Dusty SoloYou eat road kill? Seriously.
A lot of drivers that hits deers keeps the deer by filling out a state form.They have it butchered and enjoy the meat.
The deer did thousands of dollars damage to the front in of your car why not keep the meat since its fresh?
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
mlehman Since managed to bag two deer...listening closely to the highway noise at my folks old place out in the country. It is a major deer crossing. One year atitshe 4th of July, I heard a big thump as a lfted truck wites as went by. The doe was almost perfectly eviscerated for us by the impact, so wasn't much work and plenty of help to butcher it. The second one was a couple of years ago on Xmas Eve. I was walking in from my truck and heard that familiar thump again. This time, it was only me and Dad and a huge buck. Neother one of us was in shape to deal with that and I had taken rthe comealong outta the truck fro some dumb reason, so didn't even have that to hoist it with. Got 'im hung, gutted and dressed, though. I'm done with deer hunting. Too much work, even if you don't even bother with the gun part.
Since managed to bag two deer...listening closely to the highway noise at my folks old place out in the country. It is a major deer crossing. One year atitshe 4th of July, I heard a big thump as a lfted truck wites as went by. The doe was almost perfectly eviscerated for us by the impact, so wasn't much work and plenty of help to butcher it. The second one was a couple of years ago on Xmas Eve. I was walking in from my truck and heard that familiar thump again. This time, it was only me and Dad and a huge buck. Neother one of us was in shape to deal with that and I had taken rthe comealong outta the truck fro some dumb reason, so didn't even have that to hoist it with. Got 'im hung, gutted and dressed, though. I'm done with deer hunting. Too much work, even if you don't even bother with the gun part.
You eat road kill? Seriously.
some weeks back I spied a 'gator dead at the side of the road - hit by something multi tired & heavy by the looks of it. Just thinking that by not stopping, slicing off part of its tail I may have denied myself a cheap dining experience.
Dusty.
Oh, Andre
andrechapelon New prices are up and our average income isnt, what do you do as a modeler to keep active? What everybody else does. Complain, moan, kvetch, whine and wear sackcloth and ashes while railing away at the Fates who brought us to such a diminished state. As an adjunct hobby, it's cheap and you can set up almost anywhere. Better yet. It's always someone else's fault. Andre
New prices are up and our average income isnt, what do you do as a modeler to keep active?
What everybody else does. Complain, moan, kvetch, whine and wear sackcloth and ashes while railing away at the Fates who brought us to such a diminished state.
As an adjunct hobby, it's cheap and you can set up almost anywhere.
Better yet. It's always someone else's fault.
Andre
Oh, Andre, I note clearly detectable cynicism in your reponse.
Surely you exaderate. Are we so bad as all that, do you see no positivity this side of, The Atlantic?
Here's a thought: the average age of a model railroader his probably 50ish, perhaps nudging 60.
This means that we have borne witness to some pretty massive changes over the years with many more to follow. When you hear people complaining, bitching, getting upset it's often a result of frustration at things we are confused & frustrated by & have no ability to change & are often difficult to deal with.
So please, Andre, don't be too hard on us - often we are just warn out & battle weary.
Lets think about this a bit & in a slightly different way. Most of us who have been in this hobby for the number of years most of us have been have more unbuilt kits & more modeling projects in mind that we can shake a stick at. If things get tough, & when haven't they over the last decade or two, why we just need to batten down the hatches & ride out the storm until we can spend up like fiends again - just kidding about the fiends.
Any hobby is a self indulgence & something that needs constant feeding to keep alive. This is why I believe that although we have undoubtedly projects we can keep ourselves busy with in the slump times, its not the same as buying a model or kit you've hankered after for a long time when it finally becomes available.
Dusty
Anybody but me also a recreational sailor?
Speaking of expensive hobbies...
Disclaimer: This post may contain humor, sarcasm, and/or flatulence.
Michael Mornard
Bringing the North Woods to South Dakota!
Seems this discussion turned to a how can you build a RR with out having to spend alot of money. Well what I suggest is turn to the old school way which is lots of scratchbuilding, use house hold items, fall is a great time for gathering dried leaves twigs etc to put through the blender for ground cover. Tint left over paint for painting benchwork etc. Maybe others can add to these suggestions to help out those that want to but dont have the extra cash.
