I don't have an exact figure but I estimate somewhere around $6,000-7,000 this year. Included in this is about $1500 for DCC system and decoders. I expect to spend about another $1,000 by year's end. Next year should be less but I don't have a set budget.
Engineer Jeff NS Nut Visit my layout at: http://www.thebinks.com/trains/
I dont know how much over 3 decades.
I think it's somewhere around 1200 a year give or take a little bit.
I do know that I am approaching the limits of my rolling stock and engines and less money will be spent on these. As a good model railroader I will always buy engines and cars.
The last 8 years or so I have been fairly consistent with a few ouchie big ticket items along the way totally destroying the budget and requiring additional expenditure and labor in the salt mines to pay off the indulgences. Spouse holds the keys to joy or pain so one must plan carefully.
I might acquire a specific brass engine one of these days but it is so expensive in the 4 figures that Broadway Limited or someone else is likely to produce it for a few hundred complete with DCC and Sound before I finish saving for the big brass. I dont see the cost of the brass justified anyhow. The money is best used towards paying off Debt.
I see money as a tool and make plans ahead of time. Unfortunately that means scanning PDF files issued by RTR manufactors months before the items are due to hit the street.
One advantage is sometimes prices drop on that limited run locomotive and you could probably get two for the retail cost of one 6-12 months of waiting. But you gotta be absolutely ready to get a copy on sight.
It is nice to have just one trainset to enjoy or a 20,000 dollar home layout. There are many hobbies that costs money each month.
I still say that running trains keeps one out of the ER and other trouble like the street. That is priceless.
We ruthlessly cut down on big box retailers and other unnecessary expenditures in favor of the small stores like the Hobby Shop. Where I live there are alot of people who would go to a local fast food joint to get dinner on thier way home from work. I say fix dinner fresh in the kitchen and save the money. That is how we do it anyways.
cwclark wrote: Tracklayer wrote: cwclark wrote: If i had to guess i'd say about $1,200 to $1,500 a year...it's slowed down a bit since most of the expensive stuff is done so far....the best part is, my wife usually picks up the tap...it's her way of keeping me at home and out of the beer joints.... ;) chuck Okay Chuck. I see how you are. You reply to my post about how much money goes into the hobby each year but not my e-mail asking about the caboose antenna last week... Some brother railroader you are - and it was a Southern Pacific caboose too... That's okay. Be that way. Tracklayer marc, Give me a break brother!...I did reply to your e-mail yesterday....My home computer was in the shop the last two weeks getting a new hard drive installed and the only computer I have access to is at my work and they block out e-mail sites....I just got your e-mail yesterday and i did reply...sorry,...by the way...did you get my reply yet?...chuck
Tracklayer wrote: cwclark wrote: If i had to guess i'd say about $1,200 to $1,500 a year...it's slowed down a bit since most of the expensive stuff is done so far....the best part is, my wife usually picks up the tap...it's her way of keeping me at home and out of the beer joints.... ;) chuck Okay Chuck. I see how you are. You reply to my post about how much money goes into the hobby each year but not my e-mail asking about the caboose antenna last week... Some brother railroader you are - and it was a Southern Pacific caboose too... That's okay. Be that way. Tracklayer
cwclark wrote: If i had to guess i'd say about $1,200 to $1,500 a year...it's slowed down a bit since most of the expensive stuff is done so far....the best part is, my wife usually picks up the tap...it's her way of keeping me at home and out of the beer joints.... ;) chuck
If i had to guess i'd say about $1,200 to $1,500 a year...it's slowed down a bit since most of the expensive stuff is done so far....the best part is, my wife usually picks up the tap...it's her way of keeping me at home and out of the beer joints.... ;) chuck
Okay Chuck. I see how you are. You reply to my post about how much money goes into the hobby each year but not my e-mail asking about the caboose antenna last week... Some brother railroader you are - and it was a Southern Pacific caboose too... That's okay. Be that way.
Tracklayer
marc,
Give me a break brother!...I did reply to your e-mail yesterday....My home computer was in the shop the last two weeks getting a new hard drive installed and the only computer I have access to is at my work and they block out e-mail sites....I just got your e-mail yesterday and i did reply...sorry,...by the way...did you get my reply yet?...chuck
Hi Chuck. No, no e-mail yet, but then, my e-mail service isn't the best in the world either... It's okay brother. Don't worry about it. I was just having a little fun with you. The fact is I did find out what the original Atlas antenna looked like and I didn't think much of it, so I made my own that looks like the dish style. Thanks just the same. I understand your problem. We'll be talking to you.
