My at that time girlfriend, having determined that she was dealing with a model railroader, bought me my first brass model - a ‘foobie’ kit that built up into a nice little 2-6-4T of Japanese design with no acknowledged ancestors.
Later that year, having determined that I had a keeper, I conned her into marrying me.
That was in 1960. Locomotive and marriage are still running.
These days we have three steady streams of income. One is hers - no questions asked. One is mine, and also pays insurance and utility bills. The third is earmarked for mortgage, food and other household and vehicle expenses. Most months, all three show a positive balance.
Earlier, model railroad items were the low face on the budgetary totem pole. Since I set that rule, there were no problems about enforcing it. I still managed to acquire everything I could want for my dream layout, currently under construction. Staying on a single workable theme made that a lot easier. I was never tempted to buy the latest and greatest simply because, “It’s New!!” A few years later I paid a lot less when I took it off the discount and closeout shelf, but only if it might have appeared in Kiso country in 1964.
All the way through, self-discipline and honesty have always been the key.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964 - since 1960)
Never had a problem myself. I model in N Scale, but also model 1/35 Armor and 1/72 Aircraft. I just don’t get carried away…I guess its kind of a self regulating thing that kicks in with me. Oh make no mistake, there are a LOT of N Scale items that I want…I could easily rack up the credit card or dent the bank account. Couple that with kits and aftermarket for my armor and aircraft interests and the dog house could be my usual place of residence. But my personal philosophy is if I miss out on something for my railroad or aircraft/armor hobbies then so-be-it. No tears here whatsoever. I focus on needs rather then wants (with household needs coming ahead of hobby needs). When I do splurge on a want I keep it resonable. She does the exact same thing for her interests. I don’t feel denied anything and I am completely enjoying my hobbies…and not having any stress around the house (which to me increases said enjoyment). Heck, she wants to see what I have done to my layout or what my latest armor or aircraft project is. In return I ask her about her latest interests/additions. Works great.
This is one of those things that tickles me. I mean, it’s fine and all. It’s your money, I don’t care what you do with it.
My layout is a freelance railroad made up of an amalgam of three real regionals. Specificly, I am doing a section of the smallest of the three. The REAL one operating on those tracks only has a roster of about ten and only operates two trains at a time! I think I can get by with two GP40-2s when the local its inspired by makes due with a pair of GP11s (which represent half their GP fleet).
I guess I am fortunate, but I’ve never seen it that way.
My better half has no interest in any of my hobby - read modeling - interests.
I like it that way, honest. I really am a lone wolf modeler.
She never feels the need to “approve” my spending because I spend only my money & not any of hers. My wife still works & lives a very busy life. I don’t think she has much time to be concerned about how much I spend on models. I don’t think my model building is anywhere on her list of things to biatch about.
First there was Jennie Rylance in 1965. Then Dee Harrington in ’71. Then, famously, there was Britt Ekland in ’75, Kelly Emberg in ’83, Rachel Hunter in 1990. And now there’s Penny Lancaster, the model and photographer with whom rock legend Rod Stewart has been living since 2007. Six of the 8 women Stewart has been with over the past 50 years have been models. But despite his track record, if you’ll pardon the pun, it’s not models he’s been collecting, but model… trains.
Wow, never thought my attempt at a funny post would have snowballed into an interesting discussion.
First, let me state, all of the rolling stock I bought were Bachmann Silver Series. I know that will make a lot of you cringe, but I did do some research online, and didnt find many complaints on the build or being problem cars. Most were due to them not being “proto” paint. And I dont mind molded ladders, ect. I like the fact they have metal wheels, brass axles, ect. Anywhays, I spent a total ( including shipping ) $218 for all 18 rolling stock. Thats just over $12 each on average. I didnt break the bank, thats for sure. And all were new NIB, sans 2 that were used, in new condition. All 4 Engines I have are Bachmann w/DCC ( one with sound ).
Who knows, maybe later I will get into the “proto” aspects. But for now, It works for me.
13 of them are Bachmann DCC OnBoards. Only one makes a little growling noise when I “start her up”.
Otherwise, I am VERY HAPPY with all of them. THe 2-8-2 steamer I bought was the most expensive at $140, the rest were all brand new and under $50 BRANd new, not to long ago. SOme are Spectrums, some are regular, etc.
My 50 pieces of rolling stock, run the gammot of brands…and prices, though I think the highest I paid was around $25. SInce I loosely model the B&O and incarnates, ANY ONE manufacturer will have some rolling stock appropriate and not-so-appropriate to the incarnates. SOme rolling stock was “souvenir” type of the 1:1 TOurist RR we visited who had it in HO scale. But they count, too.
My wife and children have always come before trains - and always will. My wife has no problem with my having a hobby on that basis. In fact, she’s the one who said when I was looking at a $500 locomotive: “we can afford it, go ahead”. She also encourages me to buy Thomas the Tank stuff for our grandson, I’m actually the one who says maybe we have too much - 2 Thomas the Tank tables with more stuff than will fit on them.
