Is this normal? How many unbuilt models do you have?

[Anonymous]

I have been organizing my unbuilt stock. I have several structures and ship models that will be built someday when there is room for them to go on the layout. Otherwise they are stored safely.

I have 15 athearn B&O Hoppers in three seperate bulk packs of 5 in storage I may add 5 or 6 more I dont know yet. I have reduced the number of unbuilt rolling stock and focused on what I have running now as in kaydee couplers, Metal wheelsets etc.

I continue to buy unbuilt kits that fills a need (or want) Because they may not be availiable in the future. Several of my structures are in the process of completion.. they will be the first to go onto the layout.

Even then nothing is "complete" you need ballast, scenery, people, life items such as benches, mailboxes antenne etc etc etc the list goes on.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by tatans

Buy a model kit : build it.=No unbuilt model kits, isn't that the procedure?

Maybe for some people, but from the replies in this thread it doesn't seem so. I don't think any of us starts out to be kit and model collectors, it "just happens".

I like MOW equipment and snow plows, have built quite a few of them. At a train show last year a dealer had a really great deal on a Walthers powered American crane and a Russell snow plow. And an extra 10% off for sales before 10AM! Couldn't resist buying both, although I already had similar ones at home. The price is what got me - both for around $44.00 (Canadian) and no 15% sales tax! I paid around $80.00 for my previous powered crane, and had seen unpowered ones for around $42.00. Saved some big bucks and gained some more kits for "someday".

I collected plastic model airplanes and helicopters too - had around 200 stashed in a closet. While I do like them, they do take up way too much space when built, so I sold a bunch on eBay a while ago and not sure what I'll do with the 150 or so left and some are BIG kits! I do have about a dozen built, but they take up a whole shelf in my hobby room where I could store around 72 HO scale rolling stock models.

Kit collectors' madness I guess! [:D]

Bob Boudreau

[RMax1]

I have a bunch I haven't built yet cars.locos and buildings. In fact I am going to overhaul a few of the ones I have already built and make some changes to them. Upgrades and inhancements. Sometimes I will find good buys at shows or a hobby shop I have visited and just store the things away. Others times it's just haven't got to yet's. I found a bunch of Plasticville buildings for a buck a piece. One of these days I'm going to kit ba***he living daylights out of them. Add airconditioners, tv antennas, maybe a new room addition. For a buck you can't go wrong.

RMax1

[gvdobler]

Anyone who spends money on kits and then does't build them is seriously disturbed.

I have about 20 MRR and 40 RC airplane kits unbuilt.

Jon - Las Vegas

[IRONROOSTER]

Sometimes I think my hobby is really collecting unassembled kits. I have more than I can count - in 3 scales yet. Part of the problem is availability. In S scale especailly, a lot of kits are limited run so if I think I might want it in the future, I buy it now. I probably should sell off my HO and O, but then you never know ....

Oh well, keeps the manufacturers in business - maybe when I retire in a few years I can catch up.

Enjoy
Paul

[davekelly]

Tatans,

You are way to disiplined! How do you fight the urge to get that "one cool kit" while you are building another? How can you live with yourself knowing that you don't have piles of stuff that would give your spouse or significant other grounds to say "what? another kit? you got bunches taht you haven't even started?" Heck, with that procedure I bet you have money left over each month to do mundane things like pay the mortgage and buy food.

Serious time. Please don't let my fiance know your procedure . . . it could have unfortunate reprecussions.

[Anonymous]

Just remember.....he who dies with the most toys wins...and his widow will put them on consignment and another model railroader will fill HIS basement. It's a viscious circle, but we obviously love it!

LP

[tatans]

Buy a model kit : build it.=No unbuilt model kits, isn't that the procedure?

[jspinner]

20 plus locos and 40 plus cars.

[Anonymous]

My biggest unfinished kit is my basement train room. We moved into our new house in August last year, and it looks like I will fini***he basement by May, then I can start layout construction. That is my excuse for the shelves of building kits and frieght cars...no layout...yet.

