For many years I have been doing all my on line purchase with M.B. Klein aka Model Train Stuff.
Recently I notice the following on their web site: "Attention Customers: Due to new USPS shipping regulations we are no longer able to offer First Class shipping to our international customers. Priority Mail and UPS shipping options are still available. We apologize for any inconvenience." I did not pay much attention to this notice until my recent order.
A few day ago I ordered 3 freight car for a total purchase of $62.77. When I processed the shipping cost it was $30. via USPS and nearly $130 UPS. $30. for a purchase of $62.77, this stopped me right there and then and this will put an end to my relationship with Klein.
I don't blame Klein one bit for this as they are also a victim of USPS and probably our own Canadian postal service
This is most unfortunate for me as there is not hobby shop within 100 miles from my location.
Had I went ahead with this transaction total cost to me would have been $119.15 when all currency exchange, handling charges and taxes were added. This add $56,38 CAD to a $62.77USD purchase.
Unbeleivable.
Jack W.
Thanks for letting us know, Jack. I hadn't seen that, although I haven't ordered anything from them in a couple of months or more. I wonder if trainworld and the other etailers are now facing the same thing.
I think it's the writing on the wall for postal systems the world over.
Crandell
jalajoie Due to new USPS shipping regulations we are no longer able to offer First Class shipping to our international customers.
That's exactly why I won't order or buy from any on line store or e-Bay store outside the US..The shipping is ridiculous----and you still have to watch for jacked up domestic shipping charges.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Some how I just know this will be taken wrong by some of our Canadian friends, but living here in the USA, we are largely removed from these issues.
I don't live in Canada, and I cannot begin to understand your circumstances as Canadians who buy model trains, but personally, I never buy anything directly from a retailer in another country. And I find it interesting that there are not retailers or mail order outlets in your country willing and able to sell to you these products without all these high shipping fees.
I guess I just don't understand, and that has prompted my comments today.
I buy and sell a little (very little) on Ebay. I would never even consider bidding on something listed by someone in another country. Only a few times have I sold anything to people in other countries. And while I did not mind doing the little extra work required to ship stuff to another country, I could not understand their willingness to pay all those extra costs?
When I do use the USPS to ship items within the US, I am very happy with their prices and services. Not sure why our collective governments have made this so complex?
Yes, I'm another spoiled American,
Sheldon
And yet...
A couple of weeks back, I was looking for the battery charger for a digital camera we own. I couldn't find it anywhere, which made the camera useless. At my daughter's suggestion, I looked into ordering another one. There it was, $7.99 on eBay, But It Now, free shipping.
The item was in Hong Kong. It arrived 5 days later, USPS. I was able to track the progress of the item, too.
I can't imagine what it would cost me to send the same item to Hong Kong, but I'm guessing it would be more than $7.99. It's hard to believe that the Chinese are not subsidizing mail to the US. Of course, that's one reason that China is on the rise as an economic power and the US is not.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Yes, I have found this to be true as well.
I have purchased 80% of my M.R. goods from Stateside. Everything from 3 Controlmaster 20 power packs to my 40 Locos and everything else. I have always had good service with using USPS on the shipping end and Canada Post on the delivery end.
Only once did I have a package broken into and a Loco stolen and replaced with some black iron tongs. Who knows how or why or where this happened. It might not have been stolen but several packages broken and goods mixed up. (giving benefit of doubt). The problem here in lies in this situation,,,, when going to attempt a closure through insurance, USPS will not pay because they didn't finalize the process of delivering. Canada Post ignores you because they weren't involved at the shipping end. However I was blest in this instance as the shipper from a small place in Utah found it in his heart and refunded my money
The last two purchases I have made and had shipped here, I found the cost of the shipping had more than doubled, so I now will have anything I find or want from south of the 49th shipped to my Son (Stateside) and get it from him when we visit or he comes home, which together is about 3 times a year.
UPS or FEDEX have always been ridiculous in their charges and after my first couple of tries there, years ago, I have avoided them like the plague. They truly have a license to steal.
If there is a one stop shop here in Canada, I would think it would be Trains & Such in Calgary or Credit Valley in Ontario. If others have a one stop source with fair prices please let us know..
I am glad most of my purchases are done..How often have I told my Wife that.
Johnboy out..........................
from Saskatchewan, in the Great White North..