Lynn
Present Layout progress
http://cs.trains.com/mrr/f/11/p/290127/3372174.aspx#3372174
It is an expensive hobby, but if you want something enough you will find a way to acquire it. For me (a 20 year old college student waiting tables for a living.) that usually means willing myself to work 12 or 13 hour shifts during my weekends to generate extra income and being frugal with other areas of life. I'm just now getting back into model railroading, but it has worked well with my other hobby. (Computer building and gaming. I finished building a ~$2000 gaming computer not too long ago. It just took serious patience and discipline to save up the money.) I'm also trying to invest in projects that have a high time-to-price ratio. For instance, my first purchase was for a set of Tichy reefer kits and sergent engineering couplers. I'm now waiting for an airbrush and some paints as well. My next project is going to be to acquire a Bachmann EM-1 and kit kitbash it until it fits something my freelanced railroad would run. (Add flying pumps, an elesco FWH, pilot mounted headlight, scratchbuilt centipede tender, etc.) Unfortunately I'm not in a position to build a working layout, but if I want to run trains then I have plenty of options in my area. (Houston, TX)
So in short, patience, frugality in other nonessential areas, and damn hard work.
For the foreseeable future, I am tapped out. I have had a house sale hovering over my head for five years now, but the low interest rates have made staying put a reasonable decision. As soon as prices for real estate begin to sag, or interest rates begin to climb, the house goes on the market. Otherwise, steady as she goes.
I have a yard to build, some structures to build and paint, some wiring to do, and some playing to do. I have, to my embarrassment, amassed a boxed stable of locomotives and rolling stock in the past ten years that I couldn't possibly store on rails at the moment, nor when my yard and staging are in place. I know that that means: I spent early, and should not continue to add components that will only sit in boxes.
The guy with the most locomotives or stock cars when he dies doesn't win. Nope, not by a long shot. Most of us are much closer to that final accounting than we'd like to admit to.
Work harder/smarter/longer and make more money.
Vote for the "less taxes" party.
Spend less on other stuff you really don't need.
Build a smaller/simpler/ less "tech" filled railroad.
But before you think prices should be lower, decide how much of a pay cut you should take so that what you provide to society will cost others less.
Sheldon
Javelina I'm always amused by the comments some folks have towards criticism. While not all criticism is positive, much of it can be useful if we can ignore the baser aspects of it and focus on the "wants" side of it. Would a model locomotive manufacturer know to produce a "GMD A/Z 10000" or any other loco if their response to "complaints" about the lack of availability was "Stop complaining and buy what we already make"? We needed more of you guys in the late 1700's. We could still be British subjects if the "complaints" of the colonials were taken that way. We'd have lots of big thick model railroad magazines........eh? Lou
I'm always amused by the comments some folks have towards criticism. While not all criticism is positive, much of it can be useful if we can ignore the baser aspects of it and focus on the "wants" side of it. Would a model locomotive manufacturer know to produce a "GMD A/Z 10000" or any other loco if their response to "complaints" about the lack of availability was "Stop complaining and buy what we already make"?
We needed more of you guys in the late 1700's. We could still be British subjects if the "complaints" of the colonials were taken that way. We'd have lots of big thick model railroad magazines........eh?
Lou
Seriously?
That's the dumbest analogy I've seen in a long time.
Everyone has their own techniques or strategies for funding their model railroads. In my humble opinion, the biggest thing to avoid frustration and continue to move forward with your model railroading interests is to model within your means. Set your sights on a model railroad that is doable financially. Some folks can afford a massive basement layout with all new materials and the latest technology. Others can only afford a small shelf layout. Still others can only afford to pick a few things up here and there and store them for the day when they can finally begin construction of their model railroad. As others have pointed out, this hobby can be as expensive or as cheap (as in cost) as the individual modeler chooses to make it. It's a great hobby and within reason it can be enjoyed in various capacities by folks from most walks of life/socioeconomic status if they are realistic with their goals.
Happy railroading and enjoy!
Don.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that both engines have failed, and we will be stuck here for some time. The good news is that you decided to take the train and not fly."
One of my favorite ways to get something for a deal is hunt down items on eBey that the seller knows NOTHING about. One description was "Locomotive 6539". Period. One sloppy picture at least showed it had gray wheels. An Athearn GP-35, and a good runner at that, with the better motor and trucks for ten bucks including shipping.
Estate sales are good ones to watch.
