macjet
Member
From an outsiders point of view, the USA is in very bad shape, worst than American news is willing to report.
From an insiders point of view too.
From an outsiders point of view, the USA is in very bad shape, worst than American news is willing to report.
Then you know the answer?
Truly amazing...here's a thread that has been circulating and been added to for better than four years and not one verifiable fact concerning the question at hand was presented! Just what is it about model railroaders in general that they: 1. Cannot (refuse to?) recognize how dramatically the hobby has contracted over the past 10-15 years, 2. Are incapable of researching the actual published data that will demonstrate what's going on, 3. Feel that baseless personal opinion trumps published facts...if those facts aren't to their liking, 4. That the only acceptable answer to this question absolutely must be favorable...else it's automatically untrue, or was posted by a troll? I see these characteristics exhibited on every single forum whenever this particular question arises. Kinda makes me wonder about my fellow hobbyists.
NYW&B
Yes, indeed. I bothered to reseach the actual circumstances involved, rather that simply sit around and endlessly speculate.
NYW&B
i scrolled several pages back and i probably missed the post where you summarised your findings. can you please repost?Yes, indeed. I bothered to reseach the actual circumstances involved, rather that simply sit around and endlessly speculate.
NYW&B
From an outsiders point of view, the USA is in very bad shape, worst than American news is willing to report.
Agree. It's not just model railroading. I was at a hobby shop the other day (not MRR but a 'generic' hobby shop) and stopped to look at the model car kits (wanted to 'do' my 350Z in 1/25 scale). The majority the 'kits' are some version of snap-to-gather. Pre-painted .. pre-this .. pre-that. A person that will spend time running spark plug wires for the engine of his model car is the same sort that will spend hours scratch building a 'whatisit' for a model railroad. Creativity may be something that you are born with and not taught .. but it sure as heck can be 'fed'. Shake together 'kits' seems to me .. are very stale fare .. and much less likely to feed interest in such hobbies.I think part of the reason for the decline is the kids today expect instant gratification. Wait for a letter? Texting. Interaction? Texting. Play a game? Xbox or go online. Plus craftsmanship as a whole is declining.
This is something you'll share? Or is it in a past post?
Yes, indeed. I bothered to reseach the actual circumstances involved, rather that simply sit around and endlessly speculate.
NYW&B
Agree. It's not just model railroading. I was at a hobby shop the other day (not MRR but a 'generic' hobby shop) and stopped to look at the model car kits (wanted to 'do' my 350Z in 1/25 scale). The majority the 'kits' are some version of snap-to-gather. Pre-painted .. pre-this .. pre-that. A person that will spend time running spark plug wires for the engine of his model car is the same sort that will spend hours scratch building a 'whatisit' for a model railroad. Creativity may be something that you are born with and not taught .. but it sure as heck can be 'fed'. Shake together 'kits' seems to me .. are very stale fare .. and much less likely to feed interest in such hobbies.