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Where is model railroading headed? Locked

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Posted by BRAKIE on Wednesday, June 12, 2013 8:54 AM

Another good exposer for model railroading is you tube..There is thousands of model train videos plus Bachmann's videos explaining how to use their E-Z DCC system.

IMHO the hobby's exposer to the general public hasn't been better.

Larry

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Posted by russ_q4b on Wednesday, June 12, 2013 7:38 AM

You are right, a place like Miniatur Wunderland and Northlanz would spark any persons interests to the hobby.   I also think that people with layouts and model railroad clubs could make a collective effort to promote this hobby.  People will always have a creative side and video games, social media and RTR RC toys will not encourage their creative side.

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Posted by JuanCarlosFdez on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 8:44 PM

I think you nailed it on the head!  The kids with their wooden trains are also seeing the cool things new electronics enable model trains to do (or, for that matter, model anything - just look at the extraordinary stuff Miniatur Wunderland does).  There will always be a desire to see a solid model move in a way no virtual model on a computer screen can.  

Where expansion lies is with the creative side of modeling, and (I think) largely in freelancing.  If we encourage today's kids to imagine and build (as opposed to faithfully representing a slice of railroad history they can't relate to), then they will build.

Juan

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Posted by Adelie on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 8:16 PM

russ_q4b

It is by far the greatest hobby.   I think there are plenty of young people out there who would enjoy building things with their hands.   I feel the best way to keep this hobby going is the traditional local hobby shop.   This hobby shop should have a display layout and staff who are knowledgeable  about the hobby.   There is not substitute to seeing an actual layout to inspire someone to build his empire.   The staff at this hobby shop should be like a mentor to anyone entering the hobby.   I do agree that the video games, internet and RC aircraft with video cameras could deter someone from this hobby.   I also believe that creative promotion of this hobby can keep it going for several generations. 

Problem is the traditional local hobby shop is not financially viable anymore.  If the hobby's survival is dependent on that, it is doomed.

- Mark

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Posted by russ_q4b on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 7:50 PM

It is by far the greatest hobby.   I think there are plenty of young people out there who would enjoy building things with their hands.   I feel the best way to keep this hobby going is the traditional local hobby shop.   This hobby shop should have a display layout and staff who are knowledgeable  about the hobby.   There is not substitute to seeing an actual layout to inspire someone to build his empire.   The staff at this hobby shop should be like a mentor to anyone entering the hobby.   I do agree that the video games, internet and RC aircraft with video cameras could deter someone from this hobby.   I also believe that creative promotion of this hobby can keep it going for several generations. 

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Posted by BRAKIE on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 7:07 PM

Russell,When I was attending  Columbus,Ohio city schools back in the 60s one best not mention he liked trains unless he was a fast runner or ready to rumble..If you wasn't into cars or sports you was a "sissy".

 

Larry

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Posted by sh00fly on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 6:58 PM

The future of the hobby...

Meet Jason and Chad...http://nwprr.net/photo/jason-and-i

They're on a different social media outlet. Just because you don't see them hanging out with your crowd doesn't mean they are not there. Both these guys are really knowledgeable and schooling me on traction and other stuff about the Northwestern Pacific.

As for trends in video games. I don't think I was really clear with what is "trending" with video games. If you heard about Anki Drive you might understand what is being developed. There is a movement to make video games more tangible. They are using model cars and Artificial Intelligence to create a physical game space.

My impression, there are players interested in playing the game in a real physical tangible environment...then the computer has the roll of game keeper. I can really see this applied to a model railroad and social networking.

We run our trains and switch out cars on our layout spotting them to the switchlist generated by the computer. Add in Social networking where I can work with other friends that have a layout simulating supply (perhaps on their layout) and demand (on my layout) and the computer works out the shipping between our railroads virtually through the net. If we have the same car number, simulating the car traveling from the industry to offline staging for me, then for him, offline staging to the industry. Of course one could add more reality to "the game" that simulates miniature economics. Perhaps a group of small railroads could team up like the Genesee Wyoming collection of short lines and pool their resources. Something like that to me sounds incredibly fun and gives incentive to building a layout to participate in handing off carloads Cool

Just my humble opinion

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Posted by csxns on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 6:36 PM

Lake
they lived it was not even any thing they cared about.

