We all post about about wich age group is the most prominet model railroaders, but wich age group do you think has the largest layout.
The largest- Most likely would be people in there 50s and 60,s or older. They have the most time to work/run trains so they would have the largest RRs.
Second Largest. People in there 40,s and 30s. They would have the funds because they would be at the height of there carears.
Smallest- Teenagers, and people in there 20s. They dont have the funds plus if your in your 20s your just getting etheir a small apartment or a small house so a little short on space.
Obviosly there are exeptions to the rule but do you guys think these are valid points?? Happy New Years. Tim
Andre, James was right I was only trying to create a conversation. My layout is a 4x11 with a 36in by 36 extension on it. I feel bad about your 0x0 layout lol sorry. Im 14 by the way.
If I had the room, I would have the LARGEST heheh I am 47 with a 5 x 16 layout. I think it would depend on the people’s location and where they can actually build, not really the age. I wish, for 2007, that all train people can obtain the largest layout possible!
Hmmm, I am mid 40’s and have a room 9x13 for the layout. It comes 2’ out from the wall allaround (almost, not at the door or closet).
Unless we move into a bigger house (and with house prices here that is not likley, only move sideways) I do not see getting anything bigger. When the kids are gone, we will get a smaller house and I will be happy with a space the same size I have now.
I think housing costs are going to be a huge factor for future layout sizes for almost everyone, I see a decrease in average layout size in the future (so says my magic [8] [:P] )
I’m in my '30s, but I would be more fitting in the '20s category. Height of my career? HAHAHA! In this economy??!?!? Sigh, if that were true I’d have a miserable career!
Even if I had the $$ I wouldn’t want a large layout. In fact this year I downsized my layout as well as my scale. Said goodbye to 4x12’ HO and hello to 4x8 N. The 4x12 HO pike existed for 18 years but more than half of it was just sitting there collecting dust. I don’t want a large layout, because I wiouldn’t have the time for it. I’m currently part-time employed so I do have the time to work on it, but when I get a fulltime job again I know I won’t get to build it like I am now. So better to build it when I have the time, and just use the money I would have buying locos and rolling stock (not to mention all that DCC stuff…)
I finally have started on a layout for my N scale equipment. It is just a small project, something to hold me over till I get more space. It is 25"x48".
I am 66! I hit the Powerball this coming Wednesday, contact an architect on Thursday, begin construction on a 5000 sq ft house with a 5000 sq ft detached structure in about three months, design the layout while waiting for house to be built, set up my wood shop, build my train room/office, properly configure the layout space, begin layout construction, should have the first trains running in about . . . . . . . .
Oh, heck!!! I’ve been building 4 X 8s for so long I wouldn’t know what to do with a larger space. Maybe it should be a 500 sq ft detached structure.
I think that is pretty right on with your assumptions. When I was younger I had a 4x8 laout until I bought my own house. Now I am 30 and I have half of my two car garagewith space cut out for my motorcycle approx 9x18
OK, when I was a teenager I had 74 square feet of layout space (two 4x8’s and a 4x2 1/2) but now that I’m 59-going-on-old I’ve only got 60 square feet (5x12.) Perhaps I should show this thread to my wife as an argument that I need more space. When we put on the garage, the 24x24 room above was supposed to be for the trains, but it became a “family room” and I only got a corner.
The garage, by the way, has its own “bike room.” It’s full of bicycles (6 of them for 3 people) plus skis and other assorted stuff that’s too good to throw away but not good enough to use.
I don’t think one can group layout owners as a large,medium or small layout size by age group because of the various income brackets of model railroaders,house size etc…
I think many forget model railroaders comes from all walks of life and income level.All of the modelers I know range from retirees on Social Security,Disability Social Security to a news paper editor and every job between including a farmer.
No,it to hard to paint such a wide picture due to those above facts.
Looking back at my experience the size of my layouts grew as more space became available. With 6 moves in 40 years, my layouts have become larger.
Some reasons were more income, which allowed more to be spent on trains. More income and a larger home, which usually had a larger basement.
Within those 40 years there were times that no layout was up and running. Other interests took over the train interest. The trains were packed away. Every home did have at least one layout built in it. However, I always seemed to come back to trains.
When I was 13,I had a 4x8. We moved, Then I built a 4x12 dogbone. I graduated high school then built Portage Hill and Communipaw Railroad in the bunkhouse on the farm ,any body remember that?My first year in college I had a layout on a dresser top. Then went into the Navy,then college again,Six years later In college I had a 2x4 Nscale. Finished college moved to Alaska no layout for four years. Then a 2x17 layout for 8 years. Then no layout til 5 years ago. Am now 62 and have an 11x14 layout in a spare bedroom. So sounds like your guess about the older the bigger runs true,maybe when one reaches 70 or so the start to dwindle in size til one disappears. Lemme see,um.old modelRR nver die they just get out of gauge.[swg]
P.S. By the way you kids who started this thread keep up the good work and don’t be afraid to start a project or ask a question.
