NOT FRISCO RELATED, BUT, IS THE ECONOMY KILLING OUR HOBBY?

This is a question I have been asking myself, but, with Athearn closing their RTR plant, and the effects it is having on other manufacturers, not to mention the rising cost of rolling stock and locomotives as well, what is held in store for the future f our hobby.

 

Historically, our hobby is cheaper than ever. The percentage of people's income that is disposable and the percentage of that disposable income that is needed to pay for trains has almost never been this low.

 

It's "other things" (Or other interests) that are harmful to the hobby, not the economy. The "graying" of the hobby for one thing, that is, fewer younger people are taking up model railroading. Electronic gadgetry and video games are a big part of that. Also railroading in general is not as big a part of American life as it once was. Internet sales of model railroading merchandise, while convenient for buyers hurts the local hobby shop where "walk in" business once attracted new modelers and younger folks to the hobby. Likely other hobbies are shrinking also. Coin and stamp collecting come to mind, ham radio, probably many others that require study and craftmanship.

Tom G.

 

Did athearn close their RTR plant, or was it closed for them by the Chinese.

One of the things that has made the hobby cheaper is pushing most of the manufacturing off shore to third party factories. Unfortunately, the economy in china has affected some of the plants that were making model trains, and that has slowed the availability of product.

Paul

 

With regard to Tom's comment, I don't know whether the economy per se is the problem, but I do believe that cost is. Figure that it will run $750-1,000 to purchase the equipment and materials needed to put up a 4 x 8 "Plywood Pacific" layout. For many young families, that is simply too much money for something that, when it is complete, really doesn't do much. Compare that with an X-box or Wii or even a home computer that for half as much money is instantly interactive and doesn't require any carpentry, wiring or assembly skills, and doesn't take up any space in the basement.

GS

 

I think you hit the nail on the end as to where the problem lies!

 

Unless you can provide evidence to support that statement, I have to respectfully and wholeheartedly disagree!

 

I would not say that the economy in of itself is killing the hobby. What has been taking a toll on it is the instant-gotta-have-it, right out of the box, on the track, gratification people, who drove the industry in that direction, caused the loss of so many wonderful kit producing companies, and all the old hacks who have remained silent and have not either spoken up to protect the hobby, or to curtail the exuberance of the former. What the instant folks haven't done to change the hobby and ruin it, the economy may well do it in. I have to stop here because politics will come up.

 

Aw, c'mon, go for it.

GS

 

No GS. I'm modeling right now and don't want to get upset. The mere thought of sterile horses gets me riled.

 

I have resisted, I am proud of myself.
Bill Jackson

 

I will resist too.

But modeling was in fact cheaper 30 years ago. I remember running some numbers through the inflation calculator a while back, let me refresh my memory. I can't remember what the prices were when, so my examples are all from the year 1980.

That $20 Athearn Blue Box locomotive in 2012 money is $55 today. The cheaper RTR models (F7, GP38-2 and GP40-2 that have not been upgraded to DCC ready and still use the old BB style drive) are $80.
That $2.50 car kit is $7
A $4 car kit is $11
A new Accurail kit is about $13
A new RTR car is $30+

So yes model railroading is no were near as cheap as it use to be, but the detail is amassing on some of these new locomotives.

Ethan

 

Of course, as anybody knows who has been involved in operating on a large layout, the detail on any one car within the fleet (I run with guys who have as many as 1,000 freight cars, and another individual who has 500 passenger cars) goes largely unnoticed. I think what would be good is a line of "entry level" stuff that still runs and operates well, even if it does not have contest-quality detailing.

GS

 

I could write a pretty good chapter on the why's and where's behind the hobby being where we are today and it wouldn't make a hill of beans difference. I have seen alot of changes in the hobby during the course of my modeling lifetime both good and bad. But probably the most disturbing trend that I see goes back to an earlier post regarding today's desire for instant gratification. As in the previous post I see it affecting many many other interest not just model railroading, the one the comes to mind most is live music. Few want to spend the time it takes to master and instrument to the point they can truly perform, they would rather pretend and play another session of guitar hero on the X box. I would have to agree that we are probably in the best of times in terms of what is available and level of detail. But to me the concerning thing is that model railroading as compared to other hobby's & pass time is far from main stream and by percentage has a pretty small following. As that following gets greyer and the market get's smaller will this availability be there or will the hobby begin to back track?

Brad Slone

 

They can have my trains (scratchbuilt and RTR). When they pry them from my cold . . . dead . . . hands.

 

Jim, spike the coffee.
Bill Jackson