The World's Greatest Hobby

[Anonymous]

This is my first message posted on this site. I have wanted to address this for a long time, and hopefully some dialogue will take place on this subject.

I am 39 and have been involved in Model Railroading since my Dad bought me my first HO train in 1969. Since then I have built numerous layouts and purchased many pieces of equipment.

I know several of the model companies are pushing the World's Greatest Hobby theme to spark more interest in model railroading. But from what I am hearing from many other modelers, there isn't a lack of interest in the hobby, just a lack of money to purchase what you want to be actively involved in having your own layout. For example, a basic Athearn powered Engine now costs around $60. A freight car costs around $15. A 3' piece of Flex track costs $3.89. Who can afford this? When considering the value of one's entertainment dollar, why would you get involved in this hobby when there are so many other less expensive alternatives?

Sure, you can go to some hobby store and purchase an oval all in one boxed set for about $50. But that gets boring rather quickly. Yes, you can add things over time, but let's face it...we all want something large and realistic rather than watch a train go round and round in a circle. In order for one to accomplish an average layout big enough for realism you would have to live to be 150 so you would have the time to purchase what you want.

For example, if you want to buy track for a double track mainline to run around a basement in an area that is 20'X20', the track alone (without switches, etc) is going to cost around $200. Then to add a freight yard, engine terminal, etc...

Again, I think model railroading is the world's greatest hobby. But myself and alot of other people have concluded it is just to expensive to actively engage in it anymore. Going out trackside with a camera or riding Amtrak is cheaper.

[Anonymous]

This is my first message posted on this site. I have wanted to address this for a long time, and hopefully some dialogue will take place on this subject.

I am 39 and have been involved in Model Railroading since my Dad bought me my first HO train in 1969. Since then I have built numerous layouts and purchased many pieces of equipment.

I know several of the model companies are pushing the World's Greatest Hobby theme to spark more interest in model railroading. But from what I am hearing from many other modelers, there isn't a lack of interest in the hobby, just a lack of money to purchase what you want to be actively involved in having your own layout. For example, a basic Athearn powered Engine now costs around $60. A freight car costs around $15. A 3' piece of Flex track costs $3.89. Who can afford this? When considering the value of one's entertainment dollar, why would you get involved in this hobby when there are so many other less expensive alternatives?

Sure, you can go to some hobby store and purchase an oval all in one boxed set for about $50. But that gets boring rather quickly. Yes, you can add things over time, but let's face it...we all want something large and realistic rather than watch a train go round and round in a circle. In order for one to accomplish an average layout big enough for realism you would have to live to be 150 so you would have the time to purchase what you want.

For example, if you want to buy track for a double track mainline to run around a basement in an area that is 20'X20', the track alone (without switches, etc) is going to cost around $200. Then to add a freight yard, engine terminal, etc...

Again, I think model railroading is the world's greatest hobby. But myself and alot of other people have concluded it is just to expensive to actively engage in it anymore. Going out trackside with a camera or riding Amtrak is cheaper.

[Anonymous]

I do beleve I have to agree with you . Some companies are pricing themselves out of range of the average consumer. I just bought a new locomotive and it cost me $85. It kinda irratated me knowing that I have an older version of the same model that only cost $30. And as for a layout, I'm not going to go there.

[Anonymous]

I do beleve I have to agree with you . Some companies are pricing themselves out of range of the average consumer. I just bought a new locomotive and it cost me $85. It kinda irratated me knowing that I have an older version of the same model that only cost $30. And as for a layout, I'm not going to go there.

[Mookie]

And I want a Big Boy - the real one - for the back yard, so you think you are spending a lot of $!

Mookie

[Mookie]

And I want a Big Boy - the real one - for the back yard, so you think you are spending a lot of $!

Mookie

[dharmon]

Sorry, don't think my wife will let her big boy go..at least until all the house projects are done.

[dharmon]

Sorry, don't think my wife will let her big boy go..at least until all the house projects are done.

[mudchicken]

Mooks:
Go talk to Omaha, they might just let go of theirs and throw in a Centennial DD40AX in the bargain....hope you have a big flat yard. Your driver won't have to cut the grass anymore either!

Mud Fowl

[mudchicken]

Mooks:
Go talk to Omaha, they might just let go of theirs and throw in a Centennial DD40AX in the bargain....hope you have a big flat yard. Your driver won't have to cut the grass anymore either!

