Wanted to have some fun for Halloween! O Gauge is here to stay and so am I! Enjoy!
@ASPEST2017
11 ай бұрын
Your edit is getting very good
@katherinemorey6517
11 ай бұрын
I'm so glad you're here to stay.
@maxwellwalcher6420
11 ай бұрын
Would you do New York Central Steam Please.
@myrtistaylor5759
11 ай бұрын
I'm not sure about "dying" but the hobby seems to go in its cycles, it might seem like it's dying because it's an expensive obscure hobby. You need money and space for it and with the housing market in shambles nobody has space and having to make at least 20$ an hour to live while minimum wage hasn't really changed much from the 7.25 an hour it's been at, most people are surviving not so much living so vary few people are buying this stuff. Most stuff I have are from the 80s and 90s off ebay, newer stuff is far too expensive, everything in the new lionel catalogs are so expensive I don't even bother looking at them basically good for fire kindling. And I think most people who get into this hobby are in their late 20s or early 30s when their finally somewhat stable and have their lives together which isn't a whole lot millennials had it rough so the average dude would probably look at this and be deterred by the prices.
@GP30_Foamer
11 ай бұрын
I personally don’t think that the hobby is dying. I used to think it was dying because of the insane prices of trains these days, but the best way to combat this isn’t to shop online, but to go out to flea markets, shows, and model shops. Online sellers like to crank the price up as high as possible but flea markets, shows and stores tend to be a lot more reasonable. The best deals I’ve found were two $300 steam engines going for 60 bucks a piece.
@SmallSpoonBrigade
10 ай бұрын
O scale is in trouble because hardly anybody has space for it. The main reason it was ever a thing is that people had more space and the technology to make them smaller was less affordable. These days, there's a scale for basically any sized space.
@williamwestfall2874
10 ай бұрын
Thank you sir. Never thought of this.
@cpnscarlet
10 ай бұрын
And why did you find those steamers for such a low price? Because the hobby IS dying.
@skybot9998
10 ай бұрын
There must be a few guys going into the seniors homes and are unloading a pile of stuff and could use the money.
@Jags6868-fc4xt
9 ай бұрын
I don’t think it’s just the online stores. I used to buy a lot on eBay and had a very nice prr set up with about 5 trains running. I sold off a lot after moving and decided to put a gym where the even bigger set was gonna go. This was 6 years ago. I looked at what sets I used to have and the prices these idiots are trying to fetch is astronomical. I never would have bought them at the prices people are trying to get now and these sets I’ve been looking at aren’t selling on eBay at all. For instance I purchased the Bethlehem steel freight set new for about $220 bidding back in 2018 and there are multiple on eBay trying to fetch $500-$600. The set sold new for $399 when it came out. It’s just ridiculous across the board how the prices have gone up and I no longer have interest in another nice set up based off these prices. Yes, I could get older trains at swaps, shows, flea markets, but most of that stuff, I’m not interested in.
@KandRCustomModels
11 ай бұрын
They arnt dying just getting more expensive!
@WhiffTheRubbishEngine1869
11 ай бұрын
I will say, younger generations don’t seem to be as interested in model trains. Of course some will notice it more than others but you see way more older people than younger people. Of course the prices are definitely a problem. A child can’t afford as much as a steam engine. But, the fact that trains are getting less interesting (they’re still really interesting but not as much as companies unify the classes they use) is definitely staggering the amount of people to decide to pursue the hobby. I don’t know for other places though as I’m British but I’d assume it’s the same everywhere.
@coreymitchell3900
10 ай бұрын
It's to expensive I love trains and want a layout but when it comes to toy trains or a sports car I'd rather the car. Don't get me wrong I am building a small layout but the buildings are lego marvel because that's somehow cheaper
@williamwestfall2874
10 ай бұрын
I'm young and the prices scare me away. Just ridiculous for what you get. I could do HO for half and get double but I collect Department 56 pieces and the scale would be off with HO. So now I'm doing serious research to pick which one to do.
@rodneynantz3514
10 ай бұрын
You wonder why the old school locomotives get gone so fast because the new ones don’t last near as long and were cheaper
@autistic_playerhbz
10 ай бұрын
Expensive means less people buy this junk
@jblackacre2325
11 ай бұрын
I am 49 now and got into O Gauge 3 or 4 years ago after picking up a postwar Lionel 675 train set on Craigslist from the original owner for $60 and immediately went to work cleaning the old set up. She runs great and is by far my favorite. I don't spend a lot of money on my layout, but have built a great setup that I raise and lower from my ceiling in the garage using a winch. It's based on my hometown in Warren, Arkansas and I'm having a great time building structures with 3D printing. The hobby isn't dead for me and I've introduced it to the kids in my family, in the same way it was introduced to me. So, I'm hopeful that these old O Gauge sets will still be going long after I am done on the planet.
@woodstoney
9 ай бұрын
I had O-gauge in the mid 1950s as a child with nicely detailed steam engine and passenger cars all from Lionel! Years later I saw a friend's layout and he had a smaller train set that was even more detailed and unlike my set with 3 rails, his only had 2 rails. It looked so realistic as the engine pulled a string of freight cars along a mountainside. He told me that it was called HO. From then I was hooked! Sorry but those three rails had to go if I wanted to strive for realism. Mom later sold my O-gauge set when I went off to college. I lucked into a complete set of HO from a friend a few houses away who just got tired of them and wanted to try something else. He asked something crazy like $14 for his two HO steam engines and a small yard switcher, along with about a dozen cars, switches, and transformer! I found a second hand store in KY years ago that had a box under a table with 8 steam engines and tenders in it. The lady told me $2.00 a piece for them (engine + tender). I bought them all on the spot. Took them home and immediately began testing them. Took them apart and cleaned and lubed as needed and all but one ran perfectly! The last one had an issue that was finally made with my dremel tool and a steady hand. Eight engines and tenders for less than $20. Which was the cost of several lunches back then but so worth it!! I'm now in my early 70s and passed on my collection to my only son, who likewise enjoys them! Keep the hobby alive! The hobby isn't dying....things are getting more expensive. Your collection is amazing as is your enthusiasm and I wish you the best. To each their own. Happy New Year!!
@GothRailfan
11 ай бұрын
As long as trains are in this world, railway modeling will never die.
@Intrinsicat509
11 ай бұрын
I’m a dollhouse hobbyist and always lean toward smaller scales. I’m making my first O gauge of our new home build and I’m instantly addicted. I think in our minimalist leaning society this hobby seems perfectly slated for growth!
