Every time I get a new train something or other I feel great. I examine it, try to make it better, polish it up etc. After a day or two I have the urge for more, better, and in my case older train something or others. Does it ever stop? Is it bad for my heath? Is there a cure?
On the other hand, I look at my train something or other collection as a whole and am very satisfied. It makes me feel good. So maybe my collectoritis is not aa disease or malady. Perhaps it’s good for my health. Maybe there’s nothing to cure but something that needs to be prolonged, enjoyed.
“Zen and the passion of toy train collecting”
Think I’ll write a book.
Do You find there is always something else you want or need? How long does it take after a good train find or purchase before you have the urge for more train stuff.
For me it takes about one week. Then I find something else desirable. Sometimes a take a break for a few months. Then I start with a new layout that needs new trians. First it was our main layout (A UP passenger set would be nice to go with that UP steam freight set)). Then it was the Christmas tree layout (wouldn’t it be nice if it was all Pennsy), and now it is a portable “conventional” layout (need some short 027 engines and cars, wouldn’t it be nice if all …).
Landscaping and layout building seems to reduce purchases during construction (except for the needed new switches, additional track, wiring components).
I also have items I am looking for that are hard to find (currently a semi-scale Penn passenger set for my Lionel T1-Duplex and NYC passenger cars for my K-line Dryfus Hudson). Waiting is fun and I know sooner or later the cars will turn up at a show or be produced by some manufacturer.
I love it but must be careful to hold off a month or so between big purchases.
Jim H
becomming a broke-a-holic helps 
NO! It never stops;
It’s not bad for your health if your wife understands your needs!
NO! There is not a cure that I know of!
(Unless you are counting lack of money)[:D]
Agree;It STOPS a bunch of things!!
You can cut some impulse buys this way: Implement the 14-pound rule. In otherwords, if it does not hit you with all the impact of a 14-pound maul on the bridge of the nose, dont buy it.
As with any addiction, sadly, the only cure is from within. Becoming a broke-a-holic can help, but temptation, combined with good values on eBay and at shows, has a way of weaking even the sternest resolve.
That said, here are some signs that you have developed collector-itis:
- You have packages shipped to your office, lest your wife ask questions.
- You spend several hours a week perusing listings on eBay.
- You have more money in your PayPal account than in your 401(k).
- You have offered to name your first born child after Charles Ro in retun for a 5% discount on new rolling stock.
- You start planning family vacations based on the train stores you haven’t seen yet (e.g. Caboose Hobbies is in Denver – “Honey, lets go skiing this year.”)
- You think nothing of driving halfway to Oregon on a weekend day just to hit the sale at Western Depot.
- You consider moving your east coast office to Millburn, just so you can hit Millburn Train and Hobby once a month.
- Your layout remains only partially constructed but the rate of new boxcar acuisition has accelerated.
- You’ve convinced yourself that any rolling stock in a particular, hard-to-find-in-O-gauge road name (e.g. Golden West Service) should be purchased immediately, whenever found, irrespective of the cost.
- It’s early January, you still haven’t sent any Christmas cards, but you’ve already talked to seven different dealers about their prices for a new TMCC engine.
I’m not saying that these all apply to me [:D] …
Tom Baker
San Francisco (last stop on the Grand Lake, Alta, and Truckee)
Prozac…[(-D][sigh][%-)][X-)][:D]
The whole thing was great Tom, except for #2. You mean “You spend several hours a DAY perusing listings on eBay.”
Printing out the whole thing If I don’t die from laughing.
Thanks Tom, you made my year !!!
Tim
Tom, if I may add few:
– When delivering a package, the UPS guys notes to your wife, “I don’t think this one is a train”
– You enjoy visiting your in-laws because there’s a train shop on the way
– You remind your kids on your birthday that daddy doesn’t mind having two or three of the same car
– You can pay for your house with a loan on your trains
anyone else have some to add?
Tom you are a miracle worker. My wife how tolerates trains at best, was laughing at the list. Woooooooo Hoooooooooo there is hope in my train world yet.
Tim
Tom Baker, The Grand Lake, Alta and Truckee Line would that be Grand Lake, Colorado? Just wonderin because we lived there a few years.
Dougdagrump-
Grand Lake indeed refers to Grand Lake, CO. My family has had a house there since the late 1800s. I’m trying to model out the Fraser Valley, and needed a railroad name. Grand Lake seemed like a good start. Just don’t mention that there are no tracks in GL…
-Tom
Granby is close enough.[^] I hope you depict all three of the lakes there, sure was a gorgeous area. Is your familiy’s place in town or out? We haven’t been up that way for a very long time. We lost contact with our friends that were there with the exception of a family that moved to Grand Junction. I always liked the winters there instead of the summers, to many tourists even though they were our bread and butter. [:D]
Here is another.
If you buy your mom or wife a gift, she says "Okay, what engine do you want?!
Job openings in UPS,FedEx,and USPS caused by your orders arriving constantly/
Mom/wife cooks dinner for 3- her, you, and the delivery guy every night.
You will storm into your sons room as he draws a train. "You moron! GP-9s have radiators located 13/23in. farther back than that. Fix it or I won’t take you to Dairy Queen!
When your wife is called by the police and is told " Your husband is trashing your spare car and brealing windows with golf clubs" she replies " Oh, that’s normal. You see, his train didn’t come in the mail today.
How did you get the moving pic in your si?. It is awesome.
Tim