i was just wondering how many people use G scale and how/where they use it.
Depends on your perspective.
There are lots of us. Most have our track outside. However, if you’re comparing us to HO railroaders, we’re few and far between[:-,]
It’s a fun question that I’ve never seen an answer to. Anyone have any real statistics?
I’m the only one in my neck of the woods but then there aren’t many people in my neck of the woods[:D] Makes you appreciate the web and UPS.
I don’t know of any statistics whiterab, but there are a lot of us who have track outside. When I first started building my GRR, I only thought there were only a couple garden RR’s in my area, but I discovered my local GRR society, and discovered there are at least 20+ GRR’s in my area once I started subscribing to their newsletter. I will be joining that club VERY soon!
Consider the circulation of GR is around 38,000. That’s not a small number, but we’d hardly fill a football stadium, either. We’re often described as the “fastest growing” segment of the model railroading hobby, but relative to what? We could be the fastest snail, or simply the smallest group where any increase in participation intensely multiplies the percentages. Think of a group of 20 increasing by 2 people, versus a group of 2 increasing by two. (Ain’t statistics fun?)
There’s no denying we’re a niche market within the hobby, but just based on circulation numbers and garden railway society memberships, (where in large cities they can top 200 or more families) probably around 45,000 folks in the US. (Not everyone subscribes to GR–though they should–or belongs to a local GRS.)
Later,
K
Based upon informal surveys, active GR folks with actual outdoor trackage (other than a petunia circle) seems to be a WHOLE lot less, like maybe a quarter of that number.
This based upon discussions with manufactures, dealers, various GR societies.
But, there is no real way to know other than spy satellites.
TOC
I could help you with that part, TOC[;)]
This is an interesting question. I have a hobby store, Dale’s Train Station, about 3 miles from my house that specializes in LGB and Lionel. It is in a very high rent district and has been there for years. That leads me to believe they are selling enough LGB to pay an enormous rent every month. Personally I know none of the people who bought the stuff, nor are any of them from my area on this forum.
How do you count? There may be a guy around the corner from me that has 900ft of hand laid track and unbelievable gardens, but keeps it very private. I for one don’t belong to a GRS because I disdain the type of person they attract. How many more have an indoor layout, or simply collect but never run? How then can you really count the numbers?
In the end, I don’t think anyone can really know for sure, but all the LS manufacturers are selling stock in ever increasing numbers. As stated before, when compared to HO, we are very, very small in numbers.
Quote from TJ
" I for one don’t belong to a GRS because I disdain the type of person they attract."
TJ,
What kind of person do GRS’s attract? I don’t belong to one either so I don’t know what type of folks I might be getting involved with if I ever do decide to join.
Walt
I’m finding out that there are a heck of a lot more than I ever thought there would be! I also have found that there are probably 3 non club members in the area for every 1 club member. I have talked to several who are really into HO & N indoors, but also have some small G outdoors for nice weather, and belong to an all gauge club or even HO clubs but not to a g club!
I would opine that your local hobby shop would be able to hazzard the closest guess, even in these days of mail order because we do go look around and need the small items that are not worth mail ordering!
In answer to TJ, I’d say that clubs are just like any other segment of the population, you’re gonna get a mix of personality types who join. You will have your givers and your takers, The active and passive members, those whom you would enjoy having a social connection with and those whom you abhor. Likewise you will get a club that is “the good ole boy network” that is hard to break into, one that is all business and no joking around or social life, and those that get together with trains as a common tie but also enjoy the social aspect. I like the last, after a brief business meeting some go to play trains while some sit back and socialize while observing the goings on! When the wives who are not into trains have something to do at the meetings and enjoy themselves, the ladies and gents who are into trains can have some good uninterupted play time; a nice balance!
If you like a club, join it. If you don’t, don’t worry about it. Clubs certainly aren’t mandatory[:)]
Also, how many people put up a large scale train to run around the Christmas tree and then put it in the closet for the rest of the year? Could they be counted?
