southernpacificgs4 I saw with some months of delay the October 2021 new product announcement from Walthers and I was surprised by the price of a particular passenger car. The Pullman-Standard Bi-Level commuter cars. For a standard car the price is 89.98 dollars and for a lighted cars it is 99.98 dollars. If you want to have a decent train with minimum 5 cars this will cost you 499.90 dollars in the lighted version and this without a locomotive.
I saw with some months of delay the October 2021 new product announcement from Walthers and I was surprised by the price of a particular passenger car.
The Pullman-Standard Bi-Level commuter cars.
For a standard car the price is 89.98 dollars and for a lighted cars it is 99.98 dollars.
If you want to have a decent train with minimum 5 cars this will cost you 499.90 dollars in the lighted version and this without a locomotive.
Rich
Alton Junction
caldreamer Go to N scale. Locomotives and rolling stock are about half the cost of HO and you get four time the railroad in the same space.
Go to N scale. Locomotives and rolling stock are about half the cost of HO and you get four time the railroad in the same space.
However, there are quite a few of us out there that would have a great challenge trying to read dimensional data that small. The small print is especially challenging when you piece dimensional data to match prototypes.
I'm not surprised this thread continues on, with a plethora of gripes but few solutions. But the thing is, this "situation" has been around since the beginning of the hobby. For me, that was the mid 1950s.
My first set was a Marx, cause my parents just could not afford a Lionel or Flyer. So when I was 12, I got a paper route (Chicago Herald American) and delivered papers SEVEN days a week just to afford a 5 car Lionel 0-4-0 switcher set. I recall in the late '50s that Lionel 64xx series box cars were $5.00 - a price that was equal to 1/2 days work for many folks.
In 1960, I moved to HO, and thanks to Athearn BB kits, Atlas track, and an MRC powerpack, I began to build an empire "on the cheap".
Fast forward to the 2000s, which was when I could finally afford the P2K and some BLI Locos and it wasn't until 2008 that I could afford DCC stuff - spending $2k to do so.
My point is, few folks can afford to jump into the hobby with both feet all at once. And, its always been that way - which is something I think some of us forgot.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Just got into DCC and sound about 3 years ago, my power set up was around $500, three throttles and 4 ut-5 and a bunch of cables, a used DCS51 which was $200 of the total but included an MTH DCC sound diesel. Then you add around $200 in frog juicers, thats it. Now if you want to talk DCC and sound enginges I have added, add $1000 but that is for 9 engines, 5 diesels and 4 steam. Included in this list are two Walthers NW2 DCC and sound that I preordered for less than $300.
Yep, it's an expensive hobby, but so are a lot of others. I do wish things were not so expensive at times, but the way things are is that prices are going to be high, especially when we all demand highly detailed, ready to run models with sound, DCC, smoke, and other features. I've found bargains here and there on things and take advantage when I can. I love finding Intermountain, Branchline, P2K, Red Caboose, and other brands of freight car kits that still sell for under $20 each. I've also been okay with spending significantly to have certain models or upgrade said models to my liking. I love building craftsman building kits though simple plastic ones go together quite quickly and look great with some paint and weathering, but I like craftsman kits. Laser cut wood kits aren't much more work and are a lot of fun to build. Plus do not take long. I spent a lot on a brass steam engine to improve the running characteristics and add sound though I could have gotten many plastic or even diecast models for that same amount of money, but I have an NYC Hudson I enjoy a lot that brings a smile to my face whenever I run it. I kind of lucked out 6-years ago when the owner of a now-defunct LHS sold me an NCE Power Cab starter set for about half of retail and it gave me the ability to operate test tracks and now a layout with DCC! I will add to it in time but as I only operate one loco by myself, I've no need currently. The hobby can definitely be expensive but there are ways to save money out there. I do think if we could no longer paint the huge basement empire as the pinnacle of model railroading excellence, though it is quite excellent, and instead show how spare room layouts or shelf layouts for a couple operators to run a few trains is quite excellent, plus not every model has to have DCC and sound. I enjoy running my DC models in silence just as much as my sound equipped toys. Though I enjoy my brass models immensely, I also enjoy excellently done plastic models too.
Alvie
mobilman44 I'm not surprised this thread continues on, with a plethora of gripes but few solutions.
I'm not surprised this thread continues on, with a plethora of gripes but few solutions.
