Growing the hobby pt 1 MRR mag

[bikerraypa]

maybe I'm naive, but aside from any economic benefits that might occur, I like the idea of growing the hobby just because it is a wonderful hobby in which to become involved. My entire (ever-shrinking) circle of friends is comprised of people I've met through a hobby, be it trains or guns or motorcycles. The more the hobby grows, the more great people you'll meet.

Grow the hobby because it's fun. Screw the rest.

Ray out.

[orsonroy]

Ignore the auto industry analogy, and find a better one within the realm of disposable leisure income spending.

Take compact discs for example. When they were released in 1980, a five track album cost $10-$15, and a CD player cost $400 (and it only played one disc at a time, so long as it was no more than 12 tracks long!) Once the classical music people showed interest in the technology, they started pumping money into it. More money and a larger market meant that manufacturers could start bringin out a better product for either the same price, a smaller price, or at a smaller price point. Now, I can get an album for $12-$20, a 100 disc changer with Dolby sound for $150, and blank discs for a dime apiece.

Growing a "hobby" like CD sure seemed to work in favor for everyone...

[cefinkjr]

selector:

Is it realistic to compare model railroading and the auto industry? Most purchasers of model railroading supplies, equipment, etc. would readily agree that their spending falls in the discretionary spending category. On the other hand, most purchasers of automobiles would probably insist that their favorite wheels are a necessity. (I personally question that a new car every other year or a pickup truck with a factory-new bed are necessities but that's just my jaded opinion.)

I agree that product selection will increase with the number of potential customers. Do you want to invest in producing a new model of the AB&C RR's only engine when only a few people have ever heard of the AB&C?

Prices should also decrease as the number of customers increases but not until there is a really huge increase in the number of potential customers; enough demand to justify increased investment in production capacity. But broader product selection will also dampen the effect on prices of an increase in potential customers.

[2c]
Chuck

[jrbernier]

We have more models available, more roadnames too. Look at the hobby 20 years ago - And I thought I had it made back then. True, the prices are higher, but so is the quality. Any most inflation indexes will prove that we have more buying power now.
The big problem is that the average age of the modeler is going up - not a good trend. It may mean that the average modeler(being older) has more money to spend, but he/she has less time to spend it in as well! There are so many other hobbies/recreations that compete for our $$'s. Living in Minnesota, one might think I have lots of time on those cold winter nights to work on the layout. Of course there are snowmobiles/ice fishing in the winter, and fishing /hunting/boating in the summer to compete for my time. Even retired, there is not enough time!

Jim Bernier

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by selector

Oooppps!. I owe Mouse and apology!! I didn't complete my first sentence in my response to his posting. I had meant to state, "I don't think you understand economics THE WAY I DO, Mouse."

I apologize for not proofreading it first. It sounds offensive, and was not meant to be.[:I]

No offense taken.

Hey what do I know. I've only run businesses. I've never had to worry about the theoretical stuff.

[selector]

Oooppps!. I owe Mouse and apology!! I didn't complete my first sentence in my response to his posting. I had meant to state, "I don't think you understand economics THE WAY I DO, Mouse."

I apologize for not proofreading it first. It sounds offensive, and was not meant to be.[:I]

[selector]

I don't see it, fellows. The auto industry has more people buying from more manufacturers than ever before, and auto prices are as high as they have ever been.

I can understand Mouse's point about more R&D, more diversity in road names, and so on, but I think the market would have to grow many times more than it is now..an unlikely achievement given the competition for a finite base of discretionary spending dollars.

I feel that if the hobby got so large that it became as popular as the auto industry, we would not see the advantages that we imagined. Diversity, maybe, but would it be an improvement? Not sure about that.

[Anonymous]

I guess I don't understand economics either, selector. This is the first time I've ever heard that a smaller customer base is preferable. If I could be sure of more people buying my product, I could produce more at one time and that would bring prices down. If more people clamoured for my product I would increase production. Maybe that's just my naive understanding of the marketplace.

Well, if we don't grow the hobby, I hope everyone stays healthy. I'd hate to see my customer base die off before I do.

Wayne

[gvdobler]

Yikes.

Mouse you are right completely. The rest is jibberish. Attracting new people to a hobby is the best way for it to survive.

Its not so much the price coming down as in increase in availability of product. The DCC and any more advances would dry up if the hobby does not expand.

Jon - Las Vegas

[selector]

I don't think you understand economics, Mouse. Just because more people buy something doesn't necessarily mean that prices will come down. Maybe as a general rule, but the world is saturated with competing ideas and processes. Due to this satruation, a limited number of people in the population at large means that we will never have the numbers in this hobby to get the benefit you describe. For example. look at the money generated by the pet, DVD, X-Box and Nintendo, and ATV markets. If there are only so many $ to go around, how would you get more of them into a hobby and away from what they currently enjoy? Wouldn't the other manufacturers respond?

To get back to my original point, though, if more poeple clamour for less of a product, it would raise, not drop, the price. You would also find that all sorts of fly-by-night train manufacturers would pop up looking for a quick buck, and they'd get it. Why? Because just as in any field, there would be no shortage of those who would feel they are getting something more than they pay for by buying the 'deals'.

[SpaceMouse]

Why grow the hobby? Better prices. More money for R&D. More road names. More information resources. The list could go on and on.

[selector]

Not at all wanting to be contrary, Tim, but just thinking the way I do at times, why do we want more people in the hobby? What purpose would there be in getting even more people involved than there already are?

It seems to me that those who develop an interest will go to the lengths that their interest dictates to get what they want out of the hobby. As their interest changes, so will their efforts to learn and do more (or less).

I feel that the hobby is well served by the current crop of dedicated hobbyists, especially those of us who are online, as much as some are, to share information and encourage others to get their feet wet. The Magazine is doing a good job, and I think so because i watched and read what they produce about the TCRR, and quickly felt that I could do, and wanted, more right from the start. So, I learned from what they provided, and did otherwise.

I would expect that a broad range of commitment and interest in the general public would find what they need in what is currently available.

Just my opinion.

[TurboOne]

I have been looking through the last 3 months I have bought since I returned to the hobby.

I am thinking that have a repeating beginnners section once every three or four months would be good, and having an intro series for brand new beginners would be great.

Turtle creek looks good but still might scare the new people away.

I am thinking something like ez track, entry level DCC like bachmann or atlas, put up your 4 x 8 on sawhorses or simple folding legs, and simple dummy level scenery and add RTR trains and buildings.

Show people you can have a simple layout in a few hours, not years. A train set, a few buildings, and away you go.

We could really grow the hobby quickly, then slowly let them move up in quality and time.

What do you think we could do to add more folks to the hobby????

Tim