An old man's hobby?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

In another thread on this forum, somebody posited the idea that model railroading is “an old man’s hobby.”

Is it? Not necessarily. methinks.

Here is my crackpot theory:

Sure, a lot of the guys you see with featured layouts in MR are old, but I think there’s a reason for this: it takes a loooong time to get a layout to the point where you’re ready to show it in a magazine!

I think the typical model railroader is someone who has long been interested in trains; it’s just that it is not until later in life that they have the space and financial wherewithal to build a layout.

For instance, I’m in my mid 40s.

I had my first train set and then serious layout when I was six. Built another layout (one that actually worked) when I was ten. Became a teen, discovered girls, cars and beer and got preoccupied with that stuff. Still built an occasional piece of rolling stock even though I didn’t have space for a layout. Kept all my RR stuff in boxes.

Fast forward until I’m 36. Finally, in my second house, I have a basement big enough to support a layout.

It’s been a train fest ever since.

This seems to jive with other railroaders I’ve met – in their late teens (at max) or decidely middle-aged and beyond.

Am I right in thinking there are a lot of 20 - 35 year old closet railroaders out there? Or have I been breathing too many 1/87 scale diesel fumes?

2

Wow, Craig! [:O] Your old!!! I’m only 48. [swg]

Tom

3

I’m 53. I’m not sure it matters.

4

I think you’re about right. I had a break between the ages of 19 thru 28 or so. Although I never gave up my MR or MRC in that period. I am in an older group now though, 56, but not as old as some of the real geezers around here![:D]

5

Hmmmm!! I’m 60-does that qualify me as a geezer? Anyway working on my
HO projects is about the only thing that is keeping me sane these days.
Bob

6

Not me! I’m only 13!

7

As a general rule, older folks have more of both discretionary time and disposable income. A general rule, since it bears repeating. Yes, Dallas Model Works, there are undoubtedly many thousands of us younger than 40, even 30. But, they have college debt to service, a mortgage (if they are not so financially hard-up that they find themselves managing only to pay rent each month…in which case making a mess and holes in walls is going to be a no-no.), children to feed and clothe, and perhaps a dependent spouse.

I used to dream of a big light-bucket telescope, but only managed to acquire one when I was 39. At close to CDN$4000, it was going to be a tough sell in the stingy world of discretionary income. And like all things, that was just the optical tube and mount with clock drive. It came with two token oculars (eyepieces), but we all know that there is more to running trains than just a cord, a power pack, and an oval with a tiny choo-choo on it.

And as you say, it takes time and dedication to get good…at anything. There are exceptions, such as the young gentleman whose layout is portrayed in the last edition of MR, but he candidly acknowledges significant input from others. (I guess we should all do that, come to think of it.)

8

I’m 60 also and I don’t consider myself a geeser![swg]

9

Well, my 70th birthday is (recent) history. I’ve only been a model railroader for 69 3/4 years.[:I]

There were periods when I was an armchair model rail (military boarding school, military training, combat zone assignments) and one when I was a closet railroader (3x6 in a closet, no lie![:-,]) There were others when I was a club railroader, and more than a few when model railroading had to take a back seat to the crass necessities of making a living. Through all of that, my Model Railroader subscription never lapsed.[:)]

Now I’ve reached a stage where I have a secure income, low expenses and no other calls on my time, plus a double garage big enough to let me convert my dream world into reality (slowly.)[:-^] I’m living in a house I expect to remain in for the rest of my life.[8D]

How long can this go on? My father was a couple of decades older than I am when he died, and he had health and other problems (like a 3-pack-a-day Camel habit) that I’ve never experienced. I don’t think my expectation of another 30 years is unreasonable.[^]

It might even be enough to finish the layout…[(-D]

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

10

That usually is from one of the childern in the foum. There a quite a few and do not know much about life yet.

When they grow up they will hear the same comment.

Rich

11

Chuck, I don’t know why but I didn’t picture you as 70. You seemed much younger to me although I can’t explain why.

Craig, I think you’re exactly right. I started with my first Lionel set when I was seven. I had a layout up until I was about 25 and then all the things other talked about made me an armchair modeler. I’m now 61 and have been building my first layout since I was 25. So, I think it’s both a young and older person’s hobby. The thing that’s tough now is the cost to get into the hobby is so high compared to when I started in HO. I don’t know what the inflation adjusted price is of an Athearn GP-7 that cost $9.98 in 1975 compared to a P2K GP-9 that goes for what, about $125 for DC, but I think the real cost is higher. I hope this doesn’t become a barrier for younger people.

12

Wow! I guess I’m the old Geezer here. Just turned 81 in August. Built my first Lionel Layout on the attic floor, a double loop of 0-72 track an M-1000 and a Pennsy Switcher. That was my first permanent layout. Many more on tables and bench work followed, in basements and in attics switching to 2 rail along the way.

