Re: The real marketing challenge

Wade,
Valid points all, however a few observations I have made.
This past Saturday, The Friends of 261,(a Milwaukee 4-8-4) co-sponsored a fantrip between Chicago & Galesburg, IL. This was a roundtrip that was repeated on Sunday. Tickets ranged from $99 - $495. The Sat. trip appeared sold-out, many riders were 30 and under.
I took my 2 1/2 yr. old grandson to Galesburg and was amazed by the number of families with young children at the station to watch the train.
I also sell at trainshows, doing an average of a show a month in the Central IL region. In the past year I have seen a substantial number of teens and 20+ year olds becoming involved in the hobby.
On the otherside, I am also involved as a volunteer (when time permits) at the Illinois Railway Museum. The IRM faces a dilemma due to the lack of volunteerism in all facets, operations, restoration, etc... This past March, the Museum held a first ever Volunteer Day (heavily publicized in the Chicago-area press)in an attempt to reach out to possible volunteers.
So in conclusion, it appears that railfans (at least in this area) are strong and perhaps even growing, but they are not necessarily volunteering to help retain what already exists.
Thanks, MAS