I have recently checked out new locos and came to find that they are much more expensive because they are DCC ready. I am not dissing DCC because I think its a great advance in Model RRing, but I am not ready to upgrade to DCC yet, but I am already facing DCC type prices because everything is turning into DCC capable! I don’t even need DCC compatibiltiy, even though it might be nice to have in the long run when I eventually upgrade to DCC. [:(]
It’s not the “DCC Ready” feature that is making locomotives more expensive because the added socket costs mere pennies to produce and install. Normal inflationary pricing is the main culprit due to increased energy costs, which in turn makes delivery costs higher because the manufacturers are passing their increased costs on to the consumer.
Yeah DCC Is Expensive but it is a great investment. its Everything You Need For The Price of 2 good running atlas engines. I too will be investing in a DCC system i guess its just peoples opinions?.
Yes, there is added expense with DCC, but there is also added value. Trains become easier to move around, mu, along with having better control. Not to mention sound!!
Having moved twice in the last 18 months, with one more move on the way, DCC has kept me interested in a hobby that I probably would have shelved otherwise. (I’m currently down to a 12 ft set of modules, lots of switching to be done!)
Prices for engines with decoders are coming down all the time too. Bachmann seems to be leaning this way, especially in their On30 line. Their railtruck and new outside frame 2-8-0 already come with generic DCC decoders; you cannot order them any other way. And their 0-4-0 gas mechanical now comes with a decoder too, the previous ones didn’t.
It appears to be the way of the future whether we like it or not!
Bob Boudreau
beegle,
You have no case. Locos had printed circuit boards before they were DCC ready, and to add a socket and a dummy plug are incremental costs that are truly pennies (and even lower for the P1K’s that have no socket, just solder holes and traces that you cut).
Other than inflation, the real cost increases on locos these days are due to the added details and the limited run nature of the hobby. 20 years ago, you’d be hard pressed to find any plastic locos with seperate grabs, see-through grills, thin handrails, and road specific detail. Also, 20 years ago, all plastic manufacturers pretty much ran in “batches” that were, for the most part, continuous. Since they didn’t have to pay for any new tooling, they could keep costs low for the next batch. Of course, this meant there was very little choice for models compared to today, but that’s the price you pay.
Paul A. Cutler III
Weather Or No Go New Haven
[#ditto]
Plastic is made from oil. Transportation cost have more than doubled over the last ten years. Consider too that most of the newer models have better detailing and drives. About the only locomotives that haven’t changed is the old Athearn “Blue Box”. And maybe the Proto 1000.
I believe Bachmann is either putting off production of their standard line in favor of the new Gold Series or dropped it altogether. I suppose they would want to recoup their investment on new products.
I understand your point beegle55. I agree, there should be a better selection of locomotives for under $50 besides low end Life-Like, Model Power and Tyco. You can still find bargains on P2K, Spectrum and Genninus lines if you look for them. Check out TrainWorld. They often have sales and close outs on those brands, although they are limited road names.
Horizon Hobby hasn’t made it any easier when they bought out Athearn and Model Die Cast. They cut out many of the big discounters that don’t have a “brick and Mortar” store. Add to that, they are concentrating on the Ready-To-Roll and premium products, which cost more.
This isn’t true - Trainworld discounts Athearn RTR as well. I’ve seen Athearn RTR available for $60 or less over the past year or so. Besides Trainworld there is MB Klein and several other vendors discounting athearn RTR engines around $60. At the last trainshow here in Timonium MD there were RTR available for $50.
Casey,
Terrific deals are out there if you are willing to look for them. I agree with solosdad, Trainworld and M. B. Klein are two great places to find deals. I just picked up an Stewart FT A-B diesel from M. B. Klein for $90 - over 1/2 MSRP. To add both a JST harness and decoder is only an additional $20 and the install is a simple plug in.
Tom
If you want the price to drop on DCC products, you must BUY, BUY, BUY. Have you ever noticed that when any new technology arrives on the market, the initial buyers pay for the engineering and development costs. Then as more and more people purchase the items, the price drops because of something called " economy of scale". Which means the production costs drop as the manufacturer builds more. Economics 101, you guys who took economics in school remember that graph right guys?
true i still like the old school
Folks please… let’s not fight.
I have a pair of Atlas RS-1’s which I got for a good price (@64 dollars for both) NIB.
They will recieve DCC and Sound at some point in the future. The cost of this upgrade is about the same as what it would cost me to get a pair of Factory Equippted RS-1’s that already come with DCC and Sound.
With my luck factory equippted RS-1s might be released making me choose between selling the ones I have and avoiding the hassle of installation in such a small space.
The cost of DCC for me is not an issue, I have maybe about 4 engines that have no DCC in them and can spread the installations across a period of years. Now if I had to juggle a collection of 50 steam and a hatful of diesals then I might consider DCC a bit expensive.
Sorry folks, I didn’t mean to imply that Trainworld doesn’t discount R-T-R. I meant R-T-R is more expensive than the Blue Box at the manufacturers suggested retail price level and that Horizon had been focused on R-T-R and the Genesis line production.
With Trainworld’s closeouts or blowouts specials, I don’t doubt they have sold Athearn R-T-R for less than Blue Box retail or even discount price. You can get dirt cheap prices, but usually on products being discontinued, replaced by updated versions or non-popular road names.
Oh, I just used Trainworld for an example. I know they are not the only one that discounts Athearn, but are the other dealers you mention internet only dealers? Probably not. Looking at the Dealer Application I pretty sure you need to have a store front because they ask for photos to prove it.
Trainworld has a brick and mortar store front (well, it’s more like wood, stucco and steel).
Getting into DCC costs as much as a decent loco, at least that is my experience up here in BC. So, I rationalized that the next loco would have to wait while I spent that money on running trains realistically. I do not regret that decision for an instant.
Ok ill check those places out.
Im not trying to start an uproar, I just wanted some advice on where to find cheap locos. I am not complaining about the prices, as I understand that oil prices are way to high and cause inflation on every product made fo plastics. What advice I have received is good advice though. I like the idea of DCC, but I dont have full knowledge of DCC yet and I don’t have a huge budget to upgrade yet. Thanks everyone!
Yes there are lots of deals out there and it is certainly possible to pick up P2K’s and BLI’s at great prices from the discounters.
The last couple of years has seen a shift. The introduction and success of sound equipped locomotives proved to the manufacturers that there was a demand and a significant market for locomotives in the $150 to $200 range. Prior to this who would have ever considered paying over a $100 for a plastic locomotive? Most of my P2K and Atlas stuff was costing me quite a bit less than $100 back in those days. What we are seeing now, is an apparent significant upwards shift of the MSRP for the non sound equipped versions of the locomotives. This is particularly evident in the MSRP for new releases of the P2K offerings under Walthers ownership. (I know, don’t pay MSRP, but I think many are dissapointed when models sell out and never make it to the discounters)
So IMO 2 significant things have resulted in the increase we have seen.
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The addition of new features, sound specifically, and more detail allowed the upper limit price for a plastic loco to go up dramatically. The market (us) not only accepted this, we have positively rushed to buy them.
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Consolidation in the industry and limited production runs keep the prices up.
There is one interesting trend. The Atlas Trainman line seems to have done very well. Other manufacturers may well follow and start to make models to sell for lower prices.