Modeling railroading on a limited budget

[Anonymous]

My layout was built with scrap lumber-if you have even basic carpentry skills you can turn a scrap of plywood or two and a few used 2x4s into a modeling paradise-no need for a lot of exotic materials here.
Always be on the look out for anything you can add a dab of paint to and turn it into something useful for the layout--use your imagination. It seems to lacking in a lot of todays modelers, check out the arts and crafts stores for dirt, grass, things to use for trees, can save a bundle here, vs woodand scenics stuff
I have made some very nice structures from wood and cardboard, I get the idea from the how to make a (whatever) article in MR, of course these articles almost always use styrene, I do the same thing only with wood , cardboard and paper
I have made some nice trees using modeling clay and wire .shape the tree with wire, put clay around it, bake it for a few minutes. add some foilage and you can create a grove of trees in an hour or so, I mean nice trees, with exposed branches
If you have a color printer, you can make your own siding, bricks, signs
--so it can be done, ,just takes more time and effort, but a lot less cash, that way you can spend your bucks where the fun is locos, rolling stock and track
--be careful of track and turnouts you buy at train shows tho--look it over real good.

[Anonymous]

My layout was built with scrap lumber-if you have even basic carpentry skills you can turn a scrap of plywood or two and a few used 2x4s into a modeling paradise-no need for a lot of exotic materials here.
Always be on the look out for anything you can add a dab of paint to and turn it into something useful for the layout--use your imagination. It seems to lacking in a lot of todays modelers, check out the arts and crafts stores for dirt, grass, things to use for trees, can save a bundle here, vs woodand scenics stuff
I have made some very nice structures from wood and cardboard, I get the idea from the how to make a (whatever) article in MR, of course these articles almost always use styrene, I do the same thing only with wood , cardboard and paper
I have made some nice trees using modeling clay and wire .shape the tree with wire, put clay around it, bake it for a few minutes. add some foilage and you can create a grove of trees in an hour or so, I mean nice trees, with exposed branches
If you have a color printer, you can make your own siding, bricks, signs
--so it can be done, ,just takes more time and effort, but a lot less cash, that way you can spend your bucks where the fun is locos, rolling stock and track
--be careful of track and turnouts you buy at train shows tho--look it over real good.

[BentnoseWillie]

I work with about $CAD 1500 a year for modelling, including at least one weekend away from home to attend a show or convention.

I have an 8 x 12 layout operated with DCC. After two years of DCC operations, I'm up to seven locomotives with decoders installed, and one walkaround throttle. Early on I got a couple of MRC decoders cheap (less that $CAD 20 each); they work their way through most engines I acquire until a better decoder is bought and installed.

I build and paint my own equipment whenever possible, and I shop carefully. Ask the proprietor of my local hobby shop how cheap I am!

[BentnoseWillie]

I work with about $CAD 1500 a year for modelling, including at least one weekend away from home to attend a show or convention.

I have an 8 x 12 layout operated with DCC. After two years of DCC operations, I'm up to seven locomotives with decoders installed, and one walkaround throttle. Early on I got a couple of MRC decoders cheap (less that $CAD 20 each); they work their way through most engines I acquire until a better decoder is bought and installed.

I build and paint my own equipment whenever possible, and I shop carefully. Ask the proprietor of my local hobby shop how cheap I am!

[Trainnut484]

I look for the best deals too. And know where and when is my limit...so my wife tells me LOL.

[Trainnut484]

I look for the best deals too. And know where and when is my limit...so my wife tells me LOL.

[Anonymous]

this is a age old problem,but it can be overcome. there are always deals to be made to buy almost anything, you need. the hobby houses are always offering locos and cars cheaper than retail. so what if you cannot get the road name you want the item could be a lot less money. keep an open mind when you purchase. as you get deeper into the hobby you will get better at finding things for less most of the time. stay with conventional block control when you build but you can wire for dcc and still save money. later on you may be able to change over to dcc when you have more money if you desire. good luck!

[Anonymous]

this is a age old problem,but it can be overcome. there are always deals to be made to buy almost anything, you need. the hobby houses are always offering locos and cars cheaper than retail. so what if you cannot get the road name you want the item could be a lot less money. keep an open mind when you purchase. as you get deeper into the hobby you will get better at finding things for less most of the time. stay with conventional block control when you build but you can wire for dcc and still save money. later on you may be able to change over to dcc when you have more money if you desire. good luck!

[wp8thsub]

"if you can post at a local hobby shop that you are looking to join a modal RR club or group and are accepted, snap it up. If you can join a group, its kind of like an apprenticeship."

