Yea,with the cost of everything going up caused me to change from a standard railroad to a logging road where I can scratch build a lot of the stuff.I can also cut down on a lot of scenery such as towns and such.
Great post Mark, no reason to put on kevlar. Your comments are at least based on some reality instead of emotion.
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
When you are young, most people don't have the time for a hobby if they are ambitious, period! It is only when you get older that you have the time or money to make a time intensive hobby like Model Railroading happen. When I was first starting out, I worked a few 20hour days and ussually worked over 60 hours a week at least. I had no time for anything. Then I got ahead, got into a relationship and had the time for a hobby for awhile, had a kid and work again garnered a min of 60 hours a week, kids grew up and hobby time again. We all go though stages in life and there are few young people with the time for this hobby, that will come later, that is why it always seems like a hobby for older people and I am sure it always has been!!!!!!!!
Yes, that's life -- it happens one way or another.
I think just setting a good example by doing outreach whenever it feels natural, at whatever age, if what's most effective. Had a guy come by to fix the stove this week. I often ask visitors if they want to take a peek, to varying degrees of interest in their reactions. He said "sure" in a rather non commital way and had 5 minutes to stick his head in the door to see it in the basement.
I wasn't expecting much reaction based on what he'd said to that point, but once he saw it and I said just a little about what I model, Durango to Silverton and beyond, he lit up even more. Turns out he'd very much enjoyed a trip on the Silverton 40 years ago. After that, he was kind of speeachless, then said his goodbyes. Who knows, nothing will probably ever come of it, but you never know. I did let him know I plan to start regular ops sessions soon so to let me know if he'd like to give it a try. After all, some folks just like to run trains. They're model railroaders, too.
I wasn't expecting much reaction based on what he'd said to that point, but once he saw it and I said just a little about what I model, Durango to Silverton and beyond, he lit up even more. Turns out he'd very much enjoyed a trip on the Silverton 40 years ago. After that, he was kind of speeachless, then said his goodbyes.
Who knows, nothing will probably ever come of it, but you never know. I did let him know I plan to start regular ops sessions soon so to let me know if he'd like to give it a try. After all, some folks just like to run trains. They're model railroaders, too.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL