Aging of the Hobby

My thought is that adopting a hobby is not something that can be controlled in the way that Charlie seeks.  Kids will like trains, as always, and parents who chose to do so will support the hobby / interest.  The rest will develop (or not) on its own. 

 

At York last week, we had our two boys, 5 and 2&1/2.  Some of the folks there commented that they were very happy to see kids at the show -- vendors and attendees, in keeping with my experience that most people in this hobby are very decent.  One vendor (not a train vendor to be fair) was quite nasty to my son when he did nothing wrong other than to get an item I instructed him to pick up so I could pay for it.  Inexplicable.  I have no need or desire to open that debate again here as there is no point, but to the extent that folks want to see the hobby perpetuated there is more to commend the folks who were supportive of having kids there than the one who treated them as rabbid animals. 

 

The following day, we attended the "Day Out with Thomas" event at the B&O Museum.  The number of kids there, all astounded by Thomas and the other trains, was impressive.  Based on that alone, my sense of things is that this wonderful hobby will be fine.  And O gauge (in my biased view, the best of all the gauges) will be just fine.   Even if I am wrong, it is out of our hands anyways, so no sense in worrying.

I like how Charlie completely left out Gen-X, as if it is a done-deal that we will never have an effect on this hobby.

This past York I was sitting taking a rest and I kept noticing how old the hobby has become. A fellow sitting next to me said it was like sitting in Gods waiting room. 

 

Maybe some truth to that statement because the aging of the hobby is concerning. 

I have been in this hobby for over thirty five year.  Every few years, I see changes

in hobby products and hobbyist themselves.  I think we are now in the midst of

one of those changes in the hobby now.  I see Lionel, MTH and WBB in particular

going after a younger group.  Some of us older folks may not warm up to some

of these new products but the younger folks seem to.  Railroads themselves are

not as exciting as they used to be.  There are not as visible as they once were and

unit trains without a caboose are not as exciting to watch.  The revival of Steam

engines goes a long way to get people of all ages more interested in trains.

 

The aging of the hobby is real......but the reason is not one we can do much about.

The 20 somethings, while tech savvy, for the most part are a bit dumb when it involves anything but a electronic hand head device and/or social media.

Ask a 20 something about what needs to be checked under the hood of a car on a regular basis!  Even opening the hood is a challenge. Once open you would think the where looking into a can of worms.

And for the most part they have no hobby that is not rechargeable and hand held. When I was a kid and up into my 20's everyone had some type of 'hobby' if you will.....model trains or cars in some form, hunting, fishing, stamps, coins many things.

Today all they have to occupy their time is FaceSpace iPads and net browsing on the phones.....at ALL times everywhere.

My only hope is this is looked back on as a massive fad.....and then people got bored of doing and accomplishing NOTHING.

This is the same old rehash that ends with looking into the bright eyes of little children as they watch the trains go around. The Millenials in my opinion are death on wheels to so many things that the fading generation holds dear. Unfortunately, if we did not make this world for them - we at least funded it. I have post millenial grand kids, 5 and 6 year olds that have a 10 year head start on tech that early Millenials did not have. I am forced to pay for some of their tech stuff so they can keep up with the flow. They are growing into Millenials on steroids and the only thing that will stop them is a power outage or a dead battery. They play games on iPad Minis and other alien devices because regular iPads and Wiis are old fashioned. They like toy trains too for now, but when they bloom into the mainstream the trains will fall to the wayside for sure to be followed by someone posting that they will come back to trains when they get older. Will anyone who cares be around to see that?

Once again...this really isn't much of a problem. The world will keep turning. There are plenty of people in the hobby, and in fifty or one hundred years there will still be plenty of people playing with trains. 

Yes, a smaller percentage of the population is interested in trains, but that is misleading because there are a lot more people around now. In 1950 the US population was roughly 150 million people. Today the population is near 320 million people. Think about it.

 

Model railroading will be just fine. It will change, but that isn't necessarily a bad thing.

 

Jeff C

Model railroading will be re-discovered Stardate 24 53.7 (circa 2235). It will be all the rage and holosuite programs will be written to re-create the great model railroads of the 20th and 21st centuries......in any scale you want.....Gorre & Daphetid, Delta Lines, Canadaguia Southern, New Jersey HiRailers, Lionel and American Flyer Showrooms, and from the articles/pages of "paper magazines" such as OGR.

 

While I can neither prove nor disprove this, I'll bet even money it comes true in some form.......

