How much can we justify spending?

[Brakie]

John your appreciation of Lance's work is well documented.

Ralph, just to make it clear, I think Lance's work is remarkably good. It's his blog that's frequently bizarre. It's probably not much different from the really talented actor who doesn't have the sense to keep his mouth shut offstage.

Well,I think there's a lot of misinterpretation in reading the written word..I truly doubt if Lance ever suggest his is the only way to build a layout.Look how much of Tony Koester's "Trains of thought/LDEs or operation" is still being misinterpreted.
How about the other layout or operation trend setters? They too have been misinterpreted. Yet none of them say "Ya's gotta do it this- a- way.

However.

As you know there are those that feel you're not a real modeler if your models isn't 100% correct and they're not backward in saying that directly and there's no misinterpretation in they are saying because of their bluntness..

[Charlie B]

real[/i] modeler if your models isn't 100% correct and they're not backward in saying that directly and there's no misinterpretation in they are saying because of their bluntness..

And did you ever notice most of these "experts" never invite folks to see their work. I had the good fortune to be invited to see a layout built by a guy that insisted hand laid track was the only true way..He couldn't keep a train on the track for 2 feet. I'm not saying hand laid is bad, but you should at least do it reasonably well before you claim to be an expert.
Charlie

[jwb]

Well, this is getting more afield, but I agree that what's irksome is people who claim to have any "final answer". There are numerous hobby figures who are this way, many of whom have blogs where they proclaim (1) how things should be done, and (2) who has exactly the right idea. I'm not going to mention any others, but they're out there. My own view is that several of the "prototype modeler" "experts" who blog about their layouts have basically boring layouts. One in particular is modeling the California coast. Well, gee, I live in the same place, and, uh, I hate to say it, but his layout doesn't remind me much of the California coast. I guess it's just me.

I think part of the problem is when we get away from the models themselves. I particularly enjoy posts, here and on other forums, by guys who've upgraded older HO stuff, wood-and-metal or plastic. When they stick with that, their posts are really great. When they start saying they've got the only way to do things, that's something else.

[Brakie]

jwb:One in particular is modeling the California coast. Well, gee, I live in the same place, and, uh, I hate to say it, but his layout doesn't remind me much of the California coast. I guess it's just me.
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That's a kin to modeling the Rockies and calling them the Appalachians..

My Slate Creek is generic enough to be anywhere East of the Mississippi but,would completely fail the test if I said Slate Creek is in California,Florida or Arizona.

[jwb]

Staying with the question of good blogs but getting back to the issue of budgeting resources, this blog is one of my favorites lately <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://newyorkcentrallayout.blogspot.com/">http://newyorkcentrallayout.blogspot.com/</a><!-- m --> -- I think Ralph liked it when I pointed it out on another forum. What I think is worthwhile is that the guy seems to be budgeting his overall resources -- not just the money, but the time and effort -- and coming up with a result that seems to be making him happy and is fun for other people to watch. I think a key to success is to have objectives -- maybe less conscious ones, but consistent -- and then orient your overall effort to satisfy them. It's worth pointing out that he's using a lot of older, less expensive stuff, but he's getting an overall good result with it.

[Catt]

On the rare occausion (thankfully) that I am asked how to do something I always preface the advice with "This is how I do it,your welcome to try my way or any part of it,or none of it".Then I will say "If you come upo with what you think is a better way please share it." " Just don't ever get the idea that it is THE ONLY WAY to do it."

Overvthe last 30 something years I have knowingly pissed off more than one "expert" because I did it my way (which works foir me) rather than their way. :mrgreen:

[Brakie]

Staying with the question of good blogs but getting back to the issue of budgeting resources, this blog is one of my favorites lately <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://newyorkcentrallayout.blogspot.com/">http://newyorkcentrallayout.blogspot.com/</a><!-- m --> -- I think Ralph liked it when I pointed it out on another forum. What I think is worthwhile is that the guy seems to be budgeting his overall resources -- not just the money, but the time and effort -- and coming up with a result that seems to be making him happy and is fun for other people to watch. I think a key to success is to have objectives -- maybe less conscious ones, but consistent -- and then orient your overall effort to satisfy them. It's worth pointing out that he's using a lot of older, less expensive stuff, but he's getting an overall good result with it.

But,but,how can that be? Everybody knows you need $40.00 cars,DCC/Sound, up to date highly detailed locomotives to enjoy the hobby..All the "experts" agree to that modeling philosophy.

Seriously that man is doing what the majority of the modelers I know are doing..
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John,I think you and I have ruin many "expert's" day by doing things our way..

We both know modeling doesn't require any bachelor degrees in modeling but,still the "experts" continue to overstate the obvious while complicating the simple...