Mud Fowl

[mudchicken]

Mooks:
Go talk to Omaha, they might just let go of theirs and throw in a Centennial DD40AX in the bargain....hope you have a big flat yard. Your driver won't have to cut the grass anymore either!

Mud Fowl

[mudchicken]

Mooks:
Go talk to Omaha, they might just let go of theirs and throw in a Centennial DD40AX in the bargain....hope you have a big flat yard. Your driver won't have to cut the grass anymore either!

Mud Fowl

[dharmon]

Seriously though (so I don't incur the wrath of the serious poster),

Model railroading has become a wealthy person's hobby. In my (not so distant I like to think) youth it was not too difficult to scrape together the funds to pick up a kit (yes a kit, one of those items that is becoming increasingly hard to find). Those kits are now RTR items costing 3-4 times as much, and to me less enjoyable. Part of the attraction was and still is running something that I built. My interest in railraod and modelling go hand in hand. I do not seperate them. The cost of the modelling side has made me curtail that some recently. I scour ebay, swap meets and sales for the best deal I can. The current market I have to admit has a wider vareity of items available than before, albeit at a premium. Howevr, prices are only what the market will bear, and someone, actually alot of someones are paying the costs to keep it so apparently. This keeps the market going and the variety out there. If the customers cannot or will not pay the price then the marketer either has to lower the cost and accept a lower profit, or scale back to meet lesser demand by offering fewer items and less variety, kind of a double edged sword. I agree prices are too higher than they should be, much more so than the increased production costs (labor, materials, etc). So I find my self here, in an entertaining way learning more about the subject.

[dharmon]

Seriously though (so I don't incur the wrath of the serious poster),

Model railroading has become a wealthy person's hobby. In my (not so distant I like to think) youth it was not too difficult to scrape together the funds to pick up a kit (yes a kit, one of those items that is becoming increasingly hard to find). Those kits are now RTR items costing 3-4 times as much, and to me less enjoyable. Part of the attraction was and still is running something that I built. My interest in railraod and modelling go hand in hand. I do not seperate them. The cost of the modelling side has made me curtail that some recently. I scour ebay, swap meets and sales for the best deal I can. The current market I have to admit has a wider vareity of items available than before, albeit at a premium. Howevr, prices are only what the market will bear, and someone, actually alot of someones are paying the costs to keep it so apparently. This keeps the market going and the variety out there. If the customers cannot or will not pay the price then the marketer either has to lower the cost and accept a lower profit, or scale back to meet lesser demand by offering fewer items and less variety, kind of a double edged sword. I agree prices are too higher than they should be, much more so than the increased production costs (labor, materials, etc). So I find my self here, in an entertaining way learning more about the subject.

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon

Sorry, don't think my wife will let her big boy go..at least until all the house projects are done.

[}:)]

Moo

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by dharmon

Sorry, don't think my wife will let her big boy go..at least until all the house projects are done.

[}:)]

Moo

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken

Mooks:
Go talk to Omaha, they might just let go of theirs and throw in a Centennial DD40AX in the bargain....hope you have a big flat yard. Your driver won't have to cut the grass anymore either!

Mud Fowl

Feather Duster: They went and hid them! I know they are somewhere in Omaha and I tried like mad to get at least the Big Boy down here! I have looked over the Centennial, but haven't really studied it too closely. Was too busy trying to keep from drooling on BB. My Dad was a fireman on one ( a loaner type of thing) and he explained it from cab to "porch". But I had my brain disengaged most of the time, cuz I couldn't quit feeling like a midget next to BB! It was awesome! Sigh!

And landlord doesn't water, so grass doesn't need much - believe me, BB would be an improvement over the backyard we have now!

La Moo

[Mookie]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mudchicken

Mooks:
Go talk to Omaha, they might just let go of theirs and throw in a Centennial DD40AX in the bargain....hope you have a big flat yard. Your driver won't have to cut the grass anymore either!

Mud Fowl

Feather Duster: They went and hid them! I know they are somewhere in Omaha and I tried like mad to get at least the Big Boy down here! I have looked over the Centennial, but haven't really studied it too closely. Was too busy trying to keep from drooling on BB. My Dad was a fireman on one ( a loaner type of thing) and he explained it from cab to "porch". But I had my brain disengaged most of the time, cuz I couldn't quit feeling like a midget next to BB! It was awesome! Sigh!

