IS there a bright future for model railroading?

[Summertrainz]

i have a feeling the times are changing,
the kid's ask for train set's less 
and the "original" model fans are... dare i say it
getting... even more elderly.   

technology might get  better... maybe more digital trains with the digital age... more reliable things.
model trains shows are still largely attended.
Mostly by family's with 5 year olds

Can anyone tell me what they think the possible future could bring?


But in my perspective, it looks like model railroading is a dieing hobby.
i honestly hope not 
and how is Bachmann's  stock doing?

[BIG BEAR]

    Hey Summertrainz, 

          Yes things are always a changin'. Back in the 40's & 50's Lionel pushed the Father / Son aspect. By the late 60's & later, over 1/2 the marriages, ended in divorce.
       Not all is lost. I see things in the recent past ( less than 10 years ),
like The Polar Express, Harry Potters' Hogwarts Express, & yes even Thomas, helping to introduce trains to the younger generations.
      The model train world is already oxploiting these to their advantage & good fortune. Who knows what book or cartoon or story will be out next to promote trains in a good way?

          Enjoy,
            Barry 

[Yampa Bob]

"Original " fans as you call them are getting older, that's true.  But there are more older people now, longer life expectancy.  Retired men, like myself, looking for something to occupy our time after 50 years of hard work.  And while it may be less "Father and Son", there is a lot more "Grandpa and Grandson".

My son is 48, a Grandpa himself.  I sent him all the trains and track to start a layout, and he is building one now.  During the last year I spent over $3,000 on train stuff.  I call that an investment, the returns will be priceless. 

Younger men are facing greater challenges of survival in a tough world.  I made it through, my son has finally built up a good vocation as a Diesel mechanic, helped send 4 kids through college.  His son is now hooked on trains and helping with the layout. 

Trains are here to stay, trains for the young kids, and trains for us old kids. 

Bob

[geoff]

I wonder about that myself. Most younger people I have come across seem to want more instant gratification with video games etc. Short term entertainment. Something you can pick up, do it and put it down again. Model railroading takes time and patience. Even a medium size pike can take years of work. It also requires a certain amount of commitment to the hobby. Today everything seems to be getting more temporary and generaly speaking model railroading is not the most portable hobby. I also don't see young boys learning to use there hands on woodworking or mechanical projects with their fathers as much as when I was a boy. I have always had a passion to build and tinker and I have always enjoyed working with my hands. In my opinion working with your hands is a must for a model railroader unless you have someone else build your railroad, and then, what's the point? It is the most multi facetted hobby and will provide you with a lifetime of learning. I just think that kind of commitment and sence of permanence is becoming more rare. Who is going to start a railroad in the basement if you may have to move again next year? One thing is for sure, I would not want to compete with one of todays youngsters on a flight simulator or even MS Trains! By the way, no intention of slighting the ladies, there are some, but very few in our hobby. Id like to see more!

[Paul W.]

I don't believe trains are on their way out, but times are ALWAYS changing. When I was growing up, yes my Dad and I were into trains, and had multiple layouts in the basement. Then I started dating and trains were forgotten about for years. Years after that, I got married and guess what got me back into trains.....my wife! She had never had trains, but loved watching them, so one year we bought "her" a large scale B-mann set for under the tree. We now have numerous large scale trains, we have also gotten my dad back into the hobby which we both enjoyed growing up. The tides turned, he originally brought me in, now we returned the favor. It gives him and I a chance to spend time together. During open houses, and garden tours, my wife and I take him with us to visit other layouts, and I cherish this time I still have with my Dad.
As for the younger generation, like him or not, Thomas brings kids into this hobby. My nephew loves Thomas, he has been to Strasburg to actually ride behind him, and that also introduces him to the "real" trains of the past and present. He has a layout in his basement, and yes for now it's every Thomas train you can think of, but hopefully this will eventually lead to his first HO or O starter set (I don't think his mommy would go for large scale....). This year we will be taking him along with us on garden tours, so here we have re-introduced my dad (older generation), myself and wife (middle age), and our nephew (younger generation) to this hobby. 
The popularity of large scale right now (in my opinion) is growing very quickly. We we take garden tours, more and more people are joining in, and even using suspended systems in their homes (like we did for my dad).

So yes, things always change, but there are always some constants that always stay around, and thankfully in my eyes, trains are one of them!

