Was wondering what the future will be for BLTO items and even any new items coming out by Lionel, MTH, and Atlas with so many closing of Hobby Shops and maybe the few that are using the internet for their business. This limits exposure for the younger generation and makes them unaware whats available, or even what scales.
I say this with experience over the weekend were 3 adults ranging from 24 to 36 were unaware that "O" scale still existed when I invited them over from the neighborhood street picnic we had. The Wally worlds, and department stores don't have any MR items, neither for Hobby Lobby. This past Christmas, for first time, and I asked, had no "O" scale train sets for sale or on display. No Hobby shops in my area, were there use to be 4. So the built to orders will or may come only from sites like this. Fewer and fewer as times passes and so do we. I think we need to recruit potential and those interested in our Hobby to come visit sites like this.
It seems that weeks rarely pass were we don't read or hear of another Hobby Shop closing. My thoughts.