Lone Wolf and Santa Fe Lone Wolf and Santa Fe I was just thinking that my rolling stock collection is almost complete. ALMOST LOL. Of course I will always buy something new once in a while but the car shortages are pretty much over with. I don't need any more double door boxcars but there are one or two road names that I need, just to have because they are less known roads. I have plenty of refers now but I remember only having one and it was the wrong era. The days of buying almost any type of car because everything was needed has past. What is still on my list: Metrolink coaches, passenger cars for my steam excursion, hoppers, GP and SD locomtives. As far as buying kits that never get built. I’ve bought plenty from other people and built them right away, however once in a while I will get a bargain on something that I just don’t have time to get to yet but know I will eventually. I am one of those people (partly because of my occupation) that it’s either feast or famine. When I have money I don’t have any time, and when I have time I don’t have extra money so when I have the money I save it by buying things to build in my down time.
Lone Wolf and Santa Fe I was just thinking that my rolling stock collection is almost complete.
ALMOST LOL. Of course I will always buy something new once in a while but the car shortages are pretty much over with. I don't need any more double door boxcars but there are one or two road names that I need, just to have because they are less known roads. I have plenty of refers now but I remember only having one and it was the wrong era. The days of buying almost any type of car because everything was needed has past. What is still on my list: Metrolink coaches, passenger cars for my steam excursion, hoppers, GP and SD locomtives.
As far as buying kits that never get built. I’ve bought plenty from other people and built them right away, however once in a while I will get a bargain on something that I just don’t have time to get to yet but know I will eventually. I am one of those people (partly because of my occupation) that it’s either feast or famine. When I have money I don’t have any time, and when I have time I don’t have extra money so when I have the money I save it by buying things to build in my down time.
Lone Wolf and Santa FeI was just thinking that my rolling stock collection is almost complete.
The aspect of rebuilding and repurposing/redecaling old Athearn BBS and other old chestnuts is central to my enjoyment of the hobby, so I am probably well on the way to at least 150+ cars, not to mention over 25 engines. I work on about 6-10 cars each year, and plan to rotate them on my switching layout as I complete the trackwork. They may be part of a relatively eclectic collection of roadnames, but I enjoy the variety and the ability to create many novel consists- in line with the "my road, my rules" philosophy. Perhaps digitally imaging them to record the collection would help, should I ever decide I have "enough" of them.
Cedarwoodron
No staging, unless you consider the car floats. Really don't want a bunch of shelf queens.
I have plenty of room on my layout, but move cars around to work on scenery, etc. With about 35 piece of rolling stock, there's PLENTY of room! To anyone who's looking to downsize, I'd happily take anything you don't want or need provided in suitable working order and with a BLT from 1950s to early 1980s in HO.
For my layout, since it is a branch to small town, I started with how many cars and what types are realisticly at the industries at any one time. Which for me was about one third of the car spots. Double that to allow for variety and add a few speciality cars. Works out to about 13-15. Naturally of course I have about three times that many in cars that don't fit the theme or cool cars I've found.
jim
If I based my 'cars needed' estimate on a car count on visible track, I'm vastly oversupplied. However, the reason is that I've chosen to model a sparsely populated, out of the way place. The National Railways trains are almost all going from somewhere to elsewhere, pausing just long enough to change crews and engines (which takes minutes, not hours) For every one that's visible, there are a half-dozen in staging and probably two more in cassettes. That doesn't include my cassette queens:
I also have a half-dozen US pattern locomotives and an equal number of Athearn BB freight cars wearing club heralds from clubs I belonged to many years ago. Those are kept in boxes, not on rails. I keep telling myself I'll build a display diorama...
My passenger staging has an assigned track for each consist. Freight runs on a 'first in, first out' basis. I also have a load/empty swap scheme involving four complete trains, of which a maximum of two will be visible at any one time.
Since I'm a wide ocean (and a wider financial gap) away from any supplier of RTR products I could use, I have no incentive to add to my rolling stock count by purchasing commercial products. If I really feel a need, I'll gather up plans, photos and parts and build whatever i want. So far this century I've bought three locomotives (0-6-0Ts) and twenty freight cars (kitbash fodder.)
