Going through a total loss of interest!


One thing I feel is irrefutable is we will all, at one time or another, loose a certain amount of interest in the hobby. This really shouldn't come as a surprise or revelation to anyone. We all loose interest in the things we enjoy, from time to time, for various reasons that are applicable to us and, some times, only applicable to us.

Where I am concerned, the loss of interest with the hobby isn't as much attributable to the hobby itself but things that are not hobby related and take precedence over it. Things that prevent me from getting back into the hobby in the practical sense, building my layout.

So far as the hobby itself is concerned, well, change is inevitable and not all change is for the better. Where that/those changes are the basis for the loss of interest then I think people have only two choices;

1. Get out of the hobby and find something that meets their expectations and needs, or
2. Accept (albeit reluctantly in some cases) the changes and work around them where and when possible.
 
I'm with you, Tony. I had been heavy into Radio Control Model Airplanes for 20 years, which I left in the early 1990s because of the influx of Almost Ready to Fly airplanes seeming to take over that hobby. Although there had been Ready to Run (RTR) stuff on the scene in Model Railroading in the 1950s, my first exposure as a kid to the hobby. When I came back to Model Railroading in 1988, if you wanted a model railroad you would have to build kits to achieve that goal. Slowly; but, surely over the next decade, RTR came on like "Gang Busters" and pretty well supplanted rolling stock kits and decimated the kit locomotive market! So, in 2005 I set aside Model Railroading and went back to Building and Flying R/C airplanes. I built my airplanes from plans and scratch built them. The R/C Flying Club I was a member of with 14 members here in Park Rapids, MN collapsed in 2014 and there was no longer a flying field to fly from. Because I had been disappointed in the direction R/C was headed with the major change to Quad Copters and drones, and the situation with my local club folding up, I came back to Model Railroading.

Because of the take over of both these hobbies by a market that no longer is interested in building models, I have flip-flopped from one hobby to the other, for the last 30 years. My interest has never changed and has always been the same, I want a hobby where I build models, not one where I simply plunk down big money to buy something I don't get to build. The building of the models is one of the rewarding aspect of the hobby for me.

Where the hobby is continuing to work out for me is: I probably have all the rolling stock I need, I "Bash" almost all the RTR locomotives I own and I continue to persevere to finish my layout. All things that I can find satisfaction with. I don't have to and will not like where the hobby is headed! However, what does it matter to those who do like where the hobby is headed? It's going there and your on that train. I see this in almost everything there is today, choices are few, get on the band wagon, Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!
 
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I see this in almost everything there is today, choices are few, get on the band wagon, Damn the torpedoes, full speed ahead!...
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About the only choices we seem to get are go with the flow and become another sheep or go without and get left behind. In many things now a days, I'd prefer to get left behind and be happy in doing so :)
 
wombat457 said:
About the only choices we seem to get are go with the flow and become another sheep or go without and get left behind. In many things now a days, I'd prefer to get left behind and be happy in doing so :)[/COLOR]
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Oh boy is that one ever true ! ^^

Anyone remember Varney and the Casey Jones kit ? First brass HO loco I can remember seeing. To young and broke to afford it, but it was cool, and beyond a paper boys pay grade.

greg
 
Varney, Casey Jones kit...Wow. I do remember also the "Old Lady' 2-8-0. Did not ever realize they were once brass. Once Bowser took them over, they were white metal.

You bring up a point, though, that I occasionally consider. Back during the age of Craftsman Kits and Blue Box shake together stuff, that worked on 24" radius curves, the hobby was more fun. Why? because you were able to freelance your own empire, of reasonably realistic locomotives and cars that didn't limit you to a specific prototype or era. One could take a Mantua Pacific kit, and a few Walthers passenger car kits and assemble a reasonable passenger train for the B&O, or the Last Chance and Bistro. Now, every rivet, grab iron and hand rail has to be accounted for, and if the box car is one panel short or a half scale inch too short, there is hell to pay.

It's no wonder we experience burnout with our hobbies, they are supposed to be recreational and fun, and not obsessions.

Boris
 
I haven'y been in this hobby long enough to remember Varney locomotives in Brass! However, I have built a Bowser "Old Lady" kit. It was a good runner and a very strong puller.

My cart is done, the project held my attention for two days and was fun to do. Now I have to decide on what needs to go into the cart.
 