Regards,
Tracklayer (Mark)
Well..If you count the building it self, and then the up-grade of the Trainroom within the building (heating, lighting, insulation, ceiling, moving windows, doors and the like), it's way more than I would have anticipated!
When I was able, I spent my coaching checks (just under 4K per year x 8 years) on the Trainroom up-grades, benchwork, backdrops, lighting, tools, backshop, paintshop, rolling stock, locos, structures, track, turnouts....... Basically I have the hobby shop (most everything I need to put it all together) on the shelves in the next room. Thus, projects to last a life time! And I haven't spent a lot for a number of years now.
With that said; I do spend a few hundred (probably around $300 - $400) per year on "stuff". Mainly drywall mud, paint, adhesive, some extra turnouts, scenic details....that sort of thing. And, of course, occasionally some rolling stock or a loco I just have to have!
It's much cheaper than getting drunk and landing in jail....
On this incarnation of my layout I've already spent over $2,000 and it's only been 7 months.
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
Too much........Although the amount is starting to shrink since I purchased the <cough> Trans Am.....The insurance is terrible, not to mention the fuel economy......
You all thought I drove a Mustang, right?
Dave
John
For you youngsters, don't be jealous, it's actually the other way around.
When you're still at home, or just starting out, you have nothing. It takes time to cover the basics, like an extra bag of sugar for coffee.
Then more time to assimilate some tools, a few bucks here, a few bucks there. After 30 or 40 years of scratching and clawing to make many small purchases, you have a lot of extra stuff and life becomes somewhat comfortable.
But your bills go up too. Bend over to pick up that dropped screw at the advanced and decrepit age of 45, and you might be looking at $20,000 in back surgury. The insurance companies know this, that's why we have to spend thousands a week just for basic health insurance.
You kids have the best deal. You claw for an extra $50 in fin money, while we claw for an extra hundred grand in rainy day Geritol stockpiles, we all have to work through cash flow issues.
But you kids have the energy and physical ability to ENJOY that extra cash a lot more than us old-timers, so when we scare up a few spare coins, we have to limit our excitement to avoid rupturing overstrained aortas. Our idea of a mad money celebration is sneaking in an extra cigar after dinner, with the lights turned off to save a few pennies on the electric bill, so we can splurge on a two pack of Kadee #58's.
Kids rule the orld, us old guys are just trying to hang on, fingernails folding back as we loose our grips on power and the gray fog of senility creeps in.
Why, back in ought four, I remember when ballast still cost a nickle a ton and....hmmm forgot what I was going to say...
Not as much as I did taking sailplane lessons!
Yet...
-George
"And the sons of Pullman porters and the sons of engineers ride their father's magic carpet made of steel..."
Bill54 wrote: Since February this year I've spent $8,800 on model railroading. This is my first year so there is an initial investment involved. I purchased the NCE Power Pro Radio DCC system with a extra power pro cab, booster and power supply. That alone was around $750. Approximately 100 pieces of rolling stock. More locos than I need, track, structures, repair parts, bench work and the list goes on. After having several hobbies in the past (Drag racing 68 GTO, Radio Control Race Cars, Slot Cars, Bass Fishing, Hunting) I've come to realize there is an initial cost then it tapers off. I expect to spend a few hundred more this year probably bringing the total around $9K. Next year and the years after that I expect it to drop down to around $1,000. to $1,200. Bill
Since February this year I've spent $8,800 on model railroading.
This is my first year so there is an initial investment involved. I purchased the NCE Power Pro Radio DCC system with a extra power pro cab, booster and power supply. That alone was around $750. Approximately 100 pieces of rolling stock. More locos than I need, track, structures, repair parts, bench work and the list goes on.
After having several hobbies in the past (Drag racing 68 GTO, Radio Control Race Cars, Slot Cars, Bass Fishing, Hunting) I've come to realize there is an initial cost then it tapers off. I expect to spend a few hundred more this year probably bringing the total around $9K. Next year and the years after that I expect it to drop down to around $1,000. to $1,200.
Bill
Similar, just a year behind... I spent about $10K last year, which was year one in a new house, with a large basement given over entirely to trains, building my 'dream' layout.
This year, far less. Maybe $2,000 and a bit of that "overlap" from the initial costs.
Going forward, probably $1,500-2,000 a year, which is about what I've spent historically too. Maybe even declining as over the years there's very little motive power or rolling stock left that I want but don't have. Some "volumizing" necessary given the much bigger layout, but even that's relatively minor - half-dozen cars here and there.
Have fun with your trains
mononguy63 wrote:I'm insanely jealous of anybody who can sink the kind of bucks into their trains as some of you guys. I'm still buiding my latest layout (constructed mostly from scrap lumber scavanged from home builder site scrap piles) and have put maybe, MAYBE, 100 bucks into the hobby this calendar year. I'll need to put in double that much again for roadbed & track and I can't presently say where that cash will come from.
