just reminiscin' back in the mid-2000s. used life-like proto 2000 e8 locos were going for $20-25 or so, final bid. once i grabbed 2 e8s for $37. and a spectrum shay for $71. i sound like the dealdash commercial.
then there is the amazing goodwill online auction tale. 3 years ago shop.goodwill.com was relatively unknown to many hobbists. bidders and buy it now-ers like myself were practically stealing the offerings. like a mint bachmann ho turntable for $12 final bid. that's not a typo, they sell new for $200. then gradually the website got much more crowded and prices crept up to ebay levels. it was fun while it lasted. -rob
For us Canadians, the Canadian dollar was higher in the early 2000s. Ebay was like a candy store... I found great deals back then on loco kits. I still have a few left to build.
Simon
In 1976 when I started working for the Feds I got paid $5.91 an hour. I have been retired for 15 years but I checked and the position now pays $46.63 an hour.
As far as the Canadian dollar goes, people only obsess over its value against the U.S. dollar because it is called a dollar. If it were called something else people would not think twice about the value. Model railroaders are ordering more and more products directly from China and I would bet real money they do not think about the value of the Yuan against the Canadian dollar before they order.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
Hi Rob,
I think that some things are still a bargain today, but others definitely are not.
The 'chained' inflation rate from 2000 to 2023 was 66.65%. In other words, what cost you $100.00 in 2000 would now cost you $166.65 USD.
What was the average price for a freight car kit on eBay in 2000? IIRC,it was under $10.00. The same kit today might be $12.00 - $15.00. That suggests that today's prices, at least for the low end stuff, aren't much more expensive than in 2000.
On the other hand, the newer RTR stuff has definitely raised the cost of participating in the hobby.
Shipping, especially to Canada, is also a different story. In 2000, it would cost a little over $6.00 USD to ship a freight car from the US to Canada. Now it is often in the $28.00 USD range. I don't know what shipping rates within the US are.
All I an say is that something has to be pretty desirable for me to justify making a bid.
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
The 'chained' inflation rate from 2000 to 2023 was 66.65%. In other words, what cost you $100.00 in 2000 would now cost you $166.65 USD. Dave
Remember, though, that the "chained " inflation rate is a bogus number. It removes food and fuel costs from inflation calculations. Right now, in the US economy, food prices are a big issue, and fuel prices are a lot higher than they were a few years ago. The "chained" rate here is used to calculate social security rates for seniors. True inflation is always higher than the "chained" number. Seniors need fuel and food, too, but the inflation adjustment in our monthly checks falls behind more each month.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Hi Mr. Beasley,
I didn't realize that the so called 'chained" inflation rate wasn't a true picture of the increases in the cost of living. From that perspective, model trains are indeed harder to afford than they used to be. I'm glad I bought most of my stuff +- 20 years ago.
I also wasn't thinking of the costs of building a layout or, as in my case, preparing a room to put it in. Lumber has been a major contributor to the increase in living costs.
If you know where to look (antique store/malls, garage sale, thrift store) you can get some really amazing deals on trains and equipment, especially Lionel 0 and ho trains With the ho stuff really cheap!
Back in the mid 2000's, Athearn RTR models were in the $40-$89 range. And Genesis was in the $159-$259 range. Today I see RTR engines go for $109-$149 or above $200 if you want sound. Genesis can go from $200-$500 depending on what type of locomotive you want...
All Athearn RTR and Genesis locomotives came DCC ready or DCC with sound. Unlike today, there was no Genesis 2.0 line where locomotives or cars had DCC or DCC sound in them. You had to add the lights yourself if you wanted that feature.
The Genesis 2.0 Line is nice, but may be a bit pricey for some. However "it pays to shop around"....