Don Z’s comment that he had 1000 pieces of rolling stock
got me thinking so I counted mine and I have only a mear 68
Then I wondered what the average was
So the question is how many pieces of rolling stock do you have ?
Terry,
I don’t think I’m anywhere near the norm in regards to number of cars. I have been buying rolling stock for about 15 years or so, often buying cars simply because I liked the paint scheme of the car. I started buying without thinking about whether the car would fit in on a layout yet to be planned or built. As a result, I now have a crazy mixture of steam era, transition era and modern era cars that would drive an operations planner batty.
Now that my layout is under construction I have discovered the fun of researching the prototype to help develop the operational side of my layout. This has helped me focus on what road names would be seen in the area of the country that I’m trying to model, as well as the type of motive power that would be present as my timeline becomes more defined.
I also had the opportunity to purchase a lot of cars from other people that were changing scale or getting out of the hobby. These are the cars that have been subjected to the give away program…they don’t meet my criteria, but based on the response, others can and are using the cars on their layouts. I’m happy to be able to be in a position to help others by giving away the cars. In my opinion, it wouldn’t be worth the hassle of listing them on that auction site.
Still looking for a C&O car,
Don Z.
You might be a model railroader if you’ve ever told yourself:
“I can quit buying freight cars any time I want!”
At last count 288 HO cars and 37 N Scale cars.
I’ve given up on my inventory lists!! How about 14 boxes, each approx 14"x22"x12" - not counting about 40 or so pieces that are the grandsons’!! Scale vehicles? I’m still putting them in Plano boxes - will have a count on them in a couple of weeks!! Newbies, don’t get upset - I’ve only been collecting since the late '50’s!![:)]
I resemble that![(-D]
Actually, two of my late '50s locomotives (Tensodo 0-6-0T and Kawai solid lead 0-4-0T) are on my layout now, along with a couple of Tenshodo bakelite (!!) freight cars from the same era.[^]
I’m still unpacking things from my (now 4 years ago) move, and discovering things I had forgotten I have. Yesterday it was a Bachmann ATSF 4-8-4 that I thought I had left behind at a club I used to belong to. After a quick lube job, it ran! But it sure looks out of place on a purely Japanese layout![:-^]
Of course, I’m still looking for a couple of my MU cars…[%-)]
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
1 N scale tank car found in my brother in law’s toolbox after he passed away.
A four car Marx train set from the pre or post war era.
About 40 freight cars and six functioning locos in HO that are mine.
Another two locos, two dummies, ten freight cars, three wooden passenger cars visiting from my other brother-in-law who moved to Kalmbach’s hometown.(I tried to get him to get a job there, but he likes running a bookstore)
I don’t think that I have enough room for 1000 cars in HO. Maybe Z. Maybe I should give away my lone N scale car like Don Z has, but I’m not set up to post a picture of it.
I have 235 pieces or HO scale rolling stock. I am trying to build a prototype inventory of rolling stock that would be in the Kansas City area in 1981. My home road is the KCS with a shared yard (Joint Agency Terminal aka Knoche Yard) in Kansas City with the Milwauke. The majority of my rolling stock should be “home road” stuff which would be KCS and MILW, both difficult to find and not duplicate car numbers.
I do keep an inventory in an Excel spread sheet so I know which cars and numbers I already own. This is helpful when shopping on Ebay. I also take the list with me to train shows and swap meets.
I also have a 1981 edition of the Official Railway Equipment Register so I can verify the rolling stock that I get did run during this time period. The research aspect of developing a prototype roster for this era is very enjoyable.
How much? Probably three or four times as much as I really need for interesting operations. Like others here I had been purchasing HO rolling stock and loco’s for twenty some years and had a whole closet full that I sold off when I switched to two-rail O scale. I ended up with nearly three hundred pieces of rolling stock, at least a dozen locomotives and a bunch of structure, vehicle and other assorted kits.
I told myself that I wouldn’t let myself fall into that trap again. So what have I done? I’ve bought more O-scale rolling stock than I really need and now it’s time to thin that collection out.
At the moment my two-rail O scale rolling stock includes one VO-1000 and one SW1200 loco (Northern Pacific livery, of course!) and probably sixty some freight cars. I have a shelf switching layout under construction that is about thirty linear feet in length. So sixty freight cars is overkill.
About 7 years ago I went through my drawers of rolling stock and gave away about 200 pieces to my grand-nephew. It was all stuff that wasn’t applicable to the period I’m modeling (1939-53) and I was a Very Happy Camper. I’d thinned my inventory down considerably and it was all fitting the time frame.