@Heroduothecomedian
11 ай бұрын
I don't think the hobby is fully dying yet, but it is getting to the point where unless you have someone already into the hobby or a good paying job your kinda out of luck. Model trains at one time use to be for all levels of train Fandom from beginner/budget up to serious/burn my wallet xD fans but now it seems like it's only for the higher up part of the fan base and it saddens me to see that those that where beginners or budget people like myself where you could get say an HO scale starter set for 50 bucks and just slowly grow your collection over time have been run out of the hobby as nothin is as cheap as it use to be and I regret getting rid of my collection when I was in high school in the early 2000s now 😢
@MarkWick
11 ай бұрын
Thanks for making this video. (I did watch all the way to the end.) Model railroading is changing, but not going away. My recent move provided me with a small but dedicated room in which to build a new layout. My new housemate recently admitted he had thought that old men playing with trains was silly. Now that he has seen me get some old American Flyers locomotive running again, complete with smoke and chuff-chuff, and seeing my cattle yard in action with cows walking around and moving into a stock car, he doesn't thing this is silly, and is becoming intrigued. The growth of my KZitem channel, also says to me that model trains still draw interest from those just discovering the hobby. Even where I live where the last, and only, rail line literally went away about 100 years ago, trains still have a magical draw.
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
I had to chuckle when you mentioned the way your housemate reacted to the trains at first. I think we all know someone who thought the same thing and then saw the layout come to life. You have a great Channel as well and I look forward to seeing what is next! Keep inspiring!
@henryszubielski8601
11 ай бұрын
Great video Chris! Thanks for posting it. I'll say that I agree with you on the points you noted.
@davidjenkins1484
11 ай бұрын
Lionel has expanded its brick and mortar into Nashville. So brick and mortar is not dead. Recently visited Charles Ro in Malden MA and their business is good. Shelves are stocked with everything. Glad to see you're back Chris. I was getting a little worried about you.
@sargentrowell81
11 ай бұрын
The demand for Conrail in model form may be a result of 2 Conrail Heritage units being unveiled and taking to their respective mainlines over the summer. CSX releasing theirs in July and Metro North releasing theirs in August so it would make some sense for modelers to want some representation of Conrail after those railroads have brought it back to the front of peoples mind. Well, also Norfolk Southern announcing their intentions to refurbish their heritage units may have played a much smaller part as well, as they were the first to do a Conrail heritage unit.
@wayneantoniazzi2706
11 ай бұрын
Also, Conrail's been gone as a corporate entity (CSAO aside) marginally longer than it was as a separate railroad. That's long enough for the nostagia factor to start kicking in.
@robsogaugetrains3581
11 ай бұрын
Nice job in summarizing the state of our hobby. I agree with your statement that we are in a transition, but the hobby is definitely not dying. With the recent Atlas/MTH collaboration agreement and Menards releasing their first set, the outlook is still positive, but different.
@WHJeffB
11 ай бұрын
At best the market is shrinking in this transition... Go to shows and look at the age of most of the people walking out with armloads of stuff. Not young people for sure. Go online to the various model train forums... Not a lot of younger guys on those either. Is the hobby dying for sure? I honestly don't know, but I've been in it for the better part of 35yrs and I don't see the majority of people at shows staying about the same age, all I see is older "baby boomers" with a lot of disposable income. Not a lot of younger people, other than the very young kids and their parents, who are not necessarily into the hobby, but just there for their kids.
@GlennFresch
11 ай бұрын
In an era when even the previously shunned MPC trains are actually becoming collectible it’s hard to say O gauge is dying. As a toy, trains will never be king again, but true model railroading and toy and model train collecting has always been a niche market and that’s not going away.
@DavidFortney-tx3gc
11 ай бұрын
Besides having trains as a kid I started vas a adult in 1970 and I have heard that O gauge is dying since 1970. The old guys said in 1970 that MPC would never last.Around 1986 or so when Richard bought Lionel that he was there to sell it off.when K-LINE and Weaver closed it was only another year or two that Lionel will close also. So you see Chris this is nothing new, the doom and gloom nay sayers are always there. Well 53 years later I am still playing with trains and I expect to for a long time with guys like you, JD, Chris and many others the hobby is the best and the trains get better every year. Thank you Chris
@gregoryhainsworth2663
11 ай бұрын
Speaking of closed,I miss Williams big time.
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
Always enjoy your perspective David! Missed you at York last week. Not sure if you were there. I was looking for ya.
@Mike62501
8 ай бұрын
74 now grew up on S gauge in 2015 bought up everything I had from my grandfather from 1955 when he pasted. Cost me $4,500 long story Wife passed I moved gave it all to my very good old friend since 1968. Yeah wish I didn’t and can’t replace because of family issues. Heck if you can let it lay in your house DO SO keep the Faith. Mike
@lescobrandon3047
9 ай бұрын
When I began in model railroading as a Long Island guy, we had three great model railroad stores. In NYC there were I believe six or seven such stores. I was a member of the Long Island O gage Society. Eventually we got dumped from our apartment house cellar. Today, one of the stores on Long Island exists today. There are no other MR places in NYC. It’s mostly dead in the northeast.
@magnificus8581
11 ай бұрын
My two best friends and I started building our first layout a couple years ago. Once a year we have an open house. We get more than 40 enthusiastic visitors and it is only 1/4 done. People love model trains
@dantiel4179
11 ай бұрын
I went from HO to O gauge and am loving it so much more animated Great analaogy of the hobby
@SmallSpoonBrigade
10 ай бұрын
Which is great if you've got the space. The unfortunate bit is that most people don't have the space these days.
@SH-th4wy
10 ай бұрын
I do not think this hobby is dying. I do think it is changing, for the reasons mentioned in this video and others as well. IMO, the biggest change is that the train community is getting more demanding. We know what we like and we can log onto any number of websites and see stellar examples of every facet of the hobby. It allows us to put such a fine focus on our interests that the brick & mortar shops need to choose between being huge enough to carry all the specialty pieces or being focused on a specific aspect. The privately owned stores face a very difficult challenge. Here's hoping they find a way. Because going into a shop where a friendly guy knows what he's talking about is always fun! And you learn more that way. Overall, I'd say this pastime will never go away just because so many of us are engineers. We love to build and solve problems. Thanks for the video!
@krtrains123
11 ай бұрын
For my observation, The biggest thing in recent years is the growth of O Gauge KZitem channels. You and your friends have become the new ambassadors for O Gauge railroading. I am sure the KZitem videos have encouraged more people to enter the hobby. And the KZitem videos have transformed into new faces at the shows. Thanks to you and your friends for all you have done.
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
Without inspiration from those who have been doing this before us, none of us would be doing this today. Thank you for all of your support of the channel and it was great seeing you last week at York!
@emrilbennett8704
10 ай бұрын
@@RBPTrainsawe…
@jamesfisk2758
11 ай бұрын
Chris, I am glad to hear that O gauge is doing fine. I recently had to make the switch to HO due to lack of space. I tried to make O gauge work but just just can't do it. I'll be selling my O gauge collection except for my fathers Lionel from late 40's / early 50's.
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
Enjoy the build of your H O railroad! H O is a great scale plus there is greater variety of models available. Thanks for watching!
@blackrocks8413
11 ай бұрын
At York a few days ago we heard more than one vendor comment this was the lowest turnout they had seen. My observation is that in the aisles there were people buying but I did not see many buying engines or higher end cars. On Fri we bought a set of six pass cars that were marked 500 for 200. To me that shows low demand, not high.
