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| Posted: Sat Nov 12th, 2016 06:52 pm |
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1st Post |
jtrain
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Here's the video if you want to skip the reading: Demo Train Layout
Most of the train shows in my area, of which there are four annual shows, seem to be composed of about 90% sales booths and the remainder of the floor space is reserved for a few train layouts.
Now then, I'm all for "do not touch" signs and for having truck loads of used trains to look through to find that one model you've been wanting so badly. For adult hobbyists that come to spend money and gaze at well detailed layouts, it's a great concept. But to be perfectly honest, this hobby isn't a spectator sport. You can only watch trains go in circles for so long. The roundy-roundy layouts really don't hold my attention for long, and I'm sure that's even more true for someone who is 10,11, 12 years old. Of course, small layouts are fun for the operators, and so that's what this concept is all about.
The best way, as I've come to realize, to get youth involved in our hobby is to give them something to run. That, and I wanted a platform from which I can run trains until my Mission Mountain layout is built. So yesterday I spent the afternoon turning a 36 inch by 80 inch hollow-core door into a grassy platform to run trains.
Of course though, something this simple has plenty of uses. I can run a Christmas layout under a tree, test rolling stock and equipment, sell off older trains on a handsome display, or just play with it in the garage. I won't glorify it too much though, it's still just a door with a rug glued to it. A simple concept with many uses. But maybe that's all these shows need is a couple of these for elementary and middle school aged kids to play with.
I'll have to try this out at the local shows in April, but I think if you frequently join train shows, maybe think about adding something like this.
Oh yeah, and I've got enough extra of this outdoor rug material (100% recycled by the way if you are into that) to have a couple of switching layouts.
Thanks!
--James
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James W.
See progress on the Western Logging Railroad:
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| Posted: Sat Nov 12th, 2016 10:02 pm |
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2nd Post |
2foot6
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That's how I and probably most of us on this forum started out in model railways.A simple railway with easy simple scenery,arh, it brings back memories. I hope it attracts many more young people into the hobby,thanks for showing the video James. Last edited on Sat Nov 12th, 2016 10:04 pm by 2foot6
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I ASPIRE TO INSPIRE BEFORE I EXPIRE.
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| Posted: Sat Nov 12th, 2016 11:24 pm |
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3rd Post |
NathanO
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The New Braunfels, Texas, train museum has had a 'Kids Run The Train' layout they have used for years and they also have a version they take to the train shows they are involved in. The kids get a 'Junior Engineers' certificate.
Some of those kids have ended up being volunteers at the museum.
Nathan
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| Posted: Sun Nov 13th, 2016 01:35 am |
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4th Post |
Kitbash0n30
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At our little bitty model train club's roughly 20 foot each side of the square modular layout Bill and I have a 16ft set of modules with 11 places to spot cars and I made a removable shelf to attach to outside edge of layout where "external power" can be used to run the inner main and the industries. Usually use the MRC power pack with the meters.
More folks have had more fun running trains; from just barely tall enough to see the layout to grizzled grey haired. Is fun when the whole family participates.
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See y'all later, Forrest.
Screw the rivets, I'm building for atmosphere
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| Posted: Sun Nov 13th, 2016 03:05 pm |
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5th Post |
Rick S
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NathanO wrote:
The New Braunfels, Texas, train museum has had a 'Kids Run The Train' layout they have used for years...
Nathan
The NB train museum was the high point of our grandkids' visits when we lived there. They loved going there and climbing on the static displays and running the models. They were disappointed when we moved to Granbury.
Little do they know we can go to Grapevine and ride live steam...
Rick
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Model railroaders are alchemists: We turn gold into rusty iron.
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| Posted: Sun Nov 13th, 2016 03:25 pm |
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6th Post |
Herb Kephart
Super Moderator
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For today's kids, I think you would need to bank the curves and put about 30 volts to the rail.
They want action, and plenty of it, or else their interest fades after the first couple minutes in my experience.
Herb
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| Posted: Sun Nov 13th, 2016 07:25 pm |
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7th Post |
jtrain
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"They want action, and plenty of it, or else their interest fades after the first couple minutes in my experience."
I'd beg to differ, Herb. Just yesterday we had a 4 year old kid that LOVED trains. He adored the Lionel layout the club has, but was equally interested in my switching maneuvers with an SW1. I got to explain how a railroad works, my little engine builds trains, and then the big engines move the cars across the country where another little engine breaks down the train and delivers the cars to all the factories.
The only problem is that our club president loves running the Lionel setup and the HO layout is Digitrax DCC, hardly a simple thing for a tech savvy millennial like myself let alone a 4 year old. If I could have let him run the trains, I would have in a heart beat.
Granted, this kid was 4, not 12. But that 4 year old will be a 12 year old soon enough, and it will be hard for him to stay interested if he doesn't get to run trains between now and then. And I don't blame the parents for not buying him a train set either. They are expensive and the quality just isn't there. There was a time when you could throw a Lionel engine off of a cliff and it would have been fine. I just fried the board on my RS-3 a few years back because I was trying to pull too much weight. A postwar steamer would have ate that load for breakfast, and then would have asked for dessert.
But I have O scale die cast trains and G scale as well, both are durable and reliable. For the kids that are old enough to understand realistic operations, I've got N scale and HO scale. What's more, most of my stuff isn't doing anything, so might as well let the kids have a go at train shows. And no, I don't mind stuff breaking. I own almost nothing of value anyway.
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James W.
See progress on the Western Logging Railroad:
http://westernloggingrr.blogspot.com/
Other Blogs:
http://apartmentrailroad.blogspot.com
The workbench blog of projects on going in my life.
http://rapidcityrr.blogspot.com
A blog
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