Your age group...

[3rdrail]

I like what I'm seeing here, but I think it would be even more interesting to break it down into 5 year age groups. 

I see right now it's essentially "generations".  But I'm curious how this breaks down further.

Essentially, the sample is not large enough to break it down by 5 year increments. The number of replies out of the total universe is incredible (over one quarter) when five percent is a good sample, but there are less than 400 total members.

[Train Nutz]

Hi Ed,
    I think one of the problems due to what some call the decline in the hobby has to do with commercial advertizing. Not so much the type that's found in model train magazines but actual television style. I commend what the model railroad industry is doing with the World's Greatest Hobby movement but this never seems to get outside of the modeling circle. Look back to the 1950's to the mid 1970's were model trains ads were run on T.V. showing a father & son running trains together or just a commercial glamourizing model railroading in itself. This had a good impact on the public watching and gave the industry a good push creating new blood to come into the hobby. Others have spectulated that the influx of video games, computers and other electonical devices has push the youth in a different direction than it has in the past causing a decline in the hobby. I believe in someways this is true but looking at this from another perspective their just not seeing some good aggressive model train ads that's glorifying the fun you can have with running trains and what fun they could be having by doing this. The commericials today could be updated so mom and sis are in on the fun showing that this is something the whole family can participate in. What people see and hear in TV commercials and how this is focus towards them has a great inpact on their buying habits. The model railroading industry needs to get itself back on the track literally and use this medium to it's greater advantage.
Train Nutzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!

[Nato]

  Woo -Woo- KaChoo! Sure there are youngsters entering the hobby,and even some familes ,the question is will the younger people entering the hobby be in large enough numbers to keep things going and viable as older start of the Baby Boom gen in the 60-79 group dies out, and the now largest group according to the pool results 40-50 year somethings comes into line next to head for that great layout in the sky. While as I just said do feel good that there youngsters to take up the torch will it be too little too late. I hope not. Another one of the hobbies I'am envolved in Amature Astronomy is enjoying a modest growth spurt although you wouldn't know it by looking at attendees at major Astronomical Conventions & Conferences where you see mostly old Gray Bearded Male Geezers. Lastly another hobby of mine if you can call it that collecting and viewing Anime (Japanese Animation) and Manga (Japanese Comics and Graphic Novels) is definately a young persons intrest often tied in with viedo games (which I do not play), and the fact that I have been a Fanzee since 1987 puts me in the clear minority, as most Anime Fans view it as youngsters, and then fall away from it with some exceptions, whereas myself I have always loved animation both US and Foreign and I started collecting and viewing at a much older age when the tapes began to become widely available in this country.                                                                                                                              Nate Goodman (Nato). Salt Lake, Utah.

[Mark5]

as long as there are railroads - there will be model railroaders.

The only thing I expect to really suffer is the 3 rail O scale stuff as the last of the people that started with this stuff die off.

[railspike55]

Nato
I was in to astronomy as well till the local skies got to bright.
Also my eye site has failed me for viewing sky stuff. I even made my own
telascope. Newtroian with 10" mirror. 1200mm.

The guy that helped me had a home made twin 10" with a byoptical viewer.
Most people had automatic doors for a garage. His was the roof slid off the top of the garage for use of the scope.

Sad that he is gone now.

Ron

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Thats a big hit against the aging of the hobby. This survey is skewed (younger modelers tend to use forums more, and this board is more "hip" then most). Its very interesting.

[Bob Bufkin]

I agree about older modelers not computer or internet savvy.  Fortunately I was using computers back in the late 60's, early 70's (IBM 360's) and even if i'm not that an expert I am quite use to using them.  The Reid Brothers Cumberland Valley N layout is one of my favorites and I have read that they don't have or use a computer.  I also know of several other older modelers who do not own a computer.  Try as I might I cannot talk them into getting one.  With the closure of lots of LHS just maybe they'll have to get one in order to get what they need.
Bob

[Espeeman]

I don't mean to sound cynical, but it's a bit like global warming--the evidence is pretty conclusive.