The solution is to buy what you can afford. Nothing says you have to buy a DCC system, with several wireless throttles and a fleet of locos with factory sound. If you can afford that great. If you can't, you can still enjoy the hobby to the same degree it was 50 or more years ago. A few DC locos and some moderately priced rolling stock kits and you're in business. Most of the expensive stuff are things that weren't available to modelers in earliers years. I've already mentioned DCC. We also have RTR rolling stock, pre-built structures, state of the art lighting systems, etc. All these things come with a premium price but none of them are necessities. Budget how much you want to spend on the hobby and live within that. You can still have a lot of fun that way.
My first set was a Marx, cause my parents just could not afford a Lionel or Flyer. So when I was 12, I got a paper route (Chicago Herald American) and delivered papers SEVEN days a week just to afford a 5 car Lionel 0-4-0 switcher set. I recall in the late '50s that Lionel 64xx series box cars were $5.00 - a price that was equal to 1/2 days work for many folks. In 1960, I moved to HO, and thanks to Athearn BB kits, Atlas track, and an MRC powerpack, I began to build an empire "on the cheap". Fast forward to the 2000s, which was when I could finally afford the P2K and some BLI Locos and it wasn't until 2008 that I could afford DCC stuff - spending $2k to do so. My point is, few folks can afford to jump into the hobby with both feet all at once. And, its always been that way - which is something I think some of us forgot.
I think you and I have said about the same thing in different ways. If you choose, you can spend your kids' inheritance on the hobby (not necessarily a bad idea) or you can spend more modestly. In that regard, this hobby is no different than the choices we make for all the consumer products we buy. I could have continued to live in my paid off house in the city but I wanted to move out of the city when I retired and I built a house that cost roughly three times what my paid off house was worth. If you can afford it, you can buy a high end luxury car or you can settle for something a little more economical. Buy what you want and can afford, but I don't see any sense in complaining about how expensive things are.
FRRYKid caldreamer Go to N scale. Locomotives and rolling stock are about half the cost of HO and you get four time the railroad in the same space. However, there are quite a few of us out there that would have a great challenge trying to read dimensional data that small. The small print is especially challenging when you piece dimensional data to match prototypes.
One of the reasons I switched to S scale.
Paul
Traded once or twice weekly golf for model trains in 2006, lot less frustration and I'm thousands ahead. Did buy most locos new with DCC but almost all rolling stock was from the dealers at train shows in Central Florida. Usually in the $5 to $8 range
Deleted
As many have said "the hobby has always been expensive". When I took a 15 year break from the hobby, I started racing indoor go-karts. That was kinda expensive too, as the only tangible thing I got from racing (besides tired shoulders) was a "time sheet", a piece of paper that gave me my individual lap times from that session. I stopped racing in 2007, and went back to model railroading.
When I did start over I chose N scale. As some have mentioned, N Scale is about half the cost of HO. Yes, reading the car data can be hard, but it's not a make or break part of the hobby to me. During Covid I was home for nearly 18 months and money was a bit scarce, so I spent the money I did have on scratchbuilding projects, or buying some decoders and upgrading many of my existing DC engines to DCC. Some projects were just painting, decaling and weathering, such as these Bachmann 70 ton and 44 Ton locos:
Yep, it's possible to keep it on the cheap.
Jeff
groundeffectsSome projects were just painting, decaling and weathering, such as these Bachmann 70 ton and 44 Ton locos:
They look good.
Thanks for sharing your modeling.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
Model railroading has alway been expensive. But you can save money by scrounging and by watching prices to get a good deal. And knowing what things cost and what is a fair price.
I bought a milk car several months ago in a local road name. The trucks had problems. Saw the same car in a different road name - same trucks - for half price. Bought the car and swapped out trucks; got a usable car for an extra $ 30.
I do understand the issue after 40 years enjoying the hobby. In Australia we have a limited outline and number of modellers so the production runs are much smaller and the cost goes up. A new passenger car can be $175 each and a loco DCC / sound starts at $435. I also like the USA models and shops here have been selling a Athearn Big Boy DCC / sound for $1800. It costs me about $500 for a tier 4 Gevo after postage and exchange rates as there are no dealers locally for the models.
I see too many displays that are all RTR models that while looking great are limited to what has been released RTR. I am learning 3D drawing and printing to complete some more interesting models and some pre 1900 models that are not commercially available. I see the decline in kits and scratch building a result of the highly detailed models that are available that many modellers see themselves as not being able to build or kitbash so they will buy the highly detailed models and happily pay the price. Higher prices are here to stay as modellers are paying the price for the detail and features and not spending a great deal of time to finish a single model.