I recently passed my 62 birthday.  I was born into railroading, my grandfather an engineer for the Boston and Maine Railroad, my father an employee of the Boston and Maine for a handful of years, eventually firing for my grandfather.  Many other relatives also worked for the Boston and Maine.  I was immersed in railroading as I spent many days at work with dad and grandad in the cab and many, many trips in the care of train service folks on passenger trains between Boston, MA and Portland, ME with my grandfather at the throttle.  I have been a member of various model railroad clubs as I moved about the United States as a member of the U. S. Air Force.  I had a unique assignment in the Air Force for five years riding heavyweight passenger cars converted to flight simulators as we moved them from base to base for their training sessions.  I was a member of the Orange Empire Railway Museum in Perris California for 14 years operating equipment for the public and a member of Riverside Live Steamers for a few years until a job transfer took me out of state.  When I moved to Tucson, AZ during 1993, there were a handful of model railroading hobby stores (six, if I recall), now there is a room in the back of an Ace Hardware store that has a smattering of model railroading supplies.  To reach a decent model railroading hobby store, I have to drive 120 miles to Phoenix, AZ.  Yes, there are many online merchants, some with a spotty or questionable track record.  While the online merchants do exist, the hobby has become one of pre-order, in some cases pre-pay, and take what you get, assuming the manufacturer gets enough pre-orders to meet their unknown minimum number before they place the wheels in motion to bring a product to market 2-3 years after announcing it.  With the neighborhood model railroad hobby shop, it was like a watering hole.  Hobbyists could gather, talk about new products, view and "touch" recent releases and decide whether or not it was a great product, okay product, or not up to standards.  One could also meet new faces, perhaps make new friends in the hobby and trade ideas and techniques.  That part of the hobby rarely exists anymore.  Hobby shows?  Haven't had one in several years in our town, mostly swap meets where seniors or widows of seniors are trying to sell outdated, used, trains of the past - very few vendors offering product for sale and, if so, definately not at bargain prices.  The club I belong to has a small contingent of folks under the age of 50, most are above that age and some have discontinued club attendance due to age related causes.

The sale of train sets is a dubious indicator of the health of the hobby.  Train sets, for most parents, are something they buy when they run out of ideas for Christmas gifts in a time where how much we can spend on Christmas presents has more relevance that the true meaning of Christmas.  Most train sets are of questionable quality and have the aura of being something you get, set up around the Christmas tree, run them in circles ad nauseum, pack them up with the tree when it gets put away, and forget about them until next December.  Of course, that assumes the train set was not of such poor quality that it ran for several hours then quit or wouldn't stay on the track for more than two minutes and didn't join the Christmas gift wrappings in the trash.

I work at a large company and I am viewed as someone who plays with toy trains - usual questions are, "I thought toy trains were for kids", "Oh, do you set your trains up for Christmas?", "Do you have your trains running on a shelf around the wall in your rooms?".  

When I try to explain the depth of the hobby, the advances in technology (specifically DCC), the dramatic improvement in quality of many of the manufacturers, the enjoyment I had at Orange Empire Railway Museum interfacing with the public while operating Los Angeles City Cars and Pacific Electric Interurbans, the enjoyment my son and I had operating and SD-9 and a steam engine at Nevada Northern Railway museum for several hours, I get blank stares, especially when I admit that we paid to operate the steam locomotive.

These are the folks everyone says are the future of the hobby?  These are the folks who you belive will invest in hundreds or thousands of dollars for modern day model trains for their cell-phone, iPhone, iPod, gameboy toting youth.  It's much easier to buy devices to transfer child care from parental units to electronic units than to spend time with children doing model railroading activities.  Heck, most children think Thomas the Tank Engine is what our railroads are all about - probably can't figure out why our freight trains aren't all pulled by Thomas.