 

 

Peter 

Thought provoking topic.  I guess that there's some truth to what Charlie says.  I see my own Grand Kids with their cell phones, punching away, sometimes ignoring people all around them even though they are also enamored with the "smart phone".  Their period of interest in real things, things they can put their hands on, is not very long.  All of my Grand Kids, male and female, were exposed to my trains, my involvement in railroading, my layout building and my train operation right from the time they were babies.  Of all nine of them, not one has retained an interest.  I also have an interest in automobiles, racing, collecting, shows, modeling, etc. and not one shares the interest.

 

Not much hope for future model hobbyists, in the Fischer family, I'm afraid.  When I'm gone, the trains will follow.   My Grandson couldn't even drive my 5 speed Mustang and, even though I tried teaching him, he has no interest in it.

 

But, this same environment occurred when television was first popular.  My friends and neighbors spent countless hours in front of the TV and hobbies were pushed to the back burner.   But the hobbies survived.  People began to realize that a life spent watching TV was pretty shallow.  So the hobby industry survived that crisis. 

 

My guess is that the same thing will happen with digital communication.  Growth as a human being does require some other avocations.  Once the kids realize that digital communication is simply a means to help us in modern living, they will also realize that each of us must develop other interests and hopefully, a few of them just might take up our hobby.

 

Paul Fischer

Someone mentioned at York that until the Eastern Division allows strollers the wives and young children will stay away.

 

I've also noticed more and more scooters in the halls. Pretty soon they will need to eliminate rows of tables to accommodate more and more of them.

I just read this a few minutes ago when I received the email from the NMRA. Let me see, I am 51 so that puts me at the end of the curve. I have more than enough trains than I could ever use. Do I understand millenials, probably not, but anyone can push buttons and few people are real craftsmen. 

All the best,

Miketg

We can all worry about Chicken Little and the Sky is Falling, but all that will do for us is to have to take another antacid. Sure our hobby is aging, but when it is all said and done, I agree with Peter (Putman Division) that there will be enough left in the foreseeable future to make our hobby viable.

Personally, I think that allowing strollers would encourage more wives and young families to attend.  It would also help to address vendor and seller concerns associated with roaming children. 

Guys,

 

Hold on here! What's the difference between "Aging of the Hobby" and "Changing Times for the Hobby" is there a difference......Chill out everyone, relax and enjoy it, while you have it! Don't think about it, do it! These are not museum pieces yet these are action toys! Me thinks there is to much hand-rubbing and worrying, not enough enjoying going on.

 

Mike Maurice

Think past the obvious. Are the older people on scooters there instead of younger people, or are they there in addition to the younger people.... 

 

In 1950 it wasn't a bit unusual for someone in their early 60's to drop dead. Don't misunderstand me, it was sad, but it wasn't unusual. If an older person had health issues they tended to stay home. That isn't the case now.

Today when somebody dies at age 62 it is equally sad, but it is also tragic, because we feel that the person died too young. People live longer, and even when health problems come up there more health care options available to help people stay active And do things like attending train shows.

That's a good thing, and it doesn't threaten the hobby even though it skews the demographic a bit.

 

 

Jeff C

You all must have a different breed of teenagers to 20 somethings where you are.

 

Around me, and all the kids I work with (teaching, etc.), those into hobbies are very much into building things, and taking the time to make them work.

 

Yes, they all have their "devices".   That's not all they do.  it may be all you see at that moment in time, but it doesn't define every kid's free time.

 

Saying this next generation is"dumb" to technical things like cars, or other mechanical things is an insult.

 

I have said it before on this forum.  Just because today's kids aren't into the train hobby as many of us were at  their age, doesn't mean they're not into hobbies.

 

If the writer of the article is suggestion that R/C cars are dwindling, he's sorely mistaken.  It's the largest hobby out there right now, with one major producer of R/C products opening a 100,000 sq foot building warehouse in Texas.

 

Heck, the school where I teach music has a waiting list to get into the automotive shop classes, where they learn auto tech from tuning a carburetor  to to installing the proper injectors on an EFI system, and programming the computer for proper air/fuel ratio for desired performance.   They even have a race car that they race at the local NHRA track.

 

My suggestion is to stop worrying about the future of any hobby. 

Enjoy it for how you want to enjoy it, and let the next people worry about what hobbies they want to enjoy.  it may be trains, it may not be trains.   it doesn't really matter.

Yeah.  How can anyone help but agree.

 

First of all they're so simplistic to model that any gorilla with a t-square and an x-acto can do it, and then it really helps that they all look pretty much the same except for the color and the billboard lettering, plus they don't add to the confusion by way of adding cabeese or non-monolithic motive power, and they go nowhere except between yard A and yard B where they are serviced by (gasp) trucks!   Enjoy.  The beauty of the hobby is that we each get to do it our way.

