Re: Too controversial? How about this ...

Coke, et al.,

It has been observed that overall the Hobby of Railfanning and Model Railroading is slowly dying.

There are simply not enough young people coming into the hobby to replace all of us old farts who are about to retire or die off. We are in a hobby, vocation or avocation that seems to be ready to start pushing up daisies.

I see it every day in declining sales and interest in steam era models and information. That's why I hang here with old farts like myself (and a few young bucks).

I see the rise in 1.20:1 (aka G-Scale or "Goofy Gauge") as the climax to a modelers career. When the eyes get so bad that they can't see O Scale, Goofy Gauge is the next step up.

Look at it this way, John, The older these boys get, the bigger their toys have to get, just so they can see them, much less model them. (So paint on big canvas). That's why there's so much big scale stuff. Also because of the fact that Goofy Gauge stuff is relatively new (when compared to HO and O Scale) and there is room in the market for new products that won't be competing with the likes of Horizon Distributors, Walthers, Bachmann, Lionel, and Mike's Train House as I have to in the Scales that I cover.

That doesn't obviate the fact that people like Carlos, Michael, Stephen, etc. are becoming rarer and rarer and there aren't enough of them to pick up the batons when we reach the finish lines.

So George, quitcher bitchin, it is Cokes observation of what went on. If you were there, post your own observation. If not, then what the hell are you talking about?

Rick