Simon, as the French would say, "Precisement."
I wonder if the aircraft RC world offers a parallel. I honestly don't know as I have no connection to that hobby whatsoever, but it would be interesting to see if the youth of today pick propellar-driven aircraft over modern fighter jets and passenger aircraft when they are in a position to choose.
Crandell
onequiknova richhotrain: When you say that you know "a lot of modelers who model steam who are a lot younger than that", how many? Probably just a few. What I find amusing is that some people who experience something contemporary cannot imagine it passing or fading away. Just remember that at one time the largest publicly traded company in the world was United States Leather Company. It is no longer with us. Rich Your argument that when the people who've experienced something die off, it will fade away just doesn't hold water. Look at all the people reenacting the civil war, or the Renaissance for that matter. Do you think any of those guys were around back then? I fly RC airplanes, and WWI & WWII war planes are more popular now than ever. I don't see too many 90 year old men at the flying fields. People will always want to recreate history. It's in our nature. Sure, the numbers will dwindle as time goes on, but there will always be that niche.
richhotrain: When you say that you know "a lot of modelers who model steam who are a lot younger than that", how many? Probably just a few. What I find amusing is that some people who experience something contemporary cannot imagine it passing or fading away. Just remember that at one time the largest publicly traded company in the world was United States Leather Company. It is no longer with us. Rich
When you say that you know "a lot of modelers who model steam who are a lot younger than that", how many? Probably just a few.
What I find amusing is that some people who experience something contemporary cannot imagine it passing or fading away. Just remember that at one time the largest publicly traded company in the world was United States Leather Company. It is no longer with us.
Rich
Your argument that when the people who've experienced something die off, it will fade away just doesn't hold water. Look at all the people reenacting the civil war, or the Renaissance for that matter. Do you think any of those guys were around back then? I fly RC airplanes, and WWI & WWII war planes are more popular now than ever. I don't see too many 90 year old men at the flying fields.
People will always want to recreate history. It's in our nature. Sure, the numbers will dwindle as time goes on, but there will always be that niche.
Sure, there will always be a niche, but my original contention holds. Steam will fade.
Alton Junction
A number of those very same facts are why I have no interest in modeling the 60's or 70's.
Sheldon
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Sheldon,The 70s was a interesting decade in many ways We seen the rebirth of Eastern railroads through Conrail,we seen those nice looking IPD short line boxcars,we was told the big lie of '71..The 80s was interesting as well with mega mergers,lots of steam excursions and of course more rationalization of the railroad plant that included more mega mergers and the demised of the cabooses and brakeman.
I fully believe those mega mergers saved the future of the railroads.
As sad as it is I call the 60s the decaying years as more and more railroads slid deeper and deeper into red ink..
Of course all was not gloom and doom roads like the C&O/B&0,N&W,UP,SF was in good financial shape for that era.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I don´t know if steam locos are that unpopular among younger people. I´m only 26 and I love steamers more than diesels and electrics. If I´m honest my fost favorite era to model is the Old West time from around 1870 to 1900. I simply love the looks of old trains and love the mechanism of steam locos. I also know a couple of other people around my age, who are also quite fascinated about steamers. I guess it´s because we didn´t live in that era and find them therefore more exciting than today´s trains.
I don't buy the steam will die shtick...
Young people spend many thousands of dollars restoring Model A's, even though Ford hasn't built one on 80 years.
People go to air shows by the millions every year to see old piston aircraft from the 30's and 40's fly.
Nostalgia is always cool...... Steam will live forever..
Van Hobbies H1b, K1a, T1c, D10g, F1a, F2a, G5a. Division Point: H24-66 Hammerhead, Alco covered wagons A-B-B-A, C-Liner A-B-B-A, EMD FP7A A-B-B.
H1b modified to replicate modern day 2816. All with Tsunamis.
CP guy in TX I don't buy the steam will die shtick... Young people spend many thousands of dollars restoring Model A's, even though Ford hasn't built one on 80 years. People go to air shows by the millions every year to see old piston aircraft from the 30's and 40's fly. Nostalgia is always cool...... Steam will live forever..
Geez, guys, no one has said that steam will die.
Re-read the OP's original post.
OK, I will reprint it for you.
In a recent discussion with some older model rails, a few were of the opinion that model steamers would fade in years to come. All agreed they would never disappear but hinted that many modern modelers of the younger set were never around operating steam and in spite of cool videos and real tourist steam operations all over the U.S., many choose the familiar diesel as there motive power choice.
Steam will fade, not die.
I had a friend over yesterday and he brought his 2 son's, 15 and 13 years old. They ran diesels while they where over and never touched the 3 steam engines that where sitting on the track and ready to go?
They all so have a layout and there dad said they never run there steam engines at home either?
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
Hi,
Sure it will be great.
All manufacturers have a lot of new steam model in their catalog.
Anytime, everywhere in any country, when a real steam loco is running the youngsters are there and they love these engines.
Two or three months ago a big hobby shop here in Belgium offer a trip between Brussels and their new location, which is on the second floor of a small town station.
Most of the travellers were youngsters and the train made a second trip on the journey because of the too heavy demand.
Everybody and especialy the youngsters were atonished.
At some place the car traffic was stopped because of the to many people looking at the passing of the old engine.
The success was well above anyone could think.
Big manufacturer like Bachmann or Marklin offer more steam model than electric or diesel in the same time and the release are quick sold out.
I never see steam in action, but they are like the dinosaurs; they lived a small 100 years on earth and their appeal is still great even by the youngsters.
We have many cocooned steam locos here in Belgium and a new museum will be built in the coming months here in Brussels to show them and the great engenering made in Belgium for steam like the work of Mister Wallschaert, well know also in US for his system.
So sure great life to steam.
Marc, Belgium
This thread really ballooned over the weekend! (I was not online)
Again, it seems that a lot of folks drifted from the original intent related to steam only and turned it into a diesel vs. steam issue.
What I did gather from all this was that most folks tended to agree that steam will lose some ground in the future, which seems reasonable. Most also agreed that steam modeling would never be dead or extinct as long as there are wheels on rail in real life. To what degree and how rapid or steep the fade off curve will be is for the future to tell.
One interesting thought presented was that people have to model an era. That determines everything in model railroading; rolling stock, motive power, structures, etc. In that context, any modeling prior to the mid thirties has to be predominantley steam and anyhting up to the sixties can be mixed. MR history buffs may be the ones keeping steam alive.
For me, the more I read about the narrow gauge 1900-1960, the more I fall deeper in love with the diminutive "tea kettles" that were nursed far beyond their normal life span by people of sterner stuff than are normally seen today. These people were hardy railroaders scratching out a living on rails 3 feet apart with trains that often never exceeded 25 mph and in certain areas clawed and crawled along at 5-10mph. Falling in love with an era and the thoughts of the way things were can keep steam alive for sure, but only if you care enough to read about what you are modeling. It is this kind of modeler that will stay with MR all their lives, regardless of era chosen.
Richard
If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed
Richard,
I think you have summarized the discussion quite well. I think it is time to move on now.