 

Me, I'll take a peddler freight every time.  The switching opportunities alone abound.

 

Pete

I've stopped worrying about the "aging hobby" or "changing hobby" thing.

 

I got back into the model railroading hobby around 1976 (not in O gauge at the time) and have been involved ever since.  I guess that means I'm fast approaching 40 years in model railroading, not counting my boyhood years.

 

During most of those years since the late 1970s, I have devoted a whole lot of time and effort--primarily through my publishing activities in books and magazines--to promoting and expanding the hobby, and to informing, educating, and entertaining those already involved with what I will always regard as the "World's Greatest Hobby."

 

But I've actually grown tired of watching people fret about the future of the hobby and then sit back and wait for someone else to do something about it.  The truth of the matter is, some of the trends and directions are largely irreversible, so why worry about it?  No individual, no group, and not even society at large can reverse the inevitable demographic, sociological, technological, and economic changes we are faced with (and which we made for ourselves).

 

Better, if you are already in the hobby, to take full advantage of what it offers to you, and to not worry about what others do or think.  At best, your enthusiasm may inspire some others to give the hobby a try, and if that is the case you can give yourself a big pat on the back and know that you have done the best YOU--as an individual hobbyist--can do to promote this activity to possible future participants.

 

EVERY organization in our hobby (and most every other hobby) is facing the same situation as the "big two"--the NMRA and the TCA.  And if they aren't facing it yet, for whatever reason, you can be 100% certain they soon will be.

 

YOU are reading this forum now, and I assume that most of you are already actively involved in the world of O gauge (or some other gauge/scale).  Be thankful that YOU are among the enlightened who have discovered what a diverse range of benefits this hobby offers.  Enjoy it in any way you care to and for as long as you are able to.  Life is short and all too fragile...I know that for a fact.  Savor it while you've got it, and don't worry about the future generations.  They almost certainly aren't worrying about you, and they will have more than enough to worry about themselves as they age, with a leisure pastime being the least of their worries.

I am only 82 and I believe if one is not into modeling steam they long ago abandoned the real hobby for playing with stinking diesels [aka "dismals"]. 

 

 

 

 

The hobby will be around long after I'm gone.  I guess that means I'm aging faster than the O gauge hobby.  Oh well..........

 

Steve, Lady and Tex

You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make him drink.

 

All these people moaning over the decline of whatever hobby always seem to think that force-feeding it to children is the answer. It's the wrong answer, and does more harm than good.

 

For all we know, there may not be an answer. I am not going to lose sleep over it. I am going to enjoy myself and share my hobby with whoever is interested. That's the most any of us can do.

This septuagenarian has less than twenty years to go, statistically and genetically.  I'm OK with the twenty-year prognosis for the hobby.  After that?.....

 

The so-called 'millenials'?.......  Who knows what they'll find for a therapeutic hobby when they're my age.  My guess is that at the present rate of economic, moral, social, and geo-political decline/upheaval they'll be too (self) absorbed with more basic elements of 'life' to consider spending even a dime on model railroading. 

 

Putting things into my own perspective, if I'm going to embrace one last altruistic 20-year dash to the finish line with my time, skills, and financial resources, it will be to give as many 'DiNozzo's' as I can to the so-called millenials about self-reliance, courtesy, developing worthwhile skills, having a charitable attitude toward community, recognizing and respecting the difference between good and evil, having a servant attitude and heart, cherishing being a American patriot, defending freedom and founding principles, being both judge and emulator of good character, fearing and loving God, etc., etc..  

 

Being sure the hobby of model railroading survives this century into the next?....  Que sera, sera.

 

For now, I'm enjoying one grand lifetime in this hobby and pleased that others, young and old, currently enjoy it, too!

 

KD

I've been collecting trains for about 35 years now. When I was younger, most all my dollars and time went to raising a family, putting a roof over our heads, and food on the table. Free time (if any) was stolen from washing out dirty diapers and taking kids to ball games. As time progressed, so did the family in that everyone went separate ways and had their own lives. Trains (for my kids) was not an easy hobby to "learn", however they would enjoy the fruits of MY sweat and time.

 

Now, as I have found ways to steal more time and have a few more dollars, I can find some ME time to enjoy my trains. Face it, model trains take both money and time, which most younger people do not have as they are knee deep in debt and spend most of their time on some device. Trains is an acquired passion....like a good wine, it takes time to understand, appreciate, AND enjoy. Some of our children will eventually find their way into this hobby....most will not, BUT, the hobby will survive. I know of absolutely NO ONE that will not take time to admire a train and/or watch it preform on a wonderful layout.....keeping the faith.

