Regrets

[Anonymous]

I would like to thank everyone who took the time to share with me their regrets.  I learned quite a few leasons here that I would have learned the hard way if you all did not respond.  The one regret I do not have is the pace I am advancing in the hobby.  I spent 18 months reading everything prior to even thinking of a track plan.  I enjoy the forum and hope to post some pictures soon of my layout in its infancy.

[IRONROOSTER]

My only regrets are the times I put off building the layout because...  I should have just built it and not worried about whether it made good use of the space, the basement was finished, I had everything I needed, it was perfectly planned, all the chores were done, etc. 
Enjoy
Paul

[reklein]

Whats all this woulda,shoulda,coulda talk about. One should learn from theirs and others mistakes. What was it the guy said "you can't make em all yourself". Move on and make the most of the situation people. (Almost said men) . However one can talk about givens and druthers ,to quote another guy whose name I can't remember. I regret that I didn't eat more bananas. Anyways lets move ahead almost all of the things mentioned can be overcome.

[ARTHILL]

Right Ironrooster. I DO NOT regret charging ahead and re-learning as I went along. Even my regrets were useful, and I now have a working layout (sort of).

I assume there is more to learn, and between reading what you guys say, and making more mistakes, I will learn some of it.

But first, I want to finish my curved trestle so I can finish my canyon so I can hook my brass 2-6-6-2 with my new 2-8-8-2 and pull my coal train across both bridges at once. If all that derails, I will have a new regret.

[Anonymous]

Whats all this woulda,shoulda,coulda talk about. One should learn from theirs and others mistakes. What was it the guy said "you can't make em all yourself". Move on and make the most of the situation people. (Almost said men) . However one can talk about givens and druthers ,to quote another guy whose name I can't remember. I regret that I didn't eat more bananas. Anyways lets move ahead almost all of the things mentioned can be overcome.

The topic of the thread is "Regrets".  It would seem logical that there may be a few regrets posted in the thread.  The intent was for me to learn from others mistakes.  Feel free not to post a regret that you may have.  The only quote in the thread I see is from my father and I did not provide his name.

BTW, bananas are very good for you and you should eat more, but a metal banana on your track may cause a short circuit.  Luckily, this is a thread about regrets, not fruit or fruit that is made of metal and may cause a short circuit.  That would be a silly topic on a web site such as this.

[orsonroy]

Here's mine:

1) Consider your first layout a learning experience. Aim small and try new things. Don't invest a lot of money into the layout, but do invest a lot of TIME, to learn things.

2) Don't waste money on junk. Athearn, Tyco or Industrial Rail freight cars may seem like a good "investment" at first, but you'll likely "mature" as a modeler and eventually want better cars (Intermountain, Ticky, resin, etc). But only a SMALL fleet of freight cars at first, and then buy quality cars once you know what you like.

3) Specialize! In other words, don't be a "one of everything" modeler. This is especially hard for enthusiastic newbies with deep pockets. In the end, sticking with a single protptype, theme, region and/or time frame (five year span or less!) will give you an overall better layout. Why? It'll convey a sense of believability to spectators (a 4-4-0 next to a SD-70 equals "toy train setup"; a lineup of five family-lines 4-4-0s conveys a sense of time and place). Specializing will also be easier on your hobby budget.

4) Experiment with scratchbuilding. You won't get proficient overnight, so stick to the easy stuff (sheds and barns, and move up to depots). Eventually, you'll get good enogh that you'll see your hobby dollars go farther, when you realize that you can scratch a frame depot for $7, as opposed to buying that new Walthers kit for $30.

5) Don't become an engine collector. Most of us have too many engines for our own good, and they end up sitting in their boxes until we die, or get sold at a swap for pennies on the dollar. When starting out, buy two or three Athearn BB diesels to get you started (they're still around for $25 apiece if you look hard enough). That's enough power to get you started until you figure out what you really want to do with the hobby. And when you do figure that out, stick with buying ONLY the power that fits your overall scheme of things, and only buy as much power as you really need. If you can only run three engines on your dream layout, why bother buying 47? Your wallet will thank you.

