This isn't a new problem at all, but a product of the general dumbing down of our society.
When railroads are portrayed in movies, like the abominable "Atomic Train" TV movie a couple years ago, the idiot hollywood writers use the exact same language lifted right out of airplane movies and hope Americans somehow won't notice the difference.
Within the general news media, there are terrible misconceptions about railroads--not at all limited to the under-30 crowd. Our news media believe railroads are "all but dead" and grossly fail to realize they are actually stronger than ever before, moving more freight in recent years than ever before--so they are unable to fathom Warren Buffet's purchase of BNSF.
John
All that needs to be done is to look at YouTube, and you will see hundreds of kids, teens, and older youth that have have an affinity for railroading----whether it be playing with a simple toy oval track, modelling a complex, detailed layout, or standing at a depot or parking next to a grade crossing (like in Durand, MI) making videos of the full size trains thundering down the tracks. Not that there aren't some folks that appear to have the intelligence of a bag of hammers, especially when leaving ignorant comments, But for the majority, it's nothing short of sheer awe and amazement, or listening to some kid talk about how impressive a passing train is, or how neat the MoW trucks look when the metal wheels are being lowered before the truck takes off down the track. All hope on youth and railroading isn't lost just yet.