You ever notice that choosing a locomotive is easier and less troublesome than picking a mate?
You never hear a train ask you “do these knuckle couplers make my caboose look too big?”.
How many times are you stuck waiting at the door for an hour ready to go out to a train event because your loco is in the service bay ‘dolling’ up to go out?
Do your locos leave grab irons hanging from the shower rod or gear lubricants clogging up the medicine cabinet?
Do your trains give you the 3rd degree when they find a styrene plastic shaving on your lapelle?
When your mate talks to you, do you here grade crossing whistle chimes, air hisses, and flange squeels?
Why doesnt MR have centerfolds? Or loco of the year?
When you mention visiting the Southern Pacific for a vacation, does you mate expect to find tickets to Australia?
Who does your mate call when you not home late from work… your secretary or your local hobby shop?
Have you ever reffered to your talkitive mate as a ‘steam generator’?
I have about broke even with my model railroading but then I have always been a bottom feeder. It is only recently as I am working on finishing the scenery on my layout that I have paid anything close to retail for anything. The wife complains at times but mainly for attention and the fact that she didn’t have any hobbies she realy wanted to do, untill about a year ago, she got into sports!!! Talk about an expencive hobby, just got her a ticket for a football game for x-mas, $135.00 and I got a real deal through a relative, more than I ever spent for an engine except one (a brass 2 cylinder shay for $200).
I guess I lucked out. My wife is an enabler. At trainfest she convinced me to buy a new fmh1044. I’ve been putting it into my shopping cart and deleting it for months. Then there she was. About 30% of sticker price. I brought only enough cash to buy a kaydee boxcar and she offered to lend me cash from her allowance to get the loco until we got back home. A key to our happiness is that we each get an allowance to spend as we see fit. I buy trains and I win. She buys make up, clothes, gets her nails and hair did and I win again! She thinks I don’t need more because “how many boxcars does one really need?” My response: “I don’t think you need the make up because you’re so pretty without it anyway!” (see what I did there?)
I spend a decent amount of time with the layout however it’s just right downstairs. I know she likes that I’m not out on a golf course or out on a lake fishing and away from the house. However if she did have a problem with my hobby I’m sure it would be any hobby not specifically trains. If that was the case I would have headed for the hills years ago. Life is too short for that imho. I know some couples love to fight and that’s fine for them. Just not my cup of tea.
My wife knew right away what she was getting into. When she met me, dad & I had trains all over the basement in 3 different scales. She (like my mom before her) liked what she saw because she realized the two of us enjoyed a safe hobby together & it kept us home instead of out drinking in a bar.
With that said, once we were married, of course spending became an issue, but, since we pool all our money, we both mention major purchases beforehand & make sure we’re both on the same page with the budget in case there isn’t enough money to cover it, if not, then we just wait.
One interesting thing that happened once was a time she was downstairs, walked over to the locos in the cabinate, & flat out asked me “When will enough be enough?” Man, that hit me hard. I stammered for an answer & it took me a day or two to realize, hey, the layout is only so big, & you can only run so many at any given time. That’s the saturation point- when you see that you have plenty & you’re ok with that. Now, if something really special comes up, sure I’d like to have it, but the “stock up” phase of my hobby is over. That probably happened at 35 after steadily buying at a normal pace since I was a kid. Now I’m 41 & feel pretty content with my variety. One thing I can say is that buying a mix of nice stuff & fixer uppers & staying away from top end, crazy retail prices has helped me have way more than Jr & I could normally could afford.
My wife doesn’t have much interest in the hobby but doesn’t complain about it. She knows I’m the responsible type. She usually has to encourage me to get what I want.
My wife has always been supportive of my hobbies. I’m my own guilt trip on things I buy. I often go along with some of her ideas about family visits and travel to keep a balance in interests. As I get older (70) I want to travel less and less but her fmily is 350 miles away so thats another compromise. One way to economize is to sell old stock and kits at swap meets and use the proceeds to buy the latest “gotta have”. So anyway “keep the peace baby”. Peace out. BILL in Idaho
My wife and I know what it cost to run the household ops and know what comes in. Neither one of us would spend money on anything extra if all the bills weren’t paid and the reserve wasn’t topped up. An expense such as a new hot water tank or major car expense is easily handled out of the reserve. When that is again topped up at what it cost to operate the house op’s for three months we spend what we want.
She has stopped by PWRS on the way home and picked up on three separate occasions two Atlas Trainmasters Gold series and a Proto SW1200 and other things at other times. She has come in the house and while I am sitting at the computer or doing something else, kiss me on the head pass it over my shoulder and say I bought you a present. PWRS has my wish list on file and have an easy time helping her choose something. It’s her way of buying me flowers.
Some measure success at staying one step of the debt collector, My wife and I have both gone through our lives by being able to pay the credit card off in full every month. Neither one of us has ever carried a balance over, ever in our lives. Interest can add up to an awfull lot of money in ones life.
