He told me then (about 30 or so years ago...and BTW, he closed his HS store in Fort Worth around 25 years ago) there were enough model TRAIN nuts in the D/FW 'metroplex' to justify FOUR model railroad shows in the metroplex. Since then, the number of model train hobbyists has dropped a little--more have died than have entered the hobby. Although there have been some younger train guys showing up, they haven't been in numbers large enough to offset the number of train guys who died or gotten to the point they stopped going to shows or playing with trains. The number of train shows has also dropped. Two of the venues no longer exist (one of them was held in a mall that was torn down, the other was at a rec center of a major employer that eliminated the center several years ago...although a smaller train show in a different location may have 'replaced' it.)

He told me then (about 30 or so years ago...and BTW, he closed his HS store in Fort Worth around 25 years ago) there were enough model TRAIN nuts in the D/FW 'metroplex' to justify FOUR model railroad shows in the metroplex. Since then, the number of model train hobbyists has dropped a little--more have died than have entered the hobby. Although there have been some younger train guys showing up, they haven't been in numbers large enough to offset the number of train guys who died or gotten to the point they stopped going to shows or playing with trains. The number of train shows has also dropped. Two of the venues no longer exist (one of them was held in a mall that was torn down, the other was at a rec center of a major employer that eliminated the center several years ago...although a smaller train show in a different location may have 'replaced' it.)

The military modelers in the metroplex still show up to support the two IPMS shows, but due to some level of internal squabbling, some of them "branched out", in favor of smaller, less 'volatile' groups, like AMPS (Armor Modeling & Preservation Society). The younger modelers tend to build only Gundam or Warhammer subjects. Not enough of them are interested in building World War II subjects, much less postwar military.

You probably discovered yourself firsthand, we can't rely on the lowrider/Euro modelers to supplant our ranks. Maybe they are 'skittish'...or can't be bothered to hang out with people who build models other than lowriders or Euros. Maybe they don't like NASCAR builders...or old-school drag racing enthusiasts.

As a member of a 1/1 car club in D/FW, I think I see the same things there, too. Or maybe the younger crowd doesn't want to hang with people old enough to be their dads...or grandpas. I don't know. Maybe I'm wrong...