I believe the hobby is probably more technologically advanced and the products being produced more accurate but the demise of kits and the transition to RTR is one small indicator of the transition from the mindset of the past to one of a Plug-n-Play hobby in all aspects - the "I want it now" mentality.  Reminds me of a club I belonged to during my time in the Air Force.  We wanted to build a layout emulating the railroad running from Merced, CA to El Portal, CA, the Yosemite Vally Railroad.  We were looking for a place that might permit us space to build a layout.  A historical society in the area offered us room in the basement of a mansion that was being used for historical document storage.  We knew what floor space we had available so started to make plans to get started on fitting our railroad into the allotted space.  We were stunned to find out that they expected us to arrive on a Friday night to get started and have the layout ready by Monday morning - a railroad with many bridges, a very long canyon, two inclines bring timber from the forests to the railroad, mining activities, etc.  We informed them it was not possible to accomplish the task in two days - we lost the space.

In parting, for the 14 years I was involved with the Boy Scouts as an adult leader, I was a merit badge counselor for railroading, computers, orienteering, and a handful of others.  Our troop averaged 35 active scouts most of the time.  As a merit badge counselor, I not only work with scouts from our troop but scouts from any troop in any local council to help them earn merit badges.  In 14 years, I had two scouts work on and complete the Railroading merit badge, one of them my son.  I was only able to work with my son on the badge because there were no other Railroading merit badge couselors within a 100 square mile area.  I tried to promote railroading by arranging free family passes to the Orange Empire Railway museum for scout families.  Families accepted the passes but never redeemed them - said it was too far to drive (60 miles), a drive I made at least twice a month for 14 years to volunteer at the museum.

Sorry, trains aren't interesting anymore.  To most people they are a nuisance, blocking roads when they are late for a cup of Joe at the Starbucks.  The Great Walls of China (container trains) and the Tunnels from Mexico (auto carrier trains) are as interesting as brick walls to most people.  The number of people in railroad service has declined significantly, as has the aura of pride and degree of respect that used to be attached to a rail service job, and that too has an effect on interest in the hobby.  This is not to say that railroad employees should not be respected however, society's view of railroad employees has changed - we no longer view the position of a train engineer as one we aspire to achieve, it's just a job now

I see the improvement and expect continued improvement in the hobby but do not see the growth at the consumer level in body count, I do see it in dollars because everything is continually increasing in price - but the increase in dollars spent does not correlate to an increase of those participating in the hobby.

Don

Lower Arizona

A model railroad manufacturer friend once summed it up.

"Every year I see the same people, and they're a year older."

Just look at the poll: 85% over 40.

I've been a model railroader since the day I was born, influence by my dad. Since I was a kid, everytime they had a survey and it came to the age bracket, it has always been the majority of the poll they were over 40. So for the past 50 years it has been over 40. So if history repeats itself, for the next 50 years the majority of the model railroaders will be over 40 ! So those that are under 40 take advantage of it, cause next time the survey comes around guess what bracket you will fall, Ha !!!!    

At 42 I am at the top of the age for gen-x'rs. While I agree that the footprint of my generation in the hobby is a bit smaller then the generation ahead or the generation behind it seems like those of us who are in the hobby REALLY like the hobby and have a high level of participation and enthusiasm. Most of the folks in my age group seem to have a strong knowledge base and are well informed. We are heavily influencing the hobby's transition to technology... both its transition to the internet as well as more direct integration through DCC.

Where most of the older guys I visit seem to have V&O style proto-lance layouts, the younger guys seem to be drawn more to prototype modeling. My opinion is that is due to a high comfort level with the internet and the research it allows. I spend more time then my boss needs to know about looking at old photos on the web. In that respect, its an entirely different hobby to me then it was to my grandfather..

I think there is an opportunity for my generation to provide leadership in the coming years. We are in a position to provide services to the baby boomers with more money then time and years from now to be positioned as hobby leaders when the next generation lands like a tidal wave. A higher percentage of us will write articles, start layout building services, and give clinics.

Gen-x may have less layouts, may buy less stuff, and subscribe to less magazines.. but I think we are going to have a disproportionately high influence on the hobby and that this is a good thing for the Model Railroading.

Chris

When I was at our local train show, it was clear to me that the more serious people were the older generation, but they were still outnumbered by spectators under 40.  This follows the pattern - you stay interested but just don't have the time or money to really get into the hobby until you are more established, then you go to a train show or something like that, get bitten by the bug again and start up.  For me, that bite came at 29 and I'm just now in a position to build a more serious layout at 37. 

