model train promotion(lack of)

My first post, hate that it's a complaint (sort of) but...

My opinion is that kids today just are not interested in trains, at least as far as having a fascination with, and marveling at the wonders of, these fantastic creations. What they DO seem to be interested in is wasting gallons and gallons of spray paint on that insipid and nonsensical graffiti now that you see "adorning" practically every freight car in a modern-day train.

I'm only 36 years old but if I had done that when I was a kid/teenager, my father would have beaten me to within an inch of my life, and I'm sure the local authorities and railroad paint shop personnel would have been standing in line to get their licks in too.

My 2 cents.

Gary Saucier

X-No-archive:yes Re: >My first post, hate that it's a

--------------------------------------- Well Gary,I hope they are doing more than spraying graffiti.I'll bet most are doing some sort of video game. There is a virtual train program I saw once that almost had me thinking about getting a computer.You got to choose your train I think,and you had to get it to each station on schedule etc,really looked fun. Best....Brian

******************** There are three kinds of lies; lies,damned lies,and statistics.---Disraeli

Yeah I've been thinking about getting one of those train simulators myself. But I already have a flight simulator and three auto racing simulators. I'm afraid I'll end up being a simulation of myself :D

BTW I agree that I hope they are doing more than this graffiti stuff, but the pics I see around the 'net and cars I see in my area tell me otherwise.

Gary

... they've got that, too... "The Sims". ;)

I have several RR simulators:

A-Train Bahn v3.2 Railroad Empire Railroad Tycoon Railroad Tycoon Deluxe Railroad Tycoon II Platinum Railsim v3.2 Railways v1.08

Someday I hope to get around to actually playing them.

On the plus side, I have recently gotten the power supplies for my n-scale railroad built and can now run some trains. The scenery is next.

Perhaps it is simply capitalism at work... if there was an intrest, people would sell the stuff. I can also remember a furniture store back home that had tons of train stuff at Christmas time. But that no longer is the case.

My guess is that there are too many ways for kids to not get interested today. First, there is the TV, then the video games, then the computer... let's not forget IM-ing (which I can't figure out because most of them also have cell phones (sigh...)). Throw in CDs, DVDs and all of the other "instant gratification" stuff and you see why there isn't the market for trains that there used to be.

I have a couple of rr pieces from my next door neighbor who had a nice layout in his extra bedroom. But I wonder what will happen to my stuff when I'm done with it. I don't know of anyone who has a real, sincere interest in it. Who wants things like that in our "throw-away" society?

Finally, you mentioned "the local hardware..." How many of them are there any more??? Maybe that's another reason. Mass retailers don't cater to the specialty market... that is another problem that we have to be realistic about... : (

dlm

Local supermarkets (Tops and wegmans) have G-scale displays running above the aisles. No more than a large oval of track, and a loco and some cars, but every kid I've seen there is fascinated by these things running above them.

In my rant last night I almost forgot:

We do have a small chain of restaurants here in Maine called "Governor's" (I think 6 locations) that have a Lionel or Lionel-type train running along the walls maybe seven or so feet up off the floor. They have them in the Presque Isle and Bangor restaurants anyway, and I'm assuming the other locations do also. The Presque Isle location also has Bangor and Aroostook, CP Rail, Canadian National, and Boston and Maine signs posted as you enter.

Gary