Layout Startup Costs - Ouch!

[Anonymous]

After planning my new layout for two years, I began construction last week. The benchwork is done and I'm laying down foam and track this week. In the process I have noticed I am beginning to spend a pretty penny.

My bill for track was over $500 and that was only for the mainline and 6 turnouts. It will be three times that to get all my track. I have already spent about $300 for the wood and foam. $160 for DCC startup and another $200 in DCC decoders (stationary and mobile).

An inventory of my old rolling stock and engines revealed that virtually none of it is useful on my new layout. So, I've spent $100 on new Walthers coaches with lighting kits and another $100 on about ten new freight cars and hoppers to get started. Got a new BLI Hudson on e-bay for $179 and a couple of Kato RS-2s for about $100 and an Atlas RS-1 for $75 and lastly a Proto 2000 S-3 for about $60. I saved alot of money on these engines but they still collectively cost over $400 and only one has a DCC decoder so I will have to spend for new decoders as well.

Basically, I have spent about $1500 already and have not run a single train or even laid a single track yet. Ouch! Is this normal or am I doing something wrong? I estimate this layout could cost me in the neighborhood of $4000-$5000 at this rate.

I am not necessarily complaining as I knew it would cost some bucks to build a new layout. I guess I just didn't realize how many bucks it was going to take. Anybody else experiencing these startup costs?

[jeffrey-wimberly]

I been working on my layout for about 10 years now. I've built it up and torn it down several times. To date, I have over 3K in it.

[SpaceMouse]

I have about $1500 in my 5 x 8. I don't have a lot more to put into it but labor. I'd heard that a finished layout will run between $50-$100 sq/ft and I'm closing in on $50 .

[selector]

Breath deep, press hard when you sign, there are three copies...[:O].

Just in tools alone, so that I could construct spline roadbed and use riser, a method new to me, I spent over $400. Wood was cheap at $155. Spent $150 on new flextrack, over $500 on commercial turnouts and turnout making jigs, and maybe $30 for screws and glues.

Thank the Big Fella that I had all my locos and rolling stock from the last layout!! Although, I sprang for three Walther's heavywieghts since my former pax cars were terrible.

Do you have any idea how you will make it all look "pretty"? If you purchase much in the way of commercial scenic material,...breath deep, press hard, there are three copies.

[Anonymous]

Chip - if that's true $50-$100/sq ft, my layout will run between $6000-$11,000. Wow! That's big bucks for trains.

[MisterBeasley]

Yeah, and it will cost a hundred bucks to play golf for a day in a lot of places. Last ski season lift tickets were in the $75 range at a lot of resorts. A guy in the locker room last night just spend over $450 for his new hockey skates, and those fancy graphite sticks are pushing 2 bills.

Overall, the dollars seem pretty big for a lot of things, model railroading included. I've found that what I enjoy doing most is building scenery, so I'm getting away with less expensive engines and rolling stock, and I always buy kits when I can. The big difference between MR and a lot of other big-dollar activities like golf, skiing or going to The Game is that you've got more than memories and a torn rotator cuff (at least I had the satisfaction of doing it on a expert slope) at the end of the day.

If I add up the dollars I've spent on my trains, and divide by the number of hours I've gotten to enjoy building and operating my layout, it doesn't seem like such a big number at all.

[Anonymous]

LOL @ MrB!! I blew out my knee (also on an expert slope) in the Catskills skiing this past winter along with about $3000 for the family to ski. My golf clubs cost $1500 and my last Mets game cost me $250 for the tix alone. You are right on the money MrB and that makes me feel better. At least the trains will give me something of value to enjoy in the future besides memories and injuries.

[Anonymous]

I'm just getting back into the hobby (very slowly - lots going on at the moment with my relatively new business, and a new baby...)

But, here are two things I refuse to spend big bucks on:

1) Turnouts (I'm learning to handlay)

2) scenery stuff. I know it will cost some money, but I just don't want to buy a lot of stuff. I want to figure out how to use natural and non-model-railroading materials.

[dave9999]

My learning experiences alone have cost me big bucks. Three layouts have been built and dismantled,
but I have a pretty nice collection of locos. The wasted track and scenery materials probably add up in
the thousands. I recently built a new train room and this cost me two grand in materials... and I had
a lot of materials given to me by a friend.

I was able to salvage some turnouts from my last layout, but I will still be needing many more. Some
of the flextrack might survive... I'll have to wait and see. I can see a thousand dollars in track and
turnouts in my near future. I will be starting the bench work soon and this will probably be one of the
cheaper projects.

This is by no means a cheap hobby, but as MrBeasley said, if you figure in the years of enjoyment that
we get from model railroading, there are more expensive activities out there. Enjoy. Dave

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Surfstud31

My bill for track was over $500 and that was only for the mainline and 6 turnouts.

[:0][:0][:0]

Whoa.. That sure is expensive! I don't remember spending nearly that much for track.. 60 feet worth of Atlas Code 87 NS flex track cost me $60, and #6 turnouts cost me $10 apiece at Trainworld.

