I just got back from two days at the Southport NC Spring Festival where our
local club set up five layouts in various scales including my Calabash Terminal
Rail Road, a portable switching layout in S (see Oct. Dispatch for an article).
This is a non model railroad venue that we see as an opportunity to introduce
people to model railroading and meet a few that are in the hobby or who have
left the hobby but express an interest to get back in. I talked to a number of
people that seemed interested and was able to give the help in whatever their
interests were. Three great examples were:
An HO scale modeler who watched my layout for several minutes and then said
"Tell me about this. I model in HO but as I get older, it's to hard to to work
with because of the size. I have been looking at On30, but this is much
better." I gave him information on where to find out more about S "scale", I
think we have a new convert.
2. A woman who had her Flyer equipment from when she she was a child. She had
be thinking about getting it out to run but she needed a few items. She was
delighted to hear about what was available from Lionel and other manufacturers
of Flyer compatible equipment. She would never be a scale modeler, but we have
another person back in S.
A man who said he didn't want to get into scale modeling, but liked the look
of Hirail and liked the operational possibilities of a switching layout.
I gave copies of the RMC primer to a number of people. I asked those who read
it on the spot if they were confused about what S offered. They all thought it
was interesting that there was a number of approaches to S that would fit the
interests of different people. The scale guys in other sizes were impressed
with the detail offered on most Hirail equipment and quickly grasped the scale
modeling possibilities.
Getting out and showing people examples of what is available in S is one of the
best ways of promoting the hobby. Articles and advertising do generate
interest, but hands on examples can close the deal.
Monte
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