I admit it. I enjoy sharing my trains with young people, and would like to see them experience the same joys of model railroading through the years as I have. But given all of the options available to them for entertainment compared to when I was growing up, is it reasonable to expect that many of them will become hobbyists?
During my early grade school years, the only remote controlled toy was a model train, and running trains was a common activity among my peer group - as was getting in trouble with the teacher for reading the new Lionel catalog in class when it came out. Later in grade school, slot cars, and then, home-based Aurora Racing sets became the rage.
Now, there are so many other devices, complex electronic toys, and numerous sports activities available to children. In this regard, from what I see of our young relatives and their friends, unless their screen time is specifically limited - computer games are their first choice - almost every time they have free time. Either that, or a video.
By contrast, model railroading is such an excellent opportunity for children to develop other life skills, including using their imaginations, being creative with their hands, and, developing design and building skills. In a sense, model railroading is not so "one dimensional" as many of these other activities.
For these reasons, I for one plan to continue to introduce young people to the hobby. At the minimum, we will have fun running the trains and the layout together.