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So, lately, I have been working on Locomotives and building an old Plasticville factory, lately. One of these projects is adding a Digitrax Power Xtender to a Bachmann 2-6-0 locomotive. I have emailed George Bogatiuk at Soundtraxx the maker of the sound decoder Bachmann uses in their sound locos and have always found him to be quick in getting back to me and very helpful!

So, in the end, some of my interest has returned!
 
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What do you mean there is no right way to enjoy the hobby? I see people telling others how to do the hobby "right" all the time!
 
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I still lack any real enthusiasm for doing any operation of my trains.
 
NP2626 said:
I just don't get why some people think we should all drink the Kool-Aid and be happy about the direction the future is heading! One size has never fit all!
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I don't understand why you feel "required" to accept Ready to Roll. While I find it convenient, at times, I'm still building kits I obtained twenty years ago, that sat, because until now, there was no time to build them. There are quite a few manufacturers out there that offer "Craftsman" type kits at reasonable prices, and still jobbers that offer appropriate parts. Problem is frequently local dealers don't stock their wares.

back when I started, Mantua and Penn Line, offered kit s to build various steam locomotives. Both offered the same locomotives ready to roll, for a higher price. mantua even branded their RTR stuff Tyco (before that brand became associated with cheap entry level junk).

As to losing interest, I occasionally run into a wall, like I have with my benchwork. It may stay that way, as we are again considering moving to something more suited to our current life style. Sometimes, you just have to take a breather, or as I'm fond of saying, it becomes like a second job...and working isn't exactly fun.
 
NP2626 said:
I still lack any real enthusiasm for doing any operation of my trains.
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If that is the case, take a break away from it all. Find something else that interests you to do until the urge, enthusiasm, inspiration or whatever returns for the hobby, or for running trains.

As most have said, we all go through a "dead spot" from time to time. We accept it and do something else. Sooner or later we all come back to the hobby and the trains. Dwelling on it doesn't change how we feel, only time itself brings back the desire.
 
Boris said:
I don't understand why you feel "required" to accept Ready to Roll.
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I don't feel required to accept Ready to Roll and I pretty much don't accept it. The fact I don't like that the hobby has become so dependent on Ready to Roll, shouldn't be a problem for you, so why does it bother you how I feel about it?
 
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wombat457 said:
If that is the case, take a break away from it all. Find something else that interests you to do until the urge, enthusiasm, inspiration or whatever returns for the hobby, or for running trains.
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Except for participating here at this forum, my involvement in the hobby has pretty much been on vacation. The fact that we still have 10-12 inches of snow on the ground and below freezing temps, when generally spring is in full swing this late in the year, is also depressing me some.

I go though these losses of interest on occasion. I wasn't expecting any of you to tell me how to get out of this funk, only wondering if others had this same situation.
 
If you need a way to spark your interest back into the hobby, read the book Playing with Trains, by Sam Posey, the race car driver. The book explains how Posey started with model railroading and follows his ever growing skills while building his layout and finally being photographed by Dave Frary for Model Railroad magazine.

This book will spark your model railroading interest and inspire you to start working on your layout.

Guaranteed to work, it does for me.

Greg
 
Greg@mnrr said:
If you need a way to spark your interest back into the hobby, read the book Playing with Trains, by Sam Posey, the race car driver. The book explains how Posey started with model railroading and follows his ever growing skills while building his layout and finally being photographed by Dave Frary for Model Railroad magazine.

This book will spark your model railroading interest and inspire you to start working on your layout.

Guaranteed to work, it does for me.

Greg
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Greg, I do the same thing with Lynn Westcott's book about John Allen. It's likely time for me to read it again!
 
Boris said:
Seriously, Mark, it doesn't bother me. It's your opinion. I disagree, but that's what makes the world go around.
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I have many things I figure you would probably disagree with me about, Boris!
 
Greetings ..... I am new to the forum but a returnee to the hobby. Regarding the topic:

I was in the hobby in the late 80's early 90's. I had a layout up and running. I was exploring the relatively new DCC options ...

And then I had to move. The new house had a nice 15'x15' room I was planning to build in but it became the go to room for where everything excess went. Time got away and now it's 25 years later.

I inherited my way back into the hobby. Dad passed in November of '16. I have been tasked with going through his stuff and had started ebaying off some of the MRR stuff when ..... I says, "I like model trains!". So, I am still selling off older Athearn Blue Box diesels and the like but now it's to raise $$ for DCC stuff!! :)

Funk?? Sort of in a funk just now because I have rolling stock, passenger fleets (x4) and 9 DCC locos ..... and no track to run it all on!! YET!!
 
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