We have met the enemy, and he is us............ (Pogo)
The cheapest way to send, say, a passenger car even in Canada, is $14.00 by Canada Post Priority Mail. Ebay has been trying to force sellers to Canada to only use Priority Post, as it can be tracked & insured. But as other posters have noted, it doesn't make much sense when it doubles or triples the original sales price.
But it's still a free country, on both sides of the border; and I generally find that sellers are more than happy to send items by whatever method requested by the seller. So now I only do business with those sellers willing to send by First Class International. In over 5 years of doing this, only two packages have disappeared into the ether, and this happened while I was moving & our wonderful postal system couldn't figure out how to forward packages...so yes, I find it quite safe. And since it's always paid through PayPal, my purchases are covered by their insurance plan, so I've never been out funds.
Care must be taken, though, as unscrupulous sellers often try to hide their 'real' asking price within the shipping fees. A case in point would be the mini spycams (great for track-level vids); the Hong Kong sellers decided that the net price would be $17.99. So you would see all possible permutations of this price, i.e., .99 for the camera, & $17 shipping, or $6.99 for the camera, & $11.00 shipping...you get the idea.
bigpianoguyA case in point would be the mini spycams (great for track-level vids); the Hong Kong sellers decided that the net price would be $17.99. So you would see all possible permutations of this price, i.e., .99 for the camera, & $17 shipping, or $6.99 for the camera, & $11.00 shipping...you get the idea.
They're not the only ones.
For those that may not know when in doubt about the shipping charges double check by going to usps.com and getting the correct shipping.
Sadly there are those trying to add their e-bay fees to the shipping.
Yes, it's a little extra hassle as a seller to deal with an international buyer. But one reason why they are willing to spend for the shipping is that it's most likely cheaper than either buying an American item in their country or buying the local alternative, should it exist. After all, we model mostly what we see, as do other MRRs around the world. But some of us dabble in odd and distant railways. For some people, that's a UP diesel.
I have also found First Class International reliable and inexpensive, with service in some cases being just as fast as the premium ones. But ebay is taking a cut out of shipping now, so wants to push people to use the more expensive options, so their piece of our pie is bigger. And the post office is pretty much doing the same.
In the long run, only things truly unusual, rare, or cheap enough to bear the costs involved in the rest of the sale will make it worth the cost once things are totaled up.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
The USPS is losing money, lots of it, and relies on taxpayers to subsidize it. They recently changed the fees for international shipping to try to stem the losses.
That meant the end of "free" shipping on many things destined for export.
Canada Post operates on a break even model, and receives no subsidies. Still their rates can be a little ridiculous. So you don't make small orders where the freight will be a significant part of the cost.
On top of that, Massachusetts and probably a few other states are beating on Amazon and others to collect sales tax on items bought by people here.
But the good news is...all of these things work in favor of the LHS!
MisterBeasleyBut the good news is...all of these things work in favor of the LHS!
Only if his store is well stocked with competitive prices.
I still won't buy at full MSRP..
BRAKIE MisterBeasleyBut the good news is...all of these things work in favor of the LHS! Only if his store is well stocked with competitive prices. I still won't buy at full MSRP..
When there were LHS in this area the rule of thumb was to look at the Walthers catalog, add 25% to 35% and that was the local retail price.
Now that was during the period of when the Canadian dollar was around 80% of the US dollar.
The LHS never had prices approaching the large discount model railroad have.
I can only assume that there are few Canadian distributors that are at the bottom of this pricing situation.
Well, it does not matter now, there are so few LHS left.
Even with the Priority Mailing charges it is still relatively cheap, I do only opt for large orders now. I am glad though that the bulk of my spending is now past. Very few expensive items to buy..
I forgot to mention that in many instances Priority Post from the US to Canada actually takes longer than the International post.
More of my items sent priority end up sitting in the Canadian Customs warehouse for weeks, while the International post hardly ever has a customs sticker on it and often reaches me quicker than priority post
If Canada Customs decides to open your parcel there is a $10 fee for the inspection, most parcels are not opened but when they are...
At the risk of alienating CAN people here, I have to say I agree with Sheldon.
I always assumed {you know what that means} that CAN residents ordered USA train items, that is a B&O loco instead of a CP loco for instance, and thusly ordered from the USA to get the USA train livery items only because they were not available to them there in CAN. That may be the case in some cases, but not all apparently.