@wayneantoniazzi2706
11 ай бұрын
Other club members who are club veterans tell me hearing "York isn't what it used to be!" has been the cry of the chronic complainers for years. I don't know what the attendence was at this York show but at April's it was 9000. As one veteran told me "9,000 visitors may not be the 'Old York' but it's still pretty damn respectable! A lot of other train shows would love to have that number!" As far as pricing's concerned keep in mind that aside from the band new articles it's whatever the market will bear.
@Peter-xo6bn
6 ай бұрын
60 year model railroader here . From O27 to HO to N . Seen many changes and met many guys in the hobby. IMO this hobby is changing like many other hobbies. If You are starting out and purchase used items or even better buy someone out who is getting out of the hobby or even ebay has millions of items from A to Z. HOWEVER in general if You going brand new its no longer a cheap hobby , its expensive very expensive . Also sadly many of the seniors like Me or even older are passing away and so is the interested in the OLD early model trains. When DCC came out it was a entire new world . Bottom line its a great hobby however You have to be financially realistic about what You can comfortably afford.
@ColorMeMozart
11 ай бұрын
I feel with channels like these and other awesome model railroaders, it’s reaching new audiences that perhaps would never have thought to start a layout. Yes, it may never be what it was in the. 1950's, I feel it’s still has a healthy and growing enthusiast base. Just my two cents. 🚂
@AbelG8781
11 ай бұрын
Semi clickbait titles but overall I understand why one would make these type of videos.
@PajamaManFan
11 ай бұрын
HO/OO Scale and N Scale is here to stay! O Scale is here to stay! #KeepModelTrainsAlive
@Flymochairman1
11 ай бұрын
A recent Model Railway Exhibition was so over-subscribed that the venue organisers had to turn people away as the venue hit capacity on both week-end days it was running. Not good for the organisers but definitely an indicator that the hobby is on the up-take again, judging by the interest shown at all the shows this year so far. I'm talking from a UK view-point but it's growing in popularity world-wide, with all the new control systems and the scenic material opportunities opening into an industry of its own; we only have to mention 3D Printing with resin to know how far the hobby has come and the new area's of appeal that Trains and Railways has entered there alone, is indication enough of a thriving hobby that's hauled itself up by the bootstraps. I'm honoured to know a few figures in the Model Railway Production Scene and they have never been kept so busy. Certainly the pricing is a big control over the market, but it's also lead to new and ingenious systems brought into play. Here's to a bright future for O Gauge and Scale to absorb the new technologies out there today. The O Gauge and Scale models have space within the models to accommodate so much more now. It'll be grand to watch it expand into larger Scales and Gauges of model. A thought-provoking article, sir. Thank you. Keep safe. Cheers!
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
And a thought provoking comment @Flymochairman1! Thank you for watching and sharing!
@diecastcollector7982
11 ай бұрын
ive been in model trains since i was a little kid before becoming a nascar fan but i never realized it was becoming a dead thing sometimes thats just a opinion and its not actually dead i enjoy the O scale model trains than any other model train scale its just cool to see them running around all the time
@JamesWillmus
11 ай бұрын
The scale I really fear for is G scale (1:32-1:20.3). Home ownership is on the decline, as is the average lot size. That means fewer people have a stable place to live long term with a backyard to run trains outside. I doubt it will go extinct, but commercial support dropped off a lot after 2008 and never really came back.
@janemarkham4133
11 ай бұрын
BROTHERMAN, they ain't dying, we are!!!! Great video Chris, KEEP THEM COMMING BRO aaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!! COOL MAN COOL!!! O GAUGE WILL NEVER DYE!! 😜🤪😝😁😍😋😛❤🧡💛💜🖤🤟🤘👍👍👍👍
@muir8009
11 ай бұрын
Chris, I want to say something regarding US sellers. I have a small hoarding of prewar standard gauge. All fine and dandy, and when I first started I lived in New Zealand, now in Australia. Now, I have had to be utterly reliant on the sellers honesty, descriptiveness and their care and consideration. Theres unfortunately no returns. If I end up with a wrong piece or its broken, I have to live with it. Why? I bought a hellgate: $600 shipping alone with duty and import tax. If I have to return it that's another $300 shipping. It just doesn't work. Anyway, I have had only one instance where I was mailed a 392E frame instead of a 400E frame. The seller said they'd do a discount on the correct 400E frame. Yes, it would've been nice for them to say we'll take it back and pay for the shipping but that's not going to happen. The shipping costs more than the product value. So we live with these things as the price I live with because I like my standard gauge. But those the ship down this way, magic. They're all great, trainworld, trainz, private ebay guys etc. So basically a big shout out to the US sellers: they don't have to sell to the other side of the world, but they do. They describe things well, because they're hobbyists. Keep up the good work :)
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
Thank you for sharing @muir8009!
@dannagy546
11 ай бұрын
Judging by how many people of all ages at the Amherst Model Railway Show last January, id say this aint goin anywhere fast
@latiosss9751
9 ай бұрын
I have been working on getting my collection 11 years started when i was 9 or so. Got like 7 locomotives and got around 50 coal cars with a mix freight train.
@latiosss9751
9 ай бұрын
Modeling BNSF got almost all the colors that bnsf had for locomotives but need to start working on more cars.
@tobiassoffa9257
11 ай бұрын
Die Lage in Deutschland ist sehr interessant. Märklin dominiert immer noch den Markt also Spur H0. Als Nutzer von Spur N kann ich mich nicht beschweren. Ich finde immer etwas. Ein super Video Chris 🎉
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
Thank you @tobiassoffa9257!
@Roblue1091
11 ай бұрын
So I had started out with Lionel as a kid and I am now 32. The last new Lionel I bought was the Hogwarts Express at least 5 years ago. I have since moved on to 3 Rail HO German brand Märklin and there's no competition. Märklin is brilliant you get what you pay for and Beyond. Märklin saw there sales continue to grow during Covid and still see sales grow. Though I am in love work the Analog system the sound of the motor whereing away its just music. And the details for such old models just beautiful. And the community very welcoming and full of love i definitely recommend giving Märklin a shot. The only downside its not as popular in the USA but still very affordable I picked up a ton of track and a good amount of locos and rolling stock. They even make some American locos and cars. Lionel and MTH will never make European locos and cars and thats what I love. So Märklin has my heart and fortunately my wallet can take it lol
@davidmaust1415
11 ай бұрын
You should've been at the auction I went to in Fredneck, I think they had some of those large boxcars that went very cheep
@bubbapate5740
10 ай бұрын
I run G scale for 20 years now and still have no problems getting anything. I also have over 2,000 feet of steel rail in 20 foot lengths. Make my own ties. And moved twice. No back yard layout yet on this new house but the back yard is over an acre. Getting too old to do some things. After I have gone, the wife should make a lot of money sell rolling stock, engines and tons of other things I have.
