First, it is a matter of personal finance. Some of us are making good salaries, and can afford to pay whatever they wish when they see something they want. Then, there are the fixed income group ( like me) and I spend $3 at shows for things that I like or can fix, at the LHS I might buy some $4-$8 kits ( blue box, etc. ) and I also spend the big bucks at times and spend $15-30 for cars that I like.
Except for passenger cars, I usually drop between $15 and $30 for Walthers rolling stock (spent $27 on a Gold Line caboose a few weeks ago). Walthers is good detail, and they make a lot of stuff for my era, so the price doesn’t bother me that much.
You and me both. I’m on SSI. It don’t pay much.
Well, since you said rolling stock, I guess that means Any rolling stock. The Most I’ve ever paid was $30 per for a couple branchline passenger cars. Other than that, $15 is about my limit and it has to be lettered for Wabash. I don’t chase after RTR limited runs either. That doesn’t mean I won’t buy one, just that If what I want is there when I’m ready, great. If not, fine. That’s just the way I feel about it anymore.
4884bigboy, ya, Walthers makes some great stuff. That is one manufacturer i dont have to change the truck sideframes on, as they have very good detail. Now the athearn BB ones bug me, and will get switched over. My latest Walthers car purchase was a 65’ WC mill gondola. Very nice in the detail department!
Alec
I do like the word FREE - but I seldom see it on things I really like; things like freight cars, and passenger cars, and locomotives, and …They have figures like $10.99, and $19.95, and $8.45 on them. Did you ever notice how figures take all the fun out of life - unless the figures are configured as 36-24-36; those figures I like; of course at my age few 36-24-36s are likely to come knocking at my door.
I am an N-Scaler and it seems like it was not too many years ago when the price of something as mundane as a 40 foot box cost less than $5.00. Then it was $9.95. Now I see prices (ordinary prices) approaching $20.00. Due to a few financial limitations (Medical problems forced me onto early Social Security a couple of years back and things have been just a little tight of late - I am prepared to return to the ranks of the gainfully employed in about three months) I have not really made any major purchases in awhile; I know that I have seen my last $2.00 per gallon petrol - maybe even my last $3.00 a gallon - and my last $100.00 a month utility bill, and I don’t expect to pay less than $20,00.00 for a new car again. And I figure that when this current rush of inflation is over there will be few pieces of (quality) rolling stock going for less than $10.00. Guess I better get back to work and stock up on a few things while the price is “reasonable”.
i prefer a train show so i can get most of HO stuff for $5 at the hobby shop no more than $16 unless an autocarrier.
I really enjoyed the Red Caboose and InterMountain boxcar kits for ~$20. When Kadee’s RTR PS-1s hit the market, I said there’s no way I’m paying $30 for a plastic boxcar. After seeing one, well, let’s just say that I own several.
But I’d much rather have 20 $20-$30 cars than 50 $8-$10 ones.
My limit is in the 10-15 dollar range also, by choice. So far I have not purchased any RTR. I spoke with someone at the LHS about the high cost of rolling stock. He said that in the past modelers used to come in and purchase a magazine, glue, evergreen plastic and a couple BB / MDC kits. Now he said they just purchase the magazine, glue and plastic. They have since started to carry all the new BB kits and their stock is now double that of RTR. I guess some folks are buying the high-end rolling stock but it sure won’t be me.
Jim