Spending on the hobby: more? Less?

[Anonymous]

I try to set a budget for myself...but honestly, it looks like I'll be spending more this year than last. This includes not only rollingstock but structures, new track, etc.

[Anonymous]

i'm on a "shoestring bubget" so i can't spend to much so i'll say about the same

[Mikeygaw]

More more more! how do you like, it how do you like? More more more!

[Anonymous]

more, not so much because of new products but because im starting my new layout wich is like 3x the size of my old one. so i need LOTS of rolling stock, engines, track, etc.

[BRAKIE]

I have cut down on needless hobby spending..However,I am just more choosy on what I buy.I have even set a limit on what I am willing to pay for high dollar cars and engines-even at discount..I am finish with these robber baron prices that we see more and more of today.[}:)]

[vsmith]

About the same, but maybe less, too many other priorities right now.

[Anonymous]

I put "more", since I just bought a BLI engine today, and I need to build up rosters of freight cars, as well as get an airbrush.

[Anonymous]

Much less I'm afraid.

Went back to school and after paying tuition and living expenses, I really have nothing left at all for my layout. [:(]

Oh well, just gotta put everything on hold for a while.

[CP5415]

About the same here.
I spend about $10-$20 a week so that the better half doesn't get too wound up about the money spent on my model railroad.
Fortunately enough, my LHS does layaway!

Gordon

[Anonymous]

Since didn't spend any last year I guess the obvious choice is more. My credit card is going toget a beating this year.
Andy

[Anonymous]

about the same. I need more BN and GN SD45s Time to break out the airbrush

[Anonymous]

I spend more now that I am getting up and running. I just finished acquiring a town, last of the motive power and wood/track for the building of the pike.

Once I can get by with a few blue box kits, now I am resupplying screws, couplers, paints, wheels etc etc etc. Amazing.

Woodland senics is expected to cost me about 3 dollars every 5 minutes until it is completed. Thank goodness it is 2x8 foot to start with.

[sparkingbolt]

At the most, the same, but probably less. I stocked up on Locos, freight cars, track and power over the last year and made some other rather large hobby related purchaces, so now it's time to go to work with what I have. Dan

[IRONROOSTER]

I'll probably spend the same, but I have gotten more selective. I have plenty of rolling stock so I'll be choosier. Probably get some buildings and a couple of engines.
Enjoy
Paul

[CNJ831]

Less. Whereas I often use to buy an extra freight car or structure kit on impulse for a future project while at the LHS I now only purchase what I will actually use immediately on the layout. Prices have become just too much to allow me to do otherwise and I find that these ever escalating prices are taking a lot of the fun out of the hobby.

CNJ831

[Eriediamond]

I voted other as because of a couple of major sugeries since last November and not working and the hospital bills pileing up, train budget has dropped to zero this year. I still have my club to attend and the friends here on the forum, so can still enjoy the hobby and have the happiness of helping others, so life is still rewarding for me and I'm a happy camper. Also Bubba (>^..^<) keeps me entertained so there is never a dull moment here.

[orsonroy]

I'm spending less on the hobby, but that's only because I've been spending MORE over the past couple of years, to build up my inventory of cars, engines, track and scenery stuff. Now that I have what I need and am building a layout, I don't need to spend as much.

At least, until BLI comes out with their next steam engine....!

[Anonymous]

About the same, though I'll have to be more selective. I just bought 7 Athearn car kits and a Dash 9 - am laying in stocks to build over the summer! I've also managed to find an Athearn RDC (rare over here, I know it's too short but it's a nice-looking model and was very cheap).

[CBQ_Guy]

Hopefully less. Fortunately, I have acquired almost all the motive power and rolling stock I will need for my late 1960's era, Burlington layout over the past dozen years, before all this over priced, RTR plaque hit.

[Anonymous]

Hummm ... less, but you ***-u-me that that would be due to the higher prices for better quality locos and rolling stock. That is not my case. I love the newer products and think that for the quality I'm getting my money's worth.

But I have most of my locomotive needs for the layout - any loco currently out that I want I have. It's not that I have everything, it's just that I have what I want/need. I currently have 43 on a "wanted" list of 55 locos (which will be my final number of locos IF they make every loco that I want - but I doubt that I will ever see a Davenport 44-tonner!).

So for locos (and most rolling stock, too) I'm waiting for new stuff on my "want" list (which is very specific as to certain Rock Island equipment), and have decreased my buying as there are less things to buy that I want !!!

[Anonymous]

I will try to be more careful........at least until Proto comes out with the WM geeps with soumd. Then all bets are off!!![:D]

[hd8091]

more ...but I just retired and am trying to put my first layout together in 35 years

[Anonymous]

less but im getting more stuff

[nkpltrr]

I can't spend as much as I would like due to budget crunch, but I am concerned that the cost of staying in this hobby is increasing exponentially. It seems like everytime a new engine or car is introduced, it is twice what it was before. I know the quality is better and I am willing to pay a reasonble price for quality but $40.00 for a HO car is too much. Worse than that however, is that if you don't buy it right when it comes out, forget it! You can't have it later! This used to be a hobby where you laid you eyes on the latest engine or car, saved your nickels and maybe bought it 6 months after the release. Now if you are more that 6 weeks they are all gone. Hope it changes someday soon or they will price everyone but a few elite out of the hobby. Just an opinion, of course. ('[:)]')

[egmurphy]

I just recently got back in the hobby after a long absence. So last year I bought a lot more than I normally would expect to purchase in a typical year. Since I now have all the track and switches I need, and more engines and cars than will fit on my small layout, I expect that yearly purchases from here on out will be less, but not due to either higher prices or budget considerations. I don't expect the space restrictions to ease at home, so I don't expect to be scrapping this layout and building anything much bigger. But of course there are a few more engines I would like to have if they come out, and some more buildings, and upgrade my car fleet a bit, maybe move into DCC, and......

Regards

Ed

[TrainFreak409]

I'll be spending about the same. I need to save more money, due to the fact that I am investing in a PC. I don't want to even think about getting a third job.

[8]TrainFreak409[8]

[Anonymous]

I think my spending has gone up. I buy a great deal of stuff on ebay and so that accounts for a lot. Before I got the internet (and got on ebay) 4 years ago I spent much less on trains. I'm kind of out in the middle of nowhere and with ebay I don't have to wait till I go out of town to buy trains.

[jsoderq]

Less - for three reasons. First I used to be able to buy 3 kits for the price of one RTR. Second some items are just too high. I bailed on BLI even though I model Pennsy - just too much money and some problems I've heard about. Third - locos are now coming fully outfitted -sound DCC etc. I used to be able to buy and add DCC when I had a few bucks extra. Now I have to have all the money up front. I used to buy an example of each body style someone made, but now just too darn expensive so I only buy certain road names from certain manufacturers

[AggroJones]

In my current situation, I'm spending as much money as I can. Still with hella sacrafices. I'm spending more than I did a few months ago.