In 1949, fresh out of college and newly wed, I saw an article in MRR featuring an HO layout with a 15 car passenger train. What an epiphany. Goodbye O Gauge. I sold it all and bought three times as much in HO and never looked back. It was known as the “jeweler’s gauge” back then.

Having moved to Arizona in 1984, with apartment and condo living there was no way. But, finally a house with a 2 car garage, but in Aizona still no basement. I finally bit the bullet after reading the posts on this forum about garage railroading and insulated and air conditioned my garage. My first “layout” will be an 8 x 19 foot double track oval to facilitate the rehab of a lifetime collection of motive power and rolling stock that has been boxed for 23 years. Got a lot of cleaning and lubing to do, and a whole bunch of undec engines and cars to paint and decal, so I have plenty to do before I build my real layout.

So call me a Geezer if you will, but I run a treadmill at 3 mph three days a week and lift weights the other three days a week, and I am a full time professional income tax preparer to earn the extra income to support my hobbies which also inculde golf and fishing. I am also a great grampa twice over.

So, hang in there “kids” the Best is Yet To Come!

13

Hmmm…Maybe we should have a contest to find out who the youngest and the oldest “geezer” is here on the forum. IMO, I think MRRing keeps us all from becoming “geezers”…[:D]

Tom

14

My personal model railroading journey has followed a path I bet is quite familiar to many.

About 10 or 12 years old, got my first trainset as a christmas present. 1970’s, HO scale.

Age 12-18 - built an extensive layout in my bedroom.

Age 18-32 - College, first jobs, moving a lot, dating, many small apartments, no time, money or space for any model railroading…the hobby basically just falls off the map for a decade or more…just due to the lifestyle of a 20-something.

30’s and beyond - have a good job finally, some disposable income, get married, buy a house, have a BASEMENT of your own for the first time in your life! The spark is re-ignited because it finally CAN be…the time is right again.

teenagers make up a fairly big percentage of the hobby, because they dont have to pay for their own space yet! :wink:

Then the numbers take a major nose-dive among the 20-somethings…probably the age group with the lowest percentage of model railroaders. Just due to College and the first years after college…not condusive to the hobby.

then it steadily picks up through the 30’s, 40’s and 50’s…

then another big spike around the age 65 mark (retirement) as people suddenly have a lot more free time…then a gradual decline in numbers due to…umm…natural causes! :wink:

Here is a chart I just drew up…just my opinion, but I bet its fairly close:

Scot

(who is now 38 and got into G-scale and On2 scale in the last 5 years, after being in HO scale as a teenager in the 80’s)

15

Two years ago, I was 58. I bought a DCC system and a couple of decoders. I installed the decoders, connected up the DCC system, and suddenly I was about 9 years old again. Who needs a second childhood? I’ve got the first one back again.

16

I feel old. Does THAT count? I think most guys lose interest in trains from the time they get interested in girls to the time women lose interest in us.[:P]

17

Nice theory but in my case those two events happened at the same time …

It might be a hobby that needs an old man’s – let’s say mature man’s – time and budget. But it sure needs a young man’s eyeballs and finger dexterity.

I don’t know if there is an age that qualifies one as a geezer. But when I hear issues of MR from 1990 being referred to as antiques …

Dave Nelson

18

The typical guy (or gal) does enjoy advantages as he gets older that younger modelers may not have. Time is probably the big thing, especially for the retiree. During my working life, I had a great desire to get seriously involved in the hobby but just couldn’t find the time to do what I wanted to do. I started a fairly large layout but even though I got the track laid an running, I never got around to doing the scenery and never began operations like I planned. The lack of good scenery made it unsatisfying to run and eventually it just sat for about 10 years until I dismantled it prior to moving to my current home.

Second, older people generally are in better financial position. Even those on retirement incomes probably have more disposable income. Their homes might be paid off. Their kids might be through college and on their own. They might not even have car payment. This allows for more disposable income which is a plus for any modeler.

Lastly, empty nesters often have something most modelers crave. SPACE!!!. Whether they continue to live in the home they raised their kids in or moved into a more modest home, they can probably find the room for a decent sized layout. A really dedicated modeler might make layout space a priority when looking for a retirement home. Or like me, they designed their retirement home around their layout room. In my case, I started with the basement and designed the house to go over it.

Having said all that, model railroading doesn’t have to be a hobby that we have to put off until our golden years. I wish I had the good sense thirty years ago to attempt to build a more modest layout that I could have completed in the time I had available back then. I might not have had the unplanned hiatus from the hobby that I ended up with. My eyesight and dexterity were much better back then and I could have done some outstanding modeling if hadn’t been overly ambitous about what I was trying to accomplish.

19

Just adding my [2c] , sure I’m sixty now , but I got serious about MR’ing when I was 20 , have had sucessive layouts since. Sure I’ve got the time now that I didn’t have when I had 3 kids, and all that comes with it.So I assume starting at twenty makes it not an old mans hobby, does it ?

20

I’ll soon be 60…I am not a old geezer…yet…[:O]