I couldn't believe that there is not a CAN retailer LHS or whatever there that doesn't carry what you'd want to buy.
Your CAN post may be higher to send within your own country, but you know what happens when you get a "bargain" by buying elsewhere!! That is what you MAY pay if the USPS actually charged REAL costs to post packages within the USA and to abroad. So now they charge the real fees to the outside customers.
YOU CANNOT COMPLAIN when a "BARGAIN" deal is taken away! ANY retailer, shipper etc, ANY business that is "giving away" it's products or services WILL eventually want to make up for it.
As mentioned, the USPS is LOSING MONEY AT AN ALARMING RATE. Postage should be about US$1.25 fpr a letter, more than double what it is now. It may even get there if they can't systematically make the USPS break even. You know what happens to a business that is a LOSING PROPOSITION, DOn't you? The signs will soon read: "CLOSED", "OUT OF BUSINESS", "DEAD".
So to the CAN postal customers: you have been"Subsidized" by our postal service for so long, and now is the time to "pay up".
It MAY be unfortunate that you cannot buy from your USA partners in hobby anymore, but .....I don't really feel sorry for you, not when it may cost me more than twice as much as now to mail a simple letter of my own within my own country sooner than I'd like if the rates rise to reflect actual costs here too!
AS far as online ordering TAX COLLECTION: NY has been demanding the online retailers collect it's state taxes for a while now. So why should you all get a deal and not pay taxes when some of us do? Here at the border with PA, it is automatically ASSUMED you have shopped in PA, even if you haven't set foot in the whole state of PA in your life. AND while in PA, if they collect taxes on you, you don't get a reprieve from NY, you pay double taxation!. LET MASSACHUSETTS collect away! The taxes collected may REDUCE your home tax base!
We, IN NY, have the line on State income taxes, for "sales and use" taxes on out of state tax free purchases. YOU CANNOT NOT PAY. It won't let you past the line without an entry of either "default taxes", or the "actual amount" you need to pay based on what you bought through the year.
FAIR TAXES AND FEES FOR ALL , I SAY!
PAY up!
-G .
Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.
HO and N Scale.
After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.
MisterBeasley I can't imagine what it would cost me to send the same item to Hong Kong, but I'm guessing it would be more than $7.99. It's hard to believe that the Chinese are not subsidizing mail to the US. Of course, that's one reason that China is on the rise as an economic power and the US is not.
It's possible that it would. There's some odd postal conventions between the US and China.
galaxy So to the CAN postal customers: you have been"Subsidized" by our postal service for so long, and now is the time to "pay up". It MAY be unfortunate that you cannot buy from your USA partners in hobby anymore, but .....I don't really feel sorry for you, not when it may cost me more than twice as much as now to mail a simple letter of my own within my own country sooner than I'd like if the rates rise to reflect actual costs here too! No one here is asking for a pity party Galaxy, just stating facts. PAY up! You of all people know well about looking for a deal, you talk about it all the time. In the case of subsidies etc. and good deals, need I remind you that all of the best Canadian Lumber goes Stateside and you buy it less than we can, the same goes for Petroleum products, the same goes for Potash and Salmon the list goes on and on and covers the full gammit of products. So in the same manner that you throw out the word Subsidies, we can too..............If that is what you want to do. Johnboy out.........................
No one here is asking for a pity party Galaxy, just stating facts.
You of all people know well about looking for a deal, you talk about it all the time.
In the case of subsidies etc. and good deals, need I remind you that all of the best Canadian Lumber goes Stateside and you buy it less than we can, the same goes for Petroleum products, the same goes for Potash and Salmon the list goes on and on and covers the full gammit of products. So in the same manner that you throw out the word Subsidies, we can too..............If that is what you want to do.
Johnboy out.........................