@petere4540
Ай бұрын
I think a lot train dealers have mostly gone online. But there are many stores that still keep o gauge trains
@randallellison6421
11 ай бұрын
Model railroading isn't dying, far from it in fact! But, that being said, it is becoming increasingly more expensive, but that to is a side effect of things like added detail, sound, smoke, lighting features increasing by leaps and bounds! As a famous NASCAR crew chief turned commentator once said, "their are no free lunches!". I feel its time for model railroading to go back to basics and start manufacturing reliable, and more importantly, AFFORDABLE sets so that more people can get into and experience this great hobby! But I also feel there's another issue that could be hampering the growth of the hobby, and that is "rivet counters" who think that to be a true model railroader, you are "required" to build a giant layout and all your equipment must be 100% prototypical, and those who don't meet their insanely high standards get ridiculed and bullied by these people, and don't get me started on what these people think of "fantasy schemes"! To this, I say to anyone wanting to get into the hobby, build a layout that YOU are happy with, not what a bunch of rage fueled rivet counters tell you to build! I always tell people that there's really only 3 rules: (1) Its YOUR railroad, build it and operate it YOUR way! (2) make sure your trains and track are in good working condition to avoid mishaps and derailments. (3) Revert back to rules 1 and 2!
@Coreyt1976
11 ай бұрын
Great video. I’ve only been in the hobby 3 years but I don’t think it’s dying.
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
Agree! Great seeing you last week Corey
@carlmiles8655
11 ай бұрын
HELLO CHRIS THE RBP GUY NO THE HOBBY IS NOT DYING NO NO NO HAPPY HOLLOWEEN TRAIN GUY GOD BLESS ;-)
@Bens_Trains_
11 ай бұрын
The Berwick high cube is my jam!!! 🫡
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
Haha, I see you Ben! Maybe one day I will find some of those!
@kurtborkman9472
11 ай бұрын
I don't have a house yet, but when I do there's going to be a train set.
@trainsNwrestlin
11 ай бұрын
Is that outfit in the thumbnail going to be your Halloween costume? Hahaha Btw I agree 110% the hobby isn't going anywhere. I think it's thriving!
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
I am keeping the cloak close for safe keeping, haha!
@SuperLenny555
5 ай бұрын
over 1600 hundred people at my last train show in NY on 4/15 / 24
@badkittynomilktonight3334
11 ай бұрын
You guys in O HO and N are living in the greatest age of model railroading ever, even the On30 guys are still deep in clover compared to us G folks. Look at G aka large scale, it's literally dying on the vine, it was the fastest growing segment before the recession, but afterwards manufacturer after manufacturer shut down, we never had a lot of selection before '08, today its only Bachmann, Piko, LGB, USA and the prime costs brands Accucraft and Roundhouse. We have lost Aristocraft, HLW, MDC, and a slew of small manufacturers. You might say that's still a lot of brands, not really. What they still make is 90% the same old stuff they have been making for years just repainted, and they've discontinued many many offerings. What is offered extremely limited production numbers and its now extremely expensive. As for me? I collected enough used stuff post recession to use until I'm pushing daisies. Rant over.
@bodenjohnson2961
6 ай бұрын
In my opinion Model Railroading is not dying. I own a model train shop and I have a surprising amount of younger customers which is great for the hobby.
@kerorogunso961
10 ай бұрын
I model in N scale, and to your point about conrail popularity going up it is the same on this side of the fence as well. For some reason conrail has boomed in popularity, and I have even jumped on board myself a bit to be honest, got two conrail diesel locos earlier this year. I think a big reason for this uptick however is the age group. A lot of the people I see getting into conrail models are people who remember growing up around conrail in the 80s and 90s. Now I myself am only 21 and have always lived in the west so I am the last person to fit into this demographic, but me aside this is what I have noticed.
@BritishRail60062
11 ай бұрын
It will never faze out. Where there is a void, another company will fill it offering cheaper model trains is what I believe.
@kathylackamp7421
3 ай бұрын
Need to start getting more animated, train cars, and buildings, etc. The little things that make you say wow how did they do that.! Making transformers that are more efficient and big enough to expand. That way you don’t have to buy another transformer. They need to realize if they already have a big enough transformer chances are they’re going to buy more items.
@LawsonRailway
11 ай бұрын
Im thinking that its a rumor when people says its dying because chris here still makes videos for us to see and im still buying trains,cars,tracks and accessories and lionel still in business as others are i highly doubt its dying
@Dakman
11 ай бұрын
Maybe the Conrail craze comes from Conahey Rail on Dakman Productions lol.
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
You are Mr Conrail after all! :)
@nonamedmisfit9592
10 ай бұрын
See, I'd be all about O Gauge because the quality of these locos are just breath taking. But the tri rails just kill it for me (I know booooo) but I like everything looking realistic as possible but no hate or disrespect. A beautiful display you have and loved the video!
@trainfan4014
11 ай бұрын
Amazing video rbp
@OragamiTobichi-bi6lh
11 ай бұрын
I love ur trains my friend. The hobbie wiil never die. O gauge is the best but expensive. But u my friend are the best. My next train is the blue goose and the yellow and silver Chesapeake and ohio . But i still more track for my o scale layout. And i might get the Hiawatha. Keep being awesome my friend. Hope to see more train videos. Any recommendations for trains
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
You have some nice trains in the queue! I am not very good at recommendations because everyone likes different types of models. But if you are asking, I always suggest a Hudson, lol
@NatersTrains
11 ай бұрын
If the model train hobby overall was truly dying, why are the manufacturers making new stuff every year. Why are there even new manufacturers. I've also noticed that there is an increase in younger modelers on KZitem and social media. (I myself am in the 30s age range) I think that's it's not dying. It's just changing, and the older train guys that say its dying, cannot stand the changes from what they knew
@XYZ_is_taken
11 ай бұрын
People can say the hobby is dying, & i do agree to some degree, however I am evidence towards the fact that not all hope is lost just yet, as the hobby can still attract younger people like myself. However Realistically there is not enough younger people getting involved to bring it back, the hobby is on its way out, but it isn’t at the door yet.
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
One thing I have experienced in the few years I have been on KZitem is that there are far more folks out there in the Hobby than we realize. I get emails all the time from people who are getting started or from parents who just got sets for their kids. Hopefully we can keep this momentum. Thanks for watching!
@skeleton_craftGaming
11 ай бұрын
That and o gauge is kind of like the perfect size for collecting and displaying, rather than running. I don't think it's as much about the hobby itself. Is dying more than the people who can afford both the space and the trains for o gauge are.... You see things like 00 and smaller gauges being really popular... Maybe that's just me though, as someone who would totally have a permanent O gauge setup if I had this space.
@mikegrant8031
6 ай бұрын
You can tell the hobby is growing by all the thriving train stores.........
@derkaiser50
11 ай бұрын
I mean I can understand not wanting to sell my soul to buy an O scale locomotive, Is why i do HO and am heavily into kitbashing and scratchbuilding
@TobyPasman
11 ай бұрын
What are your thoughts on Lionel’s announcement of the Vision Line Triplex?
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
It is definitely an engine that Lionel has been missing so glad to see it in Vision Line. Certainly stirred up lots of conversation!