I scratchbuild structures, hand lay switches, kitbash vehicles to better standards, make anything I can, and salvage (real and model) building supplies. In fact, my layout room,10x20 was salvaged, moved and improved; 300 dollars and I had a warm dry finished layout room! (Separate structure).
I'd love to go to train shows, buy they're 3 1/2 hours away.
Still, I'm on a first name basis at 2 hobby shops, so I support them too. Especially for tools and supplies. And anything that is currently available from Walthers if I like it.
A Lady friend of my wife and I kinda knows what to look for, just found me a Dremel tablesaw and 3 blades CHEAP at good will. Everything helps! Dan
BRAKIE mlehman Hunting? Two guns, a dog, and a ATV. Surely you jest? All I used for rabbit,squirrel,turkey,deer and quail was a 16 gage. I preferred stealth over noise.
mlehman Hunting? Two guns, a dog, and a ATV.
Surely you jest? All I used for rabbit,squirrel,turkey,deer and quail was a 16 gage.
I preferred stealth over noise.
Seriously, it's a mighty poor hunter in this day and age who owns just one gun. He may only have one with him, but back home...
I'm sure there are hunters who make do without a ATV, but you never know when you're going to knock down that big doe... that's all new since I quit squirrel hunting after deciding it really wasn't fair if the squirrel didn't have a .22, too.
Since then, I've managed to bag two deer...listening closely to the highway noise at my folks old place out in the country. It is a major deer crossing. One year at the 4th of July, I heard a big thump as a lfted truck with knarly tires as went by. The doe was almost perfectly eviscerated for us by the impact, so wasn't much work and plenty of help to butcher it. The second one was a couple of years ago on Xmas Eve. I was walking in from my truck and heard that familiar thump again. This time, it was only me and Dad and a huge buck. Neother one of us was in shape to deal with that and I had taken rthe comealong outta the truck fro some dumb reason, so didn't even have that to hoist it with. Got 'im hung, gutted and dressed, though. I'm done with deer hunting. Too much work, even if you don't even bother with the gun part.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
mlehmanHunting? Two guns, a dog, and a ATV.
Armchair modelers are by definition "inactive" in the hobby, but AFAIK no one has tried to define them out of the hobby...
Let's get back to the topic. I would certainly say that participating in model railroad communities, whether virtual or F2F, is a good way to keep current in the hobby, even if your wallet can't otherwise help you out. Besides there are always people in between layouts, or who only build models, or who operate at clubs, etc. They post here, too, and I wouldn't say they're not model railroaders because they lack a layout.
In fact, I don't particularly worry about anyone who wants to call themself a model railroader. The more the merrier., unless they're Hannibal Lecter or something.
ONR FAN All your doing is fooling yourself. Being active in the hobby means building something, attending shows and club events. Posting on a forum does not mean your active in the hobby.
All your doing is fooling yourself. Being active in the hobby means building something, attending shows and club events. Posting on a forum does not mean your active in the hobby.
lol maybe I would I have time for that IF I WAS RETIRED! I have done none of these things in the past month. So does that mean I am not an active modeller?
Whats next? buying RTR makes me not a real ........? because I've read that before too, on this forum.
NittanyLion ONR FAN big daydreamer Who said that you have to be buying things to stay active in the hobby? For all I care, just posting on a model train forum like this counts as being active, regardless of what you may or may not be spending your money on. All your doing is fooling yourself. Being active in the hobby means building something, attending shows and club events. Posting on a forum does not mean your active in the hobby. Naw, participating in the discussion is an activity, and therefore literally the definition of active.
ONR FAN big daydreamer Who said that you have to be buying things to stay active in the hobby? For all I care, just posting on a model train forum like this counts as being active, regardless of what you may or may not be spending your money on. All your doing is fooling yourself. Being active in the hobby means building something, attending shows and club events. Posting on a forum does not mean your active in the hobby.
big daydreamer Who said that you have to be buying things to stay active in the hobby? For all I care, just posting on a model train forum like this counts as being active, regardless of what you may or may not be spending your money on.
Who said that you have to be buying things to stay active in the hobby? For all I care, just posting on a model train forum like this counts as being active, regardless of what you may or may not be spending your money on.
Naw, participating in the discussion is an activity, and therefore literally the definition of active.
As long as it is model railroading related.
big daydreamerWho said that you have to be buying things to stay active in the hobby?
Absolutely right.