[leighant]

121 structure kits unbuilt on hand
35 more structure kits “needed” for desired layout
79 scratchbuilt structures “planned”

ready-to-run freight cars to repaint/decal or radical kitbash, not counting MicroTrains coupler conversions to complete:
8 boxcars to redo
9 flatcars
9 gondolas
10 open hoppers
9 covered hoppers
14 reefers
15 tankcars
I am a bit of a freight car not, so I have my projects a little more lined up there. I will just guess I have 20 passenger car kits or rebuild projects and about 15 locomotive projects.

So in answer to your question, NO! It's not normal to have as FEW unbuilt models as you mention.

(see some of my completed freightcar kitbash projects and structure kitbashes and scratchbuilt projects at http://www.railimages.com/gallery/kennethanthony)

[orsonroy]

14 cars and 9 buildings? Ha! Lightweight.....

I've got, either on the workbench, or in real planning stages:

20+ minor steam detailing projects
10+ major steam detailing/kitbashing projects
6 diesel paint jobs
70-80 resin freight car kits
30-40 plastic freight car kits
100-200 freight car weathering projects
5 Branchline passenger car kits
4 simple Rivarossi passenger car kitbashes/repaints
10 MAJOR Roundhouse passenger car kitbashes
20-25 caboose projects
5 major industrial building scratchbuild projects
10-20 house scratchbuild/kitbash projects
1 Ogle coal dock kit to find & build
1 Tichy coal dock kitbash
1 25 stall roundhouse scratchbuilding project
1 95-foot turntable kitbuilding project
1 MAJOR union station scratchbuilding project

Oh, and on top of all that, I need to finish laying track, adding scenery, converting to DCC, adding lighting to my lower decks, adding carpet to the layout room, and filling out the 500+ car cards & waybilld I'll need to operate. I think I'll be done by 2010, if I give up all my other hobbies!

[Ibflattop]

Ok, My wife says she goes down to the Hobbyshop when she heads to the basement. I have around 600 freight cars which only around 100 are built. My fleet of engines consist of 120. ( Proto 2000 and Athearn) I probaby have close to 30 building kits waiting to be built. Oh one thing else, When the local hobbyshop wants to know about something they always call here!!!!!!
Its great to collect H.O.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Kevin

[ClinchValleySD40]

Cars about 200. Locos about 50 Buildings about 30. So much stuff, so little time.

[Anonymous]

Like others have mentioned, I more or less have my own personal hobby shop. Most of the times when I work on projects I have everything on hand to do it, from the basic model to the detail parts to the paint and decals.

Here's much of my stuff stashed in a cabinet:



The top shelf is mostly tools and some bottled supples on the right.

The second from the top shelf is again tools and supplies. There are two trays, one with HO scale figures, one with painted detail parts for my photo scenes.

The third shelf has four pull out drawers with mostly tools and glues, some tools in the middle and bags of styrene, decals, sandpaper, etc. on the right.

Fourth shelf is all paint, in removable trays - Floquil, Badger, Accupaint, Testors, Scalecoat and others.

Fifth is mostly unbuilt kits and small parts, stripwood, strip styrene in the tray.

Sixth is kits and parts in plastic bags, lots of rolling stock, boxes with details and O scale figures, glue.

Bottom shelf is unbuilt kits, Bachmann EZ Track loop (test track), Kadees, etc.

Not in the cabinet, on my workbench is a bunch of plastic parts drawers with parts, Kadees, detailing parts, etc. I have a 3" 3-ring binder with clear pages full of decals. I have a cabinet with strip styrene and stripwood, and a mailing tube with 2' long stripwood. Two of my airbrushes and painting supplies are in a paint booth in another room. There is more stuff here and there too!

Bob Boudreau
(as one guy on a newsgroup signs himself "the keeper of too much crap"! [:D]

[Anonymous]

I have enough that whatever I feel like building, I can go get one and start it. But in answer to the question - probably 300 to 350 car kits and 40 to 45 structures. Most of my stuff is craftsman type kits that take awhile to finish, and I still buy some more if one strikes my fancy.

Bob

[SPFan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dehusman

You are a confirmed model railroader when your basement has a better selection of kits than the local hobby shop.

Dave H.

