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Re: The Hobby of Trains is dying
Author: Erik H.
Date: 06-29-2017 - 22:12
1. Model Railroading - many kids today don't have the luxury of a large house with a garage or a basement or a shed. They live in an apartment, a condo, or a small house with no room for even a 4x8 layout. Many models are getting too expensive ($150 for a locomotive???), the old Athearn Blue Box kits are long gone. Many clubs are difficult to join, expensive to join, or located in out of the way locations that are inaccessible to kids who increasingly don't have a driver's license or a car.
2. Railfanning - true, everyone has a high quality camera at their fingertips thanks to cell phone technology. My Samsung Galaxy S7 takes far better quality photos and video than my DSLR does (unless I want to zoom). But with railroad property being more and more off-limits or difficult to access, railroad employees shooing people away rather than having a friendly chat, and even local short-lines have become hostile towards visitors, railroads are doing everything they can to discourage the activity.
3. Railroad Preservation - too many clubs are full of elitists, old men's clubs...they only want monetary donations, rather than interested people. Kids today don't get the vocational training in high school that was taught 50 years ago. Many clubs only want "experienced help" instead of providing a kid an opportunity to learn. I know at least two people that went to volunteer for one local steam preservation group only to become all but discouraged and sent away. Other groups are located so far away from where people are, that it comes back to kids not having access to cars to drive out to where the clubs are.
Bottom line - welcome potential members, don't scare them away. A lack of skill should be an opportunity, not a reason to "weed people out". Make sure you are accessible. Even if it means organizing carpools to bring members in. Money isn't everything. And make sure you let the new folks get to do the fun stuff to as the hook. Let them in the cab. Give them a ride. Let them play with trains. The more they get hooked on the fun stuff, the more they see the dirty stuff that needs to be fixed - and the more interest they have in doing it.
2. Railfanning - true, everyone has a high quality camera at their fingertips thanks to cell phone technology. My Samsung Galaxy S7 takes far better quality photos and video than my DSLR does (unless I want to zoom). But with railroad property being more and more off-limits or difficult to access, railroad employees shooing people away rather than having a friendly chat, and even local short-lines have become hostile towards visitors, railroads are doing everything they can to discourage the activity.
3. Railroad Preservation - too many clubs are full of elitists, old men's clubs...they only want monetary donations, rather than interested people. Kids today don't get the vocational training in high school that was taught 50 years ago. Many clubs only want "experienced help" instead of providing a kid an opportunity to learn. I know at least two people that went to volunteer for one local steam preservation group only to become all but discouraged and sent away. Other groups are located so far away from where people are, that it comes back to kids not having access to cars to drive out to where the clubs are.
Bottom line - welcome potential members, don't scare them away. A lack of skill should be an opportunity, not a reason to "weed people out". Make sure you are accessible. Even if it means organizing carpools to bring members in. Money isn't everything. And make sure you let the new folks get to do the fun stuff to as the hook. Let them in the cab. Give them a ride. Let them play with trains. The more they get hooked on the fun stuff, the more they see the dirty stuff that needs to be fixed - and the more interest they have in doing it.
