Model Railroading > The Decline of Quality in Model Train YouTube Channels

I started watching model train YouTube videos years ago, but it feels like things have gotten out of hand lately. There are way too many channels resorting to clickbait titles like "Build a Tiny Diorama," "Mistakes I See Model Railroaders Make," and "Build a Model Railroad in a Day."And let’s not forget the model train crash videos. It’s clear these are all designed to rack up views. Unfortunately, this makes it harder to find quality content and creators who focus on genuine craftsmanship, useful information and videography.

The sheer number of options is immense, making it difficult to sort through them.  What a sad state of affairs YouTube has also become.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/25 08:32 by CO1309.

I agree, but its like anything out there if barriers to entry are so low then everyone with a camera can make a video and post.  I don't have an answer other than selecting the channels you like subscribing and focusing on those.  There are plenty of really good quality channels, subscribing does the sorting for you.  I put the vids in "watch later" and view at my lieasure.  One of my pet peeves in video land is when somebody posts with themselves talking about their railroad all well and good but focus on the trains we don't tune in to see your mug rather the trains.  Some guys drone on for seveal minutes, simple solution unsubscribe done with that guy.

CO1309 Wrote:
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> I started watching model train YouTube videos
> years ago, but it feels like things have gotten
> out of hand lately. There are way too many
> channels resorting to clickbait titles like "Build
> a Tiny Diorama," "Mistakes I See Model Railroaders
> Make,"
I can think of one guy (bald and with a beard) who drinks coffee and makes video's with advice.  And then there is Rons' Trains and Things.  I suppose it's part of the trend to make video's and get paid if you have enough viewers.

I find since I've been in the hobby as long as I have, I don't learn very much from these guys - but you never know.  So l sample them from time to time.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/25 09:40 by SPDRGWfan.

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
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> CO1309 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I started watching model train YouTube videos
> > years ago, but it feels like things have gotten
> > out of hand lately. There are way too many
> > channels resorting to clickbait titles like
> "Build
> > a Tiny Diorama," "Mistakes I See Model
> Railroaders
> > Make,"
> I can think of one guy (bald and with a beard) who
> drinks coffee and makes video's with advice.  And
> then there is Rons' Trains and Things.  I suppose
> it's part of the trend to video's and get paid if
> you have enough viewers.
>
> I find since I've been in the hobby as long as I
> have, I don't learn very much from these guys -
> but you never know.  So l sample them from time
> to time.
>  

Yes I am aware of both.  They are clearly both examples of hoping to get money and not contribute much of anything to the hobby really. Ron contributes a bit more than the bald guy who does the coffee nonsense.  In the company I work for they call it "Much ado about nothing" marketing.  But for them and for most it doesn't pay off for anyone other than the person making the videos. It provides no help to the viewer and no help to the company items (if there are even any items) being shown.  Half of the bald coffee guy's videos aren't even his own, they are viewer's videos model railroads so he can stroke their egos and make money on their content while at it.  All while hiding behind a "be kind" mantra and Christian scriptures written in his video descriptors while he actively misleads and clickbaits his audience and drains his advertisers.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/25 09:36 by CO1309.

Youtube encourages content creators in how to hype their channels.....some employ these tips religiously....other channels long established with tens of thousands of subscribers already know they are doing something right....they don't change and most don't care whether YT pays or doesn't.....some have such a list of subscribers that they do make a living off YT but they don't use any of the hype tools. 

Careful what you click on, the YT Algorithm sends Videos for you to select from based on what you have clicked on before. No one gets the same offerings unless there is no history at YT for your IP address. Agree it's all driven by commercials and the most clicks for 'content providers' who are now getting a cut of the proceeds.

Good for them, bad for innocent mindless surfing.

There are a few Video producers for quality model building, using the subscriber feature does bring them to the selections side bar or main window in some browsers, that feature requires a Log-in iirc which has it's own hazards. There is also the MRH / TrainMasters TV people producing some interesting content for their site, which does sometimes get onto YT.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/25 11:24 by TCnR.

I want to watch videos, not commercials every 5 minutes.

Eng.Shadetree

shadetree Wrote:
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> I want to watch videos, not commercials every 5
> minutes.
>
> Eng.Shadetree

LIkewise and YT is the only thing I pay for....to get rid of commercials....and since I have enough subscriptions that I don't watch TV hardly at all. 