So I'm not the average model railroader. What else is news...
Chuck (Still modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
ATLANTIC CENTRAL It is the best time ever to be in the hobby if: You don't really care to build rolling stock, or paint and letter any rolling stock yourself.
It is the best time ever to be in the hobby if:
You don't really care to build rolling stock, or paint and letter any rolling stock yourself.
I disagree because there are lots of products from "the good ol days" on the secondary market. Get yourself to the Timonium or some other sizable train show and help ya self. There are tons of kits that people realized they would never build at the shows, including craftsman kits. And yes, Intermountain, and others are selling undecs still if you order you can get them - there just isn't a lot of demand out there - companies are responding to demand so thats whats being produced.
You are willing to preorder and wait for your models to be made.
I have never pre-ordered and most of the time I get what I need. I don't mind waiting because there is usually more product avaible than I can afford anyway - enough availalbe stuff to buy is NOT the problem. If anything there is more than I can keep up with.
You are willing to buy used stuff on the secondary market.
Thats not a problem in this day and age, between internet, ebay, train shows - as my wife would day "the world is your oyster".
You are focused on several specific eras and prototypes the manufacturers feel are "safe" bets.
I'm not sure why thats a problem, there is so much stuff out in the past 10 years, with a little patience it seems like many of the things you need have been made or still maybe - again, we have more choices than we ever did.
The real golden age of the hobby was a decade ago - when you had much of what we have today - PLUS - undecorated models, decals, more kits, lower prices, and a bigger selection actually in production or readily available "new in the box" at any given moment - not counting the secondary market. I model three prototypes, relatively big, important railroads in their time - the B&O, C&O and Western Maryland. Very little new product has been offered in the last 10 years to improve my ability to accurately model them. Yet the product offerings to allow me my other modeling - freelancing the ATLANTIC CENTRAL - have declined - despite my support by purchasing undecorated locos, rolling stock, decals, paint, etc. But that's all OK, because my layout is populated with everything from current high detail RTR to Blue Box kits, to craftsman kits of every type, to Athearn and Varney metal kits from the 1950's and 1960's, to even current "budget" RTR like Atherarn Ready to Roll/Roundhouse. I decided years ago it was too much work, and no fun, being a detail snob/rivet counter. But amittedly, my interests are centered on modeling the "railroad", not obsessing over one piece of equipment. Running long trains and depicting lots of action is more my thing. So I have stock piles of kits (many undecorated) that will be built and detailed to my taste as time allows. Sheldon
I model three prototypes, relatively big, important railroads in their time - the B&O, C&O and Western Maryland. Very little new product has been offered in the last 10 years to improve my ability to accurately model them.
Yet the product offerings to allow me my other modeling - freelancing the ATLANTIC CENTRAL - have declined - despite my support by purchasing undecorated locos, rolling stock, decals, paint, etc.
But that's all OK, because my layout is populated with everything from current high detail RTR to Blue Box kits, to craftsman kits of every type, to Athearn and Varney metal kits from the 1950's and 1960's, to even current "budget" RTR like Atherarn Ready to Roll/Roundhouse.
I decided years ago it was too much work, and no fun, being a detail snob/rivet counter. But amittedly, my interests are centered on modeling the "railroad", not obsessing over one piece of equipment. Running long trains and depicting lots of action is more my thing. So I have stock piles of kits (many undecorated) that will be built and detailed to my taste as time allows.
Sheldon
It's ok. I just don't see what your are seeing, and maybe it matters what RR I model. But I model western and am really in the wrong part of the country so I should by all rights have a harder time finding what I want than someone modeling Chessie, C&O or Pennsy or something from this neck of the woods.
No worries, I'll just agree to disagree that the golden age was ten years ago. No, it is now. Why? Because much of what was available 10 years ago, 15, 20, 25 etc. is out there at train shows and other secondary markets. Frequently there are huge collections that go up for sale when someone passes away; during the last couple years I've seen some great selections of RTR, kits etc. up for sale at the train shows, and thats above and beyond the usual secondary market stuff.