@mr.boomer8794
11 ай бұрын
Train shows have lost their luster as a whole. The couple big local ones I've regularly gone to have become either people trying to get top dollar for something you can order online for the same price, or people just trying to make a buck by getting rid of crap; that itself is NOT doing any favors to the mission of bringing new people into the hobby. Yeah sure, a $20 train set sounds like a great deal for a kid or adult that wants to get started, but in reality they just bought a piece of crap that's going to be WAY more frustration than fun and wind up driving them away. Between that and the drop in number of layouts that people and clubs bring, there's no point in bringing kids. They're not going to enjoy it as much as they could. As far as independent brick and morter hobby stores go, I think it's more the owners being of or past retirement age and closing up to retire (forget the hobby for a minute: being able to retire at a decent age and enjoy life is a blessing these days) is more of a culprit of stores closing than online competition. So as a whole, I'd say hobby is healthy. Hobby stores will dwindle but hang on. Train shows.... eh. My aforementioned point of lack of layouts has inspired me to build a small portable layout to display at local shows, so maybe there's hope.
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
I agree that there is hope :)
@RodgerParker-i5k
5 ай бұрын
It's sticking around. There are trains to fit everyone's budget.
@scottudave4499
11 ай бұрын
I worked at a model RR shop 2000/2001, and they said the hobby was dead back then. Hobbyist are going to hobby.
@doctordeath.5716
11 ай бұрын
I am working on 4 different scales of trains, 2 of the scales are for my friends and the other two scales are 0 scale and 0 27 scale i run.
@atarihotel
11 ай бұрын
interesting video. I trying to get back to m trains (N scale) after letting it collect dust for what too. I month ago I was planning on my a hour drive to the 1st train show I've had the chance to get to in 20 years, and 3 day before that I had a mini-stroke. (i'm improving slowly) but haven't touched the lay since. I current wait on a used Lenz set90 in the mail to replace the one i had to sell a decade ago. not sure how well this attempt will be considering my health. I have no connect to and club or other mrr people. and the hobby store is over priced joke. but i have no plan on doing train vids, nobody want to hear my slurring though a video.. but i will just play with my train again as best i can
@1701_FyldeFlyer
11 ай бұрын
As a UK OO scale modeller, can someone explain why US O scale uses old style 3 rail track? It makes the trains look toy like imho, similar to our old Hornby Dublo OO scale track back in the 1950s &60s.
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
This is a great question. O Gauge trains have always leveraged the 3-rail track that started near the turn of the century. While not prototypical by any means, it adds an element of nostalgia to this scale that appeals to some hobbyists. There are 2-rail O Scale options that are more prototypical looking but there are not as many models available in 2-rail O Scale.
@awname8771
11 ай бұрын
I’m new to it!!
@LDRtrains
11 ай бұрын
Hey Chris, will you be at the Allentown show ?
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
Unfortunately I will not. I hear it is a great show though!
@LDRtrains
11 ай бұрын
@@RBPTrains ok, Thanks for the reply !
@jesikebiking
10 ай бұрын
The only thing I do not like about O gauge is the track .Back in the 50's (I was 5 ) I used to play with my dad's trains=and in the 60's it was HO =now I'm 74 and it is now N scale because my small home I still have my HO
@dixienormous2704
10 ай бұрын
I feel it's slowing down because in order to have enough space for a large o-gauge layout you need to devote an entire room or more to it, and in order to have that much disposable space you have to make a considerable income thanks to our political decisions over the last few decades.
@BreakPointGamer-BPG
8 ай бұрын
hey RBP i need some suggestions on o gauge trains cause im trying to get into the hobby but i dont know where to buy the trains
@RBPTrains
8 ай бұрын
I buy most of my trains from Trainworld and Trainz .com. Both great stores depending on what you are looking for. Thanks for watching!
@BreakPointGamer-BPG
7 ай бұрын
@@RBPTrains thanks i'm happy for the help you keep up the videos!
@steveashcraft718
11 ай бұрын
I've left O gauge because of Lionel's obsoleting TMCC and early Legacy electronics. Plus the control system mess. I won't run trains with a phone. The hobby dying? Absolutely not!
@treintrein89
11 ай бұрын
I wouldn't mind taking your trains
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
Haha! Which one is your favorite?
@treintrein89
11 ай бұрын
@@RBPTrainsprobably the big boy or the acela express
@snicklfritzSCPSL2.0
11 ай бұрын
I have heard someone say the hobby is dying but it isn't the kids are the future for trains because of Thomas
@PWaco-yq7wr
11 ай бұрын
Thire is a lot of Locomotive have not been made in O scale or N scale only in HO BRASS I have A-B-A Set of ALCO C855 ABA I have a lot of videos on them, Some company that make I see my videos told they have talk about them, MODEL RAILROAD is not dying to much of same locomotives. SCALE TRAINS MADE GP30's A and B that went crazy and sold, that what people want. It's the clubs are dying from high rent we pay rent,, 1,200'oo month people die or move away, or it could be the people in club also,
@zazaranger5
11 ай бұрын
Hey Chris, have you ever seen SMT mainline's channel
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
You bet! Great stuff
@trivialinsignific
11 ай бұрын
more model trains for you -
@sjwilson1079
6 ай бұрын
My son is 9 and asked for a lion chief super chief set for his tenth. Dying?? Not even close. I just bought a 1988 reproduction Hiawatha set for 310 dollars shipped. Also there are always old school starter sets cheap.
@markhellman-pn3hn
11 ай бұрын
my power unit is controlled by a "cell - phone - app" .... a new chip is 50% of the ENTIRE unit !! ... does THAT answer any questions ??
@wayneantoniazzi2706
11 ай бұрын
I've been saying that for a while now. Having worked with electronics for thirty years I can tell everyone those chips and boards cost a HELL of a lot more than people think they do! They're the major driving force in how much the new locomotives cost. If you want that sophistication you've gotta pay for it. On the Classic Toy Trains magazine Forum people have moaned about the cost of new engines and I can empathise but I always ask the question "WHAT features are you willing to give up to make the prices come down?"
@TheMrKite
11 ай бұрын
I'd like to join the hobby, I just don't have the money or space. (Though I confess a lot of my spending money goes towards Legos 👀)
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
Lego and Trains go hand in hand, lol :)
@TheMrKite
11 ай бұрын
@@RBPTrains I've been slowly getting the pieces to build a Lego GS-4 Daylight I found instructions for online
@brocki95xxx
11 ай бұрын
Model railroading is like stamp collecting it will always exist. There is so much history that people want to hold on to so it isn’t dying really.
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
The History really is fascinating. I enjoy reading about the eras of Lionel and collecting the vintage trains from those eras. Like traveling through time every time I run them!
@TwoRailfans
11 ай бұрын
The hobby is definitely not dying, but there are some divides in the hobby for sure. We did a video on this a while back as well with a few points not addressed in your video, namely the divide between those who prefer the older control systems vs DCC and wifi and also how the "gatekeepers" in the hobby relate to the average person. God forbid you run whatever you want on your layout, there WILL be negative comments about "prototype" and being "prototypical." There are too many gatekeepers in the hobby, and not enough of a welcoming attitude, especially towards young people. My 10 year old son has experienced this repeatedly at train shows.