Global warming!!! Boulderdash!!! The biggest town crier of global warming is Al Gore and that SOB is one of the largest single entity polluters in the country ( check out his zinc mine) not to mention that he sells carbon credits!! (if you don't know what I'm talking about, then do some googling and find out). I've been hearing for years that our hobby is dying out. I guess it's a good thing because the best models I've bought have been in the last five years. Sounds like a good marketing ploy to get everyone to buy now before it's too late! Even IM is gonna produce an SP 4-8-8-2 by late 2008. Big Jim at Con-cor told me there wasn't a large enough market to justify the Cab-Forward only three years ago but IM is gonna have one in the next year???? Sounds like a good time to be a model railroader to me!

[Espeeman]

Sorry for the rant, guys! It's late Friday night and it's been a long week!

[sirenwerks]

I think the dying hobby cry is a bunch of malarky..

Gotta agree. I would even say its a fake chicken little act by larger manufacturers who want to dumb down the hobby to increase profitability - all RTR to run vanilla, all the time. It's all a ruse.

[Nelson]

I agree about older modelers not computer or internet savvy.  Fortunately I was using computers back in the late 60's, early 70's (IBM 360's) and even if i'm not that an expert I am quite use to using them.  The Reid Brothers Cumberland Valley N layout is one of my favorites and I have read that they don't have or use a computer.  I also know of several other older modelers who do not own a computer.  Try as I might I cannot talk them into getting one.  With the closure of lots of LHS just maybe they'll have to get one in order to get what they need.
Bob

Yeah, this is my experience also. Most of my friends that are into MRRing are in the 70+ age range and have no interest in even learning to turn on one of those "god damned computers".

I've even  told them you can program the computer to say "HEY, YOU KIDS GET OFF OF MY LAWN" but they still wouldn't go for it. ;D

[CNWlivesinme]

I got into model railroads at a young age, but find myself at a cross-roads.

I am a senior in college, I currently work as a bicycle messenger in downtown portland for barely any money.

It is tempting to sell my entire N-scale collection to fund buying of high-end bike components, all they are doing sitting in a closet gathering dust. I cannot see myself getting into the hobby again until I settle down years down the road.

This hobby is not for guys in their early 20's who happen to also like beer, girls and bikes. Once my body restricts me from riding a fixed gear bike all day long, then I will get back to model railroading. Probably narrow guage, it is so frickin' cool. 

[asciibaron]

having worked in the industry i can speak with some certainty of the doom and gloom - i was laid off in 2001 as a result of the decline in 3rd rail.  the scale modeling hobby is fast transforming into niche markets - completely sustainable due to the internet, the cheap material and labor costs in Asia, and the newer manufacturing techniques - realistic, highly detailed plastic models that are affordable for mass market were just becoming reality a bit more than a decade ago.  when i started in the hobby, the high quality HO models were brass and they were just out of my reach.  now, i doubt i would want a brass model.

the big question is will my sons be interested in model trains?  will a model train be interesting enough a pursuit with holodecks and who knows what?  i am not a modeler like Frank Ellison or Gordon Odegard or Malcolm Furlow - the nature of the hobby has shifted and i believe that is the doom and gloom that is predicted - the dying of the hobby as the long time modelers know it.  i am not interested in scratch building everything on my layout - i am into the hobby to have a scaled down railroad, not to have a model of a railroad.  this change in philosophy has also had a major effect on the hobby - look at the current trends in layout planning ideas.  who has a spaghetti bowl?  most layouts are but a foot or so deep and hug walls.  that idea came right out of the late 70's with layouts like the Ohio Southern and Sunset Valley. 

there is still plenty of life in the hobby as i know it, but what hobby my sons will be into is a mystery to me.

-Steve

[asciibaron]

This hobby is not for guys in their early 20's who happen to also like beer, girls and bikes. Once my body restricts me from riding a fixed gear bike all day long, then I will get back to model railroading. Probably narrow guage, it is so frickin' cool. 

that's when i was a member of a local club - i got to play and talk trains while drinking beer and learning.  i really miss those operating sessions.

-steve

[Mark5]

there is still plenty of life in the hobby as i know it, but what hobby my sons will be into is a mystery to me.

Why worry? 


I didn't get the hobby from my dad, so I don't worry about my sons' hobbies.