Sure, the thing you want may not be there now, or next week or next month, but if you keep visiting train shows, check auctions sites, check HOSwap, HOExchange and other venues, chances are it will turn up. Patience is rewarded and I don't mean the patience of Job, rather months to a few years and things you are looking for often turn up, kits, RTR, older, newer etc.
It true what a good friend of mine said not long ago, we have it insanely good right now. I feel like a pig in you know what. And the hits just keep on coming.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
riogrande5761PS - In fact am glad I have most of what I need or want - because I really dislike the direction the industry has gone - now I can just fill in the remaining items I need/want as I find them. If I was getting into this hobby today, I most likely would not - I highly dislike/resent the limited production/preorder business model. The only thing that redeems this hobby from the pit falls of the limited production/preorder non sense is the large secondary market - train shows and Ebay. Quite the contrary for me, I like the direction the hobby has been going and think this is the best time ever to be in the hobby. Certainly for SP fans! As a good friend in the hobby put it recently, the hobby is "insanely good" right now. I agree. I am glad I have most of what I need simply because, yes, new stuff is expensive, but OTOH, there is some excellent models being produced that are stupendous. This is really the golden age of the hobby because there is a YUGE amount of product available now to fit all levels of interests and budgets. It really is a great time to be in the hobby.
Quite the contrary for me, I like the direction the hobby has been going and think this is the best time ever to be in the hobby. Certainly for SP fans! As a good friend in the hobby put it recently, the hobby is "insanely good" right now. I agree. I am glad I have most of what I need simply because, yes, new stuff is expensive, but OTOH, there is some excellent models being produced that are stupendous. This is really the golden age of the hobby because there is a YUGE amount of product available now to fit all levels of interests and budgets. It really is a great time to be in the hobby.
The real golden age of the hobby was a decade ago - when you had much of what we have today - PLUS - undecorated models, decals, more kits, lower prices, and a bigger selection actually in production or readily available "new in the box" at any given moment - not counting the secondary market.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL A few thoughts: I know lots of modelers with functionally compelete layouts, who have opperating sessions with fellow modelers every month, and are very active in the hobby, who have reacherd a point where their purchases of equipment or locos are very limited.
A few thoughts:
I know lots of modelers with functionally compelete layouts, who have opperating sessions with fellow modelers every month, and are very active in the hobby, who have reacherd a point where their purchases of equipment or locos are very limited.
My comments were partially tongue in cheek but also its hard to consider a collection complete what with new products being produced all the time - many of them very appopriate for certain era's and so on. I'm in a position where I have a decent collection and thats good because I can't really afford many of the new higher cost models from Tangent, Moloco, ExactRail etc., just one or two here or there.
I have never even considered the idea of selling off existing models to replace them with "better" ones - better is relative.
Frankly thats the minority of my sales, only a few items did I sell just to replace with something "better". Most of my sales have been "out of era" items because I backdated further in time and were no longer appropriate. Some have been kits, which I realized were never going to get built.
Kits vs RTR - for me it is not either/or,
Same here. It's mostly been driven by what fits my modeling needs, but I also have realized some of the models just weren't all going to get built - some fit in the "out of date" category, some for other reasons, and some kits I still build now and then.
In 45 years of model railroading I have never changed scales, never changed era modeled or layout theme once I picked it, and I have only bought about 12 items I later sold off...... Guess I'm not like other folks........
Guess I'm not like other folks........
Who is really. We all have our own way of doing things, hense why lone wolve modeling is so common.
PS - In fact am glad I have most of what I need or want - because I really dislike the direction the industry has gone - now I can just fill in the remaining items I need/want as I find them. If I was getting into this hobby today, I most likely would not - I highly dislike/resent the limited production/preorder business model. The only thing that redeems this hobby from the pit falls of the limited production/preorder non sense is the large secondary market - train shows and Ebay.
Quite the contrary for me, I like the direction the hobby has been going and think this is the best time ever to be in the hobby. Certainly for SP fans! As a good friend in the hobby put it recently, the hobby is "insanely good" right now. I agree. I am glad I have most of what I need simply because, yes, new stuff is expensive, but OTOH, there is some excellent models being produced that are stupendous.