Back in Shelby when I was young late 60's and 70's nobody that I went to school with liked trains people thought that you were odd if you liked them.

Russell

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Posted by Lake on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 6:03 PM

When I was growing up in the 1950's and 1960's I knew no one into model trains. Lots into autos.

As far as modeling went, ships, cars, airplanes, and space craft models were the big thing.

Then around junior high and high school if you were not on a sports team then it was, autos or being in a band!

So building plastic model ships and rockets, learning guitar then switching to bass was my big thing. Then in the mid 70's, I got some what interested in model trains. Not till 2007 did I really do any thing about it though.

I would guess that many here think, model trains were bigger then they were population wise, is because they were into them and noticed it. For others even if railroads were in and around where they lived it was not even any thing they cared about.

The future is safe!Smile, Wink & Grin

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Posted by BRAKIE on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 9:03 AM

IRONROOSTER
Not too say don't scratchbuild, there's a lot of satisfaction there, but Accurail cars and the Athearn/Roundhouse kits still available at train shows are the way to save money. 

Another way is to buy use stuff..

I picked up 2 used Athearn CR GP40-2s for $15.00 each last week..In sort two fer the price of one.

 

Larry

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Posted by blownout cylinder on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 8:32 AM

Oh good!!

Let's start talkin' 'bout how the price of the hobby is so killing the hobby!!

Everything costs money people...get over it.

Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry

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Posted by IRONROOSTER on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 8:09 AM

Brunton

...

Fourth - People keep complaining about the cost, but this is one area that is very much under the individual's control. Don't want to pay $40 for an RTR boxcar? But an Accurail kit for under $10 and build it. Or get some supplies and scratchbuild one for only a couple bucks. Don't want to pay $200 for a diesel loco model? Don't! Get a cheap one and tweak it until it runs well. Or, as with the boxcar, scratchbuild one. But people insist on instant, expensive-to-achieve quality levels and then complain about the cost. The big problem is that those on limited budgets aren't presented with the alternatives - they just see the expense and choke. The model press is somewhat to blame for this bit... (when is the last time you saw a "Dollar Model" project in MR? How many don't even know what that is/was?)

Prices have gone up since those dollar car models in the 50's.  If you cost out scratchbuilding, you'll see that a couple of bucks won't do it any more.  Also the details on those models probably aren't acceptable anymore - a boxcar I built called for a rail spike as the door handle and more spikes as the lower door guides. 

Not too say don't scratchbuild, there's a lot of satisfaction there, but Accurail cars and the Athearn/Roundhouse kits still available at train shows are the way to save money.  Of course metal wheels and Kadee couplers will bring the price up.

Enjoy

Paul

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Posted by John Busby on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 8:05 AM

Hi all

Yes the hobby is dying but not in the sense that usually means.

We still have hobby shops just.

All I see are convenience model structures or as I derisively call them plonk and play buildings

lots of expensive DCC and no reasonable priced DC locos.

Oh and spare parts for your loco forget it.

Where are the kits and the building materials and expensive pre ballasted track instead of ordinary un-ballasted track good grief!!.

The Model is being taken out of the hobby.

So its turning into toy time instead of model railroading.

Fight this scourge to our hobby build a kit of make something from scratch kit bash put the model back in model railroading.

Even a plasticville kit with a bit of paint work and replacing that thin plastic glazing with something better can turn out a reasonable building.

Tell that shop asst where they can put there plonk and play toys.

I think I better stop nowSmile

Regards John

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Posted by EMD.Don on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 7:54 AM

sh00fly

I suggested a "game" approach simply to make a suggestion and offer a real solution rather then sit around idle, and stagnate over the "problem". But since you seem to challenge me by that....