As a cost-saving measure, I usually use ground throws for my turnouts unless it's out of reach.

[Anonymous]

My track is so expensive because it is Kato Unitrack. I was originally going to use the new Peco code 83 with tortoise turnouts and hare decoders. When I did the math, it is only a little more expensive to go with the Kato and it saves lots of wiring and cork laying work. I will ballast the track with real ballast for best results.

[jeffers_mz]

More than half what I have invested in our layout went to trains.

One option, buy one or two high quality locomotives, Atlas or Kato, corral as many Blue Box rolling stock kits as you have room to store, and spend all the rest of the hard currency on the layout itself.

This is a long term hobby, you have plenty of time to acquire a big fleet, one piece at a time. Ten locos at a hundred bucks a piece is a thousand bucks any way you cut it, but spread out over a couple years, you don't experience that sinking feeling you get when your bank account drops that much in one week.

Creative accounting.

It's how Empires are built.

[Anonymous]

I think Kato Unitrack is impractical for layouts larger than the standard 4x8. For larger layouts, it's better to use flextrack so you are not confined by the "must fit perfectly" constraints of sectional track, and you can do things like superelevate curves.

60 feet of main line and a handful of turnouts cost me $150. I'd wager the way I laid it down works just as good (if not better) than Unitrak or EZTrack.

[Bill54]

Just like any other hobby, there is an initial cost that is usually fairly high then it tapers off.

I raced radio control cars in the late 80 & early 90's and I had over $12K in equipment and cars.

Mid 90's I was into slot cars. I dumped over $5K in that hobby.

I'm just starting Model Railroading and have already spent over $4K in track, rolling stock, buildings, DCC system, tools and a 5' X 10-1/2' temporary table.

I expect the permanent layout benchwork will cost around $300-$400 before done.

Just the price you pay for playing.

Bill

[SilverSpike]

Yep, it is not a cheap hobby! I too just started working on my benchwork and two trips to the local home supply place have already gone over $600.00 and that covers about 2/3 of the benchwork frame. I still need to get the plywood and foam.
I also just placed an order for all the NS code 83 track for both levels of the layout, looking at $1,300 +/- for that order with the LHS.
I too plan to go with DCC, still another expense.
Only 5% of my locos are DCC, so I will need to make decoder conversions on all the remaining 95%.
Most of the rolling stock is plastic wheels, so I will need to convert them to metal in the attempt to help keep the tracks Gleemingly clean........
Should keep me busy for a few days......

[fsm1000]

Now you know why many of us get the track laid FIRST and run trains before our scenery is in. But a couple thousand is about standard for a decent sized pike yeah. Consierion 1,000 was spent on an old one I had years ago That's about right.
However having said that. Your costs go up fastest when you buy RTR etc. I scratch build as much as I can. My turnouts cost me maybe 3 bucks if that. Where as buying one RTR costs 20 and up. SO for each turnout I save 17 bucks at least. Also for me it is fun.

Scratchbuilding for me is fun though. If it isn't fun for you then buy the ready made stuff. Example, I suck at making engines so I buy them redy made.
Bottom line is, the more you can make yourself the cheaper it is.
The more you buy RTR the more expensive it is.

Buy more slowly, get the track up first and run trains and mostly have fun. [:D]

[tatans]

$4000-$5000 for the layout? that's what us guys spend per hour on our unlimited piston-driven aircraft at the Reno National Air Races, just imagine also what we spend on racing our unlimited offshore speed boats, see, the model railroading hobby isn't so bad after all-- just wait till some more replies to the forum start pouring in with their monster layouts and you will really see where the big money is. it's all fun.

[IRONROOSTER]

Recently MR did a 4x8 starter layout that came in around $500. More realistically, I would say you need about $1000 to $2000 to get started - i.e benchwork, some track, some trains, a control system (DC or starter DCC), a few structures, a little scenery. After that you keep adding to it as you can afford it. A lot depends on your layout size or how big you grow it.

When I first started in S scale I spent about $1500 the first year. After that I just kept adding a little every year. Most of the time it has been around $300 with a couple of years up around $1000. Over time I have accumulated enough for a 11x18 layout. While I haven't kept exact figures I estimate that I am at least up to $7,500 (not counting books or magazines). This is over a 12 year period so the average is about $600 per year. Since I have enough kits to last me a while and enough kit built/rtr to run 4 trains, my purchasing has gotten more selective.

As many have pointed out, it's not a cheap hobby. But when you look at the cost to play golf ($36 cheapest weekend green fees), go to a football game ($60/ticket for cheapest upper deck endzone sideline seats + $50 parking), etc. it's not so bad.

Enjoy
Paul (who watches all the Redskins games at home on tv where's there's no line at the bathroom and burgers are less than $10).

[Anonymous]

Paul - that's how I am doing it. About $1500-$2000 startup and then add on as I can afford it both fiscally and timewise. I was just a bit surprised at the costs. I do however, like RTR stock and it is costly. Not that I don't like to build models, I am actually a pretty good modeler, but I prefer RTR and then superdetail it myself (i.e. Walthers Heavyweights with DCC lighting and passengers inside). Just that little project will run me about $55 per car (labor not included).

