NORTH CONWAY, NH—Warning that the nation’s supply of restored antique locomotives and passenger cars will not be able to meet the demands of an aging population, experts confirmed this week that the growing number of retirees will completely overwhelm the scenic railway industry by 2030. “There are only so many 4-mile round-trip rail excursions that wind through picturesque mountain vistas, river valleys, or autumn foliage, and we need to prepare ourselves for what happens when we are no longer able to provide our seniors with the authentic, old-fashioned railroading experiences they require,” said analyst Dale Havermeyer, who estimates that by decade’s end, approximately one-third of the nation’s aging baby boomers will no longer be able to secure a ride in a vintage steam train across a series of wooden trestle bridges while enjoying a complimentary soft drink or cheese and crackers. “At this point, even if we could convince 50 percent of those turning 65 to adopt a more sustainable RV-based sightseeing alternative, we’d still be in trouble.” Havermeyer added that experts are also concerned about the number of knee-replacement surgeries that will be necessary in the coming years to prop up the ailing ballroom dance industry.

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