Good point Gary. One thing I have noticed in the Standard Gauge world, is there seem to be more people getting into it. Yes, there is a large population that is leaving us daily, but many of those collectors were of the hoarder mentality and not very open to sharing. Newer collectors/operators seem to want to share more than previous generations. I think the internet has had a lot to do with that as well.
Operation of all these trains is important, whether repro or original. In the earlier days of collecting, say the 1950's & 60's, people were careful about what they operated as there was not a large market for replacement parts and they were worried about wheel fatigue and such. So, many of the old timers just became vertical collectors because of that. The advent of replacement parts has helped bring trains back to the track and also launched the reproduction train market.
Collecting and operating are both important aspects of this hobby, but not as important as sharing.
ARNO
