From the Dome Car: Train 2 Track 6 (May-June 1992)













As he reaches the end of year two of publishing CRM, Morgan is feeling good about the magazine and the response to it. (Even if, as he noted, it continues to be tardy with delivery.) And he sees encouraging signs about the hobby. But one thing worries him: It’s future. With the average age of model railroaders going up, where will the next generation of modellers come from? He had a plan involving Christmas, trains and kids; I wonder how many others followed his example? 

Morgan’s concern for the future of the hobby made him an enthusiastic supporter of President’s Choice train sets when they starting coming out in 1992. In fact, he had several of them in their original boxes in his basement after he died. You can read about the President’s Choice train sets on my blog. 

So, here it is, the end of our second year at CRM and we're storming right along. Plenty has happened in the last two years. Through your letters and phone calls, you've told us the magazine meets with your approval and seems to improve with each issue. 

Since we have published CRM, the manufacturing sector of our hobby has recognized the need for more Canadian oriented products—as is evident with the number of new releases we've seen over the last couple of years. And I think, in some cases, Canadian hobby shops have picked up the pace, trying to cater to their clientele who have been kicked out of their arm chairs and become active in the hobby. 

These are all encouraging signs that keep our hobby active and inviting. But there is still more to be done. As most of us know, the average age of a railroad modeller is increasing with each year that goes by. There can be no doubt that this is partially due to the fact that kids today are influenced by the latest computer games and gadgets that have shown up on the market since the mid-seventies. Not that there's anything wrong with that. If a youngster is not computer literate today, there is not too much encouragement offered for the future. 

And of course, there aren't the number of trains criss-crossing the country for them to see and relate to as there were when most of us were growing up. The traditional 'Christmas tree' train set is not as popular a gift that it once was. 

So who is the future railway modeller? How can those of us that are already bitten by the bug encourage our younger generations? If we have sons and daughters within our families, it's natural that great numbers of them continue in the hobby as they grow up. I have heard mention that the manufacturers are looking at developing products that will be computer oriented so as to develop the interests of youngsters. 

But I have my own personal plan. Like most of you, I got into the hobby via the Christmas Tree route. Without knowing it, I looked at my first toy train at as it merrily ran around the tree and that subconscious thought about that train did the trick as I approached my late teens. Now, right across the road from me lives a family with three boys aged from 3 to 10 years. They don't know it yet, but on Christmas morning there will be a store-bought model train set running around their tree—at no cost to the parents. 

And if the thing gets wrecked on the second day, that's of no concern to me either. What's important is the fact that maybe one of those three gaffers will get hooked on the thought of that train, racing around the tree and when he gets a little older, one more railway modeller will be added to the list.  

Now, the idea here is to give a train set to a kid that's not in your family. Everybody has a neighbour kid. Just think what would happen if every reader of this editorial went out and promoted the hobby in this fashion. After a couple of December 25ths, there would be the potential of 10,000 more future model railroaders out there. Some of you can't afford it you say? We can't afford not to!  

I also want to mention the fact that I had the opportunity to attend the Maritime Federation of Model Railroaders convention in Truro, Nova Scotia. It is one of my greatest pleasures to meet fellow modellers and be able to place a face with a name. It is impossible right now to get out and attend all the shows across Canada, but eventually, we will meet you all.  

Meanwhile, this magazine continues to publish in an all-Canadian format, bringing you information from your fellow modellers from coast to coast. We may be tardy for a great number of reasons, but you can be sure we are, and will continue to be, your voice in the hobby of railway modelling in Canada for many years to come. 

We are growing steadily and cautiously to insure that Canadian Railway Modeller will be in the mail for those kids we talked about earlier in this editorial. 

Until next issue, have a great summer and have a dog on me!



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