How much can we justify spending?

[ezdays]

I was perusing through the latest MRR when I came across and ad for an HO Caterpillar mining shovel that was offered at $1,395 plus shipping. I wasn't sure if that was a misprint so I went to the Zycor website and sure enough, I found that wasn't the most expensive HO model in their inventory. There were several in the $1500 range and this one for only $6,195, air freight is extra. It is a detailed model, I'll give them that, but I'm not sure how many modelers can justify buying one for their layout or even have a layout big enough for one since it is over three feet long and two feet high. Huge by anyone's standards, even HO scale . They are limiting production to 120 units, which means they do expect more than just a few being bought.

   
I'm just wondering if this hobby isn't getting too expensive for a lot of us. I used to think that spending $100 on an engine was a lot, but now I see where $500 is common anymore. Yeah, you do get more for that much, but still, how many can we afford to buy at that price?

[faraway]

I think there are a lot of really rich people around. In fact they got even more over last decade. e.g. have a look to Russia and China what happened there.
Maybe shipping is extra because their "typical" client sends his jet to pick it up :o

[Ralph]

Well, I won't be purchasing either version of the mine shovel. If I were to spend six grand I'd expect the model to be fully operational and actually unearth valuable minerals from my plaster hills. I'm a budget conscious modeler who believes you should be able to have fun w/o breaking the bank. For example, I've made decisions about not needing to have DCC and sound equipped locos but I fully appreciate how many folks see those as standard nowadays...I sure do enjoy viewing videos of layouts with sound equipped locos and will admit to some envy.

Over the last few years I've spent about $50-60.00 a piece on some Bachmann units that have run well and I purchased a couple of ATLAS locos second-hand that are wonderful. My most expense diesel is a PK2 SD9 that was just over $100 when I bought it a few years ago.. I have a few Athearn Blue Box units that were less than $40.00 when I bought them in the 1980's and 90's. Some of them are getting tired but I think replacing some parts may bring them back to life. I think grades on my mainline have taken their toll on some of my roster. Much of my rolling stock is either old Tyco cars I've been upgrading and Athearn cars I purchased for $5.00 or less a pop at flea markets. Sometimes I'd like to get some nice looking coil cars but I can't bring myself to spend over $30 on one car.

The other thing I compromised about was signals and automated crossing guards. I'd love to include working details like that but they seem so cost prohibitive. Again, I love seeing them work on other people's layout videos though....

I won't cast any aspersions at folks who can afford to spend more money on their hobby. If you can do it...good for you! For me some of the pleasure of the hobby comes from finding inexpensive alternatives that I find good enough for my own enjoyment.

[Brakie]

I didn't even pay a 1/3 of that six grand for my Buick 9 years ago.

I stopped buying the high price models and turn to LL P2K that can be had around $60.00-in fact my 2 LL P2K SCL GP38-2s cost less then the price of one Geneses GP38-2 at street.

I mention that on another forum and was told those P2K GP38-2s wasn't up to today's standards (by whose standards?) and had several detail flaws (so? I'm happy with 'em).

[faraway]

...I stopped buying the high price models and turn to LL P2K that can be had around $60.00-in fact my 2 LL P2K SCL GP38-2s cost less then the price of one Geneses GP38-2 at street.

I mention that on another forum and was told those P2K GP38-2s wasn't up to today's standards (by whose standards?) and had several detail flaws (so? I'm happy with 'em).

I did the same over the last couple of month. A German online dealer sells some of the last P2K GP38-2 at a reasonable price and I got some of them. I am very satisfied. They are smooth runners (after replacing the axis and the honey with grease ) and the details are at least for me fine. Conversion to LED is much easier than with high price Genesis engines.

[switcher1]

I'm in agreement with Ralph & Brakie, keeping the costs reasonable, no super detailing for me, (I'd probably break it anyway), no sound locos, no DCC (I can only control one at a time anyway), just 'pre used' locos & cars purchased for my layout.

Some of my fun has been the finding & buying at a 'good price'; I just got one loco for £10 & another for £15 this last week, & my cars have cost me from £3.75 upwards. I have even managed to obtain some good turnouts at good prices; unfortunately, flexi track has been going at ridiculous prices, so I have had to buy a box of it brand new.

[Charlie B]

I won't cast any aspersions at folks who can afford to spend more money on their hobby. If you can do it...good for you! For me some of the pleasure of the hobby comes from finding inexpensive alternatives that I find good enough for my own enjoyment.

Ralph, you and I are of one mind. My sister-in-law was here just last night and I don't know how the subject came up but she was telling me she and her husband went Christmas shopping for something for me, a gift for some help I gave them last year. She said they wanted to get me something nice, but couldn't find any locos or cars that she hadn't seen on the layout. Then they thought maybe some trees, or something else material wise I could use. They looked at ballast and Mike asked the clerk how much He would need for me to do the layout. My sister-in-law knew the size of the room so when she told the clerk the size he told her it would cost about $1600...... I got a big box of chocolates.., and a nice card. I told her I got a whole truckload for 5 bucks at the mine, and I had all ready gotten past that point anyway. I showed her my home made trees and ballast .She couldn't believe what the trees cost to buy and I showed her how I made them.
I get as much enjoyment out of making what I can. I am not talented enough to scratch build rolling stock so I do buy that.
I am working on making some of my own automobiles and trucks right now using RTV silicone molds and dental plaster. There is a big learning curve, but the plaster is cheap, and everyone needs a junk yard. I will have a very large junk yard I am afraid.
Charlie

