"Inflation" (of the money supply, or due to rational expectation) is not the primary thing that kicked prices up since 1960. Bretton Woods fixed the dollar at 35 to the ounce of gold, with Roosevelt having put teeth in that by forbidding the hoi from owning bullion. When Nixon finally allowed the dollar to float in the early '70s, the nominal devaluation can be compared to the 'dollar price of gold'.
One thing this dramatically points up is the value of manufactured products, particularly consumer electronics, by comparison to what was marketed in the late '50s and early '60s. Model trains are no exception.
richhotrainNot to be overlooked is the fact that wages have not kept pace with inflation. So, in 1960 terms, it costs more today to buy a similar item than it did in 1960. In other words, disposable income buys less today than it did in 1960. That's why it seems like the hobby of model railroading has become more expensive over the last 60 years or so. It has because purchasing power has declined over the same period.
Returning to model railroading after 40 years and taking unconscionable liberties with the SP&S, Northern Pacific and Great Northern roads in the '40s and '50s.
So, then, we all agree. The hobby is getting more expensive.
Seriously, though, it is not so much attributable to inflation as it is to supply and demand. As a recent example, I was checking out, and in some cases bidding, on a baggage car for a passenger train on eBay. A few years ago, I was buying Walthers baggage cars for $20 to $30. Now, however, these baggage cars have been discontinued and hard to find even on eBay. A few sellers are asking as much as $120, and winning auction bids have been over $80. Ouch! That is expensive.
Rich
Alton Junction
SeeYou190 Some parts of it, like the front turn signals and the wheel covers are amazing. The woodgrain sides also look effectively well reproduced. However, that luggage rack looks terrible to me. -Rapido Image -Kevin
Some parts of it, like the front turn signals and the wheel covers are amazing. The woodgrain sides also look effectively well reproduced.
However, that luggage rack looks terrible to me.
-Rapido Image
-Kevin
Deleted by Me.
Take Care!
Frank
Paul3 Matt,Please don't think I'm jumping down your throat, I'm just trying to correct the eternal perception (in a small way) that the hobby is out of touch and too expensive compared to the past. Many people don't know or have forgotten just how little annual income there was in the old days, and that $100 was a lot of money 60 years ago.
Matt,Please don't think I'm jumping down your throat, I'm just trying to correct the eternal perception (in a small way) that the hobby is out of touch and too expensive compared to the past. Many people don't know or have forgotten just how little annual income there was in the old days, and that $100 was a lot of money 60 years ago.
Matt,Please don't think I'm jumping down your throat, I'm just trying to correct the eternal perception (in a small way) that the hobby is out of touch and too expensive compared to the past. Many people don't know or have forgotten just how little annual income there was in the old days, and that $100 was a lot of money 60 years ago. Today, $100 is a full tank of gas (depending where you live).My grandfather, who lived through the Great Depression, said to my mother when she was a kid that he would consider himself a rich man when he could spend $5.00 without thinking about it (this would have been the 1950s). By the time the 1980s rolled around, he had upped it to $20.00. Today, what's $20? One meal with tax and tip at a chain restaurant.One other thing to consider about today's introduction-level trains is that online retail is so easy. Right now, 24-7, you can go buy cheap trains by the boxcar full. In the 1960s, you had to go to a hobby shop or dept. store which may or may not carry them. For second hand items, a train show or maybe a lucky yard sale would net you some goodies. Otherwise, you got nothing. Today, not only can you buy new right now, but used, too. Any new introducton-level trains also has to compete against all the legacy items still being sold online.
riogrande5761 chutton01 Well, the CMW 1978 Chevy Impala seems to be going on eBay for around 20.00 or so (several sellers, shipping not included). Don't recall their original pricing. I have one , weathered and rusted up a bit, to denote a "daily driver" (for my c. late 2010s modules), of the sort you'd find on Regular Car Reviews. Not quite Rapidio level but it looks good enough for my purposes. I got a bunch of CMW 1978 Chevy Impalas for $5.99 each. There was a vendor selling a couple of the colors at that price. I was thinking about using them on tri-levels although that would be pretty heavy. Some have reportely gotten it to work but had to use special wheel sets.
chutton01 Well, the CMW 1978 Chevy Impala seems to be going on eBay for around 20.00 or so (several sellers, shipping not included). Don't recall their original pricing. I have one , weathered and rusted up a bit, to denote a "daily driver" (for my c. late 2010s modules), of the sort you'd find on Regular Car Reviews. Not quite Rapidio level but it looks good enough for my purposes.
Well, the CMW 1978 Chevy Impala seems to be going on eBay for around 20.00 or so (several sellers, shipping not included). Don't recall their original pricing. I have one , weathered and rusted up a bit, to denote a "daily driver" (for my c. late 2010s modules), of the sort you'd find on Regular Car Reviews. Not quite Rapidio level but it looks good enough for my purposes.
I got a bunch of CMW 1978 Chevy Impalas for $5.99 each. There was a vendor selling a couple of the colors at that price. I was thinking about using them on tri-levels although that would be pretty heavy. Some have reportely gotten it to work but had to use special wheel sets.
Use Bi-level auto racks, that would cut down on one level of autos/cost/weight.
I try to ship vehicles on Bi-levels and keep Tri-levels empty.
Of course the year 1978 may produce enclosed auto racks.
Paul3Matt, FWIW, by inflation alone... ...darn near impossible.