[Guilford Guy]

By the way, no intention of slighting the ladies, there are some, but very few in our hobby. Id like to see more!

Oh I am positive there are!

[Dusten Barefoot]

What kids need is to visit a tourist steam railroad to get the blood flowing. That is how I got hooked.
Rock On & Live Strong
Dusten

[TonyD]

Always seems that way, but the West Springfield show had nearly 30,000 people in 2 days, munchkins, yeah, teenagers, a few, but the bucks were flowing with the 35-65 crowd, and that's what makes the world go 'round. Little kids can't do much in the hobby unless the parents are into it aswell, a 10 year old can't budget one engine a year, in the late 60's, I could buy one a month. Teenagers...hey, a car soaks up all your money for the duration, life is hard enough, unless they already have a nice layout to escape to, that's it until things get better in their late 20's- or later. Then the dcc push turns off the crowd who now has the bucks, but get frustrated, it wasn't around when they were a kid!!!. Then..things get good. The over 40 crowd lays out the big bucks that keep new stuff in the works, and that's all that counts. It was Quantum sound that got me back in 6-7 years ago, after 10-12 years in the boxes. I found no use for the 8 bills I spent on dcc, that in what's in the boxes now! It would be perfect if kids got into this at 5, at kept it up, but life don't work that way. As for the gals, yep, some the best scenery and details are from the people with a well developed artistic side, the beauty they create encourages us all. As for 'investing', no swet. As fuel goes up, money gets tight, people stay home. This is 'thee' at home family hobby. Don't worry as age groups change, street rodders, custom cars are the same. Years ago it was teenagers doing all the work, but...spent little money at it. NOW..middle aged guys are laying out untold zeroes into their cars and projects.... which grew the custom parts industry 10 fold in 40 years. now the few teens that 'can' do the work, can afford the huge choices of stuff there is now. Go to the bank. take it all out, invest it in model railroads.....maybe Mr. Bachmann will sell you some shares!!

[r.cprmier]

maybe Mr. Bachmann will sell you some shares!!

Bachmann is publicly traded?

Rich

[rains train]

Elderly?  I'm quite the opposite, and I'm not five either. 13 is a pretty good age I say.

Alex

[RAM]

Barry you forgot Back in the 50's Lionel pushed the Father / daughter.  Or maybe it was mother daughter.  With the pastel train sets.  They did not sell, but there are a lot of ladies in the hobby today.

[Guilford Guy]

loll, 14 is better 
Its ever so much more fun when your girlfriend is qualified to run trolleys in Maine 
There still is a fair trend for trains, and Thomas the Tank Engine seems to have brought it out of the dark ages in the 70's-80's... I have to admit, as much as I find them annoying, its better to have Thomas Fans than to not...

[TonyD]

I'll tell ya, with all the threads about code so and so track, and a curve radius that takes up the whole room, hey, if my layout looked and ran like the fidor grand trunk or whatever it is, I'd be more than happy!! I bet that is a huge guage.... when I go into my second childhood....(next month?) I'll start collecting  Thomas stuff for myself, the kid's has eyes that roll in his smoke box door- do they all do that???.....

[SteamGene]

I spent most of the day at the Hampton, Va train show (more of that later) and there were A LOT of FASCINATED kids and parents.  And there were a lot of things that seemed designed to draw kids toward trains.  I'm reminded of the Greek, 2500 years ago who lamented the end of civilization as "we know it."  Seems we muddle through, though things change.  I picked up a kit in January with a copyright date of 1939.  The first instruction was close to "Find a good, straight trunk hardwood sapling about three feet high..."  Big difference from today.
Gene

[Conrail Quality]

Contrary to what many seem to think, there is a sizeable group of teenage model railroaders (myself included). As TonyD has said, we don't spend as much on the hobby as the other age groups, but 20-30 years, we'll be the ones economically driving the hobby. And for those just starting out in the hobby ther is  good news. Despite prices rising on the higher-priced stuff (Atlas, Bachmann Spectrum, etc.), the lower-end stuff is still quite affordable; One can still get an HO train set for under $100. That's a bargain compared with $300 most video game console cost. In addition, train sets have come long way. Now, most include can motors and some form of knuckle coupler, a far cry from the days of unreliable pancake motor drives. With more reliable equipment, the begining modler is less likely to leave the hobby in fustration. So, in short, I think there is a bright future for model railroading.

Timothy