[Master of Big Sky Blue]

I'm having a hard time understanding how DCC could be a regret on a small layout. A small layout benefits greatly from DCC.

DCC allows tuning your loco performance *individually* and you get cool lighting effects right out of the box. With the NCE DSR13J decoders at $15 each (less in quantity) and a sweet pulse power tuning capability, you will be able to individually tune each loco to have slow running performance that is *SWE-E-E-T*.  Try individually tuning loco slow-speed performance this easily on DC for $15.

So there's the cost of the system. Well, okay, but to compare apples to apples, you want to get a deluxe DC powerpack with momentum and pulse power. A top of the line MRC Tech 4 pack with monentum and pulse power costs about $60 and to run two trains, you'll need two of them: $120 smackers right there. Now you will need a control panel with toggles and cab control wiring ... figure $50 for that. You're up to $170 -- a starter DCC system will cost you less than $150. If that's too rich for your blood, you can always get a Bachmann DCC system off ebay for about $60.

So I don't agree you'll save any money going DC unless you are really cheap and feel that locos which run train-set level performance is okay. Or plan on spending time taking locos apart and tuning mechanisms to get better-than-average performance.

If you're going to spend $100-$300 for a really nice loco these days, why not spend the extra $15 bucks for a decoder to get individually tunable performance? And buy one less loco and get yourself a DCC starter system.

Sorry, but I think the "can't afford DCC" argument is bogus.

As much as you make many valid points there joe. I do have to pick a bone with you there.

DCC is only for people who are iether A. Just entering model railroading. or B. Wealthy such as your self and can afford to convert a large roster of locomotives.

In my personal example, My roster includes 120 locomotives. 2/3s of them being Athearn. and all but 8 of the rest still not being set up for Plug in DCC installation. at that $15.00 each price for decoder that you mention that comes to $1800.00 for just basic decoders. What if I want sound. Those start some where around $70.00 each and go up.

Then there is the DCC system its self. I was given a Digitrax Empire Builder with 10 decoders for christmas by members of the MRR club I belonged to at the time. So in that respect I am ahead of the game. But still to do what is considered a "proper" installation on my 6.5' X 11.5' T shaped layout I am needing the following items.

All items are Digitrax components. Prices from Walthers.com

Auto Reverse Module.  $29.99

2 UP-5 Throttle Facia Panels $16.95

Power supply for facia Panels $ 8.50

Second Throttle   (UT-4) $79.95

Grand Total.                   $152.34

Now thats for the bear bones Installation. The Ideal installation would be

Auto Reverse Module $29.99

2 UR-91 Reciever Panels $149.99

Power Supply for Panels $8.50

Second Throttle (UT-4R) $129.99

Grand Total                    $468.46

Then add the cost of 110 decoders  (Because I already have 10 to make 120) at $15.00 each. And I come up with a total cost of $1802.34 to $2118.46 to do a full DCC conversion.

You may say, well you have 10 Decoders already, So you can start enjoying the benifits of DCC already. That may be so. But using DCC I go from 120 locomotives to 10.

Over the years I have bought a large supply of DC cab componets. At one time I had actually had a plan which would have called for 6 mainline "Cab" as well as 4 "Yard" cabs. And I held on to that plan long eneugh to buy all the componets needed and some extras. Since I have all this money sunk into DCC. and Locomotive Conversion is not neccicary. It makes more sense to me, to just use DC Cab control, than to spend almost two months of my income on converting engines.

Maybe as locomovies burn out and wear out and I rebuild them I will effect the needed upgrades.

As. for Regrets.

Starting construction on a model railroad before I had a "Stable" space to do so.

Now the Woodland Scenics Modurails Kits are out. and I can't justify using them because of what I already have started.

