The economy, model trains, and you.

The economy hasn't really effected me much, but from the start I pinched my pennies. My layout(old school DC) is not prototypical, thus it free's me up more. I would say at least 90% of my track and stock is used. The only thing I purchased new was the wiring and the wiring related products and 20ft of flex track I found on clearance. When I started buying rolling stock and engines I looked for big lot sales. I took what I wanted out of those and sold the rest to but more lot sales. I have one more lot of leftovers that I don't want due to the road names. Almost all my track I got after my grandfather passed. Any "new" stuff I got was the "old NIB stuff" that was out there. You can do this hobby on a limited budget, but you can't keep up with the Jones and you have to settle for an average instead of the "top of the line".

 

Not sure what to say other than prices are eye popping. I miss the 90s when you could go to your LHS and spend a reasonable amount of money and leave the store with more than one item. Now it seems like I have to buy things one at a time, and the purchases are fewer and far between. I delved into N-Scale in hopes of getting more bang for my buck, but that was simply a newbie assumption as a HCD layout is just as costly per square foot than an HO layout twice its size.

Yes, the products are much better than what they were 20 years ago, but I don't have the money to spend like a kid in a candy shop anymore. Matter of fact, I haven't been that way for at least a decade. I've got to be happy with what little I have and convince myself that a small amount of quality is better than the whole lot of average stuff I accumulated over the years. Well, at least my old stuff is average compared to today's standards.

I'm not sure what the future holds, but I don't forsee myself ever spending like I did over 10 years ago. Those dreams of the basement empire were unrealistic. Time to live within my means, as I'm never going to have a surplus of money to burn.

 

The downturn in the economy hasn't affected me greatly, as the space I have available is quite small. Apart from buying one of the forthcoming F40PH from Kato, I'm done. However, here is something that may cause some concern. Hornby have today issued a profit warning, citing the poor trade in Olympic themed goods such as a Velodrome version of Scalextric and disruption caused by a reorganisation at their supplier in China. Is this "reorganisation" the continuing saga of US firms not being able to get their products out of that country?

Regards,

Pete Davies

 

I think my path and ideals closely align with what Jim W. said. My "life issues" occurred before the 2008 crash, so I was already in "lockdown mode". I have slowly climbed out of that but my purchasing philosophies continue to stay conservative. For everything I buy, I probably sell four....mostly due to overbuying in the early/mid 2000's and also to narrowing my focus of what I want to do layout-wise. When I had more time than money (still do) I began fine-tuning my "plan" to the point where I have a very precise breakdown (and limit) of what locomotives and rolling stock I will have on the roster. And this has by no means been a downer...I enjoy researching and attempting to keep that focus, and a leaner roster has given me a better sense that I'm not being *too* foolish with my hobby.

I think prices are what they are. There aren't too many things I come across that I think are out of line. But again, with a more conservative stance I'm not buying a dozen of everything typically. I think that is where a lot of the frustration comes in is with the guys that have been in n-scale for some time and/or the N-trakkers and are accustomed to buying everything that comes along, (because way back when, releases were few and far between) and also buying large numbers of everything. Unless you have a HUGE layout or are running absurd N-trak lengths, buying one instead of six, sixteen, or sixty is often sufficient. (and I speak from experience....I got caught up in it when I first got back into the hobby 13 years ago)

My primary complaints--and they are very minor--are the very old tooling that is being re-released at prices approaching/equal/exceeding the new, outstanding stuff we are getting now and in the past 7-8 years for sure. I don't mind at all paying higher prices for new technology, high detail, or the less common rolling stock being tooled, and so forth. But pretty much any tooling not named Intermountain that is more than 10 years old is probably not gonna demand an MSRP of $20 in my book. I also don't like the "dumbing down" of locomotives just to save a few bucks like the Trainman GP15-1. I don't feel there is room for compromise in n-scale locomotives and the savings isn't worth it. Now keep in mind that I'm not going to be emotional about it or act as if I am entitled to get everything at 1980's pricing or try to tell the manufacturers how to run their business....I just don't buy those things, simple as that.

 

I have far too much N Scale stuff. Bought a live steamer, so now my only costs are $15 bags of coal every so often...

