Hi Ed and all --
Ed has some interesting thoughts. However, comparing S to N or G is not
comparing like fruit.
N scale prospered because it does not use the space of HO and scenery can be
made to a more realistic proportion for any given space. Space and dollars
are related -- Less space needed is less dollars spent. S still requires a
fair amount of space, even for a modest layout.
G is like S in that it has two sides to the hobby -- scale and "hi-rail".
The hi-rail guys run anything with anything and the scale guys have Fn3 and
#1, plus 7/8"n2. That has not deterred the participants, as far as I can
tell. In at least 90% of the uses, the stuff is outdoors and therefore not
in the same league as S, which would be difficult to keep outside.
I think our most likely source would be the O scale guy who wants more in
the same space, or the HO or N guy who has been fortunate enough that he has
enough room for S. I think that only because they have larger population to
begin with, would they account for much potential. In this area, having
displays at all the shows these folks would attend is probably the best
introduction. Our increasing presence in the magazines ought to eventually
pay off as well, particularly if we can show the variety of equipment and
products available. This might be helped if we could improve the NASG
listings of rolling stock and then promenently display the website address
in all S advertising. (I was in the middle of this with Stan Furmanak when
he got sick. Anyone else out there that can do the computer work?)
S now does have a number of things going for it which Ed enumerated.
However, I don't feel that the future of many of the products is in any way
guaranteed. We still say,"Buy it now, it might be gone tomorrow!" and that
is still correct for the most part.
What I see is the chicken and egg situation. To really get more folks
involved, we have to have a real advertising presence (TV) with a long term
availability of products at the local level (Shall I say it -- like Lionel).
Christmas trains at Walmart would get things off the ground (or on the
rails), but this critical mass (and mega dollars) has never been achieved.
All we can hope for (as I see it) is that Lionel or MTH with their market
penetration will eventually see the merits of S in the marketplace...
Peter V.'s comments are also well taken and need to be considered.
Have fun!
Bill Winans
Prescott Valley, AZ
Dick's thoughts are very close to mine. Must be because we both go to the
same barber......
Back in the goode olde daze of 3/16 "S"cale Railroading magazine I formed
the distinct impression that there is a constant stream of folks exiting HO
scale. Back in those years and slightly before, N scale got off the ground
and mushroomed in popularity. Then G gauge was born and exploded in numbers
almost over night. Meanwhile S struggled along and grew slowly and without
much notice. Could S have done better?
I am a believer in marketing and salesmanship. S scale, in my view, has not
had a worthwhile overall marketing campaign to snag a percentage of the many
folks exiting HO. Meanwhile, narrow gauge in all scales grows, N scale grows
and G scale grows. Why the difference?
RTR equipment was one postulated answer. S now has it.
RTR track systems was another postulated answer. S now has it.
Train sets was also a postulated answer. S now has it.
A S scale-specific magazine was needed. S has had and now has it.
An annual publication with advertisements from all S scale manufacturers was
another whined-for need. S does not have this.
Modern equipment was a postulated answer. S now has some.
A full bore scale-specific national convention would be helpful. S is close,
but not yet there in my opinion. There are more Sn3 folks at the Sn3
Symposium than there are S scale standard gauge purists at some NASG
conventions. The National Narrow Gauge Convention consistently outdraws the
NMRA Annual Convention year after year.
A national organization dedicated to promoting S scale. Not sure we have
that at this time. Maybe we never had one. Dribbles and drabs of effort here
and there are not adequate. Would a more significant program have made a
difference? Not sure, but might be worth a try.
Eliminating the connection with AF was a postulated answer. Might be true,
but nobody wants to do that. Maybe it isn't true after all since we get much
of our equipment from companies that make AF-compatible stuff from which our
scale stuff is derived. Should we remain joined at the hip or not? Anyone
know?
Meanwhile, as we contemplate our navels, folks steadily drift away from HO
and end up elsewhere outside of the S camp. Is there a way to capture some
of this stream and steer it into the S world? As long as they are departing
HO anyway, why not promote S as the logical place to arrive?
Just some thoughts.....no panacea to be sure. Might not even be astute, but
at least it is worth discussing.
Cheers....Ed L.
------------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links
<*> To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/
<*> Your email settings:
Individual Email | Traditional
<*> To change settings online go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/S-Scale/join
(Yahoo! ID required)
<*> To change settings via email:
[email protected]
[email protected]
<*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
[email protected]
<*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to:
http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