Firstly, as my previous posts have mentioned, I don't see a problem as I believe younger modelers like youself and I will carry on where the seasoned Veterans have left off. I DO believe there will be less of us, but the hobby will be here.

Also, I wasn't throwing some "virtual" gauntlet down, but merely making a polite and vaild (in my humble opinion) observation. I also still stand by my assertion that physically playing baseball on a field with real live people is completely different then playing a baseball video game, the same (again, in my humble opinion...) as getting your hands onto physical model railroading equipment (wood, wires, hardware, kits, RTR, etc)  and creating/operating/modeling/watching said model railroad versus having an electronic/game version of a model railroad. Yes, both share a common theme (model railroad), users share a common interest (trains or railroading), both share a common desire (design a functioning railroad), but both achieve their desired results in two very different and distinct ways and their "owners" have two very different ideas for how they want to utilize their model railroads (a.k.a what interests them). It also assumes that electronic/gaming only model railroaders would take the next step and venture out to buy the equipment necessary to physically construct their gaming version of their railroad. Or, is the idea one that suggests the evolution of model railroading is moving from a 4X8 sheet of plywood to a 30+" tv set? If so, then the hobby as we currently know it is indeed dying....which I do not believe. Using my baseball example, I would hazard a guess that the vast majority of MLB 2013 gamers don't own a baseball glove and may never have even played a real game of baseball since little league (or at all). Be that as it may, I am not...repeat...not...shooting your idea down whatsoever. I am merely attempting (and probably failing) to make the point that video gaming a model railroad would indeed add another facet for train enthusiasts to pursue (for those so inclined), but that a video game is an entirely different entity then constructing a more traditional model railroad as the majority of those on this site currently do. 

But, as I mentioned earlier, this is a BIG hobby and there is lots of room for everyone of all ages. Everyone's ideas, thoughts, opinions, and experiences are welcome...to me at least. If I have a problem and you have a solution that will help, I couldn't care less how young or old you are...I am just glad for the help! It's all good Thumbs Up

Have a great day all!

Happy Modeling!

Don.

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Posted by BRAKIE on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 7:27 AM

Burlington Northern #24

I see Jeff, my apologies Brakie. 

Chris I agree. 

 

Gary,No apologies needed my friend.

Larry

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Posted by GP-9_Man11786 on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 6:27 AM

BrianinBuffalo

Burlington Northern #24

 I'm younger than you by 10 years, but I agree GP9man! removed portions of post.

Hand painted, can't RTR that. this loco took 6-8 hours combined from 2 days of working on it. 

Number boards, as well as exterior details all of which are not yet applied. just give me a bit so I can get an F3A then I'll paint up an SP&S #802.

Good Work Gary!  I am too chicken to paint N scale stuff.  Big Smile

Very nice work! 

Okay I was out of line with my post last night. Sorry guys.

now, have the cows come home yet or can we keep arguing?Stick out tongue

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Posted by BRAKIE on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 6:10 AM

Brunton
Third - and this is strictly my opinion, now - buying a whole bunch of RTR stuff and slapping it onto some sort of benchwork is not Model Railroading. It is miniature railroading, but what part is the modeling?

Mark,I suspect the modeling comes in the scenery..Looking at the museum quality scenery and structures on some layouts that shows some of the (if you will) "modern" modeling.

My dad's generation of modelers spent hours at the work bench assembling  locomotive and wooden car kits.I was in the so called "easy" generation where we built plastic car kits and added handrails and detail to Athearn locomotives.

The young modelers today buys highly detailed  RTR cars and locomotives and builds high quality layouts.

Sounds like advancement to me..

Of course as I mention several times before  my modeling style is straight from a 60 era modeling manual.Crying Crude but fun..Smile, Wink & Grin

 

Larry

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Posted by Pruitt on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 5:40 AM

I read the first couple pages, then jumped right to posting, so if I'm repeating what someone else has said, sorry.

