I hate to be the iconoclast, but I think this whole notion of youth and S scale
is misguided. Model railroading in S scale has never really been a
"youth-oriented" hobby. Even in AC's day AF trains were not an inexpensive toy
- the 1950 average weekly income for a white male with "some college" was
$85.00! A train set at close to a weeks wages sure doesn't sound youth
oriented to me. This could be dad's buying for son's but is more likely men
buying for themselves!
IMHO this is a hobby for middle aged or beyond. People who have degrees of
disposable income. Yeah, you can't head to track side any more without some
law enforcement risk, but then again good luck going to an airport to watch or
photograph planes. But the aircraft hobbyists aren't exactly wringing their
hands and old muscle car hobbyists are popular as ever... When was the last
time you saw a 340 'Cuda or 350 Camaro SS on the street??
I've been thinking about this for a while in terms of where do we promote the
hobby for the future. Modeling in S scale is not inexpensive and it is
challenging. It has great rewards, but portraying it as anything other than
the challenge it is could turn off more future converts than it draws. The
key might be more of a one on one "mentoring" to help people learn and develop
an appreciation for the hobby. This forum might provide some of that, although
most of the time we bury newcomers with so many of our own opinions, fetishes
and rants... DCC anyone?? Why would anyone want to join our hobby... to
listen to a bunch of angry old men???
Kids will always love to see toy trains racing in circles. They love to see
loud cars and war birds racing through the sky or jets in an air show, but only
a minuscule number will develop as hobbyists. Forget about that (and computer
games too!), when someone in their 40's shows an interest in the hobby consider
becoming a mentor... That means you have to do something and not wring your
hands while you wait for someone else to act... and for heaven's sake don't
tell them this is an easy hobby!
Just some late day rumblings, or maybe it was something I ate...!
Jim
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