This is really the golden age of the hobby because there is a YUGE amount of product available now to fit all levels of interests and budgets. It really is a great time to be in the hobby.
Now if i can get my layout the way i want just might add more rolling stock.
Russell
I have 42 spots on my layout. I have a fleet of 84 cars of which most sit in a 3 track staging yard. During operations I do not move, fill or empty every spot.
I also was the collector of everything built after 1980, in the last 4 weeks I have sold all my coal hoppers, 4 unit trains of 30 cars each, 3 Intermodal unit trains of 40 cars each and all rolling stock (over 100 pieces) that does not fit the era I am modeling, Central Wi in 2001 to 2004. I still have too many pieces of rolling stock never out of the box.
TomO
Every car on my layout gets rotated off at the Interchanges and staging yard. My rotating system is self correcting as the number of cars entering the layout can not be more than will fit in the Interchanges or staging yard. I can add an unlimited number of cars to the system, but the number of cars on the layout at any one time can never be too many. My system doesn't allow it.
I been getting freight cars for my modern fleet that fits in 1987-2007.
I check the cars that the model railroad companies are making to see if they have their picture taken during that predictable year.
I try to buy freight cars that didn't change within the 20 years. (easier to keep on the layout) the same way for cars that came out around late 2006-2007. I will not get them because it's too close towards the end of the train set timeline.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
My problem is I am into detail, used to do that myself, but the industry has gotten better than me, in most cases. I used to own dozens and dozens of Accurail OB boxcars as the individual grabs ext. don't show up on them as well as they do on 1932 or 1937 steel boxcars. Only about a dozen remain (all SP) as I have aquired Tichy OB boxcars (paying less than the Accurails are worth on resell). Only thing I have bought for real money are Tangent 3 dome tank cars, got three in my time period but this frees up at least 9 MDC oldtime single dome kits which by the time I upgraded them, this would be a wash.
riogrande5761 Lone Wolf and Santa Fe I was just thinking that my rolling stock collection is almost complete. Wha?? RR collection complete? Can that ever be true? Silly goose! I'm sure there is one or two curmudgeons here who will claim to have not bought any trains in some years but normally for that to happen it's because someone has taken a break from the hobby. With new cool stuff being producted all the time, it would take some amazing fortitude to resist the schwartz and not buy stuff that fits your fancy. There have been times I looked at my collection and felt like goals were being met, coal trains, TOFC trains, this, that... and then some thing really accurate comes out that is perfect for my era. OTOH, I do try to sell off items too so that the collection just doesn't balloon unnecessarily, but I try to sell off items that don't fit too. I have bought extra kits for the future when I have extra time to assemble them. Eventually these kits will be assembled. I did that for about 20 years and then noticed hey, the vast majority are still unbuilt - and "eventually" wasn't coming along. I think 90% of people did the same thing and during the past 4 or 5 years all those inexpensive, NIB kits at train shows are from people who realized they would never build them all or passed away with big collections of kits. About 4-5 years ago I began going over my collection of kits, which wasn't as big as some, and realized after 15, maybe 20 years, no, I wasn't going to build most of them and started selling them off. Add to that my close up vision is much worse now than when I was buying them and so I find building kits much less a pleasure then I did when I was younger and had good close-up vision. I have whittled my kit collection down to about 1 1/2 or so paper boxes full, and started chipping away at them slowly last couple of years. If I find some remain unbuilt after a while, I might even rationalize kits I have left and sell off some of those - I'm just getting more realistic these days about what I'm enjoying - less so kit building and more so layout building.
I was just thinking that my rolling stock collection is almost complete.
Wha?? RR collection complete? Can that ever be true? Silly goose! I'm sure there is one or two curmudgeons here who will claim to have not bought any trains in some years but normally for that to happen it's because someone has taken a break from the hobby.
With new cool stuff being producted all the time, it would take some amazing fortitude to resist the schwartz and not buy stuff that fits your fancy. There have been times I looked at my collection and felt like goals were being met, coal trains, TOFC trains, this, that... and then some thing really accurate comes out that is perfect for my era. OTOH, I do try to sell off items too so that the collection just doesn't balloon unnecessarily, but I try to sell off items that don't fit too.