 

James

[Texas Zepher]

Regrets?!  How could I regret anything about trains.  True I've made almost all the mistakes others have mentioned (except for the come lately to command control,. I don't understand why everyone didn't use the original CTC-16.  Even when it was expensive it was worth it).  But a mistake doesn't have to be a regret.  I learned much with my experiments in N-scale, O-scale, and G-gauge, I dont' regret them.    Likewise I would share the same advise of many of those who have posted before especially  - Choose an era, choose a prototype (or a well developed free lance), choose a location to mode', choose a scale, AND STICK TO IT.  But I don't regret having bunches of 4-4-0 locos through SD70s, and GN to Southern equipment.  I might have enjoyed it more had I done differently but model trains are not something to regret. 

The thing I really really really regret is not necessarily a model thing, but a train thing.   I saw so many neat railroad things through the years that were either so common I didn't think about photographing (all the F units of the 1970s), or that I said, "I've got to get a photograph of that."  and never did. (like the Santa Fe Roundhouse in Dodge City, Trinidad, Newton etc.)  I never got those photographs and now that trackage or building is gone forever.  And that is what constitutes a true regret - when the consequences are forever.   I can make more money, switch scales, sell equipment, buy new equipment, tear down benchwork, but I can't re-lay the prototype track in a complex industrial area, or build a station in order to get a photo of it.

5) Don't become an engine collector. Most of us have too many engines for our own good, and they end up sitting in their boxes until we die, or get sold at a swap for pennies on the dollar.

Oh the heresy!  How dare you imply locomotives should be in service instead of  sitting in a storage unit.  Lets see, how many new locomotives could I buy each month for the amount I pay to store the ones I already own .  <--- too bad they don't have a emoicon for insanity

[selector]

What does anyone do with 60 locomotives, let alone 120?!  A person can only run so many, to my way of thinking, and even if one wanted some extras to rotate in for variety, wouldn't 30 be enough?

We seem to have collecters here (some would say hoarders), who can't use all that they have, and then use it as justification to deny themselves entry into a much higher plane of realism. 

I must sound judgemental in the above statment (sorry for that), but I am merely saying this to try to understand what drives a person to spend such an amount on a collection that it limits how they can use them.

I am perplexed.

[Master of Big Sky Blue]

What does anyone do with 60 locomotives, let alone 120?! 

 

I am still trying to figure that out. For Starters I am repainting a large chunk of them into GN.

The masth is simple. Standard No Frills DC powered locomotive. $75.00 +

$20.00 worth of paint and decals will do around three engines for me.

James

P.S. I do enjoy custom painting though.

[BRAKIE]

What does anyone do with 60 locomotives, let alone 120?!  A person can only run so many, to my way of thinking, and even if one wanted some extras to rotate in for variety, wouldn't 30 be enough?

We seem to have collecters here (some would say hoarders), who can't use all that they have, and then use it as justification to deny themselves entry into a much higher plane of realism. 

I must sound judgemental in the above statment (sorry for that), but I am merely saying this to try to understand what drives a person to spend such an amount on a collection that it limits how they can use them.

I am perplexed.

LOL! You're correct..I was up to 144 locomotives and after getting rid of my P2Ks,some Stewarts,some Atlas and yes some Athearn I am now down to a humble 78..I have plans on buying 4 more with reserve slots for a addition 12 should they be produce...

Oh yes! With a large number of locomotives you never get tired of seeing the same units.

I suppose IF I would admit it I am a collector as well as a modeler.

Now why does a person collect short line per diem boxcars?   I dunno but,I have 188 short line box cars.

[jfugate]

As much as you make many valid points there joe. I do have to pick a bone with you there.

DCC is only for people who are ether A. Just entering model railroading. or B. Wealthy such as your self and can afford to convert a large roster of locomotives.

In my personal example, My roster includes 120 locomotives ...

James

James:

120 locos you say? Well, at $150 for a new loco, for the cost of about 15 more locos (a mere 12% of your collection) you can convert your entire fleet and equip your layout as you say. Anyone who can afford over 100 locos can afford the cost of another 15 locos to convert the while lot to DCC.