Martin H relax....

As Lee Willis says, "If no  one has ever done it that way, it might be fun to try". My guess is that he includes "Unit Trains" in that proclamation. 

 

At noon I sat at at Norfolk Southern's Yanceyville grade crossing on the Washington dual mainline and waited and watched for ten minutes while over 130 of those unit billboards passed behind 3 big dismals. 

 

It occurred to me that if one photographed only one diesel and only one car of that train they would have effectively captured the entire train[except the last car had a funny-looking gizmo on the rear]. 

I do not concern myself with the "aging of the hobby"  it really doesn't effect me in the least.  I have most of the equipment that I want, i work on it when I want and if younger people do not want to participate in the hobby, not my concern.

 

 I will continue to enjoy the hobby and not concern myself with whether or not it will be here in 10, 20 or 30 years.....I probably won't be.  Just enjoy yourself and let the rest of the hobby world take care of itself.  

 

 

 

 

I'm not sure what Charlie is smoking but it seems he's spending too much time in Colorado.

 

Always good to write off and insult an entire generation - a sign of good clear thinking.

 

Finally, he does get to one concrete thought - time & money.  Those 2 tend to be prerequisites for many hobbies.  But, if he's going to sell this hobby to his targeted generation, he really has to address why they would be interested in it. 

I sometimes wonder if all those worried about the future of or the dying of the hobby aren't really about keeping our hobby alive in future generations, but more about keeping the club or the NMRA or whatever group they belong to open as more and more well monied members die off. If the possible closing of the clubhouse door for good is your only reason to try to get new members into the hobby, then maybe the real focus of the club or organization is the promotion of the club/org and not the hobby?

But then I'm a Lone Wolf. What do I know of clubs and organizations!  LOL

 

 

WOW!  Another "aging of the hobby" discussion.  Must be another slow day with no new catalogs or items shipped to bash.

 

I have been doing TCA shows for 38 years and the crowd looks no older now that it did 38 years ago.  It has always been older folks who had the time and means to spend on the hobby.

 

So go run some trains and try not to worry about it.

 

Happy railroading,

Don

 

 

 

 

I see once some of the millenials get full time jobs and have families then they might be more likely to buy a train set for the holiday's.  I think the millenials that are into trains are mostly in the smaller scales.  It does feel like the O-gauge population is aging.  I see some people in thread complaining that watching trains is less interesting now.  One thing has kept me interested in trains is train watching.  I do it at least a few times a year. Even though I mostly see modern GE and EMD diesels I sometimes see some interesting locomotives.  For example the local train in my area has a GP40 and slug that was build from a GP30.  The shortline railroad in my town uses a GP9. I also there are still a large amount of mixed freight trains in my area with a huge variety of freight cars.  

Lee

Stalin made that statement when urging Roosevelt to pour even more war goods and food in to Russia ports of Murmask and Archangel during WWII. We lost one heck of a lot of Merchant Seaman and cargo ships in the process.

"Not to start a fight" but not a favorite quote for me.

For some reason, many folks seem to be preoccupied with worrying about the future of the hobby (the subject sure seems to come up on a frequent basis).  I have plenty of other things to worry about, and prefer to believe that the future of my hobby is now.  I'm enjoying it quite a bit!  

quote:

For some reason, many folks seem to be preoccupied with worrying about the future of the hobby (the subject sure seems to come up on a frequent basis).

 

I could not care less about the future of the hobby.

It will sink or float on its own merit.

Like ALLAN said "I'm enjoying it now".  Tomorrow may never come.  You never know?  Have fun!!!!

Yep, 105,000 American GIs buried in French, Belgian, Dutch and Luxemburg cementaries to liberate France among other worthy objectives.

 

Nevertheless De Gaulle has nothing to do with Unit Trains and I cringe to hear your next quote. I'm bailing!

When I was in my 20's I didn't want to play with trains. I was out running around racing mountain bikes and playing racquetball. I was barely home.

I got my first train when I was 2 which I still have and I also have my dad's train. Yeah I had my trains but wasn't interested in messing with them. Now I have a house where I can put up a layout.

Also I think a big reason the younger generation doesn't play with trains is money. If I didn't work at the hobby shop I wouldn't be able to afford the trains I have.

The statement about slotcars I think is totally wrong. We still have and race 1/24 scale slotcars and every Christmas we sell a lot of HO and 1/32 slotcars. There are still slotcar tracks around that have a lot of racers. I've raced and built a lot of cars. But it's what I like to do.

Not all kids are going to like what their parents do for a hobby. So when they find something even if it's not trains help them with it.

Ralph

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