Any young (30 somethings) Model railroaders ??

[dragenrider]

After reading all these posts, I don't feel so alone! I'm 35 and have been an HO scale modeler all my life. I grew up around the Missouri Pacific, so that's what I collect.

I've often wondered where this hobby will be in twenty years. I had feared for a while that we were about to see the decline of the hobby. However, new products keep coming, new authors keep popping up, and more "30 somethings" and younger keep adding their posts. I have renewed hope for the future of model railroading!

Happy Rails,
Randy
aka dragenrider

[dragenrider]

After reading all these posts, I don't feel so alone! I'm 35 and have been an HO scale modeler all my life. I grew up around the Missouri Pacific, so that's what I collect.

I've often wondered where this hobby will be in twenty years. I had feared for a while that we were about to see the decline of the hobby. However, new products keep coming, new authors keep popping up, and more "30 somethings" and younger keep adding their posts. I have renewed hope for the future of model railroading!

Happy Rails,
Randy
aka dragenrider

[jwar]

Hey.. Had troublel with my 50th birthday, so on that year I did 49 an degressen happly back to my youth. So now Im 39 again an sure doooo love this colum with us young-uns. Any how is not the age nor even the mileage, its what you enjoy and what one gets out of his life works.

[jwar]

Hey.. Had troublel with my 50th birthday, so on that year I did 49 an degressen happly back to my youth. So now Im 39 again an sure doooo love this colum with us young-uns. Any how is not the age nor even the mileage, its what you enjoy and what one gets out of his life works.

[dano99a]

This is good to know, around here I only know about 5 30-35 year old guys who model HO, the other 30+ folks are 50 and up. I'm 30 myself, I model in HO.

[dano99a]

This is good to know, around here I only know about 5 30-35 year old guys who model HO, the other 30+ folks are 50 and up. I'm 30 myself, I model in HO.

[Anonymous]

37 yo, working on my first big N scale layout. SP&S but I will allow SP, UP, GN, NP, and Milwaukie onto my tracks. I have noticed that there are others my age and younger, but I don't think we join the 'clubs' as much as the more senior members do and did.

[Anonymous]

37 yo, working on my first big N scale layout. SP&S but I will allow SP, UP, GN, NP, and Milwaukie onto my tracks. I have noticed that there are others my age and younger, but I don't think we join the 'clubs' as much as the more senior members do and did.

[vsmith]

39, for another month. In my heart of hearts, I still think I'm 18 (dont we all) Working in G gauge indoors (garage), takes up a lot of space for a but it has built in growth control, wont take over the living room like my friends N gauge layout did.

[vsmith]

39, for another month. In my heart of hearts, I still think I'm 18 (dont we all) Working in G gauge indoors (garage), takes up a lot of space for a but it has built in growth control, wont take over the living room like my friends N gauge layout did.

[Anonymous]

I'm 36 and glad to hear from some others. I know very few people close to my age that are truly active in the hobby. It concerns me a great deal....will this wonderful model railroad age we live in (with unprecedented products and innovations) dwindle steadily over the next 30 years due to shrinking numbers of participants? I sure hope not. I'm an ambassador for World's Greatest Hobby because I so believe in their approach, but I don't have a lot of venue opportunities. I have put together a couple of open houses to share what I'm doing, but I would welcome some more opportunities. By the way, I am in HO and have been building a layout for six years. It is circa 1985, freelanced and BN in the Dakotas moving grain from small town elevators. I love what I'm doing, but tight finances certainly keeps the progress very slow. That' all right though....I'm patient and it's all worth it in the end. It also allows our kids to learn about working hard and long to get to a desired point, and not having everything whenever you want it.

[Anonymous]

I'm 36 and glad to hear from some others. I know very few people close to my age that are truly active in the hobby. It concerns me a great deal....will this wonderful model railroad age we live in (with unprecedented products and innovations) dwindle steadily over the next 30 years due to shrinking numbers of participants? I sure hope not. I'm an ambassador for World's Greatest Hobby because I so believe in their approach, but I don't have a lot of venue opportunities. I have put together a couple of open houses to share what I'm doing, but I would welcome some more opportunities. By the way, I am in HO and have been building a layout for six years. It is circa 1985, freelanced and BN in the Dakotas moving grain from small town elevators. I love what I'm doing, but tight finances certainly keeps the progress very slow. That' all right though....I'm patient and it's all worth it in the end. It also allows our kids to learn about working hard and long to get to a desired point, and not having everything whenever you want it.

[Anonymous]

Well I'am 45 yrs. old got back into the hobby 12 yrs ago enjoyed ever since met some good people in the hobby once belong to a club to gain some knowledge of the hobby so when I build my layout will have the know -how .Wish I could have started earlier in my age but marriage & kids came now have grandkids so maybe I can get my grandson in the hobby once he gets older.

[Anonymous]

Well I'am 45 yrs. old got back into the hobby 12 yrs ago enjoyed ever since met some good people in the hobby once belong to a club to gain some knowledge of the hobby so when I build my layout will have the know -how .Wish I could have started earlier in my age but marriage & kids came now have grandkids so maybe I can get my grandson in the hobby once he gets older.