I bet you don't run all those locos very often ... try this: record in a log each loco you run for 6 months time and I bet you will come up with 20 - 30 favorites that you run the most. Install decoders in those locos, and then get yourself an extra ten pack of D13SRJ's and keep them on hand. Then when you want to run a loco you've never yet run on DCC, go ahead and install a decoder in it first.

Just like you acquired those locos over many years, over many years time, you can afford to convert them as you run them. If you never run certain locos, then not a problem -- you don't need to convert them.

My basic points were to those who have a small layout and/or just starting out. Anyone who can afford 120 locos can afford another $15 bucks per loco to get individually tunable top-notch loco performance that's only available with DCC. Just like you didn't go out and buy all those locos overnight, you don't need to convert them all overnight because you *never* run more than a few of them at a time.

And I would argue you could probably find 15 or 20 of those locos that you could sell to get the funds to convert the ones you keep to DCC. There are always ways to afford it if you want what DCC offers.

[jfugate]

In defense of James and having lots of locos, consider this:

I model the 1980s, so it's common for a train to have 3-4 unit diesel consists on the point, and we often use helper mid-train, so there's another 2-3 units. So if the average train on the Siskiyou Line has 5 locos in it, we have ...

8 trains in staging (40 locos)

4 trains in motion on the layout (20 locos)

2 trains in the two main yards on the layout (10 locos)

... so we've got 70 locos right there (across 14 trains), and we weren't even breathing hard.

[Stevert]

DCC is only for people who are iether A. Just entering model railroading. or B. Wealthy such as your self and can afford to convert a large roster of locomotives.

In my personal example, My roster includes 120 locomotives.

James

James,
  DCC isn't free, but neither is a collection of 120 locomotives.  You made a choice about which one you wanted to spend your money on.  

  There are many possible "coulda-woulda-shoulda" scenarios, but here's one that comes to mind: 

  You mentioned  that you have 120 locos.  Let's figure an average of $50 for each of them (you said about 2/3 are Athearns), so if you bought  20 fewer locos, you'd have another $1000 for decoders.  At $12 each in bulk, that comes out to about 83 decoders.  Add in the 10 decoders you said you were given and you have 93 out of 100 locos converted.

   Since you quoted list (Walthers) prices for the remaining DCC items, and since you can easily get those items at about a 20% discount by shopping around, that will cover a couple more of the remaining seven decoders.  Then, you put the rest of them on your birthday list.

  So, you end up with a fleet of 100 DCC locos instead of 120 DC locos.  Still WAY more than you'll ever run at one time on a 6.5 x 11.5 layout.

  Like I said, you made the choice.

Steve

[Master of Big Sky Blue]

James,
  DCC isn't free, but neither is a collection of 120 locomotives.  You made a choice about which one you wanted to spend your money on.  
Steve

That is true. 120 locomotives is some investmint. However at the same time. A large majority of those locomotives were purchased before the advent of DCC, or, when the classic basic 4 function DCC "Fleet" decoder still cost $90.00. (The price of three Athearn SD40-2s at my LHS at the time if I remember correctly) Its only been since Atlas, started putting DCC decoders in their locomotives (I believe around 2001) that DCC has taken this massive leap foward into becoming "main stream" I remember reading a project layout article, I think called the "Redwing Central" or something to that effect, and Digital Command control was a new, unproven, highly experimental control system that they were experimenting with on that layout.

Granted DCC has progressed a long way since that time and I have no qualms about reccomending it to anyone. The fact of the matter is now that I don't have mommy and daddy to cover my overhead expenses anymore, I have become somwhat of a tightwad. It's just like I can't justify spending $350.00 for a NYC Hudson to sit and collect dust in a model of a train museum, spending 15 dollars a shot to convert a locomotive to a new method of control, as well as having to buy additional componets to properly control it, when I have a perfectuly usable form of control  just sitting collecting dust waiting to be used, already bought and paid for, seems like an unneccicary expense to me.