I have bought extra kits for the future when I have extra time to assemble them. Eventually these kits will be assembled.
I did that for about 20 years and then noticed hey, the vast majority are still unbuilt - and "eventually" wasn't coming along. I think 90% of people did the same thing and during the past 4 or 5 years all those inexpensive, NIB kits at train shows are from people who realized they would never build them all or passed away with big collections of kits.
About 4-5 years ago I began going over my collection of kits, which wasn't as big as some, and realized after 15, maybe 20 years, no, I wasn't going to build most of them and started selling them off. Add to that my close up vision is much worse now than when I was buying them and so I find building kits much less a pleasure then I did when I was younger and had good close-up vision. I have whittled my kit collection down to about 1 1/2 or so paper boxes full, and started chipping away at them slowly last couple of years. If I find some remain unbuilt after a while, I might even rationalize kits I have left and sell off some of those - I'm just getting more realistic these days about what I'm enjoying - less so kit building and more so layout building.
Even with my layout still in a major rebuilding, my purchases of equipment have slowed considerably as I reach the limits of what my layout scheme will require.
Kits vs RTR - for me it is not either/or, I like building rolling stock kits just as much as building the layout - maybe more in some cases. I buy my share of RTR, but I would never consider selling off my unbuilt kits any more than I would sell off working/completed rolling stock from the layout.
I should note, no piece of RTR equipment has ever hit the rails of my layout without at least some upgrades, changes, or light weathering - no generic couplers, most get sprung/equalized trucks first, etc.
Personally, be it model trains or other perosnal items, I have never understood people who buy stuff, keep it while, often never using it, then sell it off, usually at a loss - I know what I like and want and those tastes and choices are not easily swayed by every "new" thing that comes along.
In 45 years of model railroading I have never changed scales, never changed era modeled or layout theme once I picked it, and I have only bought about 12 items I later sold off......
I use to be well rounded until I learned what I really like...............
The answer is simple
Enough to operate the layout properly this number varies from layout to layout.
There are two kinds of model railroads those that are well overstocked and those that are still working on it.
It comes as a result of layouts changing over time being rebuilt in new locations
not always the same size as the last one and the just plain I like that piece of equipment I will get one or two of them.
But the minute you get rid of any of it, it will be I need one of those its oh drat I got rid of it in the clear out.
regards John
I like that rule of thumb.
Theoretically one could move every car on the layout during any operating session. Granted that with car type and road restrictions on sidings that couldn't realistically happen, but that's why it's a rule of thumb and not just a rule. ;)
If you want to do prototype style operations, the answer is "about half as many as you think."It's easy to add cars, and too few cars doesn't clog up a railroad.
Disclaimer: This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.
Michael Mornard
Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!
Ok, what I have is a 15x30' dogbone with a yard at both ends and sidings along the right of way. The one yard is large (about 45 cars) and the other small (about 25 cars) but with a carfloat operation. It can be operated as a point to point or loop. I have a yet to be used (just finished the basic layout) car routing system by Micromark, another e-bay bargin of $12 for the whole thing plus extra trays.
BMMECNYC Do you operate using some form of car routing system? Do you use fiddle staging? Its nice to have about 2-2.5x the number of cars than spots for cars on the layout if you do relatively frequent (twice a month or more) operating sessions. This is so you dont end up with the same cars in the same local trains going to industries along your line (you start to notice this). So in your case 275-300 should be more than adequate. I would go through and nit pick out any thing that doesn't fit the era or operations modeled (I wouldnt expect to find ATSF or UP coal hoppers on the BM or MEC for example).
Do you operate using some form of car routing system? Do you use fiddle staging? Its nice to have about 2-2.5x the number of cars than spots for cars on the layout if you do relatively frequent (twice a month or more) operating sessions. This is so you dont end up with the same cars in the same local trains going to industries along your line (you start to notice this). So in your case 275-300 should be more than adequate. I would go through and nit pick out any thing that doesn't fit the era or operations modeled (I wouldnt expect to find ATSF or UP coal hoppers on the BM or MEC for example).
I understand your point, but with a large layout and creative switch lists, it is a long time before cars recirulate. I have no interest in handling cars un-necessarily or physically removing them. I prefer to handle equipment as little as possible - using through staging and loops to turn trains, etc.
