richhotrain Texas Zepher A thread from 2005! To bad I didn't post to it way back then. I could then compare to what I spend today. LOL How does this happen? The OP's first post, and he finds an 8 year old thread to revive - - - and one of those innocuous ones at that. Rich
Texas Zepher A thread from 2005! To bad I didn't post to it way back then. I could then compare to what I spend today.
A thread from 2005! To bad I didn't post to it way back then. I could then compare to what I spend today.
LOL
How does this happen?
The OP's first post, and he finds an 8 year old thread to revive - - - and one of those innocuous ones at that.
Rich
I agree. It's like turnng up a bad penny. No pun intended.
There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over.....
I won't tell you.
It's not that I don't know, ohhh I know alright.
But if I want to get any sleep at night, I better not tell.
Karl
NCE über alles!
Man, that is a serious range of dollar figures in my case.
When I built the current layout and jumped into DCC with both feet back in 2008, I estimate I spent $4k. This year, as I have "most all I need", I doubt I will spend more than a couple of hundred.
Back in the early 2000s when I was acquiring new locos (BLIs mostly), 2k was likely spent for each of 4 or 5 years.
On the other side of the fence, a lot of that money was sourced by Ebay sales - mostly MR stuff.
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
LIONS do not spend lots of money. The Zookeeper does not believe in giving the animals money. Still, a four car subway set costs about $140 (Walthers Price $250.00) and tracks still cost about $300/ bundle.
I can ask the Abbot for money, and he seldom says no, but then it is expected that you will only ask for hobby money when it is really needed. Sometimes I spend my vacation money at Trainworld.
Other than that, and a few electrical odds and ends from All Electronics or some crafting supplies at Hobby Lobby, every thing that I do is made from snips and scraps fount about the place. Presently I am working on the Prospect Park subway station, and photos will follow later, but it is all "found stuff". Corrugated cardboard has proven to be a nice source that I will make more use of. It has its own requirement for handling and painting so that it will not curl up on you (or on the layout). My platform roof will be made of this stuff, I cut it on a table saw for accurate clean cuts, and I oriented it so that the wavy edge will be facing out: It will look like the ironwork found on NYCT platforms without actually having to buy the plastic stuff in a store. Especially since our LHS is gone, and the nearest one is a 300 mile round trip.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
About $40K +so far. Between $500 to $4K/ year. MRR magazine did a survey not long ago, it would be interesting to know what the average is.
Richard
What I spend is ultimately classified. but most of it was well worth it.
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
Ugh, Probably too much already, especially recently. I've purchased very little last year, but it was all expensive, mostly tied up in Arrow II and Arrow III EMU cars from IHP (Imperial Hobby Productions).
The Arrow III was pretty bad since it was just a single unit RTR (and I needed just one of those to even out my fleet), but since it was RTR and not a kit, it was pretty steep. I then managed to special order Arrow II MU cars to go with them, this time as a kit, but in BULK (8 cars, or 4 married pair units), so the cost shot right up again.
Theres probably another couple hundred in combined hobby shop visits for various supplies.
However, this year will automatically be worse, since I am looking at acquiring at least one complete "set" of the new Metroliners, and at least two Con cor MP54s. I've already put a couple hundred into two other projects (Catenary-equipped modular layout sections, GP40P kitbash and a Ex-Reading GP30 patched for Conrail), and a handful of rolling stock.
Its not looking good!
Modeling Conrail, Amtrak and NJ DOT under the wires in New Jersey, July 1979.
Well 7 years ago I was around $1000/year. Last year I was around $1000. I expect this year will be the same or less. Mostly I have what I need for the layout. But I still buy stuff that catches my eye when the price is right.
Enjoy
Paul
Train ModelerAbout $40K +so far. Between $500 to $4K/ year. MRR magazine did a survey not long ago, it would be interesting to know what the average is.
Including traveling to train shows and the related expenses I spend over $1,000 per year.
2012 was different. I spent around $167,500. That's because I purchased an excellent basement for my model railroad and it came with a house on top.
The Cedar Branch & Western--The Hillbilly Line!
Probably about $3k in the last 12 months. Should be less this coming year, I have plenty to keep me busy for a while!
