Pretty narrow view point here thinking that the so-called golden age might be centered about O gauge or scale trains - really looking at all scales and numbers might be far more telling.
But I've been hearing that this hobby is either dead or dying for 30+ years now, and strangely enough very little in the way of the big picture has actually changed -- yes, specifics have, but overall, not really. And, there's more stuff available now than ever before.
It's never been an all ages, all persons hobby, but one that does demand an investment of time. Space requirements and finances are also involved, but small scales and "on the cheap" has always been an available option for everyone.