 

Its funny how we experiance the leaness of the times the same way business does sometime . Only buying parts and tooling we " need" to keep the motive power running and the rolling stock rolling. Expenditures for new motive power gets put off as capital finances deminish due to none productuve times earlier in the decade. Older rolling stock gets reshoped and repurposed instead of buying the new and improved version/s. The carpenter shop rejuvinating coach work and the boiler shop performing miracles with torch and welder, (for us it's matches and soldering iron ). None the less we learn to be lean and now seek enjoyment out of the simple acts of modeling like kit bash or scratch build vs rtr plastic buildings and such . I know , I really enjoyed building my wood decked 40 and 45 foot log cars . adding simple numbering schemes and weathering . Oh I do like the factory built , but side by side I like my own handi work better me thinks and I enjoy everyone else's handy work from kit bash and scratch build to full blown hand made . So , It cannot be the money we spend , it must be the time we endevor to improve our hobby , our selves , and those around us that enjoy the hobby as well. Let us not bemoan the fact that prices are up , but let us be ever grateful that we are able to enjoy this multi faceted hobby so much, to enjoy each others applause , bask in the glow of new made friends and be forever mindful of the golden rule . Don't put your spike in someone else's railroad.
May God bless you all
Paul

 

I've slowed considerably over the last several years.
Now, I get what I need, or the occasional "gotta have"
items. And those are far and few between any more.
With the outrageous fees charged, EBay isn't even
worth my time anymore, from a selling point.
Occasional buying maybe, but only if I really gotta have a specific item.

Now, I need to start saving money, and start giving my folks something every paycheck again.
Living at home has it good and bad points. Me still being here is one of the best, after Aug 2008. But, I also fully agree with many of the other comments made.
Figure I'm doing good if I can afford the $60 or so for a full tank of gas, and monthly insurance
for my truck!
Oh well,
Time for bed, so I can get ready for work and make the money for my next "gotta have"!! :teeth:

 

Probably deserves a new thread, but besides the economy, as a few have noted, its where you are on the layout path that seems to affect buying, no?

I recall changing to N in 1990. I had considered it, having an old roomate who was an early adopter, but not being convinced until I saw how well those Kato/Atlas locos were running. I bought some layout parts, cobbled them together to a layout and was in business pretty quickly running trains. The layout had a large capacity, so I bought a lot of locos and cars quickly.

As time went on, I still kept buying each new loco and rolling stock release, if era appropriate, and slowly learned that the rush to buy on pre-orders was usually a little over done. I also managed to change my layout theme from a Cajon Pass to terminal railroad to justify a wider variety of locos running.

I did find over time, that the thrill of running a, say CP train rather than the usual BNSF didn't prove as satisfying as I might have thought. Especially after DCC, it was easier to dial up a previous consist and start it running when I got home from work, and I was fine with that! I got more picky on locos, realizing that one set of off road (like CP) locos was more than enough. Also, reading that most roads had specific power assigned to most regions based on need, rather than running nearly every loco they had past a certain point, helped me get over the "Gotta have one (or three, if different road numbers) of every loco. I passed on GP 60's even though I like them (may not on FVM) because they were slightly out of my era and not as common.

Short version, is I wonder how much we just "mature" in our collecting as time goes on, with that maturation perhaps accelerated a bit during tougher times?

Secondly, if some reports are to be believed, there was a big drop off in loco sales around the recession of 2000. One of the DCC houses ran an ad saying that the typical HO loco run dropped from tens of thousands to about 4000 locos for each model. Some of that was the pre-order system, but what does it say about the modeling population? Were the HO guys just more mature, with fuller collections that didn't need supplementing?

As to rolling stock, I recall buying half dozen or dozen sets of Roundhouse Box Cars, to have whole fleets with different numbers. I got way too much stuff. Later, I did the research to find out that by 2005, box cars had dropped to less than 20% of the total freight car fleet on proto rails, with tankers and Covered Hoppers gaining. I sold off some and bought many of the new Atlas tankers and IM covered hoppers to get my fleet "era appropriate." Now, I continue making it era appropriate by buying the MT weathered and graffitied cars, as well as anything like coil cars and gons to make my fleet more "IHB'y".

Even from the posts here, I sense that others have gone through the same maturation process, with at least some plan in mind, and as you get close to fulfilling the plan, your purchases come down to improvements (like replacing all the Con Cor autoracks when RC and MT graced us with those) or the new car types never before done. It amazes me that all the mfgs keep coming out with box cars! From my experience, that seems like the purchase a newb might make, since box cars are so iconic, but not as common as they once were. I guess they sell, and I hope it means there is an inflow of new modelers, repeating our pattern!