First, I think we need to define the various venues that any club might
display at. We do mall shows (we have an annual Father's Day show), a
large WGH show and then a more focused show (we have a small museum show
coming up). Each one will have some kids, but the chances of snagging
anyone totally new at a mall event is pretty small, while a smaller
trainshow aimed at modelers will normally bring in slightly more serious
viewers, with somewhat better odds.
However, when I have my layout open for our NMRA Fall tour, the number
of kids drop off considerably. Several years back, I had a teen with
his parents come by (BTW his layout was also on the tour). Recently I
got a call from his mother, their son was now in the Navy and the layout
was being scrapped--equiptment was being saved for his return but the
benchwork had to go. I helped dismantle it, so some of the Celotex will
be part of a yard I plan on improving. So I feel he'll be back eventually.
I wasn't open this last year, but just before that, I had a dad with two
kids. Each one had an I-pad and they walked around the room capturing
digital movies of the layout--they'll stay with the hobby too! They
were very knowledgeable regarding the prototype and models.
I've been to a friends HO/HOn3 layout a few times and there is also one
high school senior who will stay with things too. I'm certain there are
a few more around, but Houston is the country's fifth largest city with
very little to show for it's future model RR community.
I was chatting with a former HS owner last week, he thinks the people
with modular layouts are discouraging to the young. He says we don't
let the kids touch the trains and run them. Of course, that's a double
edged sword, but yes we discourage touching our stuff and some shows we
have a crowd line to keep them away. None of us want to see even our
crudest models on the floor, but he did have a point to some degree. Of
course, his hobby shop sold mostly Lionel and the more trains that hit
the floor, the more he sold too! So I don't know what the answer is
either, but the future ain't looking to swift!
Bob Werre
PhotoTraxx
Good twin EdL:
i think you may have hit the head of the nail, with the next to last
paragraph, parents take their kids to train shows,
for what ever reason, but after the initial exposure, the novelty
wears off, because there is no further experience,
i think that if a club set up a small layout, for kids, to play with,
(non connecting loops, built in restricted speed,
but with all the bell and whistles, that they could operate, that
experience might re-enforce their desire, of course
not too many scalers would consider this, especially with the cost of
their equipment involved, but it might serve
both flyers and scalers, if the flyers could provide the initial
exposure, less overhead, and then gradually expose
the kids to scale, and over time let them make their own decision,
after all we are talking "s"
mel perry
On Mar 23, 2013, at 3:50 PM, Ed wrote:
