The cost of our hobby!!!!

When I started in 2013 my fist LGB starter set with a Stainz, it was a BIG expense justified by my birthday . Due to the high prices of other things I anticipated to stay with this small train set.

4 years later I have 6 locos (seventh is coming ! and 40 cars !!
In fact when you enter this hobby , you enter the trains madness.

I suspect purchasing becomes compulsive ..... !
All opportunities are seized to buy something ( Chrismas, Birthday, travel to USA, ....etc)

After running my train on the dining room table , litle step by litle step I nibled my basement area to install my railroad, the car being pushed outside !

On MRH magazine mostly dedicated to HO gauge , one editorial said there are several steps.
Step 1 is when you spend most of your energy in buying rolling stock , ...etc
Step 2 is when you look mostly to your railroad environment and become a real modeller
.... etc

Mainly, I do not buy second hand. I found the prices generally too high in reference to brand new ones.
I bought once, 2 cars from brand named Train (China made) they made endurance test on my shelves !!!
I see a lot of people buying at good prices. I am wondering how they are doing ?
 
Rhinochugger said:
Just picked up a copy of RM, where Hornby's class 800 is reviewed. 5 coaches - £393.99 :eek::eek::eek::eek:

/QUOTE]

The RM review is somewhat vague and wishy washy. I got one of the sets from Hornby and certainly didn't pay £393.99

My unit had to be returned to Hornby due to the bogie problems mentioned in the review but when it was returned there were still problems on of the coupling mechanisms on one of the power cars falling apart.

I thought of returning the unit to Hornby for a second time but, after a couple of days thinking about it, decided to send it back for a full refund which I did and within a couple of days the amount paid ha been credited to my card account.
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tgood said:
I agree with all that you can go over the top with "I just have to have that item." I started out with TOY trains in G scale New Bright, Lionel and Scienctific. The most enjoyment is taking them apart, carefully, and reassembling them all the while making them look more realistic. I found the New Bright trucks can easily be modified to accept knuckle couplers which is a vast improvement over the hook and loop. Patience is the work when looking for something online. Scienctific engines seem to be assembled as well as Brahman's R/C Big Hauler, I have two. I look for R/C controls that have come out of R/C cars to install in my trains. The hunt is just as much enjoyable as the bashing process. I decided to go with battery operated engines at the beginning and haven't regretted it at all. Not having electrified track gives me a huge amount of latitude with my layout and choice of track. However: my main line is LGB track with LGB turnouts. The short lines and spurs are either home made track or plastic
New Bright track. This has worked out fine for me.​
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Now here is a man with an eye for a budget and a liking for modifying what are essentialy looked at as toys. I have had Newbright kit and it worked very well too, one of the Locomotives was lined up to be converted to Tralee and Dingle small 2-6-0 Tank another to be the Tram Loco that they had. But I went off Irish so all was sold off. Though I still have my Scratch Built Irish sfuff and keep on wondering what to do with it all.
 
I was, for a number of years, a Gauge 0 Midland Railway obsessive, almost (but not quite) a rivet-counter, but realised that I didn’t have the skill to build Slater’s brass loco kits, so after having one professionally built and painted, and messing up one myself, I bought an-6-0 tender loco kit, and sought a quote to build it. At £700, in primer, on top of the £300 kit price, I decided to quit both 0 gauge and the loft, not to mention my MR obsession, and move into G scale, not only easier on the eyes and fingers, but it suddenly didn’t matter whether a nice-looking 45mm gauge loco was 1:29, 1:24, 1:22.5 or anything else. In the real world of my garden, from the comfort of my gazebo, it doesn’t show. I don’t think any of my locos cost more than £300, and my 28’ layout and the storecupboard shelves can’t cope with any more. I suspect, judging by current prices, that if I sold up, I probably wouldn’t lose much, which would be nice, oh, and I sold my pro-built MR loco for £300. Still got the rubbish-built Jinty, though...
 
dunnyrail said:
Now here is a man with an eye for a budget and a liking for modifying what are essentialy looked at as toys. I have had Newbright kit and it worked very well too, one of the Locomotives was lined up to be converted to Tralee and Dingle small 2-6-0 Tank another to be the Tram Loco that they had. But I went off Irish so all was sold off. Though I still have my Scratch Built Irish sfuff and keep on wondering what to do with it all.
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You know exactly what to do with it! Keep it for another day!:giggle:
 
Paul M said:
You know exactly what to do with it! Keep it for another day!:giggle:
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As I have said, many times, many many times, [Betty Marsden voice], I just wish there were more kits and bits available in G. A Slater’s chassis kit could be turned into almost anything, even the sadly-missed Bachmann freight and coach kits had their uses. Ok, there’s HLW little ones, but they are hardly plentiful. Now that we have 3-d printing, will no-one come to our aid?
 