I’ve replaced those 200 cars and then some. I’d say right now I’ve got about 700 pieces of rolling stock–all within the time period I model–and I’m one of those guys who can’t go into a hobby shop–no matter what ELSE I’m looking for–and NOT come out with another model. I can make up a train of fifty reefers and not even DENT my collection of PFE’s. And that doesn’t even begin to touch my collection of ART’s, FGEX’s, BREX’s and SFRD’s. And I don’t even want to go into how many Intermountain Rio Grande drop-bottom gondolas I’ve got.
And I’m heading over to RR Hobbies this afternoon to pick up some little brass details that I ordered. God only knows what else I’ll come home with once I wander down the freight car asile, LOL!
Tom [:I]
In what condition, I’m afraid I must ask.
I’ve got maybe 50-60 in good running order, with Kadees.
There’s one unbuilt kit downstairs, and 3 more waiting for a ride home from my LHS.
There are about 15-20 oldies with horn-hooks that are worth upgrading, but I don’t have room for them so I’m in no hurry.
I’ve got a mess of old passenger cars which range from “falling apart” to whatever condition comes right before “ashes to ashes, dust to dust.”
Even restricting the count to the ones in good running order, though, I don’t have room on my layout for everything. I am kind of dual-era, though, so I don’t mind the idea of having only half of my rolling stock on the rails at any one time.
It does, however, make me wish I had staging…
In operating condition in the right era; I have 30-something, allo of which are currently on the layout. In operating condition but not correct era I have about 7, then in non-operating condition I have somewhere around 15.
Folks:
I think I have about two dozen, which is too much. My railroad would operate fine with about half that. Most of it is train set quality, bought used and refurbished to tide me over until I get better stuff.
The number of cars needed depends on the railroad. If you want to do things cheaply, design a small railroad with low-key operations and save. 
I presume you mean freight only? Ummm Too many, umm more than will fit on three layouts, umm a storage unit full, ummm can I count by the case, ummm I think it would take too long to count. oooh ooh I know the right answer is - all of the above. I think I’ve purchase at least 40 at-and-since the Great Train Expo just last February… and Tim Allen style – uh oh uh oh uuuh … there is another sale tomorrow! Help! - Restrain me please.
Around 130 super detailed cars that I built. Around 50 super detailed cars that my friends built. Around 100 super detailed kits that are in boxes unbuilt. Around 300 cars of varying quality that have been given to me over the years, most of these are in boxes. not on the layout. I have room in staging for around 270 cars, not including yard space or siding space at industries.
As a rule, I try no to pay more than $10.00 per kit, many were bought on Ebay for far less.I’m most proud of the cars I built.
I have been buying cars for the current roster since around 2001 when I decided to get out of Marklin and switched to two rail DCC, American prototype. As you can see there are lots of guys who have been in the same scale and format for many decades who have much bigger collections than I. Most of the old time guys I know could open hobby shops with their collections. Its just an obsession, er ah hobby…
However many cars you think you will own/need…Triple that number at least…
John Armstrong cites the car aquisition syndrome as one of the main reasons model railroaders become dis-satisfied with their layouts. Mainly that they run out of storage space and don’t like having to shuttle cars on and off the layouts to off layout storage. One layout I know is completely clogged with cars crammed in on every siding. Personally, I’m trying to avoid this problem, not sure how sucessful I will be in the long run.
Guy
About 60, but I’ll probably only use about half on this layout. Some don’t fit the era and some are…well…crap. I’m trying to get in the mind set of quality over quantity.
(Not that there’s anything wrong with quantity.[:D])
Wow you guys!!!
I only have 6 that are in use as of right now. Of course I’m only in the hobby for 1 year. Take my 6, multiply that by 10 years and I’m at 60 pieces. Even that seems like ALOT of rolling stock to me!!!
4 Gondolas
6 Covered Hoppers
6 Hoppers Coal
6 Heavy duty flats of different kinds.
8 Boxcars
6 Coil Cars
12 Tank cars Chemical
4 Tank cars Pressure gas
6 Tank cars Furnance Oil.
and a few others like reefers etc
Half this number is one switching session at the industry on the railroad.
There are boxes that hold about 200 more peices destined to be sold or sent to Club service.
I made the decision that no rolling stock will be bought unless it can be used on the existing layout. Ive had way too many impulse buys.
I have too many to easily count, after all, I only have 20 fingers and toes. I do know, however, I have more than enough and am still accumulating. I can’t overcome the addiction.
Mark
I have about 15-20 that are on my layout and 15 in storage, so 30-35?
Tjsingle