Unfortunatly time and technology moves on. And what was once a a new unproven and highly expereimental system is now a solid dependable system of operation. While I could do as Mr Fugate sugggest and convert a litte at a time here and there. We are evolving into yet another dimension of DCC and Sound. So once I get everything converted. Then I will have to turn around and add sound. Sounds like a vicious cycle to me, and by the time DC power packs get hard to find. They might have a way for you just simploy point at a locomotive consist and make it go.

Besides For the foreseeable future Im stuck operating by myself. DCC just adds the possiblity of corn field meets.

James

[inch53]

James,

 guess I'm kinda like you, though I don't have but 26 running engines, I'm still DC and don't plan to change, unless I hit the lottery. Then I can build my dream anyway.

The newst engine I have is a 3 year old Altas, most are  20 years plus. I still have my first engine now over 45, and one of the very first fly wheel engines, both run fine, and a brass Mantu industral that I plan on rebuilding.

My layout is freelance called the YSL [Yard Sale Lines], cause most of it came here used and I've repaired them. With a little cleaning and a lube job, guess they'll run fun awhile longer.

The grandkids and me, just enjoy running trains and make believe, thats the fun of it anyway to us. It doesn't have to mimic real life completely to have fun. 

[Anonymous]

Biggest regret is ever having anything to do with Bachmann EZ-Track. When I first got into the hobby 2+ years ago, I invested in quite a bit of this stuff, and I learned my lesson quickly.

If you have a question about any aspect of model railroading, I recommend you ask or search the forum before buying or making an error. Hindsight is 20/20.

Something I don't regret is having made a "starter" layout and not being in any hurry to finish my current layout. Take your time and enjoy the hobby.

[Anonymous]

Hmm. let's see.... Fooling around with n-scale for so many years before discovering that gauge-1 was actually a better bargain (and MUCH easier to work with, too). Selling off a lot of "surplus" stuff over the years just to keep the Mrs happy (she recently filed for divorce anyway). Not buying a 4-3/4" gauge battery loco when I actually HAD the money and a yard to ride it on. Buying stuff for resale that turned out I couldn't move so I eventually sold at a loss because I was tired of hauling it around.

Umm, OK one more...How about drinking too much and not studying enough during my first 2 years of college? Does that count?

Other than that I guess I did alright.

[claycts]

What does anyone do with 60 locomotives, let alone 120?!  A person can only run so many, to my way of thinking, and even if one wanted some extras to rotate in for variety, wouldn't 30 be enough?

We seem to have collecters here (some would say hoarders), who can't use all that they have, and then use it as justification to deny themselves entry into a much higher plane of realism. 

I must sound judgemental in the above statment (sorry for that), but I am merely saying this to try to understand what drives a person to spend such an amount on a collection that it limits how they can use them.

I am perplexed.

LOL! You're correct..I was up to 144 locomotives and after getting rid of my P2Ks,some Stewarts,some Atlas and yes some Athearn I am now down to a humble 78..I have plans on buying 4 more with reserve slots for a addition 12 should they be produce...

Oh yes! With a large number of locomotives you never get tired of seeing the same units.

I suppose IF I would admit it I am a collector as well as a modeler.

Now why does a person collect short line per diem boxcars?   I dunno but,I have 188 short line box cars.

The answer is very simple, because you can and you want to. I have 16 real exotic cars and have problem that I do not drive them enough. Now that I have UN-grownup and came to my senses I spend more time on the trains then I do with the cars. I have sold off a few and will sell a couple more. I split the money beyween me, trains and wife.

You know in rethinking my post to this thread I only have ONE regret

 Ever thinking that I could walk away from a hobby like this. Dumb move on my part, sold everything or gave it away. Now I have spent a fortune getting back to what I had 30 years ago!

[dragenrider]

My regrets are as follows:

1)   Not correcting those "little" track flaws before applying the ballast. 

2)   Purchasing items I thought I could use without really knowing for sure.  Most of the time it was a waste of money and those items are still in their boxes. 

3)   Purchasing items for way down the road.  I have scenery items I've been clinging too for fifteen years or more that I've never found a place for.