Folks who follow WPF see what I'm doing. The vast majority of stuff I've been doing there -- pics to prove it, too -- is done from my accumulation of 4+ decades in the hobby. I'm finishing my degree, so the family budget has been very tight the last two or three years. There have been a few indispensable, don't miss things I budgeted for -- a Blackstone C-19 and some more drop-bottom gons -- but most everything else is from kits, pieces of kits, or stuff I scratch up. Yes, I did buy some paint, adhesives, etc. Yes, there's a pretty darn nice accumulation of stuff that is already part of the layout. Remember that most good layouts take years, not months to build. Be patient, budget, build and eventually you too will find yourself in ---------->>> (((*The Model Railroad Zone*)))
Sir MadogThe cost of model railroading is as high as you want to let it get! There is a simple recipe of controlling the cost: Don´t buy things you can´t afford Cut down on your dreams to something realistic - you don´t need to have a basement-size layout to enjoy this hobby Buy less, scratchbuild more. That´s all there is to it.
x2
Unlike most hobbies, there is such a low minimum entry point. Flying? You need to own or rent a plane. Cars? Vehicle, tools, parts, gas... Golf? Bag of clubs. Hunting? Two guns, a dog, and a ATV.
Model railroading? The cost of a single kit.
Obviously, you can go from that to modeling the Pennsy in 1945 and -- BOOM!!! -- your hobby just became too expensive?!?
Some folks just aren't good at budgeting. You have to budget your time, money, and space to build a model railroad. Master that and you will have no more complaints about the cost of the hobby, because your expectations will be in line with your finances. Otherwise, there's always a second job or adjusting your dreams a bit.
My model railroad buying is on a very little budget. Every time I get my allowance my dad takes it away 2 to 4 days later. Earlier this year I didn't get paid in 6 months and worked my butt off.
Before I had an allowance I found loose change on the streets and sidewalks and saved money that way. (Some days are better than others.)
Remember some people have it worse. I love this hobby I wish I could enjoy it.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
The hobby can cost as much or as little as you want it to, it's up to you the modeler to draw the line.
What's so hard to grasp about this concept?!
/thread
SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.
http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide
Gary DuPrey
N scale model railroader
What do I do? I have since had to change my buying practices from ma & Pa shops (if you can find them) to now using EBay. NOS and NIB models can be found for pennies on the dollar.
Unfortunately, we only have two small multi scale train shows here a year (sometimes, not always - thats the unfortunate part). They arent very large ones and are seldom advertised. But if I get to go, i hit every HO table vendor. Great deals here!
Lastly, since my roadname has never been that popular with manufacturers (and I am tired of waiting), and the prices for models has gotten rude, I have decided to make my own. Its just plastic, metal, and a bit of paint. Plus, if you can make one, you can make many. The cost here is time, not money. Time I have, money I dont.
These are some of the ways I combat todays overly high prices. It works for me. I get an accurate model without the wait, I get it cheap, and I am just as happy in the end. I dont have that 'nice layout' yet so I am focussing on my rolling stock until I do. However, I summize I will be doing alot of the same technique in building my road when that day comes.
I still buy new items, including some of the higher end, more detailed models, but in small numbers. Consequently, I am always playing catch-up when models that meet my goals are sold-out because I can't afford to keep up with them all as they are produced and hit the market.
BTW, Accurail has recently come out with a nice looking CF4750 hopper, an all new kit for under $20, more like 14 to 16 dollars street price. Going to kits like these and finding others from Accurail, MDC, Athearn and Walthers at trains shows can be great cost savers.
Cheers, Jim
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
For me I look for the better on line prices,shop on e-Bay and hit the use market at train shows.
There is a happy side..At 66 I have collected more then I can used in my remaining years or maybe two more life times.
Decided to give up golf about 8 years ago, got tired of paying to get frustrated. built a 21X8 ho layout, got it about 80% finished,have a stable ot 10 DCC locos, purchased new. 175 rolling stock almost all bought at shows. lots of fun, no frustrations, and money in the bank. What's not to like. I find that shopping for bargains at shows is fun and a challenge, and an excellent way to control costs.
I scratch build and buy used at shows. Saves a bunch. A lot of the price increases is technology/electronics as was as RTR. So, to avoid the price increases I just avoid those things and normally it works out great.
I have also begun to buy brass which holds its' value better or increases better.
Richard