I have always been interested in model railroads. It started when I saw a Lionel layout at a Sears Roebuck in shopping center near Macon, Georgia, in the early 1950s. I never really had one of those priarily because my parents couldn't afford to buy me one and when i got to the age where I could have bought one, I didn't because I was more interested.

I never had layout until I was married with a two year old son. That was when I was 27 and I have been in model railroading off and on since then. Now that I am older (60) I have alot more time for the hobby and I also have the space to devote to it as well. I am still stuck in planning mode though I wish I was further along than I am.

Irv

Actually, once you understand the hobby dynamics across the various age groups, the lack of 20-30 year olds in the hobby has always been typical.

I've spoken with NMRA board members who routinely have seen industry surveys for years and there's an interesting dynamic that the hobby's always had - and that explains why twenty and thirty year-olds generally aren't in the hobby as much.

The typical model railroader profile is:

1. Discover the hobby ages 8-12.

2. Drop out of the hobby in late teens to early 20s while going to college, starting a family, spinning up a career.

3. Return to the hobby in 40s or 50s once the family is grown and the career is stable.

What this means is you'll always see tons of families with kids at public trains shows, and most serious hobbyists will be in their 40s, 50s, or retirement age. A few early returners may be in their late 30s. But 20 somethings will largely be occupied with other more important concerns in their life.

Generally speaking, the hobby is healthy and poised for some new growth in the next 20 years - after which we'll probably see even more growth as the massive GenY population starts to approach 40 and re-enter the hobby in increasing numbers.

The typical model railroader profile is:

1. Discover the hobby ages 8-12.

2. Drop out of the hobby in late teens to early 20s while going to college, starting a family, spinning up a career.

3. Return to the hobby in 40s or 50s once the family is grown and the career is stable.

 

That's me, except to drop out at about 30 with the coming of the first child.  I started at age 12, and after the hiatus, returned at age 42.

Into the hobby at age 11-12 until teens when other interests began to take most of my money.  I continued to read about the hobby until my early 30's when I started a layout that had to be "Chainsawed" before it was complete.  Another hiatus until mid-forties and I'm back at it again.  I think it all comes down to disposable income.

I have read, with great interest, your article about the hobby.  I would like to put in my 2 cents about this. To me, the hobby has never died, faded a bit maybe, but never seem to die off. That's because I have ALWAYS been close to the hobby from the age of 5. Now 42, I am trying to to pass my desire on to my 5 year old. That's the problem. There are so many things available for kids these days that their interests change, literaaly, with every TV commercial.

When I was 5, life was a bit simpler. There were only 12 channels on the TV and you had to get up to change the channel. Imagine that. My kids can't understand how you "turned the channel". Kids played outside from dawn to dusk, only to come home for meals. But I always looked forward to going to the store with mom, mostly Sears and Woolworth's. That's when a kid could be left alone in the aisle of a store and dream, as mom did her shopping. That aisle, for me, was the one where the model trains were.

Train sets and model trains were still available at ALL the discount stores. Where are they now? You can't walk into WalMart, Sears or Target and find model trains. I'll give Toy's R Us some credit, they do stock a dismal supply of train sets. Maybe the quality isn't good, but at least they are there. But that's it! After the train set is purchased, there is nothing else supplied to KEEP THE INTEREST ALIVE!!!!!!!!

It used to be that AFTER the holidays, you can go back to that store a find all the accessories at a dicounted price. That was great for me. That's when my dad let me pick out some extra freight cars, trees, buildings, or if I was really good, a new engine. Stores devoted an aisle or two just for trains. It was my own little world. I spent countless hours running those trains on a board that my dad found. That board was placed on the dinner table, after dinner of course. After the chores where done, I was ALLOWED to play with the trains until bed time. How cool that was!

Now things are a bit different. Time has changed and with it comes more sophisticated toys. Of course, kids have to keep up with the latest fads. But so did I. I could never have imagined cell phones, Ipods or the futuristic video games that we have today. But, on the other hand, I could never have imagined DCC for a model train either. This is where the model railroad indusrtry needs to grab "bull by the horns" and PROMOTE IT'S HOBBY!!! Why can't they promote their new products in any other media outlet except magazines? Why? It's simple. Model Railroaders read model railroad magazines, right? This is where these companies advertise, right? How are you going to introduce a younger generation if you keep advertising in the same media outlets?