Hi Jack,
I guess it's all relative. I usually place orders of about $300 or more to cover the cost of postage. I recently needed some unitrack but included a Loco and airbrush in the order so that the postage cost was spread over some more expensive items. My order totaled US$281.19. The Aussie dollar was buying US$1.05 at the time and I used USPS. The items arrived in 2 weeks (In Brisbane Australia) and my card was billed AU$333.00. I saved over AU$100 on the loco, about AU$25 on the airbrush and nearly AU$50 on the Kato double crossover as well as smaller savings on the other items compared to LHS prices. Unfortunately the Aussie dollar has dropped from $1.05 to $0.92 in the last few weeks so costs will go up for me and other Aussies. I think Canadians are subsidising Aussies on the international postage. It's a long way to USA to Australia compared to Canada and as you can see I only paid about $34 for postage. I certainly wouldn't buy a couple of $20 freight cars with that extra postage added.
cheers
Alan
Alan Jones in Sunny Queensland (Oz)
Guess someone forgot to include the postal systems in NAFTA.
The U.S. postal system does lose money, but a lot of that is due to requirements and restrictions the Congress lays on them.
I'm not getting into the sales tax mess, except to say in Virginia there's at least four different levels/categories from free to at least 10%.
Paul
I periodically sell items on ebay, and I always use a flat rate shipping amount (for US buyers) that is hopefuilly more than the actual shipping. It covers the packaging material and the gas to get the item to either the post office or UPS. To me, even more important, is avoiding an item I recently sold that I estimated $10 shippng and it cost me $18. Ouch.
By using a flat rate anyone bidding on my item knows exactly what the total cost will be- no suprises. Any most items I sell are fairly low value, I start the bid at .99 and sometimes the item sells for that. There is no overhad to cover handling and packaging costs. Seems fair to me.
A few facts are in order to clear up some inaccuracies in this thread.
The USPS loses money because the US Congress requires it to pre-fund health care benefit costs for future USPS employees for 75 years into the future. The USPS is not subsidized by the taxpayers (not since 1970); it is self-funded as a result of the goods and services (shipping materials, stamps, and mailing options like Express Mail, Priority Mail, etc) it sells. It actually is the only federal government agency that I know of that makes a profit (which it used to do and would be doing now if the Congress would stop raiding it).
International shipping/mailing regulations are at the mercy of the laws that governments enact (and they are quite cumbersome and frequently defy logic), helped along by things like the war on terrorism.
This is a complex issue, and therefore the solutions for buyers and shippers are going to be tough to find. Sadly, I don’t expect it to improve.
Respectfully,
Wilton – USPS Retired.
last mountain & eastern hogger No one here is asking for a pity party Galaxy, just stating facts. PAY up! You of all people know well about looking for a deal, you talk about it all the time. In the case of subsidies etc. and good deals, need I remind you that all of the best Canadian Lumber goes Stateside and you buy it less than we can, the same goes for Petroleum products, the same goes for Potash and Salmon the list goes on and on and covers the full gammit of products. So in the same manner that you throw out the word Subsidies, we can too..............If that is what you want to do. Johnboy out.........................
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
To the Canadians who are having trouble finding Canadian suppliers, I would suggest looking at 'Canadian Express Line':
http://www.canadianexpressline.com/
Dave can supply pretty much anything you want and he offers a discount off of the MSRP (varies by manufacturer). He does carry a fair inventory. He charges very reasonable shipping prices. It sometimes takes a couple of weeks to get everything you order if he doesn't have the item in stock, but you are beating the $30+ USPS Priority shipping fees. You unfortunately won't get the bargain discounts that some of the larger US dealers are able to offer, but as has already been said if the price for your bargain doubles due to shipping costs it probably isn't much of a bargain anymore.
Please note that I am not associated with Canadian Express Line other than as a satisfied customer.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Gidday. Firstly I'd just like to make it perfectly clear that NO one twisted my arm and made me model the North American prototype so, from my perspective, things like currency fluctuations and the freight costs are just part and parcel of the fun.
Can't do anything about currency fluctuations, currently the New Zealand $ is worth 78 US cents, was very recently worth 83 US cents, but has been, a few years ago, as low as worth 55 US cents. Thank goodness for projects back then.
Like Alan from Sunny Queensland, I try to make my purchases from the US just under NZ$ 400, (1) higher than that amount it attracts tax here, (2) it makes the freight costs almost worth while.
My last purchase from "Model Train Stuff" was: Bachmann Spectrum HO EM-1, NZ$ 229.99; Plug and Play sound Module Decoder for B&O EM-1, NZ$ 79.99; Shipping and Handling, NZ$ 52.65. Grand total NZ$ 362.63.
