Growing the hobby pt 1 MRR mag

[CNJ831]

QUOTE: Originally posted by MisterBeasley

We need to be better ambassadors. Invite your friends over, particularly those with kids. Model Railroading is in danger of becoming a secret society, meeting in stealty basements and using mysterious code words. When was the last time you saw a public layout display other than at an open house or a train show? There used to be a very large HO setup at a nearby mall every Christmas, but I think they'd rather have another 3 pushcarts with velvet Elvis paintings and cell phone accessories these days.

Maybe some of the clubs that exhibit at shows could do a mall or two, in the off-season when the floor space isn't so valuable. Put out some train show fliers, and some LHS business cards. A few parents are going to note that look of wide-eyed wonder on their children's faces, and maybe those lucky kids will get a train instead of another throw-away video game.

Mall shows have largely disappeared from many regions of the country because of the requirement of huge insurance policy coverage, demanded by the Mall (who used to be willing to cover that expense, and pay you for displaying as well). Likewise, electrical code enforcement has prevented many modular groups from displaying any longer.

CNJ831

[selector]

May I add an addendum? I do think that more people in the hobby would bring more diverse topics to this forum, and I am happy to see this already.

Thanks, everybody! [^]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TA462
...lets face it, you ask a kid now days if he wants a train set for christmas or a Playstation 2 what do you think the answer is going to be?

That's an interesting point, which I tried to address when I attempted* to do a presentation for a home schooling co-op last December: Many of these video games are based on violent themes, and Model Railroading can provide an alternative form of entertainment. We have to get this message out to concerned parents - they are the ones who have the money to spend, they are the ones who would most likely prefer nonviolent forms of entertainment for their children and be willing to invest a few extra hundred dollars a year! Several parents I have chatted with about this hobby never even had a clue that something like this even existed, and thought it would be great if their boys were doing MRR instead[soapbox].

Reach the parents, and [hopefully?] the kids will follow.

* The target audience didn't show because of a communication mixup.

[Anonymous]

Dave,
That's why I specially target the home educators who have formed their own communities. Their kids (and their kids' friends within the community) are not as likely to have prolonged exposure to "Grand Theft Auto" or similar detritus.

[grayfox1119]

I passed around some of my MRR Mags to friends that have kids, now both Dads and kids are interested. One of my own sond just built a new house and I gave him a copy of the Getting Started mag and DVD that came with it, he and his son are now heavy into their first layout. Communication does work guys.

[MisterBeasley]

One of these days, I'm going to take a couple of feet of 1x4 and some old brass track and make a short display track. I'll take it to work, and rotate some of my old engines and rolling stock. Admittedly, I work with computer geeks and radar types, but when I mention pulling my old trains out of the attic and setting them up, I get a lot of positive responses. One guy even asked for URLs of train sites. (This forum was at the top of my list.)

Does anyone else do "Take Your Train To Work Day?"

[AtlasGP9]

How did most of us get into the hobby? I suspect because someone gave us a train set-- American Flyer, Lionel, Bachmann, Tri-Ang. Yes, we lived in an era in which trains were a more obvious part of life-- but it was that tiny model going around in circles that intrigued us.
Kids are fascinated by miniature realities-- Watch their faces at a public showing of N Trak or HO modules. Maybe every one of us should buy a train set to give to a grandchild or two-- or donate time and equipment to a boys and girls club.
Yeah, advertising would help-- and not just in MR-- Those people who pick up MR are already hooked-- or at least nibbling.

[cmrproducts]

After having been on the net and these forums for the past 5 years or so, I am seeing more and more first time posters saying “I am just getting back into the hobby” or “I just discovered the hobby”!

From the sounds of most posters this should not be happening but it is. The Doom and Gloom people are saying the hobby is dying! Well that is a good way to get it to die! Just keep on telling everyone it is and eventually everyone will believe it.

Well up here in western PA things must be different. I am meeting more new hobbyists and there are always new faces at our Clarion Club shows and our NMRA Division 11 meetings and the once a year Jamboree.

So where is this dieing of the hobby? Yes the older modelers are passing on (and we have lost a few in our area) but from what I am seeing for every two that die three are coming into the hobby!

And we have a very active NMRA Division 11 and we have a lot of young modelers. Several are working on their Master Modelers Certs. Now by young modelers I am talking about those that are younger than 40. Usually by age 40 most of the potential modelers are getting ready to get back into the hobby as the families are somewhat settled. But the ones that are younger than 40 that are active modelers, are the new generation and they are not waiting until they get old to enjoy the hobby.

They just decide that they do not have to have 2 - 4 wheelers and 3 ATV’s and a boat and – and – and! They have seen the light and made a decision. Its not who has the most toys but who has the most trains!

And YES I am a bit over 40!

BOB H Clarion, PA

[jfugate]

I believe we need to get the younger generation interested in the hobby or it will go the way of the dinosaur ...

To that end, MyMemoirs Video, the folks that distrubute my Siskiyou Line video series on DVD are planning to debut a new web site this summer at http://model-trains-video.com .

The site will contain lots of professionally produced video shorts (10 min or less) of how-to demos on various scale model railroading topics that you can watch online. Why not make use of the internet and modern digital media to reach the younger generation? The ones who surf the net all the time?