Walt,
I’m not bashing any clubs as such, nor am I saying in any way that you should not join one in your area. I’m only stating that my experience with the local GRS was negative at best. I found the people there were arrogant and all about money not trains. After a very short time I decided I wasn’t welcome and I’ve never been back. The atmosphere may have changed since then, but to me the damage was done. I hope it was an isolated incident and not indicative of GRS’s as a whole. Because of that experience I guess deep inside I hold resentment for that sort of person which I now associate with GRS’s. As a therapy to recover from my emotional trauma I will immediatly go out and contribute a large sum of money to my LHS in exchange for some merchandise.
Didn’t want to go off topic like this, sorry!
A survey in a Dutch model railroad magazine a few years ago put the percentage of G-gauge railroaders at just a few percent of the total. This corresponds with my experiences when demonstrating on our regional model railroad fair.
But then, this is a Dutch survey: Dutch houses usually don’t have a large enough yard for a railroad, so it’s confined to indoors, where smaller scales have obvious advantages.
tangerine-jack sorry to hear about your bad experience with a large scale club. I belong to one of the best - the Ozxark Garden Railway Society in Springfield, Mo. The members are very friendly and welcome all new people. They have layouts from modest to fantastic, yet everyone is treated the same. But I know what you mean because I have heard of other clubs shunning new members because of an elite heirarcy that wants to keep things the way they are. I belonged to a car club like that. I owned Studebakers and they were all Ford and Chevy men. Boy was I an outcast!
OK, I’ll venture a guess.
About 5% of garden RRers subscribe to GRR mag. or go online to forums like this one.
The other 95% of Garden RRers build high fences so no one can see their trains and lurk in the evening hours on their garden layouts, not wanting to be bothered by anyone, as they sip Tequilla and run their mini trains, imagining they are railroad barons.
I’d say it’s more than 5% for the simple reason that even the lurkers need GR for the ads — so that they can buy more stuff!!!
Maybe 5 - 10 % on forums, but I’d guess more like 1/3, have come out of the station and can be seen as garden railroaders!
Ok, I’ll settle this once and for all, this is getting to really annoying me! Every one who is a Garden Railroader raise both your digital hands, keep them up and type “here!”. Ok, now count the hands. There you are, zero! Just as I thought.
Guys,
As an admirer of ‘G’ scale items (I received a USA trains GP-7 for Christmas, which is my third loco), I suppose I fall into the category of those who don’t have an outdoor layout (not yet anyway) but who likes the hobby.
To give a better idea of the lure of ‘G’ scale in the Dallas-Ft. Worth area, this last weekend there was the first of our twice yearly train shows. In the train show, the ‘G’ scale display was given it’s own room (10+ trains running in the room). I was pleased to listen to the other visitor’s comments as the trains went by. It truly attracted a large crowd.
As I wanderer around the various displays with my kids in tow, it helped me appreciate the large scale trains even more. For instance, I still don’t see how those folks put the N-scale locos on the track.
Large scale is the way to go!
onward…
P.S.: This is my first post but I’ve been visiting this forum for several months. I just didn’t feel qualified to submit an opinion on any of the other topics.
Well I think we can say we’re more prevalent than S scale, I think (never know with all those old American Flyer Sets).
But G scale is very small when compared to HO, N and even O!
But things are changing. The last train show I went to (GATS in Anaheim CA) was very G scale prevalent. And many people were buying G starter sets. So maybe we are the fastest growing segment of the hobby, but we’re still few and far between.
Tifren,
And who says you have to be qualified in anything to open your mouth (type an opinion) on this forum??? All that’s required is that you like garden railroading!!! I guess you could even dislike it and really start an on line arguement!
Who’s to say you don’t ask a question that 23 others have been wondering about in the back of thier heads, but haven’t phrased in the way they wanted to state it? I’ve gotten lots of questions answered that I didn’t even realise I was wondering about until I read the answers on here!
Fire at will, but don’t shoot at me!