I noticed that too Boxcab. However, I see that (kids with their parents)all the time here at the Plano show. So much for the death of model railroading.
Yes you are right about that Ken. In fact one of the kids in the pictures already has a couple of N scale boxcars, a flatcar, and a tank car. He also LOVES to go to McDonalds and get burgers and fries and sit next to the tracks watching trains with his dad. He loves watching the Empire Builder go by. He told his dad that he wants to ride the train sometime. Gee I wonder just where he happens to get the bug from?????????
I agree. I have been hearing and reading about model railroading dying for decades. Yet it never really seems to not be happening. Demographics shift. People grow and interests change from video games to? The hobby evolves. That's not dying. Anyone looking at it through eyes of the past several years is making a mistake. Economics outside of our control have had an effect. That does not mean it's dying! I have been unable to spend all I wished. But am still in it. Most hobbies have been set back to some extent in recent years. I guess we should declare them to be dying as well? Anyone looking at polls conducted, which are always statistically insignificant and therefore good for nothing beyond wild speculation, is making a huge mistake. And far too many do believe in those numbers. The fallacy in it all, is belief that people must start in youth, and continue through life to assure our hobby surviving. In reality, age is irrelevant. As long as people get active, for any length of time, (of course the longer the better), is all that truly counts. Yes. It's great to have youngsters in it with us. You bet! Middle age, retired, it all adds up. Which is all that matters. Worst of all is the constant talking about hobby death. Oh yeah, that looks great to anyone considering entering the hobby- NOT! All it does is cause us damage. Say it often enough, and eventually it can become true. That is a fact. Boxcab E50
I don't see the "death" of our hobby. I know I am kind of in the model railroading hobby's age "doughnut-hole," where there are lots of people in MR who are at least ten years older than I am and a lot that are at least ten years younger than I am and very few in my age range, but that's hardly a dead hobby. There are lots of kids in the hobby in my city, and a fair percentage of them will stay in the hobby as adults.
Yikes! Icky poo! Wimmen. Cooties. Argh. Run, while you still can! Bad for your health, hobbies and finances! Boxcab E50 Old fart, long married. Same gal for 40 years...... :tb-wink:
It was totally worth it. And she's an artsy-craftsy kind of woman, so, yeah.. she's painting the buildings for me. My son and I take in as much real life train action as we can fit into our weekends. Then we rush back to my house to study our layout and find ways to incorporate what we see in the world onto our table. We pass our interests along to the next generations whether we realize it or not. Leading by example, we show our kids how rewarding this hobby can be!
Yes it does sound like ti was worth it then. I know every woman I have meet thinks model railraoding is dumb or boring. Needless to say, I send them packing when I hear that.
Keep looking. We have women here on TrainBoard, and I see woman at model railroading events all the time. My wife isn't a model railroader, but she likes the hobby because it keeps me sane, gives me a creative outlet, and she knows I am not at the bars.
My wife is prodding me to hurry up and finish a T-Trak module. They can be done with or without backdrops. She wants to paint a backdrop. I hadn't planned on one, but methinks plans have changed.... Boxcab E50
Ryan- How much space is there at the show for layouts? There are some folks in the area, including one in NB, who are slowly trying to get an On30 modular Group together. I believe they are targeting a national show this year(?), not sure if narrow gauge, NMRA or what. Maybe they could set up in Monroe some day! Boxcab E50
Well Ken, this year we had the horse arena at the Monroe fairgrounds completely stuffed full! So there isn't much room for more layouts. I only know of 2 other gentleman in NB that is into trains. One is a garden gauger and the other is into Horendously Oversized scale. I would sure like to find a fellow Normal scaler out in my neck of the woods. I am sure there are more, they are either closet train buffs or I just have not meet them yet.
Ryan- When I was still in NB, we tried to get a few guys together. We met at the library once or twice. Five or six guys showed up. I do not remember how the word was put out. Believe it was Dan O who did that legwork. We went to see Dan's HO layout, at his place up the Middle Fork. But then one fellow moved away, then I moved.... Surely there are some others around. Is there a bulletin board at the RR musuem? Put up an ad at the library, and grocery stores in NB, up on the Ridge and down in the old town... I wonder if Steve at ISG knows of anyone? Boxcab E50
Those are great suggestions Ken. Steve has not mentioned anything to me about anyone out there other than Dan O.