"fiddle" (with my hands) staging is not an acceptable process to me.
Over 45 years i have 1762 frieght cars and 100 locomotives i moldel erie lackawanna and mo.del csx and up. i have upgraded to top of the line cars and engines. i feel you buy what you what and the way they keep raising prices it might turn out to be a investment.....
My rule for rolling stock is to count all the spots on the layout and aquire 3x cars for each spot. IE: my paper mill has spots for 4 boxcars, 2 tanks, 4 wood chip hoppers, and 2 pulpwood racks. So to service my mill, i have 12 boxcars, 6 tanks, 12 hoppers and 6 pulpwood racks in service for the mill. 1/3 are kept at the industry, 1/3 in visible staging (the local yard), and the last 3rd is in non-visible staging (interchange from outside the system). Each industry on the line is treated the same way. Operations are first and foremost for me though, so I try to keep just to how many cars I actually need to operate and not buy a lot of cars that don't fit in. There are a few oddballs, cars that I just like, and I use them as bridge traffic.
Lone Wolf and Santa Fe I was just thinking that my rolling stock collection is almost complete. Yes I have to rotate some of them on and off of the layout but I do run all of my rolling stock except for some 40 boxcars which are the wrong era and were just an impulse buy. I think that 2 or 3 times the cars which fit on your spurs is a good number so that when one car is there, another has just been removed and put on a train heading beyond the basement, and another car has just be assigned to be delivered there the next time. I also have some trains which are bridge traffic and are never delivered to modeled industries. These are mostly intermodal freight and they make a few laps and then are rotated off the layout via the fiddle track, and replaced with others that have been waiting in a cabinet. These represent shipping containers which are loaded (off the layout) in Long Beach and are heading east. They are not to be confused with railroad containers which are the majority of the containers loaded in San Bernardino. For the most part railroad containers never leave North America. I have some staging but always wish there was more. For some car types I have more than I need, like boxcars, refers, and lumber carrying flat cars. Others there is still a shortage, like hoppers. Most of my MOW equipment is stored until I run it, which I do fairly regularly. Same with my steam excursion. My 3 commuter trains have their own parking on the layout and so does my Amtrak train. I have bought extra kits for the future when I have extra time to assemble them. I know that when I officially retire for real that I won’t have as much money so I stocked up when I had some. Eventually these kits will be assembled.
I was just thinking that my rolling stock collection is almost complete. Yes I have to rotate some of them on and off of the layout but I do run all of my rolling stock except for some 40 boxcars which are the wrong era and were just an impulse buy.
I think that 2 or 3 times the cars which fit on your spurs is a good number so that when one car is there, another has just been removed and put on a train heading beyond the basement, and another car has just be assigned to be delivered there the next time. I also have some trains which are bridge traffic and are never delivered to modeled industries. These are mostly intermodal freight and they make a few laps and then are rotated off the layout via the fiddle track, and replaced with others that have been waiting in a cabinet. These represent shipping containers which are loaded (off the layout) in Long Beach and are heading east. They are not to be confused with railroad containers which are the majority of the containers loaded in San Bernardino. For the most part railroad containers never leave North America. I have some staging but always wish there was more. For some car types I have more than I need, like boxcars, refers, and lumber carrying flat cars. Others there is still a shortage, like hoppers. Most of my MOW equipment is stored until I run it, which I do fairly regularly. Same with my steam excursion. My 3 commuter trains have their own parking on the layout and so does my Amtrak train.
I have bought extra kits for the future when I have extra time to assemble them. I know that when I officially retire for real that I won’t have as much money so I stocked up when I had some. Eventually these kits will be assembled.
Oh I don't mind some extras lying around but I started out with over 1000 cars, about 1/2 in kits. Been selling for a few years as I ran accross stuff or upgraded. Down to about 500 now. Most everything I have kept is high quality, like Intermountain, that I got for very cheap over many years (like over 30). Half are still kits. It is not that I don't have the room but I find it is beter to be able to find what you want than have too much but I don't want to sell something, only to wish I hadn't, hasn't happened so far.