First - Until manufacturing and selling kits becomes less profitable than RTR, you won't see a wholesale return of kits. When a kit sells for $10 and costs the mfg $5, and an RTR version of the same thing sells for $40 and costs the mfg $10, which do you think they're gonna do? $5 profit per item vs. $30 profit. Until they're convinced that they can sell more than 6 times the number of kits as they can RTR, there will be no return of kits (at least until the profit in RTR drops significantly). Note: $ are for illustration only.

Second - The hobby will survive. It may shrink. It will change. I suspect that it will go back to something like it was in the 1950-1970 timeframe (albeit higher-tech) as it shrinks and major manufacturers exit the marketplace - scratchbuilding will make a big comeback, and in fact will be a much more necessary part of the hobby than it has been for years.

Third - and this is strictly my opinion, now - buying a whole bunch of RTR stuff and slapping it onto some sort of benchwork is not Model Railroading. It is miniature railroading, but what part is the modeling? The still-growing preponderance of RTR is removing "modeling" from more and more facets of the hobby. (I'm a participant in this as well, in terms of motive power. My locos are almost completely RTR. They WILL be customized in the future, but right now they're stock. Most of my other stuff is a mix of kit and scratch).

Fourth - People keep complaining about the cost, but this is one area that is very much under the individual's control. Don't want to pay $40 for an RTR boxcar? But an Accurail kit for under $10 and build it. Or get some supplies and scratchbuild one for only a couple bucks. Don't want to pay $200 for a diesel loco model? Don't! Get a cheap one and tweak it until it runs well. Or, as with the boxcar, scratchbuild one. But people insist on instant, expensive-to-achieve quality levels and then complain about the cost. The big problem is that those on limited budgets aren't presented with the alternatives - they just see the expense and choke. The model press is somewhat to blame for this bit... (when is the last time you saw a "Dollar Model" project in MR? How many don't even know what that is/was?)

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Posted by richhotrain on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 5:38 AM

Aside from the cackling comments from one rude member and the pleas to return to model railroading from another more polite member, I see nothing wrong with this thread other than the fact that the subject is repetitive.

But what I find most amusing is the sense of denial that some have about the future of the hobby.

Why is it so hard to believe or to accept the fact that the hobby is dying along with the aging of the model railroading population?

Sure, it will never go away.  And, sure, there are young people entering the hobby today.  But, like playing marbles, collecting stamps, and building plastic model planes, ships, and planes, the model railroading hobby is just another phenomenom that really seemed to catch fire in the post-WWII years.

It probably has already passed the high point as the octogenarians pass away.

Rich

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Posted by Medina1128 on Tuesday, June 11, 2013 4:12 AM

richhotrain

Oh boy, here we go again !

What the heck.  I will offer my My 2 Cents.

The model railroad hobby is on its way to extinction.

Cost is one thing, and it sure is an expensive hobby.  But, it is not cost that will bring it down.  It will be lack of interest.  Today's kids don't grow up with an electric train set.  The fascination that gripped the kids born between 1930 and 1960 does not exist, at least on the same scale (no pun intended), for kids born between 1970 and 2000.  And why should it?  Their area of fascination is are different one with video games and computer games and the like.

The kids born between 1930 and 1960 are growing old and dying off.  Some of them have enough money and time to buy what they want so the hobby can still be sustained a while longer.  But it is doomed, make no mistake about it.  Will it disappear entirely?  Probably not.  But, it will eventually be a much smaller niche market than it is today.

Rich

Whenever I complete a project on my layout, I email pictures, descriptions, etc. to friends and family.  As a result my middle granddaughter is gaga over trains. So, for Christmas last year, I bought her a trainset. Her dad, my son, has set it up on a table so she car run trains. This Christmas, I'm getting her a couple of simple building kits that, she, with dad's help can put together to put on her "layout". I live in a small town and members of my church have visited my layout, bringing their kids and grandkids to see it. Exposure is one way that many modelers got their start.

