A few days ago I got into a discussion about the future of model railroading. There were several postions on the topic which ranged across a broad spectrum of opinion. Now without revealing my take on the topic, I am interested in getting some feedback on what the forum thinks without getting into heated debate. So my questions are, where are heading as a hobby? Are we healthy and growing or heading for life support? I would really like to hear what you think.
Overall I think the hobby is still strong and I’ve notice a lot of young faces at the last three train shows I went to.
I believe we will see some hobby shifts in the coming years some good and some not so good for some.
At the current rate Bachmann locomotives may become the new “Blue Box” locomotive for those with limited budgets.
Ha, I would bet the RR that this will get into a heated debate!
IMO - the number of participants is and has been on the decline. Gone are the days where a toy train circled every Christmas tree and was on every boy’s (and some girls) list.
But while the numbers of participants have dropped, the hobby will always be around, for there are many folks attracted to “running something” - be it model trains, cars, boats, or planes.
The hobby components have improved significantly over the years, but of course this has come at a cost - and the “entry fee” for the hobby has gone up significantly. Thus, the cost alone will drive out some newbies, but perhaps that will be offset by those interested in the electronics aspect of the hobby.
The LHS is rapidly becoming a thing of the past. There will always be a few, but nowhere near what was in the past. Of course that is offset by the online shops, which allows the hobbyist to sit in his armchair - be it in Chicago or somewhere in the wilds of west Texas, and buy most anything at fairly reasonable prices.
Another trend (I find it disturbing but that is just me) is the decline of kits and “do it yourself” aspects of the hobby. Of course this goes along with the general trend of our society, whereas the theme is “I want it all, I want it now, and I want it done for me - and I’ll charge it”…
Hey, the above is just my opinion - and I’m only giving it because the OP asked. If you agree, fine. If you don’t, that’s fine too. ENJOY !!!
Oh yeah, like that’s not gonna happen. LOL
Model railroading, as a hobby, is dying !
Rich
Many hobbies/activities are in decline because younger people today are more interested in modern activities or more ready-to-use than construction oriented.
If the number of modelers decline to the point where the market is too small to support the number of venders we have today, modelers will have to scratch build more as modelers did in the 40s and 50s (look at MR article titles from those years). Modelers will have to scratch or kitbash locomotives, rolling stock and structures. Hand lay track and turnouts. Build there own electronics (e.g. C/MRI). Many modelers do this today.
This topic has been beated to death on these forums every few months over the past years, now, so we really don’t need to go over it all again. Arguing the point here solves absolutely nothing.
Oh yeah, like that’s not gonna happen. LOL
Model railroading, as a hobby, is dying !
Rich
Should the hobby have a standard type funeral or a New Orleans type?
I haven’t been in the hobby for as long as most of the forum members so my opinions are from a person just getting into it. The hobby itself is limited to a very small group. The majority of new modellers are probably in their 40’s and have a fair amount of disposable income. It seems that young kids today really don’t have much of a interest in model railroading. I think the skill level that is needed to build a railway to the level that we see in magazines scares people and they eventually leave the hobby out of frustration because they don’t have the time or patience to keep pushing ahead. As a new modeller I’ve gone through this a few times but I have a few friends that lead me down the right track when I find the frustration setting in. A good friend of mine that got me into the hobby once told me that the hobby has become a rich mans hobby and eventually your going to see the big manufacturers cater to these people specifically. It’s happening now. Look at the prices of most of the Ready to Run stuff, look at Athearn discontinuing the Blue Box line, etc. I’m lucky that I can afford to be in the hobby, I just hope I get my Railway finished before I can’t afford it anymore.
Nice to hear from a relative newbie (ONR Fan). Frankly, folks like him are the future of the hobby.
Don’t know where we’re headed, or why we’re in this handbasket.
In my opinion, it’s the best of times and it’s the worst of times.
The Good:
The quality and level of detail on models has risen drastically. Better materials for scenery construction have come along. Electronics have allow us to operate our layouts more realistically. 3D printing is opening ope exciting new avenues for making models.
The Bad:
The LHS is in a terminal decline. The price of the hobby has increased. However I don’t think the cost has risen as much as people think because you have to adjust for inflation. Fewer young people seem to be interested in the hobby. Be some of us are still getting involved; I volunteer with a bunch of them at the railroad museum.
As for us younger people not being interested in scratch-building and super detailing. The fact is many of us haven’t been i the hobby as long as some of the more experienced modelers and many of us simply aren’t there yet in terms of that. You’ve got to crawl before you walk. I personally cut my teeth on Cornerstone kits before moving on to more advanced stuff. Also, 3D printing may be my generation’s scratch building. Although it requires a different skill set, it still requires the same high level of skill and patience as building a model from scratch.
This thread will no doubt end like all the other threads have about the same topic. I agree, it’s been beatin’ to death…but I’m sure a few will give it another whack anyhow.
Tom
The cell phone is todays “hobby”. [D)]
There are forces at work reducing the number of hobbyists.
First, there are more options for leisure/entertainment dollar time and money.
Second, there is a decline in do-it-yourself/craft skills. With cheaper labor overseas, many things people used to fix are cheaper to replace. Also, many things have electronic components that make repair difficult or impossible. Even though there is a lot of RTR, the hobby still requires lots of building - benchwork, roadbed, trackwork, wiring, scenery, etc. So for a lot of folks they just don’t want to take it on.