To me, there is just not enough done to promote the hobby to younger generations. The younger generation is consistently dazzled by new ways to play video games, play music, or text message. The hobby retailers can just as easily jump in and promote their technology as well. I don't see why DCC cant stand up against the Ipod. When was the last time we saw a TV commercial or read a newspaper ad or heard a radio ad from Walther's, Athearn, Atlas, Bachman or KATO. You haven't. This hobby CAN be reintroduced to America's youth with a simple TV or radio commercial or Newspaper Ad from ANY of these fine dealers.

We have all seen some fantastic layouts featured on video tapes. Imagine the look on a childs face when he sees those for the first time on a TV commercial. He may look to his dad and say "dad, can we build that?" That's all it would take, a simple commercial.

I'm not bashing the video games, cell phone or Ipod industry. The technology shows how far we have progressed in the last 30 years. It's helped the hobby as well with the DCC technology. But, to me, model railroading was a "family values" hobby. My dad ALWAYS took time from his busy schedule to teach me about model trains. He would set aside "me time" just for the kids. And mom would ALWAYS take time from her day to take me to the store to "dream" about what I wanted next. Model railroading has been, and ALWAYS will be, a "hands on" part of creative learning. It teaches us so many things CAN"T be learned sitting in front of a computer. Kids have always been creative, but there are not many hobbies left out there for them to create. Yes, video games require thought and concentration, but in the end, what are you left with? High score! Big Deal! 

With model railroading, now look what you end with:

A creation built with your own 2 hands.

An appreciation and understanding of basic electronics

New ways to apply woodworking and painting skills 

Attention to detail and following through on something you started

These are all lessons that will carry you through life and in school. You can't learn that from a video game no matter how much you paid for it.

Since becoming a member to this forum, I have learned so much from all of you in just a short time. Most importanly, I have learned that we are all united together to promote one fantastic hobby. Everyone out there has dreams, ideas, techniques and tips to share. Out of those come new ways to keep this hobby strong. For every idea that is posted, there are always readers who improve on that idea to make it better. There is always someone out there to help you or answer a question no matter how complicated the answer is.

And, there is always the humor to go along with it. I don't see the hobby dying, at least not since being introduced to this forum. The members of MRH magazine have made me realize that the hobby is, in fact, stronger than I believed it was. Now if we can just get the manufacturers as excited about their own products as we are about them. Then maybe they can ADVERTISE their products to those people WHO DO NOT KNOW ABOUT THEM. Then maybe we can introduce a younger generation to remarkable hobby. Until that time, continue having fun.

Thanks for the chance to share this everyone.

Still a NJ Devil's Fan!!!!! 

 

Steve

Go to Google and type free model railroading magazine ... and see what comes up first in the list, ahead of Kalmbach and trains.com!

We're doing our part to reach the anyone on the planet who has any interest in model trains ...

I think the obvious reason we don't have those is simply price.  Model railroading manufacturers are not huge conglomerates, they are mostly mom and pop operations that do it for the love of their hobby and hope to make a living, or at least some extra cash, from their venture.  A national TV ad costs six figures for a 30 second spot on a popular program.  Nobody in the model railroading industry can afford that unless they all pooled their money and did it, but would there be a spike from one ad?  Doubtful.  Ad campaigns are successful when you saturate the market.  The way to spread the word is just as Joe says.  Each of us promote the hobby in our own little part of the world, one person at a time.

Yep, the easy way to spread the word about us is to just tell your friends:

"Google free model railroading magazine - and click the first link."

You are right about that. True, advertising is costly and word of mouth is at no cost at all. It's just a shame that they (Walthers, Atherarn, Lionel, MTH etc...) rely on modelers to do their work for them. I'm sure they must have some way to budget for advertising. It dosen't have to be nationally, they could start locally. The least they could do is come up with something for the holiday season. That's when trains are the most likely to "fly off the shelves".

Until then, I'm doing my part up here. Already sent your message out to the "railfans" in my address book. Keep up the good work. Issue 2 was a great read.

