# Model train story in Wall Street Journal



## carinofranco (Aug 1, 2012)

There is a good story in the wsj "Is it the end of the line for model trains? Aging hobbyists trundle on" and a great video of a 3000 square ft layout with 150 engines.. the link is http://on.wsj.com/1KGGNOf

Unfortunately you need a subscription to see the entire article, it talks about the declining interest in the hobby.

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## MacDaddy55 (Aug 19, 2008)

carinofranco said:


> There is a good story in the wsj "Is it the end of the line for model trains? Aging hobbyists trundle on" and a great video of a 3000 square ft layout with 150 engines.. the link is http://on.wsj.com/1KGGNOf
> 
> Unfortunately you need a subscription to see the entire article, it talks about the declining interest in the hobby.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk HD


Funny but I always read these articles and just laugh!! Old Farts dying off and there isn't a person interested in the hobby to pick up the torch....Go to a Local Model Train Swap Meet or a Large Train Show and look at the young people buying Trains, taking pics of layouts...FAMILIES...to quote Sherman T. Potter "Horse Hockey Pucks"!! :laugh::laugh:


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## Chet (Aug 15, 2014)

Unfortunately today, most younger kids are more interested in their electronic gadgets instead of getting into model railroading. 

I got my start into HO back in the 50's. Not a lot of manufacturers back then, but I could afford a couple of Tyco locomotives and freight cars. 

Look at what a decent locomotive costs today. Yes there are swap meets and such, but unfortunately I don't thinks todays kids want to part with their electronics.


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## p51 (Nov 12, 2015)

I can't read it for of course it mentions Lionel. On the O forum, they're going on and on about how the hobby isn't dead because their grandkids love coming to their layouts.
Yeah, it's that it's _gampa's layout_ is why they like it, not likely as much as they like trains.
But model train shows still draw in big crowds. Not all of them are retirees or have zero social skills/hygiene, too.
We have to accept that the hobby in general *doesn't* have the appeal it did in years past., in the golden era when every kid had a train set. But it's not dying anytime soon.


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## carinofranco (Aug 1, 2012)

There is not much doubt that the hobby is not as popular with younger people as it was back in the day when we were kids. However, I was delighted to meet a young man named Kyle age 12 who came up to my booth at a show a few years back to talk trains. He bought a few items with his own money that his dad said he earns repairing lawn mowers and, believe it or not, washing machines! he even had a card advertising his services. Too bad that I lost his card when our washing machine went belly up.



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## GrapevineFlyer (Sep 7, 2015)

This article on the same topic also came out today:

http://bluerailtrains.com/2016/02/11/maybe-model-trains-arent-dying/


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## trainguru (Jun 28, 2011)

*Calling all Young Pike Owners, Wall Street's Declaring our Death!*

http://www.wsj.com/articles/end-of-the-line-for-model-trains-aging-hobbyists-trundle-on-1455157546?cb=logged0.9767179925351794

For all the times Wall Street has messed up things, meddled in muck, and made our world a mess by mongering, this has to be the saddest. I mean, relevance is such a big part of any industry, but seriously, we need to get our friends off their computer ridden rumps, and active in real life again. Kids can be amazed at how layouts can be "...More realistic than video games." Well sure, because it's in the "real world." Read the article, and put your two-cents in. And while we're at it, does anybody see anything wrong with magnetic pennies, to bring the cost of the penny down below one-cent? I don't really.


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## RT_Coker (Dec 6, 2012)

“For Christmas in 1960, Ron Mei got a Lionel train set.” 

He obviously enjoyed it. At the time it was probability not using technology that he viewed as out-of-date.
Just my & my grandkids opinions.
Bob


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## Frisco Firefly (May 17, 2012)

*End of the Line for Model Trains? Aging Hobbyists Trundle On*

End of the Line for Model Trains? Aging Hobbyists Trundle On

http://www.wsj.com/articles/end-of-the-line-for-model-trains-aging-hobbyists-trundle-on-1455157546


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## bigdodgetrain (Jun 12, 2015)

posted yesterday here!!!!!!

http://www.modeltrainforum.com/showthread.php?t=70842


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

It really angers me that newspapers and magazines online make you subscribe or sign in to read their articles.

Sorry I can't comment on it because I refuse to sign in.


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## rogruth (Mar 6, 2012)

The WSJ also seems to be rather archaic now and may be dying.


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## Frisco Firefly (May 17, 2012)

Sorry, didn't notice it had already been posted.

John can delete this one.


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

I merged all the threads on this same topic together.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

It never ceases to amaze me that an industry on the verge of irrelevance itself (print media) will be so critical of the decline of another. 

I just got done teaching a Railroading Merit Badge class for a group of Boy Scouts with ages between 12 -16. I do this a couple of times a year. Based on feedback I receive, I firmly believe that the reason it is so hard to attract youngsters into the hobby is because we expect it to sell itself. We don't attempt to pass on our enthusiasm and knowledge to young folks, we just hold up our hobby and expect them to "get it".

