> I was thinking about the piece in the new NASG Dispatch about getting young
> people into the hobby. I don't feel the complexity built into this locomotive
> is going to help much, but I would like to hope I'm wrong.
I think you have hit upon a new explanation for the demise of model
railroading. At least new to me since I have not heard or thought of the
complexity factor before. Speaking as a former 7-year-old, I could understand
two wires to the track and two wires to the motor and two wires to the
headlight. I never did figure out how the whistle worked until a year or two
later. It eventually came to me. I was a 3-rail Lionel kid. Didn't have to
worry about reverse loops and figure eights or insulating pins at all.
> much of the hobby press today, in that it appears to be, not intentionally, I
> believe, to get new modelers in "over their heads" with DCC and other
> advanced model railroad features,
May I disagree somewhat. I think the scale model railroading hobby today (NOT
the RTR tinplate hobby) is an adult hobby with very little to offer children.
The objective of the major magazines is to make a profit from lots of
advertising promoting expensive adult toys. Not much in MODEL RAILROADER for
kids who are 7 or 8 years old.
As a former 9-year-old, I remember a magazine called MODEL TRAINS which
featured RTR tinplate trains from Lionel and maybe AF/Marx/others. I could
relate to that magazine and devoured every issue. Sadly, it has gone down a
branch line and run off a spur into a weed-infested field never to be seen
again.
> study the display layouts and see where the most attention is focused.
I agree the kids really like running the trains, blowing the whistle and
watching the grade crossing signals. But are they getting hooked on trains?
Or merely watching a visual magic show? Soon to be replaced with another
visual magic show on TV? Or on the computer? Life becomes one visual magic
show after another without meaning for some children. Is this a reasonable way
to attract new folks to the hobby?
I'd rather take junior on a train ride -- even if it is a lowly commuter train
-- and walk around the station and yards a bit to show him things. And explain
how a coupler works, what spikes are, feel the ground vibrate, smell the oil
(diesel oil), etc. Of course, these days I will probably get arrested for
doing that, but still that is where my heart beats faster. Call me strange and
you'd be correct.
Cheers....Ed Loizeaux
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