And landlord doesn't water, so grass doesn't need much - believe me, BB would be an improvement over the backyard we have now!

La Moo

[vsmith]

alismom

This should have been posted on the Model Railroader forum, it has been discussed there several times. The consensus there was, Yes, the hobby is expensive, but it has never been a cheap hobby. Those products that are cheap are just that, cheap. Cheap running, cheap detailing, cheap quality of the department store quality train set. Good stuff has always been pricey, when adjusted for inflation, most stuff now is about the same price/per adjusted dollar it was 30 years ago. Remember how much car you could get for $20,000 back in 1973 -vs- how much car that same $$ gets you today. In 1970 you could buy a house for $20,000. So price has remained relatively stable. Its the intentional jacking of prices for "limited release" stuff that is hurting. That plus as the average model RR buff ages there income goes up as does there expectations of what there $$ gets them. What the manufacturers are doing is leaving out the younger people who might be interested but do not want to spend $$$ for one loco. But again this has NEVER been a cheap hobby. If you want to just run a starter train and track in a oval over grass paper mat with styrofoam tunnels this can be done very cheaply, but to do hydrocal mountains, realistic trees, buildings, and a layout with variety, you have to commit to spending some silver. What most people make the mistake of is trying to build their empire in 3 months, that is unrealistic and they get burned out after spending a ton of cash. they should be patient and build slowly. its the only way to get what you want. save $$ over time and get what you want. you only need one engine to start. compared to even 10 years ago the variety of thing that were previously the realm of the scratchbuilder is vastly increased. So it is a far better time than ever to be starting this hobby. I agree that the manufacturers should offer more to starters, bachmann does a great job. Atlas track is still dirt cheap for its quality. so dont dispare, slow down and dont be afriad to take 5 years to finish. you'll probably end up with layout radically different from where you thought you wanted to go.

[vsmith]

alismom

This should have been posted on the Model Railroader forum, it has been discussed there several times. The consensus there was, Yes, the hobby is expensive, but it has never been a cheap hobby. Those products that are cheap are just that, cheap. Cheap running, cheap detailing, cheap quality of the department store quality train set. Good stuff has always been pricey, when adjusted for inflation, most stuff now is about the same price/per adjusted dollar it was 30 years ago. Remember how much car you could get for $20,000 back in 1973 -vs- how much car that same $$ gets you today. In 1970 you could buy a house for $20,000. So price has remained relatively stable. Its the intentional jacking of prices for "limited release" stuff that is hurting. That plus as the average model RR buff ages there income goes up as does there expectations of what there $$ gets them. What the manufacturers are doing is leaving out the younger people who might be interested but do not want to spend $$$ for one loco. But again this has NEVER been a cheap hobby. If you want to just run a starter train and track in a oval over grass paper mat with styrofoam tunnels this can be done very cheaply, but to do hydrocal mountains, realistic trees, buildings, and a layout with variety, you have to commit to spending some silver. What most people make the mistake of is trying to build their empire in 3 months, that is unrealistic and they get burned out after spending a ton of cash. they should be patient and build slowly. its the only way to get what you want. save $$ over time and get what you want. you only need one engine to start. compared to even 10 years ago the variety of thing that were previously the realm of the scratchbuilder is vastly increased. So it is a far better time than ever to be starting this hobby. I agree that the manufacturers should offer more to starters, bachmann does a great job. Atlas track is still dirt cheap for its quality. so dont dispare, slow down and dont be afriad to take 5 years to finish. you'll probably end up with layout radically different from where you thought you wanted to go.

[dharmon]

alismom,

vrsmith is right on all acounts. In fact moments ago I was perusing a thread on the MR board with exactly the same topic and responses. Don't give up on the hobby, be it watching or modelling.

[dharmon]

alismom,

vrsmith is right on all acounts. In fact moments ago I was perusing a thread on the MR board with exactly the same topic and responses. Don't give up on the hobby, be it watching or modelling.

[JoeKoh]

watching and modeling matt is getting to like both.Its hard to get him out of the hoggers chair.
stay safe
joe
ps alismom welcome to our forums corner [8D]

[JoeKoh]

watching and modeling matt is getting to like both.Its hard to get him out of the hoggers chair.
stay safe
joe
ps alismom welcome to our forums corner [8D]