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
My Wife's reply: Too much!
My LHS's reply: Not enough!
Little Baby Bear: Just right!
Each of them has a valid point. I've actually also fallen into the trap of buying a lot of stuff, so that I've got months of projects ahead of me, and I don't need any more. I do, however, still buy something when it's on sale or when I don't think it will be available six months down the line.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Larry
http://www.youtube.com/user/ClinchValleySD40
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I think I average about $500 per month (though I was bad last month and spent more like $1,000). My layout has only been under construction for about a year and the startup costs have been high since it seems like you need to buy some of everything to keep making progress. I really hate to have a project stall while I wait for the next Internet shipment to arrive so I sometimes over-buy. I've also bought some stuff that I won't need for a couple of years but I was concerned would sell out. For example, I'm planning on having an ore dock and bought one of the Walthers' kits that has been discontinued. However, I won't actually install it on the layout for probably 2 years since it is at the far end of the track plan.
My total is also a little high because I'm generally willing to spend more money to save time. Work + commute eats up close to 60 hours per week and so if a scenic feature can either take 2 hours and $100 or 5 hours and $20, I'll go with the former.
Anyway, the hobby has been well worth the investment. Before model railroading, I used to spend a lot of money on dress clothing and video games, things that gave me far less satisfaction per dollar. While the hobby isn't cheap, very few things in life are and I don't regret a dollar of what I've spent.
Bill54 wrote:Since February this year I've spent $8,800 on model railroading. This is my first year so there is an initial investment involved. I purchased the NCE Power Pro Radio DCC system with a extra power pro cab, booster and power supply. That alone was around $750. Approximately 100 pieces of rolling stock. More locos than I need, track, structures, repair parts, bench work and the list goes on. Bill
Yowsa, Bill! That's a chunk of $$$. I'm just curious. Are you buying your rolling stock RTR? What percentage of that is locomotives? Do you buy online or from mostly from your LHS?
Jerry SP FOREVER http://photobucket.com/albums/f317/GAPPLEG/
I'd say that I'm going to spend about $2,500 this year. That's about where I'm at right now and there isn't anything else that I'm looking to get until I progress onto a layout. I have all the engines that I could want and rollingstock is okay but I first need to detail up what I got.
I've been taking inventory on what I got so far and writing down the prices that I've spent. I'm scared to see what my total on everything that I've ever bought in my hobby lifetime.
--Zak Gardner
My Layout Blog: http://mrl369dude.blogspot.com
http://zgardner18.rrpicturearchives.net
VIEW SLIDE SHOW: CLICK ON PHOTO BELOW
My wife keeps very close tabs on all of our expenditures. We have used computers in our home since 1978. We have used spread sheets since 1979 to control our budget.
Having done this we were able to retire two years ago knowing exactly how much money we needed to live comfortably in our retirement years.
According to our records I spent $7,000 in the past 18 months on model trains.
The reason for this amount is due to building a completely new layout in a smaller scale. I was in G scale for years. But our retirement home did not include a large enough lot to continue with G scale.
My new HO layout is about 90% complete now, just needs some scenery, and includes a Lenz 100 DCC system, 30 Tortise switches, NCE SwitchIts and many, many kit structures. All my loco's and rolling stock are new and this includes about 120 cars, 10 locomotives.
So now my expenditures will drop to probably under $1,500 per year.
What price can happiness take? Well, I am happy generally, but trains add greatly to it. I am just under two years in the hobby, and have spent something like CDN$6000. That figure includes all the tools and materials that I had never previously needed due to other priorities in my adult life to that point. For example, never had the need for a power hand saw, a table saw, saw horses, soldering stuff, etc. I killed my older Costco 12v cordless drill a few weeks back, so I am $80 lighter for a replacement...14.4 v this time. Locomotives must be in the range of $2000 by now.
Happily, I am at the point where I can have fun with the layout and take my time over the winter detailling and refining. So, my expenses should drop right down to next to nothing for many months. There is no room to grow, and I have my kits to put together to place here and there. I only need time and patience.
That's my story, and I'm sticking to it.
That question is a bit tricky. You see, you can't really count the $465 spent last month on the custom oak display case cause that's furniture. And any costs for Thomas engines, rolling stock or decoders doesn't really count cause that's for the kids. And stuff bought for repair or maintenance only counts half....
Still, a review of the olde credit card indicates a little over too much last month. But it probally does average a couple hundred a month.
Support the hobby and your LHS.
Tilden