I know exactly how you feel...couple of hundred here and there and they all add up at the end...I have spent way too much on hobbies...besides trains I also collect die-cast commercial jets in the 1/400 and 1/500 scale and let me tell you, that's even more additctive and pretty much a bottomless pit...there is this other forum which they actually have a database of all the planes available and you can enter what you have and kee your collection on their website and I think there should be one for trains although unlike those, most train stuff prob not worth much after a while...
I really hate to put an exact figure to what I spent on my hobbies...I now cut out a couple of them like RC in the 1/10 scale...I got rid of most of them to fund my trains now but to-date, I probably have close to 1000 planes I think and they average about $30 each (conservative estimate) and I think I have dumped about $3000-$4000 into trains so far especially I just bought a whole bunch of DCC stuff and just upgraded to DCC and I expect that's going to add up when I have DCC up and running...
My wife's been pretty supportive but I know she rather me put those money aside or our child's education...I think once everything settles down that will control itself I hope...our daughtor is still young but I think oviously the cost of raising a child will increase as she grows so I will have to control myself then...
If for no other reason, it is probably smart to have an inventory with cost up to date and probably at more than one location as your insurance will likely not cover these things if you do not have proof of your collection. Never know when that might be needed.
That being said, I really need to update mine.
You know...I really have NO IDEA and have never added it all up. However, I have to think that I most likely spent close, if not more than 4K just putting the Trainroom together (removing windows, wiring, insulation, new ceiling, backshop, paintshop, lighting for both the shops and the pike, benchwork and a furnace).
With that said, I'm afraid to start adding up the totals for the locos and rolling stock, not to mention the structures, figures, detail parts and scenicing materials on the shelf.........to the amount that rivals the LHS.
If my wife sees this post.....
I wanted to keep track of everything since I got back into the hobby, so I set up an Excel spread sheet to log in all sorts of data: Manufacture, road name, road number, part number, brief description, COST, etc. I’ve also included all tools and such. I'll print out the list when out shopping at the LHS (or have the screen up when on the net) so I don’t buy something I already have (it’s had to keep track of every single item from memory). It has really helped me from impulse buying and to keep my "excessive/compulsive" disorder in check. LOL That being said I’m at 12k.... gads....
ukguy wrote: While I havent given up buying anything completely, I am making a concerted effort to work through all of the kits I purchased last year, it was my first year back in MR since I was a kid and I did buy more than I 'should' to fulfill my grandeous plans of what I was going to build as a layout.I realised I had about 20 unbuilt structure kits and my plans were changing, so, I have decided to build the stuff I have, try and gain some experience on them and then revisit the planning stages when I am sure of the space I will be utilising (I have bought 2 houses in the past year and am now looking at a third which I will hopefully move into in Jan), so a 2'x8' diorama will display the kits I am building now with a mainline and a few sidings for industries.So yup, I kind know where you are coming from but hey, at least we realised what was going on before we spent the mortgage money on a bigboy....... or did you do that already????? Have fun & be safeKarl.
While I havent given up buying anything completely, I am making a concerted effort to work through all of the kits I purchased last year, it was my first year back in MR since I was a kid and I did buy more than I 'should' to fulfill my grandeous plans of what I was going to build as a layout.
I realised I had about 20 unbuilt structure kits and my plans were changing, so, I have decided to build the stuff I have, try and gain some experience on them and then revisit the planning stages when I am sure of the space I will be utilising (I have bought 2 houses in the past year and am now looking at a third which I will hopefully move into in Jan), so a 2'x8' diorama will display the kits I am building now with a mainline and a few sidings for industries.
So yup, I kind know where you are coming from but hey, at least we realised what was going on before we spent the mortgage money on a bigboy....... or did you do that already?????
Have fun & be safeKarl.
No. No Big Boy yet, but just about everything else you can think of...
Tracklayer
ukguy wrote:...I am making a concerted effort to work through all of the kits I purchased last year, it was my first year back in MR since I was a kid and I did buy more than I 'should' to fulfill my grandeous plans of what I was going to build as a layout...
I have a box of boxcars and engines that need finishing too! I have the 4G figure beat tho...when I was a semi-pro RC driver I had about 15G plus invested in that! I'm just glad I had sponsors and sold most of it off!
Dan
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I am resisting adding up the 'dollar value' column on my excel inventory program for a reason.
I finally took the time to actually sit down and count all of my N scale locos and rolling stock, and to estimate their value as closely as possible in the event I were to sell them all off. I have 7 steam locos, 15 diesel locos, 29 passenger cars and 195 pieces of rolling stock - all collected and bought in just the past couple of years, and all in like brand new condition...
As some of you might already know, I'm real down on myself right now for letting myself get out of control with my spending on this stuff, and have vowed not to buy anything else for one full year beginning January 1st 2007. I have more important things to spend my money on (but it sure has been fun...).
Anyone else out there in the same boat I am ?.