We all know model railroading is a costly undertaking (especially lately!). Do you find it worth the money over time? Locomotives don’t seem to depreciate much in value, but what about the money you’ve spent on power systems, track, accessories, etc? When a layout’s complete, do you stand back and feel that it was cash well spent, or do you always wish you could do more?
Just picking your brains a bit…it’s always cool to hear opinions on stuff like this.
I added up the cost, what it cost me to purchase what I had a few years ago & it was $3500 Canadian, & that was only locomotives & rollingstock.
Does not include powerpacks, switches & track, structures & the wood.
Is it worth it to me, sure it is. Just being able to shut out the world for an hour to spend working on my hobby is worth what ever I spend
Gordon
I was lucky, during the three years I spent in Germany, the dollar soared against the mark [euro had not been installed yet] so I spent a bundle on locos, rolling stock and structures which I shipped home. That was the start of my layout. Looking in Walther’s catalog, to replace what I brought home would cost me an arm and a leg.
“Is your railroading hobby worth your investment?” Should hobby and investment be in the same sentence? I don’t look at any of my hobbies as investments, rather I view them as enjoyment. Yes, it seems like the cost for railroad related hobby supplies and tools is rising faster than inflation which means I can’t get as much each month as I used to but IMHO a hobby is for enjoyment not an investment.
I know I have over $500 inested in track and benchwork. 9 Proto 2000 locos from $35 to $80 + several smaller locos from $10 up. Structures, bridges, figures, vehicles etc. Cars 14 to 20 Athearn passenger cars, 8 Rivarossi’s 5 Spectrum heavy weights and several reefer, hoppers, boxcars and gondolas. Is it worth the investment? Yes but probably only to me. It releaves stress and it’s a great way to relax. I like to read about history it’s got that. My benchwork skills are improving. Before i started I had no clue about running a drill.
RMax
I agree with Snake- I buy what I need, not what’s going to increase in value. Some of it might be worth a lot someday, but that will be when my estate is settled!
It’s not just the money you spend (or invest), it’s the time. The price I pay for spending as little money as possible is the amount of time spent on building & looking for cheap ways to do things.
I’ve spent almost all the money I earned during my teenage years on my “hobby”. Thats the only reason I could have so much stuff. No girlfriends = more freed up cash.
I have no idea how much money I’ve spent on the hobby, but I know it’s well over TEN thousand dollars.
I could care less if anything appreciates in value in this hobby. I’m not doing this for the cashout. To me, modelrailroading is about the enjoyment you get out of the hobby. My friends consider me fairly artistic, and model railroading satisfys those impulses. I’m also hugely into history, and modeling a period railroad satisfies my historical curiosity. I like building things, and model railroading definitely satisfies there! Finally, I like trains.
Some things in life are worth far more than what you pay for them. Model railroading is one of those things!
I have no clue…it’s not a whole lot, as I’ve only been back in the hobby for a year or so, but that includes four trips to model railroad shows where I spent $150-200 each, plus figure trips to the hobbyshop at least twice a month at about $25-30 apiece, so figure at least a thousand.
Of course, during the same period I smoked about half a pack a day, which cost me about $20 a week (for $5 a pack Sampoernas) so figure I spent about a thousand last year on CIGARETTES.
And I have since quite smoking, partially because i was sick of getting cigarette ash all over my layout.
So I have an EXTRA THOUSAND DOLLARS A YEAR TO SPEND ON TRAINS…and reduced chance of cancer.
Now THAT’S a worthwhile investment!!!
Good for you. “Say no to drugs” (and yes, cigarettes are drugs).
i lost track but i would guess about $600-$800 with a little help from my dad
Some people actually enjoy knowing the things they buy either don’t depreciate or even appreciate in value… so I think they can be in the same sentence. If you buy an expensive work of original art from a master, yes, you enjoy it aesthetically, but another part of that enjoyment (for many people) comes from knowing you (hopefully) made a good investment. Otherwise you may as well just buy a print. I don’t think “investing” in a “hobby” is an invalid way of looking at it.
Personally, for me the fact that much model railroading equipment does not significantly depreciate is one of the attractions. There are, honestly, a lot of things I can (and do) for fun. This is not my only hobby. Most hobbies, though, are basically just throwing money away. Yes, the enjoyment you get out of them is worth something, but after the enjoyment fades you’re left with nothing. I mean, is it better to buy that $400 graphics card for my PC that’ll be worth five bucks in two years, or is it better to buy a nice locomotive that will likely hold its value for perhaps decades? Considering also that I’ll enjoy both fairly equally, but that I’ll be able to enjoy the locomotive for a lot longer.
I think this hobby is a better investment than most. At least our trains are tangible assets that are worth something, even if not quite what we paid for them. A lot of hobbies, you spend the money and it’s just gone. That makes those kinds of hobbies hard for me to enjoy.
Not enough categories, you need to extend it a couple of orders of magnitude upwards: $10,000, $50,000, $100,000 and more.
I am in the same category as Ray.
Or was the question: what did you spend last year ? Either way, same answer from the above list.
I really don’t have any idea, but I do know that the thousand dollar cap is way too low.
Unless that is for this past year only. seriously, I’ve never kept track of it or tried to figure it out. It’s what I do for fun. It isn’t an inexpensive hobby but the enjoyment I get from it is worth every bit of it.
Have Fun,
Tom Watkins
I have no idea what I have spent, but it is a lot. Especially if you count the money spent to fini***he basement around the trains. After my first son was born I suspended my dream of building an elaborate layout, and went real simple. It is big enough to run my trains, and I can still build structures, which I enjoy. However, it is when my 3 1/2 year old pulls out all the starter sets I’ve given him and gets trains running on all 3 lines, that I know it was money well spent.
Over 30+ years in the hobby and I know I am well beyond $1000, but have no idea how much. Nor do I much care. Like others above, the enjoyment I derive from the hobby is greater than the cost. As for being an investment, the kids can cash me out after I’m gone. Or keep the stuff
Enjoy
Paul
I fgure I’ve spent well over $10,000. But that’s over 15 years, several layouts, several different gauges, etc. The only trains that I have that I feel are an investment are my Lionels. Even beat up, postwar lionels are worth alot. And I run mine alot and play with them with my kids.
Now with prices of new stuff climbing pretty high maybe my H.O. stuff has some value. I never thought it did or that I could get back what I paid for it but with prices just about tripling in the last 15 years I guess my trains are a good investment.
Paul the painter
I started ‘collecting’ at about the age of twenty-one and have’nt looked back since.
It all started with a stamp book I found and I just started collecting Stamps, in the beginning. I graduated from stamps to Woodworking equipment. I now have a woodworking shop that would rival any local Tech school. 'Bout 4 years ago I remembered the fun I had running G’pas trains. My Wife and Daughter bought me a small Kit and the rest is History.[:D]
It does’nt matter how ya got there, it just matters wether or not you enjoy it…[;)]
I, for one, have nothing but good memories and enjoyment out of this hobby.
To me the Hobby is NOT an investment. The purpose of the hobby is to distract from your worries and cares of a hard day at work, home whatever. The benefit is relaxation, enjoyment and perhaps sharing with others who are like minded.
I do not count “Money” in the hobby. It usually comes up when you gaze at that Coveted Item and are willing to sell your soul to get it. I do hope that you enjoy your “acquisitions” in the hobby.
Manufacters always promise the best and the top quality to get your business. Sometimes they did not deliver on that… however overall I am pleased with the amount of effort and time “Invested” so far in the hobby. It has been rewarding.