Third, Decline of the Middle Class. Not to get into political arguments, but the hobby population is tied to the health of the middle class.
Fourth, lack of exposure. The number of hobby stores are decreasing. Toy stores don’t carry scale trains any more. Big box stores like Walmart and others don’t carry them either.
Fifth, focus on the expensive not the affordable. While the hobby has never been cheap, the model press focuses on large layouts, museum quality models, and/or expensive components like DCC. So people get turned off by the high cost assuming they can’t afford the hobby.
Overall I don’t expect to see much increase in the number of hobbyists and probably some decline.
Within the hobby itself:
I expect the Big 3 - HO, N, 3-rail O gauge will continue to dominate. Other scales will continue to a lesser extent.
RTR will continue to expand until overseas labor costs rise, at that point kits will make a comeback but at RTR prices. RTR will continue but out of the reach of most hobbyists.
Computer technology for 3D printing, lasers, etc. will improve to where on demand models for specific prototypes will be possible. And eventually normal.
Control systems will continue to improve and software/hardware to advance allowing better operations and more realistic automated co
As far as technology and model railroading equipment, things could not be better. But, I fear that the hobby may be doomed like the dinosaurs looking for a tar pit. There are not enough new people entering the hobby. Especially, young folks. Those of us above the age of 60 years old are literally dying off. Who is going to take our place. We need new members which will help continue the hobby. But the more people buying tools, kits, track, locotives, etc. the cheaper prices will be and the more of an incentive to come up with new products.[soapbox]
As for the future of the hobby, it will take care of itself. Despite all the handwringing this topic engenders, no one is gonna come around and confiscate your trains. If you’re well on your way to old guy status, like most of us, you’re working out of a 40 year in the making stash of hobby supplies. That’s probably enough to last you another 20 or 30 years and after that, it won’t matter, will it?[;)]
Looking at the quantity and quality of new models hitting the market, there really has never been a better time for the hobby. Period. Go ahead, look at those old MRs and ask yourself, “If you could be picked up by the time machine and dropped anywhere, when would it be?”
And no, even with a time machine, you don’t get the current quality of models at 1970 prices. That’s a fantasy some have and use to beat this question to death. Get over it and come back from la-la land for some real modeling.
And it’s almost always the price question that’s at the root of such speculation. You can get into this hobby at whatever price point you can afford. No, you won’t have the latest and greatest on a budget, but you can have just as much fun – if you don’t spend it obsessing about what you could have if only you were wealthy. Again, look at those old MRs. You always had to pay more for state of the art or highly detailed models. Haven’t these people heard of brass? That used to be the go-to whipping boy for these sorts of anxieties. Now it’s RTR anything.
Whoever heard of equipping your entire layout with nothing but brass? If RTR is causing that burr under your saddle to chafe, then there are lots of options beyond saying it’s a “rich man’s hobby.” If you got a VW budget, do you waste your time on frustration that you can’t afford a Mercedes? Not unless you want to keep walking everywhere…just saying.
This hobby is exactly what YOU make it. If it’s just price-whining, in it’s various permutatio
I’ll have to echo Larry’s comments, the hobby seems to be doing ok. It’s morphing with the times.
It looks like you are going to make your comment above into a self fulfilling prophecy and help this topic get into a heated debate - see last part of my post. Are you enjoying yourself?
I can remember as a kid looking at hobby products in the windows thinking I could never afford those thigns. Sounds like things are very similar now as back in the 60’s and 70’s. Model Railroading has always been expensive. And if your going to talk about the increase in prices - many have pointed out that adjusted for inflation, prices aren’t off that much from 60’s, 70’s and 80’s prices.
I heard an NPR report on the radio a few days ago that brick and mortor stores of all kinds are on the decline with online ordering. The traditional mall was part of the report, and they are on the decline. So the LHS trend is part of the trend to more online - which is no surprose.
You make it sound like the RTR trend in model trains is a bad thing. For some reason you have to cast buyers of RTR equipment in a selfish and negative light. It’s
Well,I’m no longer sure about that. If one has enough dineros in his pockets one can have a custom layout build…[:-^]
Mike, well said - re: the burr comment et al. I’d almost think some folks have an insatiable urge to rain on peoples parades. I can’t really add anything to what you said, other than bravo. I wonder if people who start these topics already know they tend to devolve into what we’ve seen above? If not, maybe it should be part of the forum rules people should be forced to read so they are ‘aware’ of the age old debates that seem to never die.
Have you checked the prices it costs to have a custom layout built? Yeah… you would need a lot more dinero’s than most ordinary people will ever have. Rich people have always been able to pay people to do things for them. That has little effect on the hobby would be my guess.
In the near term I think the hobby will remain status quo, however in the long term I think it will decline. The baby boomers will sustain the hobby for a while. Generation Xers and beyond are at an economic disadvantage to start their own layouts since their are burdened with college debts and less prospects for higher paying jobs. I hope I am wrong about this. The amount and quality of the products available have never been better then now, and the resources available was unheard of a generation ago. If a generation Xer is fortunate enough to pay off his debts, afford a house and maintain a stable job then oppurtunity to start a new layout is very exciting.