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
Sorry to hear that this has happened to your son! I was at a train show last week and there were so many great people there. It was truly encouraging. :)
@phidias523
11 ай бұрын
With guys like you at the helm, the hobby will never die.
@williamkolina3988
11 ай бұрын
And these people are even nicer in person than in there videos
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
I am just one of many Hobbyists out there who share a layout publicly but there are so many more model railroaders out there. Thank you for watching @anthonyvaldez9773!
@OddHunter5504
11 ай бұрын
The Hobby isnt dying, its just a lot less popular than it once was and the prices really put it off for some people, if anything id see people buying them for display rather than running
@williammacdonald3173
11 ай бұрын
I think ho and n have gained popularity
@VestedUTuber
11 ай бұрын
@@williammacdonald3173 You say that like HO wasn't already the most popular scale in the hobby in both the US and mainland Europe. But yeah, N scale is definitely on the rise.
@SmallSpoonBrigade
10 ай бұрын
@@VestedUTuber That sounds about right. My Dad's set was O because he had the space for it when he was a kid and there were fewer options then. I started out on HO back in the '90s, but these days my interest is in N, just because I can have the space for a relatively interesting layout with plenty of stuff to do other than just model it once and run the train around a simple loop. O is likely not ever going to be as popular as it was, at least not until housing prices drop a lot. It's expensive needing all that extra space to house a train layout. Especially when HO, N and ohter smaller options exist.
@scottcannell5584
10 ай бұрын
@@VestedUTuberit's it's also popular here in Australia too. I have been in the hobby for about 3 yrs now. At my local train club there are quite a few younger kids getting involved in the hobby. So don't think that the hobby is dying. As for price of ho and n scale trains I tend to agree they're both pretty popular and they're definitely have gotten expensive in last 2 year's. I how ever don't agree with the opinion that online seller's inflat the price. Of some model trains. There are lots of reasons why some model trains are more expensive than other's online depends on the maker functions weather it's DCC sound or just DC that could also depends on why the prices you may see online is expensive . Here in Australia we don't have The luxury of having a local model train store. Just in The neighbourhood. We have to to The bigger cities. Then again they are very few and far between. That is why alot of modellers use the online.
@sussudioharvey9458
11 ай бұрын
I was involved decades ago and gave up my trains ( I wish I still had my tinplate now) because I moved into a small trailer. But I’m now 66 ( woman)and started a tiny layout because my father, uncles, grandparent all worked on a Shortline in their small mountain town. And I decided to try to collect the type of engines they worked with. My sister got involved and we scoured the Internet for old photos. Meanwhile a 75 yr old friend of mine found out and wanted to add a train set to her Humongous Village set. So she had me take her to a local train show to get her started with a simple HO setup. That was a year ago. While there we found an O gauge mining set. She owns a non working mining claim next to her home. So she had to have that set. Now She willingly drags me to shows. And got her grandnephews and nieces into her new obsession. I think the issue now is that the New sets are geared towards collectors with such high prices. Bring back the starter sets that are not in the several hundreds of dollars and we would probably have a lot more people interested in this hobby. Not all of us need all the fancy bells and whistles. They are fun but I still prefer my old locomotives.
@wayneantoniazzi2706
11 ай бұрын
Hey, if you're hitting train shows with your friend you're going to do OK. Shows have a lot to offer and a lot to choose from so the hobby doesn't have to cost a fortune.
@VestedUTuber
11 ай бұрын
Part of the issue is also perceived value. You _can_ sell a starter set for hundreds of dollars but it needs to actually feel worth that money. KATO's full-consist starter sets are a good example if you don't mind them being N scale since you basically get an entire consist in the box with a significant amount of track (plus KATO's legendary reliability).
@swdw973
11 ай бұрын
"I think the issue now is that the New sets are geared towards collectors with such high prices. "Yes, and at train shows I've seen the Lionel reps ignore parents and kids wanting a starter set because they only want to talk to people willing to spend $700+ for just a locomotive. MTH reps were great with kids, but now that that brand is on the decline . . . .
@VestedUTuber
11 ай бұрын
@@swdw973 The situation with MTH is more complex than just a decline. What happened is that the owner and founder passed, the company made a statement about closing their doors and sold all their modern diesel HO tooling to Scaletrains and most of everything else to Lionel, then decided to just downsize operations and start over instead, but because of that statement everyone still thinks they're gone. Actually kinda parallels the situation with HPI over on the RC scene when you think about it. They're still around but few people seem to actually know that, and it seems like the people that do want things to stay that way.
@swdw973
11 ай бұрын
@@VestedUTuber I know all about what's happened. But the parts website that was supposed to be fully operational as a stand alone business by now isn't. The updated control systems that were supposed to be out by the split off DCS group has only released the combined WiFi DCS. Nothing else has been talked about. The production is only special runs, usually high end stuff. And that is limited to only the models they were unable to sell to other manufacturers. To me, add it all up and you have a decline as none of the offshoots are doing very well.
@evil_me
11 ай бұрын
I don't think the mid to high level of the hobby is going anywhere, but I do think that the entry level stuff is getting either crazy expensive or crap quality. O gauge needs a good quality cheaper entry level set to get more kids into the hobby. Another aspect is 3D printing and how it has really grow into model railroading.
@katherinemorey6517
11 ай бұрын
I TOTALLY agree! Cory Mears
@sircharles461
11 ай бұрын
Menards is putting out some great entry level trains
@craigtaoka626
11 ай бұрын
RMT (Ready Made Trains) and secondary K-Line are also good options.
@vicdoesgaming7570
10 ай бұрын
@@sircharles461 Knock the set down to 100-150$ and remove the soundset and we've got a proper entry level set...as is 220-250 is too much for entry lvl For example when I was a kid my mom wouldn't spend over 100 on a trainset I barely got the lionel one I grew up with 220? Would be completely out of the question in the realms of NO But the rest of menards lineup looks fine for entry lvl trains, cheap cars that have been getting better and remain at 20 a car
@SmallSpoonBrigade
10 ай бұрын
That doesn't solve the larger problem that is space. You need quite a lot of space for something as large as O. Or, you're stuck settling for a simple oval with a couple switch yards. My N layout is pretty tiny and I can do a lot with it in the space I've got available. It's still quite expensive, but at least I'm not stuck paying a lot of money for rent on the extra square footage to hold the thing.
@maxpaul11
11 ай бұрын
I don't think it's dying. Just really expensive for what ypu get! I mean 500.00 for toy trains that looks and sound great. But seriously over priced!! just my opinion though. I would rather spend my money somewhere else.