[Lester Perry]

I do have DCC but was kind of pushed into it. I had developed what I called PCC. Poor mans Command Control, I put latching reed switches in all of my locomotives. By waving a magnet over the cab of a diesel or the coal in the tender of steam locomotive I could turn it off or on. The headlight would turn off or on with the motor. I used the old bridge rectifier system to power 1.5 volt lights which makes them come with low voltage and come on very bright. My layout was 4 blocks WB, EB main line, Yard & J&M short line. It was powered with 4 power supply's, 2 MRC walkaround and 2 regular power packs. I could have 10 locomotives in the yard and run my SW 1200 switching all around them. The I purchased a BLI C&O T1 with sound that would run on DC. It had momentum programed in it and it wouldn't go through a crossover because every time it had a momentary break in the power the momentum would start over which means it had to start at 0 again. I called the manufacturer, tey said it was easy to fix just program the momentum out. Wait a minute how do I do that? I started looking at DCC decided MRC seemed easiest to use. Then spotted a typo in an ad in MRR magazine. Someone had it on sale for $170.00 normally it was $350.00. I am not stupid so I called them. Now I have DCC I just added it to my layout as another power supply. That was about 12 years ago. I have slowly changed all of my steam to DCC getting decoders for as little as $10.00 some do have sound, two have expensive sound. The BLI is the only one bought with sound and it doesn't need it but it forced me to buy DCC. All that to say, yes I have DCC with some sound. Not because I really wanted to it just happened.

[Ralph]

John your appreciation of Lance's work is well documented.

Ralph, just to make it clear, I think Lance's work is remarkably good. It's his blog that's frequently bizarre. It's probably not much different from the really talented actor who doesn't have the sense to keep his mouth shut offstage.

Thanks for the clarification. I was misunderstanding that.

Staying with the question of good blogs but getting back to the issue of budgeting resources, this blog is one of my favorites lately <!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://newyorkcentrallayout.blogspot.com/">http://newyorkcentrallayout.blogspot.com/</a><!-- m --> -- I think Ralph liked it when I pointed it out on another forum. What I think is worthwhile is that the guy seems to be budgeting his overall resources -- not just the money, but the time and effort -- and coming up with a result that seems to be making him happy and is fun for other people to watch. I think a key to success is to have objectives -- maybe less conscious ones, but consistent -- and then orient your overall effort to satisfy them. It's worth pointing out that he's using a lot of older, less expensive stuff, but he's getting an overall good result with it.

I do like it. Thanks for the link. I enjoy this guy's approach to the hobby very much.

[ngauger]

Well............... I can justify $365.00 that my friend & I spent at the train show....

A small Drill Press, Rail Joiners, Fluorescent magnifier, G gauge track, ditch lights for a U-25B, Picnic tables and park benches, and the show car,

[ezdays]

Somehow I get lost in the fact that one modeler says or does things this way and someone else says or does something entirely different, and we are supposed to believe one or the other is right. There are always conflicting opinions…who cares? What possible difference does it make that someone says you should have a small switching layout, or another guy blogs that you should fill your basement with as big a layout as will fit? Should we care about what scale others model in? Should we really be concerned about how much or how little someone else spends or how elaborate or detailed their layouts are? Does it matter if our layout doesn’t look at all prototypical? Suppose we’re not as talented as others, or have some other limitation and we wind up with something less than is acceptable to some other people? Does it really matter, or should we pay attention to what others say or do and try to conform; and if we can’t, should we just put our stuff on eBay and take up knitting or finger painting?

The bottom line is, what’s right for you? How much can you afford and do you even want to spend that much? What do you want to put into a layout and get out of it? How talented are you and do you even care what others say or do, just as long as you’re pleased with what you’re doing and it doesn’t break your bank. Would you rather spend $50 and two hours on a model, or $5 and twenty hours to scratchbuild one? The way that makes you happier is the right answer.

“How much can we justify spending?” I think everyone here thinks that spending over $6,000 on one model is a bit excessive, but there is someone that will jump at the chance. Others may have to save up just to buy $10 worth of ground cover. We spend what we think is right for what we’re doing and what we can budget for it, not a penny more.

“What would you do if you had unlimited funds to spend on your railroad?” was my second question. If we did, some would buy a real railroad or a steam engine, but think about just how much time and work that would take to maintain or run it. :o I think most modelers wouldn’t spend all that they could, even with unlimited funds, but would splurge a bit and go a bit further than they would if their resources were limited.

So, I say learn from others, but emulate them only if you want to, not because someone says you should. Spend no more than you can afford, and not even that much if you reach a point that you’re happy and satisfied with what you’re doing. That's why they call this a hobby....

[Catt]

The only thing I have to say about advise (other than I already have ) is if you ask for it listen to it and remember it.It may not be what you want to hear but if you listen you may learn something from it that will be useful.

As for unlimited financial resoucres don't be a dummy and buy it just because you can afford it.

[ezdays]

The only thing I have to say about advise (other than I already have ) is if you ask for it listen to it and remember it.It may not be what you want to hear but if you listen you may learn something from it that will be useful.

As for unlimited financial resoucres don't be a dummy and buy it just because you can afford it.

That sums up very nicely in two lines what I was trying to say in about four paragraphs....

[Catt]

Some dayz I gits it right. :mrgreen:

[Sumpter250]

The only thing I have to say about advise (other than I already have ) is if you ask for it listen to it and remember it.It may not be what you want to hear but if you listen you may learn something from it that will be useful.
As for unlimited financial resoucres don't be a dummy and buy it just because you can afford it.

Well stated, Catt
signature line 1 applies.........I just don't have the right amount of available cash to make the $6000.00 mistake