Model railroading as a hobby get started in the Great Depression, mostly 'cause the technology to make the little trains run only became practical by then. Two magazines, Rail Model Craftsman and Model Railroader got started way back then and until last month, both were still in business. Business was good enough to get both of them onto the magazine rack at Walmart, which is about as widespread a distribution as anyone can hope for. Both of them had plenty of advertising, in fact with the demise of local hobby shops, about the only way for small manufactures of specialty stuff to reach customer was thru ads in one or both magazines.
Well, something is changing. Rail Model Craftsman suddenly announced it was out of business. Boom. No warming, no mailing to subscribers, just an announcement on their website. Dunno what happened, Bad management? Insufficient ad revenue? Rising expenses? I don't know, and the few insiders who do know aren't talking.
Anyhow, a big upheaval in a small world. Does it mean that the hobby is shrinking? The crowds at train shows are mostly older geezers, a few grand children, not many middle aged guys.
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