I appologize to all for snapping today. I reread the whole thread. I definitely overreacted. I left out a few words and well, basically assumed to understand more than was intended by the posters. Again, I've sent PMs to a few of you appologizing, but I also wanted to do it publicly.
Don't forget that some of us don't have a stock of "lemons" in the back closet. Therefore we need to buy to enjoy the hobby aside from just running trains in circles.
I'm not sure if I'm just a bizarre aberration, but I don't enjoy talking about products very much. I like to celebrate occasionally if I've managed to obtain a particular piece that is just perfect for my railroad--or if a manufacturer decides to make it, for that matter. For me, the absolute best part of this hobby is making something out of nothing. I am in awe of new techniques and ideas. (The example that springs immediately to mind is Tony Burzio and his idea of using pyramid tea-bags for chainlink fences). That's what I love. I really enjoy stuff about figuring out how to do wiring, painting and detailing locos, and so forth. I love photos of peoples' weathered cars, kitbashed locos, layout progress. But when it comes to "products," as you say, I get bored. I'm having a similar problem with a popular model railroading magazine whose editors seem able to build layouts only by using high-end, off-the-shelf products. Seems they can't even mix generic white glue with water anymore. While purchasing a new locomotive or car can be great, especially if you don't do it a lot, I feel far greater joy on manufacturing a tree out of a bit of brush, running a loco over a new piece of track or a perfectly operating set of turnouts, or improving the performance of a boxcar. Financial downturns--national or just individual--can have benefits as well. Every time a door closes, a window opens somewhere else. On the other hand, manufacturers and retailers really do depend on modelers who are into acquisition--and so do those of us who like variety and quality, which we would not have without their "bags o' money"!
I have been in financial straights for a couple years now. Big medical bills for my kid, no job now, mortgage, etc. I am selling off most everything train related just to stay afloat. i.e. not homeless. I don't think my girlfriend or family would let me end up on the streets, but you know what I mean. I may try to keep a handful of cars and a pair of locos. Although come grocery time those will probably go as well. I still do a lot of railfanning on the Denver joint line and also watching light rail trains. I just like trains. It's in my blood. I am considering scrapping the current layout and building smaller. Maybe 4x3 N scale. jusr a couple loops and some spurs for fun train rolling. Who knows. I do know that in the past five years I have done minimal model railroading. I want to do more of it maybe a couple hours a week. It's so easy to buy stuff, so hard to combine it into a layout. I need a running layout, not that my current one isn't running.
Just read this thread through for the first time today - very interesting. This hobby can be as costly or inexpensive as you (the individual) make it. For years I sure enjoyed those (currently) much maligned "blue box" kits - that's about all one had. But they were affordable and enjoyable even if all I had to work with was a 12" x 6 foot board "lay out." Even tho' retired I can and will afford those models for the three prototypes that I do follow. That said, in reality in the past 4 - 5 months my purchases have been minimal. a couple of turnouts, rail-joiners and one R-T-R reefer that fit right in with my area and era modelled. However, thanks to messrs. Athearn, Atlas, and P2K, my purchases are going to really increase this upcoming summer. E-7's, F-2's, 3-bay wood chip hoppers, and SAL B-6 boxcars - do I absolutely need them - no, but I will enjoy having them. But I am sure, that should worse come to worse, I could still enjoy having one or two GP-7's, a couple of cars and that one siding 12" x 6 foot "lay out."
Chaya, I am with you on (presumably) MR and their magazines and books full of "repurposed articles." I buy a lot of them, but will NOT buy "Done in a Day" "Building a Ready to Run Layout" or even many of the special issues on how to build a railroad, believing that is what the main magazine is for. Trainkeegee - I have been thinking about being happy with a switching layout for a while now. I ran SOO's great layout last weekend. For both of us, there is a lot of mainline, complex staging, etc., and what do we do? Make up a train from available cars in the main yard and switch the local industries for a half an hour or more. It was plenty to keep us happy, and few of us really has time to run an all night op session anyway. It has me thinking that the value of all the extra complexity is really quite low compared to building a shelf switching railroad around 3 walls of a spare bedroom.
On the topic of purchases I noticed this as a sponsored link at the top of my Gmail page today: Railcars - Sarnia, Ontario | Warehouses, Shunting, Storage
The only thing it has made me do is hold on to a lot of the engines and rolling stock I was getting ready to sell. I have wayyyyyyyy to many engines and rolling stock to ever even think about running. I will hold on to it now until the economy gets better. I still watch and see what things go for on ebay and that has went down too. All is paid for so it's not hurting me to keep it.
Shipping costs? I want to know if it come in the original box and if the box is cracked, otherwise, it probably wont hold iits value.
One of the positive moves I made is not to renew my MR subscription which is expiring soon. I get more ideas, tips and answers from this forum and from other sites. Cheers,
The economy has had no affect on my model railroading - it's been more health problems lately. Not debilitating so far, but reducing my desire to climb the stairs to my railroad room. I was fortunate to have worked for a railroad almost all my life and so receive Railroad Retirement. Our investment income and the like is down, but Railroad Retirement keeps going up. Another thing, between the new stuff coming out and eBay, there's not much I need. I've got more projects than I can shake a stick at though, like finishing the last six feet of my main line, all swing bridge and trestle.
It is an older model, so I don't think it is DCC ready. That can be a reason not to buy it (and the shipping costs, of course). :tb-wink:
