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For what its worth, I just got into the hobby within the past year, and I don't think this hobby is any more expensive that any other. Perhaps, some people here would say that people like me *are* the problem. After I got interested in the hobby, the guy down the road from me wanted to get into it, also (that's two men in their 40's, who spend most of thier spare time in outdoors type things, coming into the hobby). I helped to set him up. He got a BLI M1 Mountain type with sound, on clearance, drop shipped from BLI for $129 (I think it was). Pretty nice starter's engine! He got a DCC system for $170 or something. And a box of Atlas track, Customline turnouts, a few plastic structure kits, and some basic scenery. Its only a shelf type layout along the walls like mine, but he is up and running a real railroad .......switching cars all over, many spurs, etc. Let me be clear ....he runs it....operates it....has fun with it. And, like me, puts together rolling stock kits, puts decoders in cheaper, old engines, etc as time permits. It was not a huge initial investment. This is a hobby, not playing with toys. There are toy train sets, if someone wants to go that route. If a young person wants to get into mountain biking, how much does that cost? Not a junk bike and accesories from a toy store, but a TREK or something from a bike store? People previously mentioned RC cars and trucks. There is cheap junk from the toy store, and there is the stuff from the hobby store. That stuff is expensive, and maintaining it is expensive, too. I've been there. BTW, that's another hobby that has seen an explosion of RTR. A video game machine is a few hundred dollars, and each game is $52? $57? I guess the game prices will go up some more when the next generation machines start coming out this Christmas (XBOX 360 ?). I have three sons that shoot with me. And you know boys, they will just shoot box after box of ammo...... shotshells and centerfire cartridges (rimfires are no longer fun when they become teens, lol). Relaod? Thats a whole other full time hobby. And the price of a new gun ..... a relatively simple machine? Rebuilding cars. A boat for the lake so the family can ski and fish. Dirt bike. ATV. Lift ticket at the slopes. etc etc etc I guess what I'm asking..... has model railroading changed more than other things in life? Did it used to be that much more inexpensive (after taking into account .. inflation)? Those branchline kits are how much? Big, gigantic layouts, with scores of engines, isn't that a life's work, or almost. Life goes on. Or, I guess we should say ....... train roll on, oh down the line (Lynyrd Skynyrd). Jim
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