Now I have not seen one of these locos for sale locally but for rough comparison, from a NZ LHS; 'Bachmann Spectrum DCC-Sound Equipped USRA 2-6-6-2 Articulated Steam Locomotive (84801) HO Scale Painted Unlettered - Black (C & O® H5 version) $1,247.84 Special price $590.00."
You can see why I do shop off shore occasionally, sometimes its also the only way I'm able to buy certain kits.
Aaaaaaaah, the Joys of Model Railroading.
Cheers, the Bear,
from the not so sunny New Zealand
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
hon30critter To the Canadians who are having trouble finding Canadian suppliers, I would suggest looking at 'Canadian Express Line': http://www.canadianexpressline.com/ Dave can supply pretty much anything you want and he offers a discount off of the MSRP (varies by manufacturer). He does carry a fair inventory. He charges very reasonable shipping prices. It sometimes takes a couple of weeks to get everything you order if he doesn't have the item in stock, but you are beating the $30+ USPS Priority shipping fees. You unfortunately won't get the bargain discounts that some of the larger US dealers are able to offer, but as has already been said if the price for your bargain doubles due to shipping costs it probably isn't much of a bargain anymore. Please note that I am not associated with Canadian Express Line other than as a satisfied customer. Dave
I'd have to agree. Dave also hits some of the local shows as well, so you can buy in person too. Not sure if he'll be at the Railway Museum of Eastern Ontario's show/event in late August.
I bought a Sunset Models Selkirk from him last year. Got a reasonable deal and had it in no time.
Another dealer who does a lot of online sales in Ontario is Lark Spur Line.
Some things are hard to find, so you have to buy them from the US, others are a bit on the expensive side so shopping around, and having the options, is always good.
Geared SteamUSPS is being paid for by me, Galaxy, Sheldon and all other US taxpayers. We don't really care to do this, and UPS and FED EX prove that private enterprise does it better that a subsidized government entity.
Geared Steam,
Not to be nit-picky, but re-read Wilton's post just before yours. USPS is NOT subsidized by the taxpayer, with the exceptions noted below. They have to break even, even after being saddled with costs by Congress for retirement funded in a way that isn't imposed on the private sector.
"The USPS is required by law tocover its costs, and it has not received taxpayer subsidies since theearly 1980s. However, it does receive an annual appropriation fromCongress of about $100 million (or 0.1 percent of its $75 billionoperating budget) as compensation for the revenue it forgoes inproviding, through congressional mandate, free mailing privilegesfor the blind as well as absentee-ballot mailing for overseas military..."
That a quote from the Cato Institute, not exactly some liberal outfit.
So no taxpayer in the US is sponsoring mailings to Canada or anywhere else at below cost.
Mike,
Thank you for providing that amplifying information on how the Congress mandates how the USPS has to conduct it's business - I had overlooked it in my post. Also worth mentioning are the facts that US congressmen and senators enjoy what we used to call a "franking" privilege, no paying postage for the mail they send to their constituents, as well as that the Congress imposes the health care pre-funding requirement on no other branch of the federal government.
Wilton.
last mountain & eastern hogger galaxy No one here is asking for a pity party Galaxy, just stating facts. PAY up! You of all people know well about looking for a deal, you talk about it all the time. In the case of subsidies etc. and good deals, need I remind you that all of the best Canadian Lumber goes Stateside and you buy it less than we can, the same goes for Petroleum products, the same goes for Potash and Salmon the list goes on and on and covers the full gammit of products. So in the same manner that you throw out the word Subsidies, we can too..............If that is what you want to do. Johnboy out.........................
galaxy No one here is asking for a pity party Galaxy, just stating facts. PAY up! You of all people know well about looking for a deal, you talk about it all the time. In the case of subsidies etc. and good deals, need I remind you that all of the best Canadian Lumber goes Stateside and you buy it less than we can, the same goes for Petroleum products, the same goes for Potash and Salmon the list goes on and on and covers the full gammit of products. So in the same manner that you throw out the word Subsidies, we can too..............If that is what you want to do. Johnboy out.........................
Johnboy...are you trying to tell me there are NO bargains or deals in CAN? I find THAT hard to believe. Is it so expensive up there that you would have to leave the hobby then?