Matt,FWIW, by inflation alone, $100 in 1960 = $948 today, and in 1969 that $100 would be $780 today. Check out the prices of today's train sets from Bachmann:https://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=258_269_270The lowest new trainset price is $169 in the link above. Even the most expensive non-sound set is $445. This is well short of a hundred bucks in 1960s dollars.There are 18 train sets at the above link for less than $300, and 7 of those are under $200. Keep in mind that in inflation-adjusted prices, these sub-$200 trainsets would be less than $20 in the 1960s.
Another important point is that Bachmann still uses very high prices for MSRP. One of their Spectrum heavyweight cars is $109.00 vs. a Rapido "Comet" passenger car at $99.95. Why? Because most manufacturers use a shorter discount to distributers and dealers. A $100 Athearn item is probably sold to a hobby shop for $70. Meanwhile, a Bachmann $100 item is sold to a dealer for $50 (or less!). Which means the street price of that $169 train set is probably more like $120 or so.Taking that $120 street price for a new train set made today back to the 1960s would make it under $15 for that decade.I think Bachmann has the cheap trainset market nailed down. Who could compete with them? You'd have to make things even cheaper than they do, which would be darn near impossible.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
NittanyLionNittanyLion wrote the following post 3 days ago: DirtyD696 prices aren't what they would have been back in the mythical good ol' days. Even though they are, once you adjust for, well, everything.
DirtyD696 prices aren't what they would have been back in the mythical good ol' days.
Even though they are, once you adjust for, well, everything.
Just me spouting off -- I could be wrong, usually am. I think modelers who need this detail would be those very much into the photography aspects of the hobby. The cars look really good.
-Matt
KemacPrr I see where Athrean is doing another run of their C series Ford cab overs with 28' wedge trailers. Nice models BUT the SRP is $54.95 for a plastic truck they have already done before. And the UPS version is $59.95. I wonder where the next low labor country will be for all these toys of ours ? First Japan, then South Korea, then China who is next ? Mexico or South America or Africa ?
I see where Athrean is doing another run of their C series Ford cab overs with 28' wedge trailers. Nice models BUT the SRP is $54.95 for a plastic truck they have already done before. And the UPS version is $59.95. I wonder where the next low labor country will be for all these toys of ours ? First Japan, then South Korea, then China who is next ? Mexico or South America or Africa ?
EnzoampsMy land line is a VOIP, part of my cable bundle. Does that count?
I guess Maxman and I can admit you to the club. We may have to start admitting club members into several different classifications inside the club.
York1 John
My land line is a VOIP, part of my cable bundle. Does that count?
York1We are one of only four people in the U.S. who still have a landline phone.
Not true. I and my sister both have them, and my neighbor has one. So those three and your one makes four. So there are at least seven.
We are one of only four people in the U.S. who still have a landline phone.
We get many, many bogus calls and phishing calls each day.
My wife asked why they keep doing this, and I told her that if they didn't make money at it, the calls would quit.
The same is true for prices on just about everything.
They are too new for me, but look great. I would have no issues paying what they want for them if they fit my modeled time frame.
An "expensive model collector"
The Rapido Chevys fit a broad time frame, there's a couple in my neighborhood that appear to be daily drivers. Right up my mid-80s era layout alley. The wagon not having a finer roof rack is kinda disappointing.
Wish Neo would re-run their 1:87 north American vehicles, as they have become as Mike Lehman says; 'unobtainium'.
Regards, Peter
DirtyD696prices aren't what they would have been back in the mythical good ol' days.
richhotrain maxman You mean other than the $25/each price? I only mention that because I'm sure there will be the "price is too high and the $3.45 item I can get at Walmart are good enough for me" debate will start shortly. Looks like you already started it. Rich
maxman You mean other than the $25/each price? I only mention that because I'm sure there will be the "price is too high and the $3.45 item I can get at Walmart are good enough for me" debate will start shortly.
You mean other than the $25/each price? I only mention that because I'm sure there will be the "price is too high and the $3.45 item I can get at Walmart are good enough for me" debate will start shortly.
Looks like you already started it.
If he didn't somebody else would. It never fails. The sun rises in the east and sets in the west and model railroaders will still whine about how the hobby's dyin' because prices aren't what they would have been back in the mythical good ol' days.
"If everybody is thinking alike, then somebody isn't thinking"- General George S. Patton
I would have rather had them come out with the 65-67 Impala
They are too new for my era as well.
I had a '77 2 door Caprice (same car, fancy name). It was a good car except for the suspension which tended to play games with you on uneven roads or if you were towing a trailer.
I agree that the roof rack on the wagons is awful!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
I applaud them for making a nice model from that era. I also think it's too high a price point. It's out of my era anyway.
I do have one of the Oxford Edsels.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Like many others they are out of my era as well as my range of affordability. My newest vehicle is 1957 (Chevy).I set a limit on cars and trucks at $10 and rarely exceed it, I rarely go over $6. At last count I have just over 100 vehicles on my layout, most have operating lights. That’s scattered over30 years.I raise my limit on specialty vehicles.I do think that the detail of the Rapido Chevy is outstanding but then so is the price. Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California Turned 84 in July, aging is definitely not for wimps.
richhotrainLooks like you already started it.
No I Did Not! But some things are just predictable, like death and taxes.
I am happy right now that my Railroad predates these vehicals.