If you're worried about the cost, you probably can't afford it!
SHABBONA RR
Thats what else I forgot to add to the 30k was the my basement with a house on it for 150k, now you folks have me thinking about all that money I spent. But I didnt flush any away or puff it away LOL, and I could sell it all in a few weeks if I wanted to and still make my money back plus some, Jim.
Billions........who wants to know?
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
How much spent? I suppose it's all relative. According to me, not nearly enough. According to the wife, far too much!
Less metaphysically, about $2500 in the last year. I don't think it'll be this high forever; it takes a bit extra to switch scales and start a layout from scratch (including building an extra wall to mount it to).
Stu
Streamlined steam, oh, what a dream!!
Easily answered. Not nearly enough
Seems the amount spent which is around $500-$1000 on a layout doesn't quite match up to the answers to another quiz on these forums, which wants you to list your rolling stock and people reply with 3 pages of locomotives and cars, some guys have 300 to 500 locomotives and who knows how many cars and yet this list show only spending of under a $1000, something doesn't add up here.
I spent several thousand at start up or maybe reboot is a better term. This was six or seven years ago. I don't spend much maybe a few hundred a year. However my spending went way up when Hockey didn't start on time. I think I spent over a thousand in a couple of months during that crises. I am pretty selective on what I want and think twice about whether it fit's the plan or not.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
tatans Seems the amount spent which is around $500-$1000 on a layout doesn't quite match up to the answers to another quiz on these forums, which wants you to list your rolling stock and people reply with 3 pages of locomotives and cars, some guys have 300 to 500 locomotives and who knows how many cars and yet this list show only spending of under a $1000, something doesn't add up here.
Tatans,
I have about 130 locos, 800 freight cars, 200 passenger cars, 700-800' of track, over 100 turnouts, eight wireless throttles, a signal and control system under construction that uses about 300 ice cude relays, not to mention structures, detail parts, etc, etc, etc.
But the operative question of "how much do you spend" depends on the other question, how much do you spend in what period of time?
I have been at this since about 1968, and still have freight cars, structures, and even a loco or two from way back then.
How much do I spend in one year? - I never tracked it really close, but some years I have spend as much as $4,000 or $5,000.
Averaged out over 45 years? Maybe $1500 a year.
Most anyone with 100 locos, or more, has been at this a while, they likely did not buy 100 locos in the last 18 months, or even 3-5 years.
Sheldon
tatansSeems the amount spent which is around $500-$1000 on a layout doesn't quite match up to the answers to another quiz on these forums, which wants you to list your rolling stock and people reply with 3 pages of locomotives and cars, some guys have 300 to 500 locomotives and who knows how many cars and yet this list show only spending of under a $1000, something doesn't add up here.
So those in the $2000-$3000 range for 40 years would be in the $120,000 range. How many locomotives / freight / passenger cars is that?
Mine's a little less than that at 15 locomotives and a little over 200 cars in S scale and maybe another 15 locomotives with a 100 cars from my HO and O days. But that's over a 40 year time span. Although the amount per year varied greatly, the overall average is around $500/year.
With the kids grown and gone I could easily spend $2000+ a year, but I really don't have much of a need at this point. Even filling my basement with layout I have enough locomotives and cars for my point to point shortline (probably too many to use all at once). I don't envision building fast enough to exceed $1000/year in expenditures for track and benchwork, etc. And I have most of what I need for this year on hand already.
My spending goes in cycles. I guess that this past year, I spent less than $200, and most of that was for rail, joiners and spikes. The year prior to that I think it was around $500.
I'm at the point where until the track work is finished, (handlaid), I really don't need much. Next line of purchases after the trackwork, will probably be for scenery items.
Carey
Keep it between the Rails
Alabama Central Homepage
Nara member #128
NMRA &SER Life member
A lot less than $ 100 a year.
My tight financial situation does not really allow for a hobby, but I have learned to do my modeling on a shoestring budget. I do a lot of scratch building, using cheap or freebie materials. My local home improvement store has a lot of scrap lumber I can use, even pieces of plywood I can use in building my structures. make my own windows and doors, avoiding expensive molded plastic parts. It´s like model railroading in the early years, but believe me, it is just as much fun!