That's good advice. Try to find either a local club or round robin group and refine your likes and dislikes as you see what they're up to. It's easy to make uninformed guesses about what you think will maintain your hobby interest and waste money on purchases you later regret.

The admonition to favor quality over quantity has been stated in several previous responses but can't be overemphasized. A small layout with one high quality locomotive and a few nice cars, running on good track beats a room sized empire filled with cheap toy stuff that neither looks good nor runs well.

One of the best ways to maintain purchasing discipline is to pick a specific prototype and era and stick to it faithfully. It helps you resist temptation to lust after the newest cool product if it doesn't fit what you're modeling.

Also, take heart in what the actual cost of the hobby is, adjusted for inflation. When you see the "low" prices from the "good old days," consider the typical income levels then vs. now. If all hobby proces kept pace with overall inflation, you'd be paying $30 for an Athearn box car kit that's still available for under $10. One retired friend remarked about the quality and prices of the products available now compared to when he entered the hobby decades ago and said "these ARE the good times..."

[wp8thsub]

"if you can post at a local hobby shop that you are looking to join a modal RR club or group and are accepted, snap it up. If you can join a group, its kind of like an apprenticeship."

That's good advice. Try to find either a local club or round robin group and refine your likes and dislikes as you see what they're up to. It's easy to make uninformed guesses about what you think will maintain your hobby interest and waste money on purchases you later regret.

The admonition to favor quality over quantity has been stated in several previous responses but can't be overemphasized. A small layout with one high quality locomotive and a few nice cars, running on good track beats a room sized empire filled with cheap toy stuff that neither looks good nor runs well.

One of the best ways to maintain purchasing discipline is to pick a specific prototype and era and stick to it faithfully. It helps you resist temptation to lust after the newest cool product if it doesn't fit what you're modeling.

Also, take heart in what the actual cost of the hobby is, adjusted for inflation. When you see the "low" prices from the "good old days," consider the typical income levels then vs. now. If all hobby proces kept pace with overall inflation, you'd be paying $30 for an Athearn box car kit that's still available for under $10. One retired friend remarked about the quality and prices of the products available now compared to when he entered the hobby decades ago and said "these ARE the good times..."

[Anonymous]

N scale on a budget? Just what I have done. Train shows are okay but I have done much better at model railway
flea markets. Don't know if you have access to any. Some Life-Like engine designs run well at a crawl, some don't. Bachman Spectrum engines (that I have) run well at a crawl but have a lot of gear noise (high ratio gears).
Found I can get engines, rolling stock, track, power packs, building kits at discounted prices. Turnouts have been more of a problem. For scenery, try to use natural or readily available materials. Example: bought a large quantity of bottle bru***ype evergreen trees at a local plant nursery and craft supply after Christmas clearance sale. Look for alternatives, improvise. I have seldom paid full price for anything. Was raised to be thrifty.

[Anonymous]

N scale on a budget? Just what I have done. Train shows are okay but I have done much better at model railway
flea markets. Don't know if you have access to any. Some Life-Like engine designs run well at a crawl, some don't. Bachman Spectrum engines (that I have) run well at a crawl but have a lot of gear noise (high ratio gears).
Found I can get engines, rolling stock, track, power packs, building kits at discounted prices. Turnouts have been more of a problem. For scenery, try to use natural or readily available materials. Example: bought a large quantity of bottle bru***ype evergreen trees at a local plant nursery and craft supply after Christmas clearance sale. Look for alternatives, improvise. I have seldom paid full price for anything. Was raised to be thrifty.

[Anonymous]

I can simpathize with working on a budget, my layouts have changed a few times in the past five years reflecting on current employement / housing situations. I may be repeating some of the other mentioned items but:
Plan Plan PLAN. decide on layout size, if you don't have any set ideas for it ( ie. prototype) page through Model Railroader's books and mag's, buy a track templete or download atlas's right track software (Shareware version) and fiddle with the design.
Once you have a basic plan then you can figure needs for items, track, wire and such.

Make a Needs / Want list: ie: I need 3 switches for a industry, I want the new Walthers blast furnace and other building to go with it (don't we all want that....) Buy only what you need to. work in small sections. Wants come later as cash permits.

Scratch build or use mock up buildings: I've gone into my favorite hobby shop with a pen and clip board to copy down measurements on buildings that i wanted but couldn't get right away. cardboard worked until I decided to get it some are still in use.

