What dont you like about this hobby

[MountainMan]

Lack of diversity among modelers. Face it, go to a train show and 90% of people there fit a certain age/sex/socioeconomic and sometimes political demographic. It happens with many hobbies, and I am not sure why that is. But, I think model railroading could use more input from women and the younger crowd, as well as from different cultures. New perspectives could keep things fresh and exciting.

As noted, non-US modellers certainly do exist; there are far more Japanese modellers, in both absolute and relative terms, than American. I don't know how the German or British numbers compare to the American. Yes, the different countries' modellers don't completely mix online, but they do interact.

The rest of it, though, seems to be true. Among American modellers, most are white, male and politically conservative. I often find this environment oppressive.

A couple others, in declining order of annoyance:

Nostalgia. I notice an unhealthy level of it among American and British modellers. German modellers are also nostalgic, but in a more sustainable way. Many more Germans than Americans model times before their own lifetimes, or indeed before most people alive today were born. That is, there isn't such a peak of 1950s modelling. Japanese mainly model the modern era.
Note that I have nothing against people modelling past times. It's a statistical thing.



Provincialism. Modelers focus on local railroads, and their interests are determined heavily by what they've personally experienced in rather simple ways. I don't hold this against anyone individually. It's just disappointing that many smaller prototypes with interesting characteristics are rarely considered by modellers far from those places.

What is wrong with "nostalgia", or "historical interest in the past", if you prefer, and how is it a "statistical thing"? Think of it this way - if it weren't for the "nostalgia", there would be no history left anywhere.

"Provincialism" is an interesting concept, but the real question is why those who live in areas with interesting shortlines and ghost railroads don't model them instead of the big, modern layouts that everyone else seems to model? Lack of available equipment and rolling stock? Too much trouble to convert? Too much research? This issue, to me, is on a par with why Germans, Dutch, Australians and others want to model American railroads instead of their own history?