Eaglecliff said:
I was, for a number of years, a Gauge 0 Midland Railway obsessive, almost (but not quite) a rivet-counter, but realised that I didn’t have the skill to build Slater’s brass loco kits, so after having one professionally built and painted, and messing up one myself, I bought an-6-0 tender loco kit, and sought a quote to build it. At £700, in primer, on top of the £300 kit price, I decided to quit both 0 gauge and the loft, not to mention my MR obsession, and move into G scale, not only easier on the eyes and fingers, but it suddenly didn’t matter whether a nice-looking 45mm gauge loco was 1:29, 1:24, 1:22.5 or anything else. In the real world of my garden, from the comfort of my gazebo, it doesn’t show. I don’t think any of my locos cost more than £300, and my 28’ layout and the storecupboard shelves can’t cope with any more. I suspect, judging by current prices, that if I sold up, I probably wouldn’t lose much, which would be nice, oh, and I sold my pro-built MR loco for £300. Still got the rubbish-built Jinty, though...
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Judging by 0 gauge second hand prices these days you were unlucky to only get £300, presumably that was from a dealer?
 
Eaglecliff said:
As I have said, many times, many many times, [Betty Marsden voice], I just wish there were more kits and bits available in G. A Slater’s chassis kit could be turned into almost anything, even the sadly-missed Bachmann freight and coach kits had their uses. Ok, there’s HLW little ones, but they are hardly plentiful. Now that we have 3-d printing, will no-one come to our aid?
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I think 3D printing will get to us eventually,there's already a good 16mm manufacturer - PDF Models.

Similarly, there's a lot of laser cut wood rolling stock, with some diesel locos as as well :nod::nod::nod:
 
stevedenver said:
Speaking from MY history.
I spend a lot on willy nilly accumulation. Since....1986! Slow, a few things every year. then a "frenzy" when LGB went under, and there were things that suddenly had appeal. Over time i have US, German, french, Hawaiian, standard gauge, narrow gauge, DR, amtrak, pink, blue, yellow, chartreuse, Aster, roundhouse....

I have far more than i need to operate a plausible, themed railway.

I was devoutly narrow gauge....until the LGB F7 and Genesis, bought em , run em, but still model ng....but they were a must have. Ditto saxons, etc

I think with 1-2 locos, a rail truck or trolley or motorcar, some freight stock and coaches, and one could have a splendid small system, 2-3 structures, etc. it doesnt take a lot to create a meaningful stage for trains, but instead of a backwater, we want Chicago.

I fell hard for LGB marketing. Less so marklin's. Its easier to buy new trains than anything else in the hobby. And, in part, my behaviour was the result of LGB not consistently offering basic stock every year, ie i want a DRGW box car, coach, always available so i can build a DRGW themed layout. different paint jobs every year. Either buy it all at once, or wait a decade.

Part of my joy is building and painting, making scenes, and starting a new one.
But stuff inspires me.

There are many who accumulate in anticipation of "one day".

Planned , informed, and mindful buying can save a lot.

If i could wipe the slate and start anew, perhaps On3. Hon3?
Frankly n scale is much less, z scale , not at all, but neither require much space.


G takes a lot of space, landscaping, etc. and, contrary to OP, imho, g scale has the least amount of variety and accessories, all of which add to realism, and, cost.
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If I understand your paragraph correctly, here's my take. When a manufacturer issues an item in any given year, let's say a set of passenger cars modeled on a specific railroad, but they don't issue the motive power to go with those cars, I may not be interested in purchasing said cars. How do I know that I can complete the set with a locomotive of the same railroad name as the passenger cars ? Has the manufacturer made it known if and when they may issue the loco ?

Even in the fifties, Lionel did this. They would issue something out of the clear blue, that had nothing to do with the rest of their line of trains and accessories. Then, perhaps the following year, issue something to compliment the initial item.

