Great read Evro 
Common thread is that the future of Pinball clearly sits with Hobbyists and collectors - there is no doubt about that now.
Another point of interest - As far as the Hobby is concerned - it has NEVER been this good. There are more and more people getting into the hobby and fast becoming enthusiasts.
Maybe the Industry is dying - as far as operators and manufacturers are concerned, but it is growing as far as the hobby is concerned.
I am inclined to agree with you on this. The days of pinballs being generally available to play in the public arena (arcades, corner stores, pubs and so on) are pretty much over. You can still hunt them down if you look hard enough, but you do have to look pretty hard and then when you do find one you need to hope it is working and not filthy with dirt.
With the hobby side of it growing, it should entice the producers of reproduction parts to keep going, and the basics (coils, flippers, rubbers, pinballs) should be available for many years to come.
The big question is what will happen when the current generation of collectors pass on. Will there be enough hobbyists/collectors to keep the industry going in 30 years time or 40 years time or 50 years time?