I don't buy stuff from foreign online retailers to avoid the hassles of getting it here and clearing customs or whatever ti takes to get it here. Now maybe I am lucky in that that stuff I want/need is HERE and not in a foreign country....OH WAIT, I have a 'foreign vehicle' and have had to wait 8 weeks for a part on the slow moving boat to get here and it wasn't cheap, fortuantely under warrantee..
And if the CAN "best stuff" is going stateside, As Geared Steam says, someone up there is making money, whether the CAN government or private enterprise. Obviously the USA is willing to pay MORE than the CANs for those items so it gets sold to us, THe Highest Bidder. OR CAN has so much extra the CANs don't consume all so they export to the USA. I don't think the CAN gov't is "subsidizing the USA" on those products...the "FT" in NAFTA is the "FREE TRADE".
WE, the USA exports our natural gas and makes a pretty penny doing it! We are willing to give it up for the $$$ and
And My slammin' Sammin' {salmon-what we call it} comes from the USA Farm raised varieties or the fresh air-transported-east variety from the West of the USA.
jalajoie For many years I have been doing all my on line purchase with M.B. Klein aka Model Train Stuff. Recently I notice the following on their web site: "Attention Customers: Due to new USPS shipping regulations we are no longer able to offer First Class shipping to our international customers. Priority Mail and UPS shipping options are still available. We apologize for any inconvenience." I did not pay much attention to this notice until my recent order. A few day ago I ordered 3 freight car for a total purchase of $62.77. When I processed the shipping cost it was $30. via USPS and nearly $130 UPS. $30. for a purchase of $62.77, this stopped me right there and then and this will put an end to my relationship with Klein. I don't blame Klein one bit for this as they are also a victim of USPS and probably our own Canadian postal service This is most unfortunate for me as there is not hobby shop within 100 miles from my location. Had I went ahead with this transaction total cost to me would have been $119.15 when all currency exchange, handling charges and taxes were added. This add $56,38 CAD to a $62.77USD purchase. Unbeleivable.
Getting back to the OP, and his original post, I have a few more thoughts, some covered by others along the way.
From time to time, I order a fair amount of stuff from Train World in NYC - I live in Maryland. No matter how reasonable, there are always shipping charges. So like some others have mentioned, I don't place small orders. I make a list, that makes the freight worth while, and order it all at once.
As for MB Klein, I have done a fair amount of business there in the last 46 years as well - but I have never paid a freight charge - lucky me, I'm special - not really, I just happen to live about 35 minutes from their store - and have lived in this area all my life, worked in the hobby busienss years ago, and have spoke with Ted Klein (the owner) many times over the years.
Shopping on line, or by any long distance method, has its trade offs. Shipping charges are one of them.
I also have a LHS, at least for a while yet, the owner is planning on retiring soon. I buy a lot of stuff there too - he is only about 12 doors down the street in a small local shopping center. Yes, I can walk to my LHS. It is a small shop, that actually specializes in O gauge and large scale - but he will order what ever you want, gives reasonable discounts, does not charge shipping on special orders.
And then there is a the Great Scale Model Train Show, multiple times a year, held just down the street from MB Klein. As well as several other train shops, some with very low discount prices and great selections, all within one or two hours drive.
So, I'm sorry you live where the products of the world are not at your finger tips, but that is not anyone's fault. Nor is it the responsibility of the US or Canadian governments to fix. You are most welcome to select new leaders by whatever your process is who might be inclined to correct this situation, but there is little any of us on this forum can do for you, and we have offered what little advice there is on the subject.
Or, you are welcome to move someplace where the goods and services of the world are readily available without these extra transportation costs. Here in the Mid Atlantic of the USA, we are in model railroad heaven. Lots of train stores, lots of train shows, lots of famous model railroads to visit, lots of houses with big open basements to build model railroads in. Lot of museums and train rides, lots of original railroad history.
I can be at the Strasburg Railroad in one hour, and watch/ride a steam train any time I want about 200 days out of the year. I can be at the B&O Railroad museum in 40 minutes and see some of the most famous rail equipment in the world - housed in the birthplace of American Railroading.
I'm sure you live where you live for a set of reasons, some fate, some choice. Same here. If I move from here, I will understand what I give up and what I gain - it will be a choice - and I don't complain now, and will not complain about the changes if/when I move somewhere else.
But for now, I'm happy to live here in model railroad heaven.