House hold items in scenery work well, certain spices make great ground cover and smell good too (Note use older or rarely used spices they can be expensive)
Lichen which is sold in the dried / fake plant area at walmart makes good in expensive trees, use a couple dowels, some floral wire you can make a variety of tree's (At least 20-30 with 2 dowels for under $3.

look @ sales at local hobby shops, sometimes you can find good deals on flex or sectional track, damaged kits to kitbash, surplus / older stock that isn't moving.

If you know someone who is tearing down a layout, see if you can salvage items from their's (Helps if you offer some money...)

Train sets are at your own risk, sometimes it can worth it, back up power pack, some cars and a okay engine most times.

hope this helps

[Anonymous]

I can simpathize with working on a budget, my layouts have changed a few times in the past five years reflecting on current employement / housing situations. I may be repeating some of the other mentioned items but:
Plan Plan PLAN. decide on layout size, if you don't have any set ideas for it ( ie. prototype) page through Model Railroader's books and mag's, buy a track templete or download atlas's right track software (Shareware version) and fiddle with the design.
Once you have a basic plan then you can figure needs for items, track, wire and such.

Make a Needs / Want list: ie: I need 3 switches for a industry, I want the new Walthers blast furnace and other building to go with it (don't we all want that....) Buy only what you need to. work in small sections. Wants come later as cash permits.

Scratch build or use mock up buildings: I've gone into my favorite hobby shop with a pen and clip board to copy down measurements on buildings that i wanted but couldn't get right away. cardboard worked until I decided to get it some are still in use.

House hold items in scenery work well, certain spices make great ground cover and smell good too (Note use older or rarely used spices they can be expensive)
Lichen which is sold in the dried / fake plant area at walmart makes good in expensive trees, use a couple dowels, some floral wire you can make a variety of tree's (At least 20-30 with 2 dowels for under $3.

look @ sales at local hobby shops, sometimes you can find good deals on flex or sectional track, damaged kits to kitbash, surplus / older stock that isn't moving.

If you know someone who is tearing down a layout, see if you can salvage items from their's (Helps if you offer some money...)

Train sets are at your own risk, sometimes it can worth it, back up power pack, some cars and a okay engine most times.

hope this helps

[Anonymous]

As I had suggested to my collegues on our yahoo site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/emwrrc/
I started by putting away $40.00 every payday into an envelope, or spent the same amount in the hobby shop every two weeks, buying track and cork.
Over the last two years, it's amounted to a lot, and my wife hasn't noticed a huge dip in the ol' bank account if something expensive comes up.
be frugal![:D]
Tim

[Anonymous]

As I had suggested to my collegues on our yahoo site http://groups.yahoo.com/group/emwrrc/
I started by putting away $40.00 every payday into an envelope, or spent the same amount in the hobby shop every two weeks, buying track and cork.
Over the last two years, it's amounted to a lot, and my wife hasn't noticed a huge dip in the ol' bank account if something expensive comes up.
be frugal![:D]
Tim

[jsanchez]

Surprised no one mentioned e-bay, tens of thousands og good deals there, just make sure to check the sellers feedback.

James
www.parail.com

[jsanchez]

Surprised no one mentioned e-bay, tens of thousands og good deals there, just make sure to check the sellers feedback.

James
www.parail.com

[Anonymous]

find where thay are biulding some new homes they will have some scraps of matiral that if youask thay will let you have. that is howe i made my tabel for my layout.bye used and fix it your self..i go to yard sale fleemarkets and get my thinings. me and my son clean and fix it are self that way we both learn and have fun at the same time. good luck dan rister

[Anonymous]

find where thay are biulding some new homes they will have some scraps of matiral that if youask thay will let you have. that is howe i made my tabel for my layout.bye used and fix it your self..i go to yard sale fleemarkets and get my thinings. me and my son clean and fix it are self that way we both learn and have fun at the same time. good luck dan rister

[Anonymous]

My LHS has some new diesel locos that are older, that he is willing to sell me for $10-15 each (don't know the brand/model till I go to the LHS tomorrow) and a new (older) MRC power supply for $35. This is just the ticket since I need something to test my track before I go any further in my layout construction and can't currently afford to lay out the big bucks for the steamer that I want, so this will work out well for the moment.

[Anonymous]

My LHS has some new diesel locos that are older, that he is willing to sell me for $10-15 each (don't know the brand/model till I go to the LHS tomorrow) and a new (older) MRC power supply for $35. This is just the ticket since I need something to test my track before I go any further in my layout construction and can't currently afford to lay out the big bucks for the steamer that I want, so this will work out well for the moment.