Garden Railroad - good business?

[jzmsvm]

I am new to both these forums and the hobby but from what I've read, the readers and contributers to this site are very generous with their advice, praise and ideas. Perhaps this question has come up before, if so I apologize for being redundent, do any of you make or sell items to the GR hobbiest? Have you found it to be profitable or just a fun way to use your talent and not crowd out your own garden? [:)]

I enjoy making buildings as some of you know (there are a few pictures of my first attempts in the Unlikely Treasures forum - look for the "Jennifer's photos ..." topic), and I wondered if there was a market for someone to start a side business on creating and selling these. Many of the large companies sell very detailed, beautiful theings that are very expensive. Mine are not as well detailed and may not be exact to scale, but they are individually made and have their own character.

My husband and I are planning on moving away from the city, living a more peaceful, less-stressed life and I can see myself enjoying this hobby for some time. A plus would be bringing in some extra income! [:)]

This is not a solicitation for business, I would never use this forum in that way. I respect the opinions of the contributers I've read and am looking for advice only.

Thank you! Jennifer

[cacole]

Many of the companies that make G-scale items, especially scenery, roadbed, buildings, rail clamps, etc. are small home or family-owned businesses, so it might be worth trying.

[tangerine-jack]

Go for it, and let me know when your products are ready, I'll be your first customer!

As cacole says, much of the hobby world stems from cottage industry.



[oX)]

[RhB_HJ]

Hi Jennifer,

Many of the small companies started out that way. With us it was our friends and fellow model railroaders who said: "Could we get some of "those", too?"

So go for it! If you plan on building one structure, build three instead and sell two. If they're gone before you know, build a few more of the same type and one new one in a batch of five.

However, be forewarned!![;)][:)][:)] Before you know you'll be building everyone else's structures (or whatever) and your own layout will make slow progress. I know from experience.[;)][:)][;)]

BTW doing small batches keeps things in reasonable check and the production goes much quicker, but you need a workspace where you can leave things otherwise you'll be spending more time on hauling out and putting away than on producing.
As my friends and customers say: "How can you be that organized??" "Easy, I'm too lazy to look for things!"[;)][:)][;)]

[Anonymous]

I will take a more pragmatic approach, and say that if you have the financial resources to continue your customary lifestyle and operate your sideline business without that business adversely impacting your overall income, then go ahead and give it a try, if you care to.

But getting into the business side of the hobby can be a very risky thing, regardless of what scale you are involved with and no matter what the product or price. Doing something you love and being willing to work hard at it can sometimes pay off, but just as often--or perhaps more often--it leads to disappointment or, worse than that, financial hardship.

A handful of folks urging you on in an on-line forum is one thing, but none of them are confirmed customers yet and it's always easy for folks to say "Sure, go for it" without taking into account the consequences that are possibly going to affect the party they are addressing.

I would just urge caution, and getting involved in a properly planned and realistic way. I would never discourage an entreprenural spirit, but it has to be tempered with realism in a small niche within an already small hobby (model railroading). And it's not a hobby that is exactly growing by leaps and bounds these days, for a variety of reasons.

[ttrigg]

Jennifer

Go look at my "profile" and put me on your mailing list. My "craftsmanship skills" are sub zero. If I want anything that looks nice I have to purchase fully assembled.

Tom

[Anonymous]

Jen;

I wouldnt do it from the direction you are proposing; going from being an expert in a certain aspect of Garden railways to being able to do it better than others around you is a tried and proven way to go; not the other way around. However ypu never know you may hit on an aspect of this hobby that you are better at than most others.

I know my strength is to be able to get very interesting layouts into the space available; that is really not anything I would be bothered trying to sell. Howevr I have benefitted from specialties of other hobbyist, such as Hillman clamps and Jigstones. I have other strengths as well such as the civil engineering side of things and electrically as well.
However I do know i am not very good at and only have a small interest in kit bashing so I keep that side of it to a minimum or farm it out.

For instance i want to get some scenic large panels done say 3m X 2m of a rain forest scenery, to slot in between posts to cover my back fence so i have been in touch with what is left of the local hippies; who will do the job very well and very cheaply and will actually input some great ideas.

As well I want to get an observation car in the correct livery to match my Golden Mountain ( a successor to the Orient Express) train. I know i am hopeless at this so I will seek someone out that will do this very well; better than I could ever hope to do and get it done for a very small amount of money, so maybe you can utilise some specialist skills in a similar direction.

I have already designed and built a 5 m long 17 span concrete viaduct and a very nice bridge and this is my strength, so where i am weak others are strong and if you can sell this strength good luck to you.


Rgds Ian

Rgds Ian

[RhB_HJ]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Allan Miller

I will take a more pragmatic approach, and say that if you have the financial resources to continue your customary lifestyle and operate your sideline business without that business adversely impacting your overall income, then go ahead and give it a try, if you care to.