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Posted by NorthWest on Monday, June 10, 2013 11:32 PM

Hello,

It all depends on how you define model railroading. Liking trains is an incredibly multifaceted hobby. The Thomas generation will be different from the Lionel generation. I see rapid prototyping and 3D printing becoming more prevalent, this giving us incredible new modeling opportunities. Also, recent computer programs allow one to build  a layout virtually at a fraction of the cost. We are in a major recession, and plenty of people who would like to model don't have the funds available now, particularly those just starting a family. Trains as a hobby isn't going away, but changing. Remember, tinplate trains were once the norm. Change is constant, whether good or bad.   

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Posted by sh00fly on Monday, June 10, 2013 11:27 PM

EMD.Don

sh00fly

...Guys, c'mon! Let the Norman Rockwell image of a dad puffing on his pipe, showing his son how to build a boxcar go! Times have changed, but interest in trains is still there.

If you want to truly support and persuade the younger generation to look into and possibly become interested in model trains, present it to them as something they can relate to. Turn model railroading into a game...

Strange, I consider myself a younger model railroader and I do sit down with my Son and build the old Athearn rolling stock kits as well as buildings for our layout (sans the pipe though...Wink). We both enjoy that and he is developing hobby and fine motor skills...and his skills have improved. Call it "old school" if you want to but it's something that we both enjoy in this hobby and I personally am not about to "let that go". I am sure that I am not alone in this and that other Dad's/Mother's do similar things with their children (grandchildren) in this or other hobbies. I value that time together.

That's great you do that, but not all kids get to discover model trains with dad, especially in single parent households. I didn't learn to love model trains from my dad, he has no interest in it at all...my exposure came from a friend and we kind of enjoyed it together. I'm sure there are a lot more cases of such, then there have been in the past.

EMD.Don
As far as turning model railroading into a game goes, if that works for you then have it. Design one and market it and see where it takes you. I guess I see them (actually physically building a layout with your own two hands vs. video game/computer layout) as two very different train interests, much as playing baseball on an actual field with other real live people is far different then playing baseball on a video game system. Besides, if it's the game that they become interested in then it really doesn't help the physical hobby of constructing a model railroad from actual materials. It just feeds more into the gaming aspect. But, whatever keeps your wheels on the rails Thumbs Up

I suggested a "game" approach simply to make a suggestion and offer a real solution rather then sit around idle, and stagnate over the "problem". But since you seem to challenge me by that. I probably will go research some things JMRI is doing and see about building a timesaver to game a few others online. Perhaps that experience will better equip me for exposing facets of the hobby others pass by, due to it being more "technical".

I see a lot of merit in using the payoff of being able to play the game to stimulate the challenge of physically laying track in an arrangement. Critically examine what has been built and find ways to imagine a more efficient system that helps success in the "game"

I don't see the game and building a layout two separate things. Dave Barrow builds his layout specifically for operation. The arts and craft side is minimal. He essentially is setting up his board game to be operated and challenge those that do. John Allen created the timesaver to be a game and to make running trains a little more engaging. I heard Tony Koester, Allen McClelland, and Steve King used to interchange cars between their layouts...to me this sounds like an early social game. Why not expand it electronically to the internet? Talk to anyone in the OPSIG about operation and they think of it like a game. So what is the difference if someone does the same thing and hires operators and partners up with other model railroad layouts across the country through the net to keep things interesting.

Once involved in the game of operations someone discovers the interest in the arts and crafts side of things. Who's to say that's invalid. Do we need to learn about trains from only dad? No, but it sure would be more fun to have some interaction from piers and develop some mentors. Use and integrate social networking to expand interaction and make running trains a little more engaging.  Virtually interchange cars with Dave Barrow and mimic a supply and demand scenario. Short story long...YES! I could design and market this. What needs to be developed really? The technology is all there now...just a matter of sending an interchange list in facebook to a friend. Smile, Wink & Grin If there's a better idea to engage people that are more interested in games...let me know!

EMD.Don
I don't know why there is this undertone of us vs them, young vs old. I like trains...and I believe the majority of folks here like trains too. You like what you like and I will like what I like. There is room for everyone and if I can learn something new from a fellow model railroader that I can apply to my layout, I really don't care how old that person is...8 or 80. Pretty simple to me.