@Trains-With-Shane
11 ай бұрын
OK so I was going to post this on my own channel but here are my thoughts. This is a direct flood or my own throughts that I typed out and was going to use as a script so it's a little long-winded. you've been warned Hey guys, Shane here. I wanted to touch on a subject that has been covered lightly in some of my other videos but never been the focus. And that is the question I see all the time. "Is the model railroad hobby dying?" And my answer to this is.. possibly, but not entirely. It's a little more complicated than a "yes" or "no" answer. It's a bit like Schroedinger's cat. Is it dead, or is it alive? Nobody can be sure until we open the box. So let's dive into pandora's box and hope we don't unlock the lament configuration. Model railroads can be traced all the way back to the 1830's as miniatures of trains made by German artisans out of molded brass and famously in the mid 1850's one was had by the young sun of French Emperor Napoleon the 3rd. It was definitely reserved for the super wealthy as things were hand crafted by skilled craftsman and each one was a one-off work of art. The model railroading hobby as we know it really came about in the late 1800's thanks to efforts of Marklin Model Railways. Whom was able to manufacture an electric powered set that met the detail and reliability standard of the American market as prior European models had been deemed too fragile or poorly detailed. As we move into the 20th century we see a very prominent name show up. a young inventer named Joshua Lionel Cowen founds Lionel Manufacturing and by 1906 has brought the first O scale 3-rail electric model train set to market. This was the gold standard for model railroading but they weren't alone. The Marx company started production in the mid 1930's and brought competetion to Lionel in their own scale offering models which were, at the time, more affordable although lacking in some of the reginements of Lionel. Lionel and Marx filled homes with many wonderful O-scale offerings up through the 70's at which time Lionel stood at the top of the hill of O-scale as Marx, as a company, ceased operations in 1980. Many sight a paradigm shift in the 1950's as a downturn in model railroading in favor of electric slot car sets and the like . I attribute a more broad phenomonon. Not long after WW2 the united states experienced a massive economic boon. Automobile ownership came to the common working man, rail travel had declined heavily in favor of affordable air travel and the launch of the jet age in the mid 50's with the introduction of the legendary Boeing 707 (honorable mention to the British Dehaviland comet as being the actual first jet liner to see revenue service) And also the space race against the soviet union spuring imaginations of children the world over into high tech toys and gadgets. In this, model railroads seem to be a thing of the past. Yet they soldiered on. With the introduction of several manufactureres of HO scale making model railroads smaller and more easily set up in confined areas the model railroad seemed to experience a small surge in popularity again in the 60's all the way through the 80's. I see a few factors in this. One being the birth of Amtrak which breathed new life into passenger rail service not only in the commuter but travel industries, and possibly part to do with a certain creepy, cooky, mysterious and spooky individual and his legendary antics with his O-scale set. Ok so that gets us into the 80's when I was born. So now I can offer first person experiences. When I was a kid growing up in a working class household I used to drive around with my dad everywhere when he had to run errands, usually on the weekends, and we'd see trains all the time as a result. Hauling freight mostly in my area. And I loved seeing them. And when I was a kid I remember my first set being a simple Lionel steamer with an oval of track. And I would play with that often on my bedroom floor. But my real love for model railroading began in the late 80's / early 90's when dad bought me my first HO scale set and set up a 4x8 sheet of plywood in the garage. This set was a Life-Like Rail Blaster kit. Not fancy even by the standards of the times but rather than a steam locomotive which i'd only seen on TV it brought diesels that I had actially seen my whole life (although Chessie didn't run in my area). And I was hooked. As I imagine many kids were in the 80's as well. Unfortunate for the model railroad industry there was a digital phenomonon taking the world by storm. The home video console revolution was upon us. And myself, as well as my younger brothers, friends, etc. were all-in by the early 90's with Nintendo, Sega, etc. It is this, i feel, that really set the stage for where we are at now which is an ever-increasing reliance on digital goods not only for our day-to-day with emails, social media, etc. but our hobbies as well in the form of console and computer games. Personally I didn't even mess with a model railroad set again till I was in my mid 30's. And it's that gap that I believe most of the industry was lost in. Which is why you see very large devide in age in model railroads, Most of my viewers are 65 years or older. Only 3% are my age (30's and 40's) and less than a single percent any younger. There are those out there, Grandparents, older fathers, uncles, older brothers, etc. still in the hobby trying to pass it on to younger generations but as I have seen myself most just don't seem interested in anything other than their electronic devices. There is movement on the front of electronic devices as it pertains to trains, however, both in digital offerings for the physical model railroad in DCC, computer control, etc. and in actual computer and console games such as Trainz, Train Sim World, and Derail Valley to name a few. However these are still mostly the domain of us Gen Z and older folk. So is the hobby dying? Maybe. But not because of the obvious reasons. Even as somebody whom is relatively mature, intelligent, and fairly handy when it comes to doing my own research I ask questions from time to time. And usually these questions are asked in forums like facebook groups, comments on other youtube videos, etc. And what I have seen, in reply to not only myself but MANY others, is a rather dismissive, rude, and otherwise grouchy community. People seem to think that anybody that has less experience or knowledge at somebody than they do is an idiot and should have known the answer to their "stupid" question since it's been asked "a million times". And you know what? That's not helping anybody and yet I see it in virtually every online community i'm a member of. This is not how you share a hobby or get others involved. You exchange ideas, you answer the questions, you show how, you show pictures, videos, etc. of you enjoying the hobby. We are fortunate to have some very good KZitemrs out there such as Jimmy with DIY and Digital, Tom Kovichak with Tom's Trains and Things, Chris with RBP Trains, Steve with Steve's Trains, Dan Cortopassi's channel, and the list goes on. These gentlemen are sharing the how to's, the answers, and their love of the hobby. We just need to get more young people out there to watch. We need to get trains in our schools, maybe get involved with your local club to have a show and tell at a school or an open house at a local layout. Get the kids in there, let them play, answer their questions, get them interested. Otherwise this fantastic hobby will certainly die, Not overnight, but slowly, Only time will tell. It's really up to us, the current generations of model railroaders, to try to keep it alive. to get the kids involved. Gift a starter set, let the nieces and nephews run your trains, take them to ride a train, take them to a museum. Get them involved. But more than anything, BE NICE. Otherwise it's all going to fade away. And we can't call ourselves true enthusiasts if we allow that to heppen.
@BMMEC2009
11 ай бұрын
I've been enjoying model railroads as a hobby for 20 years. The new prices have pushed me out of the buying. Lionel has been awful as as far as getting the missing parts for the TWO legacy gp's I purchased a couple years back. Mth? Who knows with them. I spent $450 on an engine that fried within a month. I make decent $$$ but I'm not willing to spend anymore. They send items for KZitem channels to show. Then they don't service them when they arrive with missing parts.
@Blur4strike
11 ай бұрын
I've been in the model railroading hobby for 20+ years (born in the '90's), it's getting more difficult to get into the hobby for a number of reasons (hard to reach dedicated model railroad shops, same shops closing for good, costs rising, lacking in starter set variety). The biggest thing you touched on is the members of the community being hostile to beginners and their questions. It doesn't cost any coin to be nice and help those beginners, without newcomers to the hobby it will fade into obscurity.
@Trains-With-Shane
11 ай бұрын
@@Blur4strike The Facebook groups are heavy with hostility.