4)   Not staying on my plan for the time period and style of equipment I wanted to run.

5)   Buying things to fix because they were cheap and I might could repair them. 

6)   Not getting up off my bee-hind and working on my layout when time permitted. 

7)   Putting off things I needed to get done because they were less fun than something else that caught my eye at the moment. 

[Alantrains]

hey Dragenrider I identify with all you said 100%

here's my other regrets,

Buying quantity not quality, not preparing the backdrop before starting on the layout, not cutting the holes for uncoupler magnets and some turnouts before laying track, not keeping good records of wiring, watching TV instead of playing trains, not putting in enough staging tracks, being untidy!

Some things I'm glad I did:-

Build the layout higher than usual, using electrofrog turnouts, running trains as soon as I could (keeps the enthiasm up), trying different scenery techniques, soldering feeder wires to every rail and adding animation.

I'm sure there's more too

cheers

[Master of Big Sky Blue]

James:

120 locos you say? Well, at $150 for a new loco, for the cost of about 15 more locos (a mere 12% of your collection) you can convert your entire fleet and equip your layout as you say. Anyone who can afford over 100 locos can afford the cost of another 15 locos to convert the while lot to DCC.

 

Again a valid Point. But I have a problem with the fact that a new locomotive these days costs $150.00. Granted it probably comes with DCC and Sound, (IF it doesn't then I would hate to find out how much the ones that do cost) and thus DCC conversion is a moot point. However I only make 1,100 a month. and since I have become employed affording this hobby has been essentially extant. I have been fortunate eneugh to earn some over time and have used that to renew my subscriptions. But money for new trains is essentially nil, and all projects are proceeding with supplies on hand that have been stock piled.

Since I find the costs of model trains out ragous (I conseed they have always been expensive) I have decided that Im not buying a locomotive unless it can be had for less than the price of an Athearn F-unit in the 1995 Walthers Catalog (Or Incriments there of if for multiple locomotives) of $30.00. If I pay more than that for what ever reason. That locomotive better be brass. Or otherwise expertly scratchbuilt or kitbashed. (Like the SDP45s I need for my Empire Builder)

As far as Rolling stock goes. Its getting out ragous to. Accurail is about the only people left that offer what I consider reasonably priced rolling stock models. and second hand Life-Like, Tyco, and Bachmann models can be repainted and upgraded to comparible detail standards with a minimum amount of investment. The paint Job in my opinion being the only thing that would make the second hand upgrade cost more than the predecorated job from Accurail.

Some more of my rambling thoughts. And I would like to thank Joe, for providing stimulating debate, while at the same time manging to keep things civil. Plus he is one hell of a modeler to.

James

[Texas Zepher]

I suppose IF I would admit it I am a collector as well as a modeler.

I'm trying to collect (at least) one PA locomotive in every paint scheme that the prototype ever carried.  That means I'll have more D&RGW PAs than the prototype ever did because of the various paint schemes through the years.

[Anonymous]

Now that I am getting my feet wet and starting to get into the hobby I was hoping you all could share with me some of your regrets.  I already finding myself in the early stages of the hobby as having to give up some things in order to have others.  If you could do your layout again, what would you do different?  One of my  examples is not going DCC.  I plan to run the model by myself and the additional cost of DCC out weighed the benifits.  My other regret will be not running a new, modern GE locomotive pulling coalvayers, but I decided on the PRR.

Hopefully I can learn something from your regrets that I can apply to my first layout.  My dad always told me "You don't learn nothing by talking.  You learn stuff by listening." 

ferg

I guess my new regret is ever saying something about not going DCC.

[BRAKIE]

Now that I am getting my feet wet and starting to get into the hobby I was hoping you all could share with me some of your regrets.  I already finding myself in the early stages of the hobby as having to give up some things in order to have others.  If you could do your layout again, what would you do different?  One of my  examples is not going DCC.  I plan to run the model by myself and the additional cost of DCC out weighed the benifits.  My other regret will be not running a new, modern GE locomotive pulling coalvayers, but I decided on the PRR.