I agree Don, us vs. them happens from stereotypes and they need to be deleted from this hobby. Let's keep it about trains and not assume things about an entire generation. No need to alienate the people we're all trying to interest.

cedarwoodron
The lack of, what educators refer to as "kinesthetic" interest ( desire to learn using a hands-on approach) is very apparent to me as an industrial arts HS teacher. Every year, I survey incoming 9th graders in my classes about hobbies and interests they have and each year, fewer and fewer list anything that involves patience, manual skill sets or basic engineering-related focus. Sure, there are a few tool users in every class, but beyond that, the closest it gets is the kid who builds his own gaming computer. Some may have played with Legos or Thomas the Tank engine as small children, but most have no apparent interest in hobbies such as ours. Take a look at toys and hobbies in any metro CraigsList and see how many "train layouts" of Thomas are being offered each month. That this is a reflection of changing times is a given, but turning back the clock and reinvigorating interest in model railroading among more than a few kids would require a massive sociocultural change that does not appear on the horizon. The cost factor, despite the comparative economics some have demonstrated regarding price equivalence (1970 versus 2013) is still a significant issue for them, when they get immediate gratification by downloading a new game app in seconds for X dollars that they can recalibrate, share with friends, etc quickly, why spend money on a "fixed" entity such as a model railroad that requires more effort to get up and running, and most importantly, which offers no variance in operational characteristics without further investment of money and time. Perhaps ours is a momentary pleasure, when viewed across decades. It seems that playing cards and chess have greater durability in that context. Cedarwoodron

Perhaps the sociocultural challenge is up to us to learn about whom we want to teach and to develop a stimulating curriculum that is relevant and engaging. Being a young modeler taught many many many valuable life skills, the ability and confidence in using your hands and be able to fix things yourself is an amazing skill. One that is like you say, becoming rather rare, yet worthy of developing. 

This doesn't mean death of the hobby, we as a group that want to move the hobby forward are faced with a challenge. As part of a society that has a history of rising to challenges, this is not impossible. One that will certainly expand ourselves, and it may be difficult. Usually the difficult challenges are the ones most worthy of assuming and the ones most rewarding in the outcome.

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Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Monday, June 10, 2013 11:08 PM

 I'm younger than you by 10 years, but I agree GP9man! removed portions of post.

Hand painted, can't RTR that. this loco took 6-8 hours combined from 2 days of working on it. 

Number boards, as well as exterior details all of which are not yet applied. just give me a bit so I can get an F3A then I'll paint up an SP&S #802.

SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.

 http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide 

Gary DuPrey

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Posted by blownout cylinder on Monday, June 10, 2013 11:00 PM

I think some of you...you know who you are...may want to cool some of the rhetoric down a little about who is a craftsman or not...

Use the phrase...some but not all...in place the ---------- hobbyist and et cetera....it will help keep the sanity a little...

Smile, Wink & Grin

Any argument carried far enough will end up in Semantics--Hartz's law of rhetoric Emerald. Leemer and Southern The route of the Sceptre Express Barry

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Posted by GP-9_Man11786 on Monday, June 10, 2013 10:07 PM

Burlington Northern #24

Tracklayer

Like a lot of other members have said, I don't think that the hobby will ever die completely but it won't ever be what it was in its hay day before the electronics boom and computers, the internet and video games came out. The young people of today not only find such a hobby to be totally boring but they also don't have the basic arts and crafts skills to build even the simplest layout. They grew up playing video games and are used to fast paced and exciting entertainment which model railroading isn't. However, I think there will probably always be a small percentage of people that will want to "mess with electric trains" as my nephew puts it for many years to come. The problem is that with the decline of business the locomotive and rolling stock producing companies will close their doors and the items that we now own and use will become very expensive and sought after antiques decades from now that will be in high demand. Too bad most of us won't be around to enjoy the profits...