Would you rather have the video to watch on your DVD player instead of that little-bitty computer monitor? They'll have downloadable versions you can burn to a DVD. Would you rather read an article? They'll have a summary of the steps given in the video, along with diagrams, etc in downloadable PDF format so you can read it and print out a hardcopy.

We need more of this kind of thing, I think, if we want to see the hobby reach the next generation! [:D]

[Anonymous]

Can we assume there will be a cost for these videos, downloads and PDF's? Not suggesting they be offered for free, but you did not mention anything about paying for them. There does seem to be quite a reluctance to pay for PDF copies of MR articles on this list.

In any case, good luck!

Bob Boudreau

[jfugate]

Bob:

There will be a public area with some that are free. Others will be available for download for a small fee. Or if you would like access to the entire library for a year, you can subscribe -- for less than it costs to subscribe to MR for a year.

For example, one of the videos being worked on is how to install and use decoder pro, and that will be in the public free area.

The fees will mainly pay for the space, server, and production costs for the videos. If it could be done, it would be nice for advertising to pay for this so the enitre site could be totally free to the public, but that's unlikely to happen. The model RR hobby is just too small.

I think one of the reasons for the reluctance to pay for the PDFs is it's mostly warmed over material -- reprints of things MR has already published. If it was all fresh new material, there might be more of an interest. For reprinted material that has no associated printing costs, it's seen as overpriced, I think.

[TurboOne]

WOW.....[wow][yeah][wow] Did this topic take off.

Good job guys. It seems as if most of us agree better ambassadorship could be done.

QUOTE: Editor

Posts: 56
Joined: 14 Feb 2002
Location: Model Railroader magazine
Thanks to all who have contributed on this topic, which, as you can imagine, is one that we spend considerable time considering.
Two quick corrections: 1) The WGH DVD sells for $12.99, not 24.99 as one poster stated, and 2) we did a special magazine for beginners (simple layouts, click-together track, etc.) last holiday season that sold for $9.99 and included the DVD with the magazine. (As you can imagine, that price barely covered our costs, but we thought it was one way that we could help new people get a good start in the hobby.)
Best wishes, and thanks for reading Model Railroader,
Terry

Terry I never saw the combo, or I would have bought it. I returned to the hobby on Dec 16th. Offer it to me now, and lets see if we can get others to come on board. I think $7.99 would be better only because its not $10. Let me know how I can promote these if you make the offer.

My 2 closest LHS doesn't care about the newbies. They want to sell their BLI and Proto2k engines and to heck with the newbies. They don't carry Thomas the train just a play set in the shop to keep the kids from getting around the "real" trains.

They don't think anyone makes Thomas the train for HO or O anymore, and don't even know if a G version ever existed. They have the catalogs in their store showing the product. What idiots.

Any dealer that doesn't promote to entry level deserves to go out of business. Old dinosaurs that need to be buried last year. Mean. Crusty. Waste of space.

To any dealer, I challenge you to hire an excited young person. Teenager, or early 20s. No family, no gray hair. Get him excited and show him how simple it is to set up a Thomas the train. I don't care if you don't make money on the set, quit being marketing stupid. The circle of track won't fit around the tree. So you need more. Show him nickel silver and why its better for just a little bit more. What about a 2nd engine and a cranky the crane add on. Maybe these piers that will let you build a second level. Next thing you know, its like drugs, I NEED MORE. Better engines, more track, switches, etc...

NO MORE RIVET COUNTERS helping newbies. While your skills are tremendous, and your layout looks fantastic, you are an idiot on marketing. A train layout for beginners especially kids so be up and running in hours, not years. Santa and Mrs. Claus set up our living room Thomas the train double level layout in 2.5 hours. Kids woke up, and TADA the trains ran immediately. I believe Santa tested them. [:)][:)][:)][:)] Only for 30 minutes, after all it ws 3am.

Now on the bigger layout that we are doing, we can take our time. We have a working layout. We use wooden Thomas trees, oversized building from wooden Thomas, and wrong scale trees. We run the trains fast.

BECAUSE IT IS ABOUT FUN. [:D][:D][:D][:D]

Now when we go to the museum with the rivet counters, the years of work, and the great scenary, the kids appreciate all the work it took. But they want it all and want it now. Just like a video game. We have 6 video systems plus computer games. We still have time for trains. We build cardboard building because they are cheap $1. But the kids make them and I proudly put them on the layout.

Every young child I know, knows who Thomas the Train is. Why are manufacturers so dumb and not know this will bring in more people. That is what I bought from an internet company as he was the only one that had it where I could get it by Christmas. LHS told me what I wrote above.

Hogwarts, Thomas, Disney like O gauge has, promos for Chrsitmas like LGB has, get them in and reel them in.

With that entry level book Terry talked about that would replace putting it in MRR every quarter. Are they still available for $9.99 ????

This forum has been fantastic, and the great guys on here that encourage us newbies is why. As many of you know I cleaned the garage out, I built my own benchwork, and put up 3 temporary loops until I fini***he rest of the benchwork. All because of the encouragement here. I like the rivet counters teaching, I love their work. But they lack the marketing that the younger folk can do. TAMR and other orgs, hats off. Keep it up. Grandpa's show the kids, think of it as a come to life video game. Show them the fun, not the details. They will learn. Look at their video games. Details that they can't live without, just had to show them and lead them. Start with Thomas, then go to a Athearn, then Proto2K with sound. A a lifelong customer if you treat him right.

Ok my [2c][2c] 4 cents.

Tim