IMO, the click bait title thing, in general, has gotten out of hand on YouTube with just about every topic. Some are just outright misinformation just to get you to click on the video.. I am disappointed that YouTube cant' take care of that. Most are repeat offenders and you would think that if enough people complained, there would be consequences.  I am not the only one that complains in the comments sections. If it is a repeat offender, I just won't go back.

Victor Baird

 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/25 15:31 by wabash2800.

Regarding the click bait title thing. Boy once you see it, it's so obvious and easy to avoid. Not just on YT, but everywhere.

I don't watch much YouTube but here's one I do enjoy. He talks a lot but his modeling is superb and he does useful how to's and operations which I enjoy. Lance Mindhiem also does nice op oriented videos also.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/25 16:00 by ChrisCampi.

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Youtube actually encourages modest click bait.....

engineerinvirginia Wrote:
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> Youtube actually encourages modest click bait.....

I suppose that's what I mean by the decline of the channels. Whether encouraged by YouTube or not, channel owners seem to fall into two categories: those genuinely trying to help others and those focused on benefiting their own pockets by racking up views, subscriptions and other statistics while misleading people. They will hold their little YouTube plaque up with pride like they accomplished something noteworthy and admirable when they did nothing more than bait and switch in most cases. I don't see much middle ground with these channels.  I have my list of those where I can click on content and I get what is titled and it is valueable and then I also see stupid what coffee are you drinking show me your railroad nonsense type videos.

Also something is very odd about the DIY coffee and trains guy. His Facebook following is abysmal. Anytime he posts something there's maybe 15 likes. Yet the videos have thousands of views and hundreds of comments? I've heard lots of things can be faked to gain advertisers.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/25 19:10 by CO1309.

So should YouTube condone it when a title says that someone died when they didn't or a war has broken out when it didn't?  Yes, not modest as you say, but I still can't understand why YouTube condones it. Perhaps it is all run by bots.

Victor Baird

engineerinvirginia Wrote:
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> Youtube actually encourages modest click bait.....



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/10/25 19:58 by wabash2800.

wabash2800 Wrote:
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> So should YouTube condone it when a title says
> that someone died when they didn't or a war has
> broken out when it didn't?  Yes, not modest as
> you say, but I still can't understand why YouTube
> condones it. Perhaps it is all run by bots.
>
> Victor Baird
>
> engineerinvirginia Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Youtube actually encourages modest click
> bait.....

There's definitely something suspicious going on with the coffee and trains DIY guy, likely involving bot activity. And yes, something should be done about it, but it's challenging to manage. Plus, YouTube itself benefits from increased advertising revenue from the big companies running commercials on these channels that users can click on.

CO1309 Wrote:
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> There's definitely something suspicious going on
> with the coffee and trains DIY guy, likely
> involving bot activity.

I think I had something like this happen to my channel recently.   It's not model railroad content, just railfanning content, but I had been posting a lot of videos from a PNW railfan trip this summer and one video instantly took off in terms of views and revenue,and dragged another along with it.    (It lasted two months and is quickly dying off again.)   I have no idea why other than for some reason the algorithm latched on to it and a bunch of bots "watched" it.  There were very few comments, and when I looked at an analysis of it, almost 50% of the viewers were female.   (I doubt that.)   

You hear things about the "Dead Internet Theory" and this seemed like an example of that.
At least the money is real!  ;)   

Also I've noticed alot of folks put links of items to Amazon. The honest guys tell u they get a cut, most don't. There must be some good money involved in you tube, amazon links and also railcams on you tube. Folks take a bunch of cams and put them under their name so u click on those.
Joe

So, my other hobby is Corvettes, and if you want to learn something, there are some reliable providers, but watch at least 2 and see what makes sense to you.

wpdude Wrote:
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> So, my other hobby is Corvettes, and if you want
> to learn something, there are some reliable
> providers, but watch at least 2 and see what makes
> sense to you.

The way models keep getting more expensive won't be long until your Corvettes are the less expensive hobby!

One of my absolute favorites is Oregon Joint Line Model Railroad. He did top notch work with his operation videos. Sadly I discovered him too late because he stopped uploadeding about 4 months after I found him. Then I recently found out on Facebook that the model railroad is getting taken down since he retired and is moving.

C&S Ry Northern Division is another good one.

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