Hello all. I just finished reading the thread about model railroading (trains) making a come back. But like others have said, I fear that this is only because of Christmas… So far, I’ve managed to get five people interested in the hobby in the last couple of years - one of which has gone totally off the scale with his collecting… I’m still working on one guy who could probably break the world’s record for being a tight wad, but he’s starting to come around more and more, even his 75 year old dad is getting interested in it.
Anybody else out there introducing new members to the hobby ?.
Introducing is one thing, selling people on the hobby is another. People come over and look, and enjoy, but the odds of my finding someone to take up the hobby in an active way are slim. I have learned to enjoy their polite interest.
While I am always willing to talk about the hobby, show models, etc., I doubt that I have ever gotten anyone to start the hobby. The few that were interested never got around to doing anything. I couldn’t get my kids interested either.
I’ve inspired a few from the feedback I’ve gotten. I had one guy visit my layout at a show and before he left he’d bought an armful of N scale stuff to go start his first layout. No idea if he’s still in it though. A few are.
Generally anyone I may have helped bring into the hobby was already predisposed to like trains or had family/friends into it. I don’t think I could convince someone without an active interest in real railroads to come aboard.
Nevertheless, if we can get at least one new person each (preferably younger!) we can replace ourselves and at least keep the size of the hobby relatively stable.
While I disagree with some of the members who refuse to acknowledge any positive signs about the hobby, I will agree with them that the basic structure of the hobby is changing. I think we’re headed away from the mass-produced junk to the more prototype-oriented models. The manufacturers seem to me to be betting the greater return is not in flooding the market with cheap garbage but producing limited runs of high-quality prototype-specific stuff. This will appeal more to the serious modeler and less to the casual would-be modeler. This will probably lead to a smaller but more dedicated core of hobbiest.
Tom,I really hate those types of articles for the reason you mention and the fact it leads the public to think many of us wants to “relive” our childhood memories…
How about the thousands of blue collar workers that are in the hobby and those like me that loves railroads and model trains? Of course such views is help by some up tight modeling books and even Sam Posey’s book doesn’t help our image either.
I always ask if a guest is interested in seeing my layout, and if they show unfeigned interest, I even encourage them to take control of a locomotive…with me always an elbow away. I don’t look for converts to the hobby. I figure I have little enough time to enjoy it myself without trying to find others who drift in life and need me to educate them about all this hobby has to offer.
I have become an old geezer with a little money, unfortunatly, who is reliving some memories, but that does not account for the pike I built when I was 16, or the one I built when I was 25 or the one I built when I was 30, or the one I built when I was 45. The key was that when I was interested, there was someone who could be encouraging. This forum, for most most part, is the most encouraging thing I have ever found. If someone wants to start, there are ideas and pictures and opinions(LOTS OF OPINIONS) to be found for the asking.
You betcha. I show my layout to everyone who comes over that I think might if any sense of enjoyment. Even my wife likes to show it off to her freinds…Of course they think its “cute”. But hey, Ill take it.
I also oined a modualr club that is our number one goal is to expsoe people to the hobby. Our club has grown from 15ish to over 25 in the last year. And atleast half of them are comeplete train rookies. Its nice a feeling.
GEEZER ? Me ? There’s that word again --LOL Look at that hansome little picture of me to the left . I do look like that same hat style and all —is that what a geezer looks like ? I’ve gotten very few into it . Most seem extremely interested until I tell them what my O scale steam engines cost . They don’t want the starter engines they want "one just like that " for under a hundred dollars ! The wives are the worst train collector killers – they threaten the men with divorce if he does — or ending his love life . I told them you have to sneak and buy like I have for years . Most are cowards — LOL [sigh]
I don’t know, Just a Hobo, that looks more like a Duffer to me (that’s 1 stage before Geezer. It goes Codger, Duffer, Geezer, then Coot. My Father-in-Law has arrived at Coothood but he is 93). I am approaching the Codger stage myself, but I still like to show off my Model RR to anyone that will take a look.
I had a bunch of people here at my house last August for a dept. reunion and a birthday party for an old retired Social Studies teacher I used to work with. As the party came to an end, I announced tours of the Seneca Lake, Ontario, and Western RR. My former Principal and her Husband and about 3 others took me up on the offer. She kept saying, “We’ve got to get some of the kids from school over here to see this…” One of the guests popped his head down cellar to say he had to leave and thanks, so I got him to come down. He left about a half hour later. As he left he told two Art teachers in the group to get their @$$%$ down cellar to see what I have down there. They obliged and spent the next 40 minutes asking questions about how I did this and that! As they left one of them said, "You know, I have always thought you were a bit nuts! Now I know you are! Wow! (Big Grin) Most people still think “Toys” when they hear about someone being a Model Railroader. The best ad for the hobby is to share it.
I’ve introduced most of my friends to the hobby. Only a couple of them have went on and started planning for their own layout. Most of my friends think trains are kind of cool to play around with but they wouldn’t want their own layout because of different reasons.
2 or three guys who happened by our club during open house. They’ve taken off like rockets. One guy, within a year, has mastered great scenery techniques, and knows how to build rolling stock to high standards. He’s even using words like “prototype”, carries his NMRA guage everywhere with him and I think his toolbox is bigger(and more full) than mine! Best of all they are all having fun. I believe the younger generation we’re looking for IS waiting in the wings. I’ve always loved model railroading, but just recently bought a house with a dedicated train room, so now my hobby dollars show up on the radar, so to speak. I’m 28, and I do beleive there are many more my age, and younger that will become more active, and they’ll show when the time is right.
Still working on my younger brother, and trying to get my dad back into it by dangling the current generation of "super detailed sound equiped lighted prototypical smooth running whatevers " in front of him.[:D]
Yeesh, that shore dont help much. I will not comment further because there are people who enjoy a position in life who may have a need for these very expensive layouts or trains. I just focus on my little tiny part of the hobby.
A few weeks ago a person in the store was asking about code 100 versus code 83 track and I tried my best to explain it. I think we will have a new person involved in the hobby because I could see him making decisions on what track to use.
There was a Local Modular Club called “Crooked Rails” that did a small show in downtown Little Rock, it was not really populated when I showed up with the camcorder. Upon leaving I saw a family with children coming in to see the trains. So I think shows are still one of the best ways to introduce the hobby to people who may not know about trains otherwise.
I dont keep track of people who join the hobby. I can see that in this part of the USA at least a small number of people are coming to the hobby in a variety of ways each year it seems more and more are into it.
I frequently get asked if my flat forehead is congenital; I tell them, “No, I’m a model railroader and it got that way from beating it against the wall!!!”
Not really. I figure somebody either has the train bug or they don’t. It’s not an infectious disease.
Besides, I’m not sure it’s in our best interest. If participation goes up, so does demand, and so do prices. Basic economics. I like the fact we are a niche hobby.
And just as happy with a loop of track and a bit of power to run the trains with. Not some 25,000 dollar frankenstein that competes with the house mortgage.