Not nostalgic, but admiring.
N
NP2626
Guest
My opinion of the Golden Age of Model Railroading was back when there was very little Ready To Run stuff and those companies that offered RTR stuff, was not as high quality as what was offered as kits. This is because I love to build kits; or, from scratch. Although I can and do build from scratch, I miss the kits and especially those from LLP2K and Branchline.
What you say there, highlights that this "Golden Age of Model Railroading" is a highly subjective and personalised concept. I think the term to most in the hobby coincides with the general concept of when the Golden Age of Railroads occurred i.e. 1930's-1950's thereabouts. By coincidence that also coincides with, in it's later years, when your modelling preferences were also at their peak and continued on from there, powered by the nostalgia of that time of the real railroads.
I have some of that, even though I never experienced it first hand and it is model railroad based nostalgia. But as far as a Golden Age of Modelling, or maybe more accurately, a Golden Age of being able to have a layout, buy trains to run on it and get the rolling stock that represent some quite obscure railroads, there has never been a time like now. By my observation at my club, the availability of highly detailed "off the shelf" models and the advent of DCC and sound, is bringing into the hobby, many who, if they had to build the models, wouldn't have given it a first thought, let alone a second. They would admire those that do and wonder at their patience and commitment, but there is just so much else today to divert them away. Gone are the days when most could sit at the dinner table and work on a model at your leisure, while listening to a radio, for most people. That there is still a core, like yourself, who continue the skills, that core could not now, support an model kit making industry that focused on that alone.
I have some of that, even though I never experienced it first hand and it is model railroad based nostalgia. But as far as a Golden Age of Modelling, or maybe more accurately, a Golden Age of being able to have a layout, buy trains to run on it and get the rolling stock that represent some quite obscure railroads, there has never been a time like now. By my observation at my club, the availability of highly detailed "off the shelf" models and the advent of DCC and sound, is bringing into the hobby, many who, if they had to build the models, wouldn't have given it a first thought, let alone a second. They would admire those that do and wonder at their patience and commitment, but there is just so much else today to divert them away. Gone are the days when most could sit at the dinner table and work on a model at your leisure, while listening to a radio, for most people. That there is still a core, like yourself, who continue the skills, that core could not now, support an model kit making industry that focused on that alone.
Beady
Well-Known Member
Why not? It sure seems to be passing me by.
This signature is intended to irritate people.
Greg@mnrr
Section Hand
Sad, I purchased a lot of kits to build at my cabin during the summer after I started retirement. Almost five years into retirement and I still haven't started one of the kits.
Since retiring, I brought lots of "estate" rolling stock and RTR, but no kits.
What's wrong with this picture?
Greg
Since retiring, I brought lots of "estate" rolling stock and RTR, but no kits.
What's wrong with this picture?
Greg
N
NP2626
Guest
Greg, Let me know what you've got and if you want to get rid of any of them. Who knows you sell off 4-5 kits and you can afford a real nice well detailed RTR!
otiscnj
Well-Known Member
Getting back to the initial question, again, I think that many of the contract manufacturers that US importers use in Asia or have used in the last 20 years or so, for instance, are trying to enter the injection molding, final assembly business arenas, and as such, only want to be able to move on to more profitable product lines, such as the auto, electronics, etc businesses. I.e., they are only looking to take on the model railroading assignments, as a stepping stone to get into more lucrative manufacturing jobs, not become the top worldwide producer of model railroad products. As the baby boomers, and older generations die off, fewer and fewer people in the US know how to operate a screwdriver.
It depends on what your criteria is basically. It does appear we have more variety and choice of product than we ever have in the history of the hobby. I go to a large train show in Maryland around 3 times a year and I see more kits, craftsman kits etc. than I could have believed; they are ripe for the picking. If you objectively measure a "golden age" in terms of what is available to us in the hobby, it can only be today. It's more a matter of access. Now if you measure the golden age as a time when you had many LHS's with stuff on the shelves you could drive a short distance or even ride a bike too, well, those days seems to be gone for most of us.
Greg@mnrr
Section Hand
Mark and Chet:
I found Blue Box kits that were marked $3.50, so it tells something about their age. I also had the bad habit of going to Walther's and buying kits and RTR off Walther's "Bargain Table". Did get some good deals!
I'll check the inventory and see what I may want to liquidate.
I keep my RTR and kit on shelves and in plastic storage boxes. "Out of sight and out of mind."
Later.
Greg
I found Blue Box kits that were marked $3.50, so it tells something about their age. I also had the bad habit of going to Walther's and buying kits and RTR off Walther's "Bargain Table". Did get some good deals!
I'll check the inventory and see what I may want to liquidate.
I keep my RTR and kit on shelves and in plastic storage boxes. "Out of sight and out of mind."
Later.
Greg
