Active Hobbyists

Perhaps 50-100,000 in O gauge three rail.  We know there are perhaps 30,000 folks, give or take, who subscribe to CTT or OGR or are TCA members,  with plenty of overlap.  Many of these are collectors, armchair model railroaders or are not active as purchasers of many products, so I'm guessing somewhere south of 100,000 is the reality, mostly guessing of course.

100,000 easy in O gauge. Not counting the seasonal/holiday crowd.

No way to accurately answer that question.

100,000?  That's a lot and hopefully close to a 'real' number.  Locally, we have had our club for about 6 years now and only know of a dozen or so 3 railers within a 35 mile radius, maybe a few more. In contrast, between two area HO clubs there are well over a 100 members in the same area.  Just members of the clubs. Perhaps not typical but maybe indicative for areas outside of CA and the Northeast?

In counting folks involved look at subscription to mags and there are many people who have layouts,enjoy them and live under the radar.

An aquaintance found out that I am a model railroader.  he said isn't that a dying hobby.  I told him to go onto Youtube and punch in Lionel.  Or go out to York this Spring.  Need I say more.   

That is a very hard question to answer.  There are so many hobbyists that maintain a very low profile.  I am amazed at how many do not get involved in clubs, groups, forums, or anything organized.  And many do not want any publicity or attention of any kind.

Those of us that feel that the sharing and social interaction is what this hobby is all about have a hard time understanding that.  

Art

If 100,000 were the approx. situation, wouldn't that work out to an average of 2,000 per state. Does that sound about right?

NMRA president was quoted in the WSJ article last week ("End of the Line for Model Trains? Aging Hobbyists Trundle On", Feb 10) as saying the organization has 19,000 members with an average age of 64, up from 39 in the mid-1970's.

Considering your definition of "active", NMRA's purported 95% member retention rate, surveys indicating two-thirds of model railroaders are HO scalers and acknowledging some hobbyists are not joiners, I would estimate 30,000 are "active" hobbyists in all scales.

Now let's guess how many are "casual" model railroaders.

What, me worry? 

Alfred E Neuman posted:

NMRA president was quoted in the WSJ article last week ("End of the Line for Model Trains? Aging Hobbyists Trundle On", Feb 10) as saying the organization has 19,000 members with an average age of 64, up from 39 in the mid-1970's.

Considering your definition of "active", NMRA's purported 95% member retention rate, surveys indicating two-thirds of model railroaders are HO scalers and acknowledging some hobbyists are not joiners, I would estimate 30,000 are "active" hobbyists in all scales.

Now let's guess how many are "casual" model railroaders.

Good idea. Shall we add that to our considerations, then, here?

NJCJOE posted:

No way to accurately answer that question.

Probably the most accurate estimate I have seen in many years.

As of Dec 2012 [newest quick google search I came accross] Model Railroader Magazine had 150,039 weekly E mail newsletter recipients and 98K + magazine subscribers. I am sure that number is down by now as the magazine today typically runs about 85-86 pgs

Two...one I know of for sure in New Jersey and one that I heard about third hand in Guam.

I am very active, but I am not building or operating layout, but I am purchasing.

eddie g posted:

I am very active, but I am not building or operating layout, but I am purchasing.

Then you're in the count, aren't you, Eddie G.

I'm not in the USA and not into three rails but I regularly buy from the USA, last week a loco arrived, two Gondolas, a crane, and a passenger car arrived this week, (Monday) also a loco is due to arrive in a few days so I'm an active O man but in West Australia. Roo.

I know several Hi-Rail guys who aren't members of any train group and who don't subscribe to magazines.  They do buy a lot of trains.  I believe that most of their purchases never get out of the box.  

It is very hard to get a valid number on "active" O gauge guys.  Is the the person who only runs around the Christmas tree "active"?  It the person who buys but does not build or run "active"?  I don't have the answer.

I am active with both a home and club layout.

NH Joe

New Haven Joe posted:

I know several Hi-Rail guys who aren't members of any train group and who don't subscribe to magazines.  They do buy a lot of trains.  I believe that most of their purchases never get out of the box. NH Joe

Joe, this is my experience as well.  I am the only one in a large circle of O-Gauge hobbyists who is on any online forum.  They do subscribe to the two main mags (CTT and OGR).   I know they buy trains and run them, but as far as I know, they are not part of any group

Chugman posted:

That is a very hard question to answer.  There are so many hobbyists that maintain a very low profile.  I am amazed at how many do not get involved in clubs, groups, forums, or anything organized.  And many do not want any publicity or attention of any kind.

Those of us that feel that the sharing and social interaction is what this hobby is all about have a hard time understanding that.  

Art

Given the age of most of us here, somewhere in our sixties, we grew up in an era where model railroading was looked upon as a hobby for "squares".   Especially as we got into our teen years in the '60s.  Even when I returned to the hobby in the '70s, people who found that I was a model railroader gave a disapproving smile.  So it's no wonder alot of hobbyists want to keep a low profile.  

Reminds me of a girlfriend I had in my early twenties.  I took her little brother to see my N scale layout.  She thought it was cute but only a hobby for old men.  Well, I'm that old man now, but not too old.  

c.sam posted:

100,000?  That's a lot and hopefully close to a 'real' number.  Locally, we have had our club for about 6 years now and only know of a dozen or so 3 railers within a 35 mile radius, ...

100,000 modelers spread over the entire US yields 1 per 38 square miles, but let's not count 99% of Alaska which knocks it down to 1 per 31 sq-mi.  that translates into ~100 modelers you'd need to find in that 35 mile radius.  that might seem like a lot, but when you take the two extreme examples, it still only works out to 0.5% of the population of Wyoming and even more unlikely, 0.003% (1 out of 33,000) of the population of New Jersey.

math (like model railroading) is fun!
cheers...gary

Alfred E Neuman posted:

NMRA president was quoted in the WSJ article last week ("End of the Line for Model Trains? Aging Hobbyists Trundle On", Feb 10) as saying the organization has 19,000 members with an average age of 64, up from 39 in the mid-1970's.

Not that it would affect your estimate, but for the sake of accuracy, I am sure you meant to say the referenced WSJ article was published last year, not last week.

New Haven Joe posted:

I know several Hi-Rail guys who aren't members of any train group and who don't subscribe to magazines.  They do buy a lot of trains.  I believe that most of their purchases never get out of the box.  

It is very hard to get a valid number on "active" O gauge guys.  Is the the person who only runs around the Christmas tree "active"?  Is the person who buys but does not build or run "active"?  I don't have the answer.

I am active with both a home and club layout.

NH Joe

Yes and yes. IMO . As long as they are squeezing the bucks out of their wallets for the hobby, happily still possess trains and/or any of the accompanying paraphernalia that goes with them, they are active, as far as my inquiry is framed.

Roo posted:

I'm not in the USA and not into three rails but I regularly buy from the USA, last week a loco arrived, two Gondolas, a crane, and a passenger car arrived this week, (Monday) also a loco is due to arrive in a few days so I'm an active O man but in West Australia. Roo.

Therefore, you are active in the hobby. Good to hear from you!

Hey Frank,

Love the thread. I'm building a warehouse as I write this post. I'm a nocturnal railroader in the evenings. By day, I'm a sunshine modeler. LOL  The warehouse below is 48MB and I give all of you permission to "borrow" it to print a building flat. That's what I'm doing.

Scrappy