[ezdays]

You guys are right, we get more satisfaction from making something or getting something at a bargain price they we would if we bought something ready-made just because we can say it was expensive. As long as we hang out in places like Big Blue, we don't have to worry about keeping up with the Jones, 'cause we all think the same way. I got a bunch of new GP38's a few years ago for less than $15 each from a dealer that was no longer in the model train market, some haven't even been out of the box yet, but they were a great buy and I felt great . Yeah, no DCC, no sound, but I don't care. I also bought a bunch of kits at the same time for around $2.00 each, just for the material. Just about all the rest of my engines and cars were "experienced" before I got them. I'd rather brag about the great deals I got, or the money I saved by being creative, than I would brag about having paid $6,000 for one stinking scale shovel. :o If I really wanted one, I think I'd take on the task of building one myself. It may take a year, but I'd have more pride in it when it was completed.

I still can't figure out where someone would put something that big on a layout, it's even big for G, 3' long by 2' high... Who knows, maybe there's 120 layouts in the world that it would look just right there, but then they'd have to buy a few scale trucks to work with it and pretty soon, even those will look crowded.

[nachoman]

Just goes to show there is more than one way to enjoy this hobby. Live steam modelers pay more than that, even if they do build themselves. With enough money, you could pay someone to build a layout for you. If you have enough money, and all you care about is running trains, this may be a good option. Personally, my enjoyment is in building. I probably haven't spent more than 250 a year on modeling supplies in a long time. Even if I had the money, I don't know if I would be spending much more. I'd probably shell out some for some locomotives, but something like this? If it were a kit for 250 bucks and needed such a contraption as the centerpiece for a mining scene, I'd definitely consider it. I find that unless you get your raw materials for basically free, the cost of scratchbuilding isn't that much less than the cost of a kit.

[Tyson Rayles]

I'm pretty much in-line with everybody else. If I could afford huge $$$$ for something I wouldn't do it. Like others here I get more enjoyment doing things myself when possible. I don't think I have ever spent over $100 on any one item with the exception of the Atlas N scale Shay which turned out to be a real piece of @#%!.

[MountainMan]

If you take a serious look at the modeling mags these days, the trend is towards huge, elaborate layouts with lots of microprocessors and hi-tech. Layouts are increasingly shifting to the larger and more expensive scales as well.

Not so long ago, someone who built a purpose-built structure just to house their layout was a very rich person and it happened only occassionally. now, it's a common practice.

So the answer to your question is that there is an increasing number of people who will justify any expenditure in pursuit of this hobby, and it is skewing the marketplace for the rest of us.

[Brakie]

So the answer to your question is that there is an increasing number of people who will justify any expenditure in pursuit of this hobby, and it is skewing the marketplace for the rest of us.
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Sooner or later the price bubble will burst or the manufacturers will find they have to few customers since those with deep pockets will be the only ones able to sustain them.

Enter the dark horse.

Bachmann seems to have the right idea by filling the market with affordable models with DCC and with DCC/ Sound..

Some modelers may laugh at Bachmann and may even call it "Botchmann" but,why do I suspect the manufacturers find very little to laugh about?

[Catt]

I like my "Botchmann" locos.I think alot of the negative talk about Bachmann is from people who have never owned one,but they were told they are junk by someone else who most likely never did either.I run ATLAS,Bachmann, KATO,and LifeLike on the Onandaga sub and you would be surprized at how many people can not believe how well they all run even though "Everybody knows that Bachmann and LifeLike are junk"

Hmmm, come to think of it the only new stuff I buy these days is made by Bachmann (On30).

[Brakie]

John,What I find funny is many will not add Life Like P2K when they talk of the older LL P2K cars and locomotives.

My Bachmann sound equipped S4 runs as smooth as my older Atlas/Rocco S4s so no complaints here..

[Green_Elite_Cab]

I like my "Botchmann" locos.I think alot of the negative talk about Bachmann is from people who have never owned one,but they were told they are junk by someone else who most likely never did either.I run ATLAS,Bachmann, KATO,and LifeLike on the Onandaga sub and you would be surprized at how many people can not believe how well they all run even though "Everybody knows that Bachmann and LifeLike are junk"

Hmmm, come to think of it the only new stuff I buy these days is made by Bachmann (On30).

I don't even know where to begin with Bachmann, but you certainly don't need to own a Bachmann engine to see the problems. Most of the Spectrum models at least run alright, but almost all of their models suffer from really, REALLY simple but difficult to correct errors, particularly concerning paint schemes. Bachmann does a miserable job on research.

Hence the name "Botchmann". Its one thing if you're selling a lower end model and you dont have all the fancy super details. However, I expect you to get the paint right, especially when we're talking about simple ones like Conrail. Note that for some reason, they swapped the location of the logo and lettering. Why?

Another big offender is the Amtrak Amfleet cars by bachmann. They actually changed the paint job on these models due to complaints, but they STILL got it wrong, putting the logos in different wrong places. The "Phase II" amfleet coach does not even match the real Phase II paint scheme at all. These aren't old cars either, they are currently producing these things.

Botchmann is right!