modeled ................... HO
Age at nearest BD ................ 58
Student, Working, Retired ...( S, W, or R ) Working (only 4 more to go)
Country......................................US
Male or Female .......................Male
Number of years in hobby .....50
DC or DCC, or Both ................DCC (Digitrax Radio)
Track Code used ................... Code 100 Atlas
RTR , Kit, or Bash................... All types
Size of layout .......................... 25ft x 75 ft + 14ft x 28 extension (2267sq ft)
Shelf or Table Layout .............Around the walls – peninsulas (multi-level)
Number of locomotives .........60+
Number of rolling stock..........800
Foam or other ( scenery)........Foam/Plaster/Foam covered Heavy paper
Sub base material .................1 x2 lumber benchwork – OSB – Homasote - Cork
Table top construction ..........L-girder & open grid


BOB H Clarion, PA

[Anonymous]

Steam or Deisel ................. Deisel w/ 1 steam for tourist/railfan excursions
Gauge modeled ................HO
Age at nearest BD ............59
Student , Working, Retired ........... ( S, W, or R ) Working
Country............................................USA
Male or Female ........................... M
Number of years in hobby .........1 layout; 30 armchair
DC or DCC, or Both .................... DCC
Track Code used .......................83
RTR , Kit, or Bash......................Kit mostly
Size of layout ............................4x8
Shelf or Table Layout .............Table Top, but aspire to shelf
Number of locomotives ..........
Number of rolling stock...........
Foam or other ( scenery).........
Sub base material ...................
Table top construction ...........

[Anonymous]

See I forgot the last few questions before I posted.

Number of locomotives ..........5 D, 1S
Number of rolling stock...........50+, obviously not all on layout at once.
Foam or other ( scenery).........combination
Sub base material ...................2" foam on ply
Table top construction ...........ply

[Anonymous]

Steam or Deisel ................. Mixed
Gauge modeled ................ HO
Age at nearest BD ............ 39
Student , Working, Retired ........... ( S, W, or R ) S
Country............................................ USA
Male or Female ........................... M
Number of years in hobby ......... 32
DC or DCC, or Both .................... Both
Track Code used ....................... 100 then 83
RTR , Kit, or Bash...................... RTR, Kit very little bash (learning)
Size of layout ............................ 6 feet by 18" soon to be 2x8
Shelf or Table Layout .............soon shelf, Interchange/run on other layouts
Number of locomotives .......... 10 or so
Number of rolling stock........... 100
Foam or other ( scenery)......... bare wood for now, planning
Sub base material ...................
Table top construction ...........

Not much to my railroad yet. It is all under planning/construction. Has been for some time. This year I hope to drive the track in and start on the scenery.

[Anonymous]

Steam or Deisel ................. STEAM
Gauge modeled ................HO
Age at nearest BD ............34
Student , Working, Retired ........... WORKING ALWAYS WORKING
Country............................................USA
Male or Female ........................... MALE
Number of years in hobby .........10
DC or DCC, or Both .................... DCC
Track Code used .......................70 BUT 100 NEXT TIME
RTR , Kit, or Bash......................ALL OF THE ABOVE
Size of layout ............................18 X 20
Shelf or Table Layout .............TABLE
Number of locomotives ..........6
Number of rolling stock...........40
Foam or other ( scenery).........NONE YET
Sub base material ...................PLYWOOD
Table top construction ...........YES AND SOME OPEN GRID

[davekelly]

Biggie,

A minority? I thought you modeled HO which would put you in the largest group. Oh - you meant race/age? Well, as far as I can tell, this hobby is race/color/political/religeous/sex/wealth blind - which was the thought behind my original post concerning the "average" model rail. Like I've always thought - if trains make you smile - you're one of us!

[AggroJones]

Steam or Deisel ............... ............Steam, few 1st gen diesels
Gauge modeled ............................1:87
Age at nearest BD .........................23
Ethnicity...........................................Black, Cherrokee, Irish blend
Hairstyle.........................................bald headed
Sex...........................................I like Asian and Indian girls, they just don't like me!
S,W,R?...........................................semi-unemployed
Kids.........................................I am unable to spawn children, as it seems
Other hobbies................................Video games, watching animals fight
Country..............................................United States
Male or Female ................................Male wolverine
Number of years in hobby .............about 10
DC or DCC, or Both .........................DC
Track Code used ............................code 83 and 100
RTR , Kit, or Bash...........................mostly Kits, few RTR
Size of layout ...................................overall 11' x 11'
Shelf or Table Layout .....................2' shelf
Number of locomotives ..................30
Number of rolling stock...................250+
Foam or other ( scenery)...............non-toxic glue shell
Table top construction ....................1" thick beaded white foam

[grayfox1119]

Seeing I started this, I own pulling all the stats together and sending out a forum update with the results. I will give this another week or two to give everyone a chance to add to the list.

Thanks to all who participated thus far, it should be interesting to see the tally.

[Anonymous]

Steam or Deisel ............... .............Steam and diesel
Gauge modeled ..................................1:87
Age at nearest BD .............................21
Ethnicity...............................................Negro American
Sex......................................................strictly females
S,W,R?..............................................Working
Kids.......................................................None
Country................................................United States
Male or Female ...................................Super-Male
Number of years in hobby ......................9
DC or DCC, or Both .............................DC
Track Code used .................................code 83 and 100
RTR , Kit, or Bash.................................. Kits, few RTR
Size of layout ........................................11' x 9'
Shelf or Table Layout .......................around the wall shelf
Number of locomotives ..................20+
Number of rolling stock...................200+
Foam or other ( scenery)...............glue shell, plaster cloth

[johncolley]

Gosh, you forgot a few things: right or left handed; nearsighted, 20/20, or farsighted; short,medium, or tall; craftsperson, or all thumbs; blue collar, or white collar; There must be more quantities that go to making an "average".