Still a NJ Devil's Fan!!!!! 

 

Steve

 Joe I love the magazine. I am glad to see an expansion of the MRR press. My kids, gen Y, are grown now and are getting into the hobby. Trains are indeed gaining in popularity. Count on me to spread the word about this mag, and your site. Thanks again to you and all the other folks who help put this together!

As a manufacturer and producer of hobby media (Railroad DVDs) I have some insight that may be of interest. 2008 was a really bad year for railroad DVD sales. Myself and others who produce DVDs for the railroad hobbyist struggled through the last months of 2008, with some not surviving. My own sales for December were dismal. In the first quarter of 2009, with only a little increase in advertizing, sales eclipsed both 2007 and 2008. I increased my show attendance and found from the show promoters (a major train show promoter) that attendance has increased at all their shows since January as well.

I live in an area that has seen many hobby shops come and go over the years. The reason I most often hear from model railroad shop owners for closing their stores is that they want to retire, but nobody wants to buy the store. Clearly, there are other reasons as well and retirement is not the reason for all hobby shop closures. Someone once told me that restaurants have the highest failure rate in business, but it is not because folks don't like to go out to eat.

Currently, I am helping the owner of a hobby shop who used to specialize in RC cars convert his store into a model train shop. He rediscovered the hobby when an elderly gentleman shared his enthusiasm. Now, he is on the way to becoming a serious model railroad shop. As his knowledge is growing, so is his customer base. He has even started a model railroad club. There is now a growing interest in this area in model railroading. It is still at a beginner level, but it is growing steadily and I believe that it will continue to grow as time progresses.

Perhaps the decline that some folks are seeing is less of a decline and more of a changing of the guard. If you are particularly worried about the decline in Model Railroading, go out and share your enthusiasm with someone else and don't be afraid to give away some treasure information and maybe a freight car or two to a budding model railroader. They'll treasure it of ryears to come.

I was born in 1951 and didn't discover the hobby until a few short years ago. I have always loved trains but was not exposed to the hobby growing up. I now have several grandchildren. They have never even ridden a train as I did as a youngster but, when I set up a loop of track on the coffee table a few weeks ago, I got an eye-popping WOW! out of an 8 year old boy. This I believe is what the hobby needs. EXPOSURE! If you have a layout, invite the neighborhood kids in for a demonstration. Take a portable layout to local schools. Donate BRIO or Thomas The Tank Engine sets to local daycare facilities. Just like advertising creates awareness of a product to consumers, we need to expose the public to "The World's Greatest Hobby"  As far as my own layout? My son just moved out of the basement. Benchwork starts tomorrow.

Brian in Ottawa, Canada 

This I believe is what the hobby needs. EXPOSURE! If you have a layout, invite the neighborhood kids in for a demonstration. Take a portable layout to local schools. Donate BRIO or Thomas The Tank Engine sets to local daycare facilities.

Good stuff!  Indeed more modelers should be opening their doors to the neighborhood kids, IMO.  Good iedeas Brian!

I have a different theory on this subject that is a bit of a different direction then either one the editor suggested exist with his discussion, but I'm saving it for a future article at the moment...I just have to finish writing what i have written so far, and then reread and rewrite it!  Let's just say that living and dying are a natural part of all things, but these states are not the end for anything at all.

I just have to finish writing what i have written so far, and then reread and rewrite it!

I have a different theory on this subject that is a bit of a different direction then either one the editor suggested exist with his discussion

Well, to say I am not surprised that Benny has a different theory would be an understatement.

Personally, I can't wait for Benny to finish writing what he has written so far so he can re-read it and re-write it.  Where/when will your article be published?

This one is harder because It has to be more polished, hence the write and rewrite.  It will be published when it is good and ready!

It will be published when it is good and ready!

Is it safe to assume you already have a publisher for it then?

I have to write it first!!

Publicaiton can't even be approached until it is done!

I happen to resemble the demographic that was mentioned before as well.  Stepped away from (not out of) the hobby through most of my twenties but finally got to start getting back into it in my thirties.  These days, the railroad in my basement gets worked on in fits and spurts, but there's always an idea in the back of my head for it.

