x

All about the community of model railroading and rail enthusiasm

COWCATCHER MAGAZINE

2022 State of Model Railroading: Hobby continues to offer great value, despite concerns over pricing

December 25, 2021 / Updated June 26, 2023

Model Railroading

By TIM BLACKWELL/Cowcatcher Magazine

For the second consecutive year, the Cowcatcher has taken the pulse of model railroading, and once again readers believe the hobby is thriving. However, some subtle changes in rating the state of model railroading suggest a little more concern about its direction than 12 months ago.

In December readers answered 25 questions about the overall state of the hobby, their personal preferences and skill levels and spending habits. The survey attracted the highest number of responses in its history.

Respondents rated the hobby’s value, product quality and ease of use and reliability of models, scenery products and more. The consensus is that model railroading continues to provide a great experience and is still a good value. Nearly 80 percent rated the overall state of model railroading as excellent or good.

Yet respondents are concerned more than ever about increasing prices and supply chain issues that are affecting product availability, which could hinder growth.

The survey confirms that model railroading is entering 2022 with cautious optimism.

On the surface, the hobby business is thriving, and model railroad and general hobby retailers who have enjoyed more than a year of solid sales are optimistic, even considering expansion in a sector that until recently has taken a back seat to personal devices.

According to Hobby Merchandiser, an industry trade magazine, several general hobby store owners intend to expand their retail spaces in 2022 to boost inventory, a good sign for a brick-and-mortar sector that has suffered for years.

Also, excitement fills the air at conventions, shows and train rides in anticipation of continued movement toward “normal.” Model railroaders are returning big time to shows, and reports from regional train shows suggest that shoppers are reaching into their wallets.

However, behind the scenes there are problems.

Supply chain issues resulting from the pandemic are slowing deliveries and raising prices. Manufacturers reported in 2021 that shortages of chips used in decoders and long shipping delays from overseas are pressuring prices and threatening consumer confidence. Plastic shortages are affecting not only production of models but bags for consumers to take them home.

Technology, high quality products raise the bar

Still, the hobby has a lot going for it.

Product quality and value again rate high, and slightly more respondents than last year believe this continues to be the golden era of model railroading, a big shout out in appreciation of the highly accurate and detailed products available. Improved technology has set the bar high for run-ability of locomotives and rolling stock, and structures and accessories continue to edge higher on realism.

3D printing is reinvigorating the parts and detail cottage industry. Imaginative manufacturers and garage entrepreneurs are introducing an array of new detail products about every month. Just about everything under the sun is available to accent just about any scene.

Readers do contend that the rising cost of supplies is a sticking point a little more than in the past. The survey suggests heightened anxiety over pricing, which may be tempering the desire for those vigorously detailed models that bring a pretty penny.

One reader who works at a hobby shop says the trickle-down effect means even higher prices, which could discourage new folks from entering the hobby.

“We are seeing a rush to buy what is available since the future is uncertain regarding pricing and new stock delivery,” says the respondent, who wished to remain anonymous. “All or most vendors are raising their projected retail pricing and this will keep many from entering the hobby. This should NOT become a rich person’s past time, but a learning experience for all ages and levels of experience.”

The hobby’s future continues to weigh on respondents’ minds. Appealing to younger generations, a familiar tune for decades, still resonates, and readers offered various ways to introduce newbies to the hobby.

More on the Cowcatcher’s 2022 State of Model Railroading survey in the January/February 2022 issue.

Current Issue: Nov/Dec 2025

$6.95 (U.S. Orders Only)

Splitrockin'

An operating session on the Split Rock Mining Co. Railroad is pretty straightforward. A three-person crew works the freelance HO-scale railroad with the sole purpose of transporting iron ore mined in Northern Minnesota to a freighter on Lake Superior. Instructions for the operators can be communicated in a few words before the shift begins. Pull all loads at the mine. Take them to the boat. Take all empties from the boat back to the mines. Rinse and repeat. There are no car cards or manifests. Switching is done by colors, and, yes, there is a rhyme and reason on this Alco-driven layout based on railroading on the Iron Range in Minnesota.

Gaining Traction

A new generation of freelance railroads is taking model railroading by storm, gaining prominence through online videos and social media. The ages-old modeling technique is attracting young modelers and unlocking creative license in veteran hobbyists.

Creating Opportunities

In Southern Wyoming, OmniTRAX is handling switching for two mines in a region known for its prolific coal mining operations. The mines deliver about 17 million tons of trona, a sodium carbonate compound that is processed into soda ash or bicarbonate of soda, and OmniTRAX is increasing safety and managing efficiencies in moving inbound and outbound cars.

Plus

G&G Model Shop in Southwest Houston credits flexibility and personalized service for its 80 years serving the model railroad community. Rapido Trains delivers an N-scale replica of the Santa Fe Railway’s storied SFRD RR-56 refrigerator car, reviewed in this issue. Also, the romance of the circus and railroads united in the circus train, which endured as the greatest shows on earth’s sideshow. And more!