It seems to me that the business interests behind Model Railroading have been overlooking a significant detail that is probably a contributor in cutting their collective throats-- the price of track.
Track is a basic, fundamental essential ingredient in Model Railroading. Without it what have you got?
But if the price of track is too high then it stifles the ability of people to express themselves creatively and utilize the space they have available to its fullest potential.
Why is this important or even a consideration?
It occurs to me that a layout is a collection of components that is built to-suit a particular modeler’s space constraints and financial budgets. Accordingly my supposition is that the more track a particular modeler has the more subsequent scenicking he is likely to do. The more buildings he is likely to add. And the more locos and rolling stock he is likely to want to run. Further, the more track a modeler has, the more wire and electrical components he’ll need to electrify it and switch it. And the more wood or foam construction materials he’ll need to support it. And then the follow-on aspects, the more locos a modeler has-- particularly in the present day and going forward-- the more likely he is to want to use DCC, if he hasn’t already. And once he’s made the decision to use DCC, the more locos he has, the mode DCC decoders he’ll need. And if the supposition regarding the relationship between track and layout size holds up, the more likely he is to need / want advanced DCC components-- extra power districts, DCC routing, etc. And if the relationship between track and layout size is true, then the more turnouts he’ll have, which means the more stall motors he’ll probably want to move them. And then signaling components, etc.
It all seems to come back to the track.
And yet track seems to keep going up and up in price-- or at least it is up there. For a little ‘L’ or a loop around a board it isn’t that expensive perha
It depends a lot on where you purchase your track and what brand you use, too. Model Power flex track from Trainland is about 1/3 the price of Atlas flex track at a local hobby shop.
If you want a real shock, look at the price of G scale track! They should be wearing a burglar’s mask and holding a pistol to you when they price it.
Or else doing something I can’t well describe on a family site…
I know what you’re saying about G-scale track. I’ve all but given up any hope of getting much more of that. I did luck out awhile back and was able to buy around a thousand feet worth rail stock (4-foot sections) but now I’m stuck with the necessity of figuring out how to acquire tie plates without breaking the bank. Now I know why there are so many drug addicts… they’re really all closet G-scalers but discovered that drug addiction is much cheaper… [}:)] [:-,] [(-D]
Quite a tome John! I have a 1996 PECO catalog that lists turnouts at the same price I just bought them for. Zero increase in 14 years, not bad. If it’s any consolation it’s a one time purchase.
Yes, I did preface it with big bold letters: “SOAPBOX” [:D]
And I know its “one-time” but it still bugs me because its such a huge awful bite. For me its gonna be at least a couple thousand bucks-- that I’d much rather be spending on something else.
And I agree that some of the “premium” brands have not changed much in price, but I contend they were highly over-priced to begin with.
You were awful brave throwing this can of worms in here!! lol![:D]
My own take is that it really is depending on whether you bit and piece like I did or buy a giant box, or 2, or 3, all at once. I did mine bit fashion because I was really not sure how large a layout I could stuff into ths oversized broomcloset of a room I had.
I do not need to worry about double slip switch things or really complicated turnouts as I am modeling a single track branchline operation here. I do, however, have a couple of wyes at either end of the layout–and both were handlaid[B)]
Now that I have the run of the basement the bit fashion worked in that my supply is now more than sufficient—[:D]
This is how our economy works. Goods are sold for the price they can bring on the market. Manufacturers charge what people will pay. If they don’t, then the price may go down If they do, they the price stays where it is.
Essentially, a thread could be started here saying any certain aspect of model railroading is expensive and you’ll get the same 50 responses time after time. Whether it’s rolling stock, locomotives, scenery, track, vehicles, figures, structures, DCC - it’s ALL expensive until you learn to prioritize and make sacrifices. If you have other interests in your life that take up some of your budget, then perhaps it’s not feasible to have a sprawling layout in your basement with a 500’ mainline run.
What is really silly is that the parts required to handlay tracks, makes it as expensive as ready made track! I mean come on! $0.92 per 18" code 83 rail EACH! $18 for 200 pcs of PC-ties! $16.65 for 1000 pcs wood-ties! This is the price Fast-Track takes.
Buing Atlas code 83 flextrack and using the rails for hand-laid track on “matchsticks” isn´t such a bad idea after all.
I would love to lay my own tracks but if the price to make it is much higher than readymade, i´ll stick with whats available. If anyone can point to some more affordable supplies, I would be grateful.
I just wish the other stuff was as cheap as the track! If I where ever to need a box of 100 sections of 3 foot flex track code 100 it would cost me $300.00 from K-10 Model Trains. One section is $3.25. Turnouts are getting up there, 5 years ago when I started a #6 was $6.95 and now is $10.00. Peco has gone from $12.00 to $20.00 at the same shop.
Yes, I agree-- that is the only strategy I’ve found, short of going into the track mfgr’g business, to make it seem less painful. I’m on a “buy-a-wad-o-track”-a-month plan now. And I guess will be for the foreseeable future. Perhaps by the time my kids are out of college I’ll have it paid off… [:D]
And I am learning how to hand lay the stuff-- at the very least I’m putting in the time to find out how. Particularly turnouts. And there more because I think I will like the aesthetic better and can achieve exactly what I want-- within my skill limits of course (and a little jig to help me here and there perhaps).