In regards to MR losing subscriptions, I think a lot of people are getting away from the traditional magazine subscription.  I will freely grant that I've gotten loads of great info from MR and have a couple of good encounters with Tony Koester at shows here in the KC area. But it's hard to just sit down and read a magazine. Storage of old issues is an issue too. (Not with MHR though.. Got a flash drive for that!  )

I don't think the hobby is dying, but it is changing a great deal. There's a lot of "instant-gratification" models now.  Things that need little or no creative talent to have ready for a layout. On the other end of the spectrum there are things some of us would never have tried that have been simplified but still require some creativity. A great example of the latter would be the lasercut wooden kits coming out.  Those let you build something that might requires some talent but are not so daunting to less confident or less experienced modellers.

Recently I started making an attempt to catch some of the younger model railroaders in and around KC with a Facebook group.  It's only been up a week and response is slow still, but I think it will grow over time. (Kansas City Model Railroad if you are a Facebook denizen.) In fact one of the whopping three members we have so far was the fellow that posted about Model Railroad Hobbyist. 

After having gotten a look at this month's publication, I'll be adding a permanent link for MRH for anyone that wanders in.

Idea department- How about a section on money saving ideas, tips and tricks that we use on our home layouts? Might be a good feature to pass around good ways to keep your hobby habit active even when the hobby budget takes a nosedive.

David G

Midwest Regional Railroad (aka, the railroad in my basement)

Leave out free and MR comes up first BUT. . . MRHM comes up above Railroad Model Craftsmen.  That's pretty cool. 

I tried that too and yes, if I leave out FREE in the search, "Moldy Railroader" does come up as the top hit.

Then I tried searching for, rich media model railroad magazine and while every hit on the first page was related to MRH I didn't see a single hit for "Moldy Railroader" or any of it's paper bound lookalikes.

Finally, a search for, online model railroad magazine, produced another "Moldy Railroader" as the top hit but coming in third was an about.com bit about Model Railroad Hobbyist!

Great stuff I say.  I'm sure it won't be long before MRH is seeing alot more hits from google searches.

Benny,

 If this article you are coming up with is sorta contra-conventional wisdom, it may make a good topic for the Reverse Running column.

 I'd recommend discussing that with Joe.

 It's amazing what having a deadline will do to get the creative juices flowing...

I sent an email to Joe but have not as of yet recieved a reply.

A deadline would be good - its all written in concept but it is not yet in the right order or in the right form.  next step...re-organization!!

As I wrote a while back in my blog in a post titled "Innies and Outties", if you believe the hobby is only about building models, you may perceive it as in decline. If you believe the hobby is about building and operating layouts, you'll probably see the present day as a Golden Age.

The scratchbuild-everything-run-only-HO-steam-take-only-film-photos segment may well be in decline, and this is much bemoaned by the members of that segment, who once viewed themselves as masters of the model railroad universe. In their place have come the buildiers of more complete layouts (some larger, some smaller), the operators, the modelers in gauges besides HO, and many others. Change and diversity is likely good for the hobby in the long run, even if it upsets the grumpy prophets of doom on some forums.

And in terms of kids' toys, it seems to me the wooden train systems (BRIO, et al) are pretty popular. It's not electric, but it's darned sure a train. Thomas only helps the hobby in the long run.

Any train show I've attended in the last few years that has Thomas products on display is generally two and three rows deep with kids and parents.

Couple this with my column's comments about the size of the generations and you'll realize there appears to be no shortage of fascination with trains among the general public.

Polar Express remains very popular ... a local excursion line hosts a Polar Express train on Thu, Fri, and Sat evenings between Thanksgiving and Christmas each year - and it's always sold out by Thanksgiving.

Again - GenY (born since 1985) is huge - and every time something train-related shows up, it gets swamped by families with kids. I'll say it again - the GenY market is massive compared to the wimpy GenX market.

While some of the gloom prophets' reasons for fewer modelers over the last 20+ years are true (lack of train set availablility, fewer prototype trains in the public eye, ...) , I believe the single largest reason for fewer GenX'ers being in the hobby is simply the GenX population is way smaller than the Boomers or GenY.

If you have fewer people in general, you will have fewer modelers too! You can't conjure up more modelers out of thin air. Duh ...