DON'T KNOW HOW MANY SAW THIS????

[Russell]

Great points from everyone so far.

The comment from Bernard about the "international-ness" of this forum is very relevant.
Perhaps I could add something from a New Zealand point of view having recently resigned as President of the New Zealand Association of Model Railway Clubs (our national body) after a 12 year tenure.
The local hobby shop as known in the US and possibly Britain is nonexistant here. The term "model" shop is more apt with most trying to please everyone with run of the mill over priced everyday items, although I was surprised yesterday to see that the local model shop, usually very conservative now has a small selection of Vallejo paints and washes and powders from the Mig range in stock.
As has been alluded to by others  the standard railway modellers here are generally fixated by "Model Railway items and practices" - railway being the definitave term, the unwillingness to look at what aero, military and other non railway modellers are doing is so dyed in the wool that the hobby is basically treading water.
CAD developments in etched brass kits is slowly making an appearance but the LCD (lowest common denominator) modellers are running around screaming words like 'elitism' and other espousing other flat earth like solliloquies that those who try anything new have been driven to international forums like this and are seldom seen in the greater public outings. The main exceptions are Krusty and me who have been sent to this forum by a greater force. Resin modelling is for the most part still relatively primitive, however brass detail parts via lost wax are well improved from the metal blobs of yesteryear.
Flippancy aside, in a country of only 4 million people, one could probably only find perhaps a hundred or so modellers of all persuasions that are trying to push the envelope. Luckily there are one or two 30 somethings included who are not glued to their i-gadgets and they are beginning to have an effect on the over 50s that are all to prevalent in our hobby.

Earlier Christian wrote "Kalmbach has the loudest voice in the train hobby. Then comes Carstens, then the Gazette. Kalmbach publishes unmitigated rubbish to fill the space between its ads. Carstens' overall quality is laughable but offers the occasional decent article, however anachronistic the modeling techniques may be. The Gazette used to be a guiding light but has decayed into caricature and worse, except for the few articles that swim against the current." Unfortunately those magazines are somewhat lauded here because they are seen as coming from one of the model railway powers in the world. There are similar publications in Britain that are regarded similarly, and unfortunately our hobby suffers for it.

Bernard is right about Roy Link's and lately Bob Barlow's magazine I&NGR. Like Russ's books I have it on subscription. My mainlne fix is from Model Rail magazine from England. Not a bad general read, but a hell of a lot of ads surround the articles.

Regards to all
Russell

[Krusty]

Yo Village Person.

What is this "local model shop" of which you speak? If it's the one in town, their MIG stocks are the rats and mice leftovers from the stock they got in a couple of years ago. Or do I need to make my annual visit to Plimmerton to see what he hasn't got in stock this time? The good news is that Modelair in Orcland are now stocking some AK Interactive, although they haven't got the oils yet. Just needs someone to start bringing in Lifecolour and happiness will be overflowing.

And another vote for the Review, which I've subscribed to since issue one -- the only magazine I'm prepared to put down money for sight unseen these days (well, that and some guy's Modellers' Annual, grease, grease).

[jim s-w]

I see this little event as an indicator of how the model railroad hobby has degenerated: Testors can't sell enough paint to stay in business ... because most train guys collect RTR products and leave them as-is. Not a great loss from the standpoint of a product line but rather depressing evidence of where we are headed. -- Russ

I don't know how it is over your side of the pond but I do feel that's having quite a drastic effect over in the uk, especially over the last 2 years or so.  We have RTR models with RTP (ready to plonk) buildings and people seem less and less capable of doing things for themselves.  I'm not talking about the stuff you guys on here do but what is considered the most basic of tasks.  People get upset that a model hasn't be released with the particular number they want! 

But on top of that there's a strong backlash against anyone who dare suggest that thier treasured RTR model might have room for improvement or have some fundamental errors that they shouldn't have.  Those offering opinion are instantly branded rivet counters and made to feel that they should appologise for wanting to make something better.

Sadly the modeller to shopper ratio is all wrong. Its almost lke mob rule is trying to preserve mediocrity!

Jim

[Chuck Doan]

I have stopped using the Floquil solvent paints, though i still have a fair number of new bottles. I have switched almost completly to acrylics. I will miss some of the Polly Scale paints, but i know there are other brands out there and I mostly use weathering colors. I think this would mostly impact those who use the pre-mixed RR colors.

still, a sad commentary on our hobby. wonder whats next?

[finescalerr]

To answer your question, Chuck, I have watched the hobby shrink and the typical hobbyist become more lazy and dilettantish since I started Westlake Publishing. In the late '90s I predicted the model train hobby ultimately would dwindle to something similar to the model ship hobby. Most larger companies will sell their dies and machinery to smaller ones able to sustain themselves with less income and we may see big changes in available products.

The number of participants seems to be dropping enough to support my prediction but the kind of person the hobby has retained or attracted is quite different. Modelers make up less than 1% of the total.

Model trains, unlike other craft hobbies, have moved from creativity and construction to game playing (running trains) and collection. So that's what's next and it's already here.

Russ

[BKLN]

Modelers make up less than 1% of the total.

Wooo hooo! Finally I get to wear one of those bad ass 1% patches!

Sweet!

[danpickard]

The changing hobby environment will certainly be interesting to watch for say the next 10-20 years, particularly model railways.  Going back before the commercial explosion of RTR competitive marketing, when NG&SLG was a decent read and showcased a reasonable number of craftsmen who had actually built their models instead of bought them, they were the "good ol' days" (maybe the www has killed that a bit by seeing too much stuff online that just isn't of publication standard, but when you could only see stuff in magazine print, there was a better crap filter in operation).  So if the current commercial world does tend to fizzle out over the next decade, there will no doubt still be plenty of modellers with an interest in railway stuff, so if they are dedicated enough, they will find a way to fabricate their hobby the same way others did back years ago.  The interesting trend to watch will be if there is a commercial decline, followed by a resurgence in an attempt to commercially reproduce the work of those that push on and still "play trains" the hard way.  Bit like the circle of life, just in injection moulded plastic.

As for the Floquil thing...never used it myself, so no issue for me personally.  Never really found the colour range to my needs (that may also be a slightly more youthful and new school thing though), and with the likes of companies like AK Interactive bounding forward, with more and more product development and releases, there are plenty of (better) alternatives out their anyway.  The model railway guys might need to open their eyes a bit wider to see that they don't need to buy a familiar railway brand in a familiar railway colour to be able to get the job done.  Just because they can't paint their train in their favourite Floquil colour anymore doesn't mean they need to stop the hobby...but if they do, that exposes a lot.  Generally speaking, I don't think many modellers amongst this forum would be overly troubled by one paint brand fading out...just mix something different and keep doing what you love doing.

Dan

[TRAINS1941]

You sure hit it on the head Dan.

I don't think many modellers amongst this forum would be overly troubled by one paint brand fading out...just mix something different and keep doing what you love doing.

I think everyone should think this way.  Just do what you love doing!!

Jerry