And you’re right about it being a can of worms… I’m just waiting for the lambasting I’m sure I’m going to get from some for throwing it out there… [:-^]
No, I don’t think so. Yes, I agree that much stuff is expensive, even seemingly prohibitively-- but most of it is based on short engineering / production runs where there really are tooling costs to recoup, engineers and mold makers to pay, assembly line workers, etc. to pay, and whatnot. Track I think is in a different category. It is essentially the same today as it was 20 years ago, perhaps even 30 years ago. I know you need to replace molds and such every so often but you don’t need to redesign the whole thing and retool the whole thing. The machines that make the stuff are still the same. They’ve already been amortized.
I believe they are hiding behind the fact that other stuff costs money and people are used to shucking it out-- and believe (probably correctly) that they can (cough) “justify” their prices that way. I.e. You’re used to paying through the nose for everything else, why not track too.
I searched the world (literally) high and low, near and far, and finally found a supplier of decent bulk “matchstick” materials suitable for use as hand-laid ties. It took me months of inquiries and dead-ends but I finally found one that would sell me true bulk. I bought 100,000 of them.
Now I’m on a hunt for tie plates and joint bars. I suspect I’ll end up having to etch them myself. When I get that figured out, I’m ready to start hand laying.
As a close-second alternative, I’m also pursuing CV tie strips.
Some time in the near future I’m going to have a “throw-down” and see which ones work for me better-- ease of construction, reliability, durability, and aesthetics.
I’m willing to do the work and put out the effort, but I want results and I don’t want to break the bank in the process. I refuse. I will find another way.
What I have been doing is shopping thoroughly, judiciously and expeditiously. When I find a good deal I don’t think about it, I just commit the funds and do it. I don’t buy “used” track, I am very skeptical of its value unless I am absolutely certain where its been and its condition. Too easy to get rooked that way. But I don’t mind new-old-stock, and buying rail stock that’s in good condition.
I have to agree with most of the comments. I am building my first layout in over 30 years and the cost of the track and turnouts is astounding from what it was back then. I started with code 100 and purchased it in boxes of 100 for $120; not bad at $1.20 per section of flex track (Model Power, which is now up $1.89 in bulk). Then I decided to go to code 83 and sold all 30 of my code 100 turnouts that I got on Ebay and an average cost of $5-6 each. WOW, now look at what I am paying for code 83! Why such a difference? They are alll made the same way and the excuse of haveing to recoup the tooling is overstated. How long does it take to recoup? They don’t seem to be doing it with code 100 stuff.
I still don’t have all my turnouts because I can’t find any good used ones on Ebay and the best prices for new are at least $20 per turnout and $3.25 per 3 foot section of flextrack. I am retired and can’t afford to put out $500 or more for turnouts alone. I agree I am building a large layout but didn’t expect this when I switched to code 83. I just hope I can gather all t he track I need before I am too old to see what I am doing and not get to enjoy my layout.
And it is true that any aspect of the hobby is going up as well. $32 for a RTR box car! REally! And now Athearn has stopped making their Blue Box kits? Is this hobby becoming a RTR hobby? Even the buildings are now available Built Up?
I guess being out of the hobby for15- 20 years has left me a little overwhelmed with what is available today and what is not.
Well, that is my opinion of things related to cost of model railroading.
The basics of a small layout are the benchwork, powerpack, track, trains and some buildings and scenery. Without the track, you have a static diorama.
Let’s look at the cost of a small layout. How much is a sheet of 4x8’ plywood nowadays? $25? 2" foam about the same? Frames and legs can be made from inexpensive dimensional lumber. Powerpacks can be had for little money. There are plenty of used trainset packs floating around. Sure, it’s not DCC, but it’s a serviceable power option. Locomotives: some good buys can be had in the $40-50 range. Rolling stock can be found at attractive prices. Simple and basic styrene building kits are plentiful (think DPM, etc.). Scenery? You can get basic groundcover from your back yard. Just be sure to sift it and heat treat it for creepie crawlies. Woodland Scenics makes wonderful stuff. A bag can be fairly expensive, but oftentimes one bag will do the whole layout.
So what do we have invested in the layout so far? Benchwork, about $75; powerpack, $20; a train (loco and cars) perhaps $100. Buildings maybe another $75 and scenery another $25. Total: less than $300.
Now the track. A simple two-track oval, with crossovers opposite one another; two sidings off the main with one siding split into two tracks. About 40 feet of track (13 sections of 3’ flex) and 7 turnouts. 13 sections of flex at $3.50 each is about $45.00; 7 turnouts @ $14.00 each is about $100. $145 for track alone! That’s almost HALF the cost of EVERYTHING ELSE on the layout!
It’s a wonder that anyone can afford to build a layout anymore!
I have to agree with the OP. Track costs can be staggering, even for the simplest of layouts. Anything m
And aren’t you glad you threw away all that old horrible BRASS track ! ! I’m glad you threw it my way, no problem with expensive track here, hold a product off the market then you can charge any price you want, looked at the price of a 25 year old house that sold for $60,000 and now costs $750,000, how does stuff like that happen, and car prices are now 1/2 the price they were 3 years ago, try that one on.