But getting into the business side of the hobby can be a very risky thing, regardless of what scale you are involved with and no matter what the product or price. Doing something you love and being willing to work hard at it can sometimes pay off, but just as often--or perhaps more often--it leads to disappointment or, worse than that, financial hardship.

A handful of folks urging you on in an on-line forum is one thing, but none of them are confirmed customers yet and it's always easy for folks to say "Sure, go for it" without taking into account the consequences that are possibly going to affect the party they are addressing.

I would just urge caution, and getting involved in a properly planned and realistic way. I would never discourage an entreprenural spirit, but it has to be tempered with realism in a small niche within an already small hobby (model railroading). And it's not a hobby that is exactly growing by leaps and bounds these days, for a variety of reasons.

Hmmmmmmmmmmm, you start out small at the local level and see how it goes. If I understood Jennifer correctly this is supposed to be a "side line"! As I wrote: you build two extra structures, sell them, then build the next. And you listen to what customers like about your product!
Of course you still have to figure out for how much they sell. [;)][:)] There I have another tip for Jennifer: if the stuff is good, it's worth the money!

BTW one of the nice aspects of doing it as a "side line": Much less pressure, you set your own schedule when things will be finished.
I have come across quite a few of those "side line" people who turn out very unique stuff, that sells just as quickly as they can produce it.
Looking at Jennifer's pictures I have a feeling she'll be in the same category!

[Kiwi Down Under]

Jennifer

Good on you and I hope you do well, but Allan has valid points. While its a hobby, fine but if you have to earn enough to pay the bills and have food on the table, thats a completely diifferent storey.

Was the reason you first started making the models, was it could I do it cheaper, or better.

If "better" then good luck, but if it was "cheaper", then once you work out your hourly rate, tax, and cost of materials, it may not work out as cost effective as you think.

Also, just my view, I would love to be able to live off my trainset, but then of course it becomes work and is no longer a hobby, so I would be no better off........

Whatever you decide, good luck
Tony

[grandpopswalt]

Jennifer,

I'm not offering an opinion but I'll pass along a short story related to your question. Some years ago I met a fellow who was producing a line of brass HOn30 locomotives. His business was starting to pick up and he was at the point of deciding weather or not to do this full-time. He told me that he was actually sorry he'd started the venture because it had ruined a perfectly good hobby for him and turned it into hard work.

BTW, he went out of business a couple years later. I don't know what the reason was.

I will venture this opinion though, unless you plan to grow your business over time you're probably better off getting a small part-time job a few hours a week at your local retailer. I think you'll be earning a lot more per hour worked than you could earn in a cottage industry.

Walt

[jzmsvm]

I have to thank all of you for giving your opinions and advice. I understand the words of caution from Allan, iandor and grandpopswalt. Jumping feet first into a new business has a lot of pitslides. I mentioned that we were looking to move to a smaller town and live a quieter lifestyle. Although I would love to be able to work from home (maybe doing my buildings) I know that is an unrealistic expectation. So with all the free time I hope to gain from working closer to home and not driving in Chicago rush hour every day, I was planning on spending that time on my hobbies. Because I am a planner and never do anything without thinking it to death [:)] I wondered if I would be able to sell these buildings I will have time to make. Thank you, tangerine-jack and ttrigg, I will make sure I give you first dibs on any future offerings! And, RhB_HJ, I am flattered at your comment on my work - you get half-price! [:)]
Please keep the advice coming. I would especially love to hear from those who have tried making a small business from the hobby - succeeded or failed.
Jennifer

[tangerine-jack]

Perhaps "business" is not a great word, maybe more like "flea-marketing"???? That way you build what you want, sell what you can (maybe on evil-bay). Just be sure to email me off-forum when you have something up for sale!

Iandor and I have a lot in common, I also know my limitations and would rather farm out work at a reasonable price than to deal with the hassle of trying to do it badly myself. I don't have the time or the artistic eye to make nice buildings like yours Jennifer, nor do I have the inclination to spend $200 or more on a nice kit from Europe. I'd rather give my money to someone else in this hobby when I know that we can all benefit from it, I get a better value per dollar and you get thee satisfaction of knowing that something you created is being enjoyed all over the world.



[oX)]

[RhB_HJ]

Jennifer,

You're welcome.

Send me a mail if you're interested in more suggestions. Our business started out as strictly a side-line.

[John Busby]

Hi Jennifer
You do very good work
But I am not sure about this idea of turning it into a business
could ruin a perfectly good hobby for you.
But if you go down that path small garden decorative and functional structures
would be handy.
My email is in my profile[:D]
regards John

[railroadyoshi]

Jennifer, whichever way you choose, the best of luck to you!