Results of Average MRR POLL

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Data was taken from those who provided data requested. A few people just made comments, so the number who replied to the POLL does not reflect the base number of data, which was 33. This is not a scientific POLL, it is meant to give us “some” idea of what the MRR’s on “this” forum are comprised of. I fully realize that there are other forums, and this POLL could have been expanded, however, without the ability to design the POLL within the guidelines of the software for this forum’s POLL’s, I have to pull the data from each thread, and that takes a lot of time due to inconsistancies of entering data. If I were a software whizzkid, I would be able to do that, so mea culpa guys.

LOCOS:
Steam = 7
Diesel = 6
Both = 20

SCALE:
HO = 25
HO&N = 1
N = 3
S = 1
O =1

Age = 13 to 66, with an average age of 41.3 years old, 12 > 50, 21 < 50

Work = 24
Retired = 5
Student = 3

USA = 29
Canada = 2
Mexico = 1

Male = 33
Female = 0

YRS in MRR = 1 month to 50 years, average = 16.6 years

DC = 14
DCC = 12
Switching to DCC = 4
DC & DCC = 3

Code 100 = 14
Code 83 = 19
Code 80 = 2
Code 75 = 2
Code 70 = 4
Code 55 = 1

RTR = 24
Kit = 25
Bash = 13
Scratch = 5

Layout size = average of 222.4 square feet ( varied from layout on floor to garages. As large as 2267 sq. ft. )

Shelf = 10
Table = 13
Table ( door used ) =1
Modular = 3
Floor = 2

Number of Locomotives = average of 27.3 ( min =1 , max = 130 )
Number of cars (RS) = average of 171.2 ( min = 2, max = 800 )

Using Foam for scenery = 15, others using plaster cloth and or shell
Sub Base = 6 foam and foam plywood combo, 2 used 1/2" homosote
Table Construction : 11 plywood, ranging from 1/4" Luan, to 3/4" plywo

2

Interesting. Maybe we ought to dredge it back up in a few months and get more data to add to your analysis.

Thanks for the effort.

Regards

Ed

3

Thanks Ed, it would have been a lot easier if the poll could allow me to enter all the parameters, and the respondents could merely click on the dot to enter their selections, then the tally would be realtime.

4

thanks for the info ***… I can see the average age is probably propper but alot of the other stuff may not be exactly correct… you have to remember that this forum only represents a very very small percentage of the MRRing population… so I would think that loco’s and rolling stock would fluctuate either up or down… more than likely down.

Good work… at least we know the averages for our forum.

5

I would agree with Brian - The folks who read this forum are ‘dyed in the wool’ modelers. I suspect that the majority of modelers are not so serious, and they may
outnumber us!

Jim Bernier

6

Just remember that this poll only reflects a sampling of THOSE RESPONDING TO THE POLL, which would not even be a cross section of forum members. As such, it really doesn’t indicate much of anything about the make up of the hobby community in general or is even typical of MR forum members/readers.

In the real world, the parameters typical of the “average” hobbyist are decidedly different…especially in the age category.

CNJ831

7

Grayfox,
Very interesting results. While it may not be scientifically accurate, it’s a useful snapshop of what’s going on in the hobby.
Thanks for the time and effort it took to do it,
Tom Watkins

8

You forgot one thing. While this did not appear on any of the posts to your poll/survey, I think it is highly accurate given all the other things that I’ve read on this forum. The average model railroader is a great human being - always willing to help out others. Does anyone disagree?

9

Wow!

I posted my stuff and then never looked back at the polling data.
I was amazed at the amount of Locos and Rolling Stock folks have. But I guess I would have been there too number wise if I had stuck with the hobby in the past few years.

Nice Poll

Well done!

Chris

10

Wow good job ***.I agree with Ed drag it back in two or three months.It goes to show that the mrr isn’t necesaritly getting greyer their does seem to be a lot of new younger blood comming into the hobby.That bodes well for the hobby as long as we can keep them.And yes the average mrr does seem to be a wonderfull,helpfull human being. Rob

11

Rob, before too much in the way of euphoria sets in over what *** reports, one must first appreciate that any figures based on a few dozen voluntary responses in a hobby comprised of around a quarter million individuals can not hope to indicate anything in the way of valid information or trends…and *** is the first to admit this. For fun it’s fine, just don’t read any meaning into the results.

CNJ831