Hopefully I can learn something from your regrets that I can apply to my first layout.  My dad always told me "You don't learn nothing by talking.  You learn stuff by listening." 

ferg

I guess my new regret is ever saying something about not going DCC.

 

Well,I  tried DCC and found in all truth its just a fancy way to run trains with sound.The sound gets on your nerves after time even at its lowest audible sitting..So,I return to the simple pleasures of DC.

BTW..The DCC 'ers won't tell you about the hidden costs and frustrations that DCC can cause.

[tstage]

Larry,

If you are happy running your layout on DC, that's fine and I can respect that.  I think both DC & DCC have their pluses and shortcomings.  I prefer DCC because I like the fact that I can run two locomotives independently from one another on the same track (realism) and I don't have to throw switches to move trains in and out of blocks.  To me, that's simple pleasures...

Tom

[BRAKIE]

Tom,DCC is of course a choice a modeler must choose for his/her self..However,I FULLY believe in HONESTY when it comes to discussing DCC and DC and not buttering it up without mentioning the real costs of BOTH methods of train control. I am yet to read or hear where a extra throttle for DCC *CAN* cost up to $179.99.Of course the UT1 can be had for $79.95..Each locomotive decoder cost will  depend on type,stationary decoders can cost up to $59.99 PER SWITCH..Not to mention you still need "power blocks".

See  http://www.digitrax.com/index.php for the prices quoted.

To be fair a simple DCC operation will call for a starter set with 2 wires connected to the track and decoders for your current locomotives.

With DC you need to wire each block just like DCC's "power blocks",you need to drop feeder wires just like DCC..You'll need to wire your turnouts either way or use ground throws.

Or a simple power pack with 2 wires going to the track will also work..

In the end  its a matter of choice.

 

[alco_fan]

Again a valid Point. But I have a problem with the fact that a new locomotive these days costs $150.00.

By my calculations, you have more than one locomotive or car per square foot of available space already. Why in the world would it matter what new locos cost? (And, by the way, many are a lot less than $150.)

Since I find the costs of model trains out ragous (I conseed they have always been expensive) I have decided that Im not buying a locomotive unless it can be had for less than the price of an Athearn F-unit in the 1995 Walthers Catalog (Or Incriments there of if for multiple locomotives) of $30.00.

Do you also only buy gas when you find it at 1995 prices? Good grief. .

James, objectively speaking you already have locos and rolling stock in egregious excess, if what you have told us is true. If you sell some, you will more than finance the rest of your layout and lighten the storage burden as well. This constant hand wringing about costs when you already own much more than you can use (and more than most people on the forum happily make do with) seems rather absurd.

Making adult choices and becoming self-sufficient a lot less dramatic than the "woe is me" refrain, but the fact is you already have it in your power to accomplish a lot more in the hobby than just complain endlessly.

[trainfan1221]

I can't say too much personally, my times when I've had to break away from my hobby were not in my control.  It was more moving to a place where there was no room for my HO layout, though I was promised there would be.  I also didn't have a very efficient plan in HO, but I was younger and didn't know much about operating and actually building a layout.  As for my switch to N scale..I enjoy N and was always interested in it, even when in HO.  My lack of room where I ended up living and desire to get back into Model railroading forced me to get an N scale set.  I enjoyed it though and despite having more room now still have N, I could do HO but it wouldn't be big enough for what I want.  Wish N had more equipment though.  My biggest regret is that all my original HO equipment is sitting pretty much unusable now, most of it will probably never run again.

[jfugate]

It occurs to me, James, that you could probably sell half your loco collection on e-bay and you'd probably be $1000 richer -- and still have 60 locos left, which is more than most of us.

Now what could you do in the hobby with a grand? Is that more valuable than all those locos? Something to consider.

One regret you may have in future years is tying up all that cash in way more locos than you could ever possibly use on a small layout. In fact, clearing 60 locos out of the train room might give you more space for a layout -- ever think of that?