|
|
| Gotta Make That Train!
|
|
|
| Half a million Americans invest $500 million dollars a year in model railroading, which they’ll tell you is the greatest hobby in the world. Dick Christianson received his first Lionel train as a gift in 1950. By his teen years, he and his father had built two or three model layouts and then his priorities shifted - he discovered girls and cars. Christianson went on to grad school, got a job, found a wife and some discretionary income. He knew just how to spend it.
|
|
|
|
“Particularly among men and children, the hobby is fascinating,” says Christianson, who lives in Milwaukee and is the managing editor of Model Railroader magazine, the founding editor of Classic Toy Trains magazine and former editor-in-chief of Kalmbach Books.
“We have a huge model railroad show in November every year that draws almost 20,000 people. It's a very family-oriented event. Maybe it's the miniaturization and motion that's so appealing. The Museum of Science and Industry in Chicago has a huge model railroad exhibit that is one of the primary draws of the museum. They spent millions of dollars building it. And it replaces a layout that has gone through more than a couple of changes since it was first built in the 1940s and early fifities.”
Model railroading is a knowledge and skill-based hobby involving woodworking, electricity, hi-tech electronics, art and historical research. Nostalgia has a part to play as typical enthusiasts, mostly male, mostly pre-baby boomers or baby boomers try to re-create the memories of childhood.
“Many are creative, inquisitive people. They may not have all the skills necessary so they tend to find others who share their interests. Most enjoy the hobby alone, though there are many model railroad clubs for those without room to build a home layout or who want to share the hobby,” says Christianson.
If you’re looking for instant gratification then model railroading is probably not for you or your family. Thoughtful layouts are built over time and can be expensive - or economical - depending on your level of interest and circumstance.
“You hear that the hobby is expensive. As compared to what? A $20,000 boat? Golf course fees and clubs for $5000 or more a year? A good quality locomotive may cost $150; cars may be $30. The control system may be $100 to $300 or more, depending on its sophistication. Those are the major initial expenses, but you can certainly spend a lot more. One nice thing about the hobby is that you can spread out the costs over many years,” says Christianson.
Model railroading can be self-limiting depending on space, income and time.
“People will do what they want to do and what they're able to do. As for size, you can build a layout in a briefcase or you can take up an entire barn - I've seen both and everything in between,” says Christianson.
According to Christianson, garden railroading has become popular over the past decade.
“Hobbyists take large scale trains built for outdoor use and run tracks through their gardens. The layouts become quite elaborate. This side of the hobby is also popular with wives, mainly because of the gardening aspect. It's a neat side of the hobby.”
All Aboard:
Looking to get started? Dick Christianson makes the following suggestions:
- Visit your local hobby shop. Ask about upcoming shows, layouts open to the public or an area hobbyist willing to offer advice.
- Consult the Coming Events column in Model Railroader magazine, available at most libraries, hobby shops and newsstands for a calendar of model railroad shows.
- Start reading. Kalmbach specializes in books for model railroaders - books of track plans, layout ideas, information on building benchwork, laying track, wiring and building scenery.
- Visit www.trains.com for more information.
“This can be a dreamer's hobby…But isn't that true of almost any hobby? Getting started is always the toughest part,” says Christianson. “Once you're into it, the difficulties depend on your interests, skills, and knowledge. I'm not good with wiring, but I enjoy building scenery. Lots of guys have trouble with scenery and never have any on their layouts. This is a very personal, very individual hobby.”
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