Tracklayer

oh, that's a lovely opinion that's already been disproved. Can we get off the "younger modelers have no idea what they're doing" stuff. I play my xbox 360 a couple hours a week if that, I've gone airsofting a couple times for an hour or two. Once I get the lumber and foam for my layout much more time will be spent doing that. Buuuut it's cool if those of you who base your opinions upon the stereotypes just want to keep pushing younger generations away, ultimately ensuring the demise of model railroading as the remaining few of us "young artistically and craft deficient" will be the last of it when we kick the bucket. 

Burlington, I agree with you 150%. As a younger modeler I'm really starting to get tired of the stereotypes too. I'm 29 years old and I...

...hand painted, lettered and weathered this Minitrix pacific. 

I also made the painted-on sign on this building:

And I also scratch built this model of the suspension bridge over Raven Cliff Falls:

Not bad for a young person who doesn't have basic arts and crafts skills.

Modeling the Pennsylvania Railroad in N Scale.

www.prr-nscale.blogspot.com 

  • Member since
    October 2006
  • From: Western, MA
  • 8,571 posts
Posted by richg1998 on Monday, June 10, 2013 9:58 PM

The hobby is going wherever it wants to. This is just a lot of, blah, blah,blah. Lets get back to model railroading.

Rich

If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.

  • Member since
    June 2012
  • 2,297 posts
Posted by Burlington Northern #24 on Monday, June 10, 2013 9:38 PM

Tracklayer

Like a lot of other members have said, I don't think that the hobby will ever die completely but it won't ever be what it was in its hay day before the electronics boom and computers, the internet and video games came out. The young people of today not only find such a hobby to be totally boring but they also don't have the basic arts and crafts skills to build even the simplest layout. They grew up playing video games and are used to fast paced and exciting entertainment which model railroading isn't. However, I think there will probably always be a small percentage of people that will want to "mess with electric trains" as my nephew puts it for many years to come. The problem is that with the decline of business the locomotive and rolling stock producing companies will close their doors and the items that we now own and use will become very expensive and sought after antiques decades from now that will be in high demand. Too bad most of us won't be around to enjoy the profits...

Tracklayer

oh, that's a lovely opinion that's already been disproved. Can we get off the "younger modelers have no idea what they're doing" stuff. I play my xbox 360 a couple hours a week if that, I've gone airsofting a couple times for an hour or two. Once I get the lumber and foam for my layout much more time will be spent doing that. Buuuut it's cool if those of you who base your opinions upon the stereotypes just want to keep pushing younger generations away, ultimately ensuring the demise of model railroading as the remaining few of us "young artistically and craft deficient" will be the last of it when we kick the bucket. 

SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.

 http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide 

Gary DuPrey

N scale model railroader 

  • Member since
    March 2012
  • From: Central Absurdistan
  • 1,179 posts
Posted by kbkchooch on Monday, June 10, 2013 9:21 PM

The Hobby is dying!

SurpriseSurpriseSurpriseSurpriseSurpriseSurpriseSurpriseSurprise

Alert the media, the hobby is dying!!

Easy now chicken littles, the hobby is not dying.

Evolving yes, adapting yes, changing yes, dying no .

Yes, the days of the 2 dollar kit are gone, but so is a gallon of gas for .53 cents, along with a .25 cent pack of smokes.

I don't hear you screaming that cars are dying. No we adapt. 

Gas now costs 7 times what it did when I started driving (1977). An Athearn car kit was 2 bucks. Multiply that by 7 and what will that get you? An even better looking Athearn car that some  little Chinese kid put together for you, faster than your big old paws could rerail it. Where is the down side here??  Looks like evolution to me.Confused

As far as the youth in the hobby, I have to agree with those who can see the kids at the train shows. Every time I go to a train show I am amazed at how many kids there are. Thomas and Chuggington station have whet their appetites, but don't be dismayed when as teenagers, they turn away because of other "distractions". Girls and a certain Ford Mustang drew me away, but as soon as I became a father,,I started planning my reentry into the hobby. Its funny, now that I see our oldest son in the same situation. Evolution again.Confused

It may not get back to it's "golden age" in number of hobbyists, but I feel we are in a "golden age" of it's own. Rolling stock and locos have never been more realistic, varied, or smooth running as they are right now. With DCC and computer integration there are more facets of running a train than ever vs the old 12 volt power pack with a rheostat.  Ooops,, there goes that evolution again. 