[:D][:D][:D][:D]

My basement almost qualifies. Its not that I have that many kits waiting to be built, more a reflection of the poor selection at the local hobby shops. [%-)]

Pete

[pedromorgan]

i have loads of unfinished kits but no unstarted ones!

Peter

[dwRavenstar]

Hmmmmm

8 structure kits, half dozen boxcars and a ton of track to get laid after I get the benchwork up.

I know I'll get to them soon after I attend my first Procrastinator's Annonymous meeting. Still waiting for their email reply with the group's schedule. Wait, it might be in my Inbox, have to check my Email this afternoon.

(5 minute span away from the computer passes)

Ooops, sorry, went to get a cup of Joe and just got back to the desk.[%-)]

Dave (dwRavenstar)

[SpaceMouse]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TurboOne

Also congrats on number 500 post and joining the 3 green star club. I feel a lot smarter thanks to these folks on here. How bout you. I would still be running my trains around the christmas tree if it wasn't for the motivation of the great folks here.
Tim

That's called survival. I have a 4x8 oval track half EZ and half flex that, had I asked would have been all flex. I have a bunch of rolling stock that doesn't match any engine I won that I bought off of eBay at a "good price." And I have a 4-4-0 that I bought out of period, just because it had DDC installed. Turns out this last mistake is good in that it solidified the Hogwarts theme of the 4x8 layout and launched the HFL (Hogwarts Freight Lines).

Now I ask first. [:I][:D]

[Anonymous]

A friend of mine always buys at least 2 of the kits he wants, so he can amass a collection of 'virgin' kits of popular structures (sorta like stamp collecting)

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dehusman

You are a confirmed model railroader when your basement has a better selection of kits than the local hobby shop.

Dave H.

That's about right![:D]

[TurboOne]

Chip off course I think I set the record, I have an unbuilt model of a 7/11 from 1975, brand new only the box was opened. No parts were harmed during this box opeining.

Also congrats on number 500 post and joining the 3 green star club. I feel a lot smarter thanks to these folks on here. How bout you. I would still be running my trains around the christmas tree if it wasn't for the motivation of the great folks here.

Thanks all, and thanks Chip for asking the questions I also needed the answers too.

Tim

[twhite]

Spacemouse--it's not only NORMAL, it's EXPECTED!! I've got--let's see-about 8 freight cars, 2 passenger cars, six building kits, a bridge, 8 tunnel tell-tales, 2 water columns, 1 oil column, 12 bumpers, and I think there's a little hand-car kit running around here, somewhere. And of course, I don't have the time to put them together, because I just went out and bought 3 Accurail refrigerator cars that HAVE to be on the line by next Thursday--or maybe Friday--or whenever-------
Tom

[SilverSpike]

Too many buildings and rolling stock to count, and all unbuilt. They are all in boxes for the time being as renovations are underway in the train room.

- Ryan

[Anonymous]

Very interesting - it seems as if this slightly imitates the business model of gym's - where they sell tons of memberships knowing only a fraction of the people will come in and actually work out / exercise!

[tstage]

I only have an uncomplete Sun Coast coaling tower that needs a replacement piece. I have an ash pit/conveyor that is just waiting for a place of residence. I'll be able to that as soon as I get things finalized on my layout design.

Tom

[davekelly]

You betcha this is normal. I used to be pretty good about working on my unbuilt kits, used to keep the inventory to about a dozen cars and maybe 2 or 3 structures. With the explosion of limited run items, however, the number has skyrocketed (wish I had bought just one more Walthers Tugboat, but oh well, won't make that mistake again!). There are kits that I know will used in the future (ie: a bunch of Athearn hoppers), others that have a good possibility (the Walthers waterfront kits) and some that probably won't, but I had to get anyways because if I didn't they would be "retired" and then I'd need one (Walthers new roundhouse).

But then I look at the bright side. If ever I get the itch to build something I just have to open the closet door!

[DavidH]

At least 10 buildings and several IM cylindrical hoppers. I really don't want to count, as it would be too embarassing.

David

[grayfox1119]

I have 7, and I thought that I would get them done during the winter months..better get my a.. in gear.