@Blur4strike
11 ай бұрын
@@Trains-With-Shane That amount of hostility from Facebook groups in the hobby really doesn't help. It doesn't cost them any coin to be nice and help beginners, yet they're unwilling to do that.
@Trains-With-Shane
11 ай бұрын
@@muir8009That was the best I could come up with via Google 🙃
@TheTrainboard
11 ай бұрын
Great video Chris, very well put together. As long as there are people who enjoy trains, model railroading will never die! 💖
@swdw973
11 ай бұрын
For O Gauge / Scale specifically. Collector and prototypical demand may be up. But unless there is a big increase in beginner and intermediate sets, the hobby will run into a demographic decline that will make it a much smaller hobby. Lionel doesn't seem to be interested in this topic. I'm one of those people that has to go out on the secondary market, as new prices are too high. What most people don't consider, is the increase in interest in the secondary market is mostly due to cost. And in that market, most of the sales are transferring trains from one user that is getting out of the hobby to one that is interested, so your net gain in hobbyists is barely somewhere around zero. The newer users are more apt to make videos, but that doesn't mean you have a huge upswing in users. Why do I think Lionel doesn't care about new users? At train shows, I've seen the Lionel reps ignore parents w/ kids and adults interested in starting who want a starter set, because they only want to talk to people willing to spend $700+ for just a locomotive. MTH reps were great with kids, but now that that brand is on the decline . . . .
@RBPTrains
11 ай бұрын
Great points and thank you for sharing. I thought it was neat that Lionel attended Comic-Con in New York last week. They reached a massive new audience as those shows tend to draw very large crowds. Definitely not a situation where they were looking for train enthusiasts, but rather, were looking for families. If Lionel keeps this focus on reaching out to new people, it may turn the tide on the perception that they only cater to the enthusiast-level collector. Thanks for watching!
@mikegrant8031
6 ай бұрын
Spot on, there are few new entrants into the hobby
@CatonsvilleCentralRwy
11 ай бұрын
People are always lamenting how this is a post-retirement age hobby and when the elderly pass on there won’t be anything left, while missing the fact that more people are reaching retirement age every day…
@RailRide
11 ай бұрын
Not to mention those who had trains in their youth, drifted away while approaching adulthood, then rediscovering the hobby once they've gained some stability in their lives.
@araynortassadore3056
11 ай бұрын
@RailRide yup that's me...spent a ridiculous amount on DCC diesel Loco's and started building a intermodal layout
@RaidenHuttbroker
10 ай бұрын
@@RailRidethis is me, I’m around my mid 20s and I have rebuilt my layout that my dad built me as a kid. Just bought two engines and some rolling stock a few weeks ago. Been making the mountain and tunnels over the summer, now I need to do some wiring
@richardclayton7170
11 ай бұрын
I sure do miss the local train stores. I remember at one point in time we had seven or eight shops just in central Indiana. Now we’re down to one.
@gabrielquinones3343
8 ай бұрын
They are being removed and replaced by online
@gabrielquinones3343
8 ай бұрын
It’s easier to scam people online cause you can’t run it online and if it dosent work the customer can’t get back to the shop owner and then they lost their koney
@Eisenbahn313
11 ай бұрын
Hello! Yes, the model railroaders are dying out...the locomotives are becoming more and more expensive , are often only to be used as showcase models and are often more unreliable in their functions than old models.
@edwardyeager2099
11 ай бұрын
I have been in model trains since about 1975 in HO and now in HO and O scale. What was once a Christmas hobby has evolved into a year-round hobby now. The hobby was once a local train shop, Model Railroader, Railroad Model Craftsmen, and maybe a local train show. Now it has exploded with new technology, You Tube sites, Facebook groups, online chat groups, online ordering, and Bluetooth to just name a few. The hobby is not dying, it is changing and evolving, and I am glad that I am able to see it and enjoy all the people that share their model trains on the different platforms because I always see something and wow, why didn't I think of that, I might need to try that idea.
@SmallSpoonBrigade
10 ай бұрын
I agree, O and some of the larger options may die out, but with the number of scales and gauges to choose from, there's a decent option for anybody with the money to get set up. And, once you've got a basic loop, train and controls, most of the rest can be done incrementally as you have cash and time.
@jacksonthomas1851
11 ай бұрын
One thing I would add to this as someone who left O gauge and now does HO and N. Is the availability and level of detail in smaller scale trains. It’s now comparable to O and when I go to shows I see more and more people buying smaller scale stuff compared to O.
@kidamere2408
11 ай бұрын
eh the details are ok , Its the prices of the smaller scale thats more attractive espically in the current economy.
@jacksonthomas1851
11 ай бұрын
@@kidamere2408 if you look at the top end stuff in HO and N it is currently comparable to Legacy or premier line stuff. That’s from what I’ve seen at least.
@kidamere2408
11 ай бұрын
they seem ok better then have been @@jacksonthomas1851
@AbelG8781
11 ай бұрын
O gauge is the epitome of undetailed toyish trains, O scale 2R is tolerable but N is where its at.
@kidamere2408
11 ай бұрын
lol@@AbelG8781
@VestedUTuber
11 ай бұрын
The one thing I'd say about it is that while the hobby definitely isn't _dying,_ it's definitely in a non-fatal decline. But it's for various issues beyond just "lack of interest". Cost of entry, continued costs and expenses, availability of locomotives and rolling stock, etc.
@SmallSpoonBrigade
10 ай бұрын
Yes, also keep in mind that there's more tech toys available now for them to compete with during their peak and people in general have less space, less money and work more than they did back then.
@SignalLightProductions
11 ай бұрын
Great video as always Chris! One of the things that's most encouraging to me is the change in style of KZitem videos in recent years. A few years ago, most model train videos were just formal product reviews and layout updates. Now channels like yours, Adaumus, and others are having fun making them, including goofy humor, etc. I think that's really encouraging for the hobby as a whole and I agree it is on the rise.
@99thObsidian
11 ай бұрын
Chris, this was probably one of the best analysis of the current state of our hobby. My standout measure that the hobby is growing and not dying is social media. Their is a common factor in your channel and the others you mentioned. You guys are YOUNGER than the typical collectors we see at York. My highest percentage viewer age group is 25-34 (beating 65+ by a point). As an IT data analyst and geographer all of the indicators show growth not decline. Only thing we know for sure is that eventually older hobbyist will die but their collections will live on with younger hobbyist. Thus is the oval track of life....
@emrilbennett8704
10 ай бұрын
Awe…
@remie4494
11 ай бұрын
Don't think the hobby is dying at all.. As for Lionel they've stepped up their trains making them more realistic and prototypical in size. But with the growth of both N Scale and HO, it's better now, then before.
@VestedUTuber
11 ай бұрын
"As for Lionel they've stepped up their trains making them more realistic and prototypical in size." And bumping up their prices in the process.
@Oskarsgaminglife
11 ай бұрын
At least not everyone is getting out of the hobby I’m building my layout right now and I’m not even 15 so this layout will last for a while👍🏻
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