Our hobby is a blend of art, craftsmanship, engineering and problem solving, which is attractive to the human mind in ways that an electronic screen never can be. Because of that, it can be a little daunting to jump into compared to a video game, and it cerain requires more effort and thought. The outcome, though, is infinitely more satisfying.

Much of the fault lies with us, the current practitioners, for not trying hard enough to engage young minds. "See? Isn't this cool?" is a non-interactive presentation that doesn't compete with a video game. "Come on, let me help you do this and I think you'll enjoy it" has the potential to fire up young minds and make lifetime enthusiasts of them. And just like anything else, not everyone is going to take to it.


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## trainguru (Jun 28, 2011)

*Finally, some enlightenment!*



CTValleyRR said:


> It never ceases to amaze me that an industry on the verge of irrelevance itself (print media) will be so critical of the decline of another.
> 
> I just got done teaching a Railroading Merit Badge class for a group of Boy Scouts with ages between 12 -16. I do this a couple of times a year. Based on feedback I receive, I firmly believe that the reason it is so hard to attract youngsters into the hobby is because we expect it to sell itself. We don't attempt to pass on our enthusiasm and knowledge to young folks, we just hold up our hobby and expect them to "get it".
> 
> ...


Relevance is everything, and Relevance without Enthusiasm, is just as bad as no attempt at Relevance at all. Good Points CT!


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## Peter Herron (Jun 30, 2015)

*I'm doing an impromptu poll on another forum and.....*

......here are the results, so far:

Up to and including inrr1066 we have an additional 14 replies for a total of 70.

Youngest went to 17
Oldest stayed 81

average went to 53.3
modelers in their
10s 1
20s 4
30s 8
40s 10
50s 20
60s 10
70s 14
80s 2

Peter


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## Joefrumjersey (Apr 16, 2013)

So we aging weirdos "trundle along" in our walkers(?), playing with our toy trains. it's official, it was in the Wall street Journal. 

To quote an infamous TV financial adviser / entertainer, "They Know Nothing".

To be quite honest about it, until my sons reached maturity, and went off on their own, I couldn't really afford model railroading, and while working, had little time to build a model railroad. Now, that I'm retired, I have the time and resources to build a layout.

These cub reporters that want to write a story to fill space in a newspaper, should research a little more. A now pessimistic businessman's opinion as to the state of our hobby doesn't quite tell the whole story.

Trundling? Really? Whiskey Tango ........


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Joe is absolutely right.

This hobby requires a fair bit of disposable income, a decent amount of space, and some big chunks of free time, which accounts for the lower percentage of teens and twenty / thirty somethings participating. Many of us, I think, caught the bug as kids, but had to wait until we had career and family fairly well along before we dived in with both feet.

This is a distinction that most doom and gloomers fail to appreciate.


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## Fire21 (Mar 9, 2014)

Interesting the timing that had this just show up:

http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/at-the-toy-convention-old-is-new-again/

So many of today's toys are battery-powered sit-and-look-at. Trains are do-watch-do-watch-do. Always something to work on. Active intervention.


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## Chip (Feb 11, 2016)

LOL! Back when I had the energy I did not have the money, then, when I had the money I never had the time. When I had the time I had no space. It took into my 50's to have the time the space and the money! I could not see my 20's self doing this, he had other priorities! Like establishing a situation that would allow for an eventual layout! It really does take a level of commitment and a stable living situation to do this any justice. Many young people just have not developed those traits or have those stable years to devote to it. Some do and I'm glad they are into it but they are rare.


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## RT_Coker (Dec 6, 2012)

Peter Herron said:


> ......here are the results, so far:
> 
> Up to and including inrr1066 we have an additional 14 replies for a total of 70.
> 
> ...


This is one of the train-hobby-age-polls that motivated me to try and do something.
Before 1929 (Beyond 84) 0 vote(s) 0.0%
1930 to 1934 (80 to 84) 0 vote(s) 0.0%
1935 to 1939 (75 to 79) 3 vote(s) 4.1%
1940 to 1944 (70 to 74) 5 vote(s) 6.8%
1945 to 1949 (65 to 69) 15 vote(s) 20.5%
1950 to 1954 (60 to 64) 10 vote(s) 13.7%
1955 to 1959 (55 to 59) 12 vote(s) 16.4%
1960 to 1964 (50 to 54) 9 vote(s) 12.3%
1965 to 1969 (45 to 49) 4 vote(s) 5.5%
1970 to 1974 (40 to 44) 5 vote(s) 6.8%
1975 to 1979 (35 to 39) 3 vote(s) 4.1%
1980 to 1984 (30 to 34) 3 vote(s) 4.1%
1985 to 1989 (25 to 29) 3 vote(s) 4.1%
1990 to 1994 (20 to 24) 0 vote(s) 0.0%
1995 to 1999 (15 to 19) 1 vote(s) 1.4%
Beyond 2000 (14 or less) 0 vote(s) 0.0%
Bob


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