Perhaps it's good business sense. But you could look at it another way. If I don't see a future for the initial item and I don't purchase it, then why by the subsequent piece ?
 
Madman said:
If I understand your paragraph correctly, here's my take. When a manufacturer issues an item in any given year, let's say a set of passenger cars modeled on a specific railroad, but they don't issue the motive power to go with those cars, I may not be interested in purchasing said cars. How do I know that I can complete the set with a locomotive of the same railroad name as the passenger cars ? Has the manufacturer made it known if and when they may issue the loco ?
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LGB have certainly done this in the past. The first Ge 4/4 III issued was for the MOB (blue/cream livery) where most of the Swiss modern image stock was and is for the Rhaetian (RhB). A single blue / white coach was produced at about the same time but what I really wanted was a plain red RhB loco to go with the coaches already in the range. That didn't come out for another year, and then only in a set as no. 641, so even more hard-earned cash had to be stumped up to acquire one. Of the next few versions produced, two were no. 641 (as Heidi express and Co-op), making three with the same running number. I decided not to let that worry me!

And yes, I did buy the initial MOB version - still have it as I like the mk IIIs. If it had come out later I might not have bothered, so the marketing philosophy obviously worked.

Mark
 
dunnyrail said:
Judging by 0 gauge second hand prices these days you were unlucky to only get £300, presumably that was from a dealer?
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By auction. The buyer actually paid £360, including the premium. I had been told independently that the 0 gauge pregrouping market was moribund, and MR is a niche market anyway. Still, it was a nice model (Oldbury, but heavily modified - new boiler and chassis, added detail and flywheel, Larry Goddard paint job, but original, less than perfect, pickups and buffers).
 
Zerogee said:
Ah, the late great Dame Celia Molestrangler...... :rofl:

Jon.
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...Binky Huckaback...Dictator (previously King) J. Peasemould Gruntfuttock... Julian and Sandy... Lotus Blossom... Chou N. Ginsberg... Rambling Syd Rumpo... Kenneth Horne. (Silly name, that...)
 
Rhinochugger said:
I think 3D printing will get to us eventually,there's already a good 16mm manufacturer - PDF Models. Similarly, there's a lot of laser cut wood rolling stock, with some diesel locos as as well :nod::nod::nod:
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One only had to do a tour of the stands at the 16 mm NGM Peterborough show to see that, apart from locomotives, just about every area of of stock for UK/Colonial and Irish NG is covered by the artisan maker using wood, laser cut or otherwise, quick cure resins and the emerging 3D printing technology. Add in that there were copious suppliers of molded parts, figures and accessories to aid the scratch builder or those who want to enhance kit and volume produced product.

It all looked pretty healthy and ordered to me. If there were gaps in the market then it is likely that someone would fill them. Whether it be pulling something or being pulled. Accucraft UK have been very good at supplying both locos and matching stock to date, eventually. And If they don't someone like Bowater/GRS/IPE will step in an take advantage of the demand created. Max
 
Eaglecliff said:
...Binky Huckaback...Dictator (previously King) J. Peasemould Gruntfuttock... Julian and Sandy... Lotus Blossom... Chou N. Ginsberg... Rambling Syd Rumpo... Kenneth Horne. (Silly name, that...)
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"I 'eard the voices, Mister 'orne, the voices - they told me: "Go forth, Gruntfuttock, go up the BBC and get yer 'ands on Judith Chalmers....."
They don't write 'em like that anymore, sadly.

And it's Doctor Chou En Ginsberg, MA (failed) - gotta give him full credit! :rofl:

By this point, our ex-Colonial cousins across the pond must be wondering what the **** we're going on about - mind you, they probably do that a lot of the time on here....

Jon.
 
Zerogee said:
"I 'eard the voices, Mister 'orne, the voices - they told me: "Go forth, Gruntfuttock, go up the BBC and get yer 'ands on Judith Chalmers....."
They don't write 'em like that anymore, sadly.

And it's Doctor Chou En Ginsberg, MA (failed) - gotta give him full credit! :rofl:

By this point, our ex-Colonial cousins across the pond must be wondering what the **** we're going on about - mind you, they probably do that a lot of the time on here....

Jon.
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I have not got a clue what you are on about either, but then I have not been watching live TV now for around 7 years!
 
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