Someone mentioned that the companies that make equipment are dying out, and someday our common stuff would be rare and valuable. Have you noticed, yes some companies may be gone, but others are filling the voids with highly detailed cars and engines. But no,,thats evolution again! Mischief

Hey Chicken Little, the hobby is going to outlive all of us. So stop squawking so much, you're starting to sound like Barney the Dinosaur.Smile, Wink & Grin

Karl

NCE über alles! Thumbs Up

  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Tampa, Florida
  • 1,481 posts
Posted by cedarwoodron on Monday, June 10, 2013 9:16 PM
The lack of, what educators refer to as "kinesthetic" interest ( desire to learn using a hands-on approach) is very apparent to me as an industrial arts HS teacher. Every year, I survey incoming 9th graders in my classes about hobbies and interests they have and each year, fewer and fewer list anything that involves patience, manual skill sets or basic engineering-related focus. Sure, there are a few tool users in every class, but beyond that, the closest it gets is the kid who builds his own gaming computer. Some may have played with Legos or Thomas the Tank engine as small children, but most have no apparent interest in hobbies such as ours. Take a look at toys and hobbies in any metro CraigsList and see how many "train layouts" of Thomas are being offered each month. That this is a reflection of changing times is a given, but turning back the clock and reinvigorating interest in model railroading among more than a few kids would require a massive sociocultural change that does not appear on the horizon. The cost factor, despite the comparative economics some have demonstrated regarding price equivalence (1970 versus 2013) is still a significant issue for them, when they get immediate gratification by downloading a new game app in seconds for X dollars that they can recalibrate, share with friends, etc quickly, why spend money on a "fixed" entity such as a model railroad that requires more effort to get up and running, and most importantly, which offers no variance in operational characteristics without further investment of money and time. Perhaps ours is a momentary pleasure, when viewed across decades. It seems that playing cards and chess have greater durability in that context. Cedarwoodron
  • Member since
    March 2013
  • 450 posts
Posted by EMD.Don on Monday, June 10, 2013 9:06 PM

sh00fly

...Guys, c'mon! Let the Norman Rockwell image of a dad puffing on his pipe, showing his son how to build a boxcar go! Times have changed, but interest in trains is still there.

If you want to truly support and persuade the younger generation to look into and possibly become interested in model trains, present it to them as something they can relate to. Turn model railroading into a game...

Strange, I consider myself a younger model railroader and I do sit down with my Son and build the old Athearn rolling stock kits as well as buildings for our layout (sans the pipe though...Wink). We both enjoy that and he is developing hobby and fine motor skills...and his skills have improved. Call it "old school" if you want to but it's something that we both enjoy in this hobby and I personally am not about to "let that go". I am sure that I am not alone in this and that other Dad's/Mother's do similar things with their children (grandchildren) in this or other hobbies. I value that time together.

As far as turning model railroading into a game goes, if that works for you then have it. Design one and market it and see where it takes you. I guess I see them (actually physically building a layout with your own two hands vs. video game/computer layout) as two very different train interests, much as playing baseball on an actual field with other real live people is far different then playing baseball on a video game system. Besides, if it's the game that they become interested in then it really doesn't help the physical hobby of constructing a model railroad from actual materials. It just feeds more into the gaming aspect. But, whatever keeps your wheels on the rails Thumbs Up

I don't know why there is this undertone of us vs them, young vs old. I like trains...and I believe the majority of folks here like trains too. You like what you like and I will like what I like. There is room for everyone and if I can learn something new from a fellow model railroader that I can apply to my layout, I really don't care how old that person is...8 or 80. Pretty simple to me.

Happy Modeling!

Don.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that both engines have failed, and we will be stuck here for some time. The good news is that you decided to take the train and not fly."

N Scale Railroader.

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