I'm in it for the long haul and as many have said, it is no more expensive than many other hobbies or activities out there [8D]

Mike (who watches the Giants beat the Redskins on DirecTV with no hogs around to harass me. LOL!)

[Anonymous]

I aint complaining.

Seeing a set of BLI's pull 20 cars is probably over 1000 dollars right there rolling along.

I remember long ago a set of athearns growling down the track with $2.00 kit built blue box reefers in tow is a hell of alot less than $1000 worth of train.

Some layouts featured in MR that has been around for 40 years, you cannot put a price on them.

I look at it this way:

Model trains relieve stress, they keep you out of the hospital. That has got to be a bargin.

My other interest is building computers when I can. Those prices approach 2-3 thousand on each unit (Paid for OEM parts on the net with no taxes =) I dont build often. But when I look back on 10-15 years I can see 10-20 thousand dollars just for computers and software alone.

Never mind what I went thru in trucking. Life is expensive.

[Anonymous]

It may not be a cheap hobby, but think about how much an ATV, motorcycle, boat, PWC, snowmobile, etc. costs! You can easily sink $10K just getting started, and that's all at once! Ther there's the trailer, protective gear, expensive fuel, etc.

So maybe a layout isn't really all that bad!

Bob Boudreau

[Anonymous]

Three months ago I started an N scale 8x3 layout, track, 5 locos, 10 box cars, 3 passanger cars total cost $2500AU which is about $3,000US, example 12 switches with switch motors cost $420AU or roughly $500US., expensive but worth every cent for the enjoyment it brings.

[Renegade1c]

Well at $50/ sq foot. My layout would be costing me about $13K. At $100/sq ft. that is about $26,000. SO far I have personally spent $37.50 as I have recycled almost everything on my current layout from a previous layout. That was for wire mesh for scenery. Of course over time I have had quite a bit of stuff that has been traded in order to get what i need.

[Anonymous]

If you think MR is expensive, try R/C airplanes with with real turbine jet engines!
You can spend $3500 or more just for the engine. That does not take into account the plane, ground support equipment, radio, etc.

Many hobbies cost a lot more than model trains.

Don't forget a hobby is just that. You do not have to have a hobby but most people do need a house, a car and food.

[Anonymous]

My last "hobby" was a lot more expensive. Over 4 years, I dropped over 7 grand in a 1969 Mustang. Not counting fuel (Cam2 Racing fuel) tags and insurance for a car that was not really a daily driver (10 mpg), then selling it for 2 grand,,trains were almost an investment!!!

[JohnT14808]

Geeze.....must be nice to have a PLACE to put these layouts that are costing anywhere from $500 to $7000. Anyone care to add in the cost of either building a train room, or allocating one bedroom in your house to the trains? If you have an unfinshed garage,
like I do, you may consider insulation costs, sheetrock, heating, lighting, electrical hookups and the labor cost before you even GET to purchasing train stuff.
That's the one reason why RR Clubs were created. Some of us just don't want to or don't have the space for an in-home layout. So I belong to a local club that has over 5 scale miles of double main line with two large freight yards and VERY large passenger yard, two helixes/ two levels and DCC control. For a small monthly cost, I get to play
two nights a week, help create or fix scenic issues, etc. I don't get tired of the layout; don't have the wife nagging at me to get my modeling stuff out of the spare room since her mother is coming over, etc. etc. {Gives me the excuse I need to get out of the house on Saturdays, too!!} Perhaps some day I'll have my own layout....but for now, this works for me.

[tatans]

Forget the cost per square foot theory, thats only used by real estate salesmen trying to flog houses, it's the most abused and unreliable system in estimating and any reliable contractor will not use it. Construction costs what it costs, 2 sheets of plywood, some 2x4's, nails or screws, foam , and go ahead and build it, if you want to charge yourself $75.00/hour labor (or $100 per square foot) go ahead, NOW----the costs for all the track, switches, electrics, your 50 new locomotives and 300 cars and 78 new building kits, this is where the money is, not on the basic platform construction, you're scaring off potential new train modellers.

[Anonymous]

$17.5k and counting! So what. How much did Howard Hughes leave behind??? answer -- all of it. Use it and enjoy as long you don't deprive your family.

Tom

[ARTHILL]

Still the least expensive per hour of enjoyment of any hobby I have had. Compared to drag racing, this is practically free. 25K for 13 seconds, that is expensive and that was years ago. Now its like 100K for 5 seconds.

[Anonymous]

For less than $20.00 you can purchase a very good stamp album. Buy one!!!

My (first) wife about had a slobbering fit back in 1962 when I forked out about $12.00 for lumber (believe it or not my first sheet of 4X8 plywood cost me $2.86 - and that was BC - I couldn't even steal it for that price these days a tank of gas costing more than John Glenn's 1962 space flight), snap-track, and two switches. I did all my original carpentry with a hand saw. This hobby is not cheap but most of the initial shock is caused by the expense of getting started - once the original costs are absorbed things (can and will) slow down considerably.