[JPowell]

32yrs old here. Married with 1 kid. Most of my money goes elsewhere than into my modeling, but then again, I am just starting out. My dad got me into this when I was about 13... at the time, he went out and got me a Brand new EL powered and dummy set... I'd like to say they were along the lines of SD-40's...could be wrong. All O scale as that's what he had left over from when he was a kid. Then about 7-8yrs ago, my mom had a garage sale and someone came looking for any train stuff she had. Well, she sent my brother into the basement to dig out all of that "old" O scale stuff, and sold it to the guy for $50.00. So, last Christmas, one of my uncle's got me a HO Bachmann starter set that I'm going to transform into my layout. Of course, I will be changing some of the equipment considering that I don't like the engine it came with.

[JPowell]

32yrs old here. Married with 1 kid. Most of my money goes elsewhere than into my modeling, but then again, I am just starting out. My dad got me into this when I was about 13... at the time, he went out and got me a Brand new EL powered and dummy set... I'd like to say they were along the lines of SD-40's...could be wrong. All O scale as that's what he had left over from when he was a kid. Then about 7-8yrs ago, my mom had a garage sale and someone came looking for any train stuff she had. Well, she sent my brother into the basement to dig out all of that "old" O scale stuff, and sold it to the guy for $50.00. So, last Christmas, one of my uncle's got me a HO Bachmann starter set that I'm going to transform into my layout. Of course, I will be changing some of the equipment considering that I don't like the engine it came with.

[eastcoast]

Yes. 31 in a few weeks. Married w/ kids. I model HO scale.
Been doing this for 18 years and love every day of it.

[eastcoast]

Yes. 31 in a few weeks. Married w/ kids. I model HO scale.
Been doing this for 18 years and love every day of it.

[ShaunCN]

I am 15 and model Cnadian National from the 1970s - present day period. Although I have only been modeling since January 2003, I have learned alot about trains and model railroading.
Keep those trains running!!!!!
ShaunCN

[ShaunCN]

I am 15 and model Cnadian National from the 1970s - present day period. Although I have only been modeling since January 2003, I have learned alot about trains and model railroading.
Keep those trains running!!!!!
ShaunCN

[cp1057]

I'm 39 and have been into HO for 9 years, not counting the train set stint as a kid. I model transition era for the variety and from my interest in rural Ontario history.

Cablebridge made an interesting point: I think many modelers don't get into the hobby until they have a home with a spare room or basement space to build a layout. However, Model Railroader has done a good job recently of promoting smaller, apartment size layouts. Had I seen those articles10-15 years ago, I may have been convinced back then.

Hey Emeraldisle: I hope I have your kind of spirit in my 50's!! Keep on chuggin!!

Charles
Hillsburgh Ontario

[cp1057]

I'm 39 and have been into HO for 9 years, not counting the train set stint as a kid. I model transition era for the variety and from my interest in rural Ontario history.

Cablebridge made an interesting point: I think many modelers don't get into the hobby until they have a home with a spare room or basement space to build a layout. However, Model Railroader has done a good job recently of promoting smaller, apartment size layouts. Had I seen those articles10-15 years ago, I may have been convinced back then.

Hey Emeraldisle: I hope I have your kind of spirit in my 50's!! Keep on chuggin!!

Charles
Hillsburgh Ontario

[swknox]

Hi everyone!!!

I'm only 22 and I have been hooked on model railroading since I was about 5 or 6. When you get that special train set for Christmas, thats something you won't forget. Mine was a Bachmann HO scale Santa Fe red and silver Warbonnet F7. That model doesn't compare to the great models of today but if I still had that model I would be using it somehow.

[swknox]

Hi everyone!!!

I'm only 22 and I have been hooked on model railroading since I was about 5 or 6. When you get that special train set for Christmas, thats something you won't forget. Mine was a Bachmann HO scale Santa Fe red and silver Warbonnet F7. That model doesn't compare to the great models of today but if I still had that model I would be using it somehow.

[CP5415]

Pushing 35 in 2 weeks. Been modeling seriously for 4 years now. Been in the hobby for 25 years.
I briefly modeled N but have stuck with HO.

Gordon

[CP5415]

Pushing 35 in 2 weeks. Been modeling seriously for 4 years now. Been in the hobby for 25 years.
I briefly modeled N but have stuck with HO.

Gordon

[Anonymous]

I'm 35. Married, 1 child. I have been in Model Railroading for 23 years. I have become rather serious of late with the conversion to Digitrax and the rebuilding of my locomotive fleet.

I am involved in other aspects of the hobby as well. I am the Archivist for the Missouri Pacific Historical Society. I also write modeling articles for the "Eagle" Magazine, that is published by the MoPac Historical Society. I have two other friends who are in their 30's and are avid Model Railroaders.

[Anonymous]

I'm 35. Married, 1 child. I have been in Model Railroading for 23 years. I have become rather serious of late with the conversion to Digitrax and the rebuilding of my locomotive fleet.

I am involved in other aspects of the hobby as well. I am the Archivist for the Missouri Pacific Historical Society. I also write modeling articles for the "Eagle" Magazine, that is published by the MoPac Historical Society. I have two other friends who are in their 30's and are avid Model Railroaders.

[krump]

QUOTE: Originally posted by metromike

Well I'm only 21. I suppose that makes me the baby of this thread.

but I see 34 as the number of posts by you[;)] - so i guess you're in.

I'm also in this group

[krump]

QUOTE: Originally posted by metromike

Well I'm only 21. I suppose that makes me the baby of this thread.

but I see 34 as the number of posts by you[;)] - so i guess you're in.

I'm also in this group