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 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
Now if i can get my layout the way i want just might add more rolling stock.
Russell
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.
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.
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.
You are willing to preorder and wait for your models to be made.
You are willing to buy used stuff on the secondary market.
You are focused on several specific eras and prototypes the manufacturers feel are "safe" bets.
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
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.
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.
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.
Thats not a problem in this day and age, between internet, ebay, train shows - as my wife would day "the world is your oyster".
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
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.
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)
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
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.
No staging, unless you consider the car floats. Really don't want